cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
c-fos expression in the rat brain following central administration of neuropeptide Y and effects of food consumption.

Administration of neuropeptide Y (NPY) intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) results in the release of a number of hypothalamic and pituitary hormones and stimulation of feeding and suppression of sexual behavior. In this study, we sought to identify cellular sites of NPY action by evaluating perikaryal Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI), a marker of cellular activation, in those hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic sites previously implicated in the control of neuroendocrine function and feeding behavior. Additionally, we compared the topography of FLI in these brain sites when food was either available ad libitum or withheld after NPY injection (1 nmol/3 microliters, i.c.v.). The results showed that one hour after NPY injection a larger number of cells in the parvocellular region of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) were FLI-positive in the absence of food consumption. However, in association with food intake, a significant number of cells were intensely stained in the magnocellular region of the PVN. An analogous increase in FLI in association with feeding was apparent in the supraoptic nucleus (SON), the dorsomedial nucleus and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in the hypothalamus. Among the extrahypothalamic sites, feeding facilitated FLI in a large number of cells located in the lateral subdivision of the central amygdaloid nucleus and the lateral subdivision of the solitary tract. FLI was observed in a moderate number of cells in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) and ventromedial nucleus, and this response was not changed by feeding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Sequential Likelihood Ratio Test under Incomplete Signal Model for Spectrum Sensing

Detecting the existence of the transmitter emitting signals is an important mechanism in many applications, e.g., the spectrum sensing in the cognitive radio. In conventional detection schemes, the predefined number of samples is taken for detection and the statistics of the signals are assumed to be available in the signal model. However, under the ubiquitous fading effects and the non-cooperation of the targets, the signal statistics are not accurately obtainable at the detector. In this paper, we propose a sequential detector operating on the signal model described by the autoregressive moving average (ARMA) process without assuming known coefficients. The sequential detector for the ARMA model is derived by using the likelihood ratio test framework and the predictive distributions of the ARMA process. The novelties the proposed sequential detector include: 1) performing detection without requiring complete knowledge of the signal; 2) using smaller number of samples to reach the decision on average; and 3) allowing user-specified probabilities of detection and false alarm. We derive the approximate average number of samples required to reach the decision. The energy detector and sequential energy detector are compared with the proposed sequential detector by simulations. The results show the sequential detector uses the smaller average number of samples than the energy detector and sequential energy detector to termination.
Conformational energy analysis of the leucine repeat regions of C/EBP, GCN4, and the proteins of the myc, jun, and fos oncogenes

It has been recently proposed that certain DNA binding proteins (including C/EBP, GCN4 and the myc, jun, and fos oncogene proteins) share a common structural motif based on helix-promoting regions containing heptad repeat sequences of leucines. It has been suggested that this structure is critical to the biological activity of these proteins, since it facilitates the formation of functional dimers held together by interdigitating leucine side-chains along the hydrophobic interfaces between long alpha-helical regions of the polypeptide chains in a configuration termed the "leucine zipper." In this paper, conformational energy analysis is used to deterrmine the preferred three-dimensional structures of the leucine repeat regions of these proteins. The results indicate that, in all cases, the global minimum energy conformation for these regions is an amphipathic alpha-helix with the leucine side-chains arrayed on one side in such a way to favor "leucine zipper" dimerization. Furthermore, amino acid substitutions in these regions (such as Pro for Leu), that are known to inhibit dimer formation and prevent DNA binding, are found to produce significant conformational changes that disrupt the amphipathic helical structure. Thus, these results provide support for the proposed "leucine zipper" configuration as a critical structural feature of this class of DNA binding proteins.
TH-A-110-01: Digital Projection X-Ray Detectors: A Review of Current Technology and Commercial Landscape

In the last decade there has been an explosion in the number of digital projection x‐ray acquisition systems available in the marketplace. There has been an accompanying explosion in the terminology describing the different x‐ray detector technologies used in the different commercial systems. Various companies use similar nomenclature to describe systems that incorporate markedly different detector technologies, while others use different terminology to describe essentially the same technology. This has resulted in considerable confusion in the clinical community as to the differentiating features of different commercially available systems. This lecture will review the most common digital projection x‐ray detector technologies with a particular focus on identifying the differentiating aspects of their design and capabilities. Particular attention will be paid to the similarities and differences in the detector's fundamental imaging components with a view to explaining the range of imaging capabilities of the different approaches. The second half of the presentation will focus on the clinical implementation of the different detector technologies. A broad review of the currently available clinical systems will be given and the connection between system capabilities and detector design will be discussed. The issue of detector “speed” in a digital environment will be addressed in the context of the new IEC exposure index currently being implemented by system manufacturers. The talk will conclude with a discussion of the new wireless digital detectors currently being introduced into the clinical workplace. Learning Objectives: 1. Identify and understand the differentiating features of different digital projection x‐ray detector technologies 2. Understand the impact of detector design on systemimaging performance 3. Understand the clinical limitations and advantages inherent to the different detector designs 4. Review the current commercial system landscape in terms of the different detector technologies
Two new intergenerational interventions for Alzheimer's disease patients and families

Two new intergenerational interventions for Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients (with moderately severe to severe cognitive impairment) and families are being evaluated, with work to date described. Both interventions share the common goals of:• Introducing a novel long-term care intervention for Alzheimer patients and their families in order to increase the quality of life for both;• Increasing the incentive of family members, significant others, and volunteers to visit and spend time with AD patients;• Increasing staff knowledge of the patient as person;• Effecting a new intergenerational environment at sites providing care for AD patients; and• Providing a new paradigm for innovative budget neutral programs, requiring no new public monies, building upon and leveraging existing resources to enhance the quality of life of older adults coping with dementing disorders.The first intervention uses video biographies; the second involves the first game specifically designed for AD patients and their families. In...
Female Promiscuity Does Not Lead to Increased Fertility or Fecundity in an Arctiid Moth (Utetheisa ornatrix)

Prior work has demonstrated significant phenotypic benefits to female promiscuity in the arctiid moth Utetheisa ornatrix. We were interested in determining whether U. ornatrix females also derive genetic benefits from mating multiply. We specifically tested whether, by mating with several males, females are able to exploit postcopulatory mechanisms that decrease the risk of fertilization by incompatible sperm. We show evidence that U. ornatrix females are not taking multiple mates as fertilization insurance because: (1) females that mate once are as fertile as those that mate three times; and (2) females that take three different mates are no more fertile than those that mate three times with the same male.
Sample Size for Experiments on Milk Yield

Abstract Graphs are presented that will permit dairy researchers to estimate the number of cows required to have 50 or 80% chance of detecting specified differences in true mean milk yield between two or more treatment groups. Relatively small experiments are shown to be almost hopelessly insensitive unless experimental errors can be reduced below levels ordinarily encountered. If an experimenter has available fewer than ten cows per treatment, estimates show he has less than a 50% chance of detecting a true mean difference in daily milk yield of 4 kg in a completely randomized experiment, 3.5 kg with a covariance analysis, 3.2 kg in a randomized block design, or 1.2 kg in a crossover trial.
Apolipoprotein E ε2 is associated with new hemorrhage risk in brain arteriovenous malformations: Commentary

Objective Patients with brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) are at life-threatening risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Identification of genetic variants associated with increased new ICH risk would facilitate risk stratification and guide therapeutic intervention. Methods Brain AVM patients evaluated at University of California, San Francisco or Kaiser Permanente Northern California were followed longitudinally. Primary outcome was new ICH after diagnosis; censoring events were any AVM treatment or last follow-up examination. The association of ApoE epsilon2 and epsilon4 genotype with new ICH was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and further characterized via a Cox proportional hazards model. Results We genotyped 284 brain AVM patients (50% women; 57% Caucasian; median follow-up time, 0.3 yr) including 18 patients with a history of new ICH). ApoE epsilon2, but not ApoE epsilon4 genotype, was associated with new ICH (P = 0.0052). ApoE epsilon2 carriers had fivefold increased risk of new ICH (hazard ratio, 5.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.46-17.7; P = 0.010; Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for race/ethnicity and clinical presentation). Subset analysis in the largest homogenous ethnic subcohort (Caucasians) confirmed the increased risk of new ICH in ApoE epsilon2 carriers (hazard ratio, 8.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-53.9; P = 0.020; multivariate model adjusting for clinical presentation). Conclusion ApoE genotype may influence the risk of ICH in the natural course of brain AVM. The identification of genetic predictors of ICH risk may facilitate estimation of AVM natural history risk and individualize clinical decision-making and therapeutic recommendations.
Disposition of tin-protoporphyrin and suppression of hyperbilirubinemia in humans.

Tin (Sn4+)-Protoporphyrin, a potent competitive inhibitor of heme degradation to bile pigment, was cleared rapidly from plasma in normal subjects (t½~4 hours for plasma levels >5 nmol/ml, with evidence of dose-dependent pharmacokinetics at lower plasma concentrations). Small amounts were excreted promptly in urine (0.1% to 5.6%) and more gradually in feces (3.7% to 11.3%). The only dose-limiting (>1.0 μmol/kg, single dose) side effect was mild sensitivity to sunlight and long-wave ultraviolet light. Absorption after intramuscular administration was rapid, but there was no absorption after oral dosing. In bile duct—ligated rats treated with Sn-protoporphyrin, there was a substantial (approximately 50%) reduction in plasma bilirubin levels compared with levels in ligated control animals. Seven studies were carried out in four women with moderate to severe cholestasis secondary to primary biliary cirrhosis and in two men with Gilbert's syndrome. In these studies Sn-protoporphyrin (total doses of 0.25 to 2.0 μmol/ kg body weight) reduced plasma bilirubin levels to a varying degree (7% to 43%) promptly after its intravenous administration. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1986) 39, 510–520; doi:10.1038/clpt.1986.88
Initial probability, rehearsal, and constraint in associative class selection

Abstract After determining verbal preferences in baseline, separate groups of children observed a model select, for the same stimulus nouns, high probability noun, intermediate probability verb, or low probability (arbitrary) color associates. Under strong directions to emulate the model, all experimental groups increased selection of the associate classes modeled. Later, in a free-preference phase, both noun and arbitrary choices were reduced but not choice of intermediate probability verbs. Overt rehearsal did not affect response. Under permissive emulation directions, all groups increased selection of the modeled associate classes in imitation, with no significant drops found in free-preference. Overt rehearsal's only effect was to reduce color associate choices.
Thyroxine increases nerve growth factor concentration in adult mouse brain

The effects of thyroxine and propylthiouracil on nerve growth factor concentrations in cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and brainstem of adult male mice were assessed by using a sensitive radioimmunoassay for the beta-subunit of mouse nerve growth factor. Thyroxine administration significantly increased the concentration of nerve growth factor in all three brain areas compared to control values, whereas propylthiouracil was without effect. These results suggest that thyroid hormones stimulate nerve growth factor synthesis in the mature central nervous system, and raise the possibility that the influence of thyroid hormones on central nervous system development might be mediated or influenced by nerve growth factor.
Biased attention in childhood anxiety disorders : a preliminary study

This study provides preliminary tests of two hypotheses: (1) Anxiety-disordered children show an attentional bias toward emotionally threatening stimuli, and (2) normal controls show an attentional bias away from emotionally threatening stimuli. Twelve children, 9 to 14 years of age, with primary diagnoses of anxiety disorder were compared with 12 normal controls matched for age, gender, vocabulary level, and reading ability. Subjects completed a reaction time task that measured visual attention toward threatening versus neutral words. The anxious group showed the predicted attentional bias toward threat words. However, controls did not show the predicted bias away from threat words. These results are the first showing that biased attentional processing occurs among clinically anxious children. The potential role of such an attentional bias in childhood anxiety disorders and future direction for research are discussed.
Separation Control by External Acoustic Excitation at Low Reynolds Numbers

At Reynolds numbers approaching those of micro air vehicles (both engineered and natural), the Eppler 387 airfoil (in common with many other smooth profiles) can have multiple lift and drag states at a single wing-incidence angle. Prestall hysteresis and abrupt switching between stable states result from sudden flow reattachment and the appearance of a large separation bubble. It is shown that control of the dynamics can be achieved using external acoustic forcing. Separation control, hysteresis elimination, and more than 70% increase in lift–drag ratio are obtained at certain excitation frequencies and sound pressure levels. The global flow around the wing is effectively modified, and large, stable vortical structures appear in the separated shear layer. Correlation between the effects of acoustic excitation and wind-tunnel resonance shows that the antiresonances in an enclosed chamber correspond to the largest improvement in wing performance. Implications for control and stabilization of small aircraft ...
Is co-scheduling too expensive for SMP VMs?

Symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) virtual machines (VMs) allow users to take advantage of a multiprocessor infrastructure. Despite the advantage, SMP VMs can cause synchronization latency to increase significantly, depending on task scheduling. In this paper, we show that even if a SMP VM runs non-concurrent applications, the synchronization latency problem can still occur due to synchronization in the VM kernel.Our experiments show that both of the widely used open source hypervisors, Xen and KVM, with the default schedulers are susceptible to the synchronization latency problem. To remediate this problem, previous works propose a co-scheduling solution where virtual CPUs (vCPUs) of a SMP VM are scheduled simultaneously. However, the co-scheduling approach can cause CPU fragmentation that reduces CPU utilization, priority inversion that degrades I/O performance, and execution delay, leading to deployment impediment. We propose a balance scheduling algorithm which simply balances vCPU siblings on different physical CPUs without forcing the vCPUs to be scheduled simultaneously. Balance scheduling can achieve similar or (up to 8%) better application performance than co-scheduling without the co-scheduling drawbacks, thereby benefiting various SMP VMs. The evaluation is thoroughly conducted against both concurrent and non-concurrent applications with CPU-bound, I/O-bound, and network-bound workloads in KVM. For empirical comparison, we also implement the co-scheduling algorithm on top of KVM's Completely Fair Scheduler (CFS). Compared to the synchronization-unaware CFS, balance scheduling can significantly improve application performance in a SMP VM (e.g. reduce the average TPC-W response time by up to 85%).
Do anuran larvae retain kin recognition abilities following metamorphosis

Etude du maintien des capacites de reconnaissance d'individus conspecifiques chez les larves de Rana sylvatica apres la metamorphose
Psychopathology in families of children with major depressive disorders

Family psychiatric histories of 63 inpatient children with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 63 matched inpatient psychiatric controls were compared. MDD, anxiety disorders, somatization disorder and antisocial personality disorder (ASP) were significantly more common (P < 0.05) in the family histories of MDD probands. When family histories of depressed/anxious (D/A) versus depressed/behavior disordered (D/B) children were compared, the D/B group had more alcohol abuse (P < 0.05) and antisocial personality disorder (P < 0.08) than the D/A group. This report supports findings from earlier studies and suggests mood and anxiety disorders are increased in families of children with MDD.
Genetic evidence and the modern human origins debate

A continued debate in anthropology concerns the evolutionary origin of ‘anatomically modern humans’ (Homo sapiens sapiens). Different models have been proposed to examine the related questions of (1) where and when anatomically modern humans first appeared and (2) the genetic and evolutionary relationship between modern humans and earlier human populations. Genetic data have been increasingly used to address these questions. Genetic data on living human populations have been used to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the human species by considering how global patterns of human variation could be produced given different evolutionary scenarios. Of particular interest are gene trees that reconstruct the time and place of the most recent common ancestor of humanity for a given haplotype and the analysis of regional differences in genetic diversity. Ancient DNA has also allowed a direct assessment of genetic variation in European Neandertals. Together with the fossil record, genetic data provide insight into the origin of modern humans. The evidence points to an African origin of modern humans dating back to 200 000 years followed by later expansions of moderns out of Africa across the Old World. What is less clear is what happened when these early modern humans met preexisting ‘archaic human’ populations outside of Africa. At present, it is difficult to distinguish between a model of total genetic replacement and a model that includes some degree of genetic mixture.
Raman spectroscopic investigation of the structure and crystallization of binary alkali germanate glasses

Raman spectra have been measured on bulk GeO2 glass and the alkali germanate glasses of composition M2OxGeO2 where M=K, Na, Li, and x varies from 19 to 1, as well as on crystallized glasses. The low alkali content glasses (x≥3) retain a completely polymerized structure of germania polyhedra. Addition of small amounts of alkali oxide to GeO2 glass does not break the Ge-O-Ge bridging bonds and creates higher co-ordination of germanium atoms. Further addition of alkali oxide eventually breaks up some of the Ge-O-Ge bonds to create Ge-O− non-bridging oxygens. In the K- and Na-glasses a small number of non-bridging oxygens already exist at x=4.5, while in the Li-glasses they do not exist even at x=4. The structures of the low alkali content glasses start to disappear at x between 4 and 3 and they disappear almost completely at x=2. At x between 2 and 1, glass structures become analogous to the silicate glass structures. At x=2, the glass consists of disordered (Ge2O5) n sheet-like structures and at x=1 disordered (GeO3) n chain structures.
Windows User Interfaces and Web User Interfaces: Convergence and Confusion in Online Experiences

This paper discusses a case study underlining the differences between Windows and Web interfaces currently being implemented online. Findings are reported from a recent examination of DotNetNuke, a web portal system based on Microsoft technologies.
Preparation of silver sulfate microcrystals suitable for profile angle measurement

In this paper is described a method of preparing microcrystals of silver sulfate suitable for profile angle measurement. The value of the obtuse profile angle of rhombic Ag2SO4 crystals was determined as 121° 2′±12′.
Weyl problem and Casimir effects in spherical shell geometry

We compute the generic mode sum that quantifies the effect on the spectrum of a harmonic field when a spherical shell is inserted into vacuum. This encompasses a variety of problems including the Weyl spectral problem and the Casimir effect of quantum electrodynamics. This allows us to resolve several long-standing controversies regarding the question of universality of the Casimir self-energy; the resolution comes naturally through the connection to the Weyl problem. Specifically we demonstrate that in the case of a scalar field obeying Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions on the shell surface the Casimir self-energy is cutoff dependent while in the case of the electromagnetic field perturbed by a conductive shell the Casimir self-energy is universal. We additionally show that an analog nonrelativistic Casimir effect due to zero-point magnons takes place when a nonmagnetic spherical shell is inserted inside a bulk ferromagnet.
Drinking and the brain: careful selection of research participants required.

This letter to the editor is in response to the following publication: Cheetham, A., Allen, N. B., Whittle, S., Simmons, J., Yucel, M., and Lubman, D. I. (2014). Volumetric differences in the anterior cingulate cortex prospectively predict alcohol-related problems in adolescence. Psychopharmacology, DOI: 10. 1007/s00213-014-3483-8. We read with interest the recent article by Cheetham et al. (2014) examining brain structure of adolescents and the potential relationship with developing problematic drinking behavior. The data seem to indicate that anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) volume predicts the development of alcohol-related problems. The authors should be commended for conducting a longitudinal study in order to investigate this timely and important research question. And while there are multiple merits associated with this well-conducted study, we felt a few concerns warrant further attention. First, the study did not include nondrinkers, making it impossible to determine whether ACC volume predicts problematic drinking behavior in all adolescents. If nondrinkers were included in the analysis and the findings held up, then our confidence in the conclusions drawn would be substantially increased. Second, given the far-reaching implications of the conclusions put forth by the authors, the significant difference in marijuana use between the groups, even though acknowledged by the authors, hampers our ability to meaningfully interpret these results. Marijuana users have been shown to be more impulsive (Solowij et al. 2012) and to display altered ACC activity (Gruber et al. 2012; for review, see Lisdahl et al. 2013). Therefore, in order to accept the conclusions stated by the current authors, a more careful selection of research participants would be required.
Immunotherapy for asthma: unfavorable studies.

Introduction Many studies have demonstrated efficacy of immunotherapy (IT) for asthma. Two meta-analyses reached the same conclusion. Because some studies failed to demonstrate efficacy, it is instructive to review reasons why that may have been the case. Methods Two meta-analyses were used to identify studies that did and did not demonstrate efficacy. These were reviewed to identify the sources of variability. Results Most studies are able to demonstrate a treatment effect of IT although they have wide confidence intervals. The studies were heterogeneous with respect to selection of subjects, underlying populations, the main treatment protocol, concomitant treatments, the duration of treatment and followup, and the effect of the protocol on concurrent treatment. There were also problems with the blinding. In most cases, it was difficult to determine how the doses of extract given compared between studies. Conclusions Studies that fail to demonstrate a treatment effect of IT may do so for many reasons. Given the heterogeneity of IT clinical trials as a group, it is not surprising that variable results occur. The use of multiple studies in a meta-analysis with its underlying assumption of homogeneity is problematic.
Cognitive changes after surgery vs stenting for carotid artery stenosis.

Objectives Cognitive function has not been evaluated systematically in the context of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) versus carotid artery stenting (CAS). Cognitive decline can occur from microembolization or hypoperfusion during CEA or CAS. Carotid revascularization may, however, also improve cognitive dysfunction resulting from chronic hypoperfusion. We compared cognitive outcomes in consecutive asymptomatic patients undergoing CAS or CEA. Methods This is a prospective nonrandomized single-center study of patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis ≥70% undergoing CAS or CEA using standard techniques. Neurologic symptoms were evaluated by history, physical examination, and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. A 50-minute cognitive battery was performed 1 to 3 days before and 4 to 6 months after CEA/CAS. The tests (Trail Making Tests A/B, Processing Speed Index (PSI) of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Third Edition (WAIS-III), Boston Naming Test, Working Memory Index (WMI) of the Wechsler Memory Scale − Third Edition (WMS-III), Controlled Oral Word Association, and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test) for six cognitive domains (motor speed/coordination and executive function, psychomotor speed, language (naming), working memory/concentration, verbal fluency, and learning/memory) were conducted by a neuropsychologist. The primary analysis of impact of treatment modality was a normalized cognitive change score. Results Forty-six patients underwent prepost testing (CEA = 25, CAS=21). Women comprised 36% of the cohort, mean preprocedural stenosis was 84%, and 54% were right-sided lesions. All patients were successfully revascularized without periprocedural complications. The scores for each test improved after CEA except WMI, which decreased in 20 of 25 patients. Improvement occurred in all tests after CAS except PSI, which decreased in 18 of 21 patients. In addition to comparing the changes in individual test scores, overall cognitive change was measured by calculating the change in composite cognitive score (CCS) postprocedure versus baseline. To compute the CCS, the raw scores from each test were transformed into z scores and then averaged to calculate each patient's composite score. The composite score at baseline was then compared with that from the postprocedure testing. The CCS improved after both CEA and CAS, and the changes were not significantly different between the groups (.51 vs .47; P = NS). Conclusions Carotid revascularization results in an overall improvement in cognitive function. There are no differences in the composite scores of five major cognitive domains between CEA and CAS. When individual tests are compared, CEA results in a reduction in memory, while CAS patients show reduced psychomotor speed. Larger studies will help confirm these findings.
Effect of temperature and pressure on the speed of sound and isentropic bulk modulus of mixtures of biodiesel and diesel fuel

The density and speed of sound of blends of biodiesel with No. 2 and No. 1 diesel fuels were measured from atmospheric pressure to 32.46 MPa at temperatures of 20 and 40°C. The isentropic bulk modulus was calculated from these quantities. The results show that the density and isentropic bulk modulus can be accurately modeled as having a linear variation with blend percentage. Speed of sound is better correlated by a second-order equation. Correlation equations are given and a blending rule is developed that allows the density, speed of sound, and isentropic bulk modulus of blends to be calculated from the properties of the biodiesel and diesel fuel.
Valsalva-induced cluster headache

A case valsalva-induced cluster headache is presented. Cluster attacks induced by valsalva manoeuvres alone were only recently described, and such patients have features of cough headache and cluster headache. Attacks occurred a couple of times a week in the patient presented, solely triggered by valsalva manoeuvres including coughing, sneezing or straining and not by exercising.
Stability conditions for the existence of almost-periodic solutions of almost-periodic systems

It is the purpose of this paper to give sufficient conditions on a system of ordinary differential equations with almost-periodic (a.p. for short) time dependence that it have an a.p. solution. In particular, we assume the existence of a bounded solution with certain stability conditions and use a result due to Amerio [l]. For two-dimensional systems such sufficient conditions have been obtained; cf., for example, [2-41. Certain such conditions have also been given for n-dimensional systems but the stability conditions required seem strong and complicated [5, 61. In recent papers by Hale [7] and Yoshizawa [8], simpler stability conditions have been given to obtain the existence of a.p. solutions of systems of functional-differential equations, which include ordinary differential systems as special cases. The method of these papers involves the use of Liapunov functions, not Amerio’s theorem, and also yields information on the Fourier, exponents of the a.p. solution in terms of those of the function defining the system. For linear systems of differential-difference equations, see also a result due to Bochner [9]. The conditions we give here are somewhat weaker than those given by Hale and Yoshizawa in the above-mentioned papers. In particular, we do not need the Lipschitz conditions on the system required by them. However, our theorems give no information about the Fourier exponents of the a.p. so1ution.l Although we deal explicitly with systems of differential equations, generalizations to functional-differential equations are possible; cf. Section 4 of this paper. ~-.~__ * This research was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. GP-1638. * Since this paper was submitted for publication, it has been found that under the hypotheses of our theorems, one does, in fact, obtain the same information about these Fourier exponents as do Hale and Yoshizawa.
The development of a picture speech reception threshold test in Spanish for use with urban U.S. residents of Hispanic background.

Abstract The need for and development of a test for measurement of Speech Reception Threshold (SRT) in Spanish are described. The test consists of 51 familiar bisyllabic words, some of which are cognates of English. The aim is development of a test, the vocabulary and procedure of which could be used with patients of diverse Hispanic backgrounds, and for which the administering audiologist need not be able to speak or understand Spanish.
Quantitative Analysis of Temperature., Moisture., and Diet Factors Affecting Insect Development

Extensive published data on the developmental times of nine species of stored-product Coleoptera in relation to temperature, moisture, and diet were described by regression equations. At most temperatures, the order of relative influence of these factors on development was temperature > moisture > diet. However, moisture and diet influenced larval development more than temperature near the optimal temperature for development of each species. Egg, larval, and pupal stage durations at 27°C averaged 15, 66, and 19% of the total developmental time, respectively, at moistures above 12%, and 12, 72, and 15% of total developmental time at moistures below 12%. Similar percentages were found at other temperatures between 20 and 35°C.
Interplanetary protons (Ep ≈ 1 MeV) 1973-1986 and Out to 22.4 AU

This paper uses annual mean counting rate data from detectors on two long-lived spacecraft, Pioneer 11 and IMP 8, to study the temporal and heliocentric radial distance variations of the intensity of interplanetary protons (Ep ≈ 1 MeV) over solar activity cycle 21. The Pioneer 11 data cover the time period April 1973 through 1986 and the heliocentric radial distance range 1.0 < r < 22.4 AU. IMP 8, in an approximately circular geocentric orbit of semimajor axis 35 earth radii, provides comparable data at 1 AU over the time period 1974-1986. The combination of the two bodies of data shows that the annual mean intensity of such protons varies as the inverse square of the distance from the sun, i.e., as r−α with α = 2.0 (±0.2), irrespective of solar activity as measured by the annual mean sunspot number S. Also it is found (a) that the annual mean intensity at 1 AU is approximately proportional to S, except for anomalously low values in 1979 and 1980 and (b) that the product of the annual mean intensity at Pioneer 11 by r² is also approximately proportional to S, except for anomalously low values in 1979, 1980 (in particular), and 1981. The common “1980 anomaly” is attributed to gross changes in interplanetary conditions associated with the reversal of the polarity of the sun's polar magnetic field.
Quantity, 14C age and lability of desorbed soil organic carbon in fresh water and seawater

Abstract Soil organic carbon (OC) resulting from terrestrial photosynthesis is one of the largest reactive pools of sequestered atmospheric CO 2 . As an intermediate storage mechanism for organic material through time, the vertical distribution of carbon in a soil profile generally shows an age continuum with depth. Aged soil carbon is often the result of sorptive preservation, a physical mechanism that protects organic matter (OM) from microbial decay. Sorptive preservation is, however, a reversible process. Upon desorption, previously protected OM could be available for decomposition. Here we present simple fresh and salt water desorption experiments designed to determine the amount, 14 C age and lability of “reversible” OM. Results suggest that 1.1–3.9% and 1.5–6.7% of OC, and 0.7–3% and 0.6–5% of total soil nitrogen can be desorbed using fresh and salt water, respectively. Radiocarbon data suggest this desorbed carbon is Δ 14 C-enriched compared to the bulk soil, with Δ 14 C values close to modern atmospheric Δ 14 CO 2 at the soil surface, and aging with depth. Of this extractable aged carbon, upwards of 23–56% is labile across all treatments and with depth. Additional carbon is extracted with salt water compared to fresh water and this surplus is non-labile and younger than the labile component. Radiocarbon dating shows that the 14 C age of soil carbon increases with depth and that there is a pool of Δ 14 C-depleted OC that is readily remineralized upon entering an aquatic/marine environment. These results indicate that eroded soil particles can release OC and organic N when entering rivers and oceans and that up to 50% of this carbon is available for aquatic metabolism.
The fine structure of pancreatic acinar and hepatic parenchymal cells after neutral red dye injection.

Abstract The ultrastructure of mouse pancreatic acinar and hepatic parenchymal cells was studied sequentially after subcutaneous injections of neutral red dye. In both cell types, the develop- and control animals were noted. The pancreatic acinar and hepatic parenchymal ultrastructure was normal.
Spatial scale dictates the productivity-biodiversity relationship.

The diversity of life is heterogeneously distributed across the Earth. A primary cause for this pattern is the heterogeneity in the amount of energy, or primary productivity (the rate of carbon fixed through photosynthesis), available to the biota in a given location1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12. But the shape of the relationship between productivity and species diversity is highly variable10,11,12,13,14. In many cases, the relationship is ‘hump-shaped’, where diversity peaks at intermediate productivity7,9,10,12,15,16,17,18. In other cases, diversity increases linearly with productivity4,5,6,10,11,12. A possible reason for this discrepancy is that data are often collected at different spatial scales10,12,14. If the mechanisms that determine species diversity vary with spatial scale, then so would the shape of the productivity–diversity relationship. Here, we present evidence for scale-dependent productivity–diversity patterns in ponds. When the data were viewed at a local scale (among ponds), the relationship was hump-shaped, whereas when the same data were viewed at a regional scale (among watersheds), the relationship was positively linear. This dependence on scale results because dissimilarity in local species composition within regions increased with productivity.
Application of information theory to the study of the stimulating effects of ionizing radiation, thermal energy, and other environmental factors Preliminary ideas for a theory of organization☆

Abstract The stimulating effects of low doses of ionizing radiation or of factors of the normal environment which are detrimental at higher levels are no less surprising than the “stimulating” effects of thermal energy and of the passage of time. These effects exemplify a basic property of living matter, i.e. the ability to increase information content up to a certain limit under the influence of contingent external factors. In the transmission of information between substructures, the noise resulting from external contingent factors may act as a factor of autonomy which increases the complexity and efficiency of living systems. This concept has been applied to extend Yockey's equations to the domain of low doses of environmental factors. A change in alphabet appears necessary to insure that living systems with increased autonomy can overcompensate the information destruction caused by low doses of contingent factors.
Studies of collision interactions and kinetic energy distributions of eV recoil ions inside Penning traps

Measurements and techniques are described which lead to charge transfer collision studies of low energy multi-charged recoil ions with target gas atoms and molecules. The recoil neon ions are produced by impact ionization of neon atoms using 1 MeV amu-1 Cl+5 projectile ions stripped to a mean charge state near 10e. The recoils with e ≤ q ≤ 7e are confined by the electric and magnetic fields of a Penning ion trap. The number and mass-to-charge ratio of the stored ions is determined by resonant axial excitation and cyclotron resonance. Mean storage time constants > 100 ms limited by charge transfer are observed at pressures in the 10-8 torr range. Estimates of mean stored ion energy are made by examining the ion number stored as a function of axial well depth. Preliminary charge transfer reaction rate constant results are presented. Possibilities for precision spectroscopy on multi-charged stored recoil ions are also discussed.
Simulation of Magnetization Reversal and Domain-Wall Trapping in Submicron Permalloy Wires With Different Wire Geometries

Nonvolatile data storage in today's computers is based on magnetic materials. Hard disk drives (HDD) feature ferromagnetic thin films for recording bits as regions with different magnetizations in the film. At present, the efforts of decreasing HDD size while increasing storage capacity, however, face fundamental limits, namely, the so-called superparamagnetic effect. Research into new generations of magnetic data-storage devices, amongst others, considers as its basic working principle current-induced magnetic domain-wall motion (CIDWM) in magnetic nanowires. In this paper, we present simulation studies of external magnetic field-induced magnetization reversal and domain-wall motion in nanowires of various sizes and shapes. Our results contribute to the basic design principles applied to magnetic structures used in CIDWM experiments. Parameters, such as wire thickness and wire-pad geometries are investigated, and important threshold magnetic field values are presented. In addition, we introduce a novel method of domain-wall trapping in a magnetic wire using the fringe fields of close-by magnets.
Measuring sensible heat flux in plastic mulch culture with aerodynamic conductance sensors

Abstract Black plastic mulch is commonly used in horticultural systems, but it may complicate the sparse crop energy balance by contributing to within-row advection. A steady state, heated foil technique was used to approximate the aerodynamic conductances to heat transport ( g h ) of bare soil and black plastic mulch for 33 days. The test site was a field of 0.7 m wide raised beds covered with black plastic mulch and separated by 0.8 m wide strips of bare soil, with no crop present. From numerous point estimates of g h and measurements of the temperature difference between the surface and the air, the sensible heat flux ( H ) was calculated independently for bare soil and plastic mulch. Conductance values ranged from 8 to 23 mm s −1 and no difference occurred between the mean g h for mulch (17.0 mm s −1 ) and that for bare soil (17.8 mm s −1 ). The H estimated from conductance data was strongly linearly related, in a 1 : 1 ratio, to the H determined by independently solving the energy balance of plastic mulch. The conductance sensor method was used subsequently to estimate H from bare soil ( H soil ). Sensible heat from plastic mulch ( H mulch ) is the major source of H in the field because it is primarily a function of the net radiation of the plastic. Whereas H mulch was always negative, with daily maxima consistently approaching −400 W m −2 , H soil varied between −200 and +50 W m −2 according to surface wetness. Latent heat fluxes from the bare soil were −2 when the surface was dry, and up to −400 W m −2 when the surface was wet. Managing the surface wetness of bare soil in a mulched field will not affect the energy balance of the mulch surface per se, but may reduce within-row advection, which is potentially detrimental to seedlings and transplants in plastic mulch systems.
Transforming growth factor-β receptors localize to caveolae and regulate endothelial nitric oxide synthase in normal human endothelial cells

Caveolae (sphingolipid- and cholesterol-rich, 100 nm flask-shaped invaginations of the cell membrane) serve as a nexus of cell signalling. In the present study caveolin-rich lipid raft domains were extracted from HUVEC (human umbilical-vein endothelial cells) using both density gradient and immunoprecipitation techniques, and demonstrated localization of the TGF-β (transforming growth factor-β) receptors TβRI and TβRII to the Cav-1 (caveolin-1)-enriched raft fractions of these normal, human endothelial cells. Immunoprecipitation demonstrated an association between TβRI and TβRII, as well as an association of the TβRs receptors with Cav-1 and eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase), suggesting a mutual co-localization to caveolae; after treatment of HUVEC with 5 ng/ml TGF-β1 for 15 min, however, co-precipitation of eNOS with TβRI, TβRII and Cav-1 was diminished. The loss of immunoprecipitable eNOS from Cav-1-enriched fractions was accompanied by a decrease both in phosphorylation of eNOS and in enzymatic activity (conversion of arginine into citrulline). No change in the localization of eNOS to morphologically distinct caveolae could be detected by electron microscopy after treatment of HUVEC with TGF-β1 for 20 min. The results of these investigations provide evidence that TβRI interacts with eNOS in the caveolae of normal, human endothelial cells and has a regulatory function on basal eNOS enzymatic activity.
Sleeve Gastrectomy Does Not Cause Hypertrophy and Reprogramming of Intestinal Glucose Metabolism in Rats.

Clinical studies have shown similar rapid improvements in body mass and glycemic control after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). Evidence suggests that adaptive intestinal tissue growth and reprogramming of intestinal glucose disposal play a key role in the beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis after RYGB, but it is not known whether such adaptive changes also occur after sleeve gastrectomy. High-fat diet-induced obese rats were subjected to either VSG or RYGB, and intestinal growth and functional adaptations were assessed by using morphometric, immunohistochemical, and immuno-blot techniques, 3 months after surgery or sham surgery. The cross-sectional areas of the Roux and common limbs are significantly increased after RYGB compared with sham surgery (Roux limb: 17.1 ± 4.0 vs. 5.5 ± 0.1 mm2; common limb: 11.7 ± 0.6 vs. 5.1 ± 0.5 mm2; p < 0.01), but the cross-sectional area of the corresponding jejunum is not different from controls after VSG. Similarly, mucosal thickness and the number of GLP-1 cells are not increased after VSG. Protein expression of hexokinase II is increased fourfold (p < 0.01) in the Roux limb after RYGB, but not in the jejunum after VSG. Adaptive hypertrophy and reprogramming of glucose metabolism in the small intestine are not necessary for VSG to improve body composition and glycemic control. The similar beneficial effects of VSG and RYGB on glucose homeostasis might be mediated by different mechanisms.