cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thrombopoietin promotes mixed lineage and megakaryocytic colony-forming cell growth but inhibits primitive and definitive erythropoiesis in cells isolated from early murine yolk sacs

The role of thrombopoietin (Tpo) in promoting hematopoiesis has been extensively studied in late fetal, neonatal, and adult mice. However, the effects of Tpo on early yolk sac hematopoiesis have been largely unexplored. We examined whole embryos or the cells isolated from embryo proper and yolk sacs and identified both Tpo and c-mpl (Tpo receptor) mRNA transcripts in tissues as early as embryonic day 6.5 (E6.5). Presomite whole embryos and somite-staged yolk sac and embryo proper cells were plated in methylcellulose cultures and treated with selected hematopoietic growth factors in the presence or absence of Tpo. Tpo alone failed to promote colony-forming unit (CFU) formation. However, in the presence of other growth factors, Tpo caused a substantial dose-dependent reduction in primitive and definitive erythroid CFU growth in cultures containing E7.5 and E8.0 whole embryos and E8.25 to 9.5 yolk sac–derived cells. Meanwhile, Tpo treatment resulted in a substantial dose-dependent increase in CFU-mixed lineage (CFU-Mix) and CFU-megakaryocyte (CFU-Meg) formation in cultures containing cells from similar staged tissues. Addition of Tpo to cultures of sorted E9.5 yolk sac c-Kit+CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors also inhibited erythroid CFU growth but augmented CFU-Mix and CFU-Meg activity. Effects of Tpo on CFU growth were blocked in the presence of a monoclonal antibody with Tpo-neutralizing activity but not with control antibody. Thus, under certain growth factor conditions, Tpo directly inhibits early yolk sac erythroid CFU growth but facilitates megakaryocyte and mixed lineage colony formation.
Analyzing the Structure of CoFe−Fe3O4 Core−Shell Nanoparticles by Electron Imaging and Diffraction

Structure analysis of multifunctional nanoparticles could be a complex process. In this paper, we demonstrate the step-by-step techniques used for identifying the structure of the CoFe−Fe3O4 nanoparticles, which are composed of ∼4-nm CoFe cores and covered with ∼3-nm Fe3O4 polynanocrystallites. The techniques demonstrated are general and can be adopted for analysis of any nanoparticles of interest in physical chemistry.
Efficacy of combined contraceptive vaginal ring versus oral contraceptive pills in achieving hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis suppression in egg donor in vitro fertilization cycles.

Background: Our study compares the efficacy of the combined contraceptive vaginal ring to oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) for hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis suppression in egg donor in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Methods: Our retrospective cohort study includes patients from the Center for Assisted Reproduction (CARE) in Bedford, Texas undergoing IVF cycles as egg donors from January 2003 through December 2009. Twenty-five and thirty-nine women were treated with OCPs and the combined contraceptive vaginal ring, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed using the SigmaStat Software package (Systat, Chicago, IL). Data were analyzed by t or Mann-whitney test and Chi-square of Fisher exact test. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Prior to gonadotropin initiation, endometrial thickness and serum estradiol were 5.6±2.6 mm and 33.6±19.9 pg/ml in the OCP group and 6.0±2.4 mm and 36.6±24.3 pg/ml in the combined contraceptive vaginal ring group, respectively (p=0.49 and p=0.33). Average serum FSH and LH were 1.7±1.9 and 1.7±2.5 mIU/ml in the OCP group and 1.7±1.6 and 1.2±1.4 mIU/ml in the combined contraceptive vaginal ring group, respectively (p=0.45 and p=0.95). No significant differences were found for gonadotropin requirement, peak estradiol, maximal endometrial thickness, number of oocytes retrieved, number of normally fertilized embryos, number of cryopreserved embryos, or live birth rates. Conclusion: The combined contraceptive vaginal ring is effective for HPO axis suppression in egg donor IVF cycles and associated with cycle characteristics similar to those observed with OCP treatment. The combined contraceptive vaginal ring may provide an important advantage over OCPs due to improved patient compliance.
The effect of multiple scaffolding tools on students' understanding, consideration of different perspectives, and misconceptions of a complex problem

This study investigated the effectiveness of multiple scaffolding tools in helping students understand a complex problem. In order to support students with this task, a multimedia learning environment was developed based on the cognitive flexibility theory (CFT) and scaffolding through computer-based tools. Seventy-nine 10th-grade students in an urban high school participated in this study. A quasi-experimental method was used to compare the effectiveness of different scaffolding tools within this learning environment. Scaffolding used in conjunction with CFT principles did not affect students' ability to consider multiple perspectives or their numbers of misconceptions. On the other hand, scaffolding tools had varying effects on students' problem understanding, and a significant interaction was found between the different scaffolding tools used. This study raised questions about the effectiveness of combining multiple scaffolding tools within a multimedia environment.
Loosely bound oxytetracycline in riverine sediments from two tributaries of the Chesapeake bay.

The fate of antibiotics that bind to riverine sediment is not well understood. A solution used in geochemical extraction schemes to determine loosely bound species in sediments, 1 M MgCl2 (pH 8), was chosen to determine loosely bound, and potentially bioavailable, tetracycline antibiotics (TCs), including oxytetracycline (5-OH tetracycline) (OTC) in sediment samples from two rivers on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Bottom sediments were collected at sites upstream from, at, and downstream from municipal sewage-treatment plants (STPs) situated on two natural waterways, Yellow Bank Stream, MD, and the Pocomoke River, MD. Concentrations of easily desorbed OTC ranged from 0.6 to approximately 1.2 μg g-1 dry wt sediment in Yellow Bank Stream and from 0.7 to approximately 3.3 μg g-1 dry wt sediment in the Pocomoke River. Concentrations of easily desorbable OTC were generally smaller in sediment upstream than in sediment downstream from the STP in the Pocomoke River. STPs and poultry manure are both po...
Performance Analysis of Conceptual Waste Package Designs in Salt Repositories

A performance analysis of commercial high-level waste and spent fuel conceptual package designs in reference repositories in three salt formations was conducted with the WAPPA waste package code. Expected conditions for temperature, stress, brine composition, radiation level, and brine flow rate were used as boundary conditions to compute expected corrosion of a thick-walled overpack of 1025 wrought steel. In all salt formations corrosion by low Mg salt-dissolution brines typical of intrusion scenarios was too slow to cause the package to fail for thousands of years after burial. In high Mg brines judged typical of thermally migrating brines in bedded salt formations, corrosion rates which would otherwise have caused the packages to fail within a few hundred years were limited by brine availability. All of the brine reaching the package was consumed by reaction with the iron in the overpack, thus preventing further corrosion. Uniform brine distribution over the package surface was an important factor in predicting long package lifetimes for the high Mg brines.
Analysis of normal epithelial cell specific-1 (NES1)/kallikrein 10 mRNA expression by in situ hybridization, a novel marker for breast cancer.

Purpose: Normal epithelial cell specific-1 ( NES1 )/ kallikrein 10 gene is expressed in normal mammary and prostate epithelial cells, but the expression of NES1 mRNA and protein is markedly reduced in established breast and prostate cancer cell lines although the NES1 gene is intact. Here, we wished to assess whether NES1 expression is down-regulated in primary breast cancers. Experimental Design: We developed and used an in situ hybridization technique with an antisense NES1 probe to detect NES1 mRNA in sections of normal breast specimens, typical and atypical ductal hyperplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ , and infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Results: All of the 30 normal breast specimens showed high NES1 expression. Notably, 18 (75%) of 24 typical and atypical breast hyperplasia specimens showed high NES1 expression, with weak-to-moderate expression in 6 (25%). Significantly, 13 (46%) of 28 ductal carcinoma in situ specimens lacked NES1 expression, and the remaining 15 (54%) showed weak-to-moderate expression. Finally, 29 of 30 (97%) infiltrating ductal carcinoma grades I-III samples lacked NES1 mRNA, with weak expression in the remaining one sample. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that NES1 mRNA is expressed in normal breast tissue and benign lesions, with loss of NES1 expression during tumor progression. We suggest that NES1 expression may serve as a molecular tool in the study of breast cancer progression. Studies with larger series of specimens should help assess whether NES1 expression can be a diagnostic and/or prognostic marker in breast and other cancers.
The Computation of the Hydrodynamic Forces Induced by General Vibration of Cylinders

The hydrodynamic pressures created by the arbitrary deformation around the girth of a two-dimensional section are computed in a form suitable for finite-element structural analysis. The computations are based on the panel method developed by Frank (1976) for determining the hydrodynamic forces on rigid sections. In this method the section is approximated by straight-line segments on each of which source singularities of constant strength are distributed. The source strengths are determined by matching the kinematic boundary condition at the center of each panel. Frank's method is extended to treat nonrigid-body deformations of an infinite cylinder, including deformations which are also periodically varying in the longitudinal direction. The results show that these hydrodynamic pressures are quite dependent on the shape of the deformation pattern and are extremely sensitive to the longitudinal periodicity.
Nationalist Strategies and European Integration

Contrary to conventional wisdom, nationalism remains alive and well across an increasingly integrated Europe. While most nationalisms are not violent, the desire for greater national voice by both states and groups continues to exist in both the East and the West. As the European Union deepens and widens, states and groups are choosing among four nationalist strategies: traditional, substate, transsovereign, and protectionist. The interplay among these nationalisms is a core part of Europe’s dynamic present and future.
Relative Increase in Creatine Kinase MB Isoenzyme during Reperfusion after Myocardial Infarction Is Method Dependent

We compared relative increases in creatine kinase (EC 2.7.3.2) MB isoenzyme (CK-MB) after reperfusion in myocardial infarction for four popular methods: electrophoresis, immunoinhibition, the "Magic Lite" (Ciba-Corning) system, and the Stratus (Dade). In a method comparison study, we confirmed that all four methods correlated (r greater than 0.95). Electrophoresis demonstrated the greatest scatter about the regression line, immunoinhibition the least. For CK-MB quantities near each method's "positive cutoff" indicating myocardial infarction, results by all methods agreed in 95% of samples. To characterize relative increases in CK-MB, we computer-fitted data obtained from each method for serial specimens collected from six acute myocardial infarction patients during myocardial reperfusion. Although for each individual patient the four methods appeared to exhibit parallelism, the methods differed significantly in terms describing their appearance rate, peak-time & fall-off, and time-to-peak activity. Consistent with these data, we found that the relative CK-MB increases at various times after reperfusion, compared with baseline concentrations, are method-dependent. Therefore, when using CK-MB for indicating coronary patency, one must develop specific limits for each method utilized.
On an authorization mechanism

Griffiths and Wade (ACM Trans. Database Syst. 1,3, (Sept. 1976), 242-255) have defined a dynamic authorization mechanism that goes beyond the traditional password approach. A database user can grant or revoke privileges (such as to read, insert, or delete) on a file that he has created. Furthermore, he can authorize others to grant these same privileges. The database management system keeps track of a directed graph, emanating from the creator, of granted privileges. The nodes of the graph correspond to users, and the edges (each of which is labeled with a timestamp) correspond to grants. The edges are of two types, corresponding to whether or not the recipient of the grant has been given the option to make further grants of this privilege. Furthermore, for each pair A, B of nodes, there can be no more than one edge of each type from A to B. We modify this approach by allowing graphs in which there can be multiple edges of each type from one node to another. We prove correctness (in a certain strong sense) for our modified authorization mechanism. Further, we show by example that under the original mechanism, the system might forbid some user from exercising or granting a privilege that he “should” be allowed to exercise or grant.
Combined Statin and Niacin Therapy Remodels the High-Density Lipoprotein Proteome

Background— Boosting low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels is a current strategy for preventing clinical events that result from cardiovascular disease. We previously showed that HDL3 of subjects with coronary artery disease is enriched in apolipoprotein E and that the lipoprotein carries a distinct protein cargo. This observation suggests that altered protein composition might affect the antiatherogenic and antiinflammatory properties of HDL. We hypothesized that an intervention that increases HDL levels—combined statin and niacin therapy—might reverse these changes. Methods and Results— HDL3 isolated from 6 coronary artery disease subjects before and 1 year after combination therapy was analyzed by liquid chromatography–Fourier transform–mass spectrometry. Alterations in protein composition were detected by spectral counting and confirmed with extracted ion chromatograms. We found that combination therapy decreased the abundance of apolipoprotein E in HDL3 while increasing the abundance of other mac...
Semigroup varieties closed for the Bruck extension

We shall show that there exists a chain, order isomorphic to the chain of real numbers, of semigroup varieties closed for the Bruck extension. The least semigroup variety closed for the Bruck extension will be obtained as the union of varieties in an infinite chain of semigroup varieties.
Feasibility of Human-in-the-loop Minimum Error Rate Training

Minimum error rate training (MERT) involves choosing parameter values for a machine translation (MT) system that maximize performance on a tuning set as measured by an automatic evaluation metric, such as Bleu. The method is best when the system will eventually be evaluated using the same metric, but in reality, most MT evaluations have a human-based component. Although performing MERT with a human-based metric seems like a daunting task, we describe a new metric, Rypt, which takes human judgments into account, but only requires human input to build a database that can be reused over and over again, hence eliminating the need for human input at tuning time. In this investigative study, we analyze the diversity (or lack thereof) of the candidates produced during MERT, we describe how this redundancy can be used to our advantage, and show that Rypt is a better predictor of translation quality than Bleu.
Video error concealment using sparse recovery and local dictionaries

Video error concealment is a post-processing technique that conceals the errors in a decoded video sequence based on data available only at the decoder. Most of the current techniques adopt the approach that recovers the Motion Vector (MV) of a lost image block, uses that MV to look for data to fill in the blank then performs some refinements. We propose a method that does not rely on MV recovery, but essentially bases on sparse representation of image patches on local temporal dictionaries. Experiment results show a large improvement over Boundary Matching Algoritm (BMA), the standard method used in reference software for H.264 video codec.
Thermal characteristics of TAB for small systems

The thermal bounds of the tape automated bonding (TAB) module in relation to other similar packaging structures are evaluated in order to obtain insight into the useful application of the TAB component. The thermal effects of natural or forced convection cooling, component placement, and circuit card orientation have been determined for the TAB component in a steady-state operating condition. Also included is the effect of locating the low profile TAB module in the downstream wake of larger surface mount or pin grid array components. Experimental data which demonstrate the power limitations of the TAB components for parameters that encompass machine configurations ranging from personal computer workstations to midsize mainframes are presented. The results of this study provide an indication of the thermal limitations of the TAB structure and indicate initial ground rules that should be incorporated into the placement of a T.AB component for optimum thermal performance. >
Quality of agroecological matrix in a tropical montane landscape: Ants in coffee plantations in southern Mexico

Conservation efforts in fragmented landscapes frequently focus on characteristics of the habitat fragments. We propose that the matrix within which habitat fragments occur is of equal importance and fo- cus on quality of the matrix as an interesting variable. We studied ground-foraging ants in isolated montane forest fragments in the matrix of coffee agroecosystems of southwestern Chiapas, Mexico. We sampled the ants, with tuna fish as bait, in plots at various distances from a forest fragment (2-750 m) on two farms, one an organic farm with considerable shade, the other a conventional farm with only spotty shade. Each plot contained a grid of 49 (7 � 7) or 100 (10 � 10) baits. The species richness of ground-foraging ants was not significantly different between the forest fragment and the high-quality matrix, but it was significantly lower in the low-quality matrix than in the forest. Furthermore, species richness decreased with distance from the forest fragment in both matrix types. However, the rate of decrease in species richness was greater in the con- ventional farm ( poor-quality matrix) than in the organic farm ( high-quality matrix), suggesting that the quality of the agricultural matrix is important for the conservation of ant diversity.
Characterization of antimicrobial peptides against a US strain of the rice pathogen Rhizoctonia solani.

Aim: To identify antimicrobial peptides with high lytic activity against Rhizoctonia solani strain LR172, causal agent of rice sheath blight and aerial blight of soyabeans in the US. Methods and Results: Among 12 natural and synthetic antimicrobial peptides tested in vitro, the wheat-seed peptide, purothionin, showed the strongest inhibitory activity that was similar to the antifungal antibiotics, nystatin and nikkomycin Z. Cecropin B, a natural peptide from cecropia moth, and synthetic peptide D4E1 produced the highest inhibitory activity against R. solani among linear peptides. Membrane permeabilization levels strongly correlated with antifungal activity of the peptides. Noticeable changes in membrane integrity were observed at concentrations of ≥0·5 μmol l−1 for purothionin, 2 μmol l−1 for cecropin B, D4E1, D2A21, melittin, and phor21, and 8 μmol l−1 for magainin II and phor14. An increase of nuclear membrane permeabilization was observed in fungal cells treated with cecropin B, but not with purothionin. Diffusion of nuclear content was observed by fluorescent microscopy 10 min after adding a lethal concentration of cecropin B. Evaluation by electron microscopy confirmed severe cytoplasmic degradation and plasma membrane vesiculation. Purothionin and cecropin B were the most stable against proteolytic degradation when added to liquid cultures of R. solani. Conclusions: Purothionin, cecropin B, D4E1 and phor21 were shown to exhibit high in vitro lytic activity against R. solani strain LR172 for rice and soyabean. These peptides are greater than 16 amino acids long and rapidly increase fungal membrane permeabilization. Resistance to proteolysis is important for sufficient antifungal activity of antimicrobial peptides. Significance and Impact of the Study: Selected antimicrobial peptides offer an attractive alternative to traditional chemicals that could be utilized in molecular breeding to develop crops resistant to rice sheath blight and aerial blight of soyabean.
Therapeutic Challenges Associated with Extended-Spectrum, β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae

The emergence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae, particularly Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, presents significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges to the management of infections due to these organisms. Detection of resistant isolates is difficult based on routine susceptibility testing performed by a clinical microbiology laboratory. In addition, the utility of penicillins, cephalosporins, and aztreonam in treating serious infections due to these organisms is uncertain due to reports of treatment failure despite apparent in vitro susceptibility. A critical evaluation of the English literature was performed on treatment outcomes associated with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Imipenem and extended-spectrum cephalosporins were commonly administered. Discordant outcomes in relation to in vitro susceptibility of the agent did not occur exclusively with cephalosporins but with all drugs including imipenem. Until more outcome data are available, drug selection must take into consideration whether or not an outbreak is occurring and whether therapy is empirical or definitive.
Enhancing Collaboration in Air Traffic Flow Management

This paper extends the concept of credit points to enhance collaboration between participants in air traffic flow management. In earlier research, a preferred route selection method was presented, where users expend credit points to prioritize the flight paths for each of their pre-departure flights. This method of prioritizing flights provides a mechanism to incorporate users’ preferences in air traffic management subject to airspace congestion and weather impact constraints. In the current research, the airport arrival and departure rates at the top 70 airports are incorporated. In order to analyze the equity of arrival and departure schedules, the flight distributions at those airports were constructed for the 40 largest flight operators in the United States. The credit-points concept gives airborne flights the highest priority, enabling them to better maintain their schedule. A negotiation mechanism for participants to reassess their decisions for improved operations is described. Results for violations of arrival/departure rates and airspace constraints (due to volume and weather) before and after implementing the concept, along with credit use and incurred delays are presented. Results indicate that the credit-points concept is feasible for users to incorporate their preferences of important flights. The overall delay compared to a schedule based system reduces while maintaining airspace and airport capacities. Also, the equity increases for participating users as more constraints are added due to better utilization of available airspace.
Effect of Length of Cold Showers on Skin Temperatures and Exercise Heart Rate

Abstract This study was an attempt to determine what length cold shower at 64 F might be necessary to achieve a significant reduction in heart rate cost of exercise, and whether such a reduction might be related to the lowered skin temperature achieved through the shower. In phase one 10 subjects walked on a treadmill under four different conditions at a work load requiring an exercise heart rate of approximately 170/ min. The conditions were control and 3-, 6-, and 9- min. cold showers. Analysis of variance showed significantly lower exercise heart rates after all three shower conditions, but those after the 9-min. shower were significantly lower than after 3 min. Recovery heart rates were not significantly different. In phase two, mean skin temperatures of five subjects were measured before and at 5-min. intervals for 30 min. following 3-, 6-, and 9- min. showers. Statistical and graphical analysis indicated that: (a) the overall shower effect caused the skin temperature to be significantly below contro...
Regulation of Transplasmalemma Electron Transport by Calcium and Light in Oat Mesophyll Cells

The transport of electrons across the plasmalemma from a cytosolic donor to an extracellular acceptor can provide an energy source capable of regulating cellular events. Calcium ions and light, either alone or interacting in some way, control important activities in the cell and evidence exists that both effectors also influence rates of transplasmalemma electron flow.1,2,3,4 We have been attempting to characterize further calcium and light effects on cell surface redox activity. If redox activity and a particular cellular process are both regulated by calcium and/or light, then the possibility exists that redox activity mediates the action of these effectors. An indication that such a relationship may exist with respect to blue light has been obtained in vitro. In this case, the same wavelengths of blue light that lead to absorbance changes characteristic of a reduced b-type cytochrome, are also active in phototropism.5,6
Radar interferometry

Since its inception 30 years ago perhaps no innovation in radar technology has made such a tremendous impact on the field as that of radar interferometry. Radar interferometry uses two or more observations separated in either time or space to measure fraction of a wavelength scale range differences between the two observations. Radar interferometry is used by scientific, commercial and government institutions for numerous applications including topographic map generation, surface deformation mapping, landslide monitoring, current velocity measurement, vegetation structure determination and change detection. Radar interferometers can be flown on either spaceborne or airborne platforms or be fixed observing systems. This course is designed to provide an overview of the basic concepts of radar interferometry and an introduction to some of its applications. The course will cover basic radar imaging principles, a geometric and imaging signal perspective of the interferometric phase, interferometric correlation, basic sensitivity equations, phase unwrapping, topographic mapping and repeat pass interferometry for deformation measurements. The principles will be illustrated with examples from both spaceborne and airborne interferometric data sets. An overview of some of the major applications of radar interferometry will be presented with an emphasis on topographic and deformation mapping. The course will also briefly touch upon permanent scatter methods and polarimetric interferometry.
Predation on the Horn Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) by Five Species of Philonthus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

The feeding rates of adults and larvae of 5 Philonthus species were compared in the laboratory by measuring their consumption of eggs and larvae of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.). When confined in petri dishes with abundant prey, adults and larvae of Philonthus longicornis Stephens had a higher predation rate than did those of P. ventralis (Gravenhorst), which in turn had a higher rate than did those of P. flavolimbatus Erichson. When given a choice, adults and larvae of P. longicornis devoured more prey eggs than prey larvae, but P. ventralis devoured more larvae than eggs; adult P. flavolimbatus, P. sericans (Gravenhorst) and P. hepaticus Erichson devoured roughly equal numbers of prey eggs and larvae. The survival of 100 horn flies from egg to the adult stage was compared in the laboratory using a substrate of cattle dung on soil in the presence of 1 adult Philonthus . Emergence of adult horn flies was reduced by 80.4, 54.8, 40.6, and 32.9% per beetle by P. longicornis, P. ventralis, P. flavolimbatus , and P. hepaticus , respectively. Predation by P. longicornis increased as prey density increased. The relationship was similar to the type II functional response. The 5 species of Philonthus are frequent inhabitants of cattle dung in northern Florida, and their adults presumably contribute to mortality of horn fly eggs and larvae in the field.
The Balanced Lattice as an Experimental Design for Testing Large Numbers of Plants for Feeding Preferences of White-Fringed Beetles

Laboratory techniques and a balanced lattice design were developed for testing a large number of plant species for insect feeding preferences. Cuttings of plants were placed in glass vials filled with water and plugged with cotton, and the vials were then placed in aluminum-foil boxes containing white-fringed beetles, Graphognathus peregrinus (Buchanan). With a balanced lattice, an incomplete block design, only a small number of plants was necessary each box to test a large number of plant species. The advantage of the balanced lattice was that the feeding preferences of the beetles to all possible pairs of plants were compared with equal precision. The beetles showed definite feeding preferences by feeding on certain plants heavily, on others moderately or lightly, and on others not at all.
Constant Current Electronarcosis of Market Weight Turkeys

Abstract Using a prototype constant current device designed and produced by the Department of Electrical Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 260 male and 260 female turkeys were electrically stunned with either 10, 30, or 50 mA/bird. Age controlled weight, and three weight classes were used as treatment levels in turkey hens were grown for 84, 98, or 112 days, and toms grown for 112, 126, or 140 days. Feed and water withdrawal was used in levels of 3, 5, and 8 hr for each weight class and sex. Researchers determined the effect that sex, weight, age, and feed and water withdrawal had on stunning efficiency, recovery time, blood splatter, and bone breakage. Constant current application for seven seconds at 400 Hz or 50 mA/bird was sufficient to achieve stunning. A gender difference in resistance (P≤.0001), recovery time, and incidence of carcass defects occurred.
Cinema for the “Soviet East”: National Fact and Revolutionary Fiction in Early Azerbaijani Film

Before the eyes of the vast, ignorant masses of the eastern nationalities, the fast-moving frames of cinema will reproduce the many achievements of human knowledge. For the illiterate audience, the electric beam of the magic motion-picture lamp will define new concepts and images, will make the wealth of knowledge more easily accessible to the backward mind. Bakinskii rabochii, 18 September 1923 Pictures, so the first Bolsheviks believed, speak louder than words. Visual propaganda was essential in their campaign to reach the illiterate and poorly literate masses, to engage them in a new Soviet style of life. By the end of the civil war, every leading member of the Central Committee of the Russian Communist Party valued the political uses of film. As commissar of nationalities, Iosef Stalin recognized its potential; in his simple expression, film was “the greatest means of mass agitation.” Like cinema, the Bolsheviks appeared at the confluence of two worlds, the traditional and the modern. For them, film was the perfect medium by which to critique the old and celebrate the new. Film viewed the world as they did, with one measure of hard realism, another of soft utopianism.
Chemistry at the Interface: Polymer-Functionalized GaP Semiconductors for Solar Hydrogen Production

New opportunities for organizing and controlling molecular components arise with the use of a stabilizing organic layer composed of grafted polymer chains at a semiconductor surface. We highlight recent advances in our research efforts to use polymer brush coatings containing pendent ligands that direct and assemble molecular catalysts for fuel production to visible-light-absorbing substrates. We illustrate how the polymeric interface can be varied to control the structure and photoelectrochemical response of gallium phosphide (100) electrodes containing surface-immobilized pyridyl or imidazole ligands with attached cobaloximes for hydrogen production. Surface sensitive spectroscopic methods, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, grazing angle total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ellipsometry provide structural information regarding the nanoscale molecular connectivity and mesoscale dimensions of the cobaloxime-containing polymer grafts. At the macroscale, three-electrode p...
Analysis of Alternative Splicing Landscape in Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

Pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merrill) is an important tropical and subtropical fruit crop and possesses crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis. Recent release of its genome sequences makes it possible to identify genes transcribed with alternatively spliced isoforms in this plant. Mapping the assembled transcripts generated by next-generation sequencing technology and existing expressed sequence tags as well as mRNA sequences to the published pineapple genome, we identified and analyzed alternative splicing (AS) events. We identified a total of 10,348 AS events involving 13,449 assembled putative unique transcripts, which were mapped to 5146 pineapple gene models that equivalent to 29.7 % of total expressed gene models. Consistent with previous findings in other plant species, intron retention (61.9 %) remains to be the dominant type among the identified AS events. Comparative genomic analysis of genes which generated pre-mRNAs having AS revealed a total of 481 genes conserved among Oryza sativa (ssp japonica), Sorghum bicolor, Zea mays, and pineapple, with 51 of them were also conserved with Brachypodium distachyon. Gene Ontology classification revealed that the products of these genes which generate AS isoforms are involved in many biological processes with diverse molecular functions. We annotated all assembled transcripts and also associated them with predicted gene models. The annotated information of these data provides a resource for further characterizing these genes and their biological roles. The data can be accessed at Plant Alternative Splicing Database ( http://proteomics.ysu.edu/altsplice/ ).
Upper-Limb Recovery After Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing EMG-Triggered, Cyclic, and Sensory Electrical Stimulation

Background and purpose. This study compared the effect of cyclic neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), electromyographically (EMG)-triggered NMES, and sensory stimulation on motor impairment...
Ultrasound Imaging Radial Array: Design and Fabrication

In the previous chapter, we demonstrated that the use of low-frequency ultrasound results in adequate penetration depth in bone for the detection of cortical bone boundaries in pedicle bones. Finding the optimal acoustic design and material that would be best suited for imaging within the bone was also studied. Although all the experiments were performed with a single element transducer, we believe that to make the image guidance technique more acceptable to spine surgeons, it is necessary to use a method that avoids the need for mechanical transducer rotation. To achieve this, we have designed and fabricated a 32-element cylindrical imaging array that is intended to be used with phased focusing at a center frequency of around 2 MHz using an Ultrasonix™ imaging system. This platform is an open-source ultrasound system that allows a variety of ultrasound transducers to be connected and controlled by the user.
Genome-wide association study for feed efficiency traits using SNP and haplotype models

Feed costs comprise the majority of variable expenses in beef cattle systems making feed efficiency an important economic consideration within the beef industry. Due to the expense of recording individual feed-intake phenotypes, a genomic-enabled approach could be advantageous toward improving this economically relevant trait complex. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using 748 crossbred steers and heifers representing seven sire breeds with phenotypes for ADG and ADFI. Animals were genotyped with the BovineSNP50v2 BeadChip containing approximately 54,000 SNP. Both traits were analyzed using univariate SNP-based (BayesC) and haplotype-based (BayesIM) models and jointly using BayesIM to perform a bivariate GWAS. For BayesIM, a hidden Markov model (HMM) of haplotype segments of variable length was built where haplotypes were mapped to clusters based on local similarity. The estimated HMM was then used to assign haplotype cluster genotypes, instead of SNP genotypes, as latent covariates in a Bayesian mixture model. The number of haplotype clusters at each location was assumed to be either 8 (BayesIM8) or 16 (BayesIM16). A total of three univariate analyses for each trait and two bivariate analyses were performed. Posterior SD (PSD) for ADG were 0.28 (0.08), 0.37 (0.11), 0.37 (0.11), 0.35 (0.11), and 0.35 (0.12) for BayesC, BayesIM8, BayesIM16, BayesIM8 bivariate, and BayesIM16 bivariate, respectively. ADFI PSD were 0.30 (0.07), 0.44 (0.13), 0.42 (0.12), 0.38 (0.10), and 0.38 (0.10) for the same models. The top 1% of 1-Mb windows that explained the largest fraction of genetic variation in common between univariate SNP and haplotype models ranged from 24% to 40% and from 20% to 32% for ADG and ADFI, respectively. Spearmen rank correlations between molecular breeding values from SNP and haplotype-based models in the training data were similar for both traits (>0.96) suggesting that either model would lead to similar rankings of animals, although resolution of potential QTL appeared to be greater for BayesIM.
Stimulation of Milk-Fat Synthesis in Mammary Epithelioid Cells by Progesterone

While the mammary epithelium has a highly efficient mechanism for conversion of glucose to fatty acids, the metabolism of glucose is distinctly different from that occurring in adipose tissue. The pentose phosphate pathway predominates and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase is much more sensitive to insulin (Leader and Barry, 1969; Oka et al., 1974). In adipose tissue glucose, lactate, and pyruvate serve equally well as precursors of fatty acids, but in rat mammary tissue lipogenesis from pyruvate is much less than that from glucose, and pyruvate nearly completely inhibits utilization of glucose for fatty acid synthesis (Katz et al., 1974). Also, the ratio of citrate cleavage enzyme to pyruvate carboxylase is very different, with mammary tissue having proportionally about five times more of the former. Cortisol acts particularly in the presence of some epinephrine to stimulate lipase activity and to inhibit transport of glucose in adipose tissue (Olefsky, 1975), but cortisol is required for lactation (Chatterton et al., 1979) and together with prolactin synergizes with insulin to stimulate lipogenesis in mammary tissue (Cameron et al., 1975). However, no direct evidence is available on the effect of cortisol on triglyceride turnover or lipase activity in mammary tissue.
Percutaneous Gastrostomy and Gastrojejunostomy and Splanchnic Neurolysis

Patients who are unable to eat require either enteral or parenteral nutrition. Enteral feeding has a significantly lower incidence of complications and is therefore the preferred method of long-term nutritional support. Feeding tubes are often necessary for such patients. These include nasogastric, nasojejunal, gastrostomy, gastrojejunostomy, and jejunostomy tubes. Of these, the nasogastric and nasojejunal tubes, though ideal temporarily, are not well tolerated by the conscious patient and can cause nasal ulceration, esophageal stricturing, and gastroesophageal reflux with subsequent aspiration. Surgical placement of gastrostomy tubes has been largely replaced with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and the percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy/percutaneous radiologic gastrojejunostomy. In comparison to percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy has a statistically similar number of minor complications, but fewer major complications, and a higher success rate. With CT guidance, celiac plexus neurolysis is a safe and effective tool for treating otherwise intractable abdominal pain. It should be a well-recognized option in the armamentarium of palliative care.
Abstract P163: Psychological Distress in Cardiac Rehabilitation Participants

Background: Psychological(psych) disorders are risk factors for coronary events and each may affect behavior and compliance. We sought to characterize the psych and clinical profiles of CAD patient...
A water vapor modulated aerosol impact on ice crystal size

The interactions between aerosols and ice clouds represent one of the largest uncertainties in global radiative forcing from pre-industrial time to the present. In particular, the impact of aerosols on ice crystal effective radius ( R ei ), which is a key parameter determining ice clouds' net radiative effect, is highly uncertain due to limited and conflicting observational evidence. Here we investigate the effects of aerosols on R ei under different meteorological conditions using 9-year satellite observations. We find that the responses of R ei to aerosol loadings are modulated by water vapor amount in conjunction with several other meteorological parameters. While there is a significant negative correlation between R ei and aerosol loading in moist conditions, consistent with the Twomey effect for liquid clouds, a strong positive correlation between the two occurs in dry conditions. Simulations based on a cloud parcel model suggest that water vapor modulates the relative importance of different ice nucleation modes, leading to the opposite aerosol impacts between moist and dry conditions. When ice clouds are decomposed into those generated from deep convection and formed in-situ, the water vapor modulation remains in effect for both ice cloud types, although the sensitivities of R ei to aerosols differ noticeably between them due to distinct formation mechanisms. The water vapor modulation can largely explain the difference in the responses of R ei to aerosol loadings in various seasons. A proper representation of the water vapor modulation is essential for an accurate estimate of aerosol-cloud radiative forcing produced by ice clouds.
The impact of language socialization on grammatical development

An offer 1 Thearchitectureofgrammaticaldevelopmentinthetalkofyoungchildrenisthe central concern of language acquisition research. The critical task of language acquisition scholarship over the last several decades has been to account for when, how, and why children use and understand grammatical forms over the course of the early period of their lives. Language socialization ‐ the process in whichchildrenaresocializedboththroughlanguageandtouselanguagewithin a community (Ochs and Schieffelin 1984; Schieffelin and Ochs 1986a, b) ‐ has been largely examined without regard to the dynamics of grammatical development, focusing, rather, on culturally relevant communicative practices and activities. 2 In this discussion, we reverse this orientation and focus directly on theroleoflanguagesocializationintheacquisitionofgrammaticalcompetence. What can a language socialization perspective offer to scholarship on grammatical development? A language socialization perspective yields a more sophisticated model of grammatical development, that is, one tuned into certain cultural realities that influence when, how, and why young children use and understand grammatical forms. Such a model of grammatical development takes an informed look at ideology and social order as forces that organize children’suseandcomprehensionofgrammaticalforms.Alanguagesocialization enriched model decries reductionistic visions that view the sociocultural context as “input” to be quantified and correlated with children’s grammatical patterns. Rather than reducing the context of grammatical development to frequencies of grammatical forms in the child’s linguistic environment, our socialization enriched model accounts for children’s grammatical development in terms of the indexical meanings of grammatical forms. This approach rests on the assumption that, in every community, grammatical forms are inextricably tied to, and hence index, culturally organized situations of use and that the 1 Our thanks to Lois Bloom, Patrick Gonzalez and Brian MacWhinney for comments on an earlier draft of this chapter. An earlier version of this paper was published under the title “The Impact of Language Socialization on Grammatical Development”, in P. Fletcher and B. MacWhinney (eds.), The Handbook of Child Language. Oxford: Blackwell, 1995, 73‐94. 2 ForreviewsofrecenttrendsinlanguagesocializationresearchseeGarrettandBaquedano-Lopez
Shortening of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Survey Using Factor Analysis

Objective/Introduction. Lengthy surveys have the potential to burden users and can lead to inaccuracies. Conducting analyses to shorten existing validated surveys is beneficial. The objective, therefore, was to shorten the Pittsburgh Quality Sleep Index (PSQI) for young adults. Methods. PSQI data from 1246 college students were used. An exploratory factor analysis (FA) was utilized to shorten survey after dropping select items. Nonparametric correlation analysis (Spearman’s rho) was conducted between the global sleep scores of the shortened and original surveys. Agreements tests (Kappa and McNemar’s test) measured the agreement of the surveys and sensitivity and specificity were evaluated. Results. Six factors were examined using maximum likelihood factoring method, applying squared multiple correlations with Promax rotation to allow for correlated variables. FA with six factors explained 100% of shared variance based on eigenvalues and accounted for 61% of variability based on variables. The FA resulted in 13 selected questions (“shortPSQI”), corresponding to 5 of the 7 components of the original survey. High correlation was found between the global scores of the original survey and the “shortPSQI” (rho = 0.94, ). When the global score was converted to the categorical variable of good or poor sleepers, the agreement test indicated strong agreement (Kappa 0.83, 95% CI 0.79–0.86, ). Conclusion. The validated, 19-item PSQI survey was shortened to 13 items. Tests of correlation and agreement indicate the “shortPSQI” may be an acceptable alternative to the original survey for young adults. Clinical Trial Registration. Data for this study was taken from the Get Fruved study, registered on October 21, 2016, on clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT02941497 ).
Eric Voegelin's Contribution to Political Science

ABSTRACTThis article compares Eric Voegelin's contribution to political science to European emigre scholars of the same period: Theodor Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, Hannah Arendt, Hans Morgenthau, and ...
Unconceived Territory: Involuntary Childlessness and Infertility Among Women in the United States

Although researchers and government agencies—most notably the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—regularly track demographic trends in infertility and involuntary childlessness, these two concepts are far from fully operationalized. The overlapping distinctions between fertility and infertility and voluntary childlessness and involuntary childlessness tend to belie and complicate research results. In this chapter, I outline and problematize these concepts, then argue for the crucial role of qualitative research and some benefits of ontological analysis in exploring how childlessness and infertility operate in women’s lives.