cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feasibility of patterned vertical CNT for dry electrode sensing of physiological parameters

Dry electrodes for impedimetric sensing of physiological parameters (such as ECG, EEG, and GSR) promise the ability for long duration monitoring. This paper describes the feasibility of a novel dry electrode interfacing using Patterned Vertical Carbon Nanotube (pvCNT) for physiological parameter sensing. The electrodes were fabricated on circular discs (ϕ = 10 mm) stainless steel substrate. Multiwalled electrically conductive carbon nanotubes were grown in pattered pillar formation of 100 μm squared with 50, 100, 200 and 500μm spacing. The heights of the pillars were between 1 to 1.5 mm. A comparative test with commercial ECG electrodes shows that pvCNT has lower electrical impedance, stable impedance over very long time, and comparable signal capture in vitro. Long duration study shows minimal degradation of impedance over 2 days period. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using pvCNT dry electrodes for physiological parameter sensing.
Time-Domain Radio Frequency EPR Imaging

The development of a radio frequency time domain EPR spectrometer/imager operating at 300 MHz for in vivo applications is described. The ways we have addressed the challenges originating from the very short relaxation times of the unpaired spin ensemble such as the design of broad band low Q resonators, the necessity of providing ultra short pulses of sub microsecond duration, reduction of the receiver recovery time (resonator dead time and preamplifier recovery time), the need to sample the time response at Gigasamples/s rates, etc., are outlined. The reduction in the sensitivity by lowering the frequency of measurement to radio frequency regime necessitates the use of fast signal averaging strategies. The spectrometer/imager can address objects up to the size of a whole mouse, and well resolved 2-D and 3-D images could be obtained using narrow line spin probes based on triarylmethyl radicals, using volume excitations in presence of static gradients and filtered back-projection techniques. The imaging modalities are outlined and representative examples from phantoms and in vivo studies are presented. The use of local relaxation time differences brought about by changes in the tissue pO2to provide contrasts in the images is also described. Time domain RF FT-EPR method may turn out to be an important imaging tool to provide valuable information on tumor hypoxia, vascular perfusion profiles and the assessment of in vivo pO2and will act as an useful adjunct to CT, BOLD-MRI and PET.
Solar cycle dependence of polar cap patch activity

[1] Ionospheric foF2 data from two stations, Sondrestromfjord and Qaanaq, Greenland, for 4 years corresponding to four different levels of sunspot activity (sunspot number (SSN) = 150 ± 50, 125 ± 50, 40 ± 20, and 10 ± 10) are used to study the dependence of occurrence and intensity of polar cap patches on solar cycle activity. At high sunspot activity, on the average, Sondrestromfjord sees six patches per day, and Qaanaaq sees eight patches per day. At low sunspot activity the number drops to three per day at both stations. It is found that on a daily basis the polar cap patch activity is independent of the sunspot number for weaker patches (≥3 MHz) but reduces with sunspot number for stronger patches (≥6 MHz). Only at high sunspot activity, stronger patches are seen for 20% of the time. The duration of polar cap patches reduces from 50% at high sunspot activity (SSN = 150) to 15% at low sunspot activity (SSN = 10). It exhibits a seasonal dependence with a maximum in winter months. The diurnal maximum in polar cap patch activity at both stations occurs close to local magnetic noontime. Assuming that polar cap patches are generated at high latitude (Sondrestromfjord) and drift to polar latitude (Qaanaaq), only about 30% of patches seen at Qaanaaq can be accounted for as originating at Sondrestromfjord. A reduction in patch activity with reduction in sunspot number is directly related to a reduction in the strength of the source: the tongue of ionization. The polar cap patches exhibit a weak dependence on the interplanetary magnetic activity index Kp. The distribution of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) for the patch occurrence very much resembles that of bx, by, bz of the IMF database. Over the solar cycle all these changes cover more than an order of magnitude of range. The effect of polar cap patch activity on communications operating at high-latitude regions is briefly discussed.
Scope and Diversity of Privatized Services in the North Central Division

Abstract Privatization is the purchase of goods and services from the private sector by governmental agencies. We conducted a survey to gather information on the current status of privatization in state, provincial, and federal agencies within the North Central Division of the American Fisheries Society. Most respondents indicated their agencies did contract services and likely would continue to do so in the future because of budget or personnel constraints. Certain activities such as fish production, specialized research, secondary data collection, engineering, computer programming, data entry, creel surveys, fish removal, and inventory activities were most likely to be contracted. However, activities closely related to the central mission (e.g., standardized sampling, data analysis) or the final decision-making process of the agency were less likely to be contracted. A consensus among administrators was that wide-scale privatization of management activities is counter to the long-term conservation of fi...
Impact of social network characteristics on shelter use among street youth in San Francisco.

Purpose: We examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal association between social network characteristics and street youths’ shelter use, a determinant of health outcomes for homeless youth. Methods: We analyzed interview data from 138 street youth recruited through venue-based sampling in San Francisco, to assess the cross-sectional relationship between shelter use in youths’ socialnetworksandyouths’reportedshelteruse.Wealsoassessedtherelationshipbetweenbaseline network shelter use and shelter use at 6-month follow-up. Results: Low proportions of street youth reported shelter use at baseline (38%) and follow-up (29.6%). Twenty-nine (26.9%) youth were in networks with shelter users at baseline, compared with 17 youth (15.7%) at follow-up. In cross-sectional analysis, youth in networks with shelter users had 5-fold increased odds of reporting shelter use (OR: 5.86, p ¼ .006). A 1-person increase in the number of network shelter users was associated with 2-fold increased odds of youths’ shelter use (OR: 2.16, p ¼ .02). In longitudinal analysis, youth in networks with shelter users at baseline had nearly 5-fold increased odds of shelter use at follow-up (OR: 4.95, p ¼ .01). A 1-person increase in the number of network shelter users at baseline was associated with 3-fold increased odds of shelter use at follow-up (OR: 3.15, p ¼ .004). Conclusion: Shelter users seem to cluster together. Shelter use by extended network members was associated with increased odds of youths’ own shelter use. Understanding how network behaviors influence street youths’ health-related behaviors, such as shelter use, could inform network-based interventions encouraging service uptake among marginalized and hard-to-reach street youth populations.
Couple Communication, Emotional and Sexual Intimacy, and Relationship Satisfaction

Emotional and sexual aspects of intimacy in romantic relationships are important correlates of couples' relationship satisfaction. However, few studies have examined the effect of emotional and sexual aspects of intimacy on relationship satisfaction within the context of the interpersonal relationship processes. In addition, the association between emotional and sexual aspects of intimacy remains unclear. With a sample of 335 married couples from the Flourishing Families Project, the authors examined the associations between couple communication, emotional intimacy, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction, using the couple as the unit of analysis. The results of path analysis suggested that sexual satisfaction significantly predicted emotional intimacy for husbands and wives, while emotional intimacy did not appear to have a significant influence on sexual satisfaction. Further, mediation associations were suggested within as well as between spouses. Within spouses (for each spouse), emotional intimacy and sexual satisfaction mediated the association between spouses' appraisal of their partners' communication and their own relationship satisfaction. Gender differences were revealed in terms of how a spouse's perception of sexual satisfaction is associated with his or her partner's relationship satisfaction. In this study, although wives' relationship satisfaction was not associated with their husbands' sexual satisfaction, husbands tended to report high levels of relationship satisfaction when their wives reported greater sexual satisfaction. Findings suggest that both components of intimacy--emotional and sexual--should be comprehensively addressed in research and clinical work with couples.
Late Pleistocene paleoclimatology of the central equatorial Pacific: A quantitative record of eolian and carbonate deposition

Detailed records of δ18O, δ13C, percentage and mass accumulation rate of CaCO3, and eolian percentage, mass accumulation rate, and grainsize generated for core RC11-210 from the equatorial Pacific reveal the timing of paleoclimatic events over the past 950,000 yr. The CaCO3 percentage record shows the standard Pacific correlation of high CaCO3 content with glacial periods, but displays a marked change of character about 490,000 yr ago with older stages showing much less variability. The carbonate mass flux record, however, does not show such a noticeable change. Sedimentation rates vary from about 0.5 to 3.0 cm/1000 yr and, during the past 490,000 yr, sections with enhanced sedimentation rates correspond to periods of high CaCO3 percentage. Eolian mass accumulation rates, an indication of the aridity of the source region, are usually higher during glacial times. Eolian grainsize, an indication of the intensity of atmospheric circulation, generally fluctuates at a higher frequency than the 100,000-yr glacial cycle. The mid-Brunhes climatic event centered at 300,000 yr ago appears as a 50,000-yr interval of low intensity and reduced variability of atmospheric circulation. Furthermore, the nature of this entire record changes then, with the younger portion indicating less variation in wind intensity than the older part of the record. The late Matuyama increase in amplitude of paleoclimatic signals begins 875,000 yr ago in the eolian record, 25,000 yr before the δ18O and CaCO3 percentage amplitude increases about 850,000 yr ago.
Stereoselective inhibition of glutamate carboxypeptidase by chiral phosphonothioic acids

A series of phosphonothioic acid derivatives of (S)-2-hydroxyglutarate with various alkyl or aryl ligands to the central phosphorus atom was examined for stereoselective inhibition of the glutamate carboxypeptidase, carboxypeptidase G. The inhibitory potencies of these stereoisomers were compared to corresponding synthetic phosphonic acid analogues in order to reveal the significance of the sulfur ligand of the phosphonothioic acid motif upon the inhibition of this metallopeptidase. The acquisition of the individual phosphonothioic acid diastereomers was achieved through the resolution of the respective phosphonate ester precursors. In all cases, the (+)p-diastereomers of these phosphonothioic acid derivatives of (S)-2-hydroxyglutarate were found to be more potent inhibitors of glutamate carboxypeptidase than the corresponding (-)p antipodes with the most dramatic difference observed for the butyl isomers (13.6-fold). Based upon Ki values obtained, the most potent inhibitor of the series by nearly an order of magnitude was the (+)p-n-butylphosphonothioic acid derivative, revealing specific structural and stereochemical requirements by this glutamate carboxypeptidase. With the exception of the (+)p-n-butyl analogue, the isosteric replacement of oxygen with sulfur of the phosphonic acid moiety did not enhance inhibitory potency.
Effect of isoproterenol in digitalis cardiotoxicity.

Abstract 1. 1. Healthy dogs were given infusions of varying amounts of digoxin, and isoproterenol was then administered. 2. 2. In animals that had not previously shown electrocardiographic evidence of digitalis cardiotoxicity, isoproterenol administration frequently precipitated ectopic rhythms. 3. 3. In dogs with overt digitalis intoxication isoproterenol consistently produced electro-cardiographic deterioration. 4. 4. Atrioventricular heart block as a manifestation of digitalis intoxication was observed infrequently, and the efficacy of isoproterenol in this arrhythmia could not be evaluated.
Simulation of hydrogen-based hybrid systems using Hybrid2

Abstract A hydrogen-based hybrid system was designed and simulated using the renewable resources available in Chicago, IL. The simulation was based on the probabilistic model developed for the Hybrid2 simulation software. The system integrates a 6.5 kW p solar array and a 12 kW wind turbine with a 2 kW fuel cell, 8 kW electrolyzer, and 3 kW hydrogen gas compressor to meet a varying load with a mean of 1 kW . The hydrogen generated by the electrolyzer is stored in a large, high-pressure tank (22 m 3 volume). The stored hydrogen provides energy for the fuel cell to meet the load when the renewable energy is insufficient. The performance of the system is described in detail along with the probabilistic models needed to simulate the hydrogen-based components. Over a period of 1 year the energy produced by the renewable power generators exceeded the load by 160%, and the system did not require additional hydrogen or fossil fuel to consistently meet the load using a very small battery bank.
Direct cortical representation of drawing

How the intention to act results in movement is a fundamental question of brain organization. Recent work has shown that this operation involves the cooperative interaction of large neuronal populations. A population vector method, by transforming neuronal activity to the spatial domain, was used to visualize the motor cortical representation of the hand's trajectory made by rhesus monkeys as they drew spirals. Hand path was accurately reflected by a series of population vectors calculated throughout the task. A psychophysical rule relating speed to curvature, the "power law," was found in this cortical representation. The relative timing between each population vector and the corresponding portion of the movement was variable. The population vectors only preceded the movement in a predictive manner in portions of the spiral where the radius of curvature was greater than 6 centimeters. These results show that the movement trajectory is an important determinant of motor cortical activity and that this aspect of motor cortical activity may contribute only to discrete portions of the drawing movement.
Quantum mechanical predictions of the Henry's law constants and their temperature dependence for the 209 polychlorinated biphenyl congeners.

The Henry’s law constants (HLCs) for all 209 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners were predicted at 25 °C using the quantum mechanical (QM) continuum solvation models COSMO-SAC and SM6, and trends were examined. COSMO-SAC HLCs were also predicted for all congeners at 4, 11, 18, and 31 °C. The temperature dependences of the HLCs were used to calculate enthalpy of solvation (ΔHS) values. At 25 °C, COSMO-SAC and SM6 predicted similar values of the HLC, which are consistent with all but one of the available sets of measurements, and have smaller root-mean-square prediction errors than other models tested. This supports the validity of the QM values, and the recommendation of their use in environmental transport and fate models. Intercongener trends in the HLCs appear to be dominated by the strength of PCB-water polar interactions. The COSMO-SAC predictions between 4 and 31 °C indicate that the temperature dependence of the HLC is similar for all congeners. At low temperatures, the HLC predictions for seve...
Making a case for integration of disaster-preparedness content in associate degree nursing programs

Abstract Catastrophic events such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina have identified the need for nurses to be trained in disaster preparedness. Government and regulatory agencies are calling for this content to be included in nursing education at all levels. Associate degree nursing programs can take a leading role in preparing students to manage disaster events in a variety of health care settings. This article will provide resources for associate degree programs wishing to incorporate this content in their curriculum.
Identification of novel germline polymorphisms governing capecitabine sensitivity

BACKGROUND: Capecitabine, an oral 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) prodrug, is widely used in the treatment of breast, colorectal, and gastric cancers. To guide the selection of patients with potentially the greatest benefit of experiencing antitumor efficacy, or, alternatively, of developing toxicities, identifying genomic predictors of capecitabine sensitivity could permit its more informed use. METHODS: The objective of this study was to perform capecitabine sensitivity genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using 503 well genotyped human cell lines from individuals representing multiple different world populations. A meta-analysis that included all ethnic populations then enabled the identification of novel germline determinants (single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) of capecitabine susceptibility. RESULTS: First, an intrapopulation GWAS of Caucasian individuals identified reference SNP 4702484 (rs4702484) (within adenylate cyclase 2 [ADCY2]) at a level reaching genome-wide significance (P = 5.2 × 10−8). This SNP is located upstream of the 5 methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase reductase (MTRR) gene, and it is known that the enzyme for MTRR is involved in the methionine-folate biosynthesis and metabolism pathway, which is the primary target of 5-FU-related compounds, although the authors were unable to identify a direct relation between rs4702484 and MTRR expression in a tested subset of cells. In the meta-analysis, 4 SNPs comprised the top hits, which, again, included rs4702484 and 3 additional SNPs (rs8101143, rs576523, and rs361433) that approached genome-wide significance (P values from 1.9 × 10−7 to 8.8 × 10−7). The meta-analysis also identified 1 missense variant (rs11722476; serine to asparagine) within switch/sucrose nonfermentable-related, matrix-associated, actin-dependent regulator of chromatin (SMARCAD1), a novel gene for association with capecitabine/5-FU susceptibility. CONCLUSIONS: Toward the goal of individualizing cancer chemotherapy, the current study identified novel SNPs and genes associated with capecitabine sensitivity that are potentially informative and testable in any patient regardless of ethnicity. Cancer 2011. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Numerical simulation of jet fuel degradation in flow reactors

In modern high-speed military aircraft, the jet fuel has a secondary function acting as primary coolant to absorb the heat generated at high flight speeds and by on-board equipment. The present study deals with the development of a mathematical model for estimating the degradation of jet fuels in a simulated heated flow environment. Since many of the physical and chemical processes involved in the decomposition of real jet fuel in an aircraft are not well understood at this point, this model is formulated by taking an accurate description of the transport phenomena, but with a simplified global chemistry model. This model is also capable of utilizing the existing kinetic data information from batch reactors and predicting the jet fuel degradation in heated flow reactor systems. To develop and validate this mathematical model, however, it is necessary to have data from carefully instrumented experiments. The proposed model is validated using experimental data obtained at different flow rates after stressin...
Structure function analysis of an arthropod peptide hormone: Proctolin and synthetic analogues compared on the cockroach hindgut receptor

Abstract Proctolin is a pentapeptide (arg-tyr-leu-pro-thr) found in nervous tissues throughout the phylum Arthropoda. Initially described as a peptidergic neuromuscular transmitter, it now appears that proctolin is a major arthropod neurohormone modulating nervous activity, muscle tonus and contractile force. Structure-function studies with synthetic analogues demonstrate diverse peptides which retain agonistic activity, but few exhibit a high degree of affinity for the cockroach hindgut receptor compared with proctolin (Kd app =2×10 −8 M). High affinity agonists (Kd app ≤10 −7 M) are limited to [phe 2 ]-proctolin, [lys 1 ]-proctolin and specific N-terminal additions. In this regard the hindgut receptor differs in its ligand specificity from that reported for the locust extensor tibia receptor. Using the analogue studies to predict sequences which may act as agonists, we have examined the known vertebrate peptide hormones for proctolin-like sequences. A possible relationship between vasoactive intestinal peptide, proctolin and erythrophore concentrating hormone is critically evaluated.
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) quinone: a reactive intermediate in DES metabolism.

Abstract The quinone of E-diethylstilbestrol (DES), a postulated metabolic intermediate derived from DES, has been synthesized by oxidation of DES in chloroform using silver oxide. The reaction product was structurally characterized by infrared, ultraviolet, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry. The product of oxidation of DES by hydrogen peroxide, catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase and also by rat uterine peroxidase, was shown to be identical with synthetic DES quinone based on identical u.v. spectra and on identical decomposition products. DES quinone was stable only in nonprotic solvents such as chloroform. In acids, bases or protic solvents, DES quinone rearranged to Z,Z-dienestrol (β-DIES). The half-life of DES quinone in water was approximately 40 min; in methanol it was approximately 70 min. Bacterial mutagenicity (Ames) tests did not indicate that DES quinone had mutagenic or genotoxic activity. However, DES quinone was found to bind to calf thymus DNA without any enzyme mediation at levels significantly above the binding of DES under the same conditions. Based on the binding of DES quinone to DNA, this intermediate must be considered as a possible carcinogenic metabolite of DES.
Comment on Robert E. Lang, Katrin B. Anacker, and Steven Hornburg's “the new politics of affordable housing”

Abstract This comment offers an alternative explanation of why housing afford‐ability has little political traction and suggests that local zoning and regulations have a significant impact on housing costs. Because the postwar decline of central cities as population centers has made it less imperative for candidates to carry a major city to win a national or state election, few candidates address issues—such as affordability—that are perceived as unique to central‐city environments. Further, Lang, Anacker, and Hornburg fail to discuss an important aspect of affordability. More than two‐thirds of U.S. households own at least one house, and homeowners constitute an even larger percentage in most fast‐growing suburban communities. The already landed have used their political clout to discourage further development. Land use restrictions, zoning, impact fees, farm preservation, and growth boundaries create scarcity, which in turn raises the value of existing housing and significantly enhances owners’ net worth.
The effect of reducing environments on the stability of acceptor substituted yttrium chromite

Abstract The dimensional stability of calcium-substituted yttrium chromite was evaluated over a wide range of temperatures, oxygen partial pressures, and compositions, and compared to data collected for calcium-doped lanthanum chromite. Sample expansion was dependent on the concentrations of the acceptor dopant and CaCrO4, a secondary phase observed in samples with greater than 25 mole% calcium, as well as measurement temperature and the oxygen partial pressure. The instability of yttrium chromite in reducing environments was directly related to the loss of lattice oxygen and the simultaneous reduction of Cr4+ to Cr1+ to maintain electroneutrality. The evolution of oxygen and the reduction of chromium resulted in a lattice expansion, caused by the size change associated with the Cr4+ to Cr3+ transition and electrostatic repulsion between adjacent oxygen octahedra. The measured expansion of yttrium chromites was 42% less than that for similarly doped lanthanum chromites. The reduction in expansion is a result of the decreased size of the unit cell (6.5% smaller than calcium-doped lanthanum chromite) which suppresses expansion by hindering the reduction of Cr4+ and oxygen evolution during reduction.
The Social Facilitation of a Simple Task Field Tests of Alternative Explanations

The present two studies were conducted to examine various aspects of social facilitation in a field setting. Joggers were timed as they ran along a predetermined section of an indoor track. Results of the first study indicated that the presence of an attentive spectator, but not an inattentive spectator, produced faster running relative to a no-spectator group. Neither the sex of the spectator nor the presence of other joggers on the track affected performance. The second study examined the underlying process involved in the attentive spectator effect by asking runners for self-perceptions. Results indicated that runners who reported more distraction also ran faster, but only when observed by an attentive spectator. Distraction was also related to increased nervousness consistent with the distraction-conflict explanation for social facilitation.
A two-level nested FETI/FETI-DP domain decomposition method

Summary form only given. The dual primal finite element tearing and interconnecting method (FETI-DP) (Y. J. Li and J. M. Jin, IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. 55, no. 10, pp. 2803-2810, 2007) is a stable domain decomposition method when dealing with subdomain conformal meshes for time-harmonic electromagnetic problems. Later, this method is further extended to nonconformal meshes (M. F. Xue and J. M. Jin, IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. 60, no. 9, pp. 4291-4305, 2012). To the best of our knowledge, no matter the mesh is conformal or nonconformal, the existing FETI-DP algorithms are limited to the case with a conformal subdomain geometry, which means subdomain interfaces have a one-on-one correspondence. However, in some practical applications, we need to mesh different parts of the entire computational domain (denoted as regions in the following context) separately, and then decompose these separate meshes into subdomains independently. In this case, the connectivity between two subdomains across the region interfaces could be arbitrary; and the existing FETI-DP algorithms are no longer applicable. In this paper, a two-level nested FETI/FETI-DP method is proposed to bypass such a challenging situation. If we look at the problem in a hierarchical manner, from the coarsest level to the finest level, we have an entire domain, regions, subdomains, and tetrahedral elements. The basic idea of the proposed method is to employ the nonconformal FETI to solve the entire-domain problem by regarding regions as “subdomains,” and find out the partial solution in each region using the conformal FETI-DP for the true subdomains in each region. To be more specific, on the region level, we can regard each region as a “subdomain” and solve the entire domain using one-level FETI. As usual, we use an iterative solver to solve the global interface problem first, and then recover the solution in each region by using the solved boundary condition. In each iterative step, we need to solve each region once for a given right-hand-side (in the one-level FETI scheme, this means one-time forward-backward substitutions). For this, we use an imbedded lower-level FETI-DP for each region (with conformal meshes). Consequently, we obtain a natural inner-outer loop iteration scheme (X. C. Wang, Z. Peng, K.-H. Lim, and J.-F. Lee, IEEE Trans. Electromagn. Compat., vol. 54, no. 2, pp. 375-388, 2012). Note that, at each iterative step, seeking the partial solution of every region can be done in parallel. Furthermore, the conditioning of the global interface problem on the region level should be much better than that on the subdomain level, as it is at a coarser level. Therefore, faster convergence of the outer loop can be achieved, as compared to that of one-level FETI-DP on the same mesh and decomposed directly into subdomain domains. We will demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed nested method for solving three-dimensional vector wave radiation and scattering problems.
Male and female crickets modulate their courtship behaviour depending on female experience with mate availability

Ecological factors like demography can shape competition for mates, altering the strength and direction of sexual selection via changes in courtship behaviour, choosiness and postcopulatory mechanisms. Demography is also quite dynamic, frequently changing within the life span of individual organisms. In this paper, I ask whether and how female experience with mate availability and female age interact to influence both male and female mating decisions. I housed female Acheta domesticus crickets individually at low or high density throughout their adult lives in screen cages that allowed low- and high-density crickets acoustic, visual and tactile contact with conspecifics. I assessed mating behaviour in courtship trials with naive (untreated) males at two time points, early and late in life. Females that experienced high and low density initiated courtship by approaching and contacting males more frequently than did females that were housed in isolation. Older females also initiated courtship more often than young females. Female mating decisions (whether the female mounted the male and her latency to mount), however, did not depend on experience with population density, age, or their interaction, perhaps because females remained virgin throughout the experiment. Naive males were able to assess females' prior experience, perhaps through variation in how frequently females approached them, and preferentially courted females that experienced high density. They did not differentially court females depending on their age or the interaction of age and population density. My results suggest that males assess mate competition using sociosexual cues derived from potential mates and adjust their behaviour accordingly.
Analysis of Environmental Deprivation: Cognitive and Social Development in Romanian Orphans

Abstract The cognitive and social developmental status of a representative: group of Romanian orphans between the ages of 23 and 50 months living in the Leagan de Copii in Timisoara, Romania was assessed using a variety of traditional and nontraditional measures. Results indicated that the orphanage sample all exhibited deficits in cognitive and social functioning; the majority were severely delayed. Correlations between the traditional and nontraditional measures indicated that children's delays occurred across domains. Deficits were not related to length ui time in the orphanage, age at entrance, Apgar scores, or birthweight. The children's greatest capability was in peer social interaction.
Establishment of a Varicose Vein Center in a Tertiary Vascular Surgery Practice: Urban Versus Rural Differences

We examined changes in practice patterns after the establishment of a varicose vein center (VVC) within two tertiary university vascular surgery practices and compared differences between urban (U) and rural (R) sites. Practice patterns for the treatment of VVs were compared 3 years before (period 1) and 3 years after (period 2) the formation of a U-VVC and an R-VVC in 2001. Both VVCs were part of similar-sized tertiary vascular surgery practices. Evaluation was specific to VVs, reticular veins, and telangiectasias. Prior to U-VVC, there were 338 office visits, six office procedures, and 114 hospital procedures. After U-VVC, there were 624, 120, and 312, respectively. Prior to R-VVC, there were 85 office visits, five office procedures, and 69 hospital procedures. After R-VVC, there were 528, 163, and 303, respectively. In period 1 for U-VVC and R-VVC, VVC relative value unit (RVU) generation as a percent of total practice RVUs was 1.0% and 0.7%, respectively. In period 2 for U-VVC and R-VVC, VVC RVU generation as a percent of total practice RVUs was 2.6% and 2.5%, respectively. In an effort to provide more coordinated treatment for patients with VVs, establishing a VVC within a tertiary academic vascular surgery practice can lead to rapid expansion of clinical volume by increased office visits, office procedures, and hospital procedures. Clinical demand for evaluation and treatment of VVs showed little variation between R-VVC and U-VVC.
Restoring the basal ganglia in Parkinson's disease to normal via multi-input phase-shifted deep brain stimulation

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) injects a high frequency current that effectively disables the diseased basal ganglia (BG) circuit in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, leading to a reversal of motor symptoms. Though therapeutic, high frequency stimulation consumes significant power forcing frequent surgical battery replacements and causing widespread influence into other brain areas which may lead to adverse side effects. In this paper, we conducted a rigorous study to assess whether low frequency signals can restore behavior in PD patients by restoring neural activity in the BG to the normal state. We used a biophysical-based model of BG nuclei and motor thalamus whose parameters can be set to simulate the normal state and the PD state with and without DBS. We administered pulse train DBS waveforms to the subthalamic nucleus (STN) with frequencies ranging from 1-150Hz. For each DBS frequency, we computed statistics on the simulated neural activity to assess whether it is restored to the normal state. In particular, we searched for DBS waveforms that suppress pathological bursting, oscillations, correlations and synchronization prevalent in the PD state and that enable thalamic cells to relay cortical inputs reliably. We found that none of the tested waveforms restores neural activity to the normal state. However, our simulations led us to construct a novel DBS strategy involving low frequency multi-input phaseshifted DBS to be administered into the STN. This strategy successfully suppressed all pathological symptoms in the BG in addition to enabling thalamic cells to relay cortical inputs reliably.
Spinal interleukin‐1β in a mouse model of arthritis and joint pain

Objective Pain from arthritis has been associated with peripheral sensitization of primary sensory afferents and the development of inflammation at the dorsal horns. This study was undertaken to determine whether the role of spinal interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in central processing of pain is important in the development of arthritis. Methods Col1-IL-1βXAT mice and GFAP-IL-1βXAT mice were injected with the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) (Cre) vector in the right and left temporomandibular joints (TMJs), or in the cisterna magna, respectively, to induce IL-1β expression in the dorsal horns of the spinal horn. To inhibit intrathecal IL-1 receptor type I (IL-1RI) signaling, FIV(IL-1Ra) vector was injected into the cisterna magna of Col1-IL-1βXAT mice. The effects of IL-1RI receptor inhibition in GFAP-IL-1βXAT mice were studied in the GFAP-IL-1βXAT–IL-1RI−/− compound mouse model. Neuroinflammatory, sensory, and behavioral changes were evaluated in conjunction with arthritic changes in the TMJ, assessed by histopathologic and immunohistochemical analyses. Results Induction of an osteoarthritis-like condition in the TMJ in the Col1-IL-1βXAT mouse model resulted in up-regulation of murine IL-1β at the dorsal horns. Moreover, intrathecal inhibition of IL-1RI in Col1-IL-1βXAT mice with arthritis led to amelioration of joint pathology and attenuation of the attendant joint pain. Overexpression of spinal IL-1β in the recently developed GFAP-IL-1βXAT somatic mosaic model of neuroinflammation led to development of arthritis-like pathology accompanied by increased pain-like behavior. Conclusion Our results indicate that joint pathology and pain are dependent on spinal IL-1β, and suggest the presence of a bidirectional central nervous system–peripheral joints crosstalk that may contribute to the development, expansion, and exacerbation of arthritis.
Complementation analysis of hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase

PLASMA membranes of most animal cells respond to specific hormonal signals by synthesising adenosine 3′,5′ cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) from ATP, a reaction catalysed by adenylate cyclase. The precise molecular basis of this membrane response has not been defined. In particular, we do not know the number of molecular species required for transduction of hormonal signals into stimulation of cyclic AMP synthesis. Catalytic adenylate cyclase and specific hormone binding activities can be separated on the basis of their physical properties1–3. However, hormonal stimulation may require one or more other molecules necessary for coupling the two activities in membranes. One of these may contain a guanyl nucleotide regulatory site, as guanyl trinucleotides are strictly required for hormonal stimulation of cyclase in several membrane systems4–8. Genetic complementation analysis can help to define the minimum number of gene products involved in a complex biochemical function. Although subject to qualifications, the principle is simple : if a cross between two mutant cells bearing a recessive phenotype fails to reconstitute the wild-type (WT or normal) phenotype, both mutant parental cells must bear a lesion in a common gene product; if the cross produces a WT phenotype, the two parental mutations must affect different gene products. Here we apply this method of analysis to the hormone-sensitive cyclase system of the S49 lymphoma tissue culture line, in which two distinct classes of variant clones with stable deficiencies in hormonal stimulation of cyclase have been selected9–10. We have constructed viable hybrid clones by crossing each of these variants with WT, and with each other. We describe the resulting hybrid phenotypes and their implications regarding the molecular components of hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase.
Growth Hormone Activation of Stat 1, Stat 3, and Stat 5 in Rat Liver DIFFERENTIAL KINETICS OF HORMONE DESENSITIZATION AND GROWTH HORMONE STIMULATION OF BOTH TYROSINE PHOSPHORYLATION AND SERINE/THREONINE PHOSPHORYLATION

Intermittent plasma growth hormone (GH) pulses, which occur in male but not female rats, activate liver Stat 5 by a mechanism that involves tyrosine phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of this latent cytoplasmic transcription factor (Waxman, D. J., Ram, P. A., Park, S. H., and Choi, H. K. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 13262-13270). We demonstrate that physiological levels of GH can also activate Stat 1 and Stat 3 in liver tissue, but with a dependence on the dose of GH and its temporal plasma profile that is distinct from Stat 5 and with a striking desensitization following a single hormone pulse that is not observed with liver Stat 5. GH activation of the two groups of Stats leads to their selective binding to DNA response elements upstream of the c-fos gene (c-sis-inducible enhancer element; Stat 1 and Stat 3 binding) and the beta-casein gene (mammary gland factor element; liver Stat 5 binding). In addition to tyrosine phosphorylation, GH is shown to stimulate phosphorylation of these Stats on serine or threonine in a manner that either enhances (Stat 1 and Stat 3) or substantially alters (liver Stat 5) the binding of each Stat to its cognate DNA response element. These findings establish the occurrence of multiple, Stat-dependent GH signaling pathways in liver cells that can target distinct genes and thereby contribute to the diverse effects that GH and its sexually dimorphic plasma profile have on liver gene expression.
Soft tissue sarcomas of the hand and foot: management and survival.

Background: Soft tissue sarcomas of the hands and feet present a challenge for limb-preserving resections. Methods: A retrospective review of 19 patients with sarcomas of the hand or foot was done. Wide or local excision was performed in 14 patients (74%), and amputation in 5 patients (26%). Of the latter group, three amputations involved a digit or toe, and two (10%) were major amputations (one Syme amputation and one below-knee amputation). When the minimum surgical margin was narrow (1 to 2 mm), adjuvant radiation was given postoperatively (n=4). Results: Local recurrence was observed in four patients (21%). Two of these required an amputation for local control. Local recurrence was observed in one of four patients (25%) treated with marginal resection and radiation and three of 15 (20%) of those with resection alone. Conclusions: A sizable percentage (37%) of patients with soft tissue sarcomas of the hand and foot ultimately required an amputation, although often the amputation was a minor one involving only a toe or a digit. Limb preservation was successful in the majority of patients (63%). The local recurrence rate was 21%, which may be improved with more frequent use of adjuvant therapy. The 5-year survival rate was 82%, which is better than that usually quoted for overall extremity soft tissue sarcomas.
Identification and Developmental Expression of the Estrogen Receptor α and β in the Baboon Fetal Adrenal Gland1

We have previously shown that estrogen regulates the development and function of the fetal and definitive/transitional zones of the primate fetal adrenal gland. Thus, during baboon pregnancy estrogen acts directly on the fetal zone to suppress ACTH-stimulated dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) formation, potentially to modulate C19-steroid production and consequently placental estrogen synthesis. It is proposed that this action of estrogen is mediated by the estrogen receptor. Therefore, in the present study a developmental approach was used to determine whether the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein for the estrogen receptor were expressed in the fetal and definitive/transitional zones of the baboon fetal adrenal gland at mid (day 100) and late (day 170) gestation (term = 184 days). Estrogen receptor α mRNA levels, determined by competitive RT-PCR, were approximately 7-fold greater (P < 0.02) in the fetal adrenal of late (187.8 ± 40.3 attomoles/μg RNA) compared with mid (27.4 ± 5.4 attomoles/μg RNA) gestation. M...
Loci of Neurogenic and Metabolic Effects on Precapillary Vessels of Skeletal Muscle

Folkow, B., R. R. Sonnenschein, and D. L. Wright, Loci of neurogenic and metabolic effects on precapillary vessels of skeletal muscle. Acta physiol. scand. 1971. 81. 459–471. By cannulation of a branch of the proximally clamped sural artery of the anesthetized cat, distal arterial pressure (DAP) in the gastrocnemius muscle was recorded. Measurement of blood flow, femoral arterial pressure and DAP allowed calculation of total resistance (Rt) and its partition into a distal component (Rd) which included precapillary sphincters and the smaller arterioles, and a proximal component (RP) which included the larger arteries. With sympathetic vasoconstriction, the initial increase in Rt was accounted for mainly by constriction of the distal vessels which then tended to relax; progressive constriction of proximal vessels accounted for most of the elevated Rt during the steady state; subsequent reactive hyperemia mainly involved distal vessels. Rt was less affected by sympathetic stimulation during exercise than when the muscle was at rest; constriction of distal vessels was more markedly reduced than that of proximal vessels. Ascending dilatation was evident during exercise. Sympathetic cholinergic vasodilatation mainly involved vessels more proximal to those which were dilated early in exercise. The findings are compatible with the concept that capillary flow distribution, as a function of terminal arterioles and precapillary sphincters, is adjusted by local factors towards an optimum for the prevailing metabolic level of the tissue.
The relationship between neighborhood racial concentration and verbal ability: An investigation using the institutional resources model

Relatively few studies examine the relationship between racial residential segregation and educational or cognitive outcomes. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and the institutional resources model of neighborhood effects, I investigate one account of how macrostructural arrangements between race, neighborhood segregation, and school quality interact to produce inequalities in test scores. Consistent with the institutional resources model, results suggest that school quality varies across neighborhoods based, in part, on their degree of racial concentration. Indeed, school quality and other school characteristics mediate the relationship between racial concentration and verbal skills, particularly among black males. These findings have implications not only for inequalities in cognitive skills among blacks across residential space, but also between blacks and whites given high levels of residential segregation in the United States. In sum, findings illustrate yet another way in which residential segregation contributes to, and not merely reflects, racial inequalities.
Circadian rhythms in diet and habitat use in red ruffed lemurs (Varecia rubra) and white-fronted brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus albifrons)

Daily variation in niche use among vertebrates is attributed to a variety of factors, including thermoregulatory, reproductive, and nutritional requirements. Lemuriform primates exhibit many behavioral and physiological adaptations related to thermoregulation and sharp, seasonal reproduction, yet they have rarely been subjects of a quantitative analysis of circadian (or daily) rhythms in niche use. In this study, I document daily rhythms in diet and microhabitat use over an annual cycle in two sympatric, frugivorous lemurs, Varecia rubra and Eulemur fulvus albifrons. Data on diet, forest site, and forest height were recorded at 5-min time points on focal animals and divided into three time blocks for analysis (06:00-10:00 hr, 10:00-14:00 hr, and 14:00-18:00 hr). I employed multivariate tests of independence to examine daily rhythms in diet and microhabitat use according to sex, season, and reproductive stage. Throughout the day, V. rubra is frugivorous and dwells in the upper canopy, with notable departures (especially for females) during the hot seasons, gestation, and lactation. E. f. albifrons has heterogeneous daily rhythms of food choice and microhabitat use, particularly across seasons, and both sexes are equally variable. These daily rhythms in diet and microhabitat use appear related to thermoregulatory and nutritional requirements, seasonal food availability and circadian rhythms of plant (and possibly insect) palatability, predator avoidance tactics, and in the case of Varecia, to reproduction. Daily rhythms of food choice in V. rubra support two previously suggested hypotheses explaining why primates consume more nonfruit items late in the day, whereas those of E. f. albifrons are too variable to lend support to these hypotheses.