cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional magnetic resonance imaging of alprazolam-induced changes in humans with familial alcoholism

This study sought to identify whether subjects with a family history (FH + ) of alcoholism had changes in regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV) after an alprazolam challenge which distinguished them from subjects without a family history (FH -) of alcoholism using functional MRI (fMRI). Twelve FH + and eight FH - subjects were challenged with 1 mg of alprazolam or placebo in a double-blind crossover design. FMRI scans were obtained at baseline, 1 and 2 h after the challenge using the dynamic susceptibility contrast method with gadolinium. Mood scales, the Tufts Addiction Research Center Inventory-Morphine Benzedrine Group Scale and the drug liking scale, were administered every 30 min to assess drug effects. Global analysis of CBV showed a treatment by time decrease on alprazolam relative to placebo, but no effect by family history. The FH + group showed rCBV decreases at 1 h in the left caudate and left inferior prefrontal region, while the FH - group showed rCBV decreases at 2 h in the right inferior prefrontal region and anterior cingulate in response to alprazolam relative to placebo. FH + subjects reported more mood enhancement with alprazolam. This fMRI technique detected global and regional CBV changes induced by alprazolam. The location and rate of alprazolam-induced rCBV changes differed between FH + and FH - subjects. These changes may be related to the increased mood enhancement found in subjects genetically predisposed to alcoholism.
Dexamethasone induces neurodegeneration but also up-regulates vascular endothelial growth factor A in neonatal rat brains

The use of dexamethasone (Dex) in premature infants to prevent and/or treat bronchopulmonary dysplasia can adversely affect early neurodevelopment and probably result in loss of cerebral volume. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF), specifically VEGF(164) isoform has neurotrophic, neuroprotective and neurogenesis enhancing effects. Previous studies have demonstrated that Dex usually down-regulates VEGF. In the present study we investigated the effect of Dex on brain growth and VEGF in the neonatal rat brain. The pups in each litter were divided into the vehicle (n=84) or Dex-treated (n=98) groups. Rat pups in the Dex group received one of three different regimens of i.p. Dex which included tapering doses on postnatal days 3-6 (0.5, 0.25, 0.125 and 0.06 mg/kg, respectively), or repeated doses of 0.5 or 1 mg/kg/day on postnatal days 4-6 or single dose of 0.031, 0.06, 0.125, 0.25 or 0.5 mg/kg on postnatal day 6. The total VEGF protein and mRNA expression of the three main VEGF splice variants (VEGF(120), VEGF(164), and VEGF(188)) were measured in the rat pup brain using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Treatment with Dex significantly decreased the gain of body and brain weight. The tapering and repeated doses of Dex significantly increased caspase-3 activity, VEGF protein and the expression of mRNA of VEGF(164) and VEGF(188) splice variants but the single dose did not. We conclude that Dex is neurodegenerative in the developing brain but also increases VEGF which may play a neurotrophic and neuroprotective role.
X-arrestin: a new retinal arrestin mapping to the X chromosome.

We have been using a differential cDNA cloning approach to isolate human retina-specific and retina-enriched genes [1]. A 1,314 bp cDNA was isolated by this approach, representing a highly retina-specific message encoding a 388 amino acid protein showing 58%, 50%, and 49% homology to bovine β-arrestin, and bovine and human retinal arrestin (S-antigen), respectively. Chromosomal mapping localized this new arrestin genc to the proximal long arm of the X chromosome, hence it was named X-arrestin. In situ hybridization demonstrated its expression in the inner and outer segments and the inner plexiform regions of the retina.
Measuring the Value of Designing for Uncertain Future Downward Budget Instabilities

A method is presented for understanding the behavior of space system program costs under downward annual budget pressure, with a real options analysis incorporated for determining the maximum worth of an architecture transition option to hedge against program budget uncertainty. The relationship between program schedule extension and resulting program cost growth is examined. As downward pressure is applied to a program’s yearly budget, its overall length and, hence, cost increase. It is found that sets of candidate space system architectures fo ra given program can be in one of three stages of behavior in response to downward annual budget pressure, and expressions are derived indicating stage transition points. Each of these three stages of behavior indicates a different level of space system architecture robustness to annual budget levels and implies different recommended actions for a system designer or program manager. For the middle stage of behavior, maintaining an option to transition to a lower cost architecture would be one way of achieving robustness under downward budget pressure. Then real options are examined as a valuation method for understanding the maximum value that might be placed on the ability to switch to a lower cost architecture.
EFFECTS OF HEALTH-RELATED PHYSICAL EDUCATION ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT : PROJECT SPARK

The effects of a 2-year health-related school physical education program on standardized academic achievement scores was assessed in 759 children who completed Metropolitan Achievement Tests before and after the program. Schools were randomly assigned to condition: (a) Specialists taught the Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids curriculum; (b) classroom teachers were trained to implement the curriculum; and (c) controls continued their usual programs. The Trained Teacher condition was superior to Control on Language, Reading, and Basic Battery. The Specialist condition was superior to Control on Reading, but inferior on Language. Despite devoting twice as many minutes per week to physical education as Controls, the health-related physical education program did not interfere with academic achievement. Health-related physical education may have favorable effects on students' academic achievement.
Effect of icon affiliation and distance moved on detection of icon position change on a situation awareness display.

Continuous gradual change is often difficult to detect, although it may be easy to detect the difference between the initial and end state if directly compared. Two experiments examined people's ab...
The effect of coimplantation on the electrical activity of implanted carbon in GaAs

The effects of radiation damage and stoichiometry on the electrical activity of carbon implanted in GaAs are studied. Damage due to implantation of an ion heavier than C increases the number of C atoms which substitute for As (CAs). Creation of an amorphous layer by implantation and the subsequent solid phase epitaxy during annealing further enhances the concentration of CAs. However, the free carrier concentration does not increase linearly with increasing concentration of CAs due to compensating defects. Activation of implanted C is maximized by maintaining the stoichiometry of the substrate which reduces the number of compensating defects in the crystal. Under optimum conditions for carbon implanted at a dose of 5×1014 cm−2, the carbon acceptor activity can be increased from 2% to 65% of the total implanted carbon.
Inferring the Evolutionary History of Mo-Dependent Nitrogen Fixation from Phylogenetic Studies of nifK and nifDK

The ability to fix nitrogen is widely, but sporadically distributed among the Bacteria and Archaea suggesting either a vertically inherited, ancient function with widespread loss across genera or an adaptive feature transferred laterally between co-inhabitants of nitrogen-poor environments. As previous phylogenetic studies of nifH and nifD have not completely resolved the evolutionary history of nitrogenase, sixty nifD, nifK, and combined nifDK genes were analyzed using Bayesian, maximum likelihood, and parsimony algorithms to determine whether the individual and combined datasets could provide additional information. The results show congruence between the 16S and nifDK phylogenies at the phyla level and generally support vertical descent with loss. However, statistically significant differences between tree topographies suggest a complex evolutionary history with the underlying pattern of vertical descent obscured by recurring lateral transfer events and different patterns of evolution between the genes. Results support inheritance from the Last Common ancestor or an ancient lateral transfer of the nif genes between Bacteria and Archaea, ongoing gene transfer between cohabitants of similar biogeographic regions, acquisition of nitrogen-fixing capability via symbiosis islands, possible xenologous displacement of one gene in the operon, and possible retention of ancestral genes in heterocystous cyanobacteria. Analyses support the monophyly of the Cyanobacteria, αβγ-Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria (Frankia) and provide strong support for the placement of Frankianif genes at the base of combined the Cyanobacteria/Proteobacteria clades.
Auditory-visual speech perception and aging.

Objective: This experiment was designed to assess the integration of auditory and visual information for speech perception in older adults. The integration of place and voicing information was assessed across modalities using the McGurk effect. The following questions were addressed: 1) Are older adults as successful as younger adults at integrating auditory and visual information for speech perception? 2) Is successful integration of this information related to lipreading performance? Design: The performance of three groups of participants was compared: young adults with normal hearing and vision, older adults with normal to near-normal hearing and vision, and young controls, whose hearing thresholds were shifted with noise to match the older adults. Each participant completed a lipreading test and auditory and auditory-plus-visual identification of syllables with conflicting auditory and visual cues. Results: The results show that on average older adults are as successful as young adults at integrating auditory and visual information for speech perception at the syllable level. The number of fused responses did not differ for the CV tokens across the ages tested. Although there were no significant differences between groups for integration at the syllable level, there were differences in the response alternatives chosen. Young adults with normal peripheral sensitivity often chose an auditory alternative whereas, older adults and control participants leaned toward visual alternatives. In additions, older adults demonstrated poorer lipreading performance than their younger counterparts. This was not related to successful integration of information at the syllable level. Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, when auditory and visual integration of speech information fails to occur, producing a nonfused response, participants select an alternative response from the modality with the least ambiguous signal.
The Epistemic Side-Effect Effect

Knobe (2003a, 2003b, 2004b) and others have demonstrated the surprising fact that the valence of a side-effect action can affect intuitions about whether that action was performed intentionally. Here we report the results of an experiment that extends these findings by testing for an analogous effect regarding knowledge attributions. Our results suggest that subjects are less likely to find that an agent knows an action will bring about a side-effect when the effect is good than when it is bad. It is further argued that these findings, while preliminary, have important implications for recent debates within epistemology about the relationship between knowledge and action.
Quality Evaluation of Milled Aromatic Rice from India, Thailand, and the United States

Five aromatic and two nonaromatic milled rice samples were used to compare the quality of U.S. produced aromatic rice with that of India and Thailand. Jasmine (Thailand) was whiter than all other rice samples tested. Della rice samples (U.S.) were not as white as Basmati (India). Della AR (Arkansas) was less red and less yellow than Della LA (Louisiana). While the uncooked kernels of Della were as long as Basmati or Jasmine, the greater length: width ratio caused Basmati to appear longer than Della. Della and Jasmine were greater than Basmati in 1000 kernel weight. Della samples were classified as having intermediate to high intermediate gelatinization temperature, medium gel consistency, intermediate amylose content and cooking quality, which are characteristic of typical U.S. long grain nonaromatic rice. A sensory panel could not detect a flavor difference between Della AR and either Basmati or Jasmine.
A Multiattribute Sealed-Bid Procurement Auction with Multiple Budgets for Government Vendor Selection

This paper offers a new approach to government vendor selection decisions in major public procurements. A key challenge is for government purchasing agents to select vendors that deliver the best combination of desired nonprice attributes at realistic funding levels. The mechanism proposed in this paper is a multiattribute first-price, sealed-bid procurement auction. It extends traditional price-only auctions to those in which competition takes place exclusively over attribute bundles. The model is a multiattribute auction in which a set of possible budget levels is specified. This model reveals the benefits of defining a procurement alternative in terms of its value to the buyer over a range of possible expenditures, rather than as a single point in budget-value space. This new approach leads to some interesting results. In particular, it suggests that in a fiscally constrained environment, the traditional approach of eliminating dominated alternatives could lead to suboptimal decisions. Finally, an extension of the model explicitly examines the buyer's decision problem under budget uncertainty by applying a utility function assessed over the value measure.
To Cultivate the Positive . . . Introduction to the Special Issue on Schooling and Mental Health Issues

Abstract Understanding how academic and social-emotional assets and problems are interrelated across development in childhood and adolescence, and how school is a normative context of development that can affect outcomes in both domains of functioning are understudied topics in the educational, developmental, and child–clinical psychology research literatures. This is a consequence of relatively little cross-fertilization of theory and research between psychologists interested primarily in clinical versus normative populations, and those interested primarily in school contexts, motivation, and learning versus nonschool contexts and social-emotional development during the school years (ages 5 to 18). Progress is being made, however, and researchers are beginning to explore how theory and research into the roots, course, contextual correlates, and consequences of academic success or failure, and social-emotional well-being or distress during childhood and adolescence share complementary insights and findings (see Roeser & Eccles, 2000 ). Such cross-disciplinary and integrative work may lead to improvements in the effectiveness of school-based intervention, prevention, and health-promotion strategies, and may also lead to new insights into how such programs can be integrated with broader educational reforms that aim to change the everyday practice of teaching and learning in the school. The articles collected together in this special issue of the Journal of School Psychology take several steps toward providing such an integration of and cross-fertilization between education- and mental health-oriented theory, research, and school-based practice.
Anisoplanatic studies and Fried parameter estimation via multi-channel laser communication system

The knowledge of the turbulence conditions and the ability to describe its properties are the key aspects to improve performance and extend the range of optical communication systems. The developed multi-channel, outdoor 3.2 km, partially over water, turbulence measurement and monitoring communication platform is directed to collect significant amount of the experimental data with the goal of statistically describe atmospheric turbulence. The communication system described in this paper has two transmitters and two receivers. The transmitter side is equipped with the laser and the bank of 14 horizontally, in-line mounted LEDs. The receiver side consists of two channels for wave front sensor (WFS) and point spread function (PSF) measurements. Data collected via both channels is further used for Fried parameter estimation and anisoplanatic studies. In this article authors provide comprehensive analysis of the turbulence statistics extracted from the experimental data. Statistics of Freid parameter r 0 is derived from 6 Tb of data collected through 40 days time interval, and under various day and night atmospheric conditions. These data collected from WFS and PSF channels are digitally post processed and results obtained from PSF measurements are compared with the ones derived from the WFS data. Consistent results obtained via both channels allows authors to conclude that the entire system performs reliably and generates trustworthy results. Results extracted from the data collected via both channels show significant fluctuations of r 0 with the values ranging from 2mmand up to 20 cm. The data collected from the PSF channel is also used for measurements of anisoplanetic effects. Theoretically, the severe anisoplanatic conditions found in horizontally imaging scenarios can be approximated by a finite number of phase screens placed along the imaging path. However, comparison of adjacent PSFs generated in this manner reveals significant correlation at angles much larger than the predicted theoretical isoplanatic angle. In this article the effects of anisoplanatism on the optics point spread function via simulations and experimental approaches have also been studied.
Comparison of root and root hair growth in solution and soil culture

Abstract Aerated solution culture is frequently used for studying plant growth. Few comparisons have been made of root growth in solution with that found in soil. The objective of this study was to compare root growth and root hair development in these two mediums. Corn (Zea mays L.) grown in aerated solution at two temperatures (18 and 25°C) and three P concentrations (2, 10, and 500 μmol L‐1) was compared with that in three soils, Raub (Aquic Argiudoll) and two Chalmers (Typic Haplaquoll) silt loams, in a controlled climate chamber over 21d. Corn plant weight and root growth were similar in solution culture and Raub soil when grown at an air and soil temperature of 18°C. At 25°C both yield and root growth were greater in Raub soil, even though P uptake by corn was 7‐fold greater in solution culture. The same difference was found when corn grown at 25°C in solution culture at 3 different P concentrations was compared with that grown in Chalmers soil at two P levels. Percentage of total root length with r...
Transcriptome PETs: a genome's best friends.

A new method for genome-wide characterization of the 5′ and 3′ ends of transcripts promises to improve gene discovery and annotation.
Influence of physical mechanisms on soot formation and destruction in droplet burning

Abstract The dynamic parameters influencing soot formation and destruction in droplet burning are studied through time-resolved photography and sampling. Results show that, except for excessively sooty situations, the instantaneous amount of soot present follows the same trend as the instantaneous flame size, that near-complete oxidation of soot can be achieved by confining it within the regressing, closed flame, and that weak convection promotes soot oxidation while early extinction can lead to substantial soot emission. The effects of blending a sooty component with a nonsooty component of different relative volatility have also been investigated.
Cadmium-binding in the pregnant and fetal rat

Abstract A cadmium-binding moiety with properties in common with adult cadmiumthionein was identified in the livers of fetal rats at day 18 of gestation. Pregnant rats (approx. 200 g) were subcutaneously injected with 50 μg of radiolabeled cadmium in the form of 115m CdCl 2 daily from days 11 through 15 of gestation. Maternal liver contained 14–18 μg Cd/g tissue; fetal liver contained 44–70 ng Cd/g tissue. A soluble (aqueous), heat stable, cadmium-binding molecule(s) was found which had an apparent molecular weight of approx. 10 000 in adult livers and 6000 in fetal livers by gel filtration chromatography. Both fetal and adult proteins absorbed maximally at 254 but not 280 nm.
Infants' Manual Exploration of Pictorial Objects Varying in Realism

In previous research, we established that 9-month-old infants manually investigate pictured objects by hitting, rubbing, and grasping as if to pluck them off the page. This behavior suggests that infants do not understand the 2-dimensional nature of pictures. Although they can perceive depth cues and distinguish pictures from objects, they do not appreciate the significance of these cues; that is, they do not realize how depicted objects differ from real ones. We report 2 studies that support the idea that infants' manual response to pictures is driven by the resemblance of depicted objects to the real objects they represent. In Study 1, we report that infants' manual investigation of pictures is directly related to how realistic they are: The more depicted objects look like real objects, the more manual investigation they evoke. In Study 2, we show that 9-month-old infants' manual behaviors are concentrated on depicted objects even when there are areas of greater perceptual contrast on the page. The resu...
Imaging the Debris Disk of HD 32297 with a Phase-Mask Coronagraph at High Strehl Ratio

We present the first K_s -band image of the scattered light from HD 32297's debris disk. HD 32297 is an A5 star known to possess a nearly edge-on disk with a high fractional luminosity L_d /L_* ≈ 0.003 in the infrared. Our image was obtained using phase-mask coronagraphy on the 1.6 m well-corrected subaperture on the 5 m Palomar Hale telescope, and reaches an inner working angle of 400 mas. We confirm the previously reported disk asymmetry and central hole. The gray J – K_s disk color appears similar on the two sides of the disk, which would demand a minimum grain size of at least a few microns, larger than thermal arguments suggest. One possible explanation is a planetesimal clump in a resonant orbit with an outward migrating giant planet, located at larger radii than the warm dust emitting at longer wavelengths. Our observations also clearly demonstrate the benefits of operating in the extreme adaptive optics regime with a coronagraph able to reach a very small inner working angle.
Management Research in State and Local Governments

The forces of change-and the rate of change-pose a special challenge for government since governments tend to support the status quo. The expanding roles of government, the political pressures on government, and the multiplicity of governments create a difficult managerial climate, particularly for the effective application of managerial research. The response to these difficulties is found in part in the work of the associations of governments, but there are a large number of these. What seems to be needed is a focal point-perhaps a corporation or association created by and responsible to the major governmental associations-to undertake or arrange for the accomplishment of governmental research and development in accord with a pattern of rational priorities.
Structure-function relationships of hirulog peptide interactions with thrombin

Abstract Using hirudin as a model, a novel class of bivalent thrombin inhibitors has been designed and characterized (Maraganore et al. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 7095–7101). These peptides, designated ‘hirulogs’, interact with both thrombin's catalytic center and its anion-binding exosite for fibrinogen recognition. In order to investigate structure-activity relationships in hirulog peptides, a number of peptide and peptidomimetic derivatives with alterations in catalytic-site binding and anion-binding exosite binding moieties were prepared. Replacements or modifications in the catalytic site and exosite binding moieties were achieved with the consequences of maintaining or improving antithrombin activity. In addition to showing improved affinity for thrombin, some derivatives with K1's in the sub-nanomolar range showed increased anticoagulant activities. These findings highlight the versatility of hirulog peptides in their bivalent interactions with thrombin.
Galileo's new mathematical philosophy

Galileo's earliest mathematical work, on problems originating in literature and the arts, is closely related, thematically, to his late mathematical philosophy and the beginnings of modern physics. It is suggested that a key role in the transition from the early work to the late work, in which once seemingly isolated observations about the arts came to be seen as illustrations of a general and universal theory about the world, was played by one of Galileo's proteges, Niccolo Aggiunti, a person almost lost to history.
Cultural Diversity, Another Element To Recognize in Learning Styles

Educators cannot ignore the fact that in our multi-cultural so ciety youngsters have different cultural values that affect their learning styles.
Optical testing of condoms

Condoms provide one of the most important means of preventing pregnancy and the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases. Pinhole defects may lead to the passage of sperm or viruses through the condom wall. Embedded particles, which may become dislodged in handling or use, may represent latent pinhole defects. Thin regions in the condom wall may lead to breakage in use. Testing for such defects in regulatory laboratories, or in the factories as part of production screening or quality assurance efforts, is a major tool for ensuring condom reliability. A new optical method for testing condoms is presented, sensitive to pinholes, thin regions, and embedded particles. The method could supplement or replace the existing, less powerful, electrical test techniques in either regulatory testing laboratories or in the factory. The optical techniques presented provide quantitative data on the condoms tested, rather than just accept/reject decisions. They thus support detailed monitoring of production or lot characteristics that is generally not possible with existing electrical techniques. The ability of the optical techniques to separately test for and identify not only pinholes, but also thin regions and embedded particles, which are not separately tested for with the electrical technologies, is an especially important new capability. Further, the new optical techniques allow the locations of defects found to be precisely marked, making possible a microscopic examination of defects useful in studying their structure and possible causes. The optical technique is also totally nondestructive, in that it does not alter the defects whose structures are of interest. Initial results are reported on the testing of latex condoms purchased in retail stores. Condoms identified optically as being potentially defective were subjected to industry standard leak and burst testing. Results of the various tests are summarized. The data suggest that use of the new optical test techniques could have prevented an unexpectedly large number of condoms with significant pinhole and thin region defects from reaching the public. Optical test systems could be used to support either regulatory, quality assurance, or clinical field testing of latex or nonlatex condoms. Due to their high rate capability and level of automation, they could also be applied to 100% screening testing in the factory. The new test techniques could also be used to detect defects in a wide range of other thin sheets and membranes.
Hard ormosils prepared with ultrasonic irradiation

Organically modified silicates (ormosils) of high hardness were prepared by the reaction of TEOS (tetraethoxysilane) and PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) aided by ultrasonic irradiation, which was chosen as the method for concentration of the solutions. The mechanisms leading to the hard ormosil formation were examined by liquid state 29Si NMR spectroscopy. PDMS chains were found to be broken into shorter chains and/or cyclic D4 tetramers during the reaction and finally, all the PDMS chains were chemically incorporated as short chains into silica networks. Structural models of the mechanisms are also proposed. Elastic moduli and Vickers hardnesses of the hard ormosils were measured. Vickers hardnesses of the hard ormosils were compared with those of some glasses and the hardest transparent plastics and the hard ormosils were much harder than the plastics and a little softer than soft glasses. Theoretical models have been developed for the calculations of the elastic moduli and Vickers hardnesses and agreed well with the experimental results. Predictions based on these models indicate that even higher elastic moduli and Vickers hardnesses of the hard ormosils can be obtained when Al2O3, ZrO2 and TiO2 are substituted for SiO2. 30 mol% TiO2-containing ormosils of high hardness were also prepared aided by ultrasonic irradiation. TEOS and tetraisopropyltitanate (TIPT) were used as the inorganic components. Dimethyldiethoxysilane (DMDES) was used instead of PDMS as the organic precursor. The reactions among alkoxides were examined by liquid state 29Si NMR spectroscopy. While the reactivity between TIPT and PDMS was much lower than the reactivity between TIPT and hydrolyzed TEOS, the reactivity between TIPT and hydrolyzed DMDES was not so different from the reactivity between TIPT and hydrolyzed TEOS, and thus DMDES was used as the organic precursor instead of PDMS. Elastic moduli and Vickers hardnesses of the hard ormosils of the TEOS/TIPT/DMDES system were measured and even higher elastic moduli and Vickers hardnesses than those of the TEOS/PDMS system hard ormosils were obtained. Also, the calculated results from the theoretical models agreed well with the experimental results.
Temporal Gas Volume Fraction and Bubble Velocity Measurement Using an Impedance Needle Probe

Impedance probes are used by the oil and gas industry to investigate multiphase flow behavior. In this study, an impedance needle probe has been developed to measure the local and temporal gas volume fraction in conductive and non-conductive process fluid. Measuring both resistance and capacitance enables this probe to be functional in both types of fluids and facilitates the measurement of local bubble velocity. Two 1/32″ insulated brass (alloy 260) rods with bare tips protrude into the flow. The gap between the electrodes is designed to be 0.085″. The probe can measure directional bubble velocity by measuring duration of signal gradient from liquid to gas transition. For a known distance between electrodes and by the measured time, directional bubble velocity in the direction of the connecting line between electrodes can be measured. The ratio between the time interval when signal is non-zero to the total time represents the temporal gas volume fraction.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Attainment of puberty in peripubertal gilts provided daily boar exposure: enhanced response following addition of prepubertal gilts to the breeding facility

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to examine further the attainment of puberty in gilts provided daily boar exposure. Of particular interest was an investigation of the proposed habituation effect of gilts to the influence of mature boar presence. Thirty (Experiment 1) and 24 (Experiment 2) peripubertal Duroc gilts (88 kg, 164 days of age) were fed either ad libitum (F) or 1.81 kg (L) of a complete diet daily from allotment to estrus. Gilts and mature active boars were housed in the same breeding facility, and gilts were observed for estrus twice daily through 245 days of age. In both experiments, there was no difference due to the level of feed intake for any reproductive trait measured. Cumulative proportions of subject gilts exhibiting estrus following relocation, mixing with unfamiliar pen mates and initiation of boar exposure were similar for both experiments, with approximately 50% of subject gilts attaining puberty within 42 days of the start of each experiment. Furthermore, cumulative proportions of subject gilts attaining puberty tended to plateau following Day 42 in both experiments. In Experiment 2, 36 novel prepubertal purebred gilts (Yorkshire and Duroc, 80 kg, 159 days of age) were introduced into the breeding facility on Day 73 following initiation of boar exposure. These novel prepubertal gilts were not co-mingled with the original subject gilts and a significant proportion (29%) of the subject gilts was observed to be in estrus within 10 days. Thus the introduction of novel prepubertal gilts into the breeding facility appeared to increase the incidence of estrus observed in peripubertal gilts, regardless of nutritional status. This finding could be attributable to increased levels of activity in mature boars, thereby increasing the efficiency of estrus detection and/ or by enhancing the male pheromonal induction of estrus, both of which require further investigation.
Acute anti-emetic withdrawal associated with a hemorrhagic cerebellar arteriovenous malformation

We present a 67-year-old right-handed male with a brachium pontis arteriovenous malformation on continuous anti-emetic therapy who demonstrated acute withdrawal symptoms after the abrupt discontinuation of ondansetron, a 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist. Removal of anti-emetic therapy led to the development of extreme flushing and tremor, but subsequent return of ondansetron resulted in the resolution of these symptoms. This is the first clinical report demonstrating acute withdrawal from an anti-emetic agent and we further highlight the need for future studies evaluating not only arterial supply with pressure gradients and anatomical location, but also the association with periventricular venous drainage, venous drainage stenosis, and mass effect from venous stasis as this may contribute partly to the sensitivity of the serotonergic receptors seen here.
Contemporary multidisciplinary treatment of pregnancy-associated breast cancer

Breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy poses unique challenges. Application of standard treatment algorithms is limited by lack of level I evidence from randomized trials. This study describes contemporary multidisciplinary treatment of pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) in an academic setting and explores early maternal and fetal outcomes. A search of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center clinical databases was performed to identify PABC cases. Sociodemographic, disease, pregnancy, and treatment information, as well as data on short-term maternal and fetal outcomes, were collected through retrospective chart review. 74 patients were identified, the majority with early-stage breast cancer. Most (73.5%) underwent surgical resection during pregnancy, including 40% with sentinel lymph node biopsy and 32% with immediate reconstruction. A total of 36 patients received anthracycline-based chemotherapy during pregnancy; of those, almost 20% were on a dose-dense schedule and 8.3% also received paclitaxel. 68 patients delivered liveborn infants; over half were delivered preterm ( 10th percentile. The rate of fetal malformations (4.4%) was not different than expected population rate. Within a multidisciplinary academic setting, PABC treatment followed contemporary algorithms without apparent increase in maternal or fetal adverse outcomes. A considerable number of preterm deliveries were observed, the majority planned to facilitate cancer therapy. Continued attention to maternal and fetal outcomes after PABC is required to determine the benefit of this delivery strategy.
Optimizing contrast of tip-enhanced fluorescence microscopy for imaging high-density samples

Quantum dots are imaged using tip-enhanced fluorescence microscopy. Optimization of the operation parameters leads to high-contrast images of high-density samples and a novel photon analysis improves contrast further.
A Professional School Approach to Marketing Education

With many business schools paying lip service to the concept of professional training, this article attempts to provide some direction for moving from an academic or liberal-arts-oriented marketing department to a professional marketing program. The transformation to a professional school perspective can be facilitated by marketing programs examining other professional schools to identify how these programs differ from their current programs. A professional school approach to marketing education meets the needs of both students and employers while providing the department with a comparative advantage as the business education environment becomes more competitive and challenging.
Mechanics of a Single Nozzle Air-Jet Filling Insertion System Part II : Velocity Distribution and Design of the Air Guide System

The air velocity distribution along the air guide system of an air-jet loom is affected by the initial air velocity at the nozzle and the design of the guide system. In this paper, the air velocity...
Student perceptions of a patient- centered medical training curriculum

Objectives: To evaluate a patient-centered medical training curriculum, the SELECT program, through perceptions of the inaugural student cohort. Methods: Data were collected from two focus groups conducted in the university setting, comprised of fifteen first-year medical students who participated in the SELECT program during its inaugural year. A questioning protocol was used to guide the focus group discussion, which was transcribed and hand-coded through thematic analyses. Results: Various themes related to patient-centered care were identified. Students noted changes in their attitudes towards interacting with patients in an empowering and educative manner as a result of communication and motivational interviewing exercises. Additionally, they recognized certain external, structural barriers as well as internal conflict between pragmatism and emotional intelligence that could potentially hinder patient-centered care. The impact of family dynamics and social support on quality of life and health outcomes was acknowledged. Students also emphasized the value of collaborating with multiple health professionals. Lastly, students provided suggestions for program improvement, namely additional simulations, more education regarding other healthcare professionals’ roles, more standardized experiences, and application of principles to acute and primary care. Conclusions: Upon completion of the first year of the SELECT program, students gained an appreciation for patient-centered care and various factors and skills that facilitate such care. Additionally, they experienced a dissonance between didactic concepts from the curriculum and observed medical practices. This study highlights the educational benefits of a patientcentered medical curriculum and provides suggestions for future improvement.
Satellite Communications technological advancements in Latin America

Although rightly associated as a region historically fraught with change and turmoil, Latin America has been able to radically transform itself over the past two decades and increasingly become a leader in technological development. One key area of growth has been the rapid advance of Satellite Communications. It seems that at the current pace, the region will quickly reach the level of space technology seen in the industrialized world. The article is a brief review of the rapid ascension of the region as a dominant leader in the world-wide “space race”. There is also an extensive explanation on the basics of what constitutes “Satellite Communications” due to the multi-disciplinary approach that is accessible to decision makers either possessing or lacking technical expertise in the subject.
Processing and characterization of microcellular PHBV/PBAT blends

Solid and microcellular specimens made of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)(PHBV)/ poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blends with three different weight ratios (i.e., PHBV/PBAT = 98.5/1.5 (Y1000P), 45/55 (5010P), and 30/70 (6010P), respectively) were prepared via conventional and microcellular injection molding process, respectively. Various properties such as miscibility, cell morphology, thermal, and mechanical properties were investigated. Compared with the microcellular specimens, the solid specimens showed better miscibility. Increasing the PBAT content led to higher specific toughness and strain-at-break, but lower specific modulus and specific strength for both solid and microcellular specimens. In addition, increasing the PBAT content increased the average cell size, but decreased the cell density of the microcellular samples. Finally, the crystallinity of PHBV in the PHBV/PBAT blends decreased significantly with increasing PBAT content for both solid and microcellular specimens. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:1440-1448, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Toll-like receptor 7 and TLR9 dictate autoantibody specificity and have opposing inflammatory and regulatory roles in a murine model of lupus.

Antibodies (Abs) to RNA- and DNA-containing autoantigens are characteristic of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We showed previously that Toll-like receptor (TLR) 9, recognizing DNA, is required for the spontaneous generation of DNA autoantibodies, but not for the development of lupus nephritis in susceptible mice. We report that lupus-prone mice deficient in TLR7, a receptor for ssRNA, failed to generate Abs to RNA-containing antigens (Ags) such as Smith (Sm) Ag. TLR9 and TLR7 also had dramatic effects on clinical disease in lupus-prone mice. In the absence of TLR9, autoimmune disease was exacerbated, lymphocytes and plasmacytoid DCs were more activated, and serum IgG and IFN-α were increased. In contrast, TLR7-deficient mice had ameliorated disease, decreased lymphocyte activation, and decreased serum IgG. These findings reveal opposing inflammatory and regulatory roles for TLR7 and TLR9, despite similar tissue expression and signaling pathways. These results have important implications for TLR-directed therapy of autoimmune disease.
Orphan Works: Mapping the Possible Solution Spaces

This paper surveys a range of proposed orphan works solutions. The goal is to acquaint the reader with the wide variety of solution types, and to identify the positive and negative aspects of each. The paper discusses four general categories of proposed solutions to the orphan works problem: Remedy-limitation approaches, such as the one advocated in the 2006 U.S. Copyright office proposal, that are predicated on a user’s good-faith, reasonable search for rights holders; administrative systems, such as the one adopted in Canada, that allow users to petition a centralized copyright board to license specific reuses of orphan works; access and reuse solutions that are tailored to rely upon the existing doctrine of fair use; and extended collective licensing schemes, which permit collective management organizations ('CMOs') to license the use of works that are not necessarily owned by CMO members, but that are representative of the CMO members’ works.About this Paper: This white paper is the second in a series from the Berkeley Digital Library Copyright Project, an effort organized by Berkeley Law professors Pamela Samuelson, Jason Schultz, and Jennifer Urban. The project aims to investigate copyright obstacles facing libraries and other like-minded organizations in their efforts to realize the full potential of making works available digitally. More information can be found on the project’s website.
The use of hydraulic models in the design of suspended-load samplers

The amount of suspended solid material transported by a stream is usually determined by making measurements of sediment-content and of velocity at many points in the cross-section and integrating the results. The number of sampling points required will depend upon the degree of accuracy necessary, and, according to O'Brien [see 1 of “References” at end of paper], upon our knowledge of turbulent flow and its relation to sediment-transportation. The suspended-load samplers used for these measurements may be divided into two classifications, depending upon the length of the sampling period. One might be called the integrating or continuous sampler, and the other the instantaneous or grab sampler. Turbulent fluctuations cause the sediment-content at any point in a stream to be continually-varying; therefore, only an integrated sample, taken over a period of time long enough to get an average concentration, can truly represent the sediment-content. This integration may be made with a continuous sampler of the suction-nozzle type, which maintains the same velocity at the entrance as the undisturbed velocity of the stream at that point. (Continuous suction-nozzle samplers are now being used in the Cooperative Laboratory of the Soil Conservation Service at the California Institute of Technology.) The mean concentration may also be obtained by combining a number of small grab-samples which show the true instantaneous sediment-content.
Software for Efficient Static Dislocation- Traction Calculations in Fault Simulators

Online Material: Software packages with documentation. Quasistatic or quasidynamic rate–state friction (QRSF) simulators are used to study the mechanics of faults (e.g., Shibazaki and Shimamoto, 2007). The displacement discontinuity method (DDM; Crouch and Starfield, 1983) meshes the fault or faults into N elements and constructs a matrix of Green’s functions (GFs) relating slip to stress. The simulator evolves strength and slip in time. Usually, the most expensive part of a simulation time step is the matrix–vector product (MVP) of the slip distribution with the DDM matrix; the straightforward implementation performs O ( N 2) operations. A simulator performs thousands to millions of MVPs with the same DDM matrix. My free and open‐source software (FOSS) package hmmvp speeds up simulations by an asymptotic factor of a little less than N faster than the straightforward implementation for both forming an approximation to and performing MVP with the GF matrix. In QRSF simulations, rupture tip length scales as f r ∝ μ ′ d c /( bσ ) for the aging evolution law and f r multiplied by a factor that depends on slip speed and background values for the slip law. In this case, μ ′= μ /(1− ν ), μ is the shear modulus, ν is Poisson’s ratio, b is the constant multiplying the state term in rate–state friction, σ is the effective normal stress, and d c is the characteristic slip distance for friction evolution (Rubin and Ampuero, 2009). Rupture tips must be well resolved in simulations. If f r is nonuniform on the fault, discretization also can be nonuniform for efficiency. However, not all DDM operators are accurate on nonuniform meshes. My FOSS package dc3dm implements a method, IGA, that is as accurate on a nonuniform mesh as the standard method is on a uniform mesh. dc3dm uses hmmvp to efficiently approximate …
Quantum control of energy flow

We investigate the coherent control of energy transfer in different nanomaterials in solution.