cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Construction Joint Ventures

A construction joint venture is a partnership of contractors who have formed a business alliance for the purpose of undertaking a project. Motivation for such an alliance may be technological complexity, political expediancy, large size, or high risk. An analysis of the risk-sharing characteristics is presented concentrating on principles of diversification for the individual contractors and competitive advantage of the joint venture as a whole. A formulation of risk-sharing rules and basic contractor risk behavioral criteria leads to the development of a methodology for optimal joint-venture share allocation. By means of a three contractor joint-venture example the optimal allocation of shares is demonstrated, as well as a verification of principles of diversification and competitive advantage.
Baseball Technique. IV

(1908). Baseball Technique. IV. American Physical Education Review: Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 155-162.
The AM Herculis Magnetic Variables

The observational properties of the ten known AM Her systems are reviewed. A multitude of components of continuum and line radiation from these objects are outlined. We discuss the important physical processes involved in the accretion flow and funnel shock, with emphasis on the properties of the emission line regions. Other topics include the properties of the white dwarf primaries and M dwarf secondaries, the maintenance of synchronous rotation, and the implications of “dumpings” in the known orbital periods (80–115 minutes) and magnetic field strengths (20-35 megagauss).
The Social Construction of Virtue: The Moral Life of Schools

The Social Construction of Virtue: The Moral Life of Schools. George W. Noblit and Van O. Dempsey. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1996. 225 pp.
Responses of lettuce to salinity. I. Effects of NaCl and Na2SO4 on growth

Abstract Two lettuce cultivars (Lactuca sativa L., cv. Calmar and cv. Climax) were selected to compare their tolerance to salt stress. The plants were grown in a hydroponic system using a 0.5 modified Hoagland solution. Treatments of 0, 40, 80, and 120 mol m–3 NaCl or 0 and 20 mol m–3 Na2SO4 were started when the second leaf above the cotyledons appeared. The plants were harvested 20 days later. Climax showed a greater tolerance to salinity at the 40 mol m–3 NaCl concentration; the % decrease in both shoot and root fresh weight was significantly less than Calmar. No differences between the cultivars were found in the Na2SO4 experiments. Differences in root Cl– content at the 40 mol m–3 concentration corresponded to an enhanced water content of the roots. A mechanism for the observed differences in salt tolerance between the two cultivars is discussed.
A Bio‐Informational Theory of Emotion: Motion and Image Size Effects on Viewers

Les AA. portent leur attention sur les mecanismes biologiques de saisie de l'information, de l'emotion. Ils s'efforcent d'examiner les reponses emotionnels a l'information. Ils se demandent si les caracteristiques des moyens d'information determinent l'intensite des stimuli informationnels. Ils s'interrogent sur le caractere statique ou dynamique des images ainsi produites. Ils presentent une theorie bio-informationnelle de l'emotion et un modele qui permet de mesurer l'influence de la taille et du caractere statique ou dynamique d'images presentees
Oxalic acid overproduction by copper-tolerant brown-rot basidiomycetes on southern yellow pine treated with copper-based preservatives

Accumulation of oxalic acid (OA) by brown-rot fungi and precipitation of copper oxalate crystals in wood decayed by copper-tolerant decay fungi has implicated OA in the mechanism of copper tolerance. Understanding the role of OA in copper tolerance is important due to an increasing reliance on copper-based wood preservatives. In this study, four copper-tolerant brown-rot fungi were evaluated for decay capacity and OA production in early stages of exposure to four waterborne copper-based wood preservatives (ammonical copper quat type B and D, ammonical copper citrate, and chromated copper arsenate, type C) and one oilborne copper-based wood preservative (oxine copper) in southern yellow pine blocks. Weight losses were less than 14% during the 4-week incubation. The presence of copper in waterborne preservatives uniformly stimulated OA production by the test fungi within 2 weeks of exposure of the treated blocks to test fungi; 66% to 93% more OA was produced in treated blocks than untreated controls. Oxine copper, a nickel-containing oilborne preservative, prevented both weight loss and OA production in all fungi tested.
Size variation and sexual dimorphism in Australopithecus afarensis and living hominoids

Abstract New fossils recovered from the Pliocene of Ethiopia and attributed to Australopithecus afarensis (White et al., 1993; Kimbel et al., 1994) provide an opportunity to reassess size variation and sexual dimorphism in jaws and limb bones of these early hominids. In this study two related questions are addressed using exact randomization methods. First, is it possible to observe the fossil size range within samples of modern hominoids? Second, and moving beyond minimum/maximum possibilities to probabilities , what is the likelihood of sampling such differences in extant hominoids? Fossil minimum/maximum ranges in size and shape are defined by linear measurements from mandibular specimens A.L. 444-2b vs. A.L. 207-13, humeri MAK-VP-1/3 vs. A.L. 288-lm, and the proximal femora A.L. 333-3 vs. A.L. 288-lap. Modern reference samples include gorillas, orang-utans, common chimpanzees and several human groups (all of known sex). All possible pairwise contrasts (in size ratios and average Euclidean distances) are computed within each sample [e.g. within a sample of 50 gorillas (25 males, 25 females) 1225 total contrasts are possible of which 625 are opposite sex contrasts], and the probability of finding a difference as great as that seen in the fossil pair is noted. The maximum observed size (sex) difference in the fossil mandibles, humeri and proximal femora is either rare or not observed in human and chimpanzee samples, is rare to uncommon in orang-utans, and is unusual even in gorillas. Specimens recovered in the future will undoubtedly increase the fossil ranges, and thereby further reduce the probabilities of matching such differences in modern taxa. These results could imply that multiple taxa exist within the fossil assemblage. If the fossils from Hadar and Maka (and Laetoli) are assumed instead to be from one sexually dimorphic species, then the degree of sexual dimorphism of A. afarensis would have been at least as extreme as that of the most dimorphic living apes, the gorilla and orang-utan. It follows that a strictly monogamous social structure would have been highly unlikely.
Feature Location Using Data Mining on Existing Test-Cases

Feature location is the mapping of features onto static artifacts such as source code and configuration files. Recent effective feature location methods use dynamic-analysis and scenarios, i.e. executable use-cases that represent features in source code. Almost all of these techniques require that a distinct scenario is created for every feature, which puts a great burden on developers due to the inherent manual work that needs to be carried out. First, since scenarios are typically created and exercised manually, the act of locating features is not easily repeatable as software evolves. Second, there may be dependencies between features, which will be reflected on the collected execution traces during scenario execution. For existing feature location methods to perform well, developers typically need to mark the execution traces manually to specify which parts of it exactly represent each feature. In this work, we free developers of the manual process of creating scenarios by using association rule learning on a set of labeled test-cases, i.e. test-cases labeled with the features they exercise in the existing test-suite of the system, to locate features in source code. We also provide an evaluation of our method on three case studies and compare it with a well-known feature location technique that uses probabilistic ranking. Our method achieves results within 83 -- 97% of the probabilistic ranking method on the case studies without any need to create scenarios as in the existing dynamic-analysis based feature location techniques.
Landing peace theory on solid ground

Peace, being the goal of almost everybody's struggle, becomes everybody's business, including in spheres such as health or education. There may be specialists and savants such as peace researchers or doctors or teachers but the preoccupation with these issues cannot simply be restricted to the experts or their expertise. As Western medical science leaves out spiritual health, and modern education ignores self‐actualization, contemporary peace research deals just with socioeconomic‐political peace and fails to include personal peace, spiritual peace, inter‐species peace, planetary peace, or cosmic peace within its purview. A broad thematic study of war and peace is not always helpful for individuals engaged in a personal quest for peace. As medical science is only a part of broader health science, or schooling but an element of self‐actualization, peace research is only one aspect of a life‐long search for peace and fulfilment. Peace search then becomes a larger life process in which we concern ourselves w...
Theory of Multi-tube Carbon Nanotube Transistors for High Speed Variation-Tolerant Circuits

In this paper, a multi-tube transistor (MTx) structure is proposed to reduce the burden of technology development for fabricating perfectly ordered array of nanotubes. The proposed MTx architecture accounts for variations and non-idealities that occur in CNFETs. MTx with short transistor channel length operates differently from the long channel CNT-based TFTs where the carriers hop from tube to tube in a percolation network.
Charting “Unexplored Territory” in the Social Foundations: Pedagogical Practice in Urban Teacher Education

In this article, I portray undergraduate education students at an urban, inclusive university participating in the process of defining their emerging philosophies of education. Excerpts from student writing demonstrate that, in a course organized around key essential questions, double-entry journals, and students' consideration of their educational autobiographies (in a classroom that valued critical inquiry and collaboration), students developed personal philosophy statements that were coherent, thoughtful, self-confident, and revealed a sense of personal and political efficacy in the context of urban, public schooling. These philosophy statements signify that, over the course of the semester, students were able to formulate clear and strong positions on education, and perhaps most important, express a commitment to participate in the reform of urban schools for all children.
Ground state (quasi-) rotational levels in light Os, Pt and Hg nuclei

Abstract Energy levels in some neutron-deficient doubly even nuclei in the platinum region have been studied following heavy-ion reactions. Information of the ground state rotational (or quasi-rotational) bands in 178, 180, 182Os, 182, 184, 186, 188Pt and 188, 190Hg is presented. The levels suggest that the light platinum nuclei are very soft axially-symmetric rotors, rather different from the well-known γ-unstable or tri-axial heavy osmium nuclei. The energy-level systematics of this region are compared with those of the samarium region, and it is concluded that the two regions are basically similar, with the well-known 88–90 neutron discontinuity reasonably well duplicated between neutron-deficient osmium and platinum nuclei (proton number 76–78).
Measurement of seed spacing uniformity performance of a precision metering unit as function of the number of holes on vacuum plate

Abstract The objective of the study was to determine the seed spacing uniformity performance of a precision metering unit when vacuum plates with different number of holes were used. In order to meet this objective, the performances of vacuum plates with different number of holes were evaluated in the laboratory conditions by employing sticky belt tests and seed spacing values were measured computerized measurement system (CMS) for the cotton and corn seeds. Quality of feed index, multiple index, miss index as well as coefficient of precision (CP3) were considered as the performance indicators for precision seeding. The forward speed values were as selected as 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 m s −1 while vacuum plates with hole diameter of 3.5 mm for cotton and 4.5 mm for corn seeds were used. For both, cotton and corn seeds, five different vacuum plates (20, 26, 36, 52, and 72 holes) were considered in the experiments. In the experiments, vacuum pressure was applied at 6.3 kPa. Based on the findings in this work it appears that 1.0 and 1.5 m s −1 of forward speed values were found to provide the highest performance levels for all vacuum plates. However such performance substantially decreased when forward speed increased to 2.0 m s −1 . In overall, the highest performance was determined when 26 and 36 holes were used for cotton and corn, respectively.
Theory of Bremsstrahlung Amplitudes in the Soft Photon Approximation

A general parametrization which enables us to construct all possible approximations to the bremsstrahlung amplitude is applied to explore generalizations of existing soft-photon approximations. We establish the existence of theoretical ambiguity in defining the soft-photon approximations and we show how the bremsstrahlung cross section calculated from a soft-photon amplitude depends on the parameters. We also show that if the bremsstrahlung spectrum exhibits resonant structure, then the position of this structure ${K}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$ and its width ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$ can be predicted by either performing the detailed bremsstrahlung calculation or using two simple formulas which relate ${K}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$ directly to the resonant energy ${E}_{R}$ and the width ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\mathrm{el}}$ of the resonant structure observed in the elastic scattering cross sections. This new information about ${K}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$ can be used to study the validity of any bremsstrahlung amplitude.All approximations have been divided into classes, and the following approximations have been systematically studied: (i) the one-energy--one-angle approximation, which is the generalized Low's approximation, and (ii) the two-energy--one-angle approximation, which is the generalized Feshbach-Yennie approximation. We find that all soft-photon amplitudes in the one-energy--one-angle approximation fail to adequately describe the proton-carbon bremsstrahlung (${\mathrm{p}}^{12}$C\ensuremath{\gamma}) data near the 1.7-MeV resonance. These amplitudes predict the values of ${K}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$ which do not agree with the experimental ones. Although the problem comes from both the leading term and the second term of the amplitudes, the major difficulty lies in the derivatives of the elastic scattering amplitudes in the second term.Our study also shows that the limited existing data (which are available only in the soft-photon region, Kl200 keV) can be described by many soft-photon amplitudes in the two-energy--one-angle approximation. Since these amplitudes in the two-energy--one-angle approximation predict quite different resonant structure with different values of ${K}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$ at higher photon energies (200 keVlKl600 keV), a new ${\mathrm{p}}^{12}$C\ensuremath{\gamma} experiment is suggested to test these amplitudes so that the best one can be selected.
350 My of Mitochondrial Genome Stasis in Mosses, an Early Land Plant Lineage

Among land plants, angiosperms have the structurally most labile mitochondrial (mt) genomes. In contrast, the so-called early land plants (e.g., mosses) seem to have completely static mt chromosomes. We assembled the complete mt genomes from 12 mosses spanning the moss tree of life, to assess 1) the phylogenetic depth of the conserved mt gene content and order and 2) the correlation between scattered sequence repeats and gene order lability in land plants. The mt genome of most mosses is approximately 100 kb in size, and thereby the smallest among land plants. Based on divergence time estimates, moss mt genome structure has remained virtually frozen for 350 My, with only two independent gene losses and a single gene relocation detected across the macroevolutionary tree. This is the longest period of mt genome stasis demonstrated to date in a plant lineage. The complete lack of intergenic repeat sequences, considered to be essential for intragenomic recombinations, likely accounts for the evolutionary stability of moss mt genomes.
Dynamics of charged microparticles at oil-water interfaces.

Solid-stabilized emulsions have been used as a model system to investigate the dynamics of charged microparticles with diameters of 1.1 μm at oil−water interfaces. Using confocal microscopy, we investigated the influences of interfacial curvature, cluster size, and temperature on the diffusion of solid particles. Our work suggests that a highly curved emulsion interface slows the motion of solid particles. This qualitatively supports the theoretical work by Danov et al. (Danov, K. D.; Dimova, R.; Pouligny, B. Phys. Fluids 2000, 12, 2711); however, the interfacial curvature effect decreases with increasing oil-phase viscosity. The diffusion of multiparticle clusters at oil−water interfaces is a strong function of cluster size and oil-phase viscosity and can be quantitatively related to fractal dimension. Finally, we report the influence of temperature and quantify the diffusion activation energy and friction factor of the particles at the investigated oil−water interfaces.
Locus of Control as a Life-Span Developmental Process: Revision of the Construct:

This paper critiques the theoretical foundation of the locus of control construct from a life-span developmental perspective. It is argued that the locus of control construct, as currently used, does not reflect a life-span developmental perspective due to its lack of congruence with basic principles of developmental interactionism. This incongruence is exemplified in three interrelated areas: (1) the meaning and representation of the "psychological situation", (2) the conceptualization and treatment of the time continuum (e.g. age), and (3) the nature and utilization of interactionism. Revision is advocated in order to increase the validity of the locus of control construct within a life-span developmental orientation. Revision is also advocated in order to increase the conceptual clarity of this popular yet elusive construct. The paper concludes with a discussion of suggested revisions which include a life-span concept of situations, the concept of qualitative changes in perceived control, and a transac...
Application of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in cement Alkali quantification

Alkali in cement is responsible for the Alkali–silica-reaction phenomenon that manifests itself in the form of premature cracking in concrete structures such as bridge decks and concrete pavements. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) is commonly used for cement Alkali quantification but a simpler and faster analytical procedure based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) has been expanded for this purpose. An analytical absorption band at 750 cm−1 in the FTIR spectra of cement samples belonging to Alkali solid solution of tricalcium aluminate [C3A(ss)] is used for Alkali quantification. Regression analysis of a plot correlating FTIR absorption band area ratio (750/923 cm−1) to equivalent Alkali Na2O e (Na2O e = % Na2O + 0.658 × % K2O) measured by XRF shows a linear correlation coefficient, R 2, of 0.97. High Alkali cement samples show a higher microstructural disorder coefficient, C d, which is a reactivity criterion introduced by Bachiorrini and co-authors (Proceedings of the seventh international conference on concrete alkali-aggregate reactions‚ 1986) for ASR-susceptible aggregates. Results of this research indicate applicability of FTIR technique to quantitatively predict cement vulnerability to ASR through the $$ A_{{750\,{\text{cm}}^{ - 1} }} $$ to $$ A_{{923\,{\text{cm}}^{ - 1} }} $$ band area ratio and the magnitude of the disorder coefficient (C d).
Fostering Interaction to Enhance Learning in Online Learning Environments

Interaction is central to educational experiences in online learning environments. Interaction enhances learning by fostering three types of learning interaction: learner-instructor, learner-learner, and learner-content. Additionally, online students generally perceive interaction as an effective means of learning. Therefore, it is important for online instructors to create opportunities for interaction in online learning environments. This article stimulates reflections on the critical role of interaction in online learning. A primary implication based on the challenges reported in the study is that instructors need to reflect on effective ways to design and implement successful online learning environments. For instance, instructors could anticipate these challenges by focusing on the development of online tools such as wikis to enhance effective online interaction.
FRaC: a feature-modeling approach for semi-supervised and unsupervised anomaly detection

Anomaly detection involves identifying rare data instances (anomalies) that come from a different class or distribution than the majority (which are simply called "normal" instances). Given a training set of only normal data, the semi-supervised anomaly detection task is to identify anomalies in the future. Good solutions to this task have applications in fraud and intrusion detection. The unsupervised anomaly detection task is different: Given unlabeled, mostly-normal data, identify the anomalies among them. Many real-world machine learning tasks, including many fraud and intrusion detection tasks, are unsupervised because it is impractical (or impossible) to verify all of the training data. We recently presented FRaC, a new approach for semi-supervised anomaly detection. FRaC is based on using normal instances to build an ensemble of feature models, and then identifying instances that disagree with those models as anomalous. In this paper, we investigate the behavior of FRaC experimentally and explain why FRaC is so successful. We also show that FRaC is a superior approach for the unsupervised as well as the semi-supervised anomaly detection task, compared to well-known state-of-the-art anomaly detection methods, LOF and one-class support vector machines, and to an existing feature-modeling approach.
Isolation of glycosaminoglycans from basement membranes of brain microvessels.

Abstract Although the core protein of a heparan sulfate proteoglycan has been detected in brain microvessel basement membranes by immunoperoxidase staining, cytochemical evidence of a glycosaminoglycan component, in the form of discrete staining with ruthenium red, is not found. To resolve this discrepancy , we examined the glycosaminoglycan content of this basement membrane directly. Microvessels were isolated from pig cerebral cortex, and basement membranes freed from cellular elements. Following digestion with papain and Pronase, the glycosaminoglycans were precipitated with cetyl pyridinium chloride and ethanol. The resulting extract contained uronic acid, and after electrophoresis on Super Sepraphore revealed 2 bands: One co-migrated with heparan sulfate standard, the other with chondroitin sulfate A and C. The first was completely eliminated by nitrous acid and heparitinase, but not by hyaluronidase or chondroitinase ABC and was therefore confirmed as heparan sulfate; the other band was eliminated by chondroitinase ABC but not by the other three treatments. The findings suggest that basement membrane of brain microvessels, like other vascular basement membranes, contains heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate A and/or C. The failure of staining with ruthenium red is probably a result of unique structural features of this basement membrane, rather than an absence of glycosaminoglycan.
WHAT DO YOU TEACH POLICY STUDIES EDUCATORS ABOUT COMPUTERS

Computers are no longer an idea of the future. They are, rather, a common and even expected tool of the public administrator. The authors assert that students of the discipline must have a practical knowledge of computer applications. While it is not necessary that advanced computer engineering be studied, students should nevertheless be made familiar with the uses of the computer in administration. Beyond learning how to operate a computer, the article states that students, especially adult learners, first have to be made not to fear this instrument of the age of information so that they will be comfortable when learning its applications.
Mathematical proofs as graph search problems in theory courses

In this paper, we describe a graph-based approach to the construction of simple mathematical proofs. In contrast with traditional linear proofs, this technique helps the student organize the solution process and provides a visual representation of the proof. This approach has been used to introduce proofs in a discrete structure course. The author has observed a statistically significant increase in students' performance when answering related test problems.
Aged C57BL/6J Mice Respond to Cold With Increased Sympathetic Nervous Activity to Interscapular Brown Adipose Tissue

Aged, male C57BL/6J mice produce less heat than adults during cold, which may lead to a reduced ability to maintain core temperature, but the underlying mechanisms of the decreased heat production in aged mice are still unclear. We measured sympathetic nervous activity (SNA) to interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT) in aged mice and compared this activity with that of adults. Mice were anesthetized by urethane and isoflurane, and SNA was recorded from one of the fine nerves to IBAT. The animal's body caudal to the pelvic area was covered with a plastic bag containing iced-water to decrease colonic temperature 7 degrees C below control over 20 minutes. SNA to IBAT (IBAT-SNA) increased during cold in both groups, but aged mice had higher IBAT-SNA before and during cold. These findings indicate that neither the ability of aged mice to detect cold nor their ability to generate sympathetic outflow to BAT is deficient.
Quantile map: Simultaneous visualization of patterns in many distributions with application to tandem mass spectrometry

High-throughput experiments have become more and more prevalent in biomedical research. The resulting high-dimensional data have brought new challenges. Effective data reduction, summarization and visualization are important keys to initial exploration in data mining. In this paper, we introduce a visualization tool, namely a quantile map, to present information contained in a probabilistic distribution. We demonstrate its use as an effective visual analysis tool through the application of a tandem mass spectrometry data set. Information of quantiles of a distribution is presented in gradient colors by concentric doughnuts. The width of the doughnuts is proportional to the Fisher information of the distribution to present unbiased visualization effect. A parametric empirical Bayes (PEB) approach is shown to improve the simple maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) approach when estimating the Fisher information. In the motivating example from tandem mass spectrometry data, multiple probabilistic distributions are to be displayed in two-dimensional grids. A hierarchical clustering to reorder rows and columns and a gradient color selection from a Hue-Chroma-Luminance model, similar to that commonly applied in heatmaps of microarray analysis, are adopted to improve the visualization. Both simulations and the motivating example show superior performance of the quantile map in summarization and visualization of such high-throughput data sets.
Expression and characterization of the type III polyketide synthase 1,3,6,8-tetrahydroxynaphthalene synthase from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

Sequence analysis of the metabolically rich 8.7-Mbp genome of the model actinomycete Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) revealed three genes encoding predicted type III polyketide synthases (PKSs). We report the inactivation, expression, and characterization of the type III PKS homologous SCO1206 gene product as 1,3,6,8-tetrahydroxynaphthalene synthase (THNS). Incubation of recombinant THNS with malonyl-CoA showed THN production, as demonstrated by UV and HPLC analyses. The K m value for malonyl-CoA and the k cat value for THN synthesis were determined spectrophotometrically to be 3.58±0.85 µM and 0.48±0.03 min−1, respectively. The C-terminal region of S. coelicolor THNS, which is longer than most other bacterial and plant type III PKSs, was shortened by 25 amino acid residues and the resulting mutant was shown to be slightly more active (K m=1.97±0.19 µM, k cat=0.75±0.04 min−1) than the wild-type enzyme.
Ultrasonic vocalization responses of rat pups to acute separation and contact comfort do not depend on maternal thermal cues.

In order to assess the importance of maternal thermal cues in controlling the acute USV responses of rat pups to contact with her body (the contact comfort response) and to separation from her, we drastically altered maternal temperature by inducing severe hypothermia so that maternal rectal and flank temperatures averaged more than 20°C below normal and 10°C below ambient levels during testing. Isolated 12- to 13-day-old pups showed reductions in USV when these cold dams were presented and brisk USV accelerations when the cold dams were removed from the test chamber. These responses closely resembled those of other pups tested with warm (36°C) anesthetized dams. No significant differences were found in pups' USV contact comfort responses to cold and warm dams. For acute separation, prior maternal thermal properties and other factors were found to modulate the relative intensity of the marked USV increase elicited by this event © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Long-term effects of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I treatment on serum IGFs and IGF binding proteins in adolescent patients with growth hormone receptor deficiency

Summary OBJECTIVE The aim of this investigation was to study the effect of relatively high dose IGF-I therapy given for several months, on serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3, and on IGF-I pharmacokinetics In patients with growth hormone insensitivity due to GH receptor dysfunction. DESIGN AND PATIENTS Two adolescent subjects from Ecuador were treated with recombinant IGF-I at a dosage of 120μg/kg s.c. twice dally, in combination with a GnRH analogue for 8 months. MEASUREMENTS Serum was sampled at baseline and at 3–8 months, for determination of IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 by radioimmunoassay, and for evaluation of IGFBPs and IGFBP-3 protease activity by Western ligand blot and protease assay, respectively. RESULTS Peak serum IGF-I levels ranged from 272 to 492μg/l. Mean serum IGF-II levels were decreased concurrently with the increase in IGF-I. Serum IGFBP-3 levels failed to rise with prolonged IGF-I treatment. There was no apparent change In the half-life of IGF-I during the treatment period. CONCLUSIONS IGF-I administration does not increase serum levels of IGFBP-3 or significantly alter IGF-I pharmacokinetics.
Aggressive pricing to exploit market niches in supply chains

E-markets' growing popularity has given business-to-business trading an unprecedented boost. In supply chains connecting enterprises that trade services and goods, an organization's success depends on its ability to maintain stable and profitable relationships with other supply chain participants. We evaluate how predictive scheduling strategies and aggressive pricing schemes can help suppliers exploit market niches in B2B supply chains. Robust, opportunistic scheduling strategies can significantly improve suppliers' competitiveness by identifying market opportunities and strategically positioning and pricing available resources to exploit them.
Sexual size dimorphism is not associated with the evolution of parental care in frogs

Sex differences in parental care are thought to arise from differential selection on the sexes. Sexual dimorphism, including sexual size dimorphism (SSD), is often used as a proxy for sexual selection on males. Some studies have found an association between male-biased SSD (i.e., males larger than females) and the loss of paternal care. While the relationship between sexual selection on males and parental care evolution has been studied extensively, the relationship between female-biased SSD (i.e., females larger than males) and the evolution of parental care has received very little attention. Thus, we have little knowledge of whether female-biased SSD coevolves with parental care. In species displaying female-biased SSD, we might expect dimorphism to be associated with the evolution of paternal care or perhaps the loss of maternal care. Here, drawing on data for 99 extant frog species, we use comparative methods to evaluate how parental care and female-biased SSD have evolved over time. Generally, we find no significant correlation between the evolution of parental care and female-biased SSD in frogs. This suggests that differential selection on body size between the sexes is unlikely to have driven the evolution of parental care in these clades and questions whether we should expect sexual dimorphism to exhibit a general relationship with the evolution of sex differences in parental care.
The isolation of a poly-cis ζ-carotene from the Tangerine tomato☆

Abstract A contaminant of the β-carotene fraction of Tangerine tomato fruit extract was isolated and identified as a poly-cis isomer of ζ-carotene. The ripening fruit contains 0·8 μg/g dry weight of the pigment. The possible role of poly-cis ζ-carotene in the biosynthesis of poly-cis carotenes is discussed.
Separation of Orthophthalaldehyde/Ethanethiol Derivatives of Taurine and Closely Eluting Amino Acids by High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract In studies of the reverse phase, HPLC analysis of amino acids employing precolumn derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde and ethanethiol, it was shown that α-amino-n-butyric acid, β-amino-isobutyric acid and taurine coeluted in the acetonitrile/aqueous phosphate solvent system. By using a ternary solvent system of acetonitrile/tetrahydrofuran/aqueous phosphate buffer and efficient 5- and 10-μm octadecylsilane packings, the co-elution problem has been resolved. This modified chromatographic system is now being used to quantitatively determine taurine and other closely eluting amino acids in a variety of physiological fluids in order to clarify the role of taurine in human development.
Mindfulness and Health Behaviors

Mindfulness involves nonjudgmental awareness of one's present experience. It has been incorporated into the treatment of many psychological and physical disorders. Little is currently known about the extent to which mindful awareness is related to healthy diet and physical activity. In the current study, we examined the extent to which degree of mindfulness in everyday life predicts diet, physical activity, and self-efficacy. Participants (n = 269) were volunteers from a mid-sized Western university. They completed measures of mindfulness, physical activity, diet, and self-efficacy. Degree of mindfulness in everyday life predicted physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, fat intake (males only), and self-efficacy. Important gender differences emerged, with the ability to step back and observe experience predicting healthier behaviors for males, and the ability to mindfully describe experiences with words predicting healthier behaviors for females.
Laser revascularization of ischemic skeletal muscle.

Abstract Background Clinical trials have shown that transmyocardial laser revascularization is an effective secondary treatment for ischemic heart disease patients. Laser revascularization may also provide an alternative method for treating peripheral vascular disease. Methods The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential for laser revascularization in ischemic skeletal muscle. Eighteen rabbits (3–4 kg) were instrumented chronically with transit time ultrasound flowprobes on both common iliac arteries. All rabbits performed graded exercise tests on a treadmill where maximal blood flow was recorded. Unilateral hindlimb ischemia was produced by ligation of one femoral artery. At week 3 postligation, 10 rabbits received laser therapy and 8 underwent a sham surgery. In each of four muscles (gracilius, medialis, sartorius, and biceps femoris) 5 to 22 laser channels were created (average = 52 channels per leg). Results At week 3 postligation the maximal blood flow of the ischemic limb for the treated group was 64 ± 3 ml/min (mean ± SEM) and at 6 weeks postlaser therapy maximal blood flow increased to 75 ± 5 ml/min. The sham surgery group had a maximal blood flow of 58 ± 4 ml/min at week 3 postligation and 66 ± 3 ml/min at week 6 postsham surgery. Conclusion These results indicate that laser therapy does not induce angiogenesis and vascular remodeling in the ischemic hindlimb of a rabbit which exceeds that seen with a sham surgery.
Listening to films: Politics of the auditory in 1970s China

ABSTRACTThis article focuses on listening practices in 1970s China and examines the cinematic soundtracks of a handful of films, domestic and foreign, that were edited specifically for the purpose of radio broadcasting. Coined as ‘edited film recording’, this made-for-radio sonic compilation is a new product, one that takes crucial pieces from the original soundtrack but has significant editorial input, specifically in the insertion of an omniscient narrator. The narrator tells the story, expands narrative at times and comes in at crucial moments to drive key messages home. Film production was also designed for auditory consumption outside of the theatre, on gramophone and radio, before television entered individual households in China. Film literacy thus could be achieved without an actual access to the film products themselves. The hybridity of the genre created an illusion of broader and equal access to the symbolic order of a socialist visual culture. While communal life in 1970s China can be characte...
The involvement of a lysine residue at the active site of the enoyl reductase of pigeon liver fatty acid synthetase

The reaction of pyridoxal-5′-phosphate with lysine residues of pigeon and rat liver fatty acid synthetases has been investigated. The enzyme is reversibly inactivated by this compound inasmuch as overall and enoyl reductase activities are lost as a function of time. β-Ketoacyl reductase activity and other component activities of the enzyme are not affected. Spectrophotometric assays, as well as amino acid analysis of the acid hydrolysate of NaB 3 H 4 -reduced enzyme-pyridoxal phosphate complex, have established that the inactivation of the enzyme is due to Schiff base formation with e-amino groups of lysine residues that are essential for the enoyl reductase component activity of fatty acid synthetases.
Civic Media Platforms and Participatory Urbanism: A Critical Reflection

In this paper, we explicate our research on technology-mediated urban experience specific to two hyper-local tests in which the space of the ‘public’ is transformed into a virtual network by connective broadcasting. The first case study presents collective mapping in Rio de Janeiro toward increased civic engagement and sustainability, the second tests documentation of political demonstrations for strategic and archival purposes for Occupy Boston. Grouped under the term "participatory urbanism," the projects intend to explore how an individual activates interstitial space (between the physical city and hovering networks, between public and private) by engaging technology and civic media to affect change in the built environment. The physical and virtual environments serve as reciprocal sources of information, engendering a collective practice of shared encounters. We investigate how such encounters of user-centered activity through mobile and web-based media support or implicate the perception and manipula...
Nursing Home Stays and the Pace of Severe Disability Onset

Severe disability is an important predictor of nursing home admissions. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of severe disability pacing on risk of short- and long-term nursing home stays. Respondents who developed severe disability were assigned into one of two pacing trajectories: catastrophic or progressive disability. The author analyzed seven waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study and created a series of discrete-time event history models. The analysis showed that the risk associated with severe disability and nursing home stays varied based on severe disability pacing. Progressive and catastrophic disability were associated with increased risk of short- and long-term stays; however, the risk of nursing home stays was much greater for respondents with catastrophic disability for short- and long-term stays. The findings have implications for policy and research. The author suggests that future research focus on interventions aimed at slowing the pace of severe disability.
ALIGNMENT OF ULTRACENTRIFUGE CELLS RELATIVE TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF A FREELY SUSPENDED ROTOR.

Abstract 1. A method is described for aligning analytical ultracentrifuge cells relative to the actual axis of rotation of a freely suspended rotor under operating conditions. 2. The precision of the method is at present only limited by the ability to bring scribe marks reproducibly into juxtaposition. 3. A method is suggested for the precise delineation of the axis of rotation of a freely suspended rotor during operating conditions.
Cat cerebral arterial smooth muscle cells express cytochrome P450 4A2 enzyme and produce the vasoconstrictor 20-HETE which enhances L-type Ca2+ current

1. Cerebral arteries express cytochrome P450 4A enzymes (P450 4A) and produce 20- hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE), a potent constrictor of pial arterioles. It is not known which cell type in the vessel wall is responsible for the formation of 20-HETE. We examined whether freshly isolated cerebral arterial muscle cells (VSMCs) express P450 4A and produce 20-HETE. We also studied the effect of 20-HETE on pressurized cerebral arteries and on whole-cell L-type Ca2+current (ICa) recorded in cat cerebral VSMCs. 2. Cat cerebral VSMCs incubated with [14C]arachidonic acid ([14C]AA) produced 20-HETE (3.9 +/- 1.1 pmol min-1 (mg protein)-1). 3. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction studies revealed that cat cerebral VSMCs express mRNA for P450 4A which metabolizes AA to 20-HETE. Cloning and sequencing of the cDNA amplified from mRNA isolated from VSMCs showed > 96 % amino acid homology to the rat and human P450 4A2 and 4A3. 4. 20-HETE (1-300 nM) induced a concentration-dependent constriction of cat cerebral arteries, which was inhibited by nifedipine. 5. Addition of 10 and 100 nM 20-HETE to the bath increased peak ICa by 50 +/- 3 and 100 +/- 10 %, respectively. This effect was not influenced by altering the frequency of depolarization. 20-HETE (100 nM) failed to increase ICa in the presence of nifedipine. 6. These results demonstrate that cat cerebral VSMCs express P450 4A enzyme, and produce 20-HETE which activates L-type Ca2+ channel current to promote cerebral vasoconstriction.
Water Supply and Groundwater Issues in Developing Countries

Abstract The growing populations of most developing countries occur disproportionally in urban areas. This places considerable pressure on already overburdened budgets to increase the water supply and wastewater infrastructure. Moreover, little or no resources are left to supply, let alone, improve rural water supplies. To add to the problems, money has been spent on studies that have never been implemented. Projects have been constructed that have not fulfilled their purpose. This paper examines some of these problems, emphasizing groundwater, and suggests ways to prevent them in the future
Public-health challenges in the Middle East and North Africa.

In the past couple of decades while there was modest growth and poverty reduction in the Middle East and North Africa (MEAN) region impressive gains have been achieved in health status through improvements in technology health-service delivery public-health programmes and socioeconomic development. In 2000 MEAN governments signed on to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and most MEAN countries are on track to achieving most of the goals. But health outcomes are generally worse among the poorest than among the richest. The challenges facing the MEAN region can be grouped into health-transition and health-systems issues. (excerpt)
In vitro binding of β-propiolactone to calf thymus DNA and mouse liver DNA to form 1-(2-carboxyethyl)adenine

Abstract In vitro reaction of β-propiolactone (BPL) with calf thymus DNA and mouse liver DNA followed by acid (HCl) hydrolyses of the BPL-reacted DNA's resulted in the isolation of a new compound, 1-(2-carboxyethyl)adenine (1-CEA). The structure was assigned on the basis of ultraviolet spectra at acidic, alkaline and neutral pH and electron impact and chemical ionization mass spectra as well as chemical synthesis of 1-CEA from BPL and 2′-adenosine-5′-monophosphoric acid. The only other compound previously isolated from the in vitro and in vivo reactions of BPL and DNA was 7-(2-carboxyethyl)guanine (7-CEG) which we also identified as a product of our in vitro reaction. Under the conditions used the main product of alkylation was 1-CEA and the ratios of the concentrations of 1-CEA to 7-CEG was approx 3 : 1. The possible effect of the formation of 1-CEA on the structure of DNA and its role in chemical carcinogenesis is discussed.
Experimental study of nonlinear wave—wave interaction and white-cap dissipation of wind-generated waves

Abstract An experimental scheme was designed to obtain laboratory-scale verification of Hasselmann's nonlinear wave—wave interaction and white-cap dissipation theories. Water wave height and fluctuating air pressure were measured simultaneously in a fixed reference frame as a function of fetch in the Stanford Wind, Water-Wave Research Facility under the conditions of a steady wind and a stationary wave spectrum. All the data were obtained 5 mm above the highest point of the wind waves for five stations (3 m apart on average) and at three wind speeds (7.1, 8.0 and 8.9 m/sec). The wave height and fluctuating pressure were measured by a capacitance wave-height gauge and a crystal pressure transducer, respectively. Based on the experimental results, Hasselmann's nonlinear wave—wave interaction theory appears to be valid. Barnett's approximate parametric equation for calculating the energy transfer of nonlinear wave—wave interaction and Hasselmann's white-capping dissipation model were also verified and appeared to be applicable in the relatively low and intermediate frequency region of a wave spectrum for a normalized fetch range of 100–500. Based on the results of an overall energy balance in a gravity wind-wave spectrum, the nonlinear wave—wave interaction mechanism is shown to play a dominant role in the energy transfer processes after the wave spectrum is generated.