cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Marrow engraftment of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells is independent of Gαi-coupled chemokine receptors

Abstract The mechanism of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) homing to hematopoietic organs after transplantation is still poorly understood. There is evidence that HSPC homing is a multistep process involving integrins and other adhesion molecules as well as stimulation of cytokine and chemokine receptors, similar to the process of lymphocyte recirculation and leukocyte emigration. This study examined the effect of pertussis toxin (PT), an inhibitor of signaling by many G α i protein-coupled chemokine receptors, on engraftment of HSPC. An in vitro incubation of total bone marrow cells in PT-supplemented media prior to transplantation into lethally irradiated syngeneic mice resulted in an increase in marrow repopulation and a parallel decrease of colony-forming unit-spleen (CFU-S) on day 13. PT treatment of Rh low Lineage neg Sca-1 pos cells prior to transplant resulted in delayed spleen cell engraftment, but no observable difference in the bone marrow cellularity compared to animals transplanted with untreated cells. FACS analysis of hematopoietic organs revealed that myeloid cell recovery in the bone marrow was unaffected by PT treatment of HSPC. However, a reduced myeloid cell recovery in the spleen and an increased B lymphoid recovery in both the spleen and the bone marrow were observed in recipients of PT-treated grafts relative to untreated grafts. To test the hypothesis that PT inhibits proliferation rather than engraftment of HSPC in the spleen, the effect of PT on cytokine-stimulated proliferation of HSPC was tested. Although an inhibition of the growth of microcolonies in response to interleukin 6 as a single cytokine could be observed after PT treatment, colony growth of HSPC after steel factor or steel factor + interleukin 6 stimulation was unaffected by PT. This study demonstrates that bone marrow, but not splenic, recovery after HSPC transplantation is independent of PT-sensitive mechanisms. It is likely that PT inhibits spleen cell recovery by disrupting a Gα i -coupled homing receptor expressed by HSPC. These studies support the hypothesis that distinct mechanisms regulate splenic vs bone marrow engraftment of HSPC, and that B lymphocyte progenitors and HSPC can utilize a PT-resistant homing mechanism to localize in hematopoietic tissues after transplantation.
The impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on plant growth following herbivory: A search for pattern

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can facilitate nutrient uptake and increase host plant growth but also place constraints on the host's carbon budget. When plants are stressed by herbivory the net effect of the symbiosis may be altered tolerance. Individual experiments manipulating AM fungi and herbivory have demonstrated increased, decreased, and no effect on tolerance but patterns with respect to plant, herbivore, or fungus characteristics have not emerged. Meta-analysis of published results from factorial experiments was used to describe the size of the effects of herbivory and of AM fungi on host growth when factors such as cause of damage, inoculum, and host characteristics are considered, and to determine whether AM fungi alter the effects of herbivory. Also, the correlation between the effect of AM fungi on tolerance and resistance was tested with data from studies that examined insect performance. Herbivory strongly and consistently reduced shoot and root growth, especially in perennial plants and crops. AM fungi increased shoot growth of perennials but not annuals, and when insects caused damage but not when artificial defoliation was applied. Root growth was consistently greater with AM fungi. The interaction of AM fungi and herbivory, which indicates whether AM fungi alter the effects of herbivory, was variable and never significant overall but homogeneity tests indicated underlying structure. In experiments that used single species inoculum, Glomus intraradices increased, whereas Glomus mosseae reduced, effects of herbivory on shoot growth. Multispecies inocula magnified effects of herbivory on root growth whereas single species inocula ameliorated effects. The impact of AM fungi on resistance to herbivory was positively correlated with the impact on tolerance; however AM fungi reduced both tolerance and resistance in many cases. Review of these results with respect to the types of systems studied suggests directions for future investigation.
Temporomandibular joint devices: Treatment factors and outcomes

TMJ devices have been used for many years in reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The most common endosseous implant currently used in TMJ reconstruction is a mini-anchor that is placed in the posterior head of the condyle to support artificial ligaments to stabilize the articular disk in the proper position. A 2-year follow-up study shows a success rate of 90% in reference to incisal opening, jaw and occlusal stability, and significant reduction in presurgical pain level. Some materials that have been used in TMJ reconstruction, including Proplast-Teflon (PT) and Silastic devices, have caused devastating problems for patients. These materials, (particularly the PT) can cause severe foreign-body giant-cell reaction, severe bone and soft-tissue destruction, and migration of particles to other body areas, and may initiate or exacerbate connective tissue and autoimmune disease problems. Christensen joint prosthesis has been reported to have very good success in TMJ reconstruction. The most thoroughly studied TMJ total joint device is the Techmedica custom-made total joint prosthesis, with a 5-year follow-up study on 31 patients and 52 reconstructed joints. All patients have functioning prostheses with good jaw and occlusal stability and an average pain reduction of 4.4 points on a 0-to-10 visual analog pain scale. However, this device currently is unavailable. In complex cases requiring multiple TMJ operations, particularly those with previously failed alloplast, a custom-made total joint prosthesis, using materials with proven safety and efficacy in orthopedic joint reconstruction, may be the only option available to improve predictably the quality of life of these patients.
Artificial cartilage: weaving in three dimensions.

Despite great expectations, artificial cartilage constructs still represent a challenge for tissue engineers. A three-dimensional fibre–hydrogel material provides a breathrough in the design of scaffolds with mechanical properties that match those of native cartilage.
Knowledge acquisition from multiple experts: Problems and issues

Abstract Expert (or knowledge-based) systems are used today either as stand-alone or in conjunction with other computer-based information systems (CBIS) in thousands of organizations worldwide. Often these systems emulate situations in which the advice of several experts is needed or the knowledge required for the systems is so complex that different expert opinions are needed to establish and verify the knowledge base. Also, experts may be geographically dispersed so that it is difficult to find times to meet together. For all these reasons, knowledge engineers may need to acquire knowledge from multiple experts. The purpose of this article is to review the various problems and issues, including approaches to using experts, tools and techniques, and the benefits and limitations from working with multiple experts.
Key aspects of how the brain learns

This chapter presents a brain-based model of adult learning and connects the model to practice.
Determination of properties of graded materials by inverse analysis and instrumented indentation

Abstract In this paper, a new measurement procedure based on inverse analysis and instrumented micro-indentation is introduced. The inverse analysis is utilized to extract information from indented load–displacement data beyond usual parameters such as elastic modulus. For the initial implementation of this procedure, determination of non-linear functionally graded materials (FGMs) parameters is considered. In FGMs, the compositional profile and the effective mechanical property through the thickness are essential in verifying the fabrication process and estimating residual stresses and failure strengths. However, due to spatial variation of their properties, it is often difficult or costly to make direct measurements of these parameters. In order to alleviate the difficulties associated with testing of FGMs, we propose an effective but simple procedure based on the inverse analysis which relies solely on instrumented micro-indentation records. More specifically, the Kalman filter technique, which was originally introduced for signal/digital filter processing, is used to estimate FGM through-thickness compositional variation and a rule-of-mixtures parameter that defines effective properties of FGMs. Essentially, the inverse analysis processes the indented displacement record at several load magnitudes and attempts to make best estimates of the unknown parameters. Our feasibility study shows promising results when combined data from two differently sized indenters are employed. The procedure proposed is also applicable in estimating other physical and mechanical properties of any coating/layered materials.
THE RADIOACTIVE DECAY OF TUNGSTEN 181

Using tungsten enriched in mass 180, neutron capture produces a strong activity in ${\mathrm{W}}^{181}$ with a half-life of about 140 days. Using scintillation crystal and photographic magnetic spectrometers, two gamma rays of energy 136.5 and 152.5 kev are found to occur. Neither of these had been previously observed and conversely none of the previously reported gamma energies are found to exist. The main decay of ${\mathrm{W}}^{181}$ takes place by $K$ capture directly to the ground state of ${\mathrm{Ta}}^{181}$. Coincidence measurements are made with some evidence that the gamma rays are in sequence.
Responses of Nesting Bobolinks (Dolichonyx Oryzivorus) to Habitat Edges

Abstract Avoidance of habitat edges may be contributing to reduced densities of grass-land birds in small habitat patches. Nest densities for grassland-nesting Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) were much lower than expected within 25 m of forest edges at three sites in New York, and that pattern (“edge avoidance”) extended to 100 m at one site. Nests located within 50 m of forest or wooded hedgerow edges had lower daily survival rates, compared with nests ≥100 m from any habitat edge. Bobolinks tended to move away from forest edges when renesting after nest failure; that pattern was especially evident in females that placed their first nest within 50 m of a forest or wooded hedgerow edge. Second nests of all seven of those females were farther from that edge type than their first nests. However, nest placement in relation to wooded edges did not vary significantly between years for those philopatric females nesting at our study sites for more than one year. Bobolinks also avoided nesting near road edges, ...
Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate in Legionella pneumophila, an energy source for survival in low-nutrient environments.

Chloroform-soluble material was extracted from two strains of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 following growth in continuous culture. The purified material was identified as poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. PHB yields of up to 16% of cell dry weight were extracted from culture samples. The PHB was located in electron-dense intracellular inclusions, which fluoresced bright yellow when stained with the lipophilic dye Nile red. A Nile red spectrofluorometric assay provided a more accurate and reliable determination of the PHB content. PHB accumulation increased threefold during iron-limited culture and was inversely related to the concentration of iron metabolized. Chemostat-grown cells survived in a culturable state for at least 600 days when incubated at 24°C in a low-nutrient tap water environment. Nile red spectrofluorometry and flow cytometry demonstrated that PHB reserves were utilized during starvation. PHB utilization, as revealed by the decline in mean cellular fluorescence and cell complexity, correlated with loss of culturability. Fluorescence microscopy provided visual evidence of PHB utilization, with a marked reduction in the number of Nile red-stained granules during starvation. Heat shock treatment failed to resuscitate nonculturable cells. This study demonstrates that L. pneumophila accumulates significant intracellular reserves of PHB, which promote its long-term survival under conditions of starvation.
Attention shifts or volatile representations: What causes binding deficits in visual working memory?

The current study tested two hypotheses of feature binding memory: The attention hypothesis, which suggests that attention is needed to maintain feature bindings in visual working memory (VWM) and the volatile representation hypothesis, which suggests that feature bindings in memory are volatile and easily overwritten, but do not require sustained attention. Experiment 1 tested the attention hypothesis by measuring shifts of overt attention during the study array of a change detection task; serial shifts of attention did not disrupt feature bindings. Experiments 2 and 3 encouraged encoding of more volatile (Experiment 2) or durable (Experiment 3) representations during the study array. Binding change detection performance was impaired in Experiment 2, but not in Experiment 3, suggesting that binding performance is impaired when encoding supports a less durable memory representation. Together, these results suggest that although feature bindings may be volatile and easily overwritten, attention is not requ...
Bioinspiration: Applying Mechanical Design to Experimental Biology

The production of bioinspired and biomimetic constructs has fostered much collaboration between biologists and engineers, although the extent of biological accuracy employed in the designs produced has not always been a priority. Even the exact definitions of "bioinspired" and "biomimetic" differ among biologists, engineers, and industrial designers, leading to confusion regarding the level of integration and replication of biological principles and physiology. By any name, biologically-inspired mechanical constructs have become an increasingly important research tool in experimental biology, offering the opportunity to focus research by creating model organisms that can be easily manipulated to fill a desired parameter space of structural and functional repertoires. Innovative researchers with both biological and engineering backgrounds have found ways to use bioinspired models to explore the biomechanics of organisms from all kingdoms to answer a variety of different questions. Bringing together these biologists and engineers will hopefully result in an open discourse of techniques and fruitful collaborations for experimental and industrial endeavors.
Soft‐tissue sarcomas other than rhabdomyosarcoma in children

Forty-seven children with nonrhabdomyosarcomatous soft-tissue sarcomas (NRSTS) were treated by the Hematology-Oncology Service at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, between 1958 and 1990. The male: female ratio was 1:1, and the median age was 11 years (3 weeks-16 years). A preexisting condition was found in 9/47 (19%) patients including neurofibromatosis (3), Down's syndrome (1), spina bifida (1), congenital facial asymmetry (1), giant pigmented nevus (1), juvenile onset diabetes mellitus (1), and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (1). The site of primary tumor was head and neck (3), trunk (33), and extremities (11). Twenty-four patients (51%) have survived free of disease with a median follow-up of 5 years (4 months-22 years). No patient whose disease recurred achieved a second remission. Of the 19 patients with group I disease, 16 (84%) survived free of disease. Wide excision of the primary tumor, with no microscopic residual disease, was associated with the greatest chance of disease-freesurvival.
Urban-Rural Variations in the Structure of Manufacturing Production

This paper demonstrates that recent attempts to explain manufacturing shifts to nonmetropolitan areas can be synthesised into a capital vintage model of production. The result is a set of systematic differences between urban and rural production methods which are consistent with the locational implications of the manufacturing process cycle theory. The model is supported by the first comprehensive estimation of separate production functions for SMSAs and nonmetropolitan areas. Using Census data for the US from 1977, only SMSAs are shown to possess the significant agglomeration economies needed for product development and process innovation. Cost-competitive nonmetropolitan areas show much greater variation in input proportions due to spatial factor price differentials.
Feature congestion: a measure of display clutter

Management of clutter is an important factor in the design of user interfaces and information visualizations, allowing improved usability and aesthetics. However, clutter is not a well defined concept. In this paper, we present the Feature Congestion measure of display clutter. This measure is based upon extensive modeling of the saliency of elements of a display, and upon a new operational definition of clutter. The current implementation is based upon two features: color and luminance contrast. We have tested this measure on maps that observers ranked by perceived clutter. Results show good agreement between the observers' rankings and our measure of clutter. Furthermore, our measure can be used to make design suggestions in an automated UI critiquing tool.
How does honest costly signaling work

The honesty of animal communication has long been disputed and continues to be largely associated with the "handicap principle," in which strategic costs are paid by signalers in order to maintain signal honesty. Recently, several manuscripts have forcefully made the point that costly signaling models do not require handicaps (realized signal costs) to be paid by signalers. The aim of the present manuscript is to reiterate, clarify, and develop some of those ideas. Although the message that handicaps are not necessary for honest signaling seems to have been readily accepted, the point that handicaps are also not sufficient for honest signaling has been less well understood by the communication community. I argue that the central separation should not be between "handicaps" and "other" mechanisms such as "indices" and "punishment of cheaters." Indices, for example, are in fact a trivial exemplar of costly signaling, in which the cost functions associated with exhibiting a greater level of signal of signal expression are simply infinite. I advocate that the essential distinction is between circumstances where there is alignment of interest between signaler and receiver and those where there is not. I reenforce the view that the current focus on measuring the realized costs of signals ("handicaps") is misplaced, as without further constraints the costly signaling paradigm makes no predictions about whether honest signalers pay strategic costs for giving their own signals. Rather, it only predicts potential costs for individuals giving dishonest signals—costs that are often not paid in an honest system.
Ambivalence over Participatory Planning within a Progressive Regime: Waterfront Planning in Philadelphia.

Notwithstanding the trend toward increased citizen participation in planning, many city governments, even those led by avowedly progressive regimes, are ambivalent about popular empowerment in practice. This case study of waterfront planning in Philadelphia explores how a progressive administration responded to earlier initiatives to expand participatory planning by scaling back outreach efforts, co-opting citizen advocacy, and managing public forums in ways that dampened critical reflection and deliberation. The article documents the limitations of relying on the good intentions of progressive administrations and the need for firm rules and mandates for citizen participation through the duration of a planning process.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the hard palate mucosa and buccal gingiva associated with AIDS.

2. Moore KL: Clinically Oriented Anatomy. Baltimore, Williams & Wilkins, 1980. p 1105 3. Guernsey LH: Fractures of the hyoid bone. Oral Surg 12:242, 1954 4. Olmstead EG: Fractures of the hyoid bone. Arch Otolaryngol 49:266, 1949 5. Whyte AM: Fracture of the hyoid bone associated with a mandibular fracture. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 43:805, 1985 6. Garf C: Laceration of the pharynx with fracture of the hyoid bone. Report of a case and discussion. J Trauma 9:812, 1969 7. Papavasiliou CG, Speas CJ: Fracture of the hyoid bone. Radiology 72:872, 1959 8. Krekorian EA: Perforation of the pharynx with fracture of the hyoid bone. Ann Otol Rhino1 Laryngol73:583. 1964 9. Eliachar I. Goldsher M, et al: Hyoid bone fractures with pharyngeal lacerations. J Laryngol Otol 94:331. 1980 IO. Gregersen M, Vesterby A: latrogenic fractures of the hyoid bone and the thyroid cartilage. A case report. Forensic Sci Int l7:41. 1981 I I. Doig VP: Perforated Esophagus-An acute emergency. Harper Hospital Bulletin 17:302. 1959
National Prostate Cancer Screening Rates After the 2012 US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Discouraging Prostate-Specific Antigen–Based Screening

Purpose In 2012, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) discouraged prostate-specific antigen (PSA) –based prostate cancer screening. Previous USPSTF recommendations did not appreciably alter prostate cancer screening. Therefore, we designed a trend analysis to determine the population-based impact of the 2012 recommendation. Methods The nationally representative National Health Interview Survey was used to estimate the proportion of men age 40 years and older who saw a physician and were screened for prostate cancer in 2013. An externally validated 9-year mortality index was used to analyze screening rates based on remaining life expectancy. Screening rates from 2005, 2010, and 2013 were compared using logistic regression. Results PSA-based screening did not significantly change from 2010 to 2013 among 40- to 49-year-old men (from 12.5% to 11.2%; P = .4). Screening rates significantly declined in men age 50 to 59 years (from 33.2% to 24.8%; P < .01), age 60 to 74 years (from 51.2% to 43.6%; P < ....
Adaptive control of redundant manipulators via pseudovariables

An approach to resolving redundancy and controlling redundant manipulators in a unified manner is proposed. The redundancy is resolved by imposed additional constraints on the redundant arm's motion. The constraints may be physical constraints, or they can arise from necessary conditions for an optimization problem. The dynamical model of the redundant manipulator is described in a reduced-order space. A control architecture is specified based on the reduced-order model. An adaptive controller is proposed to account for inaccurate parameters in the dynamical model. A study on the global stability of the algorithm is presented. >
Path Analysis of Attitudinal, Dispositional, and Situational Predictions in Impression Formation:

Interpersonal predictions of 126 male subjects and 159 female subjects were analyzed for inferential development using a path model. Task attraction was the predominant extended inference; character impression served as the intermediary dispositional inference. The paths for this development differed for males and females.
Hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila melanogaster : the relationship between the P – M and I – R interaction systems

Two systems of hybrid dysgenesis, the P – M system and the I – R system, are characterized by two different specific types of non-reciprocal hybrid sterility referred to, respectively, as GD and SF sterility. In order to determine the relationship between these two systems, strains representative of the four single-system interactive types were crossed in almost all possible combinations and tested for both types of sterility. The results suggest that the two systems are at least partially independent of one another. There are several examples of single strains that contribute the maternal component for interaction in the P – M system and contribute the paternal component in the I – R system. Using parents with the potential for the two types of interaction and. appropriate temperature manipulation, both GD and SF sterility can be manifested in the same hybrid females. In other crosses, a single type of sterility is observed, or none at all, according to the dual designation of the parental strains. The evidence from a number of additional crosses suggests that most strains of this species have the potential for both types of interaction to varying degrees when mated in appropriate combinations. Some theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.
Counterregulation of Hypoglycemia: Skeletal Muscle Glycogen Metabolism During Three Hours of Physiological Hyperinsulinemia in Humans

We examined the role of skeletal muscle in counterregulation of hypoglycemia (3.4 +/- 0.1 mmol/l) in 12 nondiabetic individuals (age 26 +/- 1 years, body mass index 24.2 +/- 0.7 kg/m2) during physiological hyperinsulinemia (280 +/- 25 pmol/l) compared with euglycemia (4.8 +/- 0.1 mmol/l). During hypoglycemia, hepatic glucose output (3-[3H]-glucose) was greater (7.72 +/- 2.72 mumol.kg-1.min-1, P < 0.01), glucose uptake was approximately 49% lower (21.20 +/- 3.55 mumol.kg-1.min-1, P < 0.005), and glucose clearance was reduced (P < 0.002) compared with euglycemia. Rates of flux of plasma-derived glucosyl units through glycolysis were similar in the two experiments, while glycogen synthetic rates were significantly reduced during hypoglycemia (P < 0.01) and accounted entirely for the reduction in glucose disposal. The insulin-induced activation of skeletal muscle glycogen synthase (reflected by Km decline by approximately 50% from 0.408 +/- 0.056 mmol/l and fractional velocity increase by approximately twofold from 21.8 +/- 2.7%) was completely abolished in hypoglycemia. In concert, glycogen phosphorylase activity increased during hypoglycemia by approximately 40% (P = 0.0001). Hypoglycemia resulted in seven- to eightfold increments in plasma epinephrine (P < 0.0001) and growth hormone (P < 0.001) and 40-60% increments in plasma glucagon (P < 0.005) and cortisol (P < 0.05). We conclude that, in this model of mild hypoglycemia of moderate duration, the majority of the glucose made available during the counterregulatory process (approximately 60-70%) is due to the limitation of glucose disposal, mostly via decreased glycogen synthetic activity in skeletal muscle.
EFFECTS OF A PREDATOR ON PREY METAMORPHOSIS: PLASTIC RESPONSES BY PREY OR SELECTIVE MORTALITY?

Models for organisms with complex life cycles predict decreased size at, and altered time to, metamorphosis for organisms experiencing greater mortality rate during the larval stages. We tested this prediction by exposing larvae of the tree hole mosquito, Aedes triseriatus, to predation by the mosquito Toxorhynchites rutilus in a series of five experiments. Populations both sympatric and allopatric to the predator were tested, and meta-analysis was used to synthesize the results of all experiments, and to test for heterogeneity of effects of actual vs. perceived predation (predator unable to kill prey). In the presence of this predator, A. triseriatus from both sympatric and allopatric populations had lower mass at pupation, as predicted. This effect was present in both sexes, but was more pronounced in females. The presence of the predator also increased time to pupation for females (but not for males). Reduced size at pupation appears to result from decreased growth rate in the presence of the predator, and we tested the hypothesis that this predator induced behavioral changes in A. triseriatus that lead to reduced growth (e.g., reduced movement and foraging). Behavioral observations did not support the hypothesis of behavioral change. Meta-analysis revealed significant heterogeneity of the effects of actual predation vs. perceived predation on size at pupation, which decreased significantly only in response to actual predation. There was no significant heterogeneity in the effect of actual predation vs. perceived predation on time to pupation. These results suggest that effects of this predator on metamorphosis of A. triseriatus may be products of either facultative responses to the predator or of selective mortality due to predation in experiments with actual predation. Sympatric and allopatric populations of A. triseriatus used in these experiments did not differ consistently in size at and time to pupation, nor in their developmental responses to T. rutilus. Although these results generally support the predictions of existing models of complex life cycles, they suggest that the mechanisms producing these effects in this system may not be the same as the behavioral mechanisms producing similar effects in amphibian systems.
"Small stem cells" in adult tissues: very small embryonic-like stem cells stand up!

This review summarizes information regarding the rare population of very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) that has been identified in adult tissues, emphasizing both their unique morphological features and potential biological significance. We focus on their pluripotent nature and expression of markers characteristic for embryonic stem cells (ESCs), epiblast (EP)SCs, and primordial germ cells (PGCs). Furthermore, we will discuss their rank in the developmental hierarchy of the SC compartment as well as their relationship to other bone marrow-derived, primitive, nonhematopoietic SCs including: (i) endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs); (ii) mesenchymal (M)SCs; (iii) multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPCs); (iv) marrow-isolated adult multilineage inducible (MIAMIs) cells; (v) multipotent adult (MA)SCs; and (vi) OmniCytes. We will also present different populations of very “small SCs” that have been recently described in the literature (e.g., spore-like cells and Lin−/ALDHhigh long-term repopulating hematopoietic SCs). © 2008 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
The Influence of Mothers on the Academic Expectations of Young Children: A Longitudinal Study of How Gender Differences Arise

How young children develop an academic self-image is not well understood, although parents and other influences exerted in the home must be important. This paper offers an approach to permit detection of differences in the processes by which mothers influence the development of young boys' and girls' academic selfimages. It employs parallel estimates of a structural equation model for the two sexes. We estimate effects (1) of mothers' appraisals of their children's general ability relative to others in the school, and (2) of mothers' specific expectations for their children's performance in reading, arithmetic and conduct, on the children's own academic expectations in those areas. By examining differences in parameters of structural equation models estimated separately for the two sexes, we can see whether there are processual differences in expectation formation for children of the two sexes. We provide an application of this approach to illustrative data from two schools.
EST-SSR Development from 5 Lactuca Species and Their Use in Studying Genetic Diversity Among L. serriola Biotypes

Prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola L.) is a problematic weed of Pacific Northwest and recently developed resistance to the auxinic herbicide 2,4-D. There are no publically available simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to tag 2,4-D resistance genes in L. serriola. Therefore, a study was conducted to develop SSR markers from expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of 5 Lactuca species. A total of 15,970 SSRs were identified among 57,126 EST assemblies belonging to 5 Lactuca species. SSR-containing ESTs (SSR-ESTs) ranged from 6.23% to 7.87%, and SSR densities ranged from 1.28 to 2.51 kb(-1) among the ESTs of 5 Lactuca species. Trinucleotide repeats were the most abundant SSRs detected during the study. As a representative sample, 45 ESTs carrying class I SSRs (≥ 20 nucleotides) were selected for designing primers and were also searched against the dbEST entries for L. sativa and Helianthus annuus (≤ 10(-50); score ≥ 100). In silico analysis of 45 SSR-ESTs showed 82% conservation across species and 68% conservation across genera. Primer pairs synthesized for the above 45 EST-SSRs were used to study genetic diversity among a collection of 22 L. serriola biotypes. Comparison of the resultant dendrogram to that developed using phenotypic evaluation of the same subset of lines showed limited correspondence. Taken together, this study reported a collection of useful SSR markers for L. serriola, confirmed transferability of these markers within and across genera, and demonstrated their usefulness in studying genetic diversity.
Prediction of major adverse cardiovascular events by age-normalized carotid intimal medial thickness

Abstract Background Increases in carotid intimal medial thickness (IMT), as measured by noninvasive ultrasonography, have been associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke, particularly in adults 65 years of age or older. We investigated the value of age-normalized carotid IMT measurements in predicting major adverse cardiovascular events in a population of patients referred for carotid IMT measurement. Methods Since 1995, 727 patients had carotid IMT measured at the University of Virginia's Preventive Cardiology practice. We successfully contacted 706 of these patients to determine clinical outcomes; 21 patients were lost to follow-up. The 706 patients were entered into a database, age-specific quartiles of carotid thickness developed, and odds ratios were calculated with logistic regression. Results Over a mean follow-up period of 4.78 years (range, 2.0–9.3 years), 20 patients had major adverse cardiovascular events: seven patients had myocardial infarctions; seven required revascularization; and six had a stroke or transient ischemic attack. The incidence of events directly correlated with age-normalized measurements of carotid bulb and internal carotid IMT. The highest quartile of carotid bulb IMT demonstrated an odds ratio for all events of 5.8 (95% confidence interval, 1.3–26.6; P =0.023) when compared to the quartile with the lowest thickness ( P =0.007 for trend). A similar trend for quartiles of internal carotid IMT was also observed ( P =0.03). Common carotid IMT did not significantly predict events. Conclusions Age-normalized measurement of carotid bulb and internal carotid IMT may be helpful in determining which individuals would most benefit from aggressive risk-factor modification.
Transcutaneous cardiac pacing: determination of myocardial injury in a canine model.

Transcutaneous cardiac pacing holds promise as the initial cardiac pacing technique for emergency patients. Determination of the extent of myocardial injury associated with the use of commercial transcutaneous pacemaker devices has been limited. This study was undertaken to document electrocardiographic, enzymatic, and histologic changes following transcutaneous pacing. Ten mongrel dogs were paced with a transcutaneous cardiac pacemaker for 30 minutes. Electrical pulses of 100 mA lasting 20 ms each were delivered at a rate of 80/min via cutaneous electrodes on the anterior and posterior thorax. Myocardial damage was assessed by serial electrocardiograms (ECGs), serial creatine kinase (CK) determinations with myocardial band (MB) fractionation, and gross and microscopic pathologic examination. Double blind reading of the ECGs showed no significant changes after pacing. CK levels peaked an average of 78 units over baseline levels at 4 hours; however, there was no rise in the CK MB fraction. Pathologic examination revealed micro-infarcts adjacent to intramural vessels in 5 animals, but no clinically significant myocardial injury in the 10 dogs. The absence of enzymatic, cardiographic, and clinically significant pathologic findings was statistically significant (P less than .05). Transcutaneous pacing at low currents and for short periods appears to be a safe technique. This pacing technique deserves further evaluation, and may hold promise as a clinical tool during resuscitation.
Enhancement of digital images for extracting geometrical features of material grains in nanoscale materials research

This article addresses the issue of extracting geometrical features of material grains from raw digital images obtained by commercial microscopes used in nanoscale materials research. Algebraic numerical procedures are developed to estimate geometrical quantities such as grain size distribution, shape orientation, and shape irregularity after a sequence of preprocessing steps applied to raw images. Testing results on a real image are presented following the description of the algorithms.
Adaptive optics in multiphoton microscopy: comparison of two, three and four photon fluorescence

We demonstrate adaptive optics system based on nonlinear feedback from 3- and 4-photon fluorescence. The system is based on femtosecond pulses created by soliton self-frequency shift of a 1550-nm fiber-based femtosecond laser together with micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) phase spatial light modulator (SLM). We perturb the 1020-segment SLM using an orthogonal Walsh sequence basis set with a modified version of three-point phase shifting interferometry. We show the improvement after aberrations correction in 3-photon signal from fluorescent beads. In addition, we compare the improvement obtained in the same adaptive optical system for 2-, 3- and 4-photon fluorescence using dye pool. We show that signal improvement resulting from aberration correction grows exponentially as a function of the order of nonlinearity.
Equal Opportunity Objectification? The Sexualization of Men and Women on the Cover of Rolling Stone

A number of journalists and scholars have pointed to the sexual objectification of women and men in popular media to argue that Western culture has become “sexualized” or even “pornified.” Yet it is not clear whether men or women have become more frequently—or more intensely sexualized—over time. In a longitudinal content analysis of images of women and men on more than four decades of Rolling Stone magazine covers (1967–2009), we begin to answer such questions. Using a unique analytical framework that allows us to measure both the frequency and intensity of sexualization, we find that sexualized images of men and women have increased, though women continue to be more frequently sexualized than men. Yet our most striking finding is the change in how women—but not men—are sexualized. Women are increasingly likely to be “hypersexualized,” but men are not. These findings not only document changes in the sexualization of men and women in popular culture over time, they also point to a narrowing of the culturally acceptable ways for “doing” femininity as presented in popular media.
Failure of the Mecron screw-in ring

studies showed disc herniation at L4-L5 or L5-S1 . Of the other two patients, both of whom had a slightly positive knee-flexion test, one had a mild disc bulge at L4-L5 and the other had no evidence of disc disease. Of the 32 patients with positive studies, 27 had a large protrusion or an extruded or sequestrated fragment ; the other five had medium or small disc protrusions. A moderately or markedly positive knee-flexion test correlated well with an extruded or sequestrated disc. The SLR test was positive in 28 of the 32 patients and negative or equivocal in four. No patient had simultaneous positive results from the femoral-nerve-stretch test and the knee-flexion test.
Conclusion-Organized Criminals Without Borders

Our discussion of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs concludes with an examination of the expansion of the One Percenter biker culture throughout the world. The outlaw motorcycle gang phenomenon that began in California in the 1950s has now become a transnational organized crime threat. The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club has chapters on every continent except Antarctica. American-based Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, such as the Hells Angels, Outlaws MC, and the Bandidos MC, have more chapters outside the United States than in the US. Other American-based Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs have exported their criminal activities beyond our borders and now indigenous Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs outside the United States are expanding.
Generalizability of SPRINT Results to the U.S. Adult Population

AbstractBackground: In SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial), a systolic blood pressure (SBP) goal of <120 mm Hg resulted in lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk compared with an S...
Comparison of chemical kinetic mechanisms in simulating the emission characteristics of catalytic converters

Engine exhaust systems need to undergo continuous modifications to meet increasingly stricter regulations. In the past, much of the design and engineering process to optimize various components of engine and emission systems has involved prototype testing. The complexity of modern systems and the resulting flow dynamics, and thermal and chemical mechanisms have increased the difficulty in assessing and optimizing system operation. Due to overall complexity and increased costs associated with these factors, modeling continues to be pursued as a method of obtaining valuable information supporting the design and development process associated with the exhaust emission system optimization. Insufficient kinetic mechanisms and the lack of adequate kinetics data are major sources of inaccuracies in catalytic converters modeling. This paper presents a numerical study that investigates the performance of different chemical mechanisms in simulating the emission conversion characteristics of catalytic converters during both steady state and transient conditions. The model considers the coupling effect of heat and mass transfer with the catalyst reactions as exhaust gases flow through the catalyst. The heat transfer model includes the heat loss due to conduction and convection. The effect of radiation is assumed to be negligible and is not considered. The resulting governing equations based on the conservation of mass, momentum and energy are solved by a tridiagonal matrix algorithm (TDMA) with a successive line under relaxation method. The performance of different chemical kinetic schemes is reviewed by comparing the results of numerical model with the experimental measurements.
Geochemistry of formation waters from the Wolfcamp and “Cline” shales: Insights into brine origin, reservoir connectivity, and fluid flow in the Permian Basin, USA

Abstract Despite being one of the most important oil producing provinces in the United States, information on basinal hydrogeology and fluid flow in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico is lacking. The source and geochemistry of brines from the basin were investigated (Ordovician- to Guadalupian-age reservoirs) by combining previously published data from conventional reservoirs with geochemical results for 39 new produced water samples, with a focus on those from shales. Salinity of the Ca–Cl-type brines in the basin generally increases with depth reaching a maximum in Devonian (median = 154 g/L) reservoirs, followed by decreases in salinity in the Silurian (median = 77 g/L) and Ordovician (median = 70 g/L) reservoirs. Isotopic data for B, O, H, and Sr and ion chemistry indicate three major types of water. Lower salinity fluids ( 100 g/L), isotopically heavy (O and H) water in Leonardian [Permian] to Pennsylvanian reservoirs (2–3.2 km depth) is evaporated, Late Permian seawater. Water from the Permian Wolfcamp and Pennsylvanian “Cline” shales, which are isotopically similar but lower in salinity and enriched in alkalis, appear to have developed their composition due to post-illitization diffusion into the shales. Samples from the “Cline” shale are further enriched with NH 4 , Br, I and isotopically light B, sourced from the breakdown of marine kerogen in the unit. Lower salinity waters ( 3 km depth), which plot near the modern local meteoric water line, are distinct from the water in overlying reservoirs. We propose that these deep meteoric waters are part of a newly identified hydrogeologic unit: the Deep Basin Meteoric Aquifer System. Chemical, isotopic, and pressure data suggest that despite over-pressuring in the Wolfcamp shale, there is little potential for vertical fluid migration to the surface environment via natural conduits.
Estimating cell cycle model parameters using systems identification

A current challenge in data-driven mathematical modeling of cancer is identifying biologically-relevant parameters of mathematical models from sparse and often noisy experimental data of mixed types. We describe a cell cycle model and outline how to use the Optimization Toolbox in Matlab to estimate its timescale parameters, given flow cytometry and cell viability (synthetic) data, and illustrate the technique with simulated data. This technique can be similarly applied to a variety of cell cycle models, particularly as more laboratories begin to use high-content, quantitative cell screening and imaging platforms. An advanced version of this work (CellPD: cell line phenotype digitizer) will be released as open source in early 2016 at MultiCellDS.org.
The Family Ideology of the Rural Entrepreneurs in Nineteenth Century Japan

Rural entrepreneurs occupied an anomolous position in premodern Japanese society. They appeared late in the Tokugawa period (1600-1868), a product and producer of the economic changes that complicated the social and political system of their time. Their address in the countryside suggested peasant origins, but they appeared only where the spread of farm by-employments and access to transportation networks permitted a mixed bag of agriculturai and commercial enterprises including money lending, cloth jobbing, and shipping. They played a crucial role in developing and disseminating technological advances in farming and handicraft industries ? improved designs for specialized tools and more reliable methods for raising silkworms being among their achievements. Without them, it is doubtful that Japan would have become transformed into an industrialized society in the nineteenth century.1 Rural entrepreneurs also dominated local politics and practiced the tea ceremony, poetry writing, painting, and the martial arts. In some areas, they supported samurai dissidents whose assassinations and rebellions preceded the centralization of government under the Meiji emperor in 1868.2 Despite their importance, however, their definition as a class remains amorphous. One approach to the problem of how to define the rural entrepreneurs is to analyze how they defined themselves. This they did in early nineteenth-century family histories and diaries created deliberately, I argue, to establish a "house style" (Jca/u), comprising the household history, its culture, and occupation.3 The term kafu also includes a specific and conscious effort to impose certain sets of values and standards of behavior on family members. It therefore carries ideologi? cal overtones. In this study, the emphasis is not on the ideological hegemony of the ruling class, but on the ideological hegemony created within the household itself. As this process went on, the system of representations inspired by the interests of the family head was given a totalizing comprehensiveness and applicability to all other family members not its originators. Nevertheless, the set of values stemming from the life experiences of disadvantaged members, espe? cially the women, permeated this ideology sufficiently to offer them benefits, material and emotional, to weigh against its constraints on action and position.4 The notion ofkafu had a definite class bias, and it was also bounded by time. No family histories or diaries for rural entrepreneurs were created or preserved before the latter part of the Tokugawa period. As Martine Segalen has pointed out for French peasant families, only families with a hereditary claim to land and position had the wherewithal to become the bearers ofa family ideology,5 and in Tokugawa Japan, few but the wealthy had the means and inclination to define the character of their house and expect it to endure over time.