cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temporal lobe epilepsy induces intrinsic alterations in Na channel gating in layer II medial entorhinal cortex neurons

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of adult epilepsy involving the limbic structures of the temporal lobe. Layer II neurons of the entorhinal cortex (EC) form the major excitatory input into the hippocampus via the perforant path and consist of non-stellate and stellate neurons. These neurons are spared and hyper-excitable in TLE. The basis for the hyper-excitability is likely multifactorial and may include alterations in intrinsic properties. In a rat model of TLE, medial EC (mEC) non-stellate and stellate neurons had significantly higher action potential (AP) firing frequencies than in control. The increase remained in the presence of synaptic blockers, suggesting intrinsic mechanisms. Since sodium (Na) channels play a critical role in AP generation and conduction we sought to determine if Na channel gating parameters and expression levels were altered in TLE. Na channel currents recorded from isolated mEC TLE neurons revealed increased Na channel conductances, depolarizing shifts in inactivation parameters and larger persistent (I(NaP)) and resurgent (I(NaR)) Na currents. Immunofluorescence experiments revealed increased staining of Na(v)1.6 within the axon initial segment and Na(v)1.2 within the cell bodies of mEC TLE neurons. These studies provide support for additional intrinsic alterations within mEC layer II neurons in TLE and implicate alterations in Na channel activity and expression, in part, for establishing the profound increase in intrinsic membrane excitability of mEC layer II neurons in TLE. These intrinsic changes, together with changes in the synaptic network, could support seizure activity in TLE.
Rapid Isothermal Processing (RIP) Of Dielectrics

Rapid isothermal processing (RIP) based on incoherent sources of light has emerged as a major semiconductor processing technique. In this paper, a review of our own and other works on the RIP of dielectrics is presented.
Altered expression and distribution of the cytoskeletal-associated p35 protein in NIH 3T3 cells transformed with the Harvey sarcoma virus v-ras oncogene.

Abstract 1. 1. Cytoskeletal events associated with retroviral oncogene (v- ras )-mediated transformation were studied in HIH 3T3 fibroblasts and their v- ras -transfected counterparts (3T3/H-1 cells). 2. 2. Abnormal microfilament networks seen in 3T3/H-1 cells reflected significant decreases (~90%) in two cytoskeletal-associated proteins (tropomyosin-1, p35). Neither actin content nor actin mRNA levels were altered, however, v- ras transfectants. 3. 3. p35 mRNA activity in both NIH 3T3 and 3T3/H-1 cells was similar although differential compartmentalization of p35 to the detergent-resistant cytoskeletal fraction was evident only in normal fibroblasts. 4. 4. Proper cytoskeletal organization may be a factor in the regulation of p35 mRNA translation in situ or influence the stability of p35 independent of translational rate.
The Glass Ceiling on the Playing Fields Report Card III

The study evaluates, grades, scores and ranks 114 colleges in Division 1-A according to the number of female head coaches and assistant coaches of women’s teams and the number of head coaches and assistant coaches of men’s teams for the 2006–2007 academic/athletic year. The Report Card is the sum total of the college’s score on the four criteria. Central Florida University was rated highest for the third consecutive year.
Control of turbofan lift engines for VTOL aircraft

The use of turbofan engines as lift units for VTOL aircraft poses new engine control problems. At low flight speeds, the lift units must provide the fast thrust response needed for aircraft attitude and height control. The results are presented of an analytical study of the dynamics and control of turbofan lift engines, and methods are proposed for meeting the response requirements imposed by the VTOL aircraft application. Two types of lift fan engines are discussed: the integral and remote. The integral engine is a conventional two-spool, high bypass ratio turbofan designed for low noise and short length. The remote engine employs a gas generator and a lift fan which are separated by a duct, and which need not be coaxial. For the integral engine, a control system design is presented which satisfies the VTOL response requirements. For the remote engine, two unconventional methods of control involving flow transfer between lift units are discussed. Both methods are shown to have thrust response near the required levels.
CD1d-restricted mouse V alpha 14 and human V alpha 24 T cells: lymphocytes of innate immunity.

Abstract Mouse V α 14 T cells and their human homologs, V α 24 T cells, are prominent subsets of CD1d-restricted T cells. Here we discuss their striking similarities to B-1 B cells andγδ T cells and propose that these immune cells mediate various innate strategies in response to endogenous or exogenous danger signals.
On 2-class field towers for quadratic number fields with 2-class group of type (2,2)

Let K be a quadratic number field with 2-class group of type (2,2). Thus if S k is the Sylow 2-subgroup of the ideal class group of K , then S k = ℤ/2ℤ × ℤ/2ℤ Let K ⊂ K 1 ⊂ K 2 ⊂ K 3 ⊂… the 2-class field tower of K . Thus K 1 is the maximal abelian unramified extension of K of degree a power of 2; K 2 is the maximal abelian unramified extension of K of degree a power of 2; etc. By class field theory the Galois group Ga1 ( K 1 /K ) ≅ S k ≅ ℤ/2ℤ × ℤ/2ℤ, and in this case it is known that Ga( K 2 /K l ) is a cyclic group (cf. [ 3 ] and [ 10 ]). Then by class field theory the class number of K 2 is odd, and hence K 2 = K 3 = K 4 = …. We say that the 2-class field tower of K terminates at K 1 if the class number of K 1 is odd (and hence K 1 = K 2 = K 3 = … ); otherwise we say that the 2-class field tower of K terminates at K 2 . Our goal in this paper is to determine how likely it is for the 2-class field tower of K to terminate at K 1 and how likely it is for the 2-class field tower of K to terminate at K 2 . We shall consider separately the imaginary quadratic fields and the real quadratic fields.
Microscopic aspects of the IBA

Abstract The current status of efforts to derive the Interacting Boson Model (IBM) from the microscopic Shell Model is described. Although several boson mapping procedures presently exist, only the procedure of Otsuka, Arima and Iachello (OAI) is discussed in detail. The IBM bosons are assumed to be correlated pairs of identical nucleons of definite generalized seniority and angular momentum. The steps, which must be implemented in the OAI procedure in order for it to be considered a truly microscopic theory of the IBM, are then described. Using this procedure, we present results of typical calculations for the IBM-2 parameter X v , as an illustration.
Synthesis of a tight-binding, multisubstrate analog inhibitor of gentamicin acetyltransferase I.

Gentamicin acetyltransferase I will catalyze acyl transfer from chloroacetylcoenzyme A to form 3-N-chloroacetylgentamicin. This product can be linked to coenzyme A to form a multisubstrate analog by nucleophilic displacement of the chlorine by the sulfur of coenzyme A. The analog can be purified by selective binding to cationic and anionic ion exchange resins. Kinetic analysis of a time-dependent onset and reversal of inhibition of gentamicin acetyltransferase I by the purified multisubstrate analog yields an inhibition constant of 5-20×10-10M. The inhibitor does not potentiate antibiotic activity against resistant Escherichia coli. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of the tight-binding between the enzyme and the multisubstrate analog demonstrates that inhibitors of resistance can be designed and prepared by specific enzymatic synthesis.
Multiplier IQCs for uncertain time delays

Abstract This paper describes a set of delay-dependent IQCs for time-delay uncertainty. The set is linearly parameterized in terms of the frequency response of a complex scalar-valued multiplier. Using LMI optimization techniques, one may compute optimal multipliers and thereby obtain less conservative IQC stability robustness bounds for systems with uncertain time delays.
A rapid and accurate method of estimating body weight

Pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation drug therapy is based upon body weight, a statistic that often requires estimation. Using two current techniques of estimating body weight and the devised weight-estimating method (DWEM), the authors estimated the weights of 258 children. The DWEM, which is based on body habitus and height, was more accurate than other methods (P less than 0.01). Using height, habitus, sex, and age in a multiple regression analysis, habitus and height--two readily available measurements--were the best predictors of body weight. The DWEM, based on these two measurements, is a simple method of estimating children's weights and is more accurate than currently used body-weight estimations.
Laser-Induced Growth of Monodisperse Silver Nanoparticles with Tunable Surface Plasmon Resonance Properties and a Wavelength Self-Limiting Effect

We present a method for the tunable production of monodisperse silver nanoparticles. Using monochromatic light of different laser wavelengths to irradiate an initial solution of seed crystals, the size and shape of the products can be controlled. By monitoring the absorption spectrum during growth, it is found that initially the absorption maximum shifts to longer wavelengths and broadens, indicating an increase in particle size and size dispersion. Remarkably, this effect comes to a halt and reverses, displaying a shift to shorter wavelengths and simultaneously narrower bandwidths until, on completion, a final size and relatively narrow distribution are reached. The final size and shape is found to depend on laser wavelength and power. Both discs and triangular prisms as well as pyramidal and pentagonal prisms may be produced. A mechanism based on a wavelength-dependent self-limiting process governed by the surface plasmon resonance controlling the photochemical reduction of particles is suggested.
The α/β ratio of several organic scintillators

Abstract The pulse-height response of organic scintillators to α and β particles has been measured in an effort to find the optimum detector of neutrons in the MeV region. The 5.3 MeV α particles from Po210 were used to simulate the knock-on protons produced under neutron irradiation. The pulse height response of several plastic and liquid scintillators is compared to that of a commercially available product.
Hormonal requirements for the induction of cytochrome P450 in hepatocytes cultured in a serum-free medium

Abstract Drug mediated induction of cytochrome P450 was studied in cultures of hepatocytes that had never been cultured in the presence of serum. Propylisopropylacetamide induced a five-fold increase in cytochrome P450, approximating in ovo induced levels, when triiodothyronine and/or dexamethasone were included in the culture medium. Insulin was apparently not required for this induction. Cytochrome P450, free of cytochrome oxidase, could be fully recovered from cell homogenates in a 8700g supernatant, by use of a buffer containing 0.2% Emulgen.
The role of power versus energy in courtship: what is the 'energetic cost' of a courtship display?

WHAT IS AN ‘ENERGETIC COST’?‘Energetic’courtshipdisplaysareprevalent innature.Malefrogsand cicadas sing loudly, swordtail ﬁsh swimvigorously, and spidersvibrate before a potential mate. Birds are especially well known forelaborate performances. Among them, hummingbird displayswould seem to be the epitome of ‘energetic’ displays, in which themale aerobatically dives at high speed and/or performs rapid, agileclose-range ﬂight manoeuvres to a female. These displays arecertainly physically demanding: courting male hummingbirdsappear to be near ﬂight performance limits (Clark 2009) and willoftenperch and pant between bouts of displays (Feo & Clark 2010).Given that hummingbirds have among the highest metabolic ratesduring ﬂight (Lasiewski1963; Bartholomew L Welchet al. 2007; Clark & Dudley 2009), it might seem obvious that thesecourtship displays are energetically costly. But as I outline here,although they are certainly impressive athletic performances, theenergetic cost of these displays is less clear.The ambiguity lies in the meaning of the term ‘energetic costs’(or metabolic expense, metabolic cost, etc.), which are ofteninvoked without speciﬁcity in the animal behaviour literature. Thissuggests that the nature of an ‘energetic cost’ is self-evidentor wellknown. But consider: which human behaviour has the higherenergetic cost, walking for an hour or sprinting hard for a minute?The answer depends on the deﬁnition of ‘energetic cost’.Energetics (or bioenergetics) is the study of energy and its ﬂow(McArdle et al. 2007, page 122). It is a broad term, and both energyand power (energy per unit time) fall under its umbrella. There areminimally two speciﬁcdeﬁnitions of an ‘energetic cost’ used in theliterature, and although related, theyare not synonymous. The ﬁrstdeﬁnition of energetic cost is: a quantity of chemical energy (i.e.ATP and its metabolic precursors) that is expended to performa behaviour. Under this deﬁnition the energetic cost of a courtshipdisplayistheenergy(measuredinjoules,J,orcalories)expendedtoperformthat behaviour.Hereafter I refertothis asthe ‘joulecost’ ofabehaviour. The second deﬁnition of energetic cost is: aquantityofenergy per unit time that is expended on a behaviour. It is theanimal’s metabolic power input (e.g. its metabolic rate) duringperformance of the behaviour, measured in watts (W or J/s); ora correlate such as oxygen consumption rate (McArdle et al. 2007).This is the ‘power limits’ deﬁnition, which I use hereafter, anddiscuss further below(see Costs). Moreover, metabolic energy (ATPand precursors) is the input to a behaviour; muscles converta fraction of it into mechanical strain energy, which is the output(Alexander 2003; Biewener 2003). For purposes of comparison, the
Excess and deficient water stress effects on 30 years of Aroostook County potato yields

Potato production can be adversely affected by both deficient and excess water. A plant water excess (PWE) index is defined as the difference between actual evapotranspiration (AET), which is equal to the difference between rainfall and runoff, and potential evapotranspiration (PET), as computed by the Thornthwaite method, for those 5-day periods when AET exceeds PET. A growing season PWE index was equal to the accumulation of 5-day average PWE values and was calculated for each of 30 years of data. Similarly a plant water deficit (PWD) index was defined as the PET-AET for those 5-day periods when PET exceeds AET. Potato yields during the 30-year period were related to the combined effect of yearly water excess (PWE) and deficit (PWD) and can be described by the multiple regression relationship of Y = 43.558-0.74527 (PWD + PWE)+ 0.031883 (PWD × PWE). This model has a multiple r2 value that indicates 46% of the yield variation can be accounted for by the combined yearly influence of deficient and excess water. The results suggest that maximizing potato production in the humid Northeast requires a water management system that includes both supplemental irrigation and drainage.
Characterization of Small Molecule Controlled Release From Silk Films

Release data for several dyes from untreated, water-annealed, and methanol-treated silk films are collected and modeled. Through modeling, Fickian diffusion is identified as the major release mechanism. Estimated diffusivities are compared with dye properties to characterize parameter–property relationships. FTIR–ATR spectra of the silk films confirm an increase in the crystalline beta-sheet content within the silk films for methanol-treated and water-annealed films. An aqueous binding study is completed and shows weak binding of three dyes to the silk films. The Langmuir equation is fit to each of the binding curves and compared. The rate of diffusion from silk films is highly impacted by the molecular structure, water solubility, and molecular charge of the releasing solute and the matrix crystallinity.
The Test Engineer's Assistant: a design environment for testable and diagnosable systems

The Test Engineer's Assistant (TEA) is a set of computer-aided design (CAD) tools that helps the system design engineer meet testability requirements by construction. TEA addresses system design for testability at all levels of the design hierarchy, the lowest level being the board level. The design is represented as a graph where each node indicates a hardware component (or chip on a board) and each arc represents intercomponent connections. Attributes associated with the graph nodes and a set of rules and testing techniques that are incorporated in the tool databases are used to determine the design features that have to be incorporated into the design to meet test and diagnostic requirements. The tool operates on a design using a combination of algorithmic and heuristic techniques. The authors present the design methodology supported by TEA, discuss the techniques used by the TEA tools to obtain solutions for different design for testability requirements, and present an example of the use of TEA with a real system. >
Embedding rings in completed graded rings 1. Triangular embeddings

Abstract Let k be a commutative ring with 1, R an associative k -algebra without 1, and n a positive integer. It is shown that the following conditions are equivalent: (a) R can be embedded as a k -algebra in the ring of strictly upper triangular n × n matrices over an associative k -algebra A . (b) R has such an embedding with A further assumed commutative, (c) R can be embedded as a k -algebra in a graded associative k -algebra C whose only nonzero components are C 1 ,…, C nn − 1 . The proof that the other conditions imply (b) is essentially a demonstration that a certain kind of k -linear category always has a faithful functor into a commutative k -algebra. Subsequent papers in this series determine sufficient conditions for (a)–(c) above to hold, in terms of nilpotence of R , under various hypotheses
The economic effects of long-term rent control: The case of New York City

This article presents a simple model of rent control in which the costs and benefits can be analyzed in terms of Hicksian consumer and producer surpluses. Data from New York City are then used to examine the effect of the long-term rent control in that city. Estimates are presented which suggest that the program provided tenants with benefits amounting to about 5 percent of their income in the years 1965 and 1968. Additional evidence shows that tenant benefits declined rather sharply between the two years, and that in each of the years benefits were higher for older tenants, richer tenants, and white tenants than for their counterparts. Finally, evidence presented here suggests that, due to the in-kind nature of the program, the cost to landlords exceeded the benefits to tenants by about 75 percent.
Mesenchymal–Epithelial Differentiation of Adamantinoma of Long Bones: An Immunohistochemical and Ultrastructural Study

Three cases of adamantinoma were studied by electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. In the tubular pattern, well-differentiated epithelial cells and glandular structures were present, in addition to ill-defined glands. In the basaloid pattern, less differentiated epithelial cells with discohesion were seen in the central epithelial masses. This study established the epithelial nature of some tubular structures with slit-like lumina, easily misinterpreted as capillaries by light microscopy. Results also showed that the irregular spaces observed within the basaloid pattern probably result from cell discohesion. Moreover, this investigation demonstrates the epithelial nature of a subset of spindle cells within the stroma of adamantinoma and offers ultrastructural evidence for a probable mesenchymal-epithelial transformation as its histogenesis.
Calibration of the absorptance cavities for the spaceflight solar radiometer TIM

The Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM) is a total solar irradiance radiometer on NASA's SORCE mission launched in 2003 and on the NASA/Glory mission launching in 2008. The primary sensors in TIM must absorb energy with accurately calibrated efficiency across the entire solar spectrum. To achieve high efficiency and good thermal conduction, the four sensors in each instrument are hollow conical silver cavities with a cylindrical entrance extension and a diffuse black nickel phosphorous (NiP) interior that converts absorbed incident radiation to thermal energy. A stable resistive heater wire embedded in the cone along with thermistors mounted on the cavity exterior are used in a temperature-sensing servo loop to measure the spectrally-integrated incident solar radiation. Characterization of the absorptance properties of the cavities across the solar spectrum is a dominant driver of instrument accuracy, and a dedicated facility has been developed to acquire these calibrations with uncertainties of approximately 50 ppm (0.005%). This paper describes the absorptance calibration facility, presents the preliminary cavity reflectance results for the Glory mission's TIM instrument, and details the uncertainty budget for measuring these cavity reflectances.
Information content in remote sensing

The relation between eigenvalues of the kernel covariance matrix in inversion problems and the number of pieces of information that can be extracted is discussed. It is shown that an example given by Wang and Goulard, which was claimed to show that the eigenvalue analysis underestimated the information content, was incorrectly calculated.
Aggregation behaviour in a neotropical dendrobatid frog ( Allobates talamancae ) in western Panama

Aggregation is a common behaviour in a number of animal taxa and is used for a variety of purposes. For example, aggregation may be a response to environmental resources, sexual reproductive behaviour or an antipredator response. Although commonly recognized in a variety of taxa, amongst amphibians aggregation has rarely been reported in adult poison dart frogs (family Dendrobatidae). The Talamanca striped rocket frog ( Allobates talamancae ) is a small, non-toxic leaf-litter dendrobatid frog found in the Bocas del Toro archipelago of western Panama. The purpose of our study was to describe the dispersion pattern of Allobates talamancae and elucidate a possible explanation for this pattern. Based on observations of grouping behaviour in captive frogs, we hypothesized that A. talamancae significantly aggregate in natural habitats. We conducted a series of field-based experiments that indicate that this species does significantly aggregate in the wild. Preliminary results suggest that aggregation may be an adaptive response to predation risk. We discuss this possibility, as well as critique other explanations for aggregation in this species, placing these results in the broader theoretical context of aggregation as an adaptive behaviour in animals.
Increased Self-Reported Dental Anxiety following Completion of a Dental History Questionnaire

Since traumatic dental experiences have been identified as a leading cause of dental anxiety, dental anxiety should be increased when subjects are asked to recall these experiences and describe them in writing. 74 undergraduates completed dental history questionnaires, viewed slides of dental procedures, or received no manipulation prior to completing the Dental Anxiety Scale and the Dental Fear Survey. The Questionnaire group reported significantly higher dental anxiety and fear than did the Slide and Control groups. Recalling personal experiences elicits greater emotional arousal than does viewing procedures or merely completing surveys.
Vasopressin-receptor antagonists in heart failure

Purpose. The role of arginine vasopressin in heart failure and the use of vasopressin receptor antagonists in the treatment of heart failure are reviewed. Summary. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) functions in the regulation of plasma osmolarity and blood pressure. In heart failure, AVP worsens heart failure by causing vasoconstriction of arteries and veins, potentially contributing to remodeling of the left ventricle and causing fluid retention and worsening of hyponatremia. Two V2-receptor antagonists, tolvaptan and lixivaptan, and one combined V1a- and V2-receptor antagonist, conivaptan, have shown promise for use in patients with heart failure. All three agents have been shown to increase free water excretion and increase serum sodium levels while maintaining serum potassium levels. They have not been shown to decrease renal function or the glomerular filtration rate and are well tolerated, with thirst being the major adverse effect during clinical trials. Because of their effects on sodium, vasopressin antagonists need to be carefully monitored to ensure that serum sodium levels do not increase too quickly and put the patient at risk for overcorrection or osmotic demyelination syndrome. In addition, patients need to be monitored for signs of dehydration secondary to increased urine excretion. To date, studies have not consistently shown improvements in patient symptoms or weight reduction. However, early data suggest that at least one agent, tolvaptan, does not alter mortality. Conclusion. Based on data from available clinical trials, vasopressin antagonists may offer a new treatment option for patients with congestive heart failure. However, these agents do not currently appear to delay the progression of heart failure or decrease mortality.
Syn-emplacement recrystallization and deformation microstructures in the Poe Mountain anorthosite, Wyoming

Plagioclase recrystallization microstructures and petrofabrics in the unmetamorphosed, 1.43 Ga Poe Mountain anorthosite, Wyoming, are indicative of very high-temperature deformation and recrystallization during the emplacement of the anorthosite body. The Poe Mountain anorthosite consists of a core of recrystallized, massive anorthosite transitional with a series of layered anorthositic cumulates at the margin of the intrusion. Irregular grain boundaries and dissected grain microstructures in the massive core and transitional anorthosites suggest that the anorthositic rocks recrystallized by “fast” grain boundary migration and possibly subgrain rotation recrystallization, at very high temperatures (≈1050°C) during emplacement of the intrusion in the mid-crust (3 kbar). The deformation and recrystallization of the Poe Mountain anorthosite was continuous from subliquidus to subsolidus temperature conditions during the emplacement of the intrusion. Anorthosites with the lowest modal percentages of ferromagnesian minerals and Fe-Ti oxides are always the most recrystallized. This suggests that melt interstitial to the plagioclase-crystal framework was removed during deformation and recrystallization of the intrusion. Bulging of plagioclase grain boundaries around Fe-Ti oxides together with deformed oikocrystic ferromagnesian minerals and plagioclase chadacrysts indicate that the deformation and recrystallization of the intrusion continued after the crystallization of the interstitial melt minerals.
Direct Site-Specific Radiolabeling of an Affibody Protein with 4-[18F]Fluorobenzaldehyde via Oxime Chemistry

In this study, we introduce a methodology for preparing 18F-labeled Affibody protein, specifically 18F-Anti-HER2 dimeric Affibody (14 kDa), for in vivo imaging of HER2neu with positron emission tomography (PET). We have used 4-[18F]fluorobenzaldehyde as a synthon to prepare 18F-Anti-HER2 Affibody. Aminooxy-functionalized Affibody (Anti-HER2-ONH2) was incubated with 4-[18F]fluorobenzaldehyde in ammonium acetate buffer at pH 4 in the presence of methanol at 70°C for 15 min. The resulting 18F-labeled Affibody molecule was evaluated as a PET probe in xenograft models expressing HER2. We have successfully prepared 18F-Anti-HER2 dimeric Affibody (14 kDa), N-(4-[18F]fluorobenzylidine)oxime-Anti-HER2 Affibody, [18F]FBO-Anti-HER2, in 26–30% radiochemical yields (decay corrected). High-contrast small-animal PET images with relatively moderate tumor uptake (1.79 ± 0.40% ID/g) were observed for the 18F-Anti-HER2 Affibody. Site-specific 18F-labeled Affibody against HER2 has been synthesized via chemoselective oxime formation between an aminooxy-functionalized Affibody and 18F-fluorobenzaldehyde. The results have implications for radiolabeling of other affibodies and macromolecules and should also be important for advancing Affibody imaging with PET.
The effect of catecholamines on adenyl cyclase activity in rat uterus

Abstract Adenyl cyclase (AC) activity was assayed in uterine tissue homogenates from estrogen-pretreated rats. Epinephrine, norepinephrine and isoproterenol activate AC to the same maximum, 80–88% above control; a 20 times higher concentration of norepinephrine than of epinephrine is needed to produce the same effect. A beta adrenergic blocking agent (propranolol) antagonizes this action of catecholamines. Epinephrine in lower concentrations, unlike isoproterenol, when combined with propanolol has an inhibitory effect on AC. An alpha adrenergic blocking agent (phentolamine) does not prevent the activation of AC by catecholamines. On the contrary, the activity tends to be higher. The results show that the increase in uterine muscle AC activity is caused by the component of catecholamine action which apparently relaxes the uterus and gives some support to the possibility that another component of epinephrine action inhibits AC activity.
Direct observation of Landau damping in a solid state plasma

We use ultrafast THz spectroscopy to study Landau damping in a coherent plasma system. A series of InSb-based bulk heterostructures provide increasing spatial confinement that restricts the scattering wave vector in the electron-electron interaction. This results in a dramatic reduction of the plasma contribution to the radiation signal. The experimental results are explained by model calculations. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Operator characterizations of ℒ p -spaces

We present a survey, with brief indications of proof, of recent results characterizing the ℒ p -spaces of Lindenstrauss and Pelczynski in terms of the behavior of various classes of bounded linear operators.
Family history of alcohol abuse associated with problematic drinking among college students

Studies examining family history of alcohol abuse among college students are not only conflicting, but have suffered various limitations. The current report investigates family history of alcohol abuse (FH+) and its relationship with alcohol expectancies, consumption, and consequences. In the current study, 3753 student participants (35% FH+), completed online assessments. Compared to FH- same-sex peers, FH+ males and FH+ females endorsed greater overall positive expectancies, consumed more drinks per week, and experienced more alcohol-related negative consequences. Further, FH+ females evaluated the negative effects of alcohol to be substantially worse than FH- females. An ANCOVA, controlling for age, GPA, race, and alcohol expectancies, resulted in family history main effects on both drinking and consequences. An interaction also emerged between gender and family history, such that FH+ males were especially vulnerable to high levels of alcohol consumption. Results reveal the scope of FH+ individuals in the college environment and the increased risk for these students, particularly male FH+ students, suggesting a need for researchers and college health personnel to focus attention and resources on this issue.
On the equipartition of kinetic energy in plate tectonics

Kinetic energy in present-day plate motions is partitioned approximately equally between poloidal and toroidal parts. The poloidal part is excited by buoyancy forces and is associated with cellular flow in the mantle. Most of the toroidal part is derived from strike-slip motion at transform faults and from oblique subduction at convergent margins. Plate spin accounts for only a few percent of the toroidal energy of the lithosphere. Using a simple kinematic model, we demonstrate that a square-shaped plate, drifting without spin, has equal poloidal and toroidal energies. We then show that the most probable state for an array of many rectangular plates is equipartition of poloidal and toroidal kinetic energy, provided the drift directions of individual plates in the array are random. Our model predicts that convergent margins occupy 42% of plate boundaries, while divergent and transform margins occupy 25% and 33%, respectively. This distribution is in good agreement with the actual distribution along the boundaries of the Pacific, India, Cocos and Nazca plates, which contain more than 90% of the lithosphere kinetic energy. According to these calculations, equipartitioning of plate kinetic energy implies a large degree of decoupling between plates and a disorganized pattern of convection in the mantle.
An algorithmic test for checking stability of feedback spectral systems

Abstract Given a certain class of regular spectral systems, an algorithm is presented that is designed to test the stability properties of the feedback interconnection of such a system and either a bounded state-feedback operator or a finite-dimensional linear time-invariant controller. The applicability of this test is independent of the method used to design the feedback controller, and is designed to provide a separate, independent method for verifying whether or not the plant-controller interconnection is exponentially stable. The test is particularly well suited to problems involving certain partial differential equations (PDE) with spatially varying coefficients or complicated boundary shapes.
An evolutionary perspective on reproductive individual heterogeneity in a marine vertebrate.

Summary Although the quantification of individual heterogeneity in wild populations' vital rates has recently attracted growing interest among ecologists, the investigation of its evolutionary consequences remains limited, mainly because of the difficulties in assessing fitness and heritability from field studies on free-ranging animals. In the presence of individual variability, evaluation of fitness consequences can notably be complicated by the existence of trade-offs among different vital rates. In this study, to further assess the evolutionary significance of previously quantified levels of individual heterogeneity in female Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii Lesson) reproductive rates (Chambert et al. 2013), we investigated how several life-history characteristics of female offspring were related to their mother's reproductive rate, as well as to other maternal traits (age and experience) and environmental conditions at birth. The probability and age of first reproduction (recruitment) of female offspring was not related to their mother's reproductive rate, suggesting the absence of a maternal trade-off between the number and quality of offspring a female produces. Evidence of a positive, but relatively weak, relationship between the reproductive rates of a mother and her female offspring was found, suggesting some degree of heritability in this trait. Using a simulation approach based on these statistical findings, we showed that substantial differences in the number of grandchildren, produced through female progeny, can be expected among females with different reproductive rates. Despite the presence of substantial stochastic variability, due to environmental fluctuations and other unidentified mechanisms, and in the light of the fact that the metrics obtained do not provide a full measure of real fitness, our results do suggest that the individual reproductive variability found in female Weddell seals could potentially have important fitness consequences.
Impact of casinos on criminogenic patterns

Utilizing police calls for service data this study examines the relationship between different crime hotspots across a gaming jurisdiction (Reno, Nevada). Conventional wisdom suggests that casinos play a role in the creation, maintenance, and nature of crime hotspots; however, prior analyses of this relationship have been inconsistent. This study looks at the city’s various crime hotspots and compares them according to crime type and spatial–temporal characteristics to shed light on the impact of gaming on the city’s overall crime problem. Implications for law enforcement agencies are also discussed.
Yield sustainability under constant-catch policy and stochastic recruitment

Abstract Current practices for computing maximum sustainable yield (MSY) from fisheries result in yields that are rarely maximized and never sustainable. We recast MSY determination as the maximization of constant catch, which is subject to the risk of stock depletion below levels necessary to generate the target constant catch. Monte Carlo yield models with stochastic recruitment functions were used to examine the effects of constant-catch policies on fishing mortality, catch, and stock size. Three additional output variables and their statistical properties were developed as indices of fishery variability and risk: delta catch, the change in catch between successive years; length of run, the number of successive years the target constant catch was attained; and the proportion of years in which the target constant catch was not taken. We constructed two stochastic yield models to account for different stock-recruitment relationships. The first used a statistical distribution of recruitment values in whic...
Personality adjustment and social support of parents who care for children with pervasive developmental disorders.

Abstract The goal of this study was to examine the degree of personality adjustment and perceived social support of parents who care for children with pervasive developmental disorders. Data were collected with the California Q-Set (a personality measure) and the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire. Personality adjustment of the parents was found to be significantly less than optimal, with a high degree of anxiety, minimal ego resilience, and use of defensive coping processes. Siblings of the child with the disorder and mothers of the parents were those most frequently identified as providing support to the caregiver, although friends, special education teachers, and daycare staff were the individuals whose support was most significantly related to greater amounts of perceived affection and affirmation, tangible aid, and concrete caregiving assistance. In fact, the more the caregivers depended upon their famillies for support, the less well adjusted were the caregivers on the personality measure. The implications of the findings for caregivers and their families are discussed.
Ultrahigh pressures: Optical observations and Raman measurements of hydrogen and deuterium to 1.47 Mbar.

Hydrogen and deuterium have been pressurized under static conditions to 1.47 Mbar, which is higher by a factor of 2 than the static data of Sharma et al. (1980). Measurements of the vibron indicate an initial increase and then a sharp decrease in frequency at pressures above 0.5 Mbar. At 1.14 Mbar the vibron frequency decreased to the zero-pressure value, and at 1.47 Mbar the frequency of the vibron in hydrogen is 90/cm below the value of the vibrational mode of the isolated molecule. This pronounced softening of the vibron suggests strengthened intermolecular interaction.
Long Abstract Adhesion of Trim Tape to Automotive Finishes

Abstract In a given application trim parts are attached to autobody surfaces by a tape comprising a neoprene core double-faced with poly(buty1 acrylate) adhesive. Trim parts are received in automotive assembly plants with one side of the tape adhered in place and the other side protected by a release strip which is removed before use. The trim piece is applied with momentary pressure (0.1 MPa) from a roller to insure intimate contact. Initial adhesion must be sufficient to hold the trim part in place; functional attachment of the trim part depends on the tape adhesive for the duration of the car's use. Manufacturer's specifications do not provide for sanding of the painted surface prior to application of the trim part. It was necessary to reformulate the enamel to accommodate this by providing good adhesion at 30 minutes at 250°F and 60 minutes at 275°F conditions and to match the unsanded adhesion properties of a competitive product.
Field-ionization processes in excited atoms

We identify two different processes by which free atoms are ionized in a static electric field. The first process is by tunneling and is described accurately by theory developed for hydrogen. The second process, important for all atoms except hydrogen, is similar to autoionization and arises from the effect of level mixing. Data are presented on field ionization in lithium which display behavior due to each of these ionization mechanisms.
Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A negatively regulates conidia formation by the tangerine pathotype of Alternaria alternata

The necrotrophic fungal pathogen Alternaria alternata causes brown spot diseases in many citrus cultivars. The FUS3 and SLT2 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK)-mediated signaling pathways have been shown to be required for conidiation. Exogenous application of cAMP to this fungal pathogen decreased conidia formation considerably. This study determined whether a cAMP-activated protein kinase A (PKA) is required for conidiation. Using loss-of-function mutations in PKA catalytic and regulatory subunit-coding genes, we demonstrated that PKA negatively regulates conidiation. Fungal mutants lacking PKA catalytic subunit gene (PKAcat) reduced growth, lacked detectable PKA activity, and produced higher amounts of conidia compared to wild-type. Introduction of a functional copy of PKAcat into a null mutant partially restored PKA activity and produced wild-type level of conidia. In contrast, fungi lacking PKA regulatory subunit gene (PKAreg) produced detectable PKA activity, exhibited severe growth reduction, formed swelling hyphal segments, and produced no mature conidia. Introduction of the PKAreg gene to a regulatory subunit mutant restored all phenotypes to wild type. PKAreg-null mutants induced fewer necrotic lesions on citrus compared to wild-type, whereas PKAcat mutant displayed wild-type virulence. Overall, our studies indicate that PKA and FUS3-mediated signaling pathways apparently have very different roles in the regulation of conidia production and A. alternata pathogenesis in citrus.
Bioinformatic Dissecting of TP53 Regulation Pathway Underlying Butyrate-induced Histone Modification in Epigenetic Regulation.

Butyrate affects cell proliferation, differentiation, and motility. Butyrate inhibits histone deacetylase (HDAC) activities and induces cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. TP53 is one of the most active upstream regulators discovered by ingenuity pathways analysis (IPA) in our RNA-sequencing data set. TP53 signaling pathway plays key role in many cellular processes. TP53 pathway and their involvement in cellular functions modified by butyrate treatment were scrutinized in this report by data mining the RNA-sequencing data using IPA (Ingenuity System®). The TP53 mechanistic pathway targets more than 600 genes. Downstream analysis predicted the activation of the TP53 pathway after butyrate treatment. The data mining also revealed that nine transcription factors are downstream regulators in TP53 signaling pathways. The analysis results also indicated that butyrate not only inhibits the HDAC activities, but also regulates genes encoding the HDAC enzymes through modification of histones and epigenomic landscape.
Performance pay and employee turnover

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how various performance related pay (PRP) schemes influence employee turnover. It also tests whether profit sharing has a differential impact on turnover in comparison to other forms of PRP.Design/methodology/approach – Utilizing a nationally representative longitudinal dataset of individuals, analysis begins with a parsimonious specification of the determinants of turnover and then progressively adds various sets of controls known to influence turnover decisions to observe how their inclusion influences PRP coefficients. Estimations employ both standard probits and panel data models.Findings – Empirical evidence reveals a negative relationship between an aggregate measure of PRP and turnover. Disaggregating performance pay measures by type reveals a robust negative relationship between profit sharing and turnover. Although one would expect the influence of other PRP schemes to mimic that of profit sharing, evidence suggests otherwise.Research limitations/...
Energy Emission from a Neutron Star

ALTHOUGH there are still many problems concerning the supernovae, there is little doubt that a very dense stellar core has to be left behind after the explosion (at least in some cases). During the contraction of this core, inverse β reactions take place and transform most of the nuclei and electrons into neutrons. If the mass of the neutron star does not exceed a critical value of about one or two solar masses, a stable equilibrium situation can be reached with the gas pressure balancing the gravitational force.
α-MSH: A Potential Neuroprotective and Immunomodulatory Agent for the Treatment of Stroke:

Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) is a neuropeptide with profound immunomodulatory properties; we evaluated the effects of α-MSH on stroke outcome and its ability to modulate the postischemic immune response. In Lewis rats subjected to 3 hours of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), plasma concentrations of α-MSH rapidly decreased and returned to baseline over the course of days. Exogenous administration of α-MSH (100 or 500 μg/kg) improved 24 hour outcome in animals subjected to 2 hours MCAO; α-MSH 500 μg/kg also decreased infarct volume at this time point. Both doses of α-MSH were ineffective in improving outcome or decreasing infarct volume in animals subjected to 3 hours MCAO. The splenocyte response to phytohemagglutin in animals treated with α-MSH was attenuated at 24 hours after MCAO. At 1 month after MCAO, treatment with α-MSH 500 μg/kg at the time of stoke was associated with a decrease in TH1 response to myelin basic protein (MBP) in animals subjected to 2 hours MCAO, although treatment was not associated with improved outcome at this time point. Given the early benefits of α-MSH treatment and its effect on immunologic outcome, further studies to evaluate the utility of α-MSH for the treatment of cerebral ischemia are warranted.
Discrimination of Vowels with a Multi-finger Tactual Display

The present study compared the performance of an ideal observer and a human participant in a vowel discrimination task using a speech-to-touch coding scheme designed for a three finger tactual display. The coding scheme extracted speech features and presented them as high-frequency vibrational and low-frequency motional waveforms. The high-frequency vibrations presented crude spectral information from three distinct speech bands on three fingerpads of the left hand. The same information was presented, redundantly, by the low-frequency waveforms. Performance of the ideal observer, where only high-frequency vibrational signals were considered, was evaluated by a signal detection theory using several tokens of a pair of vowels. Results showed that the acoustic cues corresponding to the first two formants were sufficient for discrimination of a seven vowel stimulus set. The participant was then tested in an absolute identification task with 640 tokens of ten non-diphthong vowels spoken by two female speakers. Both high- and low-frequency waveforms were presented to the participant. Discrimination scores for each pair of vowel were similar to the best scores obtained with the ideal observer indicating that the coding scheme was effective and the participant acted like an ideal observer.
Characterizations of univariate continuous distributions. II

This is a follow up to our previous work characterizing univariate continuous distributions based on a simple relationship between two truncated moments.