cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of immunization against α-inhibin using two adjuvants on daily sperm production and hormone concentrations in ram lambs

Abstract Twenty-five ram lambs were immunized against α-inhibin peptide emulsified in Freund's adjuvant (FRA), Emulsigen (EML) containing an oligodeoxynucleotide as an immunostimulant, or adjuvant without α-inhibin antigen (control). Four immunizations were administered during an 85-d period, after which testes were obtained for determination of daily sperm production (DSP) and histological evaluation. α-Inhibin antibody (Ab) titers were 70-fold greater in lambs treated with FRA than in EML-treated ram lambs. α-Inhibin immunization had no effect on testes weight or on plasma concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone. Mean DSP/g tended ( P =0.1) to be greater in α-inhibin–immunized (EML=17.6×10 6 ; FRA=15.8×10 6 ) ram lambs than in control animals (14.4×10 6 ). One of the 8 control ram lambs had an elevated DSP/g, which was a statistical outlier. Without data from this lamb, DSP/g was increased ( P P =0.01) by treatment and was greatest (82%) in EML-treated ram α-inhibin–immunized lambs and lowest (74%) in control animals. Percentage tubular area and DSP/g were correlated ( r =0.57, P =0.003). Findings show that (1) the extent of the increase in DSP/g is not dependent on the titer of α-inhibin Ab; (2) the increase in DSP/g is achieved through an increase in the mass of seminiferous tubules; and (3) FRA elicits a greater α-inhibin Ab titer than EML containing an oligodeoxynucleotide.
Marketing-production decisions under independent and integrated channel structure

The topic of channel structure has recently attracted much attention among researchers in the marketing and economics area. However, in a majority of the existing literature the cost considerations are extremely simplified with the major focus being pricing policy. What happens when cost incurring decisions are strongly connected with pricing policies? This is the theme we wish to explore in the present paper. The non-trivial costs considered are production, inventory, and retailer effort rate, i.e. we seek to explore the marketing-production channel. We have used the methodology of differential games. The open-loop Stackelberg solution concept has been used to solve the manufacturer and retailer's problem. The Pareto solution concept has been used to solve the problem of the vertically integrated firm. The production, pricing, and effort rate policies thus derived have been compared to obtain insights into the impact of channel structure on these policies. Also, to examine the relation between channel structure and the retailing operation requiring effort, we derive the Stackelberg and Pareto solutions with and without effort rate as a decision variable. We show that once the production rate becomes positive, it does not become zero again. This implies production smoothing. However, none of the gains of production smoothing are passed on to the retailer. The optimal production rate and the inventory policy are a linear combination of the nominal demand rate, the peak demand factor, the salvage value, and the initial inventory. Also, as opposed to some of the existing literature, the optimal policies need not necessarily be concave in nature. In the scenario where the relating operation does not require effort, the pricing policies of the manufacturer and the retailer, and the production policy of the manufacturer have a synergistic effect. However, in the scenario where the retailing operation does benefit from effort, the retailer's pricing policy need not necessarily be synergistic with other policies. With regard to channel structures, it seems that production smoothing will be done more efficiently in the integrated setup. Also, we show that the price paid by the consumer need not necessarily be lower in the integrated setup. But despite higher prices, the channel profits are higher in the integrated setup. This implies a conflict between the interests of the consumers and the firm. Also, this contradicts the results of some of the earlier papers that have used simple static models.
Conditional log-Laplace functional for a class of branching processes in random environments

A conditional log-Laplace functional (CLLF) for a class of branching processes in random environments is derived. The basic idea is the decomposition of a dependent branching dynamic into a no-interacting branching and an interacting dynamic generated by the random environments. CLLF will play an important role in the investigation of branching processes and superprocesses with interaction.
Recasting Professional Development for Music Teachers in an Era of Reform.

(2006). Recasting Professional Development for Music Teachers in an Era of Reform. Arts Education Policy Review: Vol. 107, No. 6, pp. 19-28.
Thermophoresis as persistent random walk

Abstract In a simple model of a continuous random walk a particle moves in one dimension with the velocity fluctuating between + v and − v . If v is associated with the thermal velocity of a Brownian particle and allowed to be position dependent, the model accounts readily for the particle's drift along the temperature gradient and recovers basic results of the conventional thermophoresis theory.
Measuring the inert strength of large flaws in optical fiber

A ratio of inert to ambient strength >= 1.5 is suggested for large flaws in optical fiber near the proof stress level. Also, a temperature dependent strength at low temperatures, similar to that observed in pristine fibers, was investigated. An increase in fracture toughness or changes to the crack tip geometry at low temperatures did not account for the increase in strength at low temperatures. Inert strength distributions were predicted from strength obtained under ambient conditions for as-manufactured fiber and fibers with handling damage.
Analysis of spliced and unspliced Rous sarcoma virus RNAs early and late after infection of chicken embryo fibroblasts: effect of cell culture conditions.

Abstract Quantitative determinations of spliced and unspliced viral RNA early after retrovirus infection or after transient transfection with proviral DNA have been difficult because of low intracellular viral RNA levels. In this report we describe conditions for the sensitive and quantitative assay of unspliced viral RNA and spliced mRNAs from avian sarcoma virus-infected and transiently transfected chicken embryo fibroblasts. RNase protection mapping was performed with a tandem 32 P-labeled riboprobe consisting of three separate regions complementary to the major 5′ splice site and the two major 3′ splice sites ( env and src ). The steady-state levels of viral RNA species were determined as early as 14 hr postinfection; no significant changes were observed in the relative levels of spliced mRNAs or in splice site usage as the infection progressed from 14 to 48 hr. After the cells became morphologically transformed at approximately 72 hr postinfection, the condition of the medium of the transformed cell culture affected the steady-state levels of viral RNAs. Unspliced genomic RNA predominated in the transformed cells at 4.5 to 8 hr after feeding; spliced env mRNA was the major species of RNA at 46 to 103 hr after medium change. In contrast, the steady-state levels of viral RNA in transiently transfected cells or in cells infected with a transformation-defective avian sarcoma virus were not as sensitive to the conditions of medium change. The medium-dependent changes in steady-state levels of viral RNA species may either be caused by a declining transcription rate resulting in the accumulation of the more stable env mRNA relative to the more labile unspliced RNA and src mRNA or to changes in the extent of viral RNA splicing.
The chromatophores ofEmerita talpoida (Say) zoeae considered as a diagnostic character

Larvae ofEmerita talpoida (Say) were raised in the laboratory from the egg through the six zoeal stages. Red colored chromatophores having a constant arrangement in each of the six zoeal stages were studied. The pattern of these chromatophores was compared with that in descriptions of the larvae of other species ofEmerita and found to be distinctive. The constancy of these pigment areas makes them valuable for differentiatingE. talpoida larvae from others in the genus.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer: argument in favor.

In this Viewpoint, Gallagher and Bajorin advance the case for using neoadjuvant chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. They contend that preoperative chemotherapy in these patients would be likely to result in survival benefits similar to those seen in breast and colon cancers.
Psycho-educational strategies to promote fluid adherence in adult hemodialysis patients: a review of intervention studies.

Abstract Background : We reviewed psycho-educational intervention studies that were designed to reduce interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) in adult hemodialysis patients. Our goals were to critique research methods, describe the effectiveness of tested interventions, and make recommendations for future research. Methods : Medline, PsychInfo, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Applied Health (CINAHL) databases were searched to identify empirical work. Each study was evaluated in terms of sample, design, theoretical framework, intervention delivery, and outcome. Results : Nine studies were reviewed. Self-monitoring appears to be a promising strategy to be considered to reduce IDWG. Theory was not usually used to guide interventions, designs generally had control groups, interventions were delivered individually, more than one intervention was delivered at a time, the duration of the intervention varied greatly, there was no long-term follow-up, IDWG was the only outcome, and IDWG was operationalized in different ways. Conclusions : Theoretical models and methodological rigor are needed to guide future research. Specific recommendations on design, measurement, and conceptual issues are offered to enhance the effectiveness of future research.
A comparison of propensity score matching methods for reducing selection bias

Propensity score matching (PSM) has become a popular approach for research studies when randomization is infeasible. However, there are significant differences in the effectiveness of selection bias reduction among the existing PSM methods and, therefore, it is challenging for researchers to select an appropriate matching method. This current study compares four commonly used PSM methods for reducing selection bias on observational data from which the treatment effects are intended to be assessed. The selection bias, standardized bias and percent bias reduction are evaluated for each of the PSM methods using empirical data drawn from the national Education Longitudinal Study of 2002. The results of the current study provide empirical evidence and helpful information for researchers to select effective PSM methods for their research studies.
The Significance of The Administrative State

To mark the 60th anniversary of the appearance of The Administrative State by reexamining the politics–administration debate is confining and ignores Waldo’s grand enterprise to describe the unique context in which American public administration emerged and developed. Instead of bemoaning or strategizing the reconciliation of a supposed schism, modern scholars should appreciate what is, in fact, a natural and necessary tension.
Extraction of digoxin and its metabolites from urine and their separation by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography.

The efficiency with which several solvent systems extract digoxin and its metabolites from urine has been studied and column chromatography using Sephadex LH-20 has been used to separate digoxin and its metabolites. These procedures have been evaluated and used to study the excretion of 3 H-digoxin-12 α and its metabolites in urines collected serially in 7 patients and in bile in one. The percentage of the radioactivity excreted as metabolites in urine and bile was found to reach a peak within the first day and then to gradually decline to minimal amounts in patients with advanced renal failure as well as those with good renal function. The maximum percentage measured as metabolites in 4 patients with the most advanced renal failure was 10%.
Accurate nmr data evaluation for monomer shift, dimer shift and dimerization constant in a self-associating system

Abstract A novel graphical method is proposed for the simultaneous determination of the monomer shift, dimer shift and dimerization constant from NMR dilution shift data for a self-associating system. Dilution shift data for the proton in N-H group of Valerolactam in CDCl 3 at 360K is used to demonstrate this method.
Computer construction of cyclic balanced incomplete block designs

Numerous papers on construction of BEBD's (Balanced Incomplete Block Designs) appearing in the literature consist of derivations of a set of base blocks with symmetrically repeated differences. The inherent properties of the algebraic or geometric structures that are employed lead to sharply constrained values of the design parameters. There would appear, therefore, to be some interest in a more efficient computational scheme to discriminate readily between a set of blocks which have symmetrically repeated differences and those which do not. This is the topic of this paper, and although the values of the parameters are limited in magnitude by computational considerations, no restrictive parameter relationships are involved, and a number of new design configurations are presented.
Effect of Adsorbed Proteins on the Wettability of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Solids

WHEN barium stearate or other hydrophobia powders are exposed to blood plasma they remove certain coagulation factors such as factor V1 and fibrinogen2, and their surface becomes hydrophilic. Barium sulphate, aluminium hydroxide and other hydrophilic particles adsorb other coagulation factors preferentially (prothrombin, factors VII, IX and X), but changes of wettability at their surface are less obvious. To indicate if one protein may have areas of less polarity by which it can attach itself to less-wettable substrates, leaving its more polar sites exposed, and vice versa, the relative wettability of thrombin and fibrinogen adsorbed on to glass and lucite was observed as follows.
S-adenosylmethionine synthetase in bloodstream Trypanosoma brucei.

Abstract S-adenosylmethionine synthetase was studied from bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei brucei, the agent of African sleeping sickness. Two isoforms of the enzyme were evident from Eadie Hofstee and Hanes-Woolf plots of varying ATP or methionine concentrations. In the range 10–250 μM the Km for methionine was 20 μM, and this changed to 200 μM for the range 0.5–5.0 mM. In the range 10–250 μM the Km for ATP was 53 μM, and this changed to 1.75 mM for the range 0.5–5.0 mM. The trypanosome enzyme had a molecular weight of 145 kDa determined by agarose gel filtration. Methionine analogs including selenomethionine, L -2-amino-4-methoxy-cis but-3-enoic acid and ethionine acted as competitive inhibitors of methionine and as weak substrates when tested in the absence of methionine with [14C]ATP. The enzyme was not inducible in procyclic trypomastigotes in vitro, and the enzyme half-life was > 6 h. T. b. brucei AdoMet synthetase was inhibited by AdoMet (Ki 240 μM). The relative insensitivity of the trypanosome enzyme to control by product inhibition indicates it is markedly different from mammalian isoforms of the enzyme which are highly sensitive to AdoMet. Since trypanosomes treated with the ornithine decarboxylase antagonist DL -α-difluoromethylornithine accumulate AdoMet and dcAdoMet (final concentration ≈ 5 mM), this enzyme may be the critical drug target linking inhibition of polyamine synthesis to disruption of AdoMet metabolism.
The Use of Psychotropic Medication for People with Severe Disabilities and Challenging Behavior: Current Status and Future Directions

People with severe disabilities who engage in challenging behavior are often prescribed psychotropic medication as a form of intervention. Although the goal of the medication is to reduce challengi...
Cerebral metabolism of plasma [14C]palmitate in awake, adult rat: subcellular localization.

Following intravenous injection of [U-14C]palmitate in awake adult rats, whole brain radioactivity reached a broad maximum between 15–60 min, then declined rapidly to reach a relatively stable level between 4 hr and 20 hr. At 44 hr total radioactivity was 57% of the 4 hr value (p<0.05). About 50% of palmitate which entered the brain from the blood was oxidized rapidly, producing14C-labeled water-soluble components which later left the cytosol. Radioactivity in the cytosolic fraction peaked at 45 min and then declined, coincident with the decline in total brain radioactivity. Membrane fractions were rapidly labeled to levels which remained relatively stable from 1 to 44 hr. Increases in the relative distributions of radioactivity were seen between 1 and 4 hr for the microsomal and mitochondrial fractions, and beyond 4 hr for the synaptic and myelin membrane fractions (p<0.05). Radioactivity in membrane fractions was 80–90% lipid, 5–13% water-soluble components and 3–17% protein. The proportion of label in membrane-associated protein increased with time. Proportions of radioactivity in the combined membrane fractions increased from 65% to 76% to 80% at 4, 20 and 44 hr, respectively. The results show that plasma-derived palmitate enters oxidative and synthetic pathways to an equal extent, immediately after entry into the brain. At and after 4 hr, the radiolabel resides predominantly in stable membrane lipids and protein. Brain radioactivity at 4 hr can be used therefore, to examine incorporation of palmitate into lipids in vivo, in different experimental conditions.
Parental Support for the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

This study examined support for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among a representative sample of Minnesota parents after approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Support for the vaccine was high; 87% supported its use. Although individual characteristics predicted support, support was high across subgroups with two-thirds or more of parents supporting the vaccine.
Touch and copy, touch and paste

SPARSH explores a novel interaction method to seamlessly transfer data between digital devices in a fun and intuitive way. The user touches whatever data item he or she wants to copy from a device. At that moment, the data item is conceptually saved in the user. Next, the user touches the other device he or she wants to pastepass the saved content into. SPARSH uses touch-based interactions as indications for what to copy and where to pass it. Technically, the actual transfer of media happens via the information cloud.
Information and knowledge worker productivity

Abstract Information is an essential ingredient in office work, in management decision making, and in knowledge worker productivity. Automated office information systems are designed to process information more efficiently and more effectively so as to increase the productivity of the office staff and the profitability of the organization. The rationale and the functions of automated office information systems are reviewed along with the methods used and difficulties encountered in measuring office productivity. Information science can and should be applied to study the economic benefits of office information systems, to investigate the social and behavioral implications of this new technology, and to help plan governmental policies resulting from the changes now taking place in the environment and in the storage, transfer, display, and use of information.
Instantaneous fabrication of arrays of normally closed, adjustable, and reversible nanochannels by tunnel cracking

A direct fabrication method capable of producing fully-reversible, tunable nanochannel arrays, without the use of a molding step, is described. It is based on tunnel cracking of a readily-prepared brittle layer constrained between elastomeric substrates. The resulting nanochannels have adjustable cross-sections that can be reversibly opened, closed, widened and narrowed merely by applying and removing tensile strains to the substrate. This permits reversible trapping and release of nanoparticles, and easy priming or unclogging of the nanochannels for user-friendly and robust operations. The ease of fabrication and operation required to open and close the nanochannels is superior to previous approaches.
Alkylation Induced Gene Conversion in Yeast: Use in Fine Structure Mapping

Methyl-methanesulfonate (MMS) causes gene conversions in heteroallelic diploids of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The frequency of production of prototrophic convertants is linearly proportional to the square of the time of MMS treatment, and the regression of prototrophs on dose varies depending upon the particular pair of alleles present in the diploid. The regressions show an additivity relationship, in that when a triad of heteroallelic diploids of the type m1/m2, m2/m3, and m1/m3 is considered, two of the regressions add up approximately to the third. MMS can, therefore, be used in fine structure mitotic mapping of genes. Good agreement was found both in relative order and spacing of alleles at the histidine 1 locus of yeast when the fine structure map based on the X-ray mapping method was compared with that based on MMS.
Solubility of Fullerenes C60 and C70 in Seven Normal Alcohols and Their Deduced Solubility in Water

Abstract The solubilities of C60 and C70 at 25°C in seven normal alcohols obey the relationship InY = a + bX + cX2, where Y is solubility and X is the Hildebrand solubility parameter of the solvent. Extrapolation to the solubility parameter of water yields solubilities in water of 1.3′10−11 (C60) and 1.3′10−10(C70) ng/ml with an uncertainty of one order of magnitude.
The Identity of Hieracium largum (Asteraceae)

The name Hieracium largum Fr., formerly misinterpreted as a synonym of H. robustum Fr., is reduced to the synonymy of H. umbellatum L. The holotype citation for H. largum is provided.
Offense seriousness scaling: An alternative to scenario methods

The use of crime scenarios in sample surveys is the principal method for assessing public valuations of crime seriousness. The adequacy of this method is heavily dependent upon the a priori assumptions of the researchers constructing these scenarios. If crucial attributes of crime incidents are omitted from these descriptions of a crime, then resulting seriousness scores and weights will be in error. This paper proposes an alternative method of assessing crime seriousness—the Hedonic Price Index approach—that is not as dependent upon the prior assumptions of those building scenarios. This approach can be used as a complement to scenario methods to further our understanding of the evaluation of crime seriousness.
Endoscopic treatment of postorthotopic liver transplantation anastomotic biliary strictures with maximal stent therapy (with video).

Background The optimal endoscopic protocol for treating postorthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) anastomotic biliary strictures (ABSs) has not been established. Objective To review the technique and outcomes of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with maximal stenting for post-OLT ABSs at our institution. Design Retrospective study. Setting Tertiary-care center. Patients Eighty-three patients with a diagnosis of ABS. Interventions ERCP with balloon dilation and maximal stenting. Main Outcome Measurements Stricture resolution, stricture recurrence, and complication rates. Results Of 83 patients, 69 completed treatment, of whom 65 (94%) achieved resolution and 4 (6%) required hepaticojejunostomy (HJ). The remaining 14 patients who did not achieve a study endpoint were excluded (9 deaths or redo OLT unrelated to biliary disease, and 5 without follow-up). Comparing the resolution group and the HJ group, there were, respectively, 8.0 and 3.5 total stents ( P = .021), 2.5 and 1.3 stents per ERCP ( P = .018) (maximum = 9), 4.2 and 2.8 ERCPs ( P = .15), and 20 and 22 months from OLT to ABS diagnosis ( P = .19). There were 2 cases of ERCP pancreatitis (0.7%) and 2 cases of periprocedural bacteremia of 286 total ERCPs and no episodes of cholangitis caused by stent occlusion. In a median follow-up of 11 months (range 0-39), 2 (3%) patients had ABS recurrence that was successfully re-treated with ERCP. A multivariate Cox model demonstrated that treatment success was directly related to the number of stents used in total and per ERCP. Limitations Retrospective study, single endoscopist. Conclusions Our maximal stenting protocol for ABSs is effective, safe, rarely associated with ABS recurrence, and conducive to less frequent stent exchange and therefore fewer ERCPs compared with conventional treatment.
Interplanetary sector structure at solar maximum

Extension of Wilcox and Coburn's (1970) previous discussion of the observed interplanetary magnetic sector structure during 1969. A few gaps have been filled in with observations from the magnetometer experiment on Pioneer 9. A comprehensive view of the interplanetary sector structure from 1962 through 1969 is presented and briefly discussed.
Where Is the Bird

Patterns of song perception, learning, and expression differ across species, sexes, and individuals. We can understand the neurobiology of song better by paying attention to these differences. I focus selectively on a few of the studies done in my lab over in recent years to illustrate this.
The Two Authors of Columbus' Diary.

Although Columbus'Diary of the first voyage to America as we know it is largely a transcription of the original diary carried out by Bartolome de las Casas, commentators and readers often treat it as if it were Columbus' work alone. Editions published to date do not separate the explorer's narrative from that of his transcriber or editor. Since style can influence readers' perceptions of a writer's personality, it is important to determine characteristics of writing attributed to Columbus that may pertain instead to his trascriber. This study employs the computer to explore the style of Las Casas and that of Columbus. Differences in the writing of each “author” emerge with computer assistance by isolating Columbus' words from those of his transcriber and analyzing selected features of vocabulary, sentence length, and syntax.1
Internally Non-LTI Systems Based on Delays, With Application to Companding Signal Processors

We convert linear continuous-time systems based on delays to internally nonlinear ones, with unchanged input–output behavior. The internal nonlinearities can be chosen so that the internal modified noise transfer functions result in improved output signal-to-noise ratio for small inputs, thus extending the usable dynamic range. This results in companding signal processors, of which two examples are given—one using syllabic and one using instantaneous companding. This study complements earlier work on externally linear continuous-time systems with rational transfer functions and on such systems containing discrete-time delays.
Inter-rater evaluation of a clinical scoring system in children with asthma

Background Many clinical scores that measure the degree of asthma are used without adequate evaluation of inter-rater reliability. When reliability is tested, most often the Cohen κ statistic is used, which limits the comparative results of only two raters at a time. Objective To evaluate inter-rater agreement of a clinical asthma score using a multi-rater κ statistic. Methods Four raters administered a clinical asthma score to 17 children with clinical asthma. Five items were evaluated: O 2 requirement, inspiratory breath sounds, accessory muscle use, expiratory wheeze, and cerebral function. For each, a score of zero indicated a normal state; one, moderate impairment; two, severe impairment. A multi-rater κ statistic was used as a measure of agreement among all four raters simultaneously. This was applied using hand calculations then cross-checked by using a standard statistical syntax, a component of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 9.0). Results Application of the multi-rater κ statistic revealed strong agreement among raters on oxygenation ( K = 0.759), moderate agreement for expiratory wheeze and cerebral function ( K = 0.698), and poor agreement for accessory muscle use ( K = 0.528) and inspiratory breath sounds ( K = 0.316). Conclusions The level of agreement varied by item with the least subjective item, O 2 requirement, demonstrating the highest inter-rater correlation. A multi-rater κ statistic can be applied to data obtained from a clinical scoring instrument either manually or by using statistical syntax provided by SPSS.
A Geometric Construction of Multivariate Sinc Functions

We present a geometric framework for explicit derivation of multivariate sampling functions (sinc) on multidimensional lattices. The approach leads to a generalization of the link between sinc functions and the Lagrange interpolation in the multivariate setting. Our geometric approach also provides a frequency partition of the spectrum that leads to a nonseparable extension of the 1-D Shannon (sinc) wavelets to the multivariate setting. Moreover, we propose a generalization of the Lanczos window function that provides a practical and unbiased approach for signal reconstruction on sampling lattices. While this framework is general for lattices of any dimension, we specifically characterize all 2-D and 3-D lattices and show the detailed derivations for 2-D hexagonal body-centered cubic (BCC) and face-centered cubic (FCC) lattices. Both visual and numerical comparisons validate the theoretical expectations about superiority of the BCC and FCC lattices over the commonly used Cartesian lattice.
Viscous Dissipation in Laminar Water Flows in Micro-Tubes

Numerical calculations are performed to investigate the effect of viscous dissipation on the temperature rise and friction numbers for laminar water flows in micro-tubes. The calculated values are compared with those determined from reported experimental data for glass and diffused silica micro-tubes (D = 16 – 101 μm and L/D = 625 – 1479). The results confirm a definite slip at the wall with slip lengths of ∼ 0.7 μm and 1.0 μm, which decrease the friction number and the temperature rise in the micro-tubes, but their effect gradually diminishes as either D or L/D increases. The friction number decreases exponentially as D decreases and, to a lesser extent, as L/D increases. The effect of L/D on the friction number is insignificant for micro-tube diameters ≤ 20 μm. For D > 400 μm, the friction number approaches that of Hagen-Posieuille of 64 for macro-tubes when L/D > 1500, but approaches higher values at smaller L/D. The dimensionless analytical expression developed for calculating the friction number and the temperature rise for water flows in micro-tubes is in good agreement with both the numerical and experimental results.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Is fear present following sustained asymptotic avoidance responding

Abstract The present experiment provided a direct test between a “fear” and an “expectancy” interpretation of avoidance in extinction. The test was suggested by Seligman and Johnston (1973). Three groups of rats were given discrete-trial avoidance training in a modified shuttlebox apparatus until they reached a criterion of either 5, 25, or 50 consecutive avoidance responses with a latency of less than four seconds (the duration of the CS). Asymptotic responding was reached quickly and continued to be maintained until avoidance training was discontinued. A transfer test using a lick suppression paradigm followed avoidance training. Seligman and Jonhston predicted that following asymptotic performance, fear (as indexed by lick suppression) would extinguish quickly and not be present during sustained avoidance responding. On the other hand, fear theory argued that “fear” needed to be present for avoidance responding to occur. The data clearly supported fear theory. All groups displayed good suppression to the CS, including the group which experienced 50 consecutive short-latency avoidance responses. Additional implications of the data were discussed.
Probe measurements in gas-liquid systems

Abstract Resistance probes measure the presence or absence of a conducting fluid at a point in multiphase flows. Although resistance probes are often used to determine local gas hold-up in gas-liquid, gas-slurry and gas-liquid-solid flows, they are seldom used to find the bubble size distribution in the flow. This is because the distribution of time intervals measured by the probe due to the passage of bubbles is not readily translated into a bubble size distribution. Even if a bubble rise velocity is known, the resultidng distribution of bubble chord lengths cut by the probe has a lower mean and wider range than the size distribution. However, with enough data and a knowledge of the bubble shape, it is possible to back-transform to a size distribution. The current work deals with the case when the bubble shape is not a constant but changes with bubble size. Shape descriptors have been obtained from photographs of bubbles in water. By using these descriptors and probability density functions, a forward transform is developed to yield an expected chord length distribution for a given distribution of bubble sizes. The more important backward transform is accomplished numerically through a triangular matrix solution. Monte-Carlo simulations demonstrate the correctness of this approach and are also used to show that the back-transform can be unstable if too few data or too many size divisions in the matrix are used.
Synaptic Proteins in the Postmortem Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Schizophrenia: Relationship to Treatment and Treatment Response

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is one of several brain regions that are abnormal in schizophrenia (SZ). Here we compared markers of synapse and mitochondrial function using western blots of postmortem ACC in: 1) normal controls (NCs, n=13) vs subjects with SZ (n=25); NC, treatment-resistant SZ, and treatment-responsive SZ; and 3) NC and SZ treated with typical or atypical antipsychotic drugs (APDs). Protein levels of synaptophysin, mitofusin-2, vGLUT1, and calcineurin did not differ between the NC and SZ group as a whole, or the NCs vs the SZ group divided by treatment response or type of APDs. In several cases, the levels of vGLUT1 were minuscule or absent. The proportion of NCs lacking vGLUT1 was significantly less than that of the SZ groups. There were several positive correlations across all subjects between: 1) synaptophysin and vGLUT1; 2) synaptophysin and calcineurin; 3) synaptophysin and mitofusin; and 4) calcineurin and mitofusin. Synaptophysin and calcineurin were positively correlated in responders, and this correlation was significantly stronger than that in treatment-resistant SZ subjects or in NCs. Synaptophysin and calcineurin were positively correlated in SZ patients on atypical APDs; this correlation was significantly stronger than that in SZ patients on typical APDs or in NCs. Mitofusin-2 and calcineurin were positively correlated in SZ patients on atypical APDs and in NCs; this correlation was stronger in SZ patients on atypical rather than typical APDs or in NCs. The correlation between these proteins, which have roles in synaptic vesicle cycling, glutamate transmission, mitochondrial fusion, and calcium buffering, is complex and was differentially regulated among the groups.
Determination of Nitrogen in Milk by Microdiffusion of Kjeldahl Digests

Abstract Recovery of ammonia from ammonium sulfate solutions. (.01 M to .0005 M ) by a modified Conway microdiffusion procedure did not differ significantly from recovery by micro-Kjeldahl distillation. Total and whey-protein nitrogen concentrations of milk were determined by microdiffusion and microdistillation of Kjeldahl digests. Protein values by microdiffusion and microdistillation for 38 samples of milk from individual cows (3.38 and 3.42%) and 40 samples of acid-prepared whey (.87 and .88%) did not differ significantly although results by microdiffusion were consistently lower (1 to 3%) than microdistillation values. The correlation coefficient for the two methods was .99. Recovery of nitrogen by the microdiffusion procedure is influenced by the digestion catalyst. The microdiffussion procedure provides a means of reducing work time while maintaining the quantitative accuracy of the micro-Kjeldahl distillation.
CD4 on CD8+ T cells directly enhances effector function and is a target for HIV infection

Costimulation of purified CD8+ T lymphocytes induces de novo expression of CD4, suggesting a previously unrecognized function for this molecule in the immune response. Here, we report that the CD4 molecule plays a direct role in CD8+ T cell function by modulating expression of IFN-γ and Fas ligand, two important CD8+ T cell effector molecules. CD4 expression also allows infection of CD8 cells by HIV, which results in down-regulation of the CD4 molecule and impairs the induction of IFN-γ, Fas ligand, and the cytotoxic responses of activated CD8+ T cells. Thus, the CD4 molecule plays a direct role in CD8 T cell function, and infection of these cells by HIV provides an additional reservoir for the virus and also may contribute to the immunodeficiency seen in HIV disease.
Crediting Care or Marriage? Reforming Social Security Family Benefits

OBJECTIVE For more than 20 years policy advocates and policymakers have argued that Social Security should reward women for raising children. Current family benefits, which only benefit women who marry, are thought to be outdated and unable to protect the neediest women. Thus, would Black and poor women fare better if family benefits were linked to parenthood, as opposed to marriage? I examined three care credit proposals that reflect the most common proposals put forth in the United States and the most common designs in other countries. METHODS I used the 1992 Health and Retirement Study and the Current Population Survey to create a policy simulation that estimates how women reaching age 62 from 2020 to 2030 would be affected by care credits. RESULT Black and poor women fared best with benefits linked to parenthood. The specific proposal allowed parents, from the 35 earnings years used to calculate their benefit, to substitute $15,000 for up to 9 earnings' years that fell below this level. DISCUSSION The poorest women fare better with family benefits linked to parenthood instead of marital status. Moreover, they fare best when working women can benefit from care credits, but the care credit's value is not linked to earnings.
Pubic Hair Grooming Injuries Presenting to U.S. Emergency Departments

Objective To describe the demographics and mechanism of genitourinary (GU) injuries related to pubic hair grooming in patients who present to U.S. emergency departments (EDs). Materials and Methods The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System contains prospectively collected data from patients who present to EDs with consumer product-related injuries. The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System is a stratified probability sample, validated to provide national estimates of all patients who present to U.S. EDs with an injury. We reviewed the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System to identify incidents of GU injury related to pubic hair grooming for 2002-2010. The variables reviewed included age, race, gender, injury type, location (organ) of injury, hospital disposition, and grooming product. Results From 2002 to 2010, an observed 335 actual ED visits for GU injury related to grooming products provided an estimated 11,704 incidents (95% confidence interval 8430-15,004). The number of incidents increased fivefold during that period, amounting to an estimated increase of 247 incidents annually (95% confidence interval 110-384, P = .001). Of the cohort, 56.7% were women. The mean age was 30.8 years (95% confidence interval 28.8-32.9). Shaving razors were implicated in 83% of the injuries. Laceration was the most common type of injury (36.6%). The most common site of injury was the external female genitalia (36.0%). Most injuries (97.3%) were treated within the ED, with subsequent patient discharge. Conclusion Most GU injuries that result from the use of grooming products are minor and involve the use of razors. The demographics of patients with GU injuries from grooming products largely paralleled observations about cultural grooming trends in the United States.
Usefulness of the massively parallel processor for study of electronic properties of atomic and condensed matter systems

An investigation is presented into the possible increase in the efficiency of computations of electronic structures and properties of atomic, molecular, and condensed matter systems when one uses the massively parallel processor (MPP). The usefulness of MPP in improving the speed of evaluation of two-center electronic integrals and formation of Fock matrix elements necessary in electronic structure investigations of molecular and solid-state systems is analyzed. The possibility of reducing the time needed for calculating the large numbers of matrix elements for electron-electron interactions needed in many-body perturbation theory for atomic systems by using a parallel algorithm for numerical integrations is discussed. A number of algorithms are developed for carrying out the computational steps involved, which are rather time consuming when one uses serial processors. These algorithms show that using the massive parallelism of the MPP, it is possible to reduce the number of serial arithmetic operations substantially. >
RHPN2 Drives Mesenchymal Transformation in Malignant Glioma by Triggering RhoA Activation

Mesenchymal transformation is a hallmark of aggressive glioblastoma (GBM). Here, we report the development of an unbiased method for computational integration of copy number variation, expression, and mutation data from large datasets. Using this method, we identified rhophilin 2 (RHPN2) as a central genetic determinant of the mesenchymal phenotype of human GBM. Notably, amplification of the human RHPN2 gene on chromosome 19 correlates with a dramatic decrease in the survival of patients with glioma. Ectopic expression of RHPN2 in neural stem cells and astrocytes triggered the expression of mesenchymal genes and promoted an invasive phenotype without impacting cell proliferation. Mechanistically, these effects were implemented through RHPN2-mediated activation of RhoA, a master regulator of cell migration and invasion. Our results define RHPN2 amplification as a central genetic determinant of a highly aggressive phenotype that directs the worst clinical outcomes in patients with GBM. Cancer Res; 73(16); 5140–50. ©2013 AACR .
Solving multi-response optimisation problems with enhanced precision

This paper investigates the use of higher-order response surface designs for solving multi-response optimisation problems using the desirability function approach. A methodology is proposed that incorporates screening procedures and evaluation measures to facilitate the selection of an appropriate model. Several case studies are examined to illustrate the breadth and scope of the problem as it relates to identifying the optimal factor settings for a process. A comparison of the results using the proposed methodology and those using the traditional desirability function approach is also shown to suggest the need for greater precision and accuracy.
Isolation of Cell Lines That Show Novel, Murine Leukemia Virus-Specific Blocks to Early Steps of Retroviral Replication

In order to identify cellular proteins required for early stages of retroviral replication, a high volume screening with mammalian somatic cells was performed. Ten pools of chemically mutagenized Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells were challenged with a murine leukemia virus (MLV) vector pseudotyped with the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G), and cells that failed to be transduced were enriched by cell sorting. Each pool yielded a clonally derived cell line with a 5-fold or greater resistance to virus infection, and five cell lines exhibited a >50-fold resistance. These five cell lines were efficiently infected by a human immunodeficiency virus vector pseudotyped with VSV-G. When engineered to express the TVA receptor for subgroup A avian sarcoma and leukosis virus (ASLV-A), the five cell lines were resistant to infection with a MLV vector pseudotyped with the ASLV-A envelope protein but were fully susceptible to infection with an ASLV-A vector. Thus, the defect in these cells resides after virus-cell membrane fusion and, unlike those in other mutant cell lines that have been described, is specific for the MLV core. To identify the specific stages of MLV infection that are impaired in the resistant cell lines, real-time quantitative PCR analyses were employed and two phenotypic groups were identified. Viral infection of three cell lines was restricted before reverse transcription; in the other two cell lines, it was blocked after reverse transcription, nuclear localization, and two-long terminal repeat circle formation but before integration. These data provide genetic evidence that at least two distinct intracellular gene products are required specifically for MLV infection. These cell lines are important tools for the biochemical and genetic analysis of early stages in retrovirus infection.
Interactive Tools for Virtual X-Ray Vision in Mobile Augmented Reality

This paper presents a set of interactive tools designed to give users virtual x-ray vision. These tools address a common problem in depicting occluded infrastructure: either too much information is displayed, confusing users, or too little information is displayed, depriving users of important depth cues. Four tools are presented: the tunnel tool and room selector tool directly augment the user's view of the environment, allowing them to explore the scene in direct, first person view. The room in miniature tool allows the user to select and interact with a room from a third person perspective, allowing users to view the contents of the room from points of view that would normally be difficult or impossible to achieve. The room slicer tool aids users in exploring volumetric data displayed within the room in miniature tool. Used together, the tools presented in this paper can be used to achieve the virtual x-ray vision effect. We test our prototype system in a far-field mobile augmented reality setup, visualizing the interiors of a small set of buildings on the UCSB campus.
A direct method for the determination of the mean orientation-dependent elastic strains and stresses in polycrystalline materials from strain pole figures

A salient manifestation of anisotropy in the mechanical response of polycrystalline materials is the inhomogeneous partitioning of elastic strains over the aggregate. For bulk samples, the distributions of these intergranular strains are expected to have a strong functional dependence on grain orientations. It is then useful to formulate a mean lattice strain distribution function (LSDF) over the orientation space, which serves to characterize the micromechanical state of the aggregate. Orientation-dependent intergranular stresses may be recovered from the LSDF via a constitutive assumption, such as anisotropic linear elasticity. While the LSDF may be determined directly from simulation data, its experimental determination relies on solving an inverse problem that is similar in character to the fundamental problem of texture analysis. In this paper, a versatile and robust direct method for determining an LSDF from strain pole figures is presented. The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated using synthetic strain pole figures from a model LSDF obtained from the simulated uniaxial deformation of a 1000-crystal aggregate.