cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surface and subsurface characterization of epoxy-mesoporous silica composites to clarify tribological properties

Abstract As-synthesized and calcined DAM-1 (Dallas Amorphous Material-1) mesoporous silica were used as particulate reinforcements in an epoxy matrix. The mesocomposites showed enhanced tribological properties over the base epoxy. The particles were introduced as both as-synthesized and calcined forms to evaluate the effect of porosity on tribological behavior. Epoxy-DAM1 as-synthesized (DSE) mesocomposites exhibited the longest duration low coefficient of friction (COF) values during the run-in regime as well as the lowest COF values in the higher friction regime. These results were attributed to the low cross-linking density envelope around the as-synthesized particles and their plate-like morphology which work together to form friction-lowering transfer films. Subsurface HRSEM imaging using focused ion beam (FIB) cross-sectioning inside wear tracks showed that shear band formation is the mode of deformation in DSE, while for Epoxy-DAM1 calcined (DCE) mesocomposites and pure epoxy, it was determined to be surface fatigue resulting from brittle cracking. This study shows that the as-synthesized particles increase the toughness of the epoxy by altering the mode of deformation and wear debris formation.
US Urban Elementary Teachers' Knowledge and Practices in Teaching Science to English Language Learners: Results from the First Year of a Professional Development Intervention.

The study examined US elementary teachers’ knowledge and practices in four key domains of science instruction with English language learning (ELL) students. The four domains included: (1) teachers’ knowledge of science content, (2) teaching practices to promote scientific understanding, (3) teaching practices to promote scientific inquiry, and (4) teaching practices to support English language development during science instruction. The study was part of a larger five‐year research and development intervention aimed at promoting science and literacy achievement of ELL students in urban elementary schools. It involved 32 third grade, 21 fourth grade, and 17 fifth grade teachers participating in the first‐year implementation of the intervention. Based on teachers’ questionnaire responses and classroom observation ratings, results indicated that (1) teachers’ knowledge and practices were within the bounds of acceptability but short of reform‐oriented practices and (2) grade‐level differences existed, especia...
Dual quantification of dapivirine and maraviroc in cervicovaginal secretions from ophthalmic tear strips and polyester-based swabs via liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) analysis.

Background Topical microbicidal agents are being actively pursued as a modality to prevent HIV viral transmission during sexual intercourse. Quantification of antiretroviral agents in specimen sources where antiviral activity is elicited is critical, and drug measurements in cervicovaginal fluid can provide key information on local drug concentrations. Two antiretroviral drugs, dapivirine and maraviroc, have gained interest as vaginal microbicidal agents, and rugged methods are required for their quantification in cervicovaginal secretions.
A mild and convenient synthesis of functionalized methyl triflones and vinyl triflones

Abstract A general route for the synthesis of methyl triflone derivatives utilizing triflic anhydride is described. Stereoselective synthesis of E-vinyl and dienyl triflones has been accomplished by the Peterson olefination reaction of α-silyl triflone anions.
Potential Vorticity Conservation, Hydrostatic Adjustment, and the Anelastic Approximation

Abstract An examination of the anelastic equations of Lipps and Hemler shows that the approximation requires the temperature and potential temperature scale heights of the base state are large compared to the pressure and density scale heights. As a consequence the fractional changes of the temperature and potential temperature fields relative to their base state values are equivalent. Alternatively this equivalency requires that the ratio of the ideal gas constant to the specific heat capacity at constant pressure is small. The anelastic equations are examined for their ability to conserve potential vorticity (PV). The equations are shown to be “PV correct” in the sense that they conserve potential vorticity in a manner consistent with Ertel's theorem and with the assumptions of the anelastic approximation. The ability to conserve potential vorticity helps the anelastic system capture the integrated effect of the acoustic modes in Lamb's hydrostatic adjustment problem. This prototype problem considers th...
A study of a method of appraising self-acceptance and self-rejection.

(1956). A Study of a Method of Appraising Self-Acceptance and Self-Rejection. The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Vol. 88, No. 2, pp. 183-202.
Multimode Rayleigh-Taylor experiments on Nova.

Multimode Rayleigh-Taylor experiments have been conducted with planar CH(Br) foils accelerated by x-ray ablation. The pertubations consisted of the superposition of either two or eight sinusoids. In the linear regime the modes grow independently, but become coupled in the nonlinear regime, leading to the appearance of [ital k][sub [ital i]][plus minus][ital k][sub [ital j]] beat'' modes. This results in a redistribution of the perturbation into a broader Fourier spectrum causing a change of shape: bubbles become broader and spikes narrower. The overall size of the perturbation is not significantly altered.
Volitional consumption of ethanol by fawn-hooded rats: Effects of alternative solutions and drug treatments

Behavioral and neurochemical measures of brain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) function in the Fawn-Hooded rat are abnormal relative to outbred strains of rats. Fawn-Hooded rats freely drink large amounts of 10% ethanol in the presence of water and have been proposed to be an animal model for studies related to alcoholism. In this study, Fawn-Hooded rats were given solutions of ethanol increasing in concentration from 3% to 30% (w/v in tap water) over 10 days with tap water in a second drinking tube and a third tube left empty. The solutions of ethanol that produced maximal drinking with a preference (ml ethanol/ml total fluid) near 50% ranged from 5% to 13%, which became the fixed individual concentrations for each rat. After a 5-day baseline period the rats were offered a solution in the third drinking tube of either 0.5% aspartame or chocolate Ultra SlimFast (diluted with water 2:1). The chocolate drink, but not aspartame, significantly reduced the consumption of alcohol by 73%. For the drug experiments, the rats were given successive 4-day periods of: baseline drinking; drug or saline injections b.i.d.; and a posttreatment period. Neither ipsapirone, a 5-HT1a partial agonist, nor naltrexone injected inhibited the intakes of ethanol solutions. Treatment with 2.5 mg/kg of amperozide, a 5-HT2 antagonist, decreased the consumption of ethanol by 38%, but also caused a decrease in consumption of food. These results show a pattern of drinking of increasing concentrations of ethanol different than other strains of rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Structure of the Photochemical Reaction Path Populated via Promotion of CF2I2 into Its First Excited State

The photochemical reaction path following the promotion of CF2I2 into its lowest-lying excited electronic singlet state has been modeled using ab initio multiconfigurational quantum chemical calculations. It is found that a conical intersection drives the electronically excited CF2I2* species either to the CF2I + I radical pair or back to the starting CF2I2 structure. The structures of the computed relaxation pathways explain the photoproduct selectivity previously observed in the gas phase. Furthermore, the results provide the basis for explaining the condensed-phase photochemistry of CF2I2.
POLLEN OF KLOTZSCHIA (UMBELLIFERAE): A POSSIBLE LINK TO ARALIACEAE

A SEARCH for morphological features linking Umbelliferae (Apiaceae) and Araliaceae has engaged the attention of many botanists (Constance, 1971; Thorne, 1973). In the past, fruit characters have provided most of the information on this question (Baumann, 1946; Baumann-Bodenheim, 1955; Tseng, 1967). More recently, application of scanning electron microscopy to pollen morphology promises to shed new light on phylogenetic relationships in these two families. In this report we present an example of an umbelliferous genus (Klotzschia) the pollen morphology of which appears to form a link between Umbelliferae and Araliaceae. Klotzschia, a little known Brazilian genus consisting of three species, K. glaziovii Urban, K. brasiliensis C. & S., and K. rhizophylla Urban, belongs to Hydrocotyloideae, one of the three subfamilies of Umbelliferae. Hydrocotyloideae are considered to be closer to Araliaceae than are the other two subfamilies, Apioideae and Saniculoideae, by virtue of fruit morpology. In its large stature, inflorescence, and stellate pubescence, K. glaziovii, particularly, resembles certain Araliaceae (e.g., Brazilian Oreopanax). In the course of comparative morphological studies undertaken to determine the taxonomic position of this genus, a striking similarity between the pollen of Klotzschia and that of many Araliaceae was noted.
Effect of perfusate pH on coronary flow and adenosine release in isolated rabbit heart.

AbstractThis study was undertaken in an attempt to further understand the relationship between adenosine and H+ ion. Using Langendorff hearts from male rabbits, the perfusion fluid pH was lowered from 7.4 to 7.1 and 6.8 with CO2. A 31 and 86% increase in coronary flow with a simultaneous increase in the release of adenosine by 61 and 128% was observed at pH 7.1 and 6.8, respectively. A direct relationship between adenosine release and coronary flow with a correlation coefficient of 0.99 was found at pH values of 7.4, 7.1, and 6.8. The degradation products of adenosine namely inosine and hypoxanthine were unchanged at 7.1 and 6.8 from 7.4. These data support a role for adenosine in the regulation of coronary flow and suggest a relationship between adenosine and H+ ion.
Formation of pyrrolic compounds by ultra-violet irradiation of delta-aminolevulinic acid.

STUDY of the abiogenic formation of biologically important compounds under primitive Earth conditions has led us to suggest the probable path of synthesis of porphine-like . This hypothesis proposes that porphines and porphine-like substances were formed spontaneously by condensation of pyrroles and aldehydes. A similar scheme has also been suggested by Krasnovskii2. The aldehyde, one of the required starting materials for this spontaneous synthesis, has been found as a product of the exposure of Urey's atmosphere to electrical . The other primitive reactant, pyrrole, was assumed to be present, since acetylene and ammonia under primitive Earth conditions would form pyrroles by the action of electrical discharges4.
Traits for sire selection related to udder health and management.

Traits related to udder health were discussed: bacteriological measures, clinical frequency, and milk properties (somatic cell count, enzymes, etc.). Bacteriological testing of quarters maximizes information on infection but is impractical on a population scale. Clinical recording is an objective measure but fails to indicate subclinical cases and is not available in most countries. Cell counts are economical to obtain but are highly variable, difficult to interpret, and not sensitive indicators of subclinical infections. Several milk enzymes are possible indicators of tissue damage. Heritabilities are about .2 for cell counts and .1 for other measures, reflecting genetic variation in teat defenses, phagocytosis, or immune response. There appears to be genetic antagonism between cell count and milk yield (positive gentic correlation of .1 to .2) in contrast to the negative phenotypic relationship between milk yield and cell count. A program to select sires whose progeny have lowest cell counts should be formulated carefully; more needs to be known about interpretation of cell count as a defense mechanism. Heightened cell counts decrease the probability of infection upon subsequent challenge with pathogens. Is there heritable variation in cell count of cows before exposure? A combined criterion of cell count, lactose, and enzyme concentration should be studied.
Availability for Poults of Phosphorus from Meat and Bone Meals of Different Particle Sizes

Two experiments were conducted to compare the dietary availability of P from meat and bone meal (MBM) with that of P from dicalcium phosphate (DP) for poults. Two batches of the same MBM were tested. The batches differed in fineness of grind; one was passed through a 10-mesh screen (openings of 2.03 mm) (MBM1O) and the other through a 12-mesh screen (openings of 1.91 mm) (MBM12). In Experiments 1 and 2, the low-P basal diets contained, by analysis, 0.54% P (0.2% nonphytate P) and 0.64% P (0.3% nonphytate P), respectively. Each batch of MBM and DP were included in isocaloric, equinitrogenous diets to obtain increments of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4% P added to the basal diet. Three pens, each containing seven poults, were assigned to each of the 13 dietary treatments. Poults were fed the diets from 5 to 11 and 6 to 13 d of age in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Regression analyses of the data showed that increases in BW and tibia ash were linearly related (P 0.05) from 100. Thus, the RA of P from MBM tested were equal to that of P from DP, and particle size of the MBM did not affect RA of P.
Risk-Adapted, Combined-Modality Therapy With VAMP/COP and Response-Based, Involved-Field Radiation for Unfavorable Pediatric Hodgkin's Disease

Purpose To evaluate the efficacy of vinblastine, doxorubicin, methotrexate, and prednisone (VAMP) and cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and procarbazine (COP) chemotherapy and response-based, involved-field radiation, a combined-modality regimen that limits doses of alkylating agents, anthracyclines, and radiation, in children with advanced and unfavorable Hodgkin's disease. Patients and Methods From 1993 to 2000, 159 children and adolescents with unfavorable Hodgkin's disease received three alternating cycles (total of six cycles) of VAMP/COP chemotherapy followed by response-based, involved-field radiation therapy: 15 Gy was administered to patients achieving a complete response, and 25.5 Gy was administered to those achieving a partial response after the first two cycles of chemotherapy and to all sites of bulky lymphadenopathy. Unfavorable disease was defined as clinical stage I and II with bulky peripheral nodal disease greater than 6 cm, initial bulky mediastinal mass 33% or more of the intrathoracic d...
Reasons for Living, Social Support, and Afrocentric Worldview: Assessing Buffering Factors Related to Black Americans’ Suicidal Behavior

This study utilized an ecological framework to explore the role of 4 culturally relevant protective factors-reasons for living, Afrocentric worldview, family support, and friend support-in protecting Black American college students from suicidal behavior. Participants were 289 Black American college students. We hypothesized that these 4 culturally relevant factors would exert indirect protective effects on suicidal behavior through their association with reduced depressive symptoms. Results indicated that reasons for living, perceived supportive behaviors from family, and Afrocentric worldview exerted indirect protective effects on suicidal behaviors through their negative associations with depressive symptoms. The mediation effect from friend support to depression and suicidal behavior was not significant.
Inviscid flows of stably stratified fluids over barriers

Abstract : Steady, inviscid, incompressible, two-dimensional flows of stably stratified fluids over a barrier or barriers are examined theoretically. The density gradient and u sub rho to the 1/2 power are assumed to be constant upstream, where rho is the density and u is the horizontal velocity. Exact solutions of large amplitude waves valid for arbitrary Richardson numbers are obtained for barriers of finite height in a semi-infinite domain or in a confined channel. These barriers are constructed from vortex pairs and doublets. (Author)
Worming toward transdifferentiation, one (Epigenetic) step at a time.

Manipulation of cellular identity in the laboratory is generally inefficient due to stochastic events, including epigenomic alterations. Recently in Science, Zuryn et al. (2014) demonstrate that the efficiency of a naturally occurring transdifferentiation event in Caenorhabditis elegans is ensured through stepwise epigenetic modifications during specific phases of lineage conversion.
Phenotypic Plasticity and Integration in the Mangrove Rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus): A Prospectus

The mangrove rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus) is a small fish native to mangrove ecosystems in Florida, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. This species is one of only two self-fertilizing, hermaphroditic vertebrates capable of producing offspring that are genetically identical to both the parent and all siblings. Long bouts of selfing result in individuals with completely homozygous genotypes, effectively allowing for the production of “clones.” Rivulus is also extremely sensitive to environmental change, both during development and adulthood. Life-history traits, behavior, physiology, morphology, and even sexual phenotype are shaped to a large extent by the interaction of genes with the environment, and many of these traits appear to co-vary. True reaction norms can be generated for this species in much the same way as has been done for clonally reproducing invertebrates and plants that have contributed immensely to our understanding of the evolution of phenotypic plasticity. That is, rivulus provides the opportunity to place individuals with identical genotypes in many different environments at any point during ontogeny or adulthood. In addition, rivulus populations are characterized by high genotypic diversity, a luxury not afforded by many clonal vertebrates, which allows us to evaluate variation among genotypes in the shape of reaction norms and in patterns of covariance among traits. We provide background information on phenotypic plasticity and phenotypic integration, coupled with a description of characteristics that we feel qualify rivulus as a potentially powerful model in which to study the evolution of reaction norms and covariance among traits.
Shorebird Breeding Biology in Wetlands of the Playa Lakes, Texas, USA

Abstract Wetlands in the Playa Lakes Region of Texas are important habitats for North American wintering waterfowl and migrant shorebirds. However, shorebird breeding biology has been overlooked in characterizing the region’s ecological importance. In 1998 and 1999, American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana), Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus), Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous), and Snowy Plover (C. alexandrinus) breeding ecology were studied in playas, saline lakes, and riparian wetlands in the Playa Lakes Region of Texas. Chronology of nest initiation, clutch sizes, and hatching success for 298 Snowy Plover, 111 American Avocet, 43 Killdeer, and 26 Black-necked Stilt clutches were measured. All four species nested in saline lakes, American Avocet and Killdeer also nested in playas, and Snowy Plover nested on riparian wetlands. American Avocet had higher hatching success in 1999 (52%) than 1998 (8%), because of more suitable hydrological conditions and lower predation. Hatching success was higher in...
A Comprehensive Program for the Evaluation of Artificial Diets

The evaluation of artificial diets for marine fish larvae involves much more than feeding trials. Information on the diet in the water column (buoyancy, leaching, etc.), the digestive capabilities and requirements of the larvae, and the fate and uptake of the diet inside the larval digestive tract are all necessary to the understanding of the success or failure of a given artificial diet. Interdisciplinary teams of investigators are required to fully evaluate and formulate artificial diets.
Similar Levels of X-linked and Autosomal Nucleotide Variation in African and non-African populations of Drosophila melanogaster

Levels of molecular diversity in Drosophila have repeatedly been shown to be higher in ancestral, African populations than in derived, non-African populations. This pattern holds for both coding and noncoding regions for a variety of molecular markers including single nucleotide polymorphisms and microsatellites. Comparisons of X-linked and autosomal diversity have yielded results largely dependent on population of origin. In an attempt to further elucidate patterns of sequence diversity in Drosophila melanogaster, we studied nucleotide variation at putatively nonfunctional X-linked and autosomal loci in sub-Saharan African and North American strains of D. melanogaster. We combine our experimental results with data from previous studies of molecular polymorphism in this species. We confirm that levels of diversity are consistently higher in African versus North American strains. The relative reduction of diversity for X-linked and autosomal loci in the derived, North American strains depends heavily on the studied loci. While the compiled dataset, comprised primarily of regions within or in close proximity to genes, shows a much more severe reduction of diversity on the X chromosome compared to autosomes in derived strains, the dataset consisting of intergenic loci located far from genes shows very similar reductions of diversities for X-linked and autosomal loci in derived strains. In addition, levels of diversity at X-linked and autosomal loci in the presumably ancestral African population are more similar than expected under an assumption of neutrality and equal numbers of breeding males and females. We show that simple demographic scenarios under assumptions of neutral theory cannot explain all of the observed patterns of molecular diversity. We suggest that the simplest model is a population bottleneck that retains an ancestral female-biased sex ratio, coupled with higher rates of positive selection at X-linked loci in close proximity to genes specifically in derived, non-African populations.
Health effects of acute carbon disulfide exposure.

(1982). Health Effects of Acute Carbon Disulfide Exposure. Journal of Toxicology: Clinical Toxicology: Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 87-93.
Oxide–Oxide Interfaces: Atomistic and Density Functional Study of Cubic‐ZrO2 (100) ‖ NiO (111)

The cubic-ZrO2 (100) ‖ NiO (111) interface provides an opportunity for comparison between atomic-scale measurements, atomistic simulations, and theoretical electronic structures. High-resolution electron microscopy indicates that the oxides share a common oxygen layer and that the small lattice strain is largely taken up by NiO near the interface. Using simple Coulomb plus Buckingham-type interatomic potentials, we are able to provide a more focused picture, revealing two types of boundary. The lowest energy interface is highly planar, almost ideal in structure; there is a second interface, of higher energy, that shows a rumpled structure with strain taken up by deformation of nickel chains. Depth profiling of atomic site energies permits calculation of interface versus bulk and surface energies, and it shows that the interface effects penetrate only two to three atomic layers. Embedded cluster density functional studies of bulk and interface-region sites permit the characterization of perturbations of electronic density around the boundaries.
A prominent geophysical feature along the northern Nevada rift and its geologic implications, north-central Nevada

We consider the origin and character of a prominent large-scale geophysical feature in north-central Nevada that is coincident with the western margin of the northern Nevada rift—a mid-Miocene rift that includes mafi c dike swarms and associated volcanic rocks expressed by a NNW-striking magnetic anomaly. The geophysical feature also correlates with mid-Miocene epithermal gold deposits and is coincident with the central part of the Battle Mountain–Eureka mineral trend. The Reese River Valley, a 2-km-deep Cenozoic basin, is located along the western margin of this feature and is inferred from the inversion of gravity data to be infl uenced by, and perhaps in part structurally controlled by, the geophysical feature. Geophysical modeling indicates that the source of the geophysical anomaly must extend to mid-crustal depths, perhaps refl ecting a transition from Paleozoic crust in the southwest to Precambrian crust in the northeast, the presence of felsic intrusive rocks in the middle crust, or the edge of mid- to subcrustal mafi c intrusions related to late Tertiary magmatic underplating associated with hotspot magmatism. These cases offer very different possibilities for the age, depth, and origin of the source of the geophysical anomaly, and they present distinct implications for crustal evolution in the northern Great Basin. For example, if the anomaly is due to a pre-Cenozoic basement structure, then its coincidence with the midMiocene northern Nevada rift suggests that the trend of the rift was guided by the preexisting crustal structure. On the other hand, if the anomaly is related to Tertiary mafi c intrusions, then the western limit of this magmatism may have been infl uenced by hotspot fracturing of the crust.
Subcritical propagation of an oil-filled penny-shaped crack during kerogen–oil conversion

SUMMARY We conduct a parametric study on the subcritical propagation of an oil-filled, penny-shaped microcrack induced by the pressure increase caused by transformation of kerogen to oil. The excess oil pressure on the crack surfaces, and the subcritical crack propagation distance and duration, are obtained using a coupled model of fracture mechanics and kerogen–oil transformation kinetics. The numerical results show that the excess oil pressure and crack propagation distance/duration are significantly influenced by the temperature and elastic/fracture properties of the source rock, and the initial kerogen particle size. The subcritical propagation behaviour is relatively insensitive to the volume expansion rate associated with the conversion of kerogen to oil. Because the subcritical crack propagation rate is much faster than the kerogen–oil conversion rate, the crack propagation duration is primarily determined by the transformation kinetics.
Reserve constrained economic dispatch with prohibited operating zones

A method is described for solving the reserve constrained economic dispatch problem when some of the online generating units have prohibited operating zone(s). For a unit with prohibited zone(s), the zone(s) divide the operating region between the minimum generation limit (Pmin) and the maximum generation limit (Pmax) into disjoint convex subregions. These disjoint subregions form a nonconvex decisions space and the associated economic dispatch problem is thus a nonconvex optimization problem. As a result, the conventional Lagrangian relaxation (LR) approach (e.g. the lambda - delta iterative approach) cannot be applied directly. The method proposed decomposes the nonconvex decision space into a small number of subsets such that each of the associated dispatch problems is either infeasible or one that can be directly solved via the conventional LR approach. Based on the decomposition, the optimal solution is the least costly one among all the feasible solutions of the associated dispatch problems. Examples are also given to illustrate the proposed method. >
Display proximity in multicue information integration: the benefits of boxes

This study investigates the ability of an individual to integrate probabilistic information from a number of sources, and focuses particularly on the extent to which this integration is influenced by display proximity in space, time, and object configuration. In support of the principle of compatibility of proximity, the data indicated that integration performance was clearly ordered according to the degree of display integrality: those in the more integral rectangle conditions were significantly better at integration than those in the bar graph condition. Proximity of space had little effect upon performance, whereas proximity in time significantly improved performance in all three format conditions. Speed stress significantly hindered performance in all three format conditions. Finally, memory for isolated unintegrated attributes of a cue was not harmed by the increasing integrality of the rectangle formats.
The Case for Evaluating MapReduce Performance Using Workload Suites

MapReduce systems face enormous challenges due to increasing growth, diversity, and consolidation of the data and computation involved. Provisioning, configuring, and managing large-scale MapReduce clusters require realistic, workload-specific performance insights that existing MapReduce benchmarks are ill-equipped to supply. In this paper, we build the case for going beyond benchmarks for MapReduce performance evaluations. We analyze and compare two production MapReduce traces to develop a vocabulary for describing MapReduce workloads. We show that existing benchmarks fail to capture rich workload characteristics observed in traces, and propose a framework to synthesize and execute representative workloads. We demonstrate that performance evaluations using realistic workloads gives cluster operator new ways to identify workload-specific resource bottlenecks, and workload-specific choice of MapReduce task schedulers. We expect that once available, workload suites would allow cluster operators to accomplish previously challenging tasks beyond what we can now imagine, thus serving as a useful tool to help design and manage MapReduce systems.
The Relationship of Vibrissal Motor Cortex Unit Activity to Whisking in the Awake Rat

Rats actively sweep their whiskers back and forth to locate and palpate objects within their immediate environment. Microstimulation studies in anesthetized rats have demonstrated the presence of a large vibrissal motor representation in agranular cortex. However, the manner in which motor cortex neurons contribute to whisking behavior in the awake animal is unknown.This study represents an initial investigation of the relationship between the activity of task-related neurons in vibrissal motor cortex and the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the deep vibrissal pad muscles in the awake, freely whisking rat. Each animal was gently held in an experimenter's hands while the animal whisked the air. A spring-loaded, metal microelectrode mounted in a removable, miniature microdrive provided stabile recordings of motor cortex unit activity. Fine-wire electrodes implanted in the mystacial pad simultaneously recorded facial muscle activity. Results showed that the discharge of task-related neurons was correlated...
Modeling the electrostatics and size effect within a crowded bioenvironment

Biological fluids typically contain a large number of macromolecules occupying up to 40% of the total volume. Current understanding of the effect of high concentration, or 'macromolecular crowding', on cellular processes is primarily based on the excluded-volume considerations in which all intermolecular interactions beyond the short-ranged repulsion are neglected. In this work, a density functional theory (DFT) accompanied by Monte Carlo simulations is employed to investigate the structural and thermodynamic properties of a crowded cellular environment within the primitive model where biomacromolecules are represented by neutral and charged hard spheres and the solvent by a continuous dielectric medium. The performance of the DFT has been tested with extensive results from Monte Carlo (MC) simulations for the pair correlation functions (PCFs), excess internal energies, and osmotic coefficients under a variety of solution conditions.
MOVEMENT OF CALCIUM ACROSS TIPS OF PRIMARY AND LATERAL ROOTS OF PHASEOLUS VULGARIS

Calcium (Ca) movement across tips of primary and lateral roots of Phaseolus vulgaris was determined by applying 45Ca2+ to one side of the root and collecting radioactivity in an agar receiver block on the opposite side of the root. The ratios of cpm in receiver blocks on the bottom of primary roots : cpm in receiver blocks on the top of the primary roots were 1.87 and 2.47 after 1 and 2 hr, respectively. This polar transport of Ca across tips of primary roots correlated positively with a graviculture of 43 degrees after 2 hr. The ratio of cpm in receiver blocks on the bottom of lateral roots : cpm in receiver blocks on the top of lateral roots was 1.20 after 2 hr. The decreased polar movement of Ca across tips of lateral roots correlated positively with lateral roots being nongraviresponsive. These data 1) support the suggestion that gravistimulation induces polar movement Ca toward the lower side of tips of primary roots, and 2) suggest that the reduced polar movement of Ca across tips of lateral roots may be involved in uncoupling gravistimulation from gravicurvature in lateral roots.
Archeological evidence of parasitic infection from the 19th century company town of Fayette, Michigan.

Archeological deposits from the 19th century company town of Fayette, Michigan were analyzed for evidence of endoparasitic infection in the human population residing in the town between 1867 and 1891. Three privies were associated with upper-income and middle-income neighborhoods; 2 household refuse disposal areas were found in a predominately lower-income immigrant working class neighborhood. Sediment samples from 2 privies associated with dwellings in the middle-income neighborhood were positive for eggs of the human whipworm Trichuris trichiura. The parasite was probably also present among residents of the lower income neighborhood, but the shallow nature of the refuse deposits in that locality precluded preservation of the eggs. Contemporary epidemiologic studies of helminth infections support the belief that T. trichiura may have been a common parasite of 19th century school-age children given the natural inclination of young children to defecate indiscriminately, play freely in the dirt, and eat wit...
Conduction blockade in myelinated fibers by gaseous and volatile substances

The minimum ambient partial pressure required to reversibly disrupt conducted responses in myelinated nerve fibers (Pblock) was determined for 11 gases and chloroform. For all but one substance, Pblock was inversely proportional to their nonaqueous solubility; large-diameter fibers were less vulnerable than fibers of small diameter. No "anesthetic" effect was displayed by SF6. At the Pblock for three of the agents, the time for completion of their anesthetic action (tb) was proportional to their lipid-to-aqueous solubility ratio. When the ratio was large, tb was longer than when the ratio was small; blockade became complete after the partial pressure of the agent in the lipid or nonaqueous phase of the axon membrane became equal to Pblock. The access of these substances to an nonaqueous site was neither pH nor frequency dependent, but in the case of SF6 access did appear to be limited by its molal volume.
Midpalatal suture density ratio: A novel predictor of skeletal response to rapid maxillary expansion

Introduction During adolescence, increasing interdigitation of the midpalatal suture increases resistance to rapid maxillary expansion (RME); this decreases its skeletal effect. In this study, we aimed at determining whether a novel measure of midpalatal suture maturity, the midpalatal suture density ratio, can be used as a valid predictor of the skeletal response to RME. Methods The midpalatal suture density ratio, chronologic age, cervical vertebral maturation, and the stage of midpalatal suture maturation were assessed before treatment for 30 patients (ages, 12.9 ± 2.1 years) who underwent RME as part of comprehensive orthodontic treatment. Measurements on cone-beam computed tomography scans were used to determine the proportions of prescribed expansion achieved at the greater palatine foramina, the nasal cavity, and the infraorbital foramina. Results There was a statistically significant negative correlation between the midpalatal suture density ratio and both the greater palatine foramina and the infraorbital foramina ( r = −0.7877 and −0.3647, respectively; P r range, −0.2209 to 0.0831; P >0.05). Conclusions The midpalatal suture density ratio has the potential to become a useful clinical predictor of the skeletal response to RME. Conversely, chronologic age, cervical vertebral maturation, and stage of midpalatal suture maturation cannot be considered useful parameters to predict the skeletal effects of RME.
The Political Economy of Poverty Reduction: Scaling Up Antipoverty Programs in the Developing World

Large-scale antipoverty programs have achieved significant and positive results in many developing countries around the world in the past decade. This paper explores the challenges of scaling up small-scale antipoverty programs - taken here to mean the processes by which successful efforts to raise the incomes of the poorest citizens in developing counties are expanded in coverage over time and across geography. In particular, I advocate supplementing approaches that highlight resource and program constraints with an expanded focus on the political dynamics involved in expanding pro-poor policies. Thus, greater emphasis should be placed on understanding the political factors that limit the expansion and survivability of antipoverty programs. A broader view along these lines highlights the bargaining strength of beneficiaries, the need to secure public support, the potential for political misuse of antipoverty programs, and how institutional fragilities affect their sustainability. Antipoverty programs can be effectively scaled up if attention is paid to addressing these political and institutional challenges. An agenda for future research is also identified.
1H NMR Spectroscopy of Dopamine Interacting with Lipid Vesicles

Dopamine, a naturally occurring neurotransmitter, plays an important role in the brain's reward system, and acts on sensory receptors in the brain. Neurotransmitters are contained in lipid membraned vesicles, and are released by exocytosis. All neurotransmitters interact with transport and receptor proteins in glial cells, on neuronal dendrites, and at the axonal button, and also must interact with membrane lipids. However, the extent of direct interaction between lipid membranes in the absence of receptors and transport proteins has not been extensively investigated. A recently developed NMR method uses an equivalent isopropanol concentration (EIC) scale to describe the interaction of aromatic moieties with lipid membranes as demonstrated for aromatic side chains of amino acid residues [1]. In this method, a range of isopropanol concentrations is used to provide a reference scale for hydrophobic interactions. Therefore, similar UV and NMR measurements were made with dopamine dissolved into varying concentrations of isopropanol to establish a standard EIC curve for measurement of dopamine interactions with lipid membranes. UV spectroscopy shows a maximum absorbance range around 286.6 - 288.2 nm and 1H NMR spectroscopy shows a progressive shift of aromatic ring proton chemical shifts towards higher field as the concentration of isopropanol increases. Next, dopamine was mixed with sonicated unilamellar DOPS vesicles and with sonicated unilamellar DOPC vesicles to measure its affinity and orientation in each type of vesicles. The measured EIC maps show that dopamine interacts differently with PC and PS lipids consistent with the fact that the positively charged dopamine experiences an electrostatic attraction for negatively charged PS lipids. This suggests that the extent of dopamine release could depend on lipid composition. [1] Johnson et al., Journal of Membrane Biology, 248, 695-703, 2015.
High-Order Finite-Element Method for Three-Dimensional Turbulent Navier-Stokes

In this paper a high-order streamline/upwind Petrov-Galerkin (SUPG) finite element discretization is investigated and developed for solutions of three-dimensional turbulent flows. The modified Spalart and Allmaras (SA) turbulence model is implemented and is discretized consistently with the main Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations using the high-order finite element scheme. The present method treats the discretized system fully implicitly to obtain steady state solutions or to drive unsteady problems at each time step. To accurately represent the geometries, high-order curved boundary meshes are generated via a CAPRI interface, while the interior meshes are deformed through a linear elasticity solver. This procedure effectively prevents the generation of collapsed elements due to the projection of the curved physical boundaries and thus allows high-aspect-ratio curved elements in viscous boundary layers. Several numerical examples, including viscous flow over a three-dimensional cylinder and flow over an ONERA M6 swept wing are presented and compared with a discontinuous-Galerkin method. Finally, solutions are obtained for a high-lift multi-element wing to demonstrate the capability of the high-order finite element solver.
Emerson and the Organic Metaphor

The importance of the organic metaphor in Emerson's thinking and writing has been increasingly recognized in recent years. The formerly prevalent notion that Emerson was a great writer in spite of obvious faults and in the absence of most of the familiar virtues, that as a thinker he was rescued from his own contradictions only by some unexplainable, perhaps mystical, consistency in his character, has been forced into the background, though it still persists in many people's minds and in some published criticism. It has been progressively corrected by such investigations as those of Henry D. Gray, Norman Foerster, Joseph Warren Beach, F. O. Matthiessen, Robert E. Spiller, Vivian C. Hopkins, and Sherman Paul, in which the romantic origins of Emerson's thought and art are explored, and in which organic theories are increasingly used to explain his meanings and to evaluate his aesthetic achievements. I should like to carry this line of inquiry a little further, because I believe that Emerson should be placed more wholly in the romantic tradition than he has yet been, and that his importance depends on a more fundamental, consistent, and logical use than he has yet been shown to have made of the organic principle, which is one of the central concepts of romantic philosophy.
Activation of Pitressin by Acetic Acid.

SummaryPitressin when boiled with acetic acid becomes more potent as shown by subcutaneous antidiuretic assay and intravenous pressor assay. These effects are not due to boiling, concentration, acidity, or the presence of acetate ions. The significance of these findings in connection with the preparation of acetic acid extracts of tissues for pitressin assay is discussed.
Family Engagement in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease Visits

ABSTRACTAdults with sickle cell disease (SCD) report problems in relationship building and information exchange during clinic visits. To explore the origin of these communication challenges, we compare communication in pediatric SCD, diabetes, and asthma visits. We collected visit videos and parent surveys from 78 children ages 9–16 years with SCD, asthma, or diabetes. Coders assessed child, parent, and physician utterances reflecting relationship building, information giving, and information gathering. Associations of engagement with type of chronic disease visit were performed with negative binomial regression. Compared to SCD visits, children in diabetes visits spoke 53% more relationship-building utterances (p < .05) and physicians in asthma visits spoke 48% fewer relationship building utterances to the child (p < .01). In diabetes visits, physicians gave almost twice as much information to children and gave 48% less information to parents (both p < .01) compared to SCD visits. Compared to SCD visits,...
The Diagnostic Value of Upright Tilt Test for Kids with Unexplained Syncope

Objective: To explore the diagnostic value of upright tilt test for kids with unexplained syncope, and to provide reference for the clinical diagnosis. Methods: 208 cases of children with unexplained syncope were tested with upright tilt test and ongoing ECG monitoring, their blood pressure and heart rate were recorded and the test results were analyzed. Results: 145 cases(69.71%) presented positive vasovagal reaction, 73 cases(50.34%) presented vascular inhibition-type reaction; 19 cases(13.10%)presented cardiac suppression response; and 53 cases(36.55%) were mixed reaction type. The major incentive factor was persistent standing. Conclusion: Classical vasovagal response is the major hemodynamic pattern in the course of upright tilt test in children with unexplained syncope, persistent standing is the major incentive of vasovagal syncope.
Effect analysis of dual products and household welfare

With reference to the current deficient household consumption and depressed welfare, the paper analyzes how the price changes of the dual products affect the household consumption and their welfare. Under the condition of a given household income, the more commercialized the public products, the lower the personal product consumption will be. It leads to the decrease of the whole social benefits and the whole social welfare and finally affects the improvement of the economic performance. Moreover, the over-high price of the public products will result in deficient internal demand. Therefore, it should be avoided that the governmental behavior which aims at public benefits turns into the enterprise behavior which aims at profit maximization.
Progress in Research on Impact of Microwave on Urogenital System

The exposure to microwave in some specific power density can induce the radiation damage of the urogenital system of human and animals.It has impact on the sex nerve center and the endocrine system,especially on spermary.Less research literatures on this field are available for reference.By summarizing the past literatures related,we can conclude that the adverse effects of high power microwave(HPM)are much more obvious than that of low power microwave(LPM).Different exposure levels of HPM have different impacts on exposed people.We still don't know more about the adverse effects on long time LPM exposure which may happen frequently among workers during work time and people in daily life.In order to reduce the adverse effects of microwave to people and protect the health of urogenital system,especially for the workers who have occupational close contact with microwave,the research about the adverse effects of long time LPM exposure during work time and in daily life on people's urogenital system should be strengthened to explore the pathophysiology and gene mechanism of microwave damage and find feasible and effective preventive measures to protect people`s reproductive health.
Studies of the porphyrin-inducing activity of ethynyl compounds and conformationally restricted and unrestricted analogues of allylisopropylacetamide in chick embryo liver cell culture.

A series of conformationally restricted and unrestricted analogues of allylisopropylacetamide (AIA) and a group of ethynyl compounds have been tested for porphyrin-inducing activity in chick embryo liver cell culture. The conformationally restricted analogues, which do not share the ability of AIA to destroy rat and chick embryo hepatic cytochrome P-450, were nevertheless shown to induce porphyrin accumulation. The conformationally unrestricted analogues and the ethynyl compounds which do share the ability of AIA to destroy rat hepatic cytochrome P-450 possessed weak to moderate porphyrin-inducing activity or were inactive. It is concluded that in chick embryo liver cell culture, in contrast to the situation in rat liver, destruction of the heme moiety of cytochrome P-450 does not appear to be a prerequisite for δ-aminolevulinic acid synthetase induction and porphyrin accumulation.