cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heat effects in sorption of organic vapors in rubbery polymers

SYNOPSIS During supposedly isothermal sorption/desorption of gases or vapors by solid polymers, latent heat effects alter local temperatures with the result that diffusion behavior may appear to be non-Fickian. Even when sorption curves are seemingly Fickian, spurious values of the diffusion coefficient, D, may still be inferred. These phenomena are examined in an experimental and theoretical study of incremental sorption/desorption of acetone vapor in the fluoroelastomer, vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer. A theoretical analysis developed earlier to model water vapor sorption in wool and cellulose is shown to successfully reconcile measured mass transfer rates and temperature changes. 0 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Estimates of parameters in a probability model for first livebirth interval.

Abstract This article is concerned with the problem of estimating the risk of conception, the risk of fetal loss and the length of the nonsusceptible period due to a fetal loss using a model proposed by George [4] for the first livebirth interval. Algorithms are provided to obtain maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters of the model from complete, censored and grouped samples. The methods are illustrated using data on 554 Hutterite women.
Transmission, In Planta Distribution, and Management of Hibiscus latent Fort Pierce virus, a Novel Tobamovirus Isolated from Florida Hibiscus

Three aspects of the infection process of a new tobamovirus species, Hibiscus latent Fort Pierce virus, recently isolated from hibiscus in Florida, were examined: (i) transmission efficiency of rub-, slash-, and cut-inoculation for two hibiscus cultivars, Pink Versicolor and Brilliant Red; (ii) distribution within infected hibiscus plants; and (iii) treatments to prevent infection during plant propagation and pruning. Rub-, slash-, and cut-inoculation methods were all effective and yielded infection rates of 66, 74, and 70%, respectively, in Pink Versicolor and 50, 56, and 38%, respectively, in Brilliant Red. Analysis of virus distribution in infected plants over time revealed that the virus moved from the place of inoculation to the roots and then toward the bottom (oldest) leaves of the plants. Virus was found in all leaves on branches of Brilliant Red plants at 210 days postinoculation, whereas it remained restricted to the bottom and middle leaves of Pink Versicolor plants at 290 days postinoculation. Although several treatments of tools reduced infection of hibiscus during experiments mimicking plant propagation and pruning, 10% (wt/vol) sodium hypochlorite and 20% (wt/vol) nonfat dry milk completely prevented infection.
The Effect of Trazodone on Standardized Field Sobriety Tests

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a single dose of trazodone on the standardized field sobriety test (SFST). DESIGN: A randomized, double-blinded, repeated-measures study. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-five healthy adult subjects. SETTING: University campus. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The SFST consists of the horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk-and-turn, and one-leg stand tests. Subjects were administered a baseline SFST and at 2 hours after the administration of either trazodone 100 mg (30 subjects) or acetaminophen 650 mg (15 subjects). At 2 hours post drug administration, there were no statistical differences in failure rates between the trazodone and acetaminophen groups (53.3% vs 20.0%, p=0.054). However, the trazodone group exhibited more impairment clues within the individual tests of the SFST than the acetaminophen group. CONCLUSIONS: A one-time dose of trazodone 100 mg does not result in an increased SFST failure rate at 2 hours postdosing compared to acetaminophen 650 mg. However, the number of individual impairment clues detected is increased with trazodone. Trazodone 100 mg may cause cognitive driving impairment. Language: en
31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrates expansion of the extracellular space in the skeletal muscle of starved rats.

Starvation significantly alters the distribution of body water. To study the effects of starvation on cellular energetics and water distribution in skeletal muscle, a novel 31P magnetic resonance technique (31P MRS) was developed to measure water compartments. After 31P MRS-visible water space markers which distribute in total body water (dimethyl methylphosphonate, DMMP) and extracellular water (phenylphosphonate, PPA) were infused intravenously, 31P MRS spectra were obtained from the gastrocnemius muscle of male virus-free Wistar rats at baseline and after starvation or ad libitum feeding for 4 days. Muscle water spaces were also measured using the chloride method and Nernst's equation. Muscle water contents as determined by drying were equivalent in the two groups. In vivo measurements of changes in DMMP relative to all of the MRS visible phosphates also demonstrated that the total water space was similar in control and starved rats. However, starvation significantly increased the ratio of PPA/DMMP (0.67 ± 0.05 vs 0.87 ± 0.04, Control vs Starvation; P < 0.001), and therefore the ratio of extracellular water to total water in the gastrocnemius. Furthermore, because muscle water contents were comparable between the groups, this expansion of the extracellular space was accompanied by contraction of the intracellular compartment in starved animals. Equivalent changes were detected in vitro using the chloride method. Lastly, phosphocreatine/ATP ratios, which measured changes in high-energy phosphate stores, decreased after starvation (4.09 ± 0.06 vs 3.61 ± 0.06; P < 0.001) and were inversely related to changes in PPA/DMMP (r = -0.61; P < 0.001). We conclude that starvation alters the distribution of water within skeletal muscle and these changes are related to the depletion of energy stores. These phenomena can be studied simultaneously in a noninvasive fashion using in vivo31P MRS and MRS-visible water space markers.
Tests for quasi-independence of embedded markov chains

This paper introduces the concept of quasi-independence into embedded Markov chains and identifies the maximum likelihood frequency estimates to be used with χ2tests of the null hypothesis of quasi-independence within an embedded Markov chain.
Photocoagulation of iris nevus to control recurrent hyphema

Abstract PURPOSE: To report a case of recurrent hyphema caused by an iris nevus that was successfully treated with photocoagulation. METHOD: Case report. In a 30-year-old woman with recurrent hyphema secondary to an iris nevus, photocoagulation was applied to the iris nevus. RESULTS: Before photocoagulation of the iris nevus, the patient had increasing frequency of hyphema episodes. After treatment, no hyphema episodes occurred during 13 months of observation. CONCLUSION: Photocoagulation of the surface of an iris nevus may prevent recurrent hyphema.
Methamphetamine Causes Persistent Immune Dysregulation: A Cross-Species, Translational Report

Methamphetamine (MA) dependence causes serious cognitive impairments that can persist during abstinence and negatively affect recovery outcomes. Evidence suggests that immune factors, such as cytokines, chemokines, and cellular adhesion molecules, contribute to MA-induced immune dysfunction, neuronal injury, and persistent cognitive impairments, yet the role of MA-induced brain inflammation remains unclear. To address this question, we used a cross-species, translational approach. Thirty-two male C57BL/6J mice were administered MA (1 mg/kg) or saline subcutaneously for seven consecutive days. Mice were euthanized at 72 h or 3 weeks after the last drug dose, and blood and brain samples were collected. In addition, 20 adults in remission from MA dependence and 20 non-dependent controls completed neuropsychological assessments and a blood draw. Multiplex assays were used to measure cytokine, chemokine, and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) expression in mouse and human samples. A number of significant MA-induced changes in neuroimmune factors were observed. Of particular interest were the chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and the cellular adhesion molecule ICAM-1, which were similarly increased in the plasma of MA exposed mice as well as humans. In human participants, MA-induced changes in the cytokine and chemokine milieu were accompanied by increased cognitive impairments. Mice showing MA-induced changes in peripheral immune molecule expression also had significant brain-region specific changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and ICAM-1. This cross-species, translational study suggests that chronic CNS immune dysregulation may in part contribute to the longlasting neuropsychiatric consequences of MA dependence.
Assessing the transactional nature of wilderness experiences: construct validation of the wilderness-hassles appraisal scale.

Concerns over the increasing popularity of wilderness recreation have resulted in attempts to determine the amount of use that different areas can tolerate without adverse affects to the resource. Early attempts to establish recreational carrying capacities focused on managers’ assessments of biophysical impacts. The perceptions of wilderness visitors, however, are now considered integral to capacity decisions. This study used a stress appraisal framework to understand wilderness visitors’ perceptions of on-site conditions. It was based on the premise that negative appraisals of wilderness conditions produce stress and that individual perceptions vary based on personal and situational characteristics. The purpose of the study was to assess the validity of a wilderness-hassles appraisal scale by testing hypothesized relationships between experience-use history (EUH), place attachment, and stress appraisal. Data collection occurred through a postal survey of hikers (n = 385) contacted in the High Peaks and Pemigewasset Wilderness Areas during the summer of 2004. An exploratory factor analysis indicated that stress appraisal is a multi-dimensional construct. Validity testing procedures were restricted to those dimensions that were consistent between study areas and provided partial support for the hassles scale. As hypothesized, EUH did not influence perceptions of wilderness conditions. Place attachment, on the other hand, was positively correlated with stressful appraisals of social and managerial conditions. Although Kruskall Wallis tests revealed significant differences in visitors’ perceptions of managerial conditions between study sites, perceptions of social conditions did not vary significantly. Implications for management and recommendations for further refinement of the wilderness hassles construct are discussed.
Dental pulp regeneration aided by blood and blood substitutes after experimentally induced periapical infection.

Abstract This study was based on the hypothesis that if, after periapical infection, the pulp canal is opened maximally, then filled with whole blood and/or blood substitutes in contact with the periapical tissues, and dental pulp may regenerate. Results showed that regeneration or ingrowth of connective tissue into the root canals of these monkey teeth was not enhanced by blood and/or blood substitutes. The tissue ingrowth measured between 0.10 and 1.00 mm. and fell within this range regardless of the filling material, including those teeth left void. Overextension of the instrumentation of the root canals in this study caused widespread inflammation and, in some cases, cyst formation. The majority of the teeth developed root resorption which correlated with the presence of chronically inflamed granulation tissue. Of the teeth exhibiting root resorption, only incompletely developed cuspids showed any type of repair of the resorptive defect during the time period of this study. These cuspids, which had incomplete root formation, continued to deposit additional root length, or bridging by a calcified material was attempted, even after seven of these teeth required removal of the coronal seal in order to drain acute abscesses.
An Adaptive Estimator of the Autocorrelation Coefficient in Regression Models with Autoregressive Errors

In this paper an adaptive estimator of the autocorrelation coefficient is constructed in regression models whose error variables follow a stationary autoregressive process of order 1. Examples of nonparametric, additive and semiparametric regression models are discussed.
Effects of demographic stochasticity on population persistence in advective media.

Many populations live and disperse in advective media. A fundamental ques- tion, known as the "drift paradox" in stream ecology, is how a closed population can sur- vive when it is constantly being transported downstream by the flow. Recent population- level models have focused on the role of diffusive movement in balancing the effects of advection, predicting critical conditions for persistence. Here, we formulate an individual- based stochastic analog of the model described in (Lutscher et al., SIAM Rev. 47(4):749- 772, 2005) to quantify the effects of demographic stochasticity on persistence. Popula- tion dynamics are modeled as a logistic growth process and dispersal as a position-jump process on a finite domain divided into patches. When there is no correlation in the in- terpatch movement of residents, stochasticity simply smooths the persistence-extinction boundary. However, when individuals disperse in "packets" from one patch to another and the flow field is memoryless on the timescale of packet transport, the probability of persistence is greatly enhanced. The latter transport mechanism may be characteristic of larval dispersal in the coastal ocean or wind-dispersed seed pods.
Job shop scheduling: an experimental investigation of the performance of alternative scheduling rules

Abstract An analysis of job shop performance for different scheduling rules is evaluated using computer simulation. Fourteen different scheduling rules and six performance measures were used in the analysis. The interaction of scheduling rules with two other independent factors, service time distributions and shop load levels, were also analysed. The experimental results showed that the shop load level has a significant effect on system performance but does not interact with the other two independent variables, and the choice of a scheduling rule cannot be made independent of the service time distribution. In general, the simple operation-time-based rules produced the best combination of results for the performance measures evaluated.
Anthropometric Facial Analysis of the African American Woman

Results: Compared with white women, the following measurements were found to be significantly different (P,.003) in African American women: special head height was shorter; forehead height II was longer; nose length was shorter; lower face height was longer; height of the calva was shorter; forehead height I was longer; and ear length was shorter. In addition, most horizontal measures were wider, ie, eye-fissure width, nasal width, mouth width, and facial width. The nose and ear have greater angles of inclination. Of the 9 neoclassical canons, the orbital proportion was found to include the most proportional subjects (30.6%), followed by the nasoaural proportion (13.0%) and the nasofacial proportion (9.3%). Subcategorization based on nasal dorsal height yielded the most significantly different measures. Conclusions: African American female facial anthropometric measures, especially those of the horizontal dimension, differ significantly from those of young white subjects. The average African American woman does not fit the neoclassical standard of facial proportion.
Chemical effects in plasma ignition

Experiments have been carried out to explore the role of chemical effects in the plasma-propellant interaction (PPI) process. The experiments involve varying the chemical composition of a confined, ablatively "fed" plasma, and then observing the response of the propellant (JA2, M9, or M30) via the recorded pressure traces. The combustion is terminated by rapid depressurization, allowing recovery and chemical analysis. In situ light emission measurements provide information on the relative temperatures of the plasmas investigated, as well as on the relative radiation levels at the propellant surface. The standard polyethylene (PE)-fed plasma contains carbon, hydrogen, and aluminum (the exploding wire is aluminum). A carbon-rich plasma (without hydrogen) is formed with a graphite (Gr) or lampblack (LB)-fed plasma, and a hydrogen-rich plasma with an aluminum hydride (AlH/sub 3/)-fed plasma. In addition, ammonia triborane (ATB), another hydrogen-rich reducing agent, has been tested. The results show widely varying extents of plasma-feeding for the different plasma chemistries, higher plasma temperatures (and longer duration of high temperature and radiation) for the chemistries that feed the plasma least, and post-discharge propellant combustion rates that suggest competition between the opposing radiative and pressure-producing properties of the additive.
MODIFICATION OF CONSONANT SPEECH‐SOUND ARTICULATION IN YOUNG CHILDREN

A series of three experiments was performed in a classroom setting with small groups of young children with severe articulation problems. Variations on a basic token reinforcement procedure were demonstrated in each experiment. A combined multiple baseline/reversal design showed effective experimenter control of rates of correct and incorrect consonant sound articulation in all cases. In addition, the data in each experiment showed the problems of obtaining stimulus generalization of the high rates of correct articulation to non-training settings. The third experiment demonstrated a procedure for producing such generalization by making each child a discriminative stimulus for correct articulaton by the other child, thus maintaining high levels of correct articulation for each child when in the presence of the other.
Aerobic fitness and neurocognitive function in healthy preadolescent children

Purpose: We investigated the relationship between age, aerobic fitness, and cognitive function by comparing high- and low-fit preadolescent children and adults. Method: Twenty-four children (mean age = 9.6 yr) and 27 adults (mean age = 19.3 yr) were grouped according to their fitness (high, low) such that four approximately equal groups were compared. Fitness was assessed using the Fitnessgram test, and cognitive function was measured by neuroelectric and behavioral responses to a stimulus discrimination task. Results: Adults exhibited greater P3 amplitude at Cz and Pz sites, and decreased amplitude at the Oz site compared with children. High-fit children had greater P3 amplitude compared with low-fit children and high- and low-fit adults. Further, adults had faster P3 latency compared with children, and high-fit participants had faster P3 latency compared with low-fit participants at the Oz site. Adults exhibited faster reaction time than children; however, fitness interacted with age such that high-fit children had faster reaction time than low-fit children. Conclusion: These findings suggest that fitness was positively associated with neuroelectric indices of attention and working memory, and response speed in children. Fitness was also associated with cognitive processing speed, but these findings were not age-specific. These data indicate that fitness may be related to better cognitive functioning in preadolescents and have implications for increasing cognitive health in children and adults.
Performance Analysis of Wireless Systems With Doubly Selective Rayleigh Fading

Theoretical error performances of wireless communication systems suffering from both doubly selective (time varying and frequency selective) Rayleigh fading and sampler timing offset are analyzed in this paper. Single-input-single-output systems with doubly selective fading channels are equivalently represented as discrete-time single-input-multiple-output (SIMO) systems with correlated frequency-flat fading channels, with the correlation information being determined by the combined effects of sampler timing phase, maximum Doppler spread, and power delay profile of the physical fading. Based on the equivalent SIMO system representation, closed-form error-probability expressions are derived as tight lower bounds for linearly modulated systems with fractionally spaced equalizers. The information on the sampler timing offset and the statistical properties of the physical channel fading, along with the effects of the fractionally spaced equalizer, are incorporated in the error-probability expressions. Simulation results show that the new analytical results can accurately predict the error performances of maximum-likelihood sequence estimation and maximum a posteriori equalizers for practical wireless communication systems in a wide range of signal-to-noise ratio. Moreover, some interesting observations about receiver oversampling and system timing phase sensitivity are obtained based on the new analytical results
Video modeling within networks using deterministic smoothing at the source

Video traffic is expected to become increasingly important with the large scale deployment of broadband ISDN. In the literature, it suggested that smoothing variable bit rate (VBR) video traffic before transmitting it onto the network would help reduce the probability of packet loss. The authors show why deterministic smoothing at the source approximates the minimum achievable loss over the network end-to-end of all possible smoothing schemes. Furthermore, they develop a powerful yet simple analytical technique that can efficiently calculate the loss probability at any point in a network carrying video traffic. They validate the analytical results using traces of actual video segments. The results can be used for admission control and traffic management. They find that in the case of highly correlated traffic such as video, the way to control loss is to ensure that the fraction of time the arrival process exceeds the service process is small. >
A Cassegrain Offset-Fed Dual-Band Reflectarray

An X/Ka dual-band microstrip reflectarray with circular polarization (CP) has been constructed using thin membranes and Cassegrain offset-fed configuration. It is believed that this is the first Cassegrain reflectarray ever been developed. This antenna has a 75-cm-diameter aperture and uses metallic subreflector and angular-rotated annular ring elements. It achieved a measured -3 dB-gain bandwidth of 700 MHz at X-band and 1.5 GHz at Ka-band, as well as a CP bandwidth (3 dB axial ratio) of more than 700 MHz at X-band and more than 2 GHz at Ka-band. The measured peak efficiencies are 49.8% at X-band and 48.2% at Ka-band
INFORMATION IN AGRICULTURAL PEST CONTROL

This paper develops a decision aid for agricultural producers regarding their pest scouting and spraying activities. The basic issue is how estimates of pest populations are computed and when the operator should act using that information. Scouting for pests, essentially a search operation, can lead to a change in the strategy for applying pesticide. An adaptive-scouting process is developed to unify the spraying and scouting activities. Some results, for the cotton-lygus bug system, are presented.
Internal Herniation of Adnexa Through a Defect of the Broad Ligament: Case Report and Literature Review

Internal herniation through a defect of the broad ligament occurs rarely. Herniation of the ovary rather than the small intestine or colon is extremely rare. We present only the third known case of herniation of the adnexa into a broad ligament defect. A 42-year-old woman, gravida 3, para 2, aborta 1, had severe continuing right lower quadrant pain that was resistant to medical and surgical treatments. The clinical history was significant for long-standing endometriosis, 2 previous laparoscopic procedures to treat endometriosis, and chronic pelvic pain despite medical and surgical treatments. At the second laparoscopic procedure, pelvic endometriosis was excised, and a large defect of the right broad ligament was noted but not treated. At the third operation, right salpingo-oophorectomy was performed to eliminate the large broad ligament defect and the possibility of internal herniation on the right side as a possible explanation for the patient's chronic right lower quadrant pain. Postoperatively, the pain resolved, and the patient has been pain-free for 9 months. This type of internal herniation should be considered in the differential diagnosis in female patients with pelvic pain.
The Essential Role of Pathologists in Health Care and Health Policy

In the June 2011 edition of CAP Today, then-College of American Pathologists (CAP) President Stephen N. Bauer, MD, authored an article titled ‘‘50 Ways to Leave the Basement.’’ In addition to challenging pathologists and laboratory professionals to redefine pathology for our clinical colleagues, patients, and the public, the article provided specific examples of how to do so. One particular line stands out: ‘‘To secure our place in the evolving landscape, we must become aggressive intellectual and economic capitalists.’’ Aggressive, one might say, is too strong or that it connotes adversarial undertones, but aggressive we must become, as we calmly and confidently guide a detailed, well-informed dialogue highlighting our critical role in patient care. We are physicians after all, having been educated alongside colleagues who went on to become internists, neurosurgeons, and radiologists to name a few. However, legislators, clinicians, and patients are often unclear on the role of pathology as a specialty and our ability to direct cost-effective, quality care by merging diagnostic skills with guidance on ancillary testing and patient management. Similarly, as pathologists, we are often unaware of the potential effect we can and should have on the changing face of medicine. We can accomplish our collective goals and take an active stand in the evolution of health care by focusing on 3 primary objectives—that is, to educate, to motivate, and to cultivate. This article will focus on applying those objectives within the arena of health care policy.
Effect of Estrogen and Progesterone on Leukocyte Glycogen and Alkaline Phosphatase in Dogs

SummaryMestranol, a synthetic estrogen, causes significant increases in both leukocyte glycogen content and leukocyte alkaline phosphatase activity in dogs. Progesterone, by daily intramuscular injection, causes significant elevation of leukocyte alkaline phosphatase activity, but leukocyte glycogen content is unchanged.This work was supported by the Blood Research Fund of the Mecical College of Virginia and Grant CA 08482-04 from the U. S. Public Health Service. Y. Abul-Fadl, M.D. was supported by a fellowship of the Leukemia Society of America, Inc. We thank LaVerne W. Cooper, Mary Vaughan, and Ronald Hamon for technical assistance, and Dorothy Barnes and Lucille Gouldin for expert secretarial assistance. We are indebted also to G. Watson James, III, M.D., for his support. Requests for reprints should be addressed to R. B. Scott, M.D.
Innovative language learningc achieving the vision

The technologies demonstrated at the InSTIL and EUROCALL 2000 conferences were very inspiring. They gave participants the sense that the technologies of their wildest imaginations are at last materializing, particularly in long awaited advances in speech technologies. Some challenges, however, remain ahead as attempts are made to put these technologies to use in CALL. Past experience demonstrates for example that software designed for recognition of a proficient speaker’s language is different than that required for learner language. It is also evident that while language use may be critical for language acquisition, language use does not necessarily indicate language acquisition. These points were made by Marty, who was working with speech software for French teaching a few years before the current excitement:We should keep in mind that the present research and development is aimed only at producing speech easily understandable by natives (e.g., English for native speakers of English) and that the potential markets are industrial (e.g., replacing visual indicators or visual alarms with audio warnings) and in home products (especially toys). Until our needs for improved FL instruction are better understood, it is not likely that those devices will have the voice quality we need. (Marty, 1981c52).If Marty had attended the InSTIL and EUROCALL conferences in 2000, no doubt he would have been very, very impressed. Even though plenty of work remains, we do seem to have very good voice quality in speech synthesis. The question today is how can we best use these emerging technologies, and so Marty’s suggestion that we must better understand our needs in foreign language teaching remains very relevant. What are the needs for foreign language teaching in the 21st century? The papers at EUROCALL 2000 as well as other work in technology, business, and language teaching suggest that we should be prepared for change in the coming years, but what kind of change? The turn of the century seems an appropriate time to examine some of the speculation on the future of language teaching in general, as well as how technology fits into that future. This paper considers these general questions, and then suggests ways in which links might be made between work in second language acquisition (SLA) and CALL in order to put technologies to use for L2 teaching.
Gate I-V characteristics degradation in AlGaN/AlN/GaN HEMTs

AlGaN/AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) is one of the most promising device structures for high frequency power applications. Although high power density was demonstrated by number of groups [1], several unresolved issues remain. One of them is the gate breakdown under forward bias. Figure 1 shows the typical gate I-V characteristics of the devices obtained by applying voltage (Vg) between gate and drain with source floating. At certain voltage (4.5-6 V), the gate current (Ig) increases instantaneously. The change is permanent with current in both forward and reverse direction increased by several orders of magnitude.
Loss of liver FA binding protein significantly alters hepatocyte plasma membrane microdomains

Although lipid-rich microdomains of hepatocyte plasma membranes serve as the major scaffolding regions for cholesterol transport proteins important in cholesterol disposition, little is known regarding intracellular factors regulating cholesterol distribution therein. On the basis of its ability to bind cholesterol and alter hepatic cholesterol accumulation, the cytosolic liver type FA binding protein (L-FABP) was hypothesized to be a candidate protein regulating these microdomains. Compared with wild-type hepatocyte plasma membranes, L-FABP gene ablation significantly increased the proportion of cholesterol-rich microdomains. Lack of L-FABP selectively increased cholesterol, phospholipid (especially phosphatidylcholine), and branched-chain FA accumulation in the cholesterol-rich microdomains. These cholesterol-rich microdomains are important, owing to enrichment therein of significant amounts of key transport proteins involved in uptake of cholesterol [SR-B1, ABCA-1, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), sterol carrier binding protein (SCP-2)], FA transport protein (FATP), and glucose transporters 1 and 2 (GLUT1, GLUT2) insulin receptor. L-FABP gene ablation enhanced the concentration of SCP-2, SR-B1, FATP4, and GLUT1 in the cholesterol-poor microdomains, with functional implications in HDL-mediated uptake and efflux of cholesterol. Thus L-FABP gene ablation significantly impacted the proportion of cholesterol-rich versus -poor microdomains in the hepatocyte plasma membrane and altered the distribution of lipids and proteins involved in cholesterol uptake therein.
Active Protection of an ${\rm MgB}_{2}$ Test Coil

This paper presents results of a study, experimental and computational, of a detect-and-activate-the-heater protection technique applied to a magnesium diboride (MgB2) test coil operated in semi-persistent mode. The test coil with a winding ID of 25 cm and wound with ~500-m long reacted MgB2 wire was operated at 4.2 K immersed in a bath of liquid helium. In this active technique, upon the initiation of a “hot spot” of a length ~10 cm, induced by a “quench heater,” a “protection heater” (PH) of ~600-cm long planted within the test coil is activated. The normal zone created by the PH is large enough to absorb the test coil's entire initial stored energy and still keeps the peak temperature within the winding below ~260 K.
The expanding role of PI3-kinase in bone

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases (PI3-Ks) play an important role in signal transduction and have been implicated in mediating a broad range of cellular responses. There are three classes of PI3-Ks [I (a and b subclasses), II, and III] with different substrate specificities and different modes of regulation. In osteoclasts, PI3-K has been shown to be a critical downstream effector from at least three cell-surface receptors, c-fms [the receptor for colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1)], alphaVB3 integrin, and RANK [receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB)]. Furthermore, PI3-K is known to partner with the cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase c-src in mediating the effects of activated c-fms. The effector actions of PI3-K are diverse, including influencing osteoclast survival and activity, mediating actin remodeling and motility, and regulation of attachment structures. Less is known about the roles of PI3-K in osteoblasts. However, recent evidence suggests a role for PI3-K in osteoblast differentiation and survival. The classification, structure, function, and regulation of PI3-Ks will be reviewed here, with particular emphasis on the role of PI3-K in bone.
Single-Dose Treatment of Acute Cystitis with Fosfomycin Tromethamine

OBJECTIVE:To review the clinical pharmacology of fosfomycin tromethamine, a new antimicrobial agent for the treatment of uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections (UTIs).DATA SOURCE:Publications in English on fosfomycin, fosfomycin tromethamine, and fosfomycin trometamol (MEDLINE, 1970–1997), as well as unpublished studies submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), were reviewed.STUDY SELECTION:Comparative, randomized, controlled studies were used to analyze the efficacy and safety of fosfomycin tromethamine.DATA SYNTHESIS:Fosfomycin tromethamine is an oral antimicrobial indicated for the treatment of uncomplicated lower UTIs. This agent is active in the urine against common uropathogens that are associated with cystitis in women, including organisms resistant to other antibiotics. A single dose of fosfomycin tromethamine is well absorbed and produces therapeutic concentrations in the urine for 2–4 days. Comparative clinical trials suggest that a single dose of fosfomycin tromethamine 3.0 g i...
A review of lacustrine paleomagnetic records from western North America: 0–40000 years BP

Abstract A review of 16 lake sediment paleomagnetic records from western North America, spanning time intervals over the last 40 000 yr BP, provides evidence that many of these lacustrine records have recorded geomagnetic secular variation with wavelengths on the order of a few hundred years. The younger studies (0–13 300 yr BP) show general morphologic agreement among inclination records, but most of the declination records are difficult to correlate. Among the older records there are major disagreements over the existence of the Mono Lake excursion. Specifically, five studies contain evidence for the excursion, but six studies do not show any record of it. Because errors in radiocarbon dating will distort down-core time-scales, the younger records were rescaled with time-scales that were constructed from extremal correlations of long-wavelength (∼ 1000–2000 yr), high-amplitude (∼ 10–20°) inclination features. With these new time-scales, the excellent temporal and morphologic agreement between the Fish Lake, Oregon, and Blue Lake, Idaho, declination records confirms the existence of errors in the radiocarbon time-scales. The lack of agreement among the other rescaled declination records indicates that the records have been distorted or altered by sedimentary and geologic processes and/or by sampling, measuring and data analysis procedures. In terms of the regional geomagnetic record, Fish Lake and Blue Lake present a 3300-yr master curve of secular variation for northeastern Oregon and southwestern Idaho. The lack of correlation among the other records, however, prevents us from drawing definite conclusions about the areal variation of the geomagnetic field in western North America over the past 40000 yr BP.
UniPROBE: an online database of protein binding microarray data on protein–DNA interactions

The UniPROBE (Universal PBM Resource for Oligonucleotide Binding Evaluation) database hosts data generated by universal protein binding microarray (PBM) technology on the in vitro DNA-binding specificities of proteins. This initial release of the UniPROBE database provides a centralized resource for accessing comprehensive PBM data on the preferences of proteins for all possible sequence variants (‘words’) of length k (‘k-mers’), as well as position weight matrix (PWM) and graphical sequence logo representations of the k-mer data. In total, the database hosts DNA-binding data for over 175 nonredundant proteins from a diverse collection of organisms, including the prokaryote Vibrio harveyi, the eukaryotic malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the parasitic Apicomplexan Cryptosporidium parvum, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the worm Caenorhabditis elegans, mouse and human. Current web tools include a text-based search, a function for assessing motif similarity between user-entered data and database PWMs, and a function for locating putative binding sites along user-entered nucleotide sequences. The UniPROBE database is available at http://thebrain.bwh.harvard.edu/uniprobe/.
Genetic variants in a ‘cAMP element binding protein’ (CREB)-dependent histone acetylation pathway influence memory performance in cognitively healthy elderly individuals

Abstract The molecular pathways underlying age-related memory changes remain unclear. There is a substantial genetic contribution to memory performance through life span. A recent study has implicated RbAp48, which mediates its effect on age-related memory decline by interacting with cyclic adenosine monophosphate responsive element binding protein (CREB)1 binding protein and influencing this histone acetylation pathway. To validate these findings, we tested whether genetic variants in RbAp48, CREB1, and CREBBP are associated with memory performance in 3 independent data sets consisting of 2674 cognitively healthy elderly individuals. Genetic variant rs2526690 in the CREBBP gene was significantly associated with episodic memory performance (pmeta = 3.7 × 10−4) in a multivariate model adjusted for age, sex, and apolipoprotein E status. Identifying genetic variants that modulate mechanisms of cognitive aging will allow identifying valid targets for therapeutic intervention.
An Embedded Platform for Intelligent Mobile Robot

To overcome the limitations of the special architectures adopted by traditional industrial robots, an embedded intelligent robot platform based on Windows CE. NET is established by customizing the operating system. On this intelligent robot platform, all major necessary sensors are included, and abundant control interfaces and driver modules are available, such as movement control interface, USB camera driver, laser driver, etc. Besides, various testing software and application modules for intelligent robot are designed, such as multi-sensor data fusion, path planning, speech recognition, wireless network communication and graphic human-robot interface. The platform is modularized, extensible, transplantable and customizable. Compared to the previous robot platform, it also has many advantages such as more compact hardware, lower-power consumption, better real-time performance and higher reliability.
Ten years of meteorological measurements for offshore wind farms

Riso has been monitoring wind resources and power output from offshore wind farms since 1993. A considerable degree of expertise has been developed in optimizing measurements and in using these databases to develop and validate models for offshore environments. This paper describes the evolution of monitoring strategies to a fully automated satellite based retrieval that provides near-real time access to offshore data, even at remote stand-alone masts. An overview of wind speed and turbulence at offshore sites in Denmark is given. Finally, three methods of generating long-term wind resource estimates from short-term measurements are outlined.
Calcified Metazoans in Thrombolite-stromatolite Reefs of the Terminal Proterozoic Nama Group, Namibia

Abstract Reefs containing abundant calcified metazoans occur at several stratigraphic levels within carbonate platforms of the terminal Proterozoic Nama Group, central and southern Namibia. The reef-bearing strata span an interval ranging from approximately 550 Ma to 543 Ma. The reefs are composed of thrombolites (clotted internal texture) and stromatolites (laminated internal texture) that form laterally continuous biostromes, isolated patch reefs, and isolated pinnacle reefs ranging in scale from a meter to several kilometers in width. Stromatolite-dominated reefs occur in depositionally updip positions within carbonate ramps, whereas thrombolite-dominated reefs occur broadly across the ramp profile and are well developed as pinnacle reefs in downdip positions. The three-dimensional morphology of reef-associated fossils was reconstructed by computer, based on digitized images of sections taken at 25-micron intervals through 15 fossil specimens and additionally supported by observations of over 90 sets o...
EFFECTS OF BODY SIZE ON GROWTH, SURVIVORSHIP, AND REPRODUCTION IN THE BANDED CORAL SHRIMP, STENOPUS HISPIDUS

Abstract Herein, we detail several important life-history parameters of the banded coral shrimp, Stenopus hispidus, a popular marine ornamental shrimp. Among the life history parameters described are 1) size at settlement, 2) molt interval, 3) post-settlement mortality and movement, 4) growth, and 5) relative fecundity. Overall, we document the effects of body size on several life-history parameters. Molt interval increased and growth increments declined as shrimp body size increased. Furthermore, mortality was size-specific in S. hispidus; large individuals had higher survival rates than smaller individuals. We also show that variation in size at settlement of S. hispidus in the upper Florida Keys, U.S.A., was much smaller than that found in previous studies from other parts of the world. Based on field measures of size at settlement, molting probability, and growth increment per molt, we developed a crustacean growth model, which included discontinuous growth and natural variability in the parameters. W...
“Getting Out:” A Summary of Qualitative Research on Desistance Across the Life Course

Large-scale, longitudinal studies have identified important correlates of desistance, but, due to the nature of the inquiry, are limited in their ability to describe the mechanisms by which desistance occurs. For this type of explanation, more detailed and nuanced studies of desistance experiences and the meanings applied to them must be conducted. At this time, some of the most promising studies on the mechanisms of desistance are qualitative. They are commonly based upon retrospective narratives focused on the inter- and intrapersonal dynamics of desistance and on life circumstances. This chapter describes recent qualitative studies of desistance with a particular emphasis on how individuals change from offending to sustained, non-offending.
Distinguishing Arousal from Novelty and Challenge in Initial Romantic Attraction between Strangers

This study attempts to disentangle the influence of arousal from novelty and challenge in the context of interpersonal attraction. Further, this study attempts to demonstrate the robustness of the arousal/attraction effect. Cross-sex stranger pairs participated in one of four game-like physical activities in a 2 (high vs. low novelty/challenge) × 2 (high vs. low arousal) between pairs design, then completed a measure of romantic attraction. As predicted, those participating in highly arousing activities showed significantly greater romantic attraction to their partners than did those participating in less arousing activities. There were no significant effects for novelty/challenge, contrary to expectations based on theory and previous parallel research showing such effects on love and satisfaction for couples in long-term relationships. Additionally, this is the first study to show an arousal-attraction effect using real randomly paired partners (as opposed to confederates or photographs), in which their actual interaction was the source of arousal.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Gastroesophageal Reflux: A Multivariate Population-Level Analysis.

ObjectivesPrevious studies investigating the relationship between gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) demonstrate mixed results and have had limited capacity to control for concurrent confounders. Our objectives were to (1) determine if GER is significantly associated with OSA when simultaneously adjusting for the presence of other potentially confounding conditions and (2) quantify the magnitude of any such association that exists.Study DesignCross-sectional analysis of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 2005-2010.SettingAmbulatory visits in the United States.Subjects and MethodsAdults with a diagnosis of OSA or GER and potentially confounding conditions were identified. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed, as well as sensitivity analyses based on increasingly narrow diagnostic definitions.ResultsA significant positive association between GER and OSA was observed, which persisted...
The authorial problem in the Ḵẖāliq Bārī of ‘Ḵẖusrau’:

The Ḵẖāliq Bārī is the most famous South Asian example of the niṣāb genre of multilingual versified vocabularies, comprising synonymous or near-synonymous terms and phrases drawn from Arabic, Persian and early Hindawī. Its persistent popularity in the South Asian Islamicate educational system is the result primarily of its association with the celebrated fourteenth-century Persian poet Amīr ‘Ḵẖusrau’ Dihlawī. This article examines the debates surrounding the authorship of this text, examining both early attributions and more recent nationalist interpretations of the work in light of internal and manuscript evidence. The chaotic structural organisation and mnemonic technologies deployed throughout the Ḵẖāliq Bārī, as well as the multilingual character of the text itself, would suggest that the effort to identify of a single author or original text is misplaced.
Lack of Response of Cabbage Looper, Corn Earworm and Fall Armyworm Moths to 28, 118 and 337 µm Laser Radiation

Adult of cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hµbner) and corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie) were irradiated with 28, 118, and 337 µm laser emissions, and fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) with the 337 µm emission. When the laser radiation was directed along the longitudinal axis of a plastic tube containing 10 pairs of insects there resulted no significant increase or decrease in the number of insects in the quarter-section of the tube nearest the laser during the 1-h treatment period. Also, pairs of corn earworm maintained in 337 µm radiation displayed mating percentages similar to control groups.