cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Steroid Signaling Establishes a Female Metabolic State and Regulates SREBP to Control Oocyte Lipid Accumulation

Disruptions in energy homeostasis severely affect reproduction in many organisms and are linked to several reproductive disorders in humans. As a result, understanding the mechanisms that control nutrient accumulation in the oocyte will provide valuable insights into the links between metabolic disease and reproductive dysfunction. We show that the steroid hormone ecdysone functions in Drosophila to control lipid metabolism and support oocyte production. First, local EcR-mediated signaling induces a stage-specific accumulation of lipids in stage-10 oocytes. EcR induces lipid accumulation by promoting the activation of the lipogenic transcription factor SREBP and by controlling the expression of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor homolog, LpR2. Second, global signaling via the ecdysone receptor, EcR, establishes a female metabolic state and promotes whole-body triglyceride and glycogen storage at high levels. EcR acts in the CNS to mediate these effects, in part by promoting higher levels of feeding in females. Thus, ecdysone functions at two levels to support reproduction: first by inducing lipid accumulation in the late stages of oocyte development and second by providing a signal that coordinates lipid metabolism in the germline with whole-animal lipid homeostasis. Ecdysone regulation allows females to assess the demands of oogenesis and alter their behavior and metabolic state to support the biosynthetic requirements of oocyte production.
Kinetics of cellobiose hydrolysis using cellobiase composites from Ttrichoderma reesei and Aspergillus niger.

The enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose involves the formation of cellobiose as an intermediate. It has been found necessary to add cellobiase from Aspergillus niger (NOVO) to the cellobiase component of Trichoderma reesei mutant Rut C-30 (Natick) cellulase enzymes in order to obtain after 48 h complete conversion of the cellobiose formed in the enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass. This study of the cellobiase activity of these two enzyme sources was undertaken as a first step in the formation of a kinetic model for cellulose hydrolysis that can be used in process design. In order to cover the full range of cellobiose concentrations, it was necessary to develop separate kinetic parameters for high- and low-concentration ranges of cellobiose for the enzymes from each organism. Competitive glucose inhibition was observed with the enzymes from both organisms. Substrate inhibition was observed only with the A. niger enzymes.
Glycosaminoglycan hydrogels as supplemental wound dressings for donor sites.

Chemically crosslinked glycosaminoglycan (GAG) hydrogel films were evaluated as biointeractive dressings in a porcine model for donor-site autograft wounds. Multiple 5 x 5 × 0.03 cm 3 wounds were created on the dorsum of pigs. Half of the wounds were treated with a GAG film plus an occlusive dressing (Tegaderm), whereas the other half were treated with Tegaderm alone. At 3, 5, or 7 days after surgery, the partially healed wounds were excised and evaluated histologically for three animals at each time point. By day 3, epithelial cells had proliferated and migrated from wound edges and from epithelial islands associated with residual hair follicles to begin to cover the wound bed. A statistically significant increase in coverage was observed for GAG + Tegaderm-dressed wounds than for those with Tegaderm alone at day 3 and day 5 post-surgery. By day 7, all treatment groups were completely healed. Thus, GAG hydrogels accelerated wound healing by enhancing re-epithelialization.
KScript and KSWorld: a time-aware and mostly declarative language and interactive GUI framework

We report on a language called KScript and a GUI framework called KSWorld. The goal of KScript and KSWorld is to try to reduce the accidental complexity in GUI framework code and application building. We aim for an understandable, concise way to specify an application's behavior and appearance, minimizing extra details that arise only because of the medium being used.KScript is a dynamic language based on the declarative and time-aware dataflow-style execution model of Functional Reactive Programming (FRP), extended with support for loose coupling among program elements and a high degree of program reconfigurability.KSWorld is built using KScript. The fields, or slots, of graphical widgets in KSWorld are reactive variables. Definitions of such variables can be added or modified in a localized manner, allowing on-the-fly customization of the visual and behavioral aspects of widgets and entire applications. Thus the KSWorld environment supports exploratory application building: a user constructs the appearance interactively with direct manipulation, then attaches and refines reactive variable definitions to achieve the desired overall behavior.We illustrate our use of KSWorld to build an editor for general graphical documents, including dynamic documents that serve as active essays. The graphical building blocks for documents are the same as those used for building the editor itself, enabling a bootstrapping process in which the earliest working version of the editor can be used to create further components for its own interface.As one way of measuring progress on our complexity goal, we provide an overview of the number of lines of code in KSWorld. The total for the KScript compiler, the FRP evaluator, the framework, document model and document editor is currently around 10,000 lines.
Beta versus gamma for catheter-based intravascular brachytherapy: dosimetric perspectives in the presence of metallic stents and calcified plaques

Abstract Purpose: Both β and γ emitters are currently used in the catheter-based intravascular brachytherapy. The dosimetric effects due to the presence of metallic stents and calcified plaques have not been fully addressed. This work compares these effects for two most commonly used β and γ sources ( 90 Sr and 192 Ir). Materials and Methods: An EGS4 Monte Carlo package was used to calculate dose in water for a 90 Sr (supplied by NOVOSTE) and an 192 Ir (Supplied by BEST) source, with or without the presence of a calcified plaque or a metallic stent. Plaques of different shape (shell and disk), size and density, and two types of stainless-steel stents (ring or mesh stent) were studied. The ring stent consists of identical rings stacked along the long axis of the sources. The gap between two rings is 0.3 mm. The mesh stents are made of identical square (0.1 × 0.1 or 0.2 × 0.2 mm 2 ) holes separated from each other by stainless-steel wire. The cross section of wire for both ring and mesh stents is 0.1 × 0.1 mm 2 . A dose perturbation factor (DPF), defined as the ratio of the doses with and without the presence of a plaque or a stent, was introduced to quantify the effects. A carefully chosen set of EGS4 transport parameters for the small geometry in question was used in the calculation. Results: The radial and axial dose distributions calculated in water were found to agree with the published measurements to within 3%. The dose perturbations due to the presence of calcified plaques or metallic stents were found far more significant for the 90 Sr source than those for the 192 Ir source. Up to 30% dose reduction behind a plaque were observed for the 90 Sr source, while the dose reduction for the 192 Ir source was found to be negligible. The dose enhancement inside a plaque was as high as 10% for the β source or 6% for the γ source. In the presence of a stent, the DPF was in the range of 1.15–0.75 for the β source, while it was almost equal to 1.0 for the γ source. Conclusion: The dose perturbation due to the presence of a calcified plaque or a metallic stent is significant for the β source. The dose reduction in the region beyond a plaque or a stent could be more than 20%. For the γ source, the dose effect behind a plaque or a stent is practically negligible. These dosimetric differences between the β and γ sources in the presence of a calcified plaque or metallic stent should be considered in the dose prescription of intravascular brachytherapy.
The Sophomore Surge: Conversion, Mobilization, or Abstention

The incumbency advantage and its cause(s) is a question that political scientists have addressed for several years. This article looks at one piece of the puzzle: the sophomore surge. Using the American National Election Panel Studies of 1956-1960 and 1972-1976, I examine three possible scenarios for the sophomore surge: conversion, mobilization, and absten tion. The evidence presented herein supports the argument that first-term incumbents are able to win the votes of those who had supported the losing candidate in the previous election. It would appear that the source of the incumbency advantage is what the incumbents do in office, not the actions of their potential opponents.
Combustion Measurements of Fuel-Rich Aluminum and Molybdenum Oxide Nano-Composite Mixtures

Fuel rich nano-composite powders of aluminum and molybdenum oxide were tested for ignition and combustion behind the incident and reflected shock waves in a shock tube. The powders consisted of approximately 10 μm particles, each of which contained Al and MoO3 mixed by mechanical alloying on the nano-scale. These powders were aluminum rich with composition ratios of 4 : 1, 8 : 1, and 16 : 1 Al : MoO3 by mass. Ignition tests were performed behind incident shocks for temperatures in the range of 900 to 1500 K. From these tests, ignition delay times were obtained, and some information on combustion duration was also derived. Samples were tested in air at 0.2 MPa, and compared against nano-Al, 2.7 μm Al, and 10 μm Al baselines. Ignition results for the baseline Al cases were as expected: 10 μm Al not igniting until 2000 K, 2 μm Al igniting down to ∼1400 K, and n-Al igniting as low as 1150 K. The thermite samples showed considerable improvement in ignition characteristics. At the lowest temperature tested (900 K), both the 8 : 1 and 4 : 1 samples ignited within 250 μs. The 16 : 1 sample (94% Al) ignited down to 1050 K – which represents an improvement of roughly 1000 K over baseline Al with only a small energetic penalty. In all cases, the ignition delay increased as the amount of MoO3 in the composite was reduced. The 4 : 1 nano-composite material ignited as fast or faster than the n-Al samples. Ignition delay increased with decreasing temperature, as expected. Emission spectra and temperature data were also taken for all samples using high-speed pyrometry and time-integrated spectroscopy. In these cases, measurements were made behind the reflected shock using end-wall loading, though the conditions (temperature, pressure, and gas composition) were identical to the incident shock tests. Spectroscopy showed strong AlO features in all the samples, and the spectra fit well to an equilibrium temperature. Broadband, low resolution spectra were also fit to continuum, gray body temperatures. In general, the observed temperatures were reasonably close to 3500 K, which is similar to the combustion temperatures of pure aluminum under these conditions.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass Increases Coronary IL-8 in Diabetic Patients without Evidence of Reperfusion Injury

Abstract Background. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been shown to be a potent agonist for monocyte production of the neutrophil chemotactic cytokine interleukin-8 (IL-8). We have shown that diabetic patients demonstrate elevated coronary ET-1 after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We hypothesized that these same diabetic patients would manifest elevated coronary IL-8 and conjugated diene concentrations (an index of reperfusion injury). Methods. Sixteen patients [9 nondiabetics and 7 type II diabetics] underwent nonemergent CABG. The two groups did not differ significantly in preoperative ejection fraction, number of vessels bypassed, or cross-clamp time. Coronary sinus samples were obtained prior to cardioplegic arrest (baseline) and at 1 and 15 min after reperfusion periods A and B (A, reperfusion of native coronaries + LIMA; B, reperfusion of saphenous vein grafts in addition to native coronary system + LIMA). Plasma samples were analyzed for IL-8 (ELISA) and conjugated dienes (spectrophotometry). Results. Initially after reperfusion, IL-8 in both groups was significantly lower than precardioplegia values. In reperfusion B, only the diabetic group demonstrated a significant increase in IL-8 concentrations at 1 and 15 min compared to nondiabetics. Conjugated diene levels were significantly higher in diabetics at each time point than nondiabetics. Conclusions. This study demonstrates an early decrease in IL-8 in both groups, most likely related to depressed production secondary to hypothermia. The subsequent elevation in IL-8 only in the diabetic group was seen without concomitant conjugated diene elevation. While no evidence of reperfusion injury was demonstrated in this time frame, the elevation of IL-8 in diabetics after CABG may contribute to later infiltration and associated oxidative damage.
Computational analysis of thoracic multidetector row HRCT for segmentation and quantification of small airway air trapping and emphysema in obstructive pulmonary disease.

Rationale and Objectives Obstructive pulmonary disease phenotypes are related to variable combinations of emphysema and small-airway disease, the latter manifested as air trapping (AT) on imaging. The investigators propose a method to extract AT information quantitatively from thoracic multi–detector row high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), validated by pulmonary function testing (PFT) correlation. Materials and Methods Seventeen patients with obstructive pulmonary disease who underwent HRCT and PFT within a 3-day interval were retrospectively identified. Thin-section volumetric HRCT in inspiration and expiration was registered and analyzed using custom-made software. Nonaerated regions of lung were segmented through exclusion of voxels > −50 Hounsfield units (HU); emphysematous areas were segmented as voxels Results A strong positive correlation was obtained between total segmented lung volume in inspiration and total lung capacity ( r = 0.83). A strong negative correlation ( r = −0.80) was obtained between EV and the ratio between forced expiratory volume in 1 second and forced vital capacity. Stronger negative correlation with forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ( r = −0.85) was demonstrated when ATV (threshold, 50 HU) was added to EV, indicating improved quantification of total AT to predict obstructive disease severity. A moderately strong positive correlation between ATV and residual volume was observed, with a maximum r value of 0.72 (threshold, 25 HU), greater than that between EV and residual volume ( r = 0.58). The benefit of ATV quantification was greater in a subgroup of patients with negligible emphysema compared to patients with moderate to severe emphysema. Conclusions Small-airway AT segmentation in conjunction with emphysema segmentation through computer-assisted methodologies may provide better correlations with key PFT parameters, suggesting that the quantification of emphysema-related and small airway–related components of AT from thoracic HRCT has great potential to elucidate phenotypic differences in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
A NEW SPECIES OF EYED SCHIZOMUS (SCHIZOMIDA: SCHIZOMIDAE) FROM JAVA

A new species, Schizomus oculatus, is described from West Java, Indonesia. This species is the first schizomid recorded from Java and the fifth member of the order reported with eyes. Two other species of schizomids, Trithyreus claviger and an unidentified Schizomus sp., are also newly recorded from Java.
Depth-resolved low-coherence backscattering spectroscopy

Although the phenomenon of coherent backscattering (CBS) in non-biological media has generated substantial research interest, observing CBS in biological tissue has been extremely difficult. Thus, this phenomenon has awaited its applications in tissue optics over the last two decades. Here we demonstrate depth-resolved spectroscopic elastic-light scattering measurements in tissue by use of low-coherent backscattering (LCBS) spectroscopy. The depth resolution is achieved by exploiting the nature of the LCBS peak that contains information about a wide range of tissue depths. We further demonstrate that the depth-resolved LCBS spectroscopy has the potential for identifying the location of the origin of precancerous transformations in the colon at an early, previously undetectable stage.
Cervicofacial advancement-rotation flap in midface reconstruction: forward or reverse?

Objective. To present the authors’ experience and outcomes in the reconstruction of midfacial defects using cervicofacial advancement-rotation flaps (CARFs) based on a method of determining forward...
Anesthetic considerations for special thoracic procedures.

Abstract Significant advances have been achieved in surgical and anesthetic techniques for the treatment of patients presenting with a variety of complex intrathoracic lesions. Despite the technologic advances, these patients continue to pose a challenge for anesthesiologists to provide safe and effective clinical care. A thorough understanding of the patient's underlying pathology inclusive of a detailed preoperative evaluation and effective communication between the surgical and anesthesia teams would help to ensure a favorable outcome.
Field Validation of the New Miniature Versatile Aerosol Concentration Enrichment System (mVACES)

Recently a new compact aerosol concentration enrichment system was developed at the University of Southern California, specifically intended to provide particle-laden air at flow rates and pressures suitable for interfacing with on-line continuous aerosol instrumentation for chemical analysis such as mass spectrometers. The re-design and engineering of the miniature Versatile Aerosol Concentration Enrichment System (mVACES) and primarily laboratory-based validation of the individual components and overall system has been previously reported (Geller et al. 2005). From September to December 2005, a field performance validation study of the mVACES was conducted in Los Angeles, California at a mixed urban site influenced by both freeway traffic and construction. A variety of continuous and semi-continuous physical and chemical composition measurements were performed to assess the performance of the mVACES compared to accepted methods for validation. Near-ideal performance for aerosol concentration enhancement...
The p53-regulated cyclin G gene promotes cell growth: p53 downstream effectors cyclin G and Gadd45 exert different effects on cisplatin chemosensitivity.

Abstract Among the p53-regulated genes that have been identified thus far, cyclin G is a relatively recent one. We conducted a series of experiments aimed at elucidating cyclin G function. Ectopic overexpression of cyclin G in human RKO colon carcinoma cells accelerated cell growth. Transfection of normal human fibroblasts with the cyclin G expression vector promoted clonal expansion. Cyclin G immune complexes isolated from the transfected cells exhibited appreciable levels of cyclin-dependent kinase activity, as evidenced using histone H1 as a substrate. The retinoblastoma protein, pRb, was detectable in cyclin G immune complexes, raising the possibility that Rb may be one mediator of cyclin G action. Cyclin G-overexpressing cells were more sensitive to cisplatin cytotoxicity than the parent cells, probably because cyclin G overexpression overrides cell cycle checkpoint(s). Overexpression of another p53-regulated gene,GADD45,by contrast, protected cells from cisplatin killing. These findings suggest that different downstream effectors of the p53 pathway may exert different effects on cellular survival after treatment with cancer chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin.
Parafalcine lesions in the cancer patient: Diagnostic dilemma-meningioma or metastatic lesion?

The authors present two cases that illustrate the difficulty in radiographically distinguishing between meningioma and metastatic lesions in patients with known cancer, especially with a parafalcine tumor location. The first patient with known metastatic prostate cancer had imaging studies suggestive of a parafalcine meningioma, but after surgical resection the lesion was found to be histologically consistent with metastatic disease. Conversely, the second patient was thought to have a metastatic breast cancer lesion in the parafalcine region. This presumptive diagnosis based on imaging findings led the patient to undergo radiosurgery treatment; however, the lesion grew over a several-month course and was eventually resected. The pathological analysis revealed that the tumor was, in fact, a meningioma. Using these cases, as well as an extensive review of the literature, the authors highlight the difficulty in making accurate radiographic diagnosis of dural-based lesions, especially in the parafalcine location, where meningiomas are commonly found but can have multiple entities mimicking their presentation. Caution must be used in managing patients with presumed parafalcine meningiomas or metastatic disease that have no histological diagnosis.
Biochemistry of hydrogen metabolism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii wild type and a Rubisco-less mutant

Abstract Sulfate nutrient-deprivation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii brings about prompt degradation of Rubisco and a concomitant substantial accumulation of starch. These changes precede hydrogen ( H 2 ) photoevolution by the cells. The cause-and-effect relationship between Rubisco loss, starch accumulation and subsequent H 2 -photoevolution in C. reinhardtii, and the role of illumination for these changes to occur, was investigated in this work. A Rubisco-less and acetate-requiring mutant of C. reinhardtii (CC2653) was employed as a tool in this investigation and compared to the wild type (WT) in terms of protein and starch metabolic flux and H 2 -evolution upon sulfur deprivation. Results showed a prompt Rubisco degradation and concomitant 10-fold starch accumulation in the WT in the light, which was completed within 48 h of S-deprivation. This was followed by a regulated starch degradation and concomitant H 2 -photoevolution, which lasted for up to 120 h in S-deprivation. This massive flux of primary metabolites (protein and starch) did not occur in the dark in the WT, suggesting a strictly light-dependent and integrated process in metabolite rearrangement and H 2 -photoevolution in C. reinhardtii. The Rubisco-less CC2653 mutant failed to accumulate starch upon S-deprivation in the light or dark and also failed to evolve H 2 gas. These results suggested a temporal cause-and-effect relationship between the light-dependent catabolism of Rubisco and starch accumulation, and the subsequent ability of the cell to perform a light-dependent starch degradation and H 2 -photoevolution. The regulated starch breakdown in the light apparently provides the endogenous substrate that supports H 2 -evolution, both by feeding electrons into the plastoquinone pool in chloroplasts, and indirectly by sustaining mitochondrial respiration for the maintenance of anaerobiosis in the cell.
A Low-Profile Wireless Passive Temperature Sensor Using Resonator/Antenna Integration Up to 1000 $^{\circ}$ C

A novel wireless temperature sensor is presented herein for high-temperature applications. This sensor is robust in harsh environments using stable materials and purely passive structures. The resonant frequency of the sensor is determined by the temperature-dependent dielectric constant of the substrate material. The temperature can be wirelessly detected by sensing the resonant frequency of the sensor. The integration of the resonator and antenna enables realization of low-profile and compact sensors. Measured resonant frequency of the sensor decreases from 5.12 to 4.74 GHz when the temperature increases from 50°C to 1000°C. This corresponds to a variation of dielectric constant from 9.7 to 11.2 for the alumina substrate. The presented sensor structure is scalable in size or frequency based on the design requirements.
Participation of beta carbon‐silicon bonds in the development of positive charge in five‐membered rings

The development of positive charge β to silicon in a saturated five-membered ring has been studied in the cis- and trans-2-(trimethylsilyl)cyclopentyl trifluoroacetates. The cis substrate solvolyzes in 97% trifluoroethanol at 25° C about 5 times faster than the analogous six-membered ring, after correction for differences in ring strain. The trans substrate solvolyzes about 360 times more slowly than the analogous six-membered ring. These changes are in agreement with a hyperconjugative mechanism for interaction between the silyl group and the developing positive charge. The expected cosine-squared dependence of hyperconjugation on the SiCCX dihedral angle suggests that the cis dihedral angle is reduced somewhat from the 60° in the six-membered ring, and the trans dihedral angle is reduced substantially from the 180° in the six-membered ring.
Positive tissue fluid pressure in the feet of antarctic birds

Abstract Tissue fluid pressure in the web feet of antarctic birds rises from negative to positive during warming (+6 cm H2O per 25°). Fluid pressures in peritonea and thighs remain in a normal negative range irrespective of thermal milieu. Since no edematous swelling is apparent in the feet during warming, web foot compliance is low. The low compliance probably results from the quilted arrangement of connective tissue in the web foot. Cooling of web feet produces a response in fluid pressure opposite to warming. This fall in fluid pressure, however, occurs at a slower rate (−4 cm H2O per 24°). The development of positive fluid pressure probably results from higher web foot blood flow, a thermoregulatory response prevalent in these birds during warming.
Effects of halothane on Ca2+-activated tension development in mechanically disrupted rabbit myocardial fibers.

The effect of halothane on maximal and submaximal Ca2+-activated tension in mechanically disrupted right ventricular papillary muscle from rabbits was studied. Steady-state isometric tension generation was measured in the muscle bundle. The relaxing solution contained (in mM) [mg2+]=1, [K+]=70, [MgATP¨-]=2, [creatine phosphate¨-]=15, [EGTA total]=7 and imidazole proprionate. The contracting solution contained in addition Ca2+ in various concentrations. In all solutions ionic strength was maintained at 0.15 and pH at 7.00±0.02 at 20°C. Each fiber bundle was immersed in control solutions equilibrated with 100% N2 and test solutions equilibrated with various concentrations of halothane-N2 mixture. Increasing doses of halothane (1–4%) significantly shifted the relationship between Ca2+ and tension towards higher [Ca2+] and depressed the maximum Ca2+-activated tension. The maximum tension generated atpCa=3.8 was depressed 5% per 1% increase in halothane concentration. The percentage of maximum tension at submaximum Ca2+ concentrations (pCa=5.6–5.0) was not significantly decreased until halothane concentration was greater than 2%. It is concluded that halothane slightly but significantly depressed the interactions of contractile proteins and to a lesser degree Ca2+-activation of the regulatory proteins. The halothane-induced depression was completely reversible.
A firm-specific analysis of service quality costs

This article seeks to synthesise two disparate views of the cost of quality into one theory. The two views of quality are that higher quality costs more and that higher quality can eliminate certain costs thereby reducing total costs. The theory promulgated by this paper proposes that both views are true but each applies to a different dimension of quality. This theory is tested by examining the cost of improved quality of a truckload carrier's customer service. A transcendental logarithmic cost function, which includes a variable for each dimension of quality, is estimated to test the hypotheses that the physical capacity dimension of quality is directly related to costs and the human performance dimension of quality is inversely related to costs. Results of this estimation support the two hypotheses and give carrier managers an idea of how much it should cost or save them to improve either of the two dimensions of service quality.
The impact of drug-induced QT interval prolongation on drug discovery and development

During the past decade, a number of non-cardiovascular drugs have had their label revised or have been withdrawn from the market because of unexpected post-marketing reports of sudden cardiac death associated with a prolongation of the QT interval, and an increased propensity to develop a ventricular tachyarrhythmia called Torsades de Pointes. Although a direct link between QT interval prolongation and arrhythmogenesis is still unclear, QT prolongation is now the subject of increased regulatory review and is considered a significant risk factor for predicting human safety of New Chemical Entities. Consequently, pharmaceutical companies are striving to improve the drug discovery and development process to identify, as early as possible, the risk of novel agents, or their metabolites, of causing QT interval prolongation and to make appropriate go/no-go decisions or modify their development programme accordingly.
Current situation of energy conservation in high energy-consuming industries in Taiwan

Abstract Growing concern in Taiwan has arisen about energy consumption and its adverse environmental impact. The current situation of energy conservation in high energy-consuming industries in Taiwan, including the iron and steel, chemical, cement, pulp and paper, textiles and electric/electrical industries has been presented. Since the energy consumption of the top 100 energy users (T100) comprised over 50% of total industry energy consumption, focusing energy consumption reduction efforts on T100 energy users can achieve significant results. This study conducted on-site energy audits of 314 firms in Taiwan during 2000–2004, and identified potential electricity savings of 1,022,656 MWH, fuel oil savings of 174,643 kiloliters (KL), steam coal savings of 98,620 ton, and natural gas (NG) savings of 10,430 kilo cubic meters. The total potential energy saving thus was 489,505 KL of crude oil equivalent (KLOE), representing a reduction of 1,447,841 ton in the carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the annual carbon dioxide absorption capacity of a 39,131-ha plantation forest.
The Scalpel's Edge: The Culture of Surgeons

The Scalpel's Edge: The Culture of Surgeons. Pearl Katz. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 1999. xii. 251 pp.
Language training and some mechanisms of social and internal control

Typically, in the treatment or education of the severely developmentally disabled, the therapist must consider a wide range of behavioral deficits as possible targets of the intervention. Despite the large array of possible treatment objectives, the core of these remedial attempts often is instruction in the language area. Much effort has been devoted to the building of syntax and meaning into the language repertoire of the developmentally disabled, and a great deal of success has been achieved in these areas. Although this emphasis on language instruction is a regularly occurring practice, little attention has been given to its impetus or validity. That is, the justification for the teaching of these skills, however successful the efforts have been, has not been sufficiently examined. One apparent justification for the emphasis on language programming derives from its consideration as an efficient means for achieving rapid and expanded cognitive and social development. In this way, language is viewed as a set of responses pivotal to change in a broader range of responses. This pivotal response notion pertains to treatment situations in which it is not possible, for practical and logical reasons, to modify all of an individual's behavioral difficulties. As an alternative, the therapist has to target a limited set of behaviors for intervention, anticipating that changes brought about in the restricted set will facilitate change in a larger set of behaviors. In other words, the therapist wants to construct a curriculum for working on behaviors which show maximal response generalization. Such behaviors are considered pivotal responses in that they are pivotal or instrumental in bringing about generalized behavior change.
Acute rejection following cardiac transplantation. Phonocardiographic and ultrasound observations.

Phonocardiographic and ultrasound observations of acute rejection following cardiac transplantation, considering rejection treatment at early stage
Predictors of Elderly Happiness

This paper examines the influence of social variables on the happiness of non-institutionalized elderly citizens. Foremost, the living arrangements of the elderly (living alone, living with a spouse, or living with a child or relative) are examined to determine if this affects the Level of Happiness of the elderly. The dependent variable was measured using the Life Satisfaction Index from the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development (CSHAD) and the Older American Resources and Services (OARS). This index has been used for elderly research since 1978. The sample was 98 individuals age 65 and over who primarily reside in the Monmouth County, New Jersey area. Using 2-sample independent T-tests, the results showed that the order of preferred living arrangements were Living With One's Spouse, Living Alone, and Living With One's Children. Using Pearson r-correlation coefficient tests, the independent variables of health, marital status, and religious commitment were found to be significantly correlat...
Impact of UPFC on power system reliability considering its cyber vulnerability

The unified power flow controller (UPFC) has attracted much attention recently because of its capability in controlling the active and reactive power flows. The normal operation of UPFC is dependent on both its physical part and the associated cyber system. Thus malicious cyber attacks may impact the reliability of UPFC. As more information and communication technologies are being integrated into the current power grid, more frequent occurrences of cyber attacks are possible. In this paper, the cyber architecture of UPFC is analyzed, and the possible attack scenarios are considered and discussed. Based on the interdependency of the physical part and the cyber part, an integrated reliability model for UPFC is proposed and analyzed. The impact of UPFC on the overall system reliability is examined, and it is shown that cyber attacks against UPFC may yield an adverse influence.
FLUCTUATIONS IN HYPOTHALAMIC LH-RF (LUTEINIZING HORMONE-RELEASING FACTOR) DURING THE RAT ESTROUS CYCLE.

A study has been made of changes in LH-RF content of the rat hypothalamus during the various phases of the estrous cycle. Normally cyclic female Sprague- Dawley rats under a regimen of 14 hr of light and 10 hr of darkness were killed at different times of day during each of the stages of the cycle. The stalk-median eminence region (SME) of the hypothalamus was quickly dissected out, extracted in O.1N HC1 and boiled for 10 min. The supernate was tested for LHreleasing activity in immature Holtzman rats by a variant of the Parlow LH method: the ovarian ascorbic acid depletion induced by the extract was considered the index of LH-RF. The amount of LH-RF present in the SME during late proestrus and early estrus was significantly lower than at other times during the cycle. The drop in SME LH-RF occurred later than the critical period of the day of proestrus, during which there is evidence for the release of pituitary LH. It is postulated that released pituitary LH in the plasma may exert a negative internal fe...
Note on asymptotically good packings

Given <k<n, a partial Steiner (n, k, )-system is a family of k-element subsets of an n-element set such that every -element subset is contained in at most one member of . The second author, followed by several others, verified a conjecture of P. Erdős and H. Hanani stating that, for every n, there exists a partial Steiner (n, k, )-system of size . While all known proofs involve the “semi-random method”, in this short manuscript we use an algebraic construction (European J Combin 16(1) (1995), 35–40; Problems Control Inform Theory/Problemy Upravlen Teor Inform 12(1) (1983), 3–10) and complement it by an elementary counting argument to obtain a simple proof of the above fact. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 17: 448–455, 2009
Neuroplasticity in the smooth muscle of the myenterically and extrinsically denervated rat jejunum.

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of two different denervation procedures on the distribution of nerve fibers and neurotransmitter levels in the rat jejunum. Extrinsic nerves were eliminated by crushing the mesenteric pedicle to a segment of jejunum. The myenteric plexus and extrinsic nerves were eliminated by serosal application of the cationic surfactant benzyldimethyltetradecylammonium chloride (BAC). The effects of these two denervation procedures were evaluated at 15 and 45 days. The level of norepinephrine in whole segments of jejunum was initially reduced by more than 76% after both denervation procedures, but by 45 days the level of norepinephrine was the same as in control tissue. Tyrosine hydroxylase (nor-adrenergic nerve marker) immunostaining was absent at 15 days, but returned by 45 days. However, the pattern of noradrenergic innervating axons was altered in the segment deprived of myenteric neurons. Immunohistochemical studies showed protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5)-immunoreactive fibers in whole-mount preparations of the circular smooth muscle in the absence of the myenteric plexus and extrinsic nerves. At 45 days, the number of nerve fibers in the circular smooth muscle increased. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-immunoreactive fibers, a subset of the PGP 9.5 nerve fibers, were present in the circular smooth muscle at both time points examined. Choline acetyltransferase (CAT) activity and VIP and leucine enkephalin levels were measured in separated smooth muscle and submucosa-musosal layers of the denervated jejunum. VIP and leucine-enkephalin levels were no different from control in tissue that was extrinsically denervated alone. However, the levels of these peptides were elevated two-fold in the smooth muscle 15 and 45 days after myenteric and extrinsic denervation. In the submucosa-mucosa, VIP and leucine enkephalin levels also were elevated two-fold at 15 days, but comparable to control at 45 days. CAT activity was equal to control in the smooth muscle but elevated two-fold in the submucosa-mucosa at both times. These results provide evidence for innervation of the circular smooth muscle by the submucosal plexus. Moreover, these nerve fibers originating from the submucosal plexus proliferate in the absence of the myenteric plexus. Furthermore, the myenteric neurons appear to be essential for normal innervation of the smooth muscle by the sympathetic nerve fibers. It is speculated that the sprouting of the submucosal plexus induced by myenteric plexus ablation is mediated by increased production of trophic factors in the hyperplastic smooth muscle.
A Synthesis of Research on the Characteristics of Teacher Educators.

Although teacher educators have not been the focus of extensive research ef forts, a body of knowledge about them is beginning to emerge. Troyer sum marizes the research conducted during the past two decades that focuses on teacher educators and suggests areas in need of additional study.
A new method for selection of population distribution and parameter estimation

Abstract An optimization method for parameter estimation is presented with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov distance used as the objective. A step-by-step implementation procedure is given. The method is demonstrated by estimating the parameters for three-parameter Weibull distributions from three different samples (with different sample sizes). A comparison of the proposed method and the usual methods such as the least-squares method, the matching moments method and the maximum likelihood method shows that more reasonable estimates of the parameters are given by the proposed optimization method. Then, the proposed method is successfully extended to estimate the parameters for the sum of two three-parameter Weibull distributions. Based on these findings, a new procedure for selection of population distribution and parameter estimation is presented.
Sonochemical degradation of cyclic nitroxides in aqueous solution.

Abstract The sonochemical degradation of eight five- and six-membered nitroxides has been studied by EPR spectroscopy after exposure to ultrasound at a frequency of 354 kHz in argon-saturated aqueous solution. Concentration vs. time profiles do not follow a simple rate law. Octanol/water partition functions have been determined for all eight nitroxides, and an excellent linear correlation has been found between initial decomposition rates and hydrophobicity (log K octanol/water ). Variation of initial rate with concentration was investigated for one compound (TEMPONE) and is largely consistent with an equilibrium distribution of substrate between bulk solution and the gas/liquid interface.
The Timing of Land Development: An Invariance Result

The Arrow-Fisher-Henry (AFH) analysis of land development under uncertainty has been conducted in a two-period model. Recently, Capozza and Helsley (1990) and Batabyal (1995) have addressed the question of land development under uncertainty in a many-period setting. In this paper, aspects of this literature are extended by analyzing the land development question in a Markov decision theoretic framework. Inter alia, it is shown that the timing of land development is invariant to the manner in which a landowner uses information about the consequences of development.
Take a cold flower.

Recent work shows that one pathway to flowering involves a complex that modulates the chromatin structure of the flowering repressor FLOWERING LOCUS C and that a component of this flowering complex is also involved in regulation of a cold-response gene.
Attitude Change Through Training in Industry

In the last fifteen or twenty years there has been a considerable increase in supervisory training in industry. A large variety of courses ranging in content from Human Relations to Mathematics are given. Many of these courses do not aim to impart specific facts, figures, or formulae. Instead, the aim is to change the attitudes of the supervisor in relation to some aspect of the industry's operations. They aim, for example, at having him acquire a person-centered rather than a production-centered attitude in his dealings with his subordinates, or a positive attitude towards the free enterprise system, or toward certain aspects of top management policy.
An electrophysiological study of sound sensitive neurons in the ‘Primitive ear’ of Acheta domesticus

Crickets have two types of mechanisms for the reception of environmental sounds: (1)the tympanal organs in the two forelegs and (2) the freely articulated setal receptors on the abdominal ceri. The cereal setal receptors have hitherto received much less experimental attention as decoders of biologically significant sounds than have the tympano-receptors. In the present study the cereal auditory system of Acheta domesticus was examined electrophysiologically to determine its auditory frequency sensitivity, the tuning characteristics of individual units, and the synchronization between nerve impulses and stimulus frequency. Both pre- and postsynaptic units were examined in the fifth abdominal ganglion; several of the observed response patterns were compared with those of homologous cereal sensory neurons in Periplaneta americana. The results show that (1) A. domesticus possesses an elaborate array of cereal receptors which are highly sensitive to sounds, (2) the cereal setal receptors are more sensitive and numerous in the cricket than in the cockroach, and (3) the cereal auditory system can decode stimulus information by narrow tuning in individual cells and by synchronous discharge patterns; firing frequencies range up to 300 Hz in presynaptic sensory units and 60 Hz in the postsynaptic giants. The response patterns were related to the structure of the receptor and the behavioural adaptations of the insect.
One-dimensional dynamics of zonal jets on rapidly rotating spherical shells

Abstract A one-dimensional dynamical model is derived which represents the evolution of mean zonal flow on a rapidly rotating spherical shell. This model is discussed and analyzed with reference to large-scale jet dynamics observed in geophysical and astrophysical systems. The reduced amplitude equation is obtained from a base model consisting of an equatorially forced Kolmogorov flow through application of an asymptotic expansion augmented by a closure hypothesis. This method of derivation allows one to generalize previous β-plane results obtained in the limit of weakly supercritical Reynold’s number by expanding the parameter range covered by the reduced model and by incorporating the effects of sphericity. Higher order spherical harmonic forcing functions with strong latitude–longitude anisotropy may generate emergent jet patterns which are confined in latitude on the slow scale. Both the spherical equation and β-plane analogues are numerically analyzed with a quadratic finite element discretization. No Lyapunov functional exists for the spherical case and chaotic dynamics are generated for some parameter values by processes associated with spatial variation in forcing amplitude. Oscillations can also occur at the boundaries in β-plane dynamics if one imposes a sharp transition between a homogeneously forced interior flow region and a damped exterior flow region. The nontrivial time dependence is explained in further analyses of a simplified damped Cahn–Hilliard-like equation in which spatial modulation is introduced in the form of a self-adjoint diffusion operator. Complex dynamics result because a damped Cahn–Hilliard jet formation process occurs coupled to a spatially inhomogeneous advection process.
Viability of retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve crush in adult rats

The response of retinal ganglion cells to optic nerve crush was examined in the hooded rat. Intracranial nerve crush produces a transient shrinkage of the retinal ganglion cells during the first several weeks postoperatively but partial recovery of cell size then appears to occur. This transient response is considered to be a direct response to axotomy. Retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is clearly demonstrated at 2 weeks postoperatively. Transport of newly synthesized protein progressively decreases over the first 2 postoperative months. The ganglion cell therefore retains viability for at least the first few weeks after axotomy. Loss of 60% of the neurons in the ganglion cell layer occurs between 3 and 7 months postoperatively. This late occurring retrograde response is considered to result at least in part from loss of sustaining trophic influences rather than as a direct result of the lesion.