cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesizing breastfeeding research: a commentary on the use of Women's Ways of Knowing.

Every parent and child would greatly benefit from an intervention that would ensure improved immunity reduced illnesses of varying types reduced cancer risk and improved cognitive function. So when a health care provider explains that this particular intervention is not an artificial laboratory-created pharmacological agent but rather the natural benefits of breast milk why do so few women make the decision to breastfeed? Primary influences that affect a womans decisions include her support structure parity prepared knowledge practical work demands and level of comfort with public breastfeeding. Further research must examine how to synthesize studies that show the multifaceted influences on a womans decision to breastfeed. This integration will clarify why 2 women in apparently the same situation (similar culture age support structure etc) make different decisions regarding the continuation of breastfeeding. One way to do this is to categorize women using the model by Belenky Clinchy Goldberger and Tarule based on their 1997 book Womens Ways of Knowing. (excerpt)
“Think of the Lilies” and Prov 6:6–11

Among the best-known of Jesus sayings is the “worry” saying of Q (Luke 12:22–31): “Therefore,” [Jesus] said to his disciples, “I bid you put away anxious thoughts about food to keep you alive and clothes to cover your body. Life is more than food, the body more than clothes. Think of the ravens: they neither sow nor reap; they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. You are worth far more than the birds! Is there a man among you who by anxious thought can add a foot to his height? If, then, you cannot do even a very little thing, why are you anxious about the rest?
Density and Winds in the Thermosphere Deduced from Accelerometer Data

With the emergence and increased use of highly accurate accelerometers for geodetic satellite missions, a new opportunity has arisen to study nonconservative forces acting on a number of satellites with high temporal resolution. As the number of these satellite missions increases, so does our ability to determine the spatial characteristics and time response of total density and winds in the thermosphere. This paper focuses on the derivation and methodology of inferring density and winds from along-track and cross-track accelerometer measurements, with themain goal of determining the feasibility of this data set. The principal sources of error such as solar radiation pressure, the unknown coefficients of drag and lift, instrument precision and biases, and unaccounted-for winds are discussed in the context of both density and winds. In the context of our treatment of errors, density errors are generally less than 15%, whereas wind-speed errors are more substantial. Finally, comparisons of results to existing empirical models (i.e., horizontal wind model 93) and to self-consistent numerical models (i.e., thermosphere–ionosphere electrodynamic general circulation model) are provided. Comparisons of results to ion drift velocities (as measured by Defense Meteorological Satellite Program) are also provided.
JPEG compression for a grayscale printing pipeline

We describe a procedure by which JPEG compression may be customized for grayscale images that are to be compressed before they are scaled, halftoned, and printed. Our technique maintains 100% compatibility with the JPEG standard, and is applicable with all scaling and halftoning methods. The JPEG quantization table is designed using frequency-domain characteristics of the scaling and halftoning operations, as well as the frequency sensitivity of the human visual system. In addition, the Huffman tables are optimized for low-rate coding. Compression artifacts are greatly reduced because they are masked by the halftoning patterns, and pushed into frequency bands where the eye is less sensitive. We present experimental results demonstrating that the customized JPEG encoder typically maintains `near visually lossless' image quality at rates below 0.2 bits per pixel (with reference to the final, printed image). In terms of the achieved bit rate, this performance is typically at least 20% better than that of a JPEG encoder using the suggested baseline tables.
A NOVEL DESIGN OF SHORT-SEEKING CONTROL FOR DUAL-ACTUATOR HARD DISK DRIVES

Abstract This paper discusses short seeking control for a dual-actuator hard disk drive consisting of a coarse actuator (voice coil motor, VCM) and a fine actuator (piezoelectric actuator, PZT). A novel design method is proposed based on the dual-stage track following control and initial value adjustment (IVA). This method, which adjusts the initial values of the track-following controllers for short seeking, makes the use of the feed-forward controller and reference trajectory unnecessary. The proposed design also takes into consideration the saturation property of the fine actuator by using a two-stage IVA scheme: (1) only VCM loop is utilized in the first stage (beyond PZT stroke limit), and IVA is designed to yield a high-speed seeking; (2) PZT loop is switched on when the read/write head approaches the target track in the second stage (within the PZT stroke limit), and IVA is used to produce a fast and smooth response. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Smaller superior temporal gyrus volume specificity in schizotypal personality disorder

Background Superior temporal gyrus (STG/BA22) volume is reduced in schizophrenia and to a milder degree in schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), representing a less severe disorder in the schizophrenia-spectrum. SPD and Borderline personality disorder (BPD) are severe personality disorders characterized by social and cognitive dysfunction. However, while SPD is characterized by social withdrawal/anhedonia, BPD is marked by hyper-reactivity to interpersonal stimuli and hyper-emotionality. This is the first morphometric study to directly compare SPD and BPD patients in temporal volume.
Inductive efficiency of reactive coils

“M-S-W” forms have been designed for maximum economy in the use of coil material. This article shows that coils, of various inductances, with high inductive efficiencies may be wound using a single modified M-S-W winding form.
WEBTop: interactive 3D optics simulations on the Web

The Objects Project (TOP) is a 3D, interactive computer graphics system that was developed at Mississippi State University to help students learn optics. TOP runs on Silicon Graphics workstations. We describe our initial progress on WebTOP, the Web version of TOP.
Quantum Numbers of Textured Hall Effect Quasiparticles

We propose a class of variational wave functions with slow variation in spin and charge density and simple vortex structure at infinity, which properly generalize both the Laughlin quasiparticles and baby Skyrmions. We argue, on the basis of these wave functions and a spin-statistics relation in the relevant effective field theory, that the spin of the corresponding quasiparticle has a fractional part related in a universal fashion to the properties of the bulk state. We propose a direct experimental test of this claim. We show that certain spin-singlet quantum Hall states can be understood as arising from primary polarized states by Skyrmion condensation. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Hemispheric resource availability influences face perception: A multiple resource approach to social perception

Two experiments tested the hypothesis that social perception recruits distinct limited-capacity processing resources that are distinguished by the cerebral hemispheres. To test this hypothesis, social perception efficiency was assessed after relevant hemispheric processing resources were depleted. In Experiment 1 prime faces were unilaterally presented for 30 ms, after which centrally presented target faces were categorised by sex. In Experiment 2 prime faces were unilaterally presented for 80 ms after which centrally presented target faces were categorised by fame. Results showed that sex categorisation was slower after primes were presented in the right versus left visual field, and that fame categorisation was slower after familiar primes were presented in the left versus right visual field. The results support a multiple resource account of social perception in which the availability of resources distributed across the cerebral hemispheres influences social perception.
Diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, and the 5' flanking polymorphism of the human insulin gene.

On the 5’ side of the human insulin gene is a highly polymorphic locus containing 2 major size classes of DNA restriction fragments which segregate in families as stable genetic elements. Fragments with an average size of about 600 base-pairs (bp) (the ‘L-allele’) seem to be a weak genetic marker for type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, whereas fragments of an average size of about 2500 bp (the ‘U-allele’) have hitherto been associated with type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and diabetic hypertriglyceridae- mia. Recent evidence does not confirm the association between the U-allele and type 2 diabetes. Our own studies suggest that the U-allele is a fairly strong marker for the development of atherosclerosis with a relative risk for U-carriers of 3.36. The U-allele has not been associated with conventional cardiovascular risk factors such as body weight, blood pressure, or levels of blood glucose, triglycerides or lipoproteins. The putative functions of the polymorphic region in the aetiology of type 1 diabetes and atherosclerosis, and the relation of this region to other genetic markers for these disorders are not known.
About Opting Out

Long before journalists and pundits began declaring an "opt-out revolution," Pamela Stone had the insight to wonder why many well-educated, high-achieving women were forsaking high-octane jobs to spend their time organizing soccer leagues and bake sales. In her must-read book, Stone not only answers this question with power and insight, but also makes it clear that the decision to "quit careers and head home" is neither a simple process of opting out nor does it portend a social revolution. In fact, by carefully unpacking the institutional arrangements and cultural pressures that lead these women to buck the larger trend and veer back toward domesticity after years of professional training and work experience, this important and exceedingly well-written book puts the much-debated but highly questionable myth of the "opt-out revolution" to rest. Despite the media hype, women who forsake the corporate ladder have received surprisingly little research scrutiny. While there are a number of excellent studies on women in specific labor markets (most notably Mary BlairLoy's and Louise Roth's exceptional books on women executives and finance workers), good baseline data on the extent and causes of this phenomenon have been illusive.5 By providing a clear demographic overview and an incisive analysis of the paths and worldviews of women who traded high-powered jobs for full-time motherhood, Opting Out? thus fills a huge gap in our knowledge. Even more important, Stone's in-depth interviews with women from a broad array of professions illumine the cross-pressures that leave even the most highly privileged caught between time-greedy workplaces and time-intensive families. Her analysis moves the discussion to higher theoretical ground, and her stories of how these women struggle to resolve increasingly painful dilemmas bring these abstract issues to life. Far from documenting a straightforward "taste" (in the language of human capital economics) for concentrating on domestic rather than paid work, Stone's interviews reveal lives embedded in an intertwined set of conflicting and contradictory social contexts. Taught to strive at an early age, these women grew up breaking barriers, earning impressive educational credentials, and succeeding in prestigious occupational niches. Yet, along the way, they also made a series of seemingly discrete decisions such as marrying
Effect of persistent follicles on early embryonic losses in beef cows.

Low doses of progestogens in regimens for synchronization of estrus result in persistent follicles (PF) and reduced conception rates in cattle. The effects of PF on recovery of oocytes/embryos, fertilization, and embryonic development were examined in beef cows. To produce PF, cows received a used Controlled Internal Drug Releasing device on Days 4 through 13 after pretreatment estrus (Day 0) and two injections of 20 mg prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha, i.m., 12 h apart on Day 6 (PF; n = 20). Control cows received only PGF2 alpha on Day 6 so they would ovulate growing follicles (GF; n = 22). With this model, the largest (dominant) follicle from the first wave of follicular development was being ovulated in cows in each group. Cows were observed for estrus twice daily and were then mated to highly fertile bulls. Follicular development was monitored by ultrasonography on alternate days from Day 2 until estrus and then daily until apparent ovulation. Jugular blood samples were collected every other day from Day 2 through 6 days after mating at posttreatment estrus, when uteri were flushed nonsurgically. The ovulatory follicle, which was followed retrospectively and had been observed longer (14 +/- 1 vs. 8 +/- 1 days), was larger in PF (17.2 +/- 0.5 mm) than in GF (14.5 +/- 0.6 mm; p < 0.01). Mean estradiol-17 beta (E2) in jugular plasma during the 6 days before estrus was higher in PF than in GF (5.7 +/- 0.4 vs. 2.6 +/- 0.4 pg/ml; p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Greening public policy: Sustainability and beyond

Greening Environmental Policy: The Politics of a Sustainable Future, edited by Frank Fischer and Michael Black. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1995, 240 pages, $19.95
Heterogeneous Expectations and Bond Markets

This paper presents a dynamic equilibrium model of bond markets in which two groups of agents hold heterogeneous expectations about future economic conditions. The heterogeneous expectations cause agents to take speculative positions against each other and therefore generate endogenous relative wealth fluctuation. The relative wealth fluctuation amplifies asset price volatility and contributes to the time variation in bond premia. Our model shows that a modest amount of heterogeneous expectation can help explain several puzzling phenomena, including the "excessive volatility" of bond yields, the failure of the expectations hypothesis, and the ability of a tent-shaped linear combination of forward rates to predict bond returns.
Geometric triviality of the strongly minimal second Painlevé equations

Abstract We show that for α ∉ 1 / 2 + Z , the second Painleve equation P II ( α ) : y ″ = 2 y 3 + t y + α is geometrically trivial, that is we show that if y 1 , . . . , y n are distinct solutions such that y 1 , y 1 ′ , y 2 , y 2 ′ , … , y n , y n ′ are algebraically dependent over C ( t ) , then already for some 1 ≤ i j ≤ n , y i , y i ′ , y j , y j ′ are algebraically dependent over C ( t ) . This extends to the non-generic parameters the results in [10] for P II ( α ) . For the proof of the main result, we give a new criterion for deciding whether strongly minimal sets in DCF 0 are geometrically trivial.
Mixed-mode effects on the toughness of polymer interfaces

Normal, symmetric fracture toughness tests can give high values for the toughness of the joint between the immiscible polymers polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate. These high values, which are caused by crazes growing away from the interface into the polymer with lower craze resistance, are not a fair characterization of the toughness of the joint. Much lower, and more realistic, toughness values are obtained by the use of an asymmetric test that tends to drive the crack and crazes more along the interface.
Analysis of Embedded and Surface Elliptical Flaws in Transversely Isotropic Bodies by the Finite Element Alternating Method

The generalized solution is employed in the Schwarz-Neumann alternating method in conjunction with the finite element method
Optimum concentration of ortho-phthaldialdehyde for the fluorometric measurement of serotonin

Abstract When reacted at 100°C with ortho-phthaldialdehyde (OPT), the native fluorescence of serotonin is greatly increased. For maximal serotonin fluorescence a reaction time of 5–10 min, using 0.5 g% (w/v) OPT, appears optimal over the concentration range 10–3000 ng serotonin per ml. Using these parameters, maximum separation is achieved between serotonin and blank fluorescence, and detection sensitivity and precision are highest: 1.3 ± 0.0 ng/ml and 0.38 ±0.0 ng per fluorescence intensity unit (n = 10), respectively.
Concerns about seam-welded piping at elevated temperatures

Following the catastrophic failures of seam-welded reheat piping at two power stations in 1985/86, the industry, with the assistance of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) embarked on an aggressive inspection and evaluation effort to minimize the apparent risk associated with operating seam-welded hot reheat piping. This effort resulted in the EPRI guidelines for the evaluation of seam- welded stream pipes issued in 1987. Since 1987, more data and plant experience relating to seam weld cracking have become available. The data and experience have furthered our understanding of the inservice damaging process, and have helped assess the field effectiveness of the EPRI- recommended procedure for inservice seam-welded pipe inspection. Based on metallurgical evaluation and mechanical tests of weldments, the factors contributing to failures have been identified to be some or all of the following: excess stress and temperature; pre-existing flaws; nonmetallic inclusions; sharp weld cusps and creep strength mismatch; impurity segregation; weld roof-angle; etc. Since exceptions exist in every case, attempts to develop screening criteria for pipes 'at risk' have been less than successful. This paper presents an overview of the current state-of-knowledge with regard to the integrity of hot reheat seam-welded piping in the USA, with summary guidance on quantitative application of this knowledge of the life prediction of inservice piping.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Escherichia coli plasmid vectors containing synthetic translational initiation sequences and ribosome binding sites fused with the lacZ gene.

Abstract The construction of a series of Escherichia coli plasmid vectors suitable for assaying the effects of gene control signals fused with the E. coli lacZ gene is reported. A synthetic deoxyoligonucleotide dodecamer 5'-CATGAATTCATG GTACTTAAGTAC-5' containing two translation initiation codons (ATG) separated by an Eco RI site was ligated with a lacZ gene derivative which lacks the codons for the first eight amino acids in plasmid pMC1403 (Casadaban et al., 1980). Two ribosome-binding sequences were synthesised and inserted into the Eco RI site before an ATG, and the effects of these sequences on lacZ gene expression in vivo measured by assaying β-galactosidase activity. The E. coli ribosomal RNA gene ( rrnB ) promoter, the tetracycline resistance gene promoter, and a X phage promoter were cloned using these plasmids. The plasmids are 9.9 kb in size, have ampicillin resistance as a selectable marker and are generally useful for the detection and in vivo assay of gene control regions.
Integrated process design: a generic control theory/design based framework

Abstract The paper addresses issues arising in integrated design of processes, explores their systems and control theory dimension, specifies the relevant concepts and theoretical tools and indicates the areas where work is needed. In doing so, a systems and control theory structural framework emerges for studying problems of integrated design. This framework explores the structural features of the underlying process models and highlights the evaluation of such characteristics as we move through the successive stages of design.
Periodic breathing parameter values depend on specific pneumogram scoring criteria

Periodic breathing (PB) has been related to both normal and pathologic respiratory system control in infants. However, comparison of the results of separate studies has been limited by the variability in procedures used by different investigators to quantify PB. In this study we scored 15 24-hr impedance pneumograms using the criteria of Parmelee et al. (Neuropediatrie 3:294–304, 1972), Christova-Gueorguieva (Biology of the Neonate 44:325–332, 1983), and Curzi-Dascalova, Kelly and Shannon (Pediatrics 63:355–360, 1979) and analyzed the resulting differences in several commonly used PB parameters. Scoring criteria consistently and significantly influenced three PB parameters: the %PB, number of episodes of PB/100 min recording time, and mean duration of PB episode length showed average changes of 74%, 179%, and 36%, respectively, when the methods with the most extreme differences were compared. In contrast, the duration of the longest episode of PB showed no significant change as a function of scoring criteria. Awareness of the particular method of PB scoring is therefore essential in interpreting PB parameter values. Pediatr Pilmonol. 1989; 7:18-21.
Simultaneous detection of large mass spectra using unequally spaced multichannel plates in double exposure

Abstract The emplacement of a number of multichannel plates (MCPs) along the focal plane of a mass spectrometer is discussed. The MCPs are placed at certain mutual distances chosen in such a way that the mass ranges falling between the MCPs at a certain mass spectrometer setting just fall on the MCPs at a second exposure with a different accelerating voltage or magnetic field strength. A nomographic and an algebraic method to determine the mutual distances are given. It is shown that only a limited number of MCPs can be positioned along the length of the focal plane.
FARM RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND PROFITABILITY OF ARABLE CROP ENTERPRISES IN THE HUMID FOREST INLAND VALLEY ECOSYSTEM: A CASE STUDY OF OZU ABAM IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA

Unique cropping systems have emerged in Nigeria to suit limited farmer resources and production objectives in humid forest inland valley ecosystems. But the basis for farm resource allocation and profitability of different crop enterprises are not properly understood. This study is based on a survey of 48 randomly selected farmers in the inland valley ecosystem of Southeast Nigeria. Information obtained from farmers was analysed using basic statistics and t values evaluated within a Cobb-Douglas production function. Results indicate that three arable crop enterprises; namely yam, cassava and rice; were cultivated by farmers based on different production objectives in the study area. The land area allocated to the rice enterprise is significantly higher than that allocated to the cassava and yam enterprises. But land rent would lead to a substantial reduction in rice production. While there is a competition for labour between upland and lowland crop production, the marginal productivity of excess labour in the cassava enterprise is almost zero. Yam setts constitute an important item in yam production and its production elasticity is negative. It is recommended that in order to improve farm income from crop production in inland valleys farmers should reduce investments in land rent and capital items and adopt improved planting materials. (UNISWA J Agric: 2000 9: 48-56)
Analytic evaluation of the weighting functions for remote sensing of blackbody planetary atmospheres: a general linearization approach

An analytic approach is proposed for the evaluation of weighting functions for remote sensing of a blackbody planetary atmosphere based on straightforward, general linearization. In the present paper, this approach is applied to the case of remote sensing with the nadir (down-looking) geometry. Expressions for weighting functions for various atmospheric parameters are derived. It is demonstrated that in a realistic case of temperature-dependent atmospheric absorption, an additional term appears in the expression for the temperature weighting function which contains the temperature derivative of the atmospheric absorption coefficient. The approach is applied to the case of a semi-infinite atmosphere and then, to the atmosphere of a finite optical depth with the underlying surface. In this, latter case, the expressions are also obtained for partial derivatives of observed radiances with respect to surface parameters: surface pressure, temperature and emissivity.
Input-to-output transformation in a model of the rat hippocampal CA1 network.

Here we use computational modeling to gain new insights into the transformation of inputs in hippocampal field CA1. We considered input-output transformation in CA1 principal cells of the rat hippocampus, with activity synchronized by population gamma oscillations. Prior experiments have shown that such synchronization is especially strong for cells within one millimeter of each other. We therefore simulated a one-millimeter of CA1 with 23,500 principal cells. We used morphologically and biophysically detailed neuronal models, each with more than 1000 compartments and thousands of synaptic inputs. Inputs came from binary patterns of spiking neurons from field CA3 and entorhinal cortex (EC). On average, each presynaptic pattern initiated action potentials in the same number of CA1 principal cells in the patch. We considered pairs of similar and pairs of distinct patterns. In all the cases CA1 strongly separated input patterns. However, CA1 cells were considerably more sensitive to small alterations in EC patterns compared to CA3 patterns. Our results can be used for comparison of input-to-output transformations in normal and pathological hippocampal networks.
Use of `relative-phase' analysis to assess correlation between neuronal spike trains

We propose a new method of studying the correlation between neuronal spike trains. This technique is based on the analysis of relative phase between two point processes. Relative phase here is defined as the relative timing difference between two spike trains normalized by the associated interspike interval of one cell. This phase measurement is intended to reveal the relative timing relationship between spike trains at different firing rates. We apply this method to a numerical example and an example from two cerebellar neuronal spike trains of a behaving rat. The results are compared with classical cross-correlation analysis. We show that the technique can avoid some of the limitations of cross-correlation methods, reveal certain statistical dependencies that cannot be shown by cross correlation, and provide information as to the direction of influence between two spike trains.
W.B. Yeats in context

David Holdeman and Ben Levitas, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2010, 460 pp., £65.00 (hardback), ISBN 9780521897051 W.B. Yeats in Context offers a good introduction to current topics in Yea...
Improving communication in a pediatric intensive care unit using daily patient goal sheets

Abstract Purpose The aim of the study was to determine if a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) daily patient goal sheet would improve communication between health care providers and decrease length of stay (LOS). Materials and Methods We evaluated a daily patient goal sheet's impact on questionnaire-based measures of effectiveness of communication, nurses' knowledge of physicians in charge, and on LOS in the PICU. Results Four hundred nineteen questionnaires were completed by nurses and physicians before goal sheet implementation and 387 after implementation. Nurses and physicians perceived an improved understanding of patient care goals (P Conclusions Using a PICU daily patient goal sheet can improve communication between health care providers, help nurses identify the in-charge physicians, and be helpful for patient care. By explicitly documenting patient care goals, there is enhanced clarity of patient care plans between health care providers.
Effects of fluconazole on the sterol and carbohydrate composition of four species of Candida.

The effects of fluconazole, a bis-triazole antifungal agent, on the sterol and carbohydrate composition ofCandida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei andCandida parapsilosis were investigated. Exposure ofCandida species to fluconazole resulted in a profound depletion of ergosterol with a corresponding increase in lanosterol content versus control cells. Carbohydrate analysis revealed a significant increase in chitin and either a decrease(Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis andCandida parapsilosis) or an increase(Candida krusei) in glucan content in fluconazole-treated cells. The decreased ergosterol and increased lanosterol content is consistnet with 14-alpha-demethylase inhibition by fluconazole. The increase in cell wall chitin is most likely due to deregulation of chitin synthesis secondary to ergosterol depletion in the cell membrane. Because chitin, glucan and ergosterol are critical components of the fungal cell, perturbation of the production and localization of these components by fluconazole is likely to contribute to the selective toxicity of this compound toCandida species and other fungi.
Effect of soybean plant growth on spore production byGlomus mosseae

Plants of two soybean cultivars infected withGlomus mosseae were physiologically stressed by top removal and were harvested at seven bi-weekly intervals. Removing tops stopped root growth, stimulated branching, delayed plant growth stages by approximately two weeks, but did not affect spore production. Spore numbers were significantly related only to time of harvest. Pot variation in spore number was not significantly correlated with infection percentage or root dry weight. Harvest, cultivar, and cutting effects were highly significant for root and shoot weights and root/shoot ratios.
Startle and sensorimotor gating in rats lacking CCK-A receptors

Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats lack CCK-A receptors because of a genetic mutation. Previous studies have shown that CCK-A receptors seem to play a role in the regulation of prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle reflex, an operational measure of sensorimotor gating. This study investigated baseline and drug-disrupted PPI in OLETF rats and their non-mutant counterparts, Long Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats. Baseline PPI did not differ significantly between the two rat genotypes but OLETF rats exhibited a higher acoustic startle response compared to LETO rats. Amphetamine (2 mg/kg), and the non-competitive NMDA antagonist, dizocilpine (0.1 mg/kg), disrupted PPI in LETO rats but not in the OLETF rats. Apomorphine (0.5 mg/kg) failed to disrupt PPI in both LETO and OLETF rats, and haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg) produced a comparable facilitation of PPI in both groups. In a separate study, OLETF rats were found to be less sensitive to the locomotor stimulating effects of amphetamine. These results suggest that CCK-A receptors play a significant role in the behavioral effects of amphetamine and dizocilpine. The PPI response of OLETF rats to amphetamine and dizocilpine is similar to normal rats pretreated with atypical antipsychotics, suggesting that CCK-A receptors may play an important role in the restoration of drug-disrupted PPI by antipsychotics.
Drosophila Bys is nuclear and shows dynamic tissue-specific expression during development

Although the bys-like family of genes has been conserved from yeast to humans, it is not apparent to what extent the function of Bys-like proteins has been conserved across phylogenetic groups. Human Bystin is thought to function in a novel cell adhesion complex involved in embryo implantation. The product of the yeast bys-like gene, Enp1, is nuclear and has a role in pre-ribosomal RNA (pre-rRNA) splicing and ribosome biogenesis. To gain insight into the function of the Drosophila melanogaster bys-like family member, termed bys, we examined bys mRNA expression and the localization of Bys protein. In embryos, bys mRNA is expressed in a tissue-specific pattern during gastrulation. In the larval wing imaginal disc, bys mRNA is expressed in the ventral and dorsal regions of the wing pouch, regions that give rise to epithelia that adhere to one another after the wing disc everts. The bys mRNA expression patterns could be interpreted as being consistent with a role for Bys in events requiring cell-cell interactions. However, embryonic bys mRNA expression patterns mirror those of genes that are potential targets of the growth regulator Myc and encode nucleolar proteins implicated in cell growth. Additionally, in Schneider line 2 (S2) cells, an epitope-tagged Bys protein is localized to the nucleus, suggesting that Drosophila Bys function may be conserved with that of yeast Enp1.
Effects of charring on the carbon isotopic composition of grass (Poaceae) epidermis

Abstract Charred modern grass epidermis preserves the carbon isotopic composition of the parent plant photosynthetic pathway. Fifty-nine modern grasses and sedges were collected in lowland western Uganda. All charred epidermal samples from C4 grasses or sedges preserve a carbon isotopic value within the range typical for C4 plants (−17 to −10‰), and charred epidermal fragments from C3 plants have carbon isotopic values between −30 and −26‰. The process of charring results in a slightly enriched carbon isotopic signature (−11.9‰ mean charred value as compared to −12.8‰ mean unaltered grass tissue value). δ13C measurements of replicate samples from the same plant vary within 1–2‰, yet all values for the same plant stay within the expected values for the photosynthetic pathway of the plant. δ13C measurements on >180-μm charred grass epidermal fragments extracted from surface sediment samples from three lakes on the lowland western Ugandan landscape confirm the predominant lowland C4 grass input (δ13C=−16 to −19‰). These results demonstrate the utility of using carbon isotopic analysis of charred grass epidermis to reconstruct C3 vs. C4 grassland assemblages on the landscape. Furthermore, such downcore δ13C profiles can be used to highlight key zones of C3 vs. C4 grass change for which taxonomic analysis of fossil grass epidermis could provide more detailed information regarding grassland community composition.
Synthesis of a mouse immunoglobulin light chain in a rabbit reticulocyte cell-free system.

An RNA fraction isolated from a mouse myeloma functions as template for the synthesis of a mouse Ig light chain in a cell free system from rabbit reticulocytes.
Clock reset for alcoholism.

Mutations in the clock gene Per2 influence alcohol consumption, as revealed by studies in mice and humans. In mice, this effect seems to be mediated by an excess of glutamate in the brain ( pages 35–42 ).
A novel power-efficient broadcast routing algorithm exploiting broadcast efficiency

It has been shown that the problem of finding a broadcast routing tree with minimum total transmit power is NP-hard. Hence, developing a heuristic power-efficient algorithm is crucial. The seminal work in this area is the well-known broadcast incremental power (BIP) algorithm with a recent addition called embedded wireless multicast advantage (EWMA) algorithm. In this paper, we present yet another novel power-efficient algorithm for broadcast routing tree construction called greedy perimeter broadcast efficiency (GPBE) algorithm. We also compare the performance of these algorithms.
Radon in Onondaga County, New York: Paleohydrogeology and redistribution of uranium in Paleozoic sedimentary rocks

Elevated indoor (basement) radon levels (average 8.8 pCi/L) define a "hot" belt that extends across Onondaga County, New York, and includes much of the city of Syracuse. The region is underlain by gently dipping Paleozoic sediments of diverse lithology. Homes located on the Marcellus (black) Shale derive radon from uranium that was incorporated syndepositionally in organic-rich muds formed in an anoxic marine environment. Radon from subjacent limestones and dolostones is attributed to decay of uranium introduced into these carbonate units by ground water that previously had passed through the Marcellus Shale. Uniform distribution of radon within the carbonates suggests that the uraniferous ground water descended steeply through these units toward a basal zone where dissolution of salt has enhanced permeability. The redistribution of uranium has occurred over a period of several tens of millions of years and has been responsible for widening the "hot" belt from ∼2 km (width of Marcellus outcrop) to ∼12 km.
Load Vectors for Damage Location in Systems Identified from Operational Loads

A method to interrogate changes in transfer matrices regarding damage localization is extended to cases where these changes cannot be experimentally obtained because the input is not known deterministically. The extension is realized by noting that the method does not require the transfer matrix change explicitly, but only vectors from its kernel, and that some of these vectors can be estimated— for a fictive collocated input distribution—from constraints between realization matrices and results of an output-only identification. The interrogation approach, denoted as the stochastic dynamic damage locating vector method, is demonstrated in the context of simulations.
RF Spectra and Interfering Carrier Distortion in FM Trunk Radio Systems With Low Modulation Ratios

This paper provides formulas for evaluating RF spectral shape and interfering carrier distortion in connection with FM trunk radio systems having low modulation ratios. Numerical results are given for 1800-speech-channel systems. The curves showing interfering carrier distortion are of particular interest in connection with systems using RF multiplex (i.e., systems consisting of a number of carriers each modulated with a signal built up from a large number of speech channels). Preferred carrier spacings, originally determined for 600-channel systems, have been recommended by the CCIR 9th Plenary Assembly, 1959, for use with up to 1800 channel systems. It appears from the analysis that with these larger numbers of channels, a considerable amount of attenuation by filtering or by isolators will be required to give adequate protection against intermodulation distortion.
Governance structure and organisational learning in franchising

When parent firms employ different governance structures for their individual outlets, they may create different learning environments. Specifically, different levels of organisational routines and local adaptability emerge across independent, company-owned and franchisee-owned outlets (including single versus multi-unit franchisee-owned outlets). Company-owned outlets tend to exhibit a high level of organisational routines, whereas independent outlets feature a high level of local adaptability. Franchisee-owned outlets reveal a moderate level of organisational routines and local adaptability. Multi-unit franchisee-owned outlets have a higher level of organisational routines and a lower level of local adaptability relative to single-unit franchisee-owned outlets.
Capsule Gene Analysis of Invasive Haemophilus Influenzae: Accuracy of Serotyping and Prevalence of IS1016 Among Nontypeable Isolates

We evaluated the accuracy of serologic capsule typing by analyzing capsule genes and related markers among invasive Haemophilus influenzae isolates before and after the introduction of H. influenzae serotype b (Hib) conjugate vaccines. Three hundred and sixty invasive H. influenzae isolates were collected as part of Active Bacterial Core surveillance within the Georgia Emerging Infections Program between 1 January 1989 and 31 July 1998. All isolates were biotyped, serotyped by slide agglutination serotyping (SAST), and evaluated using PCR capsule typing. Nontypeable H. influenzae (NTHi) isolates were probed with Hib cap-gene-containing plasmid pUO38 and with IS1016; a subset was examined with phosphoglucose isomerase (pgi) genotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Discrepancies between SAST and PCR capsule typing were found for 64/360 (17.5%) of the isolates; 48 encapsulated by SAST were NTHi by PCR, 8 NTHi by SAST were encapsulated by PCR, 6 encapsulated by SAST were a different capsule type by PCR, and 2 encapsulated by SAST were capsule-deficient Hib variants (Hib-minus). None of the PCR-confirmed NTHi isolates demonstrated homology with residual capsule gene sequences; 19/201 (9.5%) had evidence of IS1016, an insertion element associated with division I H. influenzae capsule serotypes. The majority of IS1016-positive NTHi were biotypes I and V and showed some genetic relatedness by PFGE. In conclusion, PCR capsule typing was more accurate than SAST and Hib-minus variants were rare. IS1016 was present in 9.5% of NTHi isolates, suggesting that this subset may be more closely related to encapsulated organisms. A better understanding of NTHi may contribute to vaccine development.
TDMA and FDMA Based Resource Allocations for Quality of Service Provisioning Over Wireless Relay Networks

We propose a set of resource allocation strategies for quality-of-service (QoS) provisioning over the wireless relay networks. By integrating information theory with the concept of effective capacity, our proposed strategies aim at maximizing the relay network throughput subject to a given delay QoS constraint. Applying the time division multiple access (TDMA) and frequency division multiple access (FDMA) to the relay networks, we develop the static and dynamic time/bandwidth allocation strategies with constant power. The simulation results show that our proposed strategies can significantly improve the effective capacity as compared to the conventional equal time/bandwidth allocation strategies. We also observe that the relay location can impact the improvement of the effective capacity, and the FDMA based scheme outperfoms the TDMA based scheme.
Effects of Deregulation of Methionine Biosynthesis on Methionine Excretion in Escherichia coli

Several regulators of methionine biosynthesis have been reported in Escherichia coli, which might represent barriers to the production of excess l-methionine (Met). In order to examine the effects of these factors on Met biosynthesis and metabolism, deletion mutations of the methionine repressor (metJ) and threonine biosynthetic (thrBC) genes were introduced into the W3110 wild-type strain of E. coli. Mutations of the metK gene encoding S-adenosylmethionine synthetase, which is involved in Met metabolism, were detected in 12 norleucine-resistant mutants. Three of the mutations in the metK structural gene were then introduced into metJ and thrBC double-mutant strains; one of the resultant strains was found to accumulate 0.13 g/liter Met. Mutations of the metA gene encoding homoserine succinyltransferase were detected in alpha-methylmethionine-resistant mutants, and these mutations were found to encode feedback-resistant enzymes in a 14C-labeled homoserine assay. Three metA mutations were introduced, using expression plasmids, into an E. coli strain that was shown to accumulate 0.24 g/liter Met. Combining mutations that affect the deregulation of Met biosynthesis and metabolism is therefore an effective approach for the production of Met-excreting strains.
Species diversity of polyporoid and corticioid fungi in northern hardwood forests with differing management histories

Effects of forest management on fungal diversity were investigated by sampling fruit bodies of polyporoid and corticioid fungi in forest stands that have different management histories. Fruit bodies were sampled in 15 northern hardwood stands in northern Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan. Sampling was conducted in five old-growth stands, five uneven-age stands, three even-age un- thinned stands and two even-age thinned stands. Plots 100 m 3 60 m were established and 3000 m 2 within each plot was sampled during the summers of 1996 and 1997. A total of 255 polyporoid and corticioid morphological species were identified, 46 (<18% )o f which could not be assigned to a described species. Species accumulation curves for sites and manage- ment classes differed from straight lines, although variability from year to year suggests that more than 2 y of sampling are needed to characterize annual variation. Mean species richness and diversity index values did not vary significantly by management class, although mean richness on large diameter wood ($ 15 cm diam) varied with moderate significance. Richness values on small diameter debris varied significantly by year, indicating that a large part of year-to-year variability in total species richness is due to small diameter debris. Ten species had abundance levels that varied by management class. Two of these species, Cystostereum murraii and Rigidoporus crocatus, were most abundant in old-growth and might be good indicators of stands with old-growth characteristics. Oxyporus populinus, an important pathogen of Acer spp., was most abundant in even-age stands. Re- gression analyses indicated that substrate quality (diameter and species), quantity and management history of the stand were important in predicting the number of occurrences of the five most-abundant species. Changes in the diversity and species compo- sition of the wood-inhabiting fungal community could have significant implications for the diversity, health and productivity of forest ecosystems.
PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF DENTAL HYGIENISTS

Dental hygienists' contribution to total gross billings and production, measured in standard production minutes, was studied in 13 private practices that employed hygienists. Hygienists' treatment accounted for one fourth of total production and one eighth of all gross billings. These results, together with analyses of the use of available time, the range of procedures performed by hygienists, and the rate of return for these procedures, illustrate the utility of this type of information when assessing the possibility of changes in the dental hygiene profession. In the past five years, the literature concerning dental hygienists has included a number of contributions that focus on the status of and possible changes in the practice of dental hygiene. These contributions have discussed the general future of dental hygiene,1-3 and the specific issues of professionalism,4-6 advocacy,7-8 and legal and political activity and knowledge.9-11 In addition, several discussions of new forms of dental hygiene practice also have appeared in the hygiene literature, 12-17 as well as in the general dental literature.18-20 Finally, surveys of dental hygienists have been reported frequently.21-30 The content of this growing body of literature indicates that the profession of dental hygiene currently is undergoing an internal examination, and that several educators and practitioners are advocating the acceptance of increased responsibility by hygienists.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Review of: “Jim Posewitz. Rifle in Hand: How Wild America Was Saved.”

In Rifle in Hand, his third work in a trilogy of books on hunting, Jim Posewitz explores the roots of our hunting heritage in the United States. Framed within an historical setting, it contains sto...