cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An anti-Hick's effect in monkey and human saccade reaction times.

In order to execute movements to targets in the environment, we must ﬁrst select a target in which to move, generally froman array of alternatives. Hick’s Law states that reaction time (RT) increases as the number of response alternativesincreases. Violations of this law, however, generally in the form of the absence of a relationship between responsealternatives and RT have been reported in the literature. K. Kveraga, L. Boucher, and H. C. Hughes (2002), for example,found that saccades to visual targets violate Hick’s Law. To examine this violation further, we measured saccade RTs inmonkeys and humans and found that saccade RTs actually decreased as the number of potential target locationsincreased. We hypothesize that this arises because subjects must actively inhibit premature saccades, and that therequired inhibition increases as the certainty of a movement to a particular location increases. With increased inhibition,saccade onset is delayed, resulting in an anti-Hick’s effect.Keywords: Hick’s Law, eye movement, reaction timeCitation: Lawrence, B. M., St. John, A., Abrams, R. A., & Snyder, L. H. (2008). An anti-Hick’s effect in monkey and humansaccade reaction times. Journal of Vision, 8(3):26, 1–7, http://journalofvision.org/8/3/26/, doi:10.1167/8.3.26.
“Relevant similarity” and the causes of biological evolution: selection, fitness, and statistically abstractive explanations

Matthen (Philos Sci 76(4):464–487, 2009) argues that explanations of evolutionary change that appeal to natural selection are statistically abstractive explanations, explanations that ignore some possible explanatory partitions that in fact impact the outcome. This recognition highlights a difficulty with making selective analyses fully rigorous. Natural selection is not about the details of what happens to any particular organism, nor, by extension, to the details of what happens in any particular population. Since selective accounts focus on tendencies, those factors that impact the actual outcomes but do not impact the tendencies must be excluded. So, in order to properly exclude the factors irrelevant to selection, the relevant factors must be identified, and physical processes, environments, and populations individuated on the basis of being relevantly similar for the purposes of selective accounts. Natural selection, on this view, becomes in part a measure of the robustness of particular kinds of outcomes given variations over some kinds of inputs.
Photoinduced Reaction of Disilane with the Si(111) Surface

The photoinduced reaction of disilane on Si(111) using ultraviolet (UV) irradiation has been studied using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). Hydrogen and silane desorption yields were used to determine the reactivity of disilane on Si(111) with and without UV irradiation. Photoinduced reaction of disilane was accomplished either through simultaneous exposure of disilane and UV irradiation or by UV irradiation of a physisorbed disilane layer after exposure to disilane. These two methods of photoexcitation were compared to the thermal reaction of disilane with clean Si(111). UV irradiation during or after dosing of the crystal surface at 110 K greatly enhanced the reactivity of disilane on Si(111) compared to similar disilane exposures without UV irradiation. UV irradiation during disilane exposure of Si(111) at low temperatures results in greater Si deposition than does UV irradiation following disilane exposure. The mechanism of the photoinduced disilane reaction has been studied using clean, parti...
Thoracolumbar burst fracture: Evaluating stability

The burst fracture is an injury characterized by anterior vertebral body height loss and retropulsion of the posterior aspect of the vertebral body into the spinal canal. The vertebral body injury frequently is associated with fractures through the neural arch. Using a three-column concept of spinal stability, the division of these fractures into stable and unstable injuries is difficult. Radiographic signs of instability include widening of the interspinous and interlaminar distance, translation of more than 2mm, kyphosis of more than 20 degrees, dislocation, height loss of more than 50%, and articular process fractures. However, fractures may be unstable in the absence of these signs. Unrecognized supraspinous ligament disruption contributes to this instability. This structure is best evaluated by MR examination. Confirmation of posterior ligamentous disruption occurring in conjunction with the burst fracture leads to reevaluation of the presumed mechanism of injury. This article discusses the many issues surrounding the division of burst fractures into stable and unstable injuries and reexamines the common classification systems of thoracolumbar spine injuries.
A letter from an emeritus historian, c.2049

A response to Aaron Sachs, ‘Letters to a tenured historian’, in which the author reminds us that the ‘disciplining’ or ‘socialization‘ of young historians, whether graduate students or young tenure track professors, often goes well beyond writing and form.
Mechanism of action of choleragen

Choleragen exerts its effect on cells through activation of adenylate cyclase. Choleragen initially interacts with cells through binding of the B subunit of the toxin to the ganglioside GM1 on the cell surface. Subsequent events are less clear. Patching or capping of toxin on the cell surface may be an obligatory step in choleragen action. Studies in cell-free systems have demonstrated that activation of adenylate cyclase by choleragen requires NAD. In addition to NAD, requirements have been observed for ATP, GTP, and calcium-dependent regulatory protein. GTP also is required for the expression of choleragen-activated adenylate cyclase. In preparations from turkey erythrocytes, choleragen appears to inhibit an isoproterenol-stimulated GTPase. It has been postulated that by decreasing the activity of a specific GTPase, choleragen would stabilize a GTP-adenylate cyclase complex and maintain the cyclase in an activated state. Although the holotoxin is most effective in intact cells, with the A subunit having 1/20th of its activity and the B subunit (choleragenoid) being inactive, in cell-free systems the A subunit, specifically the A1 fragment, is required for adenylate cyclase activation. The B protomer is inactive. Choleragen, the A subunit, or A1 fragment under suitable conditions hydrolyzes NAD to ADP-ribose and nicotinamide (NAD glycohydrolase activity) and catalyzes the transfer of the ADP-ribose moiety of NAD to the guandino group of arginine (ADP-ribosyltransferase activity). The NAD glycohydrolase activity is similar to that exhibited by other NAD-dependent bacterial toxins (diphtheria toxin, Pseudomonas exotoxin A), which act by catalyzing the ADP-ribosylation of a specific acceptor protein. If the ADP-ribosylation of arginine is a model for the reaction catalyzed by choleragen in vivo, then arginine is presumably an analog of the amino acid which is ADP-ribosylated in the acceptor protein. It is postulated that choleragen exerts its effects on cells through the NAD-dependent ADP-ribosylation of an arginine or similar amino acid in either the cyclase itself or a regulatory protein of the cyclase system.
Thermal effects during uniaxial straining of steels

When metals are deformed, most of the strain energy absorbed is converted to heat resulting in a temperature increase. Such temperature increases could affect mechanical properties during forming operations and were studied during rapid uniaxial tensile straining at strain rates of 3 x 103 and 10–2 s–1 in a dual phase steel, a high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel, and a plain carbon steel, using an infrared thermometer. The maximum temperatures observed were directly related to the strain energy absorbed, as measured by the area under the stress-strain curve. The dual phase steel absorbed the largest amount of strain energy and therefore registered the largest temperature increase. However, the observed temperature increases were lower than those predicted by calculations assuming adiabatic heating, indicating that such heating did not occur at the strain rates studied.
Glycemic index, insulinemic index, and satiety index of kefir.

Objectives: To determine glycemic, insulinemic, and satiety indices of 3 types of kefir.Methods: This study was divided into 3 phases. In phase 1, 50 g of available carbohydrate from low-fat strawberry kefir or orange kefir was tested, and in phase 2, low-fat plain kefir containing 25 g of available carbohydrates was tested for glycemic index (GI), in both cases compared with an equivalent amount of glucose. In phase 3, 1000-kJ portions of all 3 types of kefirs were compared with white bread with the same energy content to determine the insulinemic index (II) and satiety index (SI) of all 3 kefirs. In all phases, a single-meal, randomized crossover design was performed in which the test meals were given to healthy adults, 5 men and 5 women.Results: The total incremental plasma glucose area under the curve (iAUC) for strawberry, orange, and plain kefirs was significantly lower compared with the respective high-GI control food, which was glucose solution. However, the IIs and SIs of kefir did not differ sig...
Integration of bioinformatics tools in candidate gene prioritization of co-regulated gene sets in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The availability of massive amounts of heterogeneous and distributed biological data has prompted the development of a wide range of data analysis and data mining tools in the area of bioinformatics. However, due to the nature of the biological data, performing a specific analysis by combining such tools can be complicated and cumbersome. Yet, integration of number of tools can provide complementary information, and improve the efficiency of the data analysis to further our understanding and knowledge discovery. The development of an integrated software platform can considerably enhance the usability of such tools and benefits the research communities at large. Towards that goal, this study focuses on systematically integrating a number of tools for analyzing Saccharomyces cerevisiae data in order to improve candidate gene prioritization from microarray data using evidences from complementary sources. Microarray data from a recent study by Ouyang et. al.[1] was used to evaluate the proposed framework. An array of free and open source bioinformatics tools were used to develop the Saccharomyces Integrated Software Platform (SISP). In particular, sources of information used in this analysis include literature data, Gene Ontology, physical and genetic interaction data as well as pathway information. SISP has the strength of combining prior knowledge with user-defined weighting of different sources of evidence. Access to the integrated tool will be facilitated by a user-friendly web interface with options including data query, import, export, analysis and visualization. The set of 142 genes from the microarray experiment was systematically reduced to sixteen genes (Figure ​(Figure1);1); four out of the sixteen genes were highly ranked based on various sources of information. The sixteen genes were part of thirteen inter-related pathways, with eight genes playing major roles in those pathways. This integrated analysis enhanced extraction of essential information, and the identification of key inter-related pathways and genes. Integration of bioinformatics tools allows merging complementary sources of information which are critical to the identification of candidate genes for further experimental validation. Figure 1 Experimental design of the candidate gene prioritization process. Information filtering is organized in three levels. At level 1, all the 142 genes are considered in the analysis. At the end of level 1, three sets of genes are obtained: 1) genes that ...
Catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibition by U-0521 increases striatal utilization of levodopa.

The effects of U-0521, a catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor, were studied on this enzyme activity and on Dopa metabolism in rat striatum. In vivo maximal inhibition (95%) of COMT activity was obtained at 5 min with enzyme recovery to 64% of basal activity at 120 min. When injected in increasing doses U-0521 (200 mg·kg−1) inhibited, at 10 min, COMT activity by 85% with an IC50=80 mg·kg−1. In rats pretreated with U-0521 and then with DOPA the accumulation of 3-O-methyldopa (OMD) in the plasma was essentially blocked while Dopa, dopamine (DA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) accumulation in the striatum was significantly higher than in DOPA treated controls. U-0521, a potent COMT inhibitor, enhances the availability and utilization of levodopa in the brain and may thus be helpful in future treatment of parkinsonian patients.
Adenocarcinoma of duodenum and ampulla of Vater: Clinicopathology study and expression of p53, c-neu, TGF-α, CEA, and EMA

Oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and growth factors are being explored as to their role in the initiation and progression of most neoplasms, but little information exists on the expression of oncoproteins or growth factors in adenocarcinoma of the duodenum or ampulla of Vater. This report covers expressions of p53, c-neu, TGF-alpha, CEA, and EMA in duodenal adenocarcinoma and ampullary adenocarcinoma, as well as correlations between expressions and tumor stage, histological grade and patient survival. The expression of p53, c-neu, TGF-alpha, CEA, and EMA has been studied in 15 duodenal adenocarcinomas and in eight ampullary adenocarcinomas by avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex indirect immunoperoxidase technique. The positive reaction for p53, c-neu, TGF-alpha, CEA, and EMA in duodenal adenocarcinoma was 20%, 60%, 60%, 73%, and 100%, respectively, and in ampullary adenocarcinoma, 13%, 100%, 50%, 63%, and 100%. Among the duodenal tumors, C-neu and p53 expression was noted more frequently in groups with high histological grades. Patients with c-neu positive duodenal adenocarcinoma had a shorter survival than the patients with c-neu negative duodenal adenocarcinoma (P < 0.01). C-neu product may serve as an unfavorable prognostic indicator in duodenal adenocarcinoma. No statistically significant correlation was found between the expressions of CEA, EMA, p53, and TGF-alpha and patient survival, tumor stage, or histological grade in either duodenal or ampullary adenocarcinomas.
The circular dichroism of synaptosomal membranes: studies of interactions with neuropharmacological agents.

The circular dichroic spectrum of synaptosomal membranes was highly reproducible and qualitatively similar to that of erythrocyte membranes. The spectrum exhibited a minimum at 224 nm, a shoulder at 212 nm and a maximum at 195 nm. The mean molar ellipticity at the maximum and minimum was approximately +8000 and –8000 respectively. The protein components were the dominant source of the CD signal. Quantitative estimates showed negligible contributions to the spectrum from cholesterol, phosphatidyl serine and TV-acyl sugars. Phospholine iodide, eserine, decamethonium, tetramethyl ammonium chloride and acetylcholine at concentrations of 10-3 and 10-4M did not produce detectable perturbations of the membrane circular dichroism. The circular dichroic spectrum of d-tubocurarine exhibited a maximum at 198 nm and a minimum at 212 nm. Addition of d-tubocurarine to membrane suspensions in the cuvette yielded a complex spectrum representing the result of a simple additive combination of the circular dichroic spectra of d-tubocurarine and the membranes. However, preincubation of the membranes with 3 x 10-3m d-tubocurarine at 0-4°C for 5-10 min followed by sedimentation, several washes and resuspension resulted in a circular dichroic spectrum which appeared to involve no change in the membrane contribution, but there was a substantial decrease in the molar ellipticity of the d-tubocurarine remaining with the membranes.
The effect of acid pH and citrate on the release and exchange of iron on rat transferrin.

Abstract The effect of acid pH and citrate on the exchange of iron between binding sites of rat transferrin has been studied. In the absence of citrate, diferric transferrin shows stepwise loss of iron atoms with the first atom of iron released at approximately pH 5.2. Citrate at physiologic concentrations (1 · 10 −3 M) or greater allows random iron removal at pH 6.5 or less. Iron dissociation from monoferric transferrin at acid pH, with or without citrate, is a random process. At pH 7.4, randomization of iron on transferrin takes from 3 to 6 h in the presence of millimolar concentrations of citrate. We conclude that at acid pH and in the presence of citrate concentrations likely to occur in vivo in the rat there is little scrambling of iron bound to transferrin.
Catecholamine receptors and cyclic and formation in the central nervous system: Effects of tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives

Abstract The ability of a series of tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ) alkaloids to inhibit the binding of radioligands to catecholamine receptors in the CNS has been examined. (+) THP was the most potent inhibitor of [3H] dihydroalprenolol binding to β-adrenergic receptors and of [3H] haloperidol to dopaminergic receptors and was the least potent inhibitor of [3H] WB-4101 binding to α-adrenergic receptors. Other THIQ alkaloids examined such as salsoline, salsolinol, and reticuline were less potent than (+) THP in inhibiting radioligand binding to β-adrenergic and dopaminergic receptors, and more potent than (+) THP in inhibiting radioligand to α-adrenergic receptors. The marked potency of (+) THP in inhibiting radioligand binding to β-adrenergic receptors (IC50 ∼ 10−7 M) was confirmed by the potency of this compound in inhibiting (−) isoproternol elicited accumulations of cyclic AMP in brain slice preparations. These data indicate that, if formed in vivo during alcohol consumption, THIQ derivatives such as THP may affect catecholamine neurons in the CNS.
Burner-Generated Spherical Diffusion Flames

Stationary spherical diffusion flames can be established with the help of a spherical burner in which fuel is supplied internally to a stationary porous sphere in microgravity. The most important parameter in this configuration is the mass flow rate through the sphere, which can be controlled independently and conveniently. Other relevant parameters are the Damkohler number, which is proportional to the ambient pressure and to the surface area of the sphere, the heat loss to the burner, and the fuel and oxidant Lewis numbers. In this study we examine the characteristics of burner-generated diffusion flames as a function of these parameters, with particular attention given to extinction conditions. It is shown that steady flames can be sustained in the vicinity of the sphere even at sufficiently low injection velocities and that extinction occurs when excessive reactant leakage through the reaction zone develops.
Statistical analysis to characterize transport of nutrients in groundwater near an abandoned feedlot

Abstract. Surface water from a lagoon and groundwater samples from 17 wells within and near an abandoned feedlot in northwestern Minnesota, USA, were analyzed for carbon, nutrients, and field parameters. The feedlot is surrounded by wetlands that act as receptors of nutrients from the feedlot. Q- and R-mode multivariate analyses performed on total carbon (TC), inorganic carbon (IC), total organic carbon (TOC), nitrite-nitrogen (NO2-N), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N), soluble or dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP), and total phosphorus (TP) indicated three groups of the chemical species, which reflected variability in groundwater chemistry. Factor analysis indicated approximately 82% of the variability in factor 1 was caused by TC, IC, TOC, and DRP, while in factor 2 approximately 79% of the variability was caused by NO2-N, NO3-N, and TP. In factor 3, only NH4-N contributed 31% of the variability. Groundwater isotope and spatial distribution analysis indicated reduced nitrate concentration from the source to the wetlands, with variation in NO2-N, NO3-N, and NH4-N concentrations attributed to the plant nutrient uptake, high rate of denitrification and/or the dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium. This study indicated the value of multivariate analyses in characterizing variability in groundwater quality.
Effect of repeated normobaric hypoxia exposures during sleep on acute mountain sickness, exercise performance, and sleep during exposure to terrestrial altitude

There is an expectation that repeated daily exposures to normobaric hypoxia (NH) will induce ventilatory acclimatization and lessen acute mountain sickness (AMS) and the exercise performance decrem...
A carotenoid-protein from cyanobacteria

Abstract Easily solubilized carotenoid-containing proteins have been found in aqueous extracts from three genera of cyanobacteria. The three proteins have been purified, and the absorption spectra have been determined to be virtually identical with absorption maxima at 495 and 465 nm. During the purification the orange protein spontaneously changed to a red protein with a single, broad absorption maximum at 505 nm. The orange protein showed a molecular weight of 47 000 on gel filtration while that of the red protein was 26 700. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated a single polypeptide of M r 16 000 in both the red and orange forms, but this method removed the chromophore from the proteins. The main carotenoid component of the complex was determined to be 3′-hydroxy-4-keto-ββ-carotenoid or 3′-hydroxyechinenone. The number of carotenoid molecules per molecule of orange protein of molecular weight 47 000 was between 20 and 40. The stoichiometry of carotenoid to protein seemed reasonably constant.
VIRUS-INDUCED AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE

The breaking of tolerance or unresponsiveness to self-antigens, involving the activation of autoreactive lymphocytes, is a critical event leading to autoimmune diseases. The precise mechanisms by which this can occur are mostly unknown. Viruses have been implicated in this process, among other etiological factors, such as genetic predisposition and cytokine activity. Several ways have been proposed by which a viral infection might break tolerance to self and trigger an autoreactive cascade that ultimately leads to the destruction of a specific cell type or an entire organ. The process termed "molecular mimicry' and the use of transgenic models in which viral and host genes can be manipulated to analyze their effects in causing autoimmunity have been particular focuses for research. For example, there is a transgenic murine model of virus-induced autoimmune disease, in which a known viral gene is selectively expressed as a self-antigen in beta cells of the pancreas. In these mice, insulin-dependent diabetes develops after either a viral infection, the release of a cytokine such as IFN-gamma, or the expression of the costimulatory molecule B7.1 in the islets of Langerhans. Recent studies using this model have contributed to the understanding of the pathogenesis of virus-induced autoimmune disease and have furthered the design and testing of novel immunotherapeutic approaches.
Osteoblast-like cell adhesion to bone sialoprotein peptides.

Abstract A number of studies have suggested that biomimetic peptides can be used in the design of a new generation of prosthetic implants to promote the successful biointegration of the implant materials. In the current study, the in vitro bioactivities of several peptides representing RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp)-containing sequences of bone sialoprotein (BSP) toward an osteoblast-like cell line (MC3T3-E1) were examined to provide insight into the molecular basis of BSP’s interaction with bone cells. BSP residues 283–288, 281–290, 278–293 and 278–302 were coated on polystyrene surfaces in 96-well non-tissue (untreated) culture plates, and their osteoblast adhesive properties compared to intact BSP and fibronectin as positive controls. BSP peptides 278–302 and 278–293 were found to be the most potent in their adhesive activity, increasing the number of adherent cells to 350% of control levels at an added concentration of 1 μM. Since these two peptides were equivalent in potency, it is suggested that the region 294–302 beyond the RGD domain is not necessary for cell binding. In comparison, peptides 283–288 and 281–290 were only active at concentrations greater than 200 μM. 50–70% of the peptide-stimulated adhesion was inhibited by the pretreatment of cell suspensions with solution phase RGD, suggesting that a portion of the peptides’ adhesive effects was specific and integrin-mediated, although other non-RGD flanking regions were probably also involved in the mechanism of adhesion. Importantly, a modified BSP peptide, in which an aspartic acid residue at position 288 of the RGD sequence was replaced by a glutamic acid residue to form RGE, was completely inactive as a cell adhesion stimulus at concentrations up to 200 μM. Thus, despite the potential role of non-RGD flanking regions, an intact RGD tripeptide was essential for all of the adhesive activity of the BSP peptides.
Evidence of stream response to Holocene climatic change in a small Wisconsin watershed

During the Holocene, moderate climatic and vegetational changes triggered several episodes of adjustment in the Brush Creek fluvial system. The alluvial chronology includes an episode of erosion at 7800 – 5700 yr B.P. corresponding to the mid-Holocene precipitation minimum and an episode of floodplain construction at 5700 – 5000 yr B.P. corresponding to a rapid increase in precipitation. Holocene climatic changes have influenced the sedimentology of the alluvial deposits and soil development on them. Fluvial adjustment is caused primarily by hydrologic and hydraulic changes related to climatic change, but there is no simple model for fluvial response to climatic change. The relationship between the direction of climatic change and the type of fluvial response is complex.
Large 18O Excesses in Circumstellar Graphite Grains from the Murchison Meteorite: Indication of a Massive-Star Origin

Forty-seven graphite round grains from the lowest density fraction extracted from the Murchison carbonaceous chondrite were analyzed for their C and N isotopic ratios by ion microprobe mass spectrometry, and subsets of the grains were analyzed for their O, Mg, Si, Ca, and Ti isotopic ratios. The 12C/13C ratios of the grains range from 6.3 to 3140 (solar ratio is 89). Most grains have 15N excesses (up to 2.5 times solar), 18O excesses (up to 100 times solar), and large inferred 26Al/27Al ratios (up to 0.15), and Si isotopic compositions range from 28Si excesses (up to 30%) to 29Si and 30Si excesses (up to 50%). All seven grains analyzed for Ti show large 49Ti excesses (up to 170%), and some show 42Ca and 43Ca excesses and 25Mg excesses. The large 18O excesses point to an origin in massive stars, either Wolf-Rayet stars or Type II supernovae, where 18O is produced from 14N at the onset of He burning. Most of the other isotopic signatures are consistent with such an origin: the Ti, Ca, and Mg anomalies can be explained by slow neutron capture during He burning, the large 26Al/27Al ratios by admixture of material that has experienced H burning. The large variations in the Si isotopic compositions, including both 29Si and 30Si excesses and deficits, favor a supernova origin with 28Si coming from oxygen burning in an inner layer of the star.
Experimental, Numerical, and Analytical Studies of Stress and Displacement in Full-Scale Beds of Activated Alumina Granular Material for Space Life-Support Systems

AbstractGranular beds made of activated alumina and magnesium oxide used for recycling/processing water in space life-support systems are usually compressed using a spring mechanism for effective functioning. The spring force is a critical factor in providing appropriate compaction to the entire length of the granular bed, and therefore, it is important to investigate and predict the axial stress and displacement along the bed. This paper presents results from experimental, numerical (finite-element), and analytical models of a full-scale dry granular material bed of activated alumina packed in a cylinder. The finite-element (FE) model, when used with proper contact model and properties, predicted both the axial stress and the displacement along the length of the granular bed well. Janssen’s one-dimensional model did not provide as accurate predictions for stress because of simplifications associated with the model. Because the system is long and slender, it is very important to properly model the wall fr...
Lactational Responses of Dairy Cows Fed Unsaturated Fat from Extruded Soybeans or Sunflower Seeds

Nine multiparous Holstein cows were used in a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square to evaluate the response to diets containing equal amounts of supplemental fat from extruded soybeans or sunflower seeds. Both fat sources contained about 66% polyunsaturated fatty acids; for soybeans, about 8% was linolenic acid, but sunflower seeds contained mostly linoleic acid. Periods were 5 wk, and data were collected the last 3 wk of each period. Total mixed diets were (DM basis) 25% corn silage, 25% alfalfa hay, and 50% concentrate mix. Control concentrate mix contained primarily corn, barley, and soybean meal; extruded soybeans or rolled sunflower seeds replaced portions of the corn, barley, and soybean meal in isonitrogenous (17% CP) diets. Milk yield was higher for cows fed supplemental fat. Percentages of milk fat and protein and DMI were similar for all three dietary treatments. Milk fat from cows fed soybeans or sunflower seeds contained higher concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids and long-chain fatty acids than did milk fat from cows fed the control diet. Milk yield and composition were similar for cows fed soybeans, or sunflower seeds. Soybeans or sunflower seeds can be used as dietary fat supplements to increase milk yield and the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in milk fat.
Estimating variance components in hiearchical structures using minque and restricted maximum livelihood

This paper presents a compact and efficient method for computing MINQUE and restricted maximum likelihood estimates of variance components for hierarchical classification models. The method does not require storage of large matrices and consequently removes limitations on the size of the structure, Ibcperience indicates that iterative MINQUE computations converge very rapidly to the restricted maximum likelihood estimates.
Measurement of mixed conductivity in thin films with microstructured Hebb–Wagner blocking electrodes

Abstract Determination of the ionic and electronic contributions to the total conductivity in mixed ionic–electronic conductors (MIEC) is central to understanding their properties, particularly in nanostructured ionic solids. The Hebb–Wagner blocking technique, commonly used to deconvolute ionic and electronic contributions in bulk MIECs, is susceptible to misinterpretation when applied to thin films. In this work, microfabricated electronic blocking electrodes consisting of porous Pt on dense thin yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) films were applied to nanocrystalline CeO 2 thin films. The validity of the blocking structure was expressly considered with respect to alternate current and gas phase reaction pathways, with criteria developed to aid in identifying spurious effects. The ionic partial conductivity in nanocrystalline CeO 2 thin films was confirmed to be pO 2 -independent while the electronic partial conductivity was found to be pO 2 dependent with a power dependence of − 0.31 ± 0.02. These results are compared with theoretical predictions of extrinsically-compensated ceria and previous results on bulk nanocrystalline ceria.
Informed consent: Reality or illusion?

Examination of consent forms being used by major hospitals in Pittsburgh suggested that there was considerable room for improvement. Thus, the major goal of this study was to produce a better consent form. Our revision focused on three major areas of concern: (1) meeting the needs of the people who use consent forms; (2) deciding how explicit to make the information in the form; and (3) designing the form so that it will be used correctly. We then evaluated our revision using a number of techniques, including readability scores, tests of comprehension, and interviews. Our study suggests a number of points relevant to designing consent forms, as well as to document design in general.
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Reconceptualizing Scholarship and Transforming the Academy

This article makes contributions toward the conceptualization of the scholarship of teaching and learning (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning). The scholarship of teaching is a concept with multiple ramifications. It is at the core of the current transformation of higher education. The scholarship of teaching challenges the existing stratification system within the academy. The scholarship of teaching and learning is a much larger enterprise, a movement, that can transform the nature of American society toward our ideals of equality and justice. Sociologists have a vital role to play within the academy and society. If we take advantage of the opportunity that the scholarship of teaching and learning offers, we can reach our potential as an intellectually liberating force in society.
Aggregations of Sphodros rufipes (Araneae: Atypidae) in an urban forest

Abstract A large population of Sphodros rufipes (Latreille 1829) was discovered in a municipal park in Memphis, Tennessee. We examined potential stem diameter preference, frequency of web attachment to available tree species and the spatial distribution patterns of spiders and potential attachment structures. A wide range of structure diameters were utilized for web attachment. The association of pursewebs to tree taxa was independent of the frequency of tree taxa occurrence. The spacing of vegetation stems and trunks was approximately random, but spiders exhibited a nonrandom, aggregated distribution, which was more pronounced in subadults than adults. The factors influencing S. rufipes to occur in aggregations cannot be explained by the spatial proximity of potential attachment structures in the forest.
Simple electro-optically controlled dual-axis sun tracker

This paper describes the design of a sun tracker which uses two electro-optic sensors and a small, low-cost electronic control circuit. One sensor is a four-cell pyramid which is mounted on the tracker plane. The second sensor is a sunlight beam sensor which is fixed facing south. The control circuit tracking resolution is within 0.1 degrees. This system minimizes wandering on partially overcast days. It will never make multiple revolutions or face down towards the ground. Power MOSFETS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors) are used to drive high-torque DC gearbox motors.
Differentiation of Ventricular Tachycardia from Junctional Tachycardia with Aberrant Conduction The Use of Competitive Atrial Pacing

A case of regular tachycardia with an intraventricular conduction defect and possible retrograde P waves is reported. The condition was interpreted as being either ventricular tachycardia with 1 : 1 retrograde V-A conduction or an atrioventricular junctional tachycardia with aberrant intraventricular conduction. Atrial pacing resulted in normalization of intraventricular conduction as well as the production of fusion beats and allowed a definitive diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia. The use of atrial pacing as a diagnostic technique has not been previously discussed in the literature.
Least-squares analysis of data with uncertainty in x and y: A Monte Carlo methods comparison

Abstract The least-squares analysis of data with error in x and y is generally thought to yield best results when the quantity minimized is the sum of the properly weighted squared residuals in x and in y. As an alternative to this “total variance” (TV) method, “effective variance” (EV) methods convert the uncertainty in x into an effective contribution to that in y, and though easier to use are considered to be less reliable. There are at least two EV methods, differing in how the weights are treated in the optimization. One of these is identical to the TV method for fits to a straight line. The formal differences among these methods are clarified, and Monte Carlo simulations are used to examine the statistical properties of each on the widely used straight-line model of York, a quadratic variation on this, Orear's hyperbolic model, a nonlinear binding (Langmuir) model, and Wentworth's kinetics model. The simulations confirm that the EV and TV methods are statistically equivalent in the limit of small data error, where they yield unbiased, normally distributed parameter estimates, with standard errors correctly predicted by the a priori covariance matrix. With increasing data error, these properties fail to hold; and the TV method is not always statistically best. Nonetheless, the method differences should seldom be of practical significance, since they are likely to be small compared with uncertainties from incomplete information about the data error in x and y.
Vaccine Shortages: Why They Occur and What Needs to Be Done to Strengthen Vaccine Supply

Vaccine shortages have been a frequent problem during the past 50 years, but most shortages have been associated with a single product and were of short duration with minimal disruption to national immunization programs. In 2001 attention was directed to the vulnerability of the vaccine supply when, for various reasons, 8 of the 11 vaccines recommended for universal immunization of infants and children were unavailable or in short supply. In addition, tetanus toxoid was in short supply and needed to be prioritized for emergency use only. Although most of these shortages resolved in the following year, periodic shortages of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Prevnar; Wyeth Vaccines, Collegeville, PA) continued into 2004. The shortage of trivalent inactivated influenza virus vaccine (TIV) in the fall of 2004 was reported each night on national and local news and was the subject of Congressional inquiries. The legislators wanted to know why this country with vast resources and huge manufacturing capability was unable to provide a reliable supply of routinely recommended vaccines. The immediate answer to the Congressional inquiry about influenza vaccine shortage was the contamination problem at the Chiron plant in Liverpool, England. However, there are substantive problems with domestic vaccine-manufacturing capacity; shortages will likely continue to occur until core problems are addressed. Since 2002, concern about the vulnerability of vaccine production and supply has been the subject of workshops convened by the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) of the Department of Health and Human Services,1,2 the focus of a Congressional accounting office report,3 was discussed at a colloquium of the Sabin Institute,4 has been considered by the Institute of Medicine (IOM),5 and is extensively reviewed in a series of articles about development, financing, and implementation of vaccine programs.6 Pediatricians are called on to modify vaccine schedules when … Address correspondence to Jerome O. Klein, MD, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Finland 5, Boston Medical Center, 774 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118. E-mail: jerome.klein{at}bmc.org
Evaluation of a reflective learning intervention to improve critical thinking in novice nurses.

Title. Evaluation of a reflective learning intervention to improve critical thinking in novice nurses Aim. This paper reports a study to determine if a reflective contextual learning intervention would improve novice nurses’ critical thinking skills during the first 6 months of their practice. Background. Nursing research evaluating the development of critical thinking in novice nursing practice is limited. The continual struggle by nurse educators to improve critical thinking demonstrates the need for innovative educational interventions that assist in the development of critical thinking as novice nurses enter into practice. Method. This small case study was conducted in the United States of America in 2004 with six student/preceptor dyads. The contextual learning intervention was the case through which the novice nurses’ critical thinking were analysed using Stake's phases of data analysis. Specific questions (i.e. novice nurses’ use of reflection, context, dialogue, time) guided the analysis. Repeating patterns were coded and isolated and later collapsed/enhanced as the analysis moved forward. Findings. Three main themes describe the novice nurses’ development of critical thinking: (1) influence of anxiety and power on critical thinking; putting pieces together; (2) questioning as critical thinking: sequential thinking to contextual thinking; and (3) emergence of the intentional critical thinker. Conclusion. Used as a reflective practicum, contextual learning can be a model of clinical learning in nursing education that develops the contextual, reflective nature of critical thinking.
A Comparative Analysis of Online Discussion Participation Protocols

AbstractThirty-seven graduate students in two course sections were required to contribute to the online discussion of an instructional design case study. The discussion forums required different participation protocols; students in section one implemented a constructive argumentation approach while students in section two had less structure for their postings. The results revealed that both sections exhibited co-construction of knowledge as measured using the content analysis protocol the Interaction Analysis Model (IAM), but the less structured section reached the highest phase of knowledge building. In addition we found that the constructive argumentation approach and the task-oriented nature of the discussion influenced the interactions and co-construction of knowledge. The findings reveal practical implications for effective design of online discussion that may improve the quality of learning.
A probabilistic approach for dispersion of oil at sea

Abstract Oil spilled at sea spreads into an irregular oil mass, i.e. an oil slick. Waves and sea turbulence beat portions of the oil mass into particles and drive them to sub-surface depths. This process is called dispersion. Dispersion of oil at sea is a random process, since wave and current turbulence have random characteristics. This paper considers the volume of “lost” oil due to dispersion in a rough sea. Probabilistic descriptions are derived for the volume of oil dispersed in sub-surface water as a function of time, physical properties of the oil slick and the random environmental characteristics. A simple example illustrates the results.
Requirement of essential fatty acids and avian atherosclerosis.

ALTHOUGH Reiser in 19501 claimed that chickens needed a source of essential fatty acids during growth, the same author later concluded2 that mature hens, maintained for a full year on a fat-free diet, did not require essential fatty acids for egg production or hatchability. More recently Bieri et al.3,4 showed that chicks could be grown to maturity on an essentially fat-free ration without marked deficiency symptoms and suggested that Reiser's purified chick ration may have been deficient in thiamine and vitamin A. In contrast with the chicken, exclusion of essential fatty acids from the diet of several mammals leads to a clear deficiency disease which, among more apparent external symptoms, is also characterized by an increase in liver and epidermal cholesterol and a decrease in serum cholesterol in the rat5, and by aortic lesions in the pig6. Such observations lend support to the view of a possible connexion between deficiency of essential fatty acid and atherosclerosis7. Since atherosclerosis develops in the chicken on low-fat as well as on normal rations8, it seemed of interest to determine if rigid exclusion of essential fatty acid from the diet would aggravate aortic lesions. At the same time more information regarding the requirement of essential fatty acids and deficiency symptoms would be obtained from a group of birds maintained continuously on a diet deficient in essential fatty acids from the day of hatching until 19 months of age.
Gas-liquid chromatographic analysis of aromatic hydrocarbons boiling between 202° and 280° in a low-temperature coal tar☆

Abstract Gas—liquid chromatography, coupled with infrared and ultraviolet spectrophotometry, was used to analyze aromatic hydrocarbons boiling between 202° and 280° in the neutral oil portion of a low-temparature bituminous coal tar. A total of 48 compounds was identified, of which 20 were alhylnaphthalenes. Of these compounds, nine had also been mentioned in a previous report. Quantitative determinations were made on nearly all of the components. The analysis, especially from a quantitative: standpoint, is by far the most detailed one carried out to date for the alkylnaphtlialcne cut of a low-temperature coal tar. It was shown that alkylnaphthalenes with equal numbers of carbon atoms in tlieir alkyl groups displayed a linear relationship between log relative retention and normal boiling point, a situation similar to that for the alkylbenzene series, and that the values for the C11, C12 and C13 alkylnaphthalenes lie on three parallel lines. Examples of the utility of these correlations arc given.
Persistent auditory hallucinations: coping mechanisms and implications for management

The strategies used by 40 chronic schizophrenic out-patients with persistent auditory hallucinations to cope with the intrusive phenomena were explored. Frequent coping mechanisms included changes in activity, interpersonal contact, manipulations of physiological arousal, and attentional control. A high risk of suicide was noted.Coping behaviour appeared somewhat independent of clinical and sociodemographic variables. Successful coping appeared to result from systematic application of widely used coping strategies. The implications for the clinical management of patients with persistent auditory hallucinations are discussed.
A Controlled Trial of an Intervention to Increase Resident Choice in Long Term Care

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate an intervention to improve staff offers of choice to nursing home residents during morning care. Design A controlled trial with a delayed intervention design. Setting Four community, for-profit nursing homes. Participants A total of 169 long-stay nursing home residents who required staff assistance with morning care and were able to express their care preferences. Intervention Research staff held weekly training sessions with nurse aides (NAs) for 12 consecutive weeks focused on how to offer choice during four targeted morning care areas: when to get out of bed, when to get dressed/what to wear, incontinence care (changing and/or toileting), and where to dine. Training sessions consisted of brief video vignettes illustrating staff-resident interactions followed by weekly feedback about how often choice was being provided based on standardized observations of care conducted weekly by research staff. Measurements Research staff conducted standardized observations during a minimum of 4 consecutive morning hours per participant per week for 12 weeks of baseline and 12 weeks of intervention. Results There was a significant increase in the frequency that choice was offered for 3 of the 4 targeted morning care areas from baseline to intervention: (1) out of bed, 21% to 33% (P Conclusion A staff training intervention improved the frequency with which NAs offered choice during morning care but also required more time. Despite significant improvements, choice was still offered one-third or less of the time during morning care.