cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrating Metta Into CBT: How Loving Kindness and Compassion Meditation Can Enhance CBT for Treating Anxiety and Depression

Background: Loving kindness meditation and compassion meditation are traditional Buddhist practices that have recently been introduced and investigated in psychotherapy with promising results. Both meditation practices emphasize metta, a mental state of positive energy and kindness towards oneself and other beings, as opposed to the anger, hostility, or self-loathing that often accompany emotional problems. Method: We conducted a qualitative review of the literature to produce an integrative review. Results: Metta meditation appears to be particularly useful for treating depression and social anxiety, both characterized by low positive affect and negative attitudes and core beliefs about the self. Conclusion: Metta meditation can aid therapy by promoting more adaptive self-images, social connectedness, and emotional experiences.
Histology Revolution: from inefficient, two-dimensional, and low-resolution techniques to high-throughput, three-dimensional and high-resolution techniques

Histology has been the gold standard for studying the cellular organization of body tissues and organs for several decades. The common procedures for histology studies generally include fresh tissue acquisition, tissue fixation, processing (for paraffin sectioning), embedding, sectioning, staining, and imaging. Various fixative methods, embedding materials, and sectioning methods have been developed to achieve different staining purpose. There are many histological staining methods used to study tissue characteristics and microscopic structures of tissue: including Immunohistochemistry (IHC) / Immunocytochemistry (ICC) / Immunofluorescence (IF) for detecting specific proteins, in situ hybridization (ISH) for specific DNA and RNA, Sudan staining for lipids, Sirius Red staining for collagens, routine Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining, and others. However, these techniques have some limitations: inefficient, two-dimensional, and low-resolution. Accordingly, scientists are putting efforts into developing more efficient, accurate, and high throughput histological techniques. Recently, several new histological techniques have been devised. These new techniques include the cytoplasm-specific / nucleus-specific X-ray staining for three-dimensional (3-D) histology of soft-tissue samples, the tissue clearing techniques (OPTIClear), and advanced in situ sequencing techniques: fluorescence in situ sequencing (FISSEQ), spatially resolved transcript amplicon read-out mapping (STARmap), and Slide-seq. These new techniques will significantly facilitate histological and histopathological research including identification of stem-cell inches, genome-wide spatial gene expression, tissue organization and functions. However, these new techniques also have some drawbacks: such as high background and generation of a plethora of data. Here, we summarize the most commonly used techniques and the latest advanced histological techniques, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.
The Paleoecological Impact of Grazing and Browsing: Consequences of the Late Quaternary Large Herbivore Extinctions

As recently as ~50,000 years ago, a great diversity of large-bodied mammalian herbivores (species >44 kg) occupied nearly all of Earth’s terrestrial realms. Outside of sub-Saharan Africa, the vast majority of these species had disappeared by the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary ~11,700 years ago, either from human impacts, climate change, or some combination of both. Though research has focused on the causes of the late Quaternary extinctions since the nineteenth century, only recently has attention shifted to understanding their downstream consequences for the structure and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. In this Chapter, we synthesize the available paleoecological datasets bearing on late Quaternary extinctions and corresponding ecosystem change in Australia, North America, and northern Eurasia. We show that across these regions, the disappearance of large herbivorous mammals had far-reaching impacts, including enhanced fire regimes and vegetation state shifts, reductions in seed dispersal and near-extinction of large fruiting plants, downsizing and diversity loss in invertebrate communities relying on herbivore dung, and the collapse of predator guilds relying on large mammal prey. Collectively, these late Quaternary paleoecological lessons emphasize that large herbivores are cornerstones of ecosystems and play major roles in both maintaining stability and driving state shifts. We conclude our Chapter by discussing how these lessons feed into conservation biology today and efforts to mitigate the effects of continued range contraction and extinction of large mammals over the next century.
Characterization of Photothermomechanical Piston Motion in Micromirror Flexure Structures

Photothermomechanical piston motion of hexagonal micromirrors supported by fixed additively manufactured flexures is examined experimentally and by simulation. Results suggest a nonlinear expansion behavior of the polymer flexure structure with incident power and a higher-order low frequency dynamic response with overshoot.
Text-Based Sources

Recent discussions about transparency in political science have become fraught with concerns over replicability or even scholarly misconduct. The report of the QTD Working Group on Text-Based Sources emphasizes instead that the ultimate goal of augmenting transparency is to increase our ability to evaluate evidentiary claims, build on prior research, and produce better knowledge. Accordingly, this report reviews the complex issues raised by pursuing these goals through rendering more transparent qualitative research that employs text-based sources. We interpret "text-based sources" broadly to include a range of documents, from those found in state archives or the collections of parties and social movements to diaries, news media, and secondary sources. Text-based sources may be other media as well, such as photographs, transcriptions of radio or television broadcasts, videos, or websites. Moreover, our report applies to text-based portions of all social-scientific research, no matter what (combination of) methods they might employ in their empirical work. Drawing on QTD deliberations, existing scholarly work, and our own reflections, we discuss a range of transparency-enhancing practices and technologies, the costs and risks attendant with each, and their potential benefits. We close with a set of recommendations, ranked from least to most controversial.
Gender differences in peritoneal dialysis initiation in the US end-stage renal disease population.

Background:Overall, a disproportionately small number of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients start peritoneal dialysis (PD) in the United States compared to hemodialysis. Little is known about ...
Topology of Sobolev mappings, II

This paper addresses some topological and analytical issues concern- ing Sobolev mappings between compact Riemannian manifolds. Among the results we obtained are unified proofs of various generalizations of results obtained in a recent work of Brezis and Li. In particular we solved two conjectures in (BL). We also give a topological obstruction for the weak sequential density of smooth maps in a given Sobolev mapping space. Finally we show a necessary and suf- ficient topological condition under which the smooth maps are strongly dense in the Sobolev spaces. The earlier result, Theorem 1 of (B2), was shown to be not correct.
P9 Exploring Parental Beliefs and Practices Towards Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake in Young Children

Background High sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake during childhood is a major risk factor for obesity and other adverse health outcomes. SSB include drinks with added sugar such as soda, fruit and sports drinks, flavored teas, and milk. SSB are high-calorie, low-nutrient, and major sources of added sugar. Nearly half (47%) of U.S. children aged 2-5 consume at least 1 SSB daily, with considerable variation by demographics. Objective To explore SSB-related beliefs and practices among a sample of low-income, urban parents of young children. Study Design, Setting, Participants Fifteen English language interviews were conducted with parents of children aged 2-5 at a family health clinic in Peekskill, New York. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for major themes using standard qualitative methods. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Several themes emerged: few parents expressed clear knowledge of or had discussed SSB with their child's health care provider; participants who could not explain the difference between 100% juice and fruit drinks tended to serve SSB more frequently and in higher quantities; nearly all participants believed that products labeled “natural” or “all natural” were healthful; most parents named low cost and children's preferences/nagging as reasons they serve SSB; and WIC participants believed juice was healthful because it can be purchased with vouchers. Results Parents who serve SSB may lack consistent, reliable information from physicians and health authorities. They may be misled by labels and influenced by cost and pressure from their children. Conclusions Lowering SSB consumption has the potential to reduce calorie intake, improve diet quality, and reduce obesity risk in young children. Consistently employing recommended SSB screening protocols during well-child visits is one practical preventive approach. Changes to product labeling, improving public education about and taxing SSB may also help reduce intake.
Relationship of Parieto-Occipital Brain Energy Phosphate Metabolism and Cognition Using 31P MRS at 7-Tesla in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Background: Neuroenergetics, a study of brain energy metabolism (BEM), may uncover cues for early disease biomarkers that potentially trigger downstream neuropathological changes in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), a transitory stage of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Advancements in brain imaging modalities, such as in vivo 31phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P MRS) at higher magnetic strength, offer promising platforms to measure energy and membrane phospholipid metabolites, a window to understand BEM. The primary goal was to quantify distinct features of phosphorus metabolites in parieto-occipital lobes using 31P MRS at 7Tesla in aMCI. Another objective was to examine the clinical significance of the metabolites to brain-behavior relationships. Specifically, we examined the correspondence across BEM and membrane phospholipid indices in parieto-occipital regions of the brain with cognitive performance- executive functions (EF), memory, attention, and visuospatial skills. Methods: 19 aMCI participants enrolled in the study. Each participant completed a cognitive assessment and a scan using partial volume-coil 31P MRS over parieto-occipital lobes at 7Tesla. BEM indices were measured using three energy indicators: energy reserve (PCr/t-ATP), energy consumption (intracellular_Pi/t-ATP), and metabolic state (PCr/intracellular_Pi) along with regulatory co-factors of BEM-intracellular Mg2+ and pH; whereas the ratio of phosphomonoesters (PMEs) to phosphodiesters (PDEs) represented membrane phospholipid indicator. Results: 31P MRS data over parieto-occipital lobes showed thirteen well-resolved peaks of the energy and membrane phospholipid metabolites at 7Tesla. The higher BEM indices were associated with lower cognitive performance of memory [(energy reserve indicator: CVLT p=0.004), (metabolic state indicator: CVLT p=0.007)], executive function [(metabolic state indicator: TOSL (p=0.044)], and attention [(pH: selective auditory task, p=0.044)]. The finding of higher brain energy indices in the parieto-occipital lobes associated with lower cognition may represent compensatory hypermetabolism during the early stages of brain disturbances in aMCI. Conclusion: The critical contribution of this work was to develop and test a methodology to quantify neurometabolic markers of energy and membrane phospholipid metabolites at 7Tesla in aMCI. Additionally, the study findings implicated the role of BEM as an early neurometabolic marker of brain changes linked to cognitive decline in the preclinical stages of AD.
Collinear Factorization at sub-asymptotic kinematics and validation in a diquark spectator model

We revisit the derivation of collinear factorization for Deep Inelastic Scattering at sub-asymptotic values of the four momentum transfer squared, where the masses of the particles participating in the interaction cannot be neglected. By using an inclusive jet function to describe the scattered quark final state, we can restrict the needed parton kinematic approximations just to the overall four-momentum conservation of the hard scattering process, and explicitly expand the rest of the diagram in powers of the unobserved parton transverse momenta rather than neglecting those. This procedure provides one with more flexibility in fixing the virtuality of the scattered and recoiling partons, and naturally leads to scaling variables that more faithfully represent the partonic kinematic at sub-asymptotic energy than Bjorken's xB variable. We verify the validity of the obtained factorization formula by considering a diquark spectator model designed to reproduce the main features of electron-proton scattering at large x_B in Quantum Chromo-Dynamics, where the Deep Inelastic Scattering contribution to the cross section can be explicitly isolated and analytically calculated. Limiting ourselves to the leading twist contribution, we show that use of the new scaling variables maximizes the kinematic range of validity of collinear factorization, and highlight the intrinsic limitations of this approach due to the approximate treatment of four momentum conservation in factorized diagrams. Finally, we briefly discuss how these limitations may be overcome by including higher-twist corrections to the factorized calculation.
Examining differences between overweight women and men in 12-month weight loss study comparing healthy low-carbohydrate vs. low-fat diets.

Biological sex factors and sociocultural gender norms affect the physiology and behavior of weight loss. However, most diet intervention studies do not report outcomes by sex, thereby impeding reproducibility. The objectives of this study were to compare 12-month changes in body weight and composition in groups defined by diet and sex, and adherence to a healthy low carbohydrate (HLC) vs. healthy low fat (HLF) diet. This was a secondary analysis of the DIETFITS trial, in which 609 overweight/obese nondiabetic participants (age, 18–50 years) were randomized to a 12-month HLC (n = 304) or HLF (n = 305) diet. Our first aim concerned comparisons in 12-month changes in weight, fat mass, and lean mass by group with appropriate adjustment for potential confounders. The second aim was to assess whether or not adherence differed by diet-sex group (HLC women n = 179, HLC men n = 125, HLF women n = 167, HLF men n = 138). 12-month changes in weight (p < 0.001) were different by group. HLC produced significantly greater weight loss, as well as greater loss of both fat mass and lean mass, than HLF among men [−2.98 kg (−4.47, −1.50); P < 0.001], but not among women. Men were more adherent to HLC than women (p = 0.02). Weight loss estimates within group remained similar after adjusting for adherence, suggesting adherence was not a mediator. By reporting outcomes by sex significant weight loss differences were identified between HLC and HLF, which were not recognized in the original primary analysis. These findings highlight the need to consider sex in the design, analysis, and reporting of diet trials.
Spikes in demand for hospital transfusion services.

INTRODUCTION: Spikes in the demand for blood components represent a substantial challenge to transfusion services. Simple metrics for characterizing volatility in blood components within the hospital transfusion service have not been established. METHODS: We measured the volatility of demand for blood services at a large academic urban general hospital over a 6-month period from July 2019 to December 2019 prior to the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. RESULTS: Among 4416 consecutive hours assessed, there were 693 h (16%) with spikes in demand for blood components with a mean (sd) of 3.8 (2.7) spikes/day. Spikes in demand were frequently clustered. The median number of hours between spikes differed by shift (6 h for days; 3 h for evenings; 3 h for nights). The percentage of shift hours with demand spikes also differed (9% day; 19% evening; 18% night). During the study, 32,447 components were distributed to 19,431 patients. Of these, 11,819 components (36%) were distributed during hours of peak demand. Hours with a simultaneous spike in both component demand and patient demand occurred in 5% of hours or approximately once each day. CONCLUSION: Demand for transfusion services was highly volatile in an unpredictable fashion. We provide an approach that could be used to benchmark spikes in demand for blood services at hospitals. Consideration of the frequency, unpredictability, and magnitude of spikes in demand may be relevant for hemovigilance programs and for strategies to determine the laboratory staffing needed for good patient care.
TNFa and IL-6 promote ex-vivo proliferation of lineage-committed human regulatory T cells

Abstract Treg therapy is being tested in clinical trials in transplantation and autoimmune diseases, however, the impact of inflammation on Tregs is unclear. In this study, we challenged human Tregs ex-vivo with pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNFα and IL-6. These cytokines enhanced Treg proliferation induced by anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 or CD28 superagonist (CD28SA) while maintaining high expression of FOXP3 and HELIOS, demethylated FOXP3 enhancer, and low expression of cytokines IFNg, IL-4 and IL-17. Blocking TNF receptor signaling using etanercept or deletion of TNF receptor 2 using CRISPR/Cas9 blunted Treg proliferation and attenuated FOXP3 and HELIOS expression, revealing the importance of TNFR2 signaling in Treg proliferation and lineage stability. The robust proliferation induced by CD28SA with IL-6 and TNFα may be adopted for the expansion of therapeutic Tregs. Metabolomics analysis showed that Tregs expanded with CD28SA plus cytokines had more active glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, increased energy production, and higher antioxidant potential. Finally, CD28SA plus cytokine-expanded Tregs had comparable suppressive activity in vitro and in vivo in a humanized mouse model of graft-versus-host-disease when compared to Tregs expanded using the conventional protocol. These results demonstrate that human Tregs positively respond to proinflammatory cytokines with enhanced proliferation without compromising their lineage identity or function.
The Road from Scope 3 to Net Zero

Twenty years ago, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol defined emissions Scopes as means to evaluate risks due to impending carbon pricing. Scope 1 counted direct emissions. Scope 2 covered emissions from purchased power. Scope 3 captured upstream and downstream supply chain emissions. In the context of risk management, stakeholders viewed Scope 3 as secondary, and optional. In the turn to Net Zero, Scope 3 has become a key tool for managers and activists. Double counting, internal and external boundary problems, financial engineering offsets, and off-balance sheet exposures confound the usefulness of Scope 3. Using Scope 3 as a tool for capital allocation poses additional challenges as effective use requires carbon pricing imposed by non-government actors, which pushes into uncharted legal territory.
Increased Heterologous Protein Expression in Drosophila S2 Cells for Massive Production of Immune Ligands/Receptors and Structural Analysis of Human HVEM

Many immune ligands and receptors are potential drug targets, which delicately manipulate a wide range of immune responses. We describe here the successful application of an efficient method to dramatically improve the heterologous expression levels in Drosophila Schneider 2 cells, which enables the high-throughput production of several important immune ligands/receptors for raising antibodies, and for the structural and functional analyses. As an example, we purified the protein and characterized the structure of the immune receptor herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM, TNFRSF14). HVEM is a member of tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, which is recognized by herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D (gD) and facilitates viral entry. HVEM participates in a range of interactions with other cell surface molecules, including LIGHT, BTLA, and CD160 to modulate a wide range of immune processes in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, as well as NK cells. Due to the involvement of HVEM in these diverse signaling interactions, crystal structures of HVEM in complex with gD or BTLA have been previously reported. Here, we report the structure of HVEM in the absence of any ligands.
Software Architecture, Configuration Management, and Configurable Distributed Systems: A Menage a Trois

Abstract : Software architecture, configuration management, and configurable distributed systems are three areas of research that until now have evolved separately. Contributions in each field have focused on their respective area of concern. However, as solutions in the three fields tend to center around some notion of a system model, it is worthwhile to investigate their relationship in detail. In particular, the large amount of overlap among the system models developed in each area, combined with the complementary nature of the differences among them, suggests that an approach based on a common system model is viable. In this paper, we illustrate the benefits of using such a unified system model, identify the commonalities and differences among the existing system models, and present some of our initial experiments that we believe will lead to the development of a single system model that is usable in all three fields.
Hypoglycemia, Hypotonia, and Cardiomyopathy: The Evolving Clinical Picture of Long-Chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency

Inherited defects in fatty acid oxidation, which have been described and diagnosed with increasing frequency in the last decade, are most commonly attributed to a deficiency in the activity of medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase. Few cases of the related enzyme defect of long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase activity have been reported. An infant with documented long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency is described with a detailed metabolic profile, long-term clinical follow-up, and response to treatment. This patient is compared with the seven previously published cases of this disorder in order to stress the unique features of the initial presentation, more subtle late manifestations of the disease, and clinical and biochemical differentiation from the more common medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency. This report stresses the enlarging spectrum of the clinical presentation and natural history of this defect in fatty acid oxidation.
§ 5:33 Waiver of Privilege — Voluntary Disclosure or Failure to Claim

Evidence subject to the attorney-client privilege is protected against compelled discovery or disclosure. However, the privilege can be waived if the client who holds the privilege (or the attorney acting on his behalf) fails to claim the privilege or voluntarily discloses the subject matter of the privileged communication. This Section discusses the law governing privilege waiver by voluntary disclosure or failure to claim the privilege.
Long-Term Change of Mind

Loss of a limb can cause profound changes in the life of the victim. No less important is a massive reorganization of the brain that accompanies such injuries. Now twopapers report the details of such neural changes in two groups of monkeys with somewhat different deficits, and Merzenich reconciles the different results in his Perspective.
Multipath diversity reception of wireless multiple access time-hopping digital impulse radio

The performance of multiple access spread spectrum time-hopping digital impulse radio with pulse position data modulation under multipath propagation conditions is analytically investigated. To simplify the mathematical complexity associated with derivation of the SNR, we assume independent identically distributed random delay for each arriving path of each user. Specifically, the multipath arrival times are uniformly distributed over one frame period. This assumption along with restricting the time-hopping range to a fraction of a frame duration leads to a closed form solution of SNR. Using this result, the degradation factor due to multiple access interference in the presence of multipath is derived and curves for two special cases of exponentially decaying and flat multipath channels are sketched. To investigate the more realistic delay spread profiles, we show simulation results for exponentially decaying and flat multipath channels with deterministic multipath arrival times.
Zoogeography of branchiobdellidans (Annelida) and temnocephalidans (Platyhelminthes) ectosymbiotic on freshwater crustaceans, and their reactions to one another in vitro

The zoogeographical distribution of branchiobdellidans (Annelida) and temnocephalidans (Platyhelminthes), ectosymbiotic on freshwater crustaceans, is reviewed and revised. In the areas where the Holarctic branchiobdellidans and Gondwanian temnocephalidans overlap, distributions of species and their respective hosts are reviewed in detail. Specimens of the branchiobdellid, Branchiobdella astaci, and the scutariellid temnocephalidan, Bubalocerus pretneri, were allowed to meet in vitro on the dorsal carapace of a crayfish, Austropotamobius pallipes. This usually resulted in the scutariellid being ingested by a branchiobdellid. Specimens of B. astaci were placed in contact with the host of B. pretneri, Troglocaris sp., a cave-dwelling shrimp and the branchiobdellid immediately moved away from the shrimp.
Acyloxyacyl hydrolase, a leukocyte enzyme that deacylates bacterial lipopolysaccharides, has phospholipase, lysophospholipase, diacylglycerollipase, and acyltransferase activities in vitro

Human acyloxyacyl hydrolase (AOAH) is a leukocyte enzyme that hydrolyzes acyloxyacyl bonds in the lipid A region of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), thereby detoxifying the LPS. We report here that the enzyme also acts in vitro on glycerophospholipids, lysophospholipids, and diacylglycerol. While AOAH preferentially removes palmitate or stearate from the sn-1 position of phospholipid and diacylglycerol substrates that have unsaturated acyl chains in the sn-2 position, it is able to cleave both palmitates from sn-1,2-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and sn-1,2-dipalmitoylglycerol. This apparent preference for removing saturated (or shorter) acyl chains from glycerolipids is consistent with its ability to cleave laurate more rapidly than palmitoleate from lipopolysaccharide (Erwin, A. L., and Munford, R. S. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 16444-16449). AOAH also catalyzes acyl transfer from LPS and phosphatidylethanolamine to acceptor lipids; approximately equal amounts of laurate and myristate are transferred from LPS to monooleoylglyceryl ether, forming acyloleoylglyceryl ether. The demonstration that AOAH has phospholipase, lysophospholipase, diacylglycerol lipase, and acyltransferase activities in vitro suggests that the enzyme may have roles in addition to LPS deacylation (detoxification) in phagocytic cells.
A model of parental achievement-oriented psychological control in academically gifted students

This study investigated achievement-oriented parent socialization as it pertains to school avoidance in a sample of gifted students. A serial mediation model examining relationships among parental achievement-oriented psychological control (APC), fear of academic failure, academic amotivation, and school avoidance was tested. The sample included 230 gifted youth (Mage = 13.36; SD = 1.67) involved in summer programming. After factor structure and internal consistency of the instruments were confirmed, separate mediation models were analyzed for mother and father psychological control. In both models, bootstrap evidence supported the indirect relationship between parental APC and school avoidance (R2 = .29 mother/.29 father) through fear of academic failure (R2 = .18/.17) and academic amotivation (R2 = .10/.08). Many researchers of parental socialization and motivation focus on the brighter side of being gifted. Findings of this study follow a darker path of controlling socialization and avoidance-based psy...
Scaling behaviour in cluster decay

A recently proposed scaling law for the decay time of alpha particles is generalized for cluster decay. It is shown that for the decay of even–even parents, log T1/2 depends linearly on the scaling variable and on the square root of the reduced mass of cluster and daughter. A model is outlined, which gives insight into the proposed scaling dependence. Predictions of decay modes not yet discovered, such as 16O, 12C and 15N, are made.
Membrane modulates affinity for calcium ion to create an apparent cooperative binding response by annexin a5

Isothermal titration calorimetry was used to characterize the binding of calcium ion (Ca2+) and phospholipid to the peripheral membrane-binding protein annexin a5. The phospholipid was a binary mixture of a neutral and an acidic phospholipid, specifically phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine in the form of large unilamellar vesicles. To stringently define the mode of binding, a global fit of data collected in the presence and absence of membrane concentrations exceeding protein saturation was performed. A partition function defined the contribution of all heat-evolving or heat-absorbing binding states. We find that annexin a5 binds Ca2+ in solution according to a simple independent-site model (solution-state affinity). In the presence of phosphatidylserine-containing liposomes, binding of Ca2+ differentiates into two classes of sites, both of which have higher affinity compared with the solution-state affinity. As in the solution-state scenario, the sites within each class were described with an independent-site model. Transitioning from a solution state with lower Ca2+ affinity to a membrane-associated, higher Ca2+ affinity state, results in cooperative binding. We discuss how weak membrane association of annexin a5 prior to Ca2+ influx is the basis for the cooperative response of annexin a5 toward Ca2+, and the role of membrane organization in this response.
Wittgenstein and the Real Numbers

When it comes to Wittgenstein's philosophy of mathematics, even sympathetic admirers are cowed into submission by the many criticisms of influential authors in that field. They say something to the effect that Wittgenstein does not know enough about or have enough respect for mathematics, to take him as a serious philosopher of mathematics. They claim to catch Wittgenstein pooh-poohing the modern set-theoretic extensional conception of a real number. This article, however, will show that Wittgenstein's criticism is well grounded. A real number, as an ‘extension’, is a homeless fiction; ‘homeless’ in that it neither is supported by anything nor supports anything. The picture of a real number as an ‘extension’ is not supported by actual practice in calculus; calculus has nothing to do with ‘extensions’. The extensional, set-theoretic conception of a real number does not give a foundation for real analysis, either. The so-called complete theory of real numbers, which is essentially an extensional approach, d...
Variable-complexity aerodynamic optimization of an HSCT wing using structural wing-weight equations

A new approach for combining conceptual and preliminary design techniques for wing optimization is presented for the high-speed civil transport (HSCT). A wing-shape parametrization procedure is developed which allows the linking of planform and airfoil design variables. Variable-complexity design strategies are used to combine conceptual and preliminary-design approaches, both to preserve interdisciplinary design influences and to reduce computational expense. In the study, conceptual-design-level algebraic equations are used to estimate aircraft weight, supersonic wave drag, friction drag and drag due to lift. The drag due to lift and wave drag are also evaluated using more detailed, preliminary-design-level techniques. The methodology is applied to the minimization of the gross weight of an HSCT that flies at Mach 3.0 with a range of 6500 miles.
Setting the pace: mechanisms tying Caulobacter cell-cycle progression to macroscopic cellular events

The bacterium Caulobacter crescentus divides asymmetrically, producing daughter cells with differing polar structures, different cell fates and asymmetric regulation of the initiation of chromosome replication. Complex intracellular signaling is required to keep the organelle developmental processes at the cell poles synchronized with other cell cycle events. Two recently characterized switch mechanisms controlling cell cycle progress are triggered by relatively large-scale developmental events in the cell: the progress of the DNA replication fork and the physical compartmentalization of the cell that occurs well before division. These mechanisms invoke rapid, precisely timed and even spatially differentiated regulatory responses at important points in the cell cycle.
Bayesian regression diagnostics with applications to international consumption and income data

Abstract Three variants of Friedman's consumption model are analyzed using Houthakker's international consumption and income data and the Bayesian Regression Analysis Program (BRAP). The analysis is focussed on evaluating Friedman's proportionality hypothesis. Various diagnostic procedures are discussed and applied using diffuse and informative prior distributions. Of the three models considered, the logit transformation model is deemed most appropriate and results based on it suggest a departure from the proportionality hypothesis, particularlyat low levels of income. This result is at variance with Houthakker's earlier conclusion that these data are in accord with the proportionality hypothesis.
PUSH-PULL ELECTRO-OPTIC POLYMER MODULATORS BASED ON PHOTO-BLEACHING INDUCED WAVEGUIDES AND DUAL-DRIVING ELECTRODES

Push-pull electro-optic polymeric Mach-Zehnder modulators with photo-bleaching induced waveguides and dual-driving electrodes operating at 1.55 μm wavelength have been demonstrated. The nonlinear electro-optic polymer used in this work was based on a phenyltetraene bridged chromophore in polycarbonate, APC-CLD1. It has been shown that the predominant photo-bleaching mechanism was a photochemical decomposition of the chromophore. The half-wave voltage of the integrated polymeric modulator was 4.5 V in a push-pull configuration with a 1.5 cm interaction length. The extinction ratio was greater than 20 dB, and the fiber-to-fiber insertion loss was 8 dB for the TM polarization at 1.55 μm wavelength.
The steiner point in infinite dimensions

It is shown that the Steiner point cannot be extended continuously to all convex bodies in infinite dimensional Hilbert spaces. This follows as a corollary of a result on the local behavior of the point.
Patterns of sentence comprehension in aphasia: a consideration of three hypotheses.

Three hypotheses concerning the functional source of aphasic patients' difficulty comprehending semantically reversible sentences were tested using declarative sentences in active and passive voice and sentences with center-embedded relative clauses. Each of the three hypotheses is predicated on relative patterns of impairment and sparing of patient performance on these (and other) sentence types, yet the three hypotheses make somewhat different predictions about performance patterns across these types. Results from 5 Broca's aphasic patients were not consistent with the predictions of the linguistically motivated Trace Deletion Hypothesis or of a hypothesis based on an impairment involving grammatical morphemes. The hypothesis that aphasic comprehension impairments reflect a general limitation of working memory capacity was given partial support by the ordinal pattern of difficulty for a mixed group of 10 patients, but failed to account for patterns obtained from individual patients. Results are interpreted as having relevance for methodological as well as theoretical aspects of research on aphasic sentence comprehension.
Enzyme activities in hill land soils of the Appalachian region

Abstract The top two horizons of 14 major hill land soils of the Appalachian Region were evaluated for activities of add phospha‐tase (AP), pyrophosphatase (PP1), arylsuifatase (AS) and urease (UR) enzymes. A relationship between enzyme activities and soil properties was examined. Surface horizons contained higher enzyme activities than the subsurface horizons. Overall, enzyme activities were positively correlated with soil moisture content, percent water‐filled porosity, C, N, K, Mn and CEC. Activities of AP and PP1 were negatively correlated with soil pH. The AP and UR activities were positively related to various forms of P. Enzyme activities were positively related to total and organic S. Pot trial was performed 1n green house conditions to evaluate the relationship between enzyme activities and snapbean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) growth and N, P, and S uptake. With a few exceptions, activities of AP, AS and UR were positively related to snapbean shoot wt. and shoot content of N, P, and S. The PP1 activi...
Diffusion Rates in Inorganic Nuclear Materials.

The tracer diffusion coefficient, the self-diffusion coefficient, the intrinsic diffusion coefficient and the interdiffusion coefficient are briefly described. Grain boundary and lattice (volume) diffusion are contrasted. The frequency factors (D0) and activation energies (Q) are tabulated for diffusion in the borides, carbides, and oxides of Be, Hf, Mo, Nb, Ta, Th, Ti, and Zr and for diffusion of C, N, and O in these metals. The purity of the solvent media, the preparation and properties of the samples, the method, the type of diffusion coefficient measured and the temperature range are also specified.
NMR Studies of Intra- and Extracellular Red Blood Cell Lithium by Transverse Relaxation Measurements and Shift Reagents

Lithium salts are used in the treatment and prophylaxis of bipolar or mood disorders. The mechanism of action by which the cation exerts its therapeutic influence is unknown. A knowledge of brain Li concentration, its distribution in the brain, and its properties in the cellular microenvironment may have a strong influence on the understanding of Li function. The differentiation of lithium in the intra and extracellular environments has been achieved in a noninvasive manner in red blood cell (RBC) model. The two distinct transverse relaxation (T2) components have been observed in the blood sample drawn from lithium treated rats. These results indicate two different environments for Li with a fast (T2f) and a slow (T2s) component in the RBC model corresponding fractions that contribute to each relaxation component. The results compare well with the intra- and extracellular RBC lithium measured using shift reagents. Our studies indicate that the T2 method has utility in estimating the intracellular Li in systems that exhibit similar T2 behavior. The studies performed at different Li doses in the rat model indicate that the method may have utility in following a wide range of intracellular Li.
Preadjustment of small elliptical bender mirrors for an x-ray beamline

The long trace profiler (LTP) has been used to assure the quality of x-ray beamline mirrors with fixed radii of curvature after they have arrived from the manufacturer and before they are permanently set in the beamline. In the case of some adjustable radius mirrors, the adjustment mechanism may require setting outside of the beamline. The bending mechanism often bends the mirror into a tangential cylinder, which is difficult to measure by interferometric methods. Measuring medium- to long-radius cylinders is a routine task for the LTP. Thus, a bendable (adjustable radius) mirror may be adjusted in the metrology laboratory before the mirror is placed in the beamline. This paper describes the method of adjustment and surface quality assessment for bendable, adjustable radius mirrors in general, and shows results for a small mirror that is bent into an elliptical cylinder.
Incorporation of Thymidine-Methyl-H3 and Glycine-2-H3 in the Nail Matrix and Bed of Humans

Nail biopsies were performed at specific time intervals following the intradermal injection of thymidine-methyl-H 3 and glycine-2-H 3 into the toes of human volunteers. Labeled cells were seen in the nail matrix one hour after thymidine injection, but no grains were observed over the nail bed. One and two weeks following injection, thymidine labeled cells were seen in the nail matrix and bed. After glycine injection, labeled cells were noted in both the matrix and bed one hour following injection, but the uptake was greater in the matrix. At one and two week intervals more glycine labeling appeared over the proximal bed than over the matrix. The appearance of labeled cells in the nail bed at one and two week intervals may be accounted for by the movement of cells from the nail matrix into the nail bed.
Choosing a home: how the scouts in a honey bee swarm perceive the completion of their group decision making

This study considers the mystery of how the scout bees in a honey bee swarm know when they have completed their group decision making regarding the swarm's new nest site. More specifically, we investigated how the scouts sense when it is appropriate for them to begin producing the worker piping signals that stimulate their swarm-mates to prepare for the flight to their new home. We tested two hypotheses: "consensus sensing," the scouts noting when all the bees performing waggle dances are advertising just one site; and "quorum sensing," the scouts noting when one site is being visited by a sufficiently large number of scouts. Our test involved monitoring four swarms as they discovered, recruited to, and chose between two nest boxes and their scouts started producing piping signals. We found that a consensus among the dancers was neither necessary nor sufficient for the start of worker piping, which indicates that the consensus sensing hypothesis is false. We also found that a buildup of 10–15 or more bees at one of the nest boxes was consistently associated with the start of worker piping, which indicates that the quorum sensing hypothesis may be true. In considering why the scout bees rely on reaching a quorum rather than a consensus as their cue of when to start preparing for liftoff, we suggest that quorum sensing may provide a better balance between accuracy and speed in decision making. In short, the bees appear to begin preparations for liftoff as soon as enough of the scout bees, but not all of them, have approved of one of the potential nest sites.
Knowledge interfacing in cyberspace

The WWW is basically an access phenomenon: it provides easily accessible information to users for different purposes. How to design information for the web is the challenge faced by cognitive ergonomics today. To help frame this challenge, two models are presented: a web interaction model and a web information design model. These capture what are considered to be central features of information design that need to be addressed in the field. The web interaction model involves knowledge expression on the part of the information provider and knowledge building on the part of the user, both channeled through the person's cognitive structure. Information on the web is categorized as data, complex information, or process and characterized along dimensions of coherence and dynamics. These are the elements that impact knowledge interfacing. The principal concern for web information design is the less intentional nature of the communication involved and the interest-driven nature of web navigation. Both present difficulties for the traditional task-oriented design model of ergonomics. The web information design model presented considers the what (selection) and the how (representation) of information. It suggests focusing on three design spaces in terms of access, interest, and transaction structures. These are the filters that need design attention. The two models provide groundwork for further discussion of the issues raised and will hopefully encourage further modeling that will help establish this emerging field of knowledge technology as a prime concern of cognitive ergonomics. Relevance to industry As interface development continues to evolve from perceptual and motor issues to cognitive issues, developing a soft technology of knowledge design becomes paramount. Some of the significant issues are how one interacts with the on-line knowledge environment surrounding us and the emergence of practical multimedia and its extension into virtual reality and metaworlds.
Rhythmic and spatial abnormalities of gastric slow waves in patients with functional dyspepsia.

ObjectiveThe objectives of this study were to assess differences in gastric slow waves measured by a newly approved multichannel electrogastrogram (EGG) device between patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) and healthy controls.Materials and MethodsGastric myoelectrical activity was measured by mul
In vivo observation of lactate methyl proton magnetization transfer in rat C6 glioma.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) measurements of the lactate methyl proton in rat brain C6 glioma tissue acquired in the presence of an off- resonance irradiation field, analyzed using coupled Bloch equation formalism assuming two spin pools, demonstrated the occurrence of magnetization transfer. Quantitative analysis revealed that a very small fraction of lactate (f= 0.0012) is rotationally immobilized despite a large magnetization transfer effect. Off-resonance rotating frame spin-lattice relaxation studies demonstrated that deuterated lactate binds to bovine serum albumin and the proteins present in human plasma, thereby providing a possible physical basis for the observed magnetization transfer effect. These results demonstrate that partial or complete saturation of the motionally restricted lactate pool (as well as other metabolites) by the application of an off-resonance irradiation field, such as that used for water presaturation, can lead to a substantial decrease in resonance intensity by way of magnetization transfer effects, resulting in quantitation errors.
Smocks and Jocks Outside the Box: The Paradigmatic Evolution of Sport and Exercise Psychology

The objective of this article is to describe the historical development of sport and exercise psychology, with a particular emphasis on the construction and evolution of the “box” through history. The box represents the dominant paradigm that serves as the model for research and application as it evolves through successive historical eras (Kuhn, 1962). Seven historical eras related to the development of sport and exercise psychology are discussed. Of particular interest for this review were individuals whose curiosity and motivation established the roots for the study of sport and exercise psychology, as well as the controversies and tensions in both kinesiology and psychology that shaped the fi eld. Suggestions for the future include a problem-based approach to scholarship and a cultural praxis version of sport and exercise psychology to enhance relevancy and social impact.