cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quercetin bioavailability is associated with inadequate plasma vitamin C status and greater plasma endotoxin in adults

Abstract Objective Quercetin bioavailability exhibits high interindividual variation for reasons that remain unclear. We conducted a 24-h pharmacokinetic study to investigate whether individual differences in circulating antioxidants, oxidative stress and inflammation, and intestinal permeability affect quercetin bioavailability. Methods Healthy adults (n = 9 M/7 F; 34.3 ± 4.5 y; 27.0 ± 1.7 kg/m2) ingested 1095 mg quercetin aglycone with a standardized meal. Plasma antioxidants, biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation, and endotoxin were measured at baseline (0 h), and quercetin and its methylated metabolites isorhamnetin and tamarixetin were measured at timed intervals for 24 h. Results Plasma pharmacokinetics of quercetin, isorhamnetin and tamarixetin were highly variable between participants (CVinter = 37–96%). Plasma vitamin C concentrations (34.6 ± 2.5 μmol/L), but no other antioxidants, were inversely correlated to the Cmax and AUC0 to 24 h of total quercetin (Qtotal; sum of quercetin, isorhamnetin and tamarixetin; r = −0.52 to −0.53; P Conclusions These findings suggest that vitamin C status and plasma endotoxin may be associated with interindividual variations in quercetin bioavailability. Greater quercetin absorption and bioavailability may be associated with poor vitamin C status and increased intestinal permeability in healthy adults.
A rare opportunistic infection in a woman with systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple skin lesions.

Cutaneous lesions in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) represent diagnostic challenges. Opportunistic infections should be considered when lupus patients are on immunosuppressive therapy and other causes, such as disease activity, are less likely to explain the skin lesions. Within the spectrum of skin opportunistic infections that might occur in SLE patients, Blastomyces dermatitidis should be suspected when acid-fast positive material with no bacilliform organisms is seen on Ziehl-Nielsen skin biopsy preparations. In this study, we describe one patient with SLE on immunosuppressive therapy, who developed cutaneous blastomycosis despite living in a nonendemic area. Because of lack of awareness about this association and misinterpretation of the skin biopsy results, the diagnosis of atypical mycobacterial infection was initially considered. Subsequent proper tissue staining and interpretation revealed the correct diagnosis of disseminated cutaneous blastomycosis. This description represents the first report of this rare opportunistic skin infection in SLE, illustrating the importance of performing correct preparation and elucidation of the skin biopsy to avoid misdiagnosis and treatment delay. Lupus (2009) 18, 1100–1103.
Alkanes in plankton from the Buccaneer Oilfield.

BLUMERet al. (1963, 1964) have reported the presence of pristane in relatively high concentrations in several copepods and have suggested that this compound has a role in the maintenance of buoyancy by these organisms. A number of unsaturated hydrocarbons have also been reported in Zooplankton (BLUMER and THOMAS 1965, BLUMERet al. 1970). The major n-alkane in a sample of mixed Zooplankton and phytoplankton from Tarpaulin Cove, Massachusetts was n-heptadecane, and lower concentrations of other C14 to C29 n-alkanes were found (CLARK and BLUMER 1967). We have found pristane and other biogenic alkanes in each sample examined. The presence of large amounts of C18 to C37 alkanes in sample XIV is believed to be good evidence for petroleum contamination (MIDDLEDITCHet al. 1977). A similar distribution of alkanes is observed in several other samples. In summary, one (XIV) of the nine samples from the center of oilfield was heavily contaminated with oil, two (XIII, XIV) were slightly contaminated, and another two (VI, VII) may have been contaminated. There is some evidence that two (V, XI) of the seven samples collected at distances of 10–15 km from the oilfield contained petroleum alkanes. Further work is required to determine which species of plankton preferentially ingest the oil and whether they have a role in the dispersion of oil discharged from the production platforms by (i) incorporation into fecal pellets which sink to the ocean floor, or (ii) transport away from the region of the oilfield.
The effects of evidence statements in a passage on the acceptability of bridging inferences

Abstract During reading, bridging inferences provide logical or thematic links between sentences, and people often behave as if such inferences actually appeared in the original passage. We placed different types of evidence sentences in a passage, each directly related to a bridging inference that linked two passage sentences. We had people read the passage one sentence at a time. In a first study, we assessed how often bridging inferences were accepted as original passage sentences, and in a second study, we assessed how often bridging inferences were judged true, given the reading. Results from both studies demonstrated that sentences containing supporting empirical evidence increased the acceptability of the supported inferences.
Cardiac Myosin Binding Protein C Insufficiency Leads to Early Onset of Mechanical Dysfunction

Background— Decreased expression of cardiac myosin binding protein C (cMyBPC) as a result of genetic mutations may contribute to the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM); however, the mechanisms that link cMyBPC expression and HCM development, especially contractile dysfunction, remain unclear. Methods and Results— We evaluated cardiac mechanical function in vitro and in vivo in young mice (8–10 weeks of age) carrying no functional cMyBPC alleles (cMyBPC−/−) or 1 functional cMyBPC allele (cMyBPC±). Skinned myocardium isolated from cMyBPC−/− hearts displayed significant accelerations in stretch activation cross-bridge kinetics. Cardiac MRI studies revealed severely depressed in vivo left ventricular (LV) magnitude and rates of LV wall strain and torsion compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Heterozygous cMyBPC± hearts expressed 23±5% less cMyBPC than WT hearts but did not display overt hypertrophy. Skinned myocardium isolated from cMyBPC± hearts displayed small accelerations in the rate of stretch induced cross-bridge recruitment. MRI measurements revealed reductions in LV torsion and circumferential strain, as well reduced circumferential strain rates in early systole and diastole. Conclusions— Modest decreases in cMyBPC expression in the mouse heart result in early-onset subtle changes in cross-bridge kinetics and in vivo LV mechanical function, which could contribute to the development of HCM later in life.
Alkylation of enolate ions

Description d'une procedure pour etudier la chimie ion-molecule en phase gazeuse dans laquelle les produits de reaction neutres sont collectes et identifies. Application a l'etude de la reaction de l'enolate de la cyclohexanone avec le bromomethane qui conduit seulement au produit d'O-alkylation
Elastic buckling of thin plates with holes in compression or bending

Closed-form expressions for approximating the influence of single or multiple holes on the critical elastic buckling stress of plates in bending or compression are developed, validated and summarized. The expressions are applicable to plates simply supported on 4 sides and plates simply supported on 3 sides, commonly called stiffened and unstiffened elements in design. The expressions serve as a convenient alternative to shell finite element eigen-buckling analysis, which requires commercial software not typically accessible to the engineering design community. The forms of the expressions are founded on classical plate stability approximations, and are developed and validated with parametric studies employing shell finite elements. The finite element parametric studies demonstrate that holes may create unique buckling modes, and can either decrease or increase a plate's critical elastic buckling stress depending on the hole geometry and spacing. The validated closed-form expressions and their associated limits are intended to be general enough to accommodate the range of hole shapes, locations, and spacings common in engineering practice, while at the same time also defining regimes where explicit use of shell finite element analyses is still needed for adequate accuracy.
Effects of intraborehole flow on groundwater age distribution

Environmental tracers are used to estimate groundwater ages and travel times, but the strongly heterogeneous nature of many subsurface environments can cause mixing between waters of highly disparate ages, adding additional complexity to the age-estimation process. Mixing may be exacerbated by the presence of wells because long open intervals or long screens with openings at multiple depths can transport water and solutes rapidly over a large vertical distance. The effect of intraborehole flow on groundwater age was examined numerically using direct age transport simulation coupled with the Multi-Node Well Package of MODFLOW. Ages in a homogeneous, anisotropic aquifer reached a predevelopment steady state possessing strong depth dependence. A nonpumping multi-node well was then introduced in one of three locations within the system. In all three cases, vertical transport along the well resulted in substantial changes in age distributions within the system. After a pumping well was added near the nonpumping multi-node well, ages were further perturbed by a flow reversal in the nonpumping multi-node well. Results indicated that intraborehole flow can substantially alter groundwater ages, but the effects are highly dependent on local or regional flow conditions and may change with time.
Atrial Pacing in the Determination of Myocardial Function in Patients with Mitral Stenosis

Abnormalities of myocardial function are frequently noted in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (RMS). Since ventricular function curves (VFC) relating pacing induced changes in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and stroke work (SW) have been useful in distinguishing diminished function in patients with coronary artery disease and myocardiopathy, atrial pacing was carried out during cardiac catheterization in 13 patients with RMS and compared to six normal subjects. Heart rate (HR) changes were similar in the two groups and in both groups no changes occurred in afterload or cardiac output while stroke volume, SW and LVEDP decreased. In those with RMS as LVEDP decreased during pacing, left atrial pressure and transvalvular gradient increased. VFC were abnormal in 5 of 13 with RMS when compared to the normal subjects and the VFC correlated well with clinical and angiographic findings. Atrial pacing is useful in evaluating LV myocardial function in patients with RMS and aids in the separation of myocardial from obstructive factors. Since HR changes are reproducible, it can be used for preoperative and postoperative comparisons.
Effect of stoichiometry and cure prescription on fluid ingress in epoxy networks

Stoichiometry and cure temperature were evaluated for epoxy systems based on the diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol-A and bisphenol-F and cured with 3,3′- or 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulfone. The materials were formulated as stoichiometric benchmarks and with an excess of epoxide and cured in two steps (125°C/200°C) or one step (180°C). Dynamic mechanical analysis and free volume testing indicated decreased crosslink density and increased chain packing in the excess-epoxy materials, as well as a narrowing gap in properties between 33- and 44-cured networks with excess epoxy. The narrowing gap was less pronounced in materials cured at 180°C. The excess-epoxy materials were more resistant to water ingress, exhibiting reduced equilibrium water uptake. The excess-epoxy materials were also more resistant to methyl ethyl ketone ingress, which occurred at a slower rate in most excess-epoxy materials. The improvement in fluid resistance was attributed to enhanced chain packing in the materials with lower crosslink densities. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Wave motion in a random hydroacoustic medium using boundary integrals/elements methods

Abstract Two algorithms for solving the general problem of wave propagation, radiation and/or scattering in a random hydroacoustic medium using the boundary element method are presented here. The formulation is based on an observation about the predominant type of randomness in a hydroacoustic medium, i.e. the dominance of sound velocity fluctuations over density fluctuations, that allows employment of a single perturbation scheme. Perturbations may be applied at either the differential or the integral operator level. In the former case, each of the resulting n th order governing differential equations, n = 1,2…, preserves the deterministic nature of the original wave operator with the randomness appearing as a forcing function (inhomogeneity). The differential equations are subsequently recast as integral equations with both surface and volume type integrals that are solved using routine boundary element techniques. In the latter case, a random integral equation statement is written and the random kernels are expanded using perturbations. Only surface type integrals result, but different expressions must be evaluated at each perturbation order level n . Second-order moment statistics are finally computed once the total solution has been reconstituted from the perturbed solutions. Random forcing functions and /or boundary conditions are included in the development of these approaches but these are taken as deterministic in the applications. The methodology is for steady-state waves. Finally, a numerical example involving a pulsating sphere in a random fluid under stationary conditions serves to illustrate the method.
Economic Analysis and the Design of Alternative-Route Teacher Education Programs:

Few studies have addressed the effects of teacher education generally, no less the specific program elements necessary to prepare competent and caring teachers. As a result, to address teacher shortages in science, mathematics, and special education, alternatives to traditional preparation have been proposed, and their development has proceeded apace. In the absence of guidance from research, alternative program designs have dramatically varied, even on such fundamental considerations as program length and the amount of preparation trainees require before becoming teachers of record. However, research on teacher education is only one potential source of guidance for program design. In this article, the authors use economic research and theory to identify principles of effective design. Considerations include program location, candidate selection, program cost, financial support, program requirements, practice teaching, and mentorship. They use these principles to compare and contrast fast-track programs a...
Buckling Analysis of Laminated Composite Circular Cylindrical Shells.

Abstract : The effects of prebuckling displacements on the buckling 8 OF LAMINATED COMPOSITE CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL SHELLS ARE INVESTIGATED. Both axial compression and pure torsion are considered for two shell geometries. A clamped prebuckling boundary condition is used for all analysis with four buckling boundary conditions applied during the buckling process. The shell walls are made up of a 6 ply laminate with several symmetric ply orientations. The study was made using the STAGS computer code, utilizing the linear bifurcation branch with linear prebuckling displacements. The results are compared to the buckling loads determined when prebuckling displacements are neglected. It is shown that prebuckling deformations generally tend to decrease the buckling load of a composite shell. Increased buckling loads can occur under axial compression with prebuckling displacements ASSUMED PRESENT, FOR PARTICULAR PLY ORIENTATIONS, DUE TO A HIGHER BENDING STIFFNESS. Similarly, under torsion, an increase in buckling load can occur because of a higher tension hoop stress. It is also shown that prebuckling displacements can cause shell buckling before failure of the fibers occurs. (Author)
Career Identity Development in College Students: Decision Making, Parental Support, and Work Experience

Identity exploration in the area of work is theorized to be salient in emerging adulthood, and according to Vondracek's extensions of Erikson's theory, self-realization may be achieved through integration of career choice into one's identity. The present study aimed to address the extent to which parental support for career, work experience, and career decision self-efficacy influenced career identity evaluation in a sample of 345 students attending a 4-year college. Structural equation modeling results supported the hypothesized associations, showing that career decision self-efficacy (suggestive of commitment making) was associated with career identity evaluation. In addition, the number of jobs held was found to be more predictive of career decision self-efficacy and career identity evaluation than were perceptions of relevant work experience. Overall, results were consistent with the Luyckx and colleagues' process model of identity development.
Magnetoencephalography Correlate of EEG POSTS (Positive Occipital Sharp Transients of Sleep)

Purpose:In contrast to EEG, which has guidelines for interpretation and a plethora of textbooks, the full range of activity seen in magnetoencephalography (MEG) has not been fleshed out. Currently, magnetoencephalographers apply criteria for EEG waveforms to MEG signals based on an assumption that M
Clear cell mesothelioma presenting as an incarcerated abdominal hernia

A clear cell mesothelioma presenting as an incarcerated ventral abdominal hernia in a 67-year-old man who had no history of asbestos exposure is described. The cause of the cytoplasmic clearing was the presence of large amounts of glycogen. Although uncommon, this variant of mesothelioma is important to recognize because it can be easily confused with other clear cell tumors involving the serosal membranes. Significant recent advances in the immunohistochemistry of epithelioid mesothelioma are briefly reviewed because immunohistochemical studies can be helpful in establishing the correct diagnosis.
Angular and energy distributions of low energy electrons in backscattered-Mössbauer spectroscopy

Abstract The angular and energy distributions of resonant and nonresonant electrons below 50 eV have been investigated during backscattered conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy (CEMS). Reasonable consistency is achieved between theoretical predictions and experimental studies. Relatively few resonant or nonresonant electrons are observed/predicted between 600 eV and 50 eV, while a significant fraction of the total electron signal emerges below 50 eV. The low energy signal is shown to result from low energy Auger cascades, low energy shake-off electrons and secondary electrons attributed to higher energy events. Despite the presence of secondary electrons, the signal arising from low energy Auger and shake-off electrons can be used to discriminate those resonant electrons (i.e., resonant spectra) arising from the topmost 1.0 nm of the absorber. The relatively large number of low energy electrons permits relatively short acquisition times (ca. 1 h) and enhanced surface sensitivities. They may be especially useful in future depth-deconvolution efforts.
Culturally tailored interventions of chronic disease targeting Korean Americans: a systematic review

ObjectiveBecause little is known about promising interventions to prevent and control chronic disease in Korean Americans, we conducted a systematic literature review to investigate: (1) theoretical frameworks and strategies employed by interventions targeting Korean Americans; (2) cultural factors considered by these interventions; and (3) the extent of their success in engaging Korean participants and improving their health.DesignFollowing the PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, PsycInfo, and Web of Science were searched to identify primary research articles evaluating interventions to prevent or control chronic disease, tailored to Korean Americans, and published from 1980 through 2011. Of 238 articles identified, 21 articles describing16 unique intervention tests met inclusion criteria. These interventions targeted cancer (10), hypertension (2), diabetes (1), mental health (1), tobacco cessation (1), and general health (1).ResultsAll included studies were published since 2000, reflecting the relatively recent ...
Pain syndromes in children

The pediatric rheumatologist cares for children who may have a wide variety of causes of musculoskeletal pain. These include such diverse conditions as arthritis, low-back pain, hypermobility, metabolic bone pain, and amplified pain syndromes such as complex regional pain syndrome and fibromyalgia. This review examines the recent literature on these and other conditions causing musculoskeletal pain in children and adolescents. Overall, headway is being made, but differentiating soma from psyche remains a problem. This is perhaps due to the marked and unique effect pain brings to each of us. Children are different from adults in causes, presentations, and outcome. Vigilance in history, physical examination, and judicious use of laboratory investigations are usually sufficient in establishing a diagnosis, as well as an appreciation for the variety of presentations each condition can manifest.
Generation of Functional Thymocytes in the Human Adult

Abstract Reconstituting the immune response will be critical for the survival of HIV-infected individuals once viral load is brought under control. While the adult thymus was previously thought to be relatively inactive, new data suggest it may play a role in T cell reconstitution. We examined thymopoiesis in adults up to 56 years of age and found active T cell receptor (TCR) rearrangement, generating a diverse TCR Vβ repertoire. The resulting thymocytes are functional and are capable of responding to costimulatory signals. These data demonstrate that the adult thymus remains active late in life and contributes functional T cells to the peripheral lymphoid pool.
Motor aspects of reflex foot withdrawal in the razor clam.

Abstract 1. 1. Reflex retraction of the foot of the razor clam is evoked by mechanical stimulation of the foot or collar. Retraction is also a component of other reflex movements involving the foot, such as burrowing. 2. 2. Nerves from the pedal ganglia innervate the foot musculature. Tetanic electrical stimulation applied to the peripheral stump of a cut pedal nerve produces rigid contraction in a portion of the foot. 3. 3. The pedal ganglia are joined to the rest of the central nervous system by the cerebropedal connectives. Stimulation of the pedal ganglia by means of an electrode on the pedal end of a cut cerebropedal connective produces foot movements which are co-ordinated, involve the entire foot and often are sequential. The movements are usually fragments of normal reflex activity. The experiments imply that the pedal ganglia contain motor centers which generate reflex movements of the foot. 4. 4. Tetanic stimulation at various frequencies applied to the peripheral stump of a pedal nerve reveals two retracting systems in the foot: a fast system which contracts quickly, fatigues easily and reaches maximal tension at low frequencies of stimulation, and a slow system which contracts slowly, fatigues slowly and reaches maximal tension at high stimulus frequencies. 5. 5. Motor activity in intact pedal nerves and foot tension were recorded simultaneously during reflex withdrawal of the foot. The retraction elicited by mechanical stimulation of the foot consists of three phases of motor nerve activity and corresponding tension development. Tension amplitude during the reflex is proportional to motor nerve activity, except for the period of relaxation, when tension declines more slowly than nerve activity.
A simple averaging process for approximating the solutions of certain optimal control problems

Abstract It is shown that the extremal solutions of fixed duration Mayer control problems with implicit terminal constraints can be interpreted as fixed points of certain function-valued operators F constructed by solving pairs of initial value problems in tandem. A class of simple recursive averaging processes is proposed for approximating the fixed points of F . Results from the theory of monotone Hilbert space operators are used to establish the convergence of the averaging processes for a general linear-quadratic curve follower problem with unbounded control inputs, and for a simple second order bounded control input problem.
Test-retest reliability of the functional mobility assessment (FMA): a pilot study

Purpose: Functional mobility is necessary to perform activities of daily living and for community participation for everyone, but especially important for persons with disabilities (PWD). Therefore...
Molecular cloning of a new human G protein Evidence for two Giα‐like protein families

The amino acid sequence of a novel G protein alpha subunit (Gx alpha) has been deduced from the nucleotide sequence of a human cDNA clone isolated from a differentiated HL-60 cDNA library. The cDNA encodes a polypeptide of 354 amino acids (Mr 40,519) which is closely related to Gi alpha proteins. The amino acid sequence homology between Gx alpha and human myeloid Gi alpha is 86% with 15 nonconservative substitutions. Gx alpha also shares 86% homology with both rat brain and mouse macrophage Gi alpha but is more homologous (94%) to bovine brain Gi alpha with only 5 nonconservative amino acid differences. G proteins previously termed Gi alpha may fall into at least two distinct groups, with one including human myeloid Gi alpha, rat brain Gi alpha and mouse macrophage Gi alpha; and other Gx alpha and bovine brain Gi alpha. One group probably contains true Gi and the other a new class of G protein whose function remains to be determined.
Metal ratios as an index of plant species differences on uptake characteristics of different trace metals.

Abstract Six plant species were grown in a flat of Yolo loam soil (fine‐silty, mixed, thermic Typic Xerorthents) which had been uniformly blended with 133 Cu, 50 Co, 100 Cd, 67 Ni, 13 Li and 133 Zn as μg/g soil. The trace metals stopped new growth of bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. Improved Tender‐green), inhibited growth of corn (Zea mays L. Golden Cross), but did not inhibit growth of mint (Mentha viridis), barley (Hordeum vulgare L. Atlas), or wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Mineral analyses were made of leaves on shoots of the plants and from the data, ratios of various elements were calculated for each species by a computer program. Ratios of element pairs for different plant species and ratios of one species to another for given elements indicated common relationships among Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and Cd.
Shape control and associated magnetic properties of spinel cobalt ferrite nanocrystals.

By combining nonhydrolytic reaction with seed-mediated growth, high-quality and monodisperse spinel cobalt ferrite, CoFe2O4, nanocrystals can be synthesized with a highly controllable shape of near...
The morphology of dust shells around extreme carbon stars

Optical spectropolarimetry of three dust-enshrouded carbon stars reveals very large degrees of polarization, requiring highly organized circumstellar dust shells around each object. The extremely peculiar spectral behavior of polarization for GL 1403 implies two orthogonally polarized spectral components: one due to hot dust; the other, the stellar photosphere. The observations of this object are interpreted in terms of a cool dust torus and bipolar scattering lobes. Such a structure, together with a 635 day photometric period derived from IR observations, supports evolution of high-mass carbon variables into bipolar nebulae.
The levels of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids in peripheral blood of human subjects.

BY USE of the method of blood analysis for 17-hydroxycorticosteroids described by Nelson and Samuels (1) it has been possible to measure levels of these corticosteroids in the peripheral arterial and venous blood of a number of human subjects. Although adrenal responsiveness has been estimated by such techniques as eosinophil counts and urinary excretion of steroids, no previous direct measurements of the levels of cortical hormone in peripheral blood have given quantitative results. The biologic assay methods (2, 3) which have been applied either lack sufficient sensitivity or have large probable errors. The chemical methods used by others (4) have been nonspecific, resulting in considerable overestimation when applied to the crude extracts which have been used. ESPERIMENTAL Samples of approximately 30 ml. of blood were drawn and immediately placed in small bottles containing 3 mg. of heparin. Samples were refrigerated and the steroid determinations were run the same or the following day whenever possibl...
The approval plan: what’s in it for small OhioLINK libraries?

Approval plans are not just for large academic libraries anymore. They can help selectors in small academic libraries identify titles in areas not traditionally covered by the major review sources. Development of a shared approval plan profile can also make cooperative collection development in consortia a reality.
Haptics: accessing unused sensory channel capacity

Total automation is often not a good solution for tasks in highly customized or unstructured environments or where human interaction itself is the task. Human operation of machines involves the transmission of information in two directions and clearly can confront the limited information channel capacity of the human. An effective solution is known to be the use of more channels or modalities of communication. Directly communicating with haptic channels can augment the overloaded visual and auditory channels and additionally stimulate appropriate corrective manual commands to machines under human control or supervision, resulting in a lower cognitive workload. Sensors, actuators and computational ability are constantly improving. This article examines the opportunities and challenges of employing the haptic sensory channels and also the associated command interfaces that take advantage of this channel. A systems and control perspective is essential to realize the advantages without unduly suffering the ad...
Serotonin, violent behavior and alcohol

At the NIAAA intramural research program, in collaboration with investigators at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, we have mounted an extensive research program on early onset male alcoholism. A central serotonergic deficit is common among these patients. This finding has led to behavioral, biochemical, physiological and molecular genetic studies on the serotonin system in early onset, antisocial and violent male alcoholics and in appropriate control populations. The results of the studies completed by the fall of 1993 are summarized in this communication.
Low-noise remote transfer of a phase-encoded frequency comb through a 320m phase-stabilized fiber

640 frequency-stabilized comb modes are controlled in a line-by-line pulse shaper and transmitted through a noise-cancelled 320m fiber. This allows for transmission of phase-stable, high-fidelity shaped waveforms to a remote location.
Using the Modification Index and Standardized Expected Parameter Change for Model Modification

Model modification is oftentimes conducted after discovering a badly fitting structural equation model. During the modification process, the modification index (MI) and the standardized expected parameter change (SEPC) are 2 statistics that may be used to aid in the selection of parameters to add to a model to improve the fit. The purpose of this study was to extend the literature by examining the performance of the MI and the SEPC used independently and in conjunction with one another in terms of arriving at the correct confirmatory factor model. The results indicated that, in general, the SEPC outperformed the MI when arriving at the correct confirmatory factor model. However, they performed more similarly as factor loading size, sample size, and misspecified parameter size increased. The author provides recommendations on when the MI and SEPC perform more optimally.
Analysis of the Hyalinization Reaction in Otosclerosis.

Importance Otosclerotic bone has been observed to penetrate the endosteal layer of the cochlea, resulting in direct contact with the soft-tissue structures of the inner ear. Sensorineural hearing loss has been observed in some, but not all, of these cases. The development of histologic changes occurring in the cochlear soft tissues at the site of otosclerotic endosteal penetration has been descriptively referred to as a hyalinization reaction . The role of the hyalinization reaction in the development of hearing loss is unknown. Objective To evaluate the composition of these hyalinized soft tissues using immunostaining techniques. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective review in a human temporal bone histopathology research laboratory of 3 specimens from patients with endosteal otosclerotic involvement. Interventions Evaluation of human temporal bone pathology findings. Main Outcomes and Measures Human temporal bone sections with endosteal otosclerotic involvement were studied using immunostaining techniques to identify collagen I, chondroitin sulfate, and keratan sulfate deposition in the hyalinization reaction tissue. Results Intense collagen I staining was demonstrated within the hyalinization reaction in an onionskin-like layered fashion. In addition, dual immunofluorescence-stained sections for proteoglycans revealed both chondroitin sulfate and keratan sulfate deposition in the hyalinized tissue. Conclusions and Relevance The tissue of the hyalinization reaction appears to be composed of collagen I, chondroitin sulfate, and keratan sulfate, which are known to act as molecular barriers. This observation suggests that the hyalinization reaction may limit the diffusion of toxic substances produced by otosclerotic bone into the soft tissues and fluids of the cochlea.
Chronic and acute stress and the prediction of major depression in women

Background: This study explored the relatively neglected role of chronic stress in major depression, examining the independent contributions of co-occurring chronic and acute stress to depression, whether chronic stress predicts acute life events, and whether the two types of stress interact such that greater chronic stress confers greater sensitivity—or resistance—to the depressive effects of acute stressors. Methods: From a sample of 816 community women, those who had a major depression onset in the past 9 months and those without major depressive episodes (MDE) onset and with no history of current or recent dysthymic disorder were compared on interview-based measures of antecedent acute and chronic stress. Chronic stress interviews rated objective stress in multiple everyday role domains, and acute stress was evaluated with contextual threat interviews. Results: MDE onset was significantly associated with both chronic and acute stress; chronic stress was also associated with the occurrence of acute events, and there was a trend suggesting that increased acute stress is more strongly associated with depression in those with high versus low chronic stress. Conclusions: Results suggest the importance of including assessment of chronic stress in fully understanding the extent and mechanisms of stress–depression relationships. Depression and Anxiety, 2009. Published 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Appetitive Behavior May Serve as a Model For Studying The Neural Facilitation and Inhibition of Plasma Corticosterone Levels in Rats

Studies of the neural control of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal system have frequently suggested the existence of a neural system that inhibits the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons of the hypothalamus. The most explicit proposals have suggested that the neural inhibition of CRH neurons is mediated by α-adrenergic (probably α 1) receptors [4] and neurons in the area of the ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) nucleus [7]. However, there is evidence that noradrenaline facilitates CRH neurons [6], and the general conception remains that CRH neurons are under predominantly facilitatory neural control while inhibition is predominantly or exclusively of a tonic, negative feedback nature. Most research on neural control of this system has used models focusing on basal levels and stress-induced activation.
High frequency of multiple paternity in a solitary population of olive ridley sea turtles in Honduras

article i nfo Females of all seven living species of sea turtles are known to be polyandrous and show multiple paternity. The frequency of multiple paternity varies among species, and among populations of the same species. In the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), multiple paternity levels correlate with the abundance of individuals in the mating system, being much higher in arribada rookeries than in solitary nesting sites. We used two highly polymorphic microsatellite markers (Cm84 and Or1) to assess the level of multiple paternity in an olive ridley solitary population nesting in the Gulf of Fonseca, Honduras. We found evidence of multiple paternity in 6 out of 8 clutches (75%), with a minimum number of two fathers in four clutches, and a minimum of three in the remaining two clutches. This high level of multiple paternity in a small solitary population suggests that some of the females nesting in Honduras may be coming from proximal Nicaraguan arribada nesting beaches. Historical evidences and recent satellite telemetry data support this hypothesis. In addition, we show that multiple paternity studies can be effectively performed in the absence of maternal samples, and that pooled DNA samples can be used with results comparable to individual hatchling sampling in multiple paternity analyses.
Flexible Models for Solar Sail Control

Solar sails employ a unique form of propulsion, gaining momentum from incident and reflected photons. However, the momentum transferred by an individual photon is extremely small. Consequently, a solar sail must have an extremely large surface area and also be extremely light. The flexibility of the sail then must be considered when designing or evaluating control laws. In this paper, solar sail flexibility and its influence on control effectiveness is considered using idealized two-dimensional models to represent physical phenomena rather than a specific design. Differential equations of motion are derived for a distributed parameter model of a flexible solar sail idealized as a rotating central hub with two opposing flexible booms. This idealization is appropriate for solar sail designs in which the vibrational modes of the sail and supporting booms move together allowing the sail mass to be distributed along the booms in the idealized model. A reduced analytical model of the flexible response is considered. Linear feedback torque control is applied at the central hub. Two translational disturbances and a torque disturbance also act at the central hub representing the equivalent effect of deflecting sail shape about a reference line. Transient simulations explore different control designs and their effectiveness for controlling orientation, for reducing flexible motion and for disturbance rejection. A second model also is developed as a two-dimensional "pathfinder" model to calculate the effect of solar sail shape on the resultant thrust, in-plane force and torque at the hub. The analysis is then extended to larger models using the finite element method. The finite element modeling approach is verified by comparing results from a two-dimensional finite element model with those from the analytical model. The utility of the finite element modeling approach for this application is then illustrated through examples based on a full finite element model.
A local measure for modeling contrast discrimination: response to Katkov, Tsodyks and Sagi.

Abstract Katkov, et al. [Katkov, M., Tsodyks, M., & Sagi, D. (2007). Singularities explained: Response to Klein. Vision Research, preceding article] commented on my comments [Klein, S. A. (2006). Separating transducer nonlinearities and multiplicative noise in contrast discrimination. Vision Research, 46, 4279–4293] regarding fitting the Kontsevich, et al. [Kontsevich, L. L., Chen, C. C., & Tyler, C. W. (2002). Separating the effects of response nonlinearity and internal noise psychophysically. Vision Research, 42, 1771–1784] contrast discrimination data. Klein [Klein, S. A. (2006). Separating transducer nonlinearities and multiplicative noise in contrast discrimination. Vision Research, 46, 4279–4293] focused on the question of whether the singularity associated with the constant noise model makes it difficult to reject that model. The present paper acknowledges the presence of a singularity but shows that even in the presence of a strong singularity and using a reasonable number of 2AFC trials, it is possible to not only reject the constant noise hypothesis, but also to place confidence limits on estimates of the magnitude of the multiplicative noise. Our analysis is based on measuring contrast discrimination among triplet of contrast levels.
Comparison of microscopic and bidomain models of anisotropic conduction

The bidomain model is based on effective parameters to include the myocardial tissue properties into models of propagation of depolarization. In this study we examine whether these properties can be derived from histology by generating a geometrical model of cardiac tissue and computing the effective conductivity. We tested this hypothesis by generating a detailed model of cardiac tissue in which we simulated the propagation of depolarization directly, using the so-called microdomain approach. We compared both the the conduction across and along the fiber of the myocardium under both healthy and ischemic conditions. Under healthy conditions both the microdomain and bidomain approximation resulted in conduction velocities that were within 3% of each other. However under ischemic conditions the conduction velocity across the fiber approximated 20%, indicating that the effective conductivity tensors under those conditions are not a good approximation.
Motivation of chemical industry social responsibility through Responsible Care.

Abstract Advocates of corporate social responsibility argue corporations should not only meet the needs of shareholders, but other key stakeholders including the community, customers, suppliers, and employees. Since 1988, the chemical industry has engaged in a major self-regulatory “Responsible Care” industry-wide social responsibility campaign to ensure environmental, public health, safety, and security performance among member companies. Contrary to the arguments of advocates of corporate social responsibility that such efforts meet the needs of stakeholders other than shareholders such as the community, the primary goal of the Responsible Care effort has been to change public concerns and opinion about chemical industry environmental and public health practices while also opposing support for stronger and more expensive public health and environmental legislation and regulation of chemical products, even if warranted.
An analytic model and optimal clustering for multiple-bus multiprocessor systems

Analytic results are presented for the bandwidth of multiple-bus interconnection networks with two types of arbiter. These analytic results are in close agreement with previously published simulation data. An optimal clustering scheme is proposed and verified by the analytic results, which show that the scheme characterizes the highest memory bandwidth in current partial-bus interconnection networks. >
Candida albicans-Staphylococcus aureus Polymicrobial Peritonitis Modulates Host Innate Immunity

Despite advances in medical device fabrication and antimicrobial treatment therapies, fungal-bacterial polymicrobial peritonitis remains a serious complication for surgery patients, those on peritoneal dialysis, and the critically ill. Using a murine model of peritonitis, we have demonstrated that monomicrobial infection with Candida albicans or Staphylococcus aureus is nonlethal. However, coinfection with these same doses leads to a 40% mortality rate and increased microbial burden in the spleen and kidney by day 1 postinfection. Using a multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we have also identified a unique subset of innate proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, keratinocyte chemoattractant, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α) that are significantly increased during polymicrobial versus monomicrobial peritonitis, leading to increased inflammatory infiltrate into the peritoneum and target organs. Treatment of coinfected mice with the cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor indomethacin reduces the infectious burden, proinflammatory cytokine production, and inflammatory infiltrate while simultaneously preventing any mortality. Further experiments demonstrated that the immunomodulatory eicosanoid prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is synergistically increased during coinfection compared to monomicrobial infection; indomethacin treatment also decreased elevated PGE2 levels. Furthermore, addition of exogenous PGE2 into the peritoneal cavity during infection overrode the protection provided by indomethacin and restored the increased mortality and microbial burden. Importantly, these studies highlight the ability of fungal-bacterial coinfection to modulate innate inflammatory events with devastating consequences to the host.
Ultrafiltration behavior of major ions (Na, Ca, Mg, F, Cl, and SO4) in natural waters.

Aquatic colloids, including macromolecules and microparticles, with sizes ranging between 1n m to 1mm, play important roles in the mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals and other contaminants in natural waters. Cross-flow ultrafiltration has become one of the most commonly used techniques for isolating aquatic colloids. However, the ultrafiltration behavior of chemical species remains poorly understood. We report here the permeation behavior of major ions (Na, Ca, Mg, F, Cl, and SO4 )i n natural waters during ultrafiltration using an Amicon 1 kDa ultrafiltration membrane (S10N1). Water samples across a salinity gradient of 0-20% were collected from the Trinity River and Galveston Bay. The permeation behavior of major ions was well predicted by a permeation model, resulting in a constant permeation coefficient for each ion. The value of the model-derived permeation coefficient (Pc) was 0.99 for Na, 0.97 for Cl, and 0.95 for F, respectively, in Trinity River waters. Values of Pc close to 1 indicate that retention of Na, Cl, and F by the 1 kDa membrane during ultrafiltration was indeed minimal (51-5%). In contrast, significant (14-36%) retention was observed for SO4, Ca, and Mg in Trinity River waters, with a Pc value of 0.64, 0.82, and 0.86 for SO4, Ca and Mg, respectively. However, these retained major ions can further permeate through the 1 kDa membrane during diafiltration with ultrapure water. The selective retention of major ions during ultrafiltration may have important implications for the measurement of chemical and physical speciation of trace elements when using cross-flow ultrafiltration membranes to separate colloidal species from natural waters. Our results also demonstrate that the percent retention of major ions during ultrafiltration decreases with increasing salinity or ionic strength. This retention is largely attributed to electrostatic repulsion by the negatively charged cartridge membrane. # 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved