cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of orbital and linear vibration welding of thermoplastics

This work was conducted to determine if there were any benefits with orbital vibration welding compared to linear vibration welding. The experiments were conducted using standard full-factorial designs with each process and each material. Four materials, polypropylene/polyethylene copolymer (PP/PE), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and Nylon (PA), were studied with each process. The equipment used was a modified Branson VW-4 with an orbital head that had isolated magnets. The same machine was used to weld with both linear and orbital motions. This was achieved by modifying the controlling parameters of the drive. It was found that compared to linear vibration welding, orbital welding had a reduction of cycle time by 36% and 50% in Phase I and Phase III, respectively. It was also found that orbital welding dissipated 56% and 100% more power than linear vibration welding in Phase I and Phase III, respectively. In addition, it was seen that orbital welding was able to universally join unsupported walls with higher strengths and better consistency compared to linear welding. Other benefits included: a difference in the appearance of weld flash and small increase in weld strength. Some of the limitations of orbital welding that were identified included the effects of disengagement and residual stresses. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Moderating effects of positive parenting and maternal alcohol use on emerging adults' alcohol use: Does living at home matter?

Positive parenting behaviors and parental modeling of alcohol use are consistent predictors of offspring's alcohol use. Recent research extends these findings to emerging adult children and confirms continued parental influence beyond adolescence. This paper examines how maternal warmth and supervision moderate the effects of mother's heavy alcohol use on their offspring's alcohol use among a sample of non-college-attending emerging adults. Three-way interactions were used to examine if these moderating effects differed between emerging adults who lived at home and those with other living arrangements. Separate analyses within gender were used to further examine these associations. Participants were 245 emerging adults between ages 18 and 22years with no post-secondary education (59% female) who were selected from a national probability-based internet panel. Path analyses indicated that, regardless of living arrangements, male emerging adults who were more likely to witness their mother getting drunk were themselves more likely to engage in risky drinking. However, among female emerging adults, similarity between mothers' and daughters' drunkenness was strongest among participants who resided with their family and also reported low levels of maternal warmth. This study extends previous research by indicating that the effects of maternal modeling of heavy alcohol use on emerging adults' heavy alcohol use depend upon several factors, including the gender of the child and the family context. Implications of the study findings are discussed in terms of expanding the scope of a parent-based intervention (PBI) to all emerging adults, including those who do not attend colleges or universities. Language: en
Haptic interface for non-visual steering

Glare significantly diminishes visual perception, and is a significant cause of traffic accidents. Existing haptic automotive interfaces typically indicate when and in which direction to steer, but they don't convey how much to steer, as a driver typically determines this using visual feedback. We present a novel haptic interface that relies on an intelligent vehicle position system to indicate when, in which direction and how far to steer, as to facilitate steering without any visual feedback. Our interface may improve driving safety when a driver is temporarily blinded, for example, due to glare or fog. Three user studies were performed, the first study tries to understand driving using visual feedback, the second study evaluates two different haptic encoding mechanisms with no visual feedback present, and a third study evaluates the supplemental effect of haptic feedback when used in conjunction with visual feedback. Studies show this interface to allow for blind steering in small curves and that it can improve a driver's lane keeping ability when combined with visual feedback.
FIELD QUANTIZATION IN THE SCHWARZSCHILD METRIC

Since radiation from a gravitationally collapsed star is thermal and independent of the collapse process, the possibility that the radiation is characteristic of the Schwarzschild metric itself is considered. The scalar field in the maximal analytic extension of the Schwarzschild metric is quantized in order to test this hypothesis. It is found that the radiation is not characteristic of the Schwarzschild metric. (BJG)
Investigation of leucocytes from chickens with Marek's disease.

THERE is evidence that the aetiological agent of Marek's disease is a herpes-type virus1–4, which has been propagated successfully in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF), duck embryo fibroblasts (DEF) and chick–kidney cells (CKC)1,5,6. Virus-like particles have been found in tumours, peripheral leucocytes and plasma pellets from birds with Marek's disease7,8. We have made electron microscopic, fluorescent antibody and bioassay studies of leucocytes from chickens with Marek's disease.
A spatial study of teachers’ salaries in Pennsylvania school districts

I explore the relationship among teacher salaries across Pennsylvania school districts. Using techniques developed in spatial econometrics, I find that the error terms in a salary regression are spatially correlated, suggesting evidence of omitted labor market factors. I also find evidence that salaries in nearby, financially similar districts directly influence teacher salaries in a particular district, which is evidence of pattern bargaining or more informal social comparisons across districts. Econometric specifications that ignore these factors overstate the influence of own-district variables, such as economic indicators, on salary.
Ephedrine: effects on neuromuscular transmission

(−)-Ephedrine has been used in the treatment of patients with myasthenia gravis. To investigate the possible effects of ephedrine on neuromuscular transmission, canine intercostal muscle endplates were studied by microelectrode techniques. At concentrations less than 10−4 M, ephedrine had no effect on neuromuscular transmission. At a concentration of 10−4 M, ephedrine increased the quantal content of the endplate potential by 21%. The presynaptic store of acetylcholine quanta available for immediate release was unchanged, but the probability of quantal release was increased by 16%. At this concentration, ephedrine decreased the amplitude of the miniature endplate potential by 38%. In the presence of 10−3 M ephedrine, the miniature endplate potentials and currents became undetectable. The kinetic properties of the acetylcholine receptor channel were studied by analysis of acetylcholine-induced endplate current noise. At 10−4 M, ephedrine reduced the channel conductance by 43% but had no effect on the open time. At 5×10−4 M, ephedrine reduced the channel conductance by 84% and increased the open time by 23 percent.
Role for c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase in β-Cell Recovery from Nitric Oxide-Mediated Damage

Treatment of rat islets with the cytokine IL-1 results in the inhibition of mitochondrial function and insulin secretion, events that are mediated by β-cell expression of iNOS [inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase] and production of NO. β-Cells recover from the inhibitory actions of NO, produced following 24 h incubation with IL-1, on islet oxidative metabolism and insulin secretion if iNOS enzymatic activity is inhibited and the islets are cultured (in the presence of IL-1 and iNOS inhibitors) for a brief period of 8 h. Islet recovery from cytokine- and NO-mediated damage is an active process that requires new gene expression, and NO itself is one activator of this recovery process. In this study, the mechanism by which NO stimulates islet recovery has been examined. Incubation of rat islets or RINm5F cells with the NO donor compound, sodium (Z)-1(N,N-diethylamino) diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate (DEA-NO) for 1 h results in a 60% inhibition of mitochondrial aconitase activity. β-Cells completely recover aconita...
Does Indiscriminate Violence Incite Insurgent Attacks? Evidence from Chechnya

Does a state's use of indiscriminate violence incite insurgent attacks? To date, most existing theories and empirical studies have concluded that such violence is highly counterproductive because it creates new grievances while forcing victims to seek security, if not safety, in rebel arms. This proposition is tested using Russian artillery fire in Chechnya (2000 to 2005) to estimate indiscriminate violence's effect on subsequent patterns of insurgent attacks across matched pairs of similar shelled and nonshelled villages. The findings are counterintuitive. Shelled villages experience a 24 percent reduction in posttreatment mean insurgent attacks relative to control villages. In addition, commonly cited “triggers” for insurgent retaliation, including the lethality and destructiveness of indiscriminate violence, are either negatively correlated with insurgent attacks or statistically insignificant.
Maturity and storage affect freeze damage in peanuts.

Maturity and length of storage times were studied as factors influencing chemical properties of peanuts harvested at six different dates and artificially freeze damaged for 10 hr at -4 o C. Conductivity of water extracts from freeze damaged peanuts generally decreased with maturity as did the amount of potassium found in the leachates. Two freeze-damage products, acetaldehyde and ethanol, decreased with maturity, indicating that maturity affected the extent of freeze damage. Acetaldehyde and ethanol concentrations also decreased during storage of freeze-damaged peanuts
Representational gaps, information processing, and conflict in functionally diverse teams

Functional diversity in teams, while potentially beneficial, increases the likelihood that individual team members will perceive the team's task differently, leading to gaps between teammates' interpretations of what is needed for the team to be successful. These representational gaps are likely to create conflict as teammates try to solve what are essentially incompatible problems. Understanding how these general mechanisms work should deepen our understanding of information processing and conflict in diverse teams.
Length-dependent degradation of single-stranded 3' ends by the Werner syndrome protein (WRN): implications for spatial orientation and coordinated 3' to 5' movement of its ATPase/helicase and exonuclease domains

The cancer-prone and accelerated aging disease Werner syndrome is caused by loss of function of the WRN gene product that possesses ATPase, 3' to 5' helicase and 3' to 5' exonuclease activities. Although WRN has been most prominently suggested to function in telomere maintenance, resolution of replication blockage and/or recombinational repair, its exact role in DNA metabolism remains unclear. WRN is the only human RecQ family member to possess both helicase and exonuclease activity, but the mechanistic relationship between these activities is unknown. In this study, model single-stranded and 3' overhang DNA substrates of varying length and structure were used to examine potential coordination between the ATPase/helicase and exonuclease activities of WRN. Our results show that WRN can not only bind to but also catalyze the 3' to 5' degradation of single-stranded and 3' overhang DNA substrates, structures that were previously thought to be refractory to WRN exonuclease activity. The length of the single-stranded regions in these structures is a critical parameter in determining both the binding affinity and the level of exonuclease activity of WRN. Most importantly, specific nucleotide cofactors dramatically stimulate WRN exonuclease activity on these substrates, with conditions that permit ATP hydrolysis not only resulting in enhanced exonuclease activity but also altering its length dependence on these structures. Parallel experiments show that a deletion mutant containing only the WRN exonuclease domain lacks both this DNA length and nucleotide cofactor dependence, demonstrating that the interaction of the ATPase/helicase domain of WRN with the DNA substrate has a profound influence on exonuclease activity. Our results indicate that, under conditions that permit ATP hydrolysis, there is a dynamic and cooperative relationship between the distinct ATPase/helicase and exonuclease domains of WRN with regard to their orientation on DNA. Based on these results, models are proposed for the coordinated, unidirectional 3' to 5' movement of the helicase and exonuclease domains of WRN on DNA that should be informative for elucidating its function in genome maintenance.
Seed viability and dormancy of 17 weed species after 19.7 years of burial in Alaska

Abstract A study at Fairbanks, AK, was started in 1984 to determine soil seed longevity of 17 weed species. Seeds were buried in mesh bags 2 and 15 cm deep and were recovered 0.7, 1.7, 2.7, 3.7, 4.7, 6.7, 9.7, and 19.7 yr later. Viability was determined by germination and tetrazolium tests. Seed viability data were fit to an exponential model, separately for each depth, and the likelihood-ratio test was used to determine whether seed-viability decline was affected by burial depth. Depth of burial had a significant effect on viability decline of prostrate knotweed, marsh yellowcress, bluejoint reedgrass, and wild oat. By 19.7 years after burial (YAB), all seeds of common hempnettle, quackgrass, wild oat, foxtail barley, and bluejoint reedgrass were dead. Seeds of 12 other species were still viable: corn spurry (0.1%), prostrate knotweed (0.3% at 2 cm, 0.8% at 15 cm), flixweed (0.5%), pineapple-weed (0.6%), shepherd's-purse (1.3%), wild buckwheat (1.5%), common chickweed (1.6%), rough cinquefoil (1.8%), com...
Does the ADA provide protection against discrimination on the basis of genotype

As a consequence of the problems caused by genetic discrimination, federal and state law makers are being pressured to pass a legislative remedy. A primary question is whether the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) applies to (1) individuals with a potentially disabling genetic disorder who are pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic and may never become ill and to (2) healthy individuals who are carriers of genetic conditions. At present, this question has relevance principally for individuals with the genotype for single gene disorders, like Huntington disease and hemochromatosis, and to asymptomatic carriers of single gene disorders such as cystic fibrosis. Although many such single gene conditions exist, the total incidence of these conditions in the U.S. population is less than 0.4 percent. However, the question concerning the applicability of the ADA will become increasingly important because genetic tests will almost certainly be developed in the near future for common multifactorial diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and certain forms of cancer.
Incidence of Fusarium spp. in Asparagus Spears

Fusarium proliferatum and F. oxysporum have been identified as causal agents of asparagus decline in the field and have been associated with reduction in spear quality (1,2). Our objective was to determine the origin and incidence of spear infection by these fungi during the cropping years 1994 to 1997. From 15 to 40 asparagus samples were randomly selected from the field, packing houses, and retail markets and assayed for Fusarium spp. Collections were made in California, Connecticut, Peru, Mexico, and Australia. The number of samples varied between sampling sites and for the time of harvest season. One Mexican collection site was sampled at the beginning, mid-point, and end of the harvest season to evaluate influence of decreasing carbohydrate levels and increasing temperatures on infection and growth of the fungi. Isolations included sections (5 to 6 cm) from the basal and terminal portions of the spear to evaluate postharvest growth in the spear. Fusarium spp. were recovered from spear samples that in...
Prospective Followup in Patients After Complete Primary Repair of Bladder Exstrophy

Purpose: The new technique of complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy has offered the promise of improved bladder functional outcomes and yet longitudinal followup in patients with exstrophy who have undergone this form of closure is sparse. We present our median 5-year data on patients who have undergone complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy.Materials and Methods: The records of patients who underwent complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were followed prospectively using case report forms, radiological and clinical data, and semistructured parental and patient interviews. We reviewed parameters including clinical events, scarring on renal scan, vesicoureteral reflux, surgical procedures, urodynamic studies, urinary and fecal continence status, and episodes of urinary tract infection.Results: From 1994 to 2007 complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy was performed in 32 patients. Of these patients 28 underwent closure within 72 hours of life,...
Deformation Behavior of Polycrystalline Nial Cyclicly Deformed Near the Brittle-to-Ductile Transition Temperature

Low cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior of polycrystalline NiAl was investigated near the monotonic brittle-to-ductile transition temperature (BDTT) at plastic strain ranges of 0.5 and 1.0%. Between 600 and 700 K, NiAl exhibited rapid hardening for the first few cycles followed by a stress plateau and a subsequent return to hardening. Slip traces were observed on the gage surfaces of most LCF specimens using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The fatigue properties in this intermediate temperature range (600 to 700 K) were found to be a logical transition between previously reported ambient and elevated temperature properties. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed that the dislocations had typical Burgers vectors. A cellular dislocation structure began developing before saturation was achieved. This structure transformed at longer lives to elongated cells and eventually to veins of dislocation tangles. The resulting dislocation morphology did not change from 600 to 700 K, but the dislocation density decreased noticeably.
Riparian indicators of flow frequency in a tropical montane stream network

Summary Many field indicators have been used to approximate the magnitude and frequency of flows in a variety of streams and rivers, yet due to a scarcity of long-term flow records in tropical mountain streams, little to no work has been done to establish such relationships between field features and the flow regime in these environments. Furthermore, the transition between the active channel of a river and the adjacent flood zone (i.e. bankfull) is an important geomorphologic and ecological boundary, but is rarely identifiable in steep mountain channels that lack alluvial flood plains. This study (a) quantifies relationships between field indicators and flow frequency in alluvial and steepland channels in a tropical mountain stream network and (b) identifies a reference active channel boundary in these channels, based on statistically defined combinations of riparian features, that corresponds to the same flow frequency of the bankfull stage and the effective discharge in adjacent alluvial channels. The relative elevation of transitions in riparian vegetation, soil, and substrate characteristics were first surveyed at nine stream gages in and around the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Northeastern Puerto Rico. The corresponding discharge, flow frequency, and recurrence intervals associated with these features was then determined from long-term 15-min discharge records and a partial duration series analysis. Survey data indicate that mosses and short grasses dominate at a stage often inundated by sub-effective flows. Herbaceous vegetation is associated with intermediate discharges that correspond to the threshold for sediment mobilization. Near-channel woody shrubs and trees establish at elevations along the channel margin inundated by a less frequent discharge that is coincident with the effective discharge of bed load sediment transport. Our data demonstrate that in alluvial channels in the study, both the bankfull stage (as marked by a flood plain) and the channel-forming (effective) discharge are associated with the presence of fine-grained substrate and soil, and tall, mature woody vegetation. In montane reaches that lack a flood plain, a boundary that is characterized by the incipient presence of soil, woody shrubs, and trees corresponds to the same flow frequency as the bankfull discharge of nearby alluvial channels. The reference discharge based on these riparian features in steepland sites has an average exceedance probability between 0.09% and 0.30%, and a recurrence interval between 40 and 90 days. We conclude that flows with similar frequencies influence the establishment of riparian vegetation, soil development, and substrate characteristics along channel margins in similar ways. Thus, these riparian features can be used as an indicator of hydrogeomorphic site conditions to identify active channel boundaries that occur at a constant flow frequency throughout the study stream network.
Understanding and Remembering Complex Prose Augmented by Analogic and Pictorial Illustration

An experiment compared readers' use of analogic and pictorial illustrations for understanding and remembering complex instructional text. High school students (N = 102) read procedural texts under six analogic and pictorial illustration conditions and attempted to apply the texts' content in an applied performance task. Two weeks later students were evaluated on their attempts to perform the same task from memory. Pictures proved helpful for both immediate performance and delayed performance. Analogy was helpful for delayed performance but only slightly more helpful on immediate performance. Results are discussed in terms of apparent functions of analogies and pictures. To comprehend texts and learn from them, effective readers deploy the images they generate in reading with some deliberation, resorting to a number of strategies for increasing the meaning of the content and for remembering it as they find it necessary. By organizing images produced in response to a text, readers can create fictions to help them understand the text's content. These may take the form of direct or symbolic fictions and may turn upon highly imaginative creations which sometimes personify what is not human, sometimes animate the inanimate (cf. Gordon, 1961; Khatena, 1983). The fictions readers image occur primarily as incipient visual representations (Iser, 1972, Kosslyn, 1980; Sless, 1981). To form a fiction, readers structure images so that they cor
Understanding Sonographer Burnout

It is important to identify factors leading to burnout, recognize who is suffering, and apply prevention techniques to deter burnout and stress in the workplace. Factors contributing to burnout hav...
Effects of Race and Family History of Type 2 Diabetes on Metabolic Status of Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Racial origin and family history of type 2 diabetes impact upon the risk of developing impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 diabetes, both of which are common in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We examined the effects of race and family history of type 2 diabetes on the risk of IGT and type 2 diabetes in a large cohort of women with PCOS. Data obtained at baseline were analyzed from 408 premenopausal women with PCOS. Multivariate linear regression models were used to assess the impact of race (white, black, and other) and family history of type 2 diabetes on body mass index, waist circumference, and waist to hip ratio; glycemic measures (glucose and insulin levels obtained during a standard 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, fasting glucose to insulin ratio, and homeostasis model assessment model of insulin resistance derived from fasting levels of glucose and insulin), hemoglobin A(1c), and SHBG, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels. Sixteen (4%) of the 408 patients had type 2 diabetes, 94 (23%) had IGT, and the remaining 298 (73%) had normal glucose tolerance. A history of type 2 diabetes in either parent (FHxPOS) was present in seven (44%) of the 16 diabetic women with PCOS, 37 (39%) of the 94 women with IGT, and 62 (21%) of those with normal glucose tolerance (P < 0.01, by chi(2) test). The prevalences of IGT and type 2 diabetes were significantly higher in FHxPOS PCOS women compared with FHxNEG PCOS women, IGT evident in 37 (35%) FHxPOS compared with 57 (19%) FHxNEG women, and type 2 diabetes evident in seven (7%) FHxPOS compared with nine (3%) FHxNEG women. Among the 392 nondiabetic subjects, after adjustment for the effects of race, FHxPOS differed significantly from FHxNEG patients in having a higher mean waist to hip ratio, hemoglobin A(1c) level, 2-h glucose level, fasting glucose and insulin levels, glucose to insulin ratio, homeostasis model assessment model of insulin resistance, and areas under the glucose and insulin curves during the oral glucose tolerance test. A family history of type 2 diabetes was present with a significantly greater frequency among women with PCOS who had IGT or type 2 diabetes compared with those with normal glucose tolerance. Conversely, a family history of type 2 diabetes in a first-degree relative was associated with a significantly higher risk for IGT or type 2 diabetes in women with PCOS. Even among nondiabetic women with PCOS, a positive family history of type 2 diabetes was strongly associated with metabolic characteristics associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes. Finally, the fasting glucose concentration was poorly associated with 2-h glucose concentrations among PCOS women with IGT, suggesting that the fasting glucose concentration is inadequate to predict the presence of IGT in PCOS.
Analog VLSI Implementation of Multi-dimensional Gradient Descent

We describe an analog VLSI implementation of a multi-dimensional gradient estimation and descent technique for minimizing an onchip scalar function f(). The implementation uses noise injection and multiplicative correlation to estimate derivatives, as in [Anderson, Kerns 92]. One intended application of this technique is setting circuit parameters on-chip automatically, rather than manually [Kirk 91]. Gradient descent optimization may be used to adjust synapse weights for a backpropagation or other on-chip learning implementation. The approach combines the features of continuous multi-dimensional gradient descent and the potential for an annealing style of optimization. We present data measured from our analog VLSI implementation.
Dipole fluctuations and the duration of geomagnetic polarity transitions

Geomagnetic polarity transitions are often accompanied by a decrease in magnetic intensity. The time required to reestablish the magnetic intensity after a transition is usually longer than the duration based on magnetic direction. Analysis of the paleomagnetic axial dipole moment from the PADM2M model shows a return to the time-averaged intensity after 42 kyr. A shorter time is required to recover a fraction of the time-averaged moment, but the correspondence between recovery time and fraction of recovery is nonlinear. Predictions of a stochastic model reproduce the general trends in recovery time and suggest that fluctuations in dipole generation increase substantially during polarity transitions relative to times of stable polarity. These large fluctuations could reflect larger convective velocities in the core or represent a change in the efficiency of dipole generation. In either case, large fluctuations during polarity transitions can flip the sign of the axial dipole field several times before a polarity transition is completed.
From genes to tensile forces: genetic dissection of contractile protein assembly and function in Drosophila melanogaster.

Summary Myofibrils, the contractile organelles of skeletal muscle, are highly ordered and precisely regulated actomyosin networks. Investigations of myofibril assembly are revealing the cellular mechanisms by which contractile components are arranged and regulated. In order to facilitate this research we have developed formal molecdar genetics for myofibrillar proteins of Drosophila flight muscle. Presently, mutations can be used systematically to perturb or eliminate any of the classical myofibrillar proteins within these fibers, and the in vivo consequences can be conveniently ev.aluated using protein electrophoresis, electron microscopy, or by assaying flight performance. Here we review some recent progress.
Transcription Factor Brn-3b Overexpression Enhances Neurite Outgrowth in PC12 Cells Under Condition of Hypoxia

Transcription factor Brn-3b plays a key role in retinal ganglion cell differentiation, survival, and axon outgrowth during development. However, the precise role of Brn-3b in the normal adult retina as well as during neurodegeneration is unclear. In the current study, the effect of overexpression of Brn-3b was assessed in vitro, in PC12 cells under conditions of normoxia and hypoxia. Immunoblot analysis showed that overexpression of Brn-3b in PC12 cells as well as 661W cells produced significant increase in the growth cone marker, growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43), and acetylated-tubulin (ac-TUBA). In addition, an increased immunostaining for GAP-43 and ac-TUBA was observed in PC12 cells overexpressing Brn-3b, which was accompanied by a marked increase in neurite outgrowth, compared to PC12 cells overexpressing the empty vector. In separate experiments, one set of PC12 cells transfected either with a Brn-3b expression vector or an empty vector was subjected to conditions of hypoxia for 2 h, while another set of similarly transfected PC12 cells was maintained in normoxic conditions. It was found that the upregulation of GAP-43 and ac-TUBA in PC12 cells overexpressing Brn-3b under conditions of normoxia was sustained under conditions of hypoxia. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed not only an upregulation of GAP-43 and ac-TUBA, but also increased neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells transfected with Brn-3b as compared to PC12 cells transfected with empty vector in both normoxia and hypoxia. The findings have implications for a potential role of Brn-3b in neurodegenerative diseases in which hypoxia/ischemia contribute to pathophysiology of the disease.
Initial development of an attracticide formulation against the Oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Six different attracticide formulations (LastCall OFM) were tested for attractiveness and toxicity to the Oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Busck). Oriental fruit moth pheromone was incorporated into the formulation at rates of 0.016, 0.16, and 1.6%, with and without the insecticide permethrin (6.0%), for a total of six different formulations. Formulations containing 0.016 and 0.16% pheromone were equally attractive to male moths, and both were significantly more attractive than formulations containing 1.6% pheromone. The presence of 6% permethrin in the formulations did not influence trap capture and there was no pheromone × insecticide interaction effect. Comparison of the most attractive formulations in a wind tunnel bioassay showed a significant effect of pheromone dose and a pheromone × insecticide interaction effect on the proportion of males that took off from the release device and contacted the attracticide droplet. There was no pheromone dose, insecticide, or pheromone × insecticide effect on the proportion of males that exhibited wing fanning, locking-on to the pheromone plume, and upwind-oriented flight behaviors in the wind tunnel. A second wind tunnel experiment revealed that a greater proportion of male Oriental fruit moths conducted all behaviors to calling virgin females compared with attracticide formulations containing 0.016 and 0.16% pheromone and 6% permethrin. Toxicity of the attracticide formulations was determined at 3 and 24 h after exposure in the laboratory and in the wind tunnel. Almost all of the males exposed to formulations in the laboratory bioassay and 66.4% of males exposed in the wind tunnel showed signs of pyrethroid poisoning by 3 h after exposure, and significant mortality was observed at 24 h after exposure. This research showed that attracticide formulations containing 0.016 and 0.16% pheromone and 6% permethrin were effective in attracting wild and laboratory-reared Oriental fruit moths and exposing them to insecticide through source contact. Further work is necessary to determine if LastCall OFM formulations are competitive with calling virgin females under field conditions and whether treatment with LastCall OFM will result in reduced mating frequency and ultimately population control.
Tuning cell surface charge in E. coli with conjugated oligoelectrolytes

Cationic conjugated oligoelectrolytes (COEs) varying in length and structural features are compared with respect to their association with E. coli and their effect on cell surface charge as determined by zeta potential measurements. Regardless of structural features, at high staining concentrations COEs with longer molecular dimensions associate less, but neutralize the negative surface charge of E. coli to a greater degree than shorter COEs.
Sex Steroid-Binding Protein (SBP)

The sex steroid-binding protein (SBP) of human blood serum binds testerone (T) and estradiol (E2) with high affinity. Discovery and the early investigations in the mid 60ies have been discussed in Vol. I, Chapter XII. The first demonstration was published in 1966 by Rosenbaum (now W. Rosner), Christy, and Kelly. At about the same time, Mercier, Alfsen, and Baulieu found a specific testosterone-binding protein in human serum; a few years later, the identity of the two proteins was recognized. The duality of binding is seen in the name testosterone-estradiol-binding globulin (TeBG) used to this day. Other names are sex steroid-binding β-globulin (SBβG), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), or sex steroid-binding protein (SBP). The abbreviation SBP, introduced by Mercier-Bodard et al. (1970); see Vol. I, p. 524), will be used in this discussion.
HIV Infection and Risk Factors among Drug Addicts in Prisons of Anshan City

[Objective]To learn the risk factors of HIV transmission among drug addicts in prisons of Anshan city,provide the scientific basis for effective development of prevention and intervention measure,so as to further control the HIV transmission and spread among this population and even general population. [Methods]The blood samples from prisoners who had the history of drug use were collected by medical workers in prisons,the investigation of demography and AIDS behaviour science were conducted. [Results]① Among 402 drug addicts,the detection rate of HIV antibody was 0.② 40.9% of drug addicts had a history of injecting drug use,and 56.1% of them had shared the needles with other users. [Conclusion]The needle sharing and unsafe sexual behavior are common,it is necessary to strengthen the education of AIDS prevention and behavior interventions among drug addicts.
Epidemiological survey on hypertension prevalence and its relevant factors among residents in Wenzhou City

[Objective] To ascertain hypertension prevalence and related knowledge awareness among residents in Wenzhou City. [Methods] A total of 4 001 residents over 35 years from three communities in Wenzhou City were investigated via questionnaire survey,physical examination and lab tests by multistage randomized sampling. [Results] The hypertension prevalence rate among residents over 35 years was 41.76%,and the awareness,treatment,and control rate among them were 54.94%,83.44%,10.53%,respectively.The main risk factors for hypertension were found to be male sex,age,overweight/obesity,diabetes,lower education and so on by using Logistic regression analysis.The awareness of hypertension hazard and its risk factors was low. [Conclusion] There is high prevalence and low awareness of hypertension in Wenzhou City residents.It is necessary and important to carry out comprehensive intervention for hypertension control and prevention in community,including hypertension health education and its promotion activities.
The observation of the effect of G-CSF on agranulocytosis in different chemotheraphy of acute leukemia

Objective: To explore the eflect of G-CSF on agranulocytosis in differet stages of chemotherapy of acut leukemia. Methods: 31 cases are ALL, 14 of whom had their agranulocytosis in the period of guiding remission chemotheraphy and the other 17 in the period of post-remission chemotheraphy. All of them were treated with G-CSF, and the time during which the N rose to 1 5007 mm3 was observed. Results: The time of the group in guiding remission lasted longer than the one after remmission, P 0. 05. Conclusions: The treatment effect of G-CSF is closely connected with the function of the patient's marrow.
Stepwise Synthesis of Bis-Alkynyl CoIII(cyclam) Complexes under Ambient Conditions

Reported herein is a new synthetic method for the synthesis of CoIII(cyclam) bis-alkynyls (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) under aerobic conditions. Upon the treatment of AgOTf in acetonitrile, complex trans-[Co(cyclam)(C2C6H4NMe2)Cl]Cl (1) was converted to trans-[Co(cyclam)(C2C6H4NMe2) (NCMe)](OTf)2 (2), and 2 was in turn reacted with HC2Ar under weakly basic conditions to afford the novel bis-alkynyls trans-[Co(cyclam)(C2C6H4NMe2)(C2Ar)](OTf) (Ar = C6H4NMe2 (3) and C6F5 (4)) in reasonable yields. Voltammetric analysis revealed a modest NMe2/NMe2 coupling across the Co-alkynyl backbone in 3, while DFT calculations identified the HOMO in 3 as the superexchange pathway for such coupling.
Crafting Counterrevolution: How Reactionaries Learned to Combat Change in 1848

This article examines a neglected topic, the imposition of counterrevolution. Whereas revolution can sweep across whole regions like a tsunami, reaction tends to advance gradually, country by country. As these differences suggest, counterrevolution unfolds in a more deliberate and systematic fashion than revolution, which is fueled by the rash, ill-considered belief that the tsunami's trigger—the striking overthrow of a longstanding ruler by mass protest—is widely replicable. While reactionaries share this facile inference during the revolutionary upsurge, they engage in learning thereafter, rely less on problematic inferences, and resume more rational decision-making. Longstanding experience and practices of open debate and collective deliberation enable them to process information more thoroughly and calibrate their counterrevolutionary plans to domestic opportunities. Consequently, they succeed in reestablishing autocratic control step by step. By demonstrating how reactionaries recuperated their grasp of political reality during the upheavals of 1848, the article elucidates the differential patterns of rationality in politics.
Role of an 8-Lipoxygenase in the Maturation of Starfish Oocytes

Nanomolar concentrations of the arachidonic acid metabolite 8R-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid (8R-HETE) will induce starfish oocytes to undergo meiosis. This mimics the effects of the hormone, 1- methyladenine (1-MeAde), which normally is released from the follicle cells to act on the oocyte surface and induce this response. To investigate the potential role of 8-lipoxygenase products in the development of starfish oocytes, we have examined the metabolism of arachidonic acid in these cells. The oocytes contain a prominent 8R-lipoxygenase activity. The 8R-hydroperoxy product is metabolized in three ways: (i) to the hydroxy product, 8R-HETE, (ii) by an aliene oxide synthase (hydroperoxide dehydrase) activity, giving the unstable aliene oxide 8R,9-epoxyeicosa-5,9,11,14-tetraenoic acid, and (iii) by a hydroperoxide lyase activity which cleaves the C20 8R-hydroperoxide into two fragments, a C7 hydroxy acid and C13 aldehyde (two geometric isomers).
A Smart Grid Security Architecture for Wireless Advanced Metering Infrastructure AMI

The authors present a protocol and security architecture for the smart grid in an advanced metering infrastructure AMI. Various levels of the hierarchical grid are isolated in protocol planes for preventing propagation of attacks. The utility meters are interconnected via the wireless technologies in order for metering functions, as well as location identification and reporting for attackers. An amended version of Bell Labs security framework aka, ITU-X.805 protects every component with added first response security apparatus, forensic component and a location determination algorithm for fortifying the PHY of WLAN interconnecting the meters.
Error propagation reduction in direct 4D image reconstruction using time-of-flight PET

Direct 4D image reconstruction methods have been shown to generate parametric maps of improved precision and accuracy in dynamic PET. However due to the inability to construct a common single kinetic model for the entire FOV, the interleaving between tomographic and kinetic modelling steps causes errors in erroneously modelled regions to spatial propagate. Adaptive models have be used to mitigate the problem though are complex and difficult to optimize. In this work we demonstrate a new way to minimize errors, focusing on the tomographic step rather than the kinetic modelling and limiting the actual propagation of bias by incorporating time-offlight (TOF) within a direct 4D reconstruction framework. Using ever improving TOF resolutions (580ps, 440ps, 300ps and 160ps) we demonstrate that TOF direct 4D image reconstruction can substantially prevent error propagation from erroneous kinetic models. Errors appear to be constrained in the vicinity of erroneously modelled regions with bias reduction of up to 60% in well modelled regions compared to non-TOF direct 4D reconstruction. Combining such a TOF direct 4D image reconstruction with adaptive models, further improvements could possibly be achieved in the future.
Inhibition of Pax2 Transcription Activation with a Small Molecule that Targets the DNA Binding Domain.

The Pax gene family encodes DNA binding transcription factors that control critical steps in embryonic development and differentiation of specific cell lineages. Often, Pax proteins are re-expressed or ectopically expressed in cancer and other diseases of abnormal proliferation, making them attractive targets for tissue specific inhibition by small molecules. In this report, we used a homology model of the Pax2 paired domain and a virtual screen to identify small molecules that can inhibit binding of the paired domain to DNA and Pax2 mediated transcription activation. Candidates from the virtual screen were then confirmed in a cell based Pax2 transactivation assay. Subsequently, we tested analogs of these hits to identify a single compound that effectively blocked Pax2 activity and DNA binding with a Kd of 1.35–1.5 μM. The compound, termed EG1, was used to inhibit embryonic kidney development, a process directly dependent on Pax2 activity. Furthermore, we show that EG1 can inhibit proliferation of Pax2 po...
Stein's Method for Mean-Field Approximations in Light and Heavy Traffic Regimes

Mean-field analysis is an analytical method for understanding large-scale stochastic systems such as large-scale data centers and communication networks. The idea is to approximate the stationary distribution of a large-scale stochastic system using the equilibrium point (called the mean-field limit) of a dynamical system (called the mean-field model). This approximation is often justified by proving the weak convergence of stationary distributions to its mean-field limit. Most existing mean-field models concerned the light-traffic regime where the load of the system, denote by ρ, is strictly less than one and is independent of the size of the system. This is because a traditional mean-field model represents the limit of the corresponding stochastic system. Therefore, the load of the mean-field model is ρ=limN-> ∞ ρ(N), where ρ(N) is the load of the stochastic system of size N. Now if ρ(N)-> 1 as N -> ∞ (i.e., in the heavy-traffic regime), then ρ=1. For most systems, the mean-field limits when ρ=1 are trivial and meaningless. To overcome this difficulty of traditional mean-field models, this paper takes a different point of view on mean-field models. Instead of regarding a mean-field model as the limiting system of large-scale stochastic system, it views the equilibrium point of the mean-field model, called a mean-field solution, simply as an approximation of the stationary distribution of the finite-size system. Therefore both mean-field models and solutions can be functions of N. The proposed method focuses on quantifying the approximation error. If the approximation error is small (as we will show in two applications), then we can conclude that the mean-field solution is a good approximation of the stationary distribution.
The Geology of Long Island Sound

This chapter is intended to provide an overview of our present understanding of the geology of the lowland that now contains both Long Island and Fishers Island Sounds: The Long Island Sound (LIS) Basin. A portion of the chapter is a grateful reminder of the contributions of previous investigators. This is followed by a discussion of the major geologic components of the LIS Basin, from oldest to youngest.
Multi-Stakeholder Aid to Education: Power in the Context of Partnership.

This study examines power asymmetries within the largest multi-stakeholder agency in the education sector: the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). Drawing from data collected through key inform...
Highly sensitive fiber loop ringdown strain sensor with low temperature sensitivity

We report a highly sensitive strain sensor with low temperature sensitivity based on the fiber loop ringdown technique. An innovative approach that employs a micro air-gap as the strain sensor head is described. The sensor has demonstrated the static strain sensitivity of 0.26 µs/µe, corresponding to the detection limit of 65 ne with the low temperature cross sensitivity of 37 ne/°C. This is the highest static strain sensitivity achieved without using a combination of fiber optic sensing components, such as fiber Bragg gratings or Fabry–Perot interferometers. Moreover, the sensor design allows the strain sensitivity and measuring range to be adjusted by changing the length of the sensor.
A Point System to Forecast Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk Before and After Treatment Among Persons with Chronic Hepatitis C.

Risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may be difficult to determine in the clinical setting. Develop a scoring system to forecast HCC risk among patients with chronic hepatitis C. Using data from the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study collected during 2005–2014, we derived HCC risk scores for males and females using an extended Cox model with aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) as a time-dependent variables and mean Kaplan–Meier survival functions from patient data at two study sites, and used data collected at two separate sites for external validation. For model calibration, we used the Greenwood–Nam–D’Agostino goodness-of-fit statistic to examine differences between predicted and observed risk. Of 12,469 patients (1628 with a history of sustained viral response [SVR]), 504 developed HCC; median follow-up was 6 years. Final predictors in the model included age, alcohol abuse, interferon-based treatment response, and APRI. Point values, ranging from −3 to 14 (males) and −3 to 12 (females), were established using hazard ratios of the predictors aligned with 1-, 3-, and 5-year Kaplan–Meier survival probabilities of HCC. Discriminatory capacity was high (c-index 0.82 males and 0.84 females) and external calibration demonstrated no differences between predicted and observed HCC risk for 1-, 3-, and 5-year forecasts among males (all p values >0.97) and for 3- and 5-year risk among females (all p values >0.87). This scoring system, based on age, alcohol abuse history, treatment response, and APRI, can be used to forecast up to a 5-year risk of HCC among hepatitis C patients before and after SVR.