cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elevation of Striatal Dopamine Receptors by Estrogen: Dose and Time Studies

Administration to male rats of a single dose of 17 beta-estradiol valerate (8-500 micrograms/rat) or implantation of a pellet containing 17 beta-estradiol (0.5-50 mg/rat) increased serum 17 beta-estradiol levels in a dose-dependent relationship when measured on the sixth day after administration. At the same time, after these doses, the serum rat prolactin (rPRL) levels were doubled and the striatal 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine (DA, dopamine) receptor densities were increased 20%. A single dose of 17 beta-estradiol valerate of 4 micrograms/rat or less did not alter serum 17 beta-estradiol or rPRL levels or the striatal DA receptor density. After the single injection of 17 beta-estradiol valerate (125 micrograms/rat) the serum 17 beta-estradiol levels peaked at 1 day, the serum rPRL levels peaked at 2 days, and the striatal DA receptor density elevation peaked from 4 to 8 days. Implantation of a pellet containing 17 beta-estradiol (25 mg/rat) produced a constant elevation of serum 17 beta-estradiol levels from 1 to 10 days. Whereas the serum rPRL levels were continuously elevated about two-fold, the densities of the striatal DA receptors were increased significantly by 20-25% only from 4 to 8 days after pellet implantation. These results indicate that striatal DA receptor density rises and returns to control levels during the constant elevation of serum 17 beta-estradiol and rPRL levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Elevated serum IgG4 is associated with chronic antibiotic-refractory pouchitis.

Background and aim We recently reported mucosal infiltration of IgG4-expressing plasma cells in a patient with chronic antibiotic-refractory pouchitis (CARP). The role of serum IgG4 in the pathogenesis and clinical course of ileal pouch disorders has not been investigated. We hypothesized that IgG4-mediated autoimmunity may be a contributing factor in for CARP. The aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of elevated serum IgG4 in symptomatic patients with ileal pouches and to characterize clinical features of pouch disorders in these patients.
Hobbes framework: an adaptable solution to web-driven applications

Adaptability of software systems is of serious concern to practitioners. Loosely speaking, adaptability could be defined as the ability of a system to accommodate varying user requirements with little to no intervention from the developer. Implementing adaptability in web-based systems, however, poses challenges of its own. Web-based applications are usually large (in terms of components, lines of code, etc.), complex, and utilize numerous software packages usually supplied by different third-party vendors. It will be very useful to the software engineering community if an adaptable framework is available that can be quickly tailored to today's demanding software requirements, and be easy to re-use. In this paper, a famework is presented, called the Hobbes Framework (HF) that has helped solve many of the current challenges regarding adaptability. HF has been used extensively in two major web-based projects and is currently being implemented in another. HF has proven highly adaptable to varying project and user requirements.
Using self-organizing recognition as a mechanism for rejecting segmentation errors

We have developed a method for self-organized neural network based segmentation error checking and character recognition. In this method the page is segmented, a pre-trained self- organizing classifier is used to classify the characters coming from the segmenter and these reclassified characters are used to adaptively learn the machine print font being segmented. This allows the self organizing character classifier to perform font and image quality checking while independently checking for segmentation errors. No context is used to correct segmentation or recognition errors since the page was randomly generated. In our experiments segmentation errors caused the sequential classification of segmented characters to be confused for 6.6% of the items segmented because of the splitting and merging of characters. By using self-organizing neural network classification 9.2% of these errors were corrected to produce a correct segmentation and classification rate of 93.4% overall. After self-organization correction, segmentation and classification was done to an accuracy of 99.3% with no human intervention and in all cases 99% of all segmentation errors were detected.
Estrogen Effects on Neurite Outgrowth and Cytoskeletal Gene Expression in ERα-Transfected PC12 Cell Lines

Abstract The potential of gonadal steroids like estrogen (E) to promote neurite sprouting is of interest in development and aging, as well as after neural trauma. The specific roles of the two main estrogen receptors, ERα and ERβ, in neuronal sprouting are not yet well understood. We examined the hypothesis that E can enhance nerve growth factor (NGF)-stimulated neurite sprouting in an ERα-dependent manner. PC12 cells that were stably transfected with the full-length rat ERα gene (PCER) and a control line of cells transfected with vector DNA alone (PCCON) were compared. Both cell lines vigorously differentiate neurites when treated with NGF. We determined that both lines show basal expression of ERβ mRNA, but only the PCER cells express ERα mRNA. Estrogen treatment markedly enhanced NGF-stimulated neurite outgrowth from PCER but not from PCCON cells. Significantly larger proportions of PCER cells (34 and 53% at 24 and 48 h, respectively) had neurites than did the PCCON cells (17 and 26% at 24 and 48 h) after E plus NGF treatment. We also examined the effects of E and NGF treatment of PCER and PCCON cells on peripherin, α-tubulin, and tau mRNA expression. In undifferentiated PCER cells, E treatment increased peripherin, reduced α-tubulin, and did not alter tau mRNA levels. No changes in these mRNAs were observed in the controls (undifferentiated PCCON cells) after E treatment. NGF treatment markedly stimulated expression of peripherin, α-tubulin, and tau mRNAs in both PCER and PCCON cells. From these observations we conclude that E synergizes with NGF and stimulates neurite sprouting and also modulates expression of several cytoskeletal mRNAs through ERα.
Transient Temperature Measurement in Nanosecond Pulsed Laser Micro Drilling by Using Micro Thin Film Thermocouples

It is of fundamental interest to investigate the complicated and transient thermal phenomena near the nanosecond pulsed laser-material interaction region. While numerous analytic and numerical models have been developed, little experimental results are available for a solid understanding of transient thermal phenomena in nanosecond pulsed laser micro drilling. In this paper, micro thin film thermocouples were fabricated on electroplated nickel substrates to study the transient temperature variations during laser micro drilling. Transient temperatures were successfully measured with superior temporal and spatial resolutions for the fundamental study of the nanosecond pulsed laser micro drilling. The in-situ measured data can be used to improve existing analytical and numerical models.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Investigation on the corrosion behavior of aluminum alloys 3A21 and 7A09 in chloride aqueous solution

Abstract The corrosion behavior of aluminum alloys 3A21 and 7A09 in 3.5%NaCl solution were studied by using microstructure examination, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Results show that the two kinds of alloys both suffer from pitting corrosion and the corrosion of 7A09 is much more serious than that of 3A21. The EIS tests reveal high corrosion rate for 7A09 alloy and good corrosion resistance for 3A21 alloy. XPS and FT-IR analysis demonstrate that the corrosion products are mainly composed of Al 2 O 3 , Al(OH) 3 and AlCl 3 .
RoboLeader: an agent for supervisory control of multiple robots

We developed an intelligent agent, RoboLeader, that could assist human operators in route planning for a team of ground robots. We compared the operators' target detection performance in the 4-robot and 8-robot conditions. Results showed that the participants detected significantly less targets and had significantly worse situation awareness when there were 8 robots compared to the 4-robot condition. Those participants with higher spatial ability detected more targets than did those with lower spatial ability. Participants' self-assessed workload was affected by the number of robots under control, their gender, and their attentional control ability.
MOOCs as a massive research laboratory: opportunities and challenges

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) offer many opportunities for research into several topics related to pedagogical methods and student incentives. In the context of over 20 years of online learning research, we discuss lessons to be learned from observational comparisons and experiments on randomly chosen groups of students. We target two MOOCs for our study. We investigate dropout rates and how students who decide to drop out differ from those who continue courses. We discuss class forums and video lectures and how these interactions correlate with achievement. We explore the strong correlation between procrastination and achievement and implications for MOOC design. We examine the role of certifications offered by MOOCs and how different options can affect outcomes. We also examine the potential of linking data across courses. We discuss survey data in the context of these MOOCs. These research opportunities offer big data challenges, which are addressed with parallel computing techniques.
Argatroban, bivalirudin, and lepirudin do not decrease clot propagation and strength as effectively as heparin-activated antithrombin in vitro

Background Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia is a potentially limb- and life-threatening response to heparin exposure. Direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) have been reported to provide anti-coagulation for cardiopulmonary bypass; however, clot formation within the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit has been reported after the administration of DTIs. We present a case of thrombosis of the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit and, ultimately, death after argatroban administration. An in vitro thrombelastographic assessment of the effects of DTIs on clot kinetics was consequently performed to determine potential causes for this complication. Methods Normal human plasma was unmodified or exposed to heparin (1, 2, 3 U/ml), argatroban (5, 10, 50 μg/ml), bivalirudin (12, 20, 120 μg/ml), or lepirudin (3, 6, 10 μg/ml) before activation with tissue factor/kaolin in a thrombelastograph. Clot initiation (R, reaction time), propagation (MTG, maximum thrombus generation), and strength (MG, maximum elastic modulus) were determined. Analysis of variance was performed, with p Results Compared with unmodified plasma, heparin significantly prolonged R and essentially reduced MTG and MG to the limits of detection in an activity-dependent fashion. In general, the DTIs tested prolonged R in a concentration-dependent fashion but did not diminish MTG or MG nearly as well as heparin. The only exception was 10 μg/ml lepirudin, which eliminated coagulation. Conclusions DTIs demonstrated a significant prolongation of clot initiation but poor attenuation of propagation and strength. Further in vitro and clinical investigations to design a heparin-equivalent regimen to provide anti-coagulation for patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia are indicated.
Regulation of Cytosolic Proteins BindingcisElements in the 5′ Leader Sequence of the Angiotensin AT1Receptor mRNA

Abstract RNA binding proteins (BPs) have been identified which bind within a −271 to −174 nt domain in the 5′ leader sequence (5′LS) of the rat type 1 angiotensin (AT 1 ) receptor mRNA and which encompass RNA cis elements upstream of −239. A 100 kDa RNA-protein complex is observed by UV-crosslinking in several tissues including brain, lung, and spleen. 5′LS RNA transcripts of the 1a and 1b AT receptor subtypes are strong competitors of 5′LS-protein complex formation. In contrast, antisense 5′LS AT 1a transcripts, plasmid transcripts, poly U and poly A RNAs, or 5′LS AT 1a cDNA are poor competitors. Deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) decreased 5′LS-BP activities in the forebrain and hypothalamus under conditions known to significantly increase AT 1 receptor expression. DOCA had no effect on 5′LS-BP activities in the pituitary which correlates with its lack of effect on pituitary AT 1 receptor expression. These results indicate that DOCA differentially regulates 5′LS-BP activities in a tissue-specific manner and suggest that physiologically mediated changes in AT 1 receptor expression are mediated by alterations in 5′LS-BP activities, which represents a previously unrecognized level of regulation for the renin angiotensin system.
A simple auto,atic angular correlation system

Abstract The automation of a conventional gamma-gamma or beta-gamma directional correlation system with one fixed and one movable detector is described. The system described is very simple, reliable and easily adaptable to any type of angular correlation work. The cost of the system is between $500 and $3000, depending upon the parts available, for example from a tube-type multichannel analyzer.
A hybrid measure-correlate-predict method for long-term wind condition assessment

Abstract This paper develops a hybrid measure-correlate-predict (MCP) strategy to assess long-term wind resource variations at a farm site. The hybrid MCP method uses recorded data from multiple reference stations to estimate long-term wind conditions at a target wind plant site with greater accuracy than is possible with data from a single reference station. The weight of each reference station in the hybrid strategy is determined by the (i) distance and (ii) elevation differences between the target farm site and each reference station. In this case, the wind data is divided into sectors according to the wind direction, and the MCP strategy is implemented for each wind direction sector separately. The applicability of the proposed hybrid strategy is investigated using five MCP methods: (i) the linear regression; (ii) the variance ratio; (iii) the Weibull scale; (iv) the artificial neural networks; and (v) the support vector regression. To implement the hybrid MCP methodology, we use hourly averaged wind data recorded at five stations in the state of Minnesota between 07-01-1996 and 06-30-2004. Three sets of performance metrics are used to evaluate the hybrid MCP method. The first set of metrics analyze the statistical performance, including the mean wind speed, wind speed variance, root mean square error, and mean absolute error. The second set of metrics evaluate the distribution of long-term wind speed; to this end, the Weibull distribution and the Multivariate and Multimodal Wind Distribution models are adopted. The third set of metrics analyze the energy production of a wind farm. The best hybrid MCP strategy from 256 different combinations of MCP algorithms and reference stations is investigated and selected. The results illustrate that the many-to-one correlation in such a hybrid approach can provide a more reliable prediction of long-term on-site wind variations than that provided by the one-to-one correlations. The accuracy of the hybrid MCP method is found to be highly sensitive to the combination of individual MCP algorithms and reference stations used. It is also observed that the best combination of MCP algorithms is influenced by the length of the concurrent short-term correlation period.
Gate sizing with controlled displacement

In this paper, we present an algorithm for gate sizing with controlled displacement to improve the overall circuit timing. We use a path-based delay model to capture the timing constraints in the circuit. To reduce the problem size and improve the solution convergence, we iteratively identify and optimize the k-most critical paths in the circuit and their neighboring cells. All the operations are formulated and solved as mathematical programming problems by using efficient solution techniques. Experimental results on a set of benchmark circuits demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach compared to the conventional approaches, which separate gate sizing from gate placement.
THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT APPROACH TO DIARRHEA

Enteric disease represents a significant medical problem on a worldwide basis. The evaluation of patients with diarrhea in the emergency department should follow a stepwise methodology to identify potentially serious disorders. The evaluation of the stool for fecal leukocytes is an important differentiation point in the evaluation of the moderately to seriously ill diarrhea patient. Oral rehydration alone can treat the vast majority of diarrhea patients. Oral rehydration solution takes advantage of the sodium glucose coupled active absorption mechanism, which is largely unaffected by enteric toxins. Antimicrobial or antidiarrheal agents are rarely indicated in the treatment of diarrhea.
Protein antimicrobial barriers to bacterial adhesion: in vitro and in vivo evaluation of nisin-treated implantable materials

Abstract A novel approach to controlling unwanted microbial adhesion in clinical environments is to inhibit the initial attachment of bacteria, rather than trying to remove them once they have adhered. Previous investigations have established that antimicrobial peptides such as nisin can adsorb to surfaces and still retain sufficient activity to inhibit pathogenic bacteria. We examined techniques of application of nisin in vitro to elucidate those most effective and practical for use on biomedical implants in vivo. Nisin adsorbed quickly on Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) suction catheter tubing, with only a slight gain in nisin activity as contact times increased from 10 s to 8 h. The activity of nisin adsorbed on PVC suction catheter tubing increased as solution concentrations increased from 0.01 to 2.0 mg/ml, and it decreased with aging in protein-free phosphate buffer for 48 h and with drying for up to 2 months. When exposed to three species of Gram-positive bacteria, nisin-treated PVC tubing demonstrated an ability to inhibit bacterial growth, while bacteria grew unchecked on catheter material that was untreated. We then examined the ability of nisin to retain its activity in vivo when placed on implants in blood vessels or the upper airway and whether nisin causes tissue reactions greater than untreated implants placed in sheep and ponies. Freshly prepared nisin was applied to Teflon® FEP intravenous catheters and to PVC tracheotomy tubes at the time of placement, using a concentration of 1.0 mg/ml and 10-s contact time. Tissue reactions in response to nisin adsorbed on intravenous catheters or tracheotomy tubes did not occur in sheep or ponies, respectively. Nisin activity was retained for more than 5 h but less than 1 week on intravenous catheters placed in the jugular veins of sheep, and the veins with short-term catheters showed fewer and less severe histologic abnormalities compared with controls, indicating a possible protective effect on vascular endothelium. Nisin activity was retained on PVC tracheotomy tubes maintained for 1–2 h in ponies, but not on tubes in place for 24 h. As the first preclinical trial of nisin-treated implantable materials, this study represents an important first step for developing the potentially broad use of protein antimicrobial films on implantable medical devices.
Perturbation Theory and the Equilibrium Structure of Simple Liquids

Monte Carlo studies of the reference fluid used by Chandler, Weeks, and Andersen (CWA) are reported. Although the CWA theory gives good values for the total thermodynamic properties, in its original form it gives less satisfactory values for the individual terms in their perturbation expansion. This results in part from the use of the Percus-Yevick theory in the CWA calculation of the radial distribution function.
Peasants or Bankers in Venezuela? Presidential Popularity and Economic Reform Approval, 1989-1993

How do people's assessments of past and future economic conditions affect their political judgments and choices, especially their evaluation of drastic market-oriented reform and its initiator? Dra...
Nf2–Yap signaling controls the expansion of DRG progenitors and glia during DRG development

Molecular mechanisms governing the maintenance and proliferation of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) progenitors are largely unknown. Here we reveal that the Hippo pathway regulates the expansion of DRG progenitors and glia during mammalian DRG development. The key effectors of this pathway, transcriptional coactivators Yap and Taz, are expressed in DRG progenitors and glia during DRG development but are at least partially inhibited from activating transcription. Aberrant YAP activation leads to overexpansion of DRG progenitor and glial populations. We further show that the Neurofibromatosis 2 (Nf2) tumor suppressor inhibits Yap during DRG development. Loss of Nf2 leads to similar phenotypes as does YAP hyperactivation, and deleting Yap suppresses these phenotypes. Our study demonstrates that Nf2-Yap signaling plays important roles in controlling the expansion of DRG progenitors and glia during DRG development.
Formal planning in major U.S. corporations

Abstract As the world about us changes, managers in all types of institutions try to cope in a variety of ways. In the early 1960s, many corporate managers realized they could not make sound decisions about future business activities in an expedient, reactive manner because their firms were growing very large and complex with new technologies, products, markets and competition to deal with. As a result, formal planning techniques which had been used in narrow functional applications were introduced on a much broader scale and formal long-range planning became popular. New corporate planning functions appeared in many companies, as well as new staff planning specialists and planning executives. The author conducted a field study on the design of these systems in the mid-1960s and he argues that they showed great promise for improved management. With this history in mind, we might ask why such subjects as ‘planning techniques’ and ‘problems of implementation’ are still topics of concern. It would seem that such techniques would be well known and established in most firms after 10–15 years. However, this is not the case, for during a second field study of corporate planning systems which was completed in 1976 the author found that many corporations, including some of the largest ones, had redesigned their planning systems in the early 1970s, essentially making a fresh start at formal long-range planning. (See Table 1). From his recent field study the author concludes that all corporations experience problems in implementing and using a formal planning system. The nature of these problems and some possible remedies are the subjects upon which this article focuses.
COMMENTS ON CLAPP AND DE CIANTIS' STUDY OF COGNITIVE STYLE (KIRTON ADAPTION-INNOVATION INVENTORY) IN LARGE ORGANIZATIONS '

Summary.-Clapp and De Ciantis (1989) do not provide sufficient data to support their conclusions; their criterion for "modification" is questionable; dsferences between work groups are not tested for statistical significance but are inferred; reported sex differences are not taken into account in the data analysis; and the citation of Stein's work from 1974 and 1975 is erroneous. (1) Clapp and De Ciantis' (1989) hypothesis, as stated in the summary (p. 503), is "that overt creativity, problem solving and decision-making behavior is modified in a large industrial setting (even though the underlying cognitive preference remains intact) in a way that is predictable and observable. . . ." According to the authors, this hypothesis is "supported and replicated across three work groups." However, the body of the paper makes no mention of data gathered on overtlmanifest creativity, problem solving and decision making. The only data gathered are on cognitive style as measured by the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI). (2) A somewhat different hypothesis is stated on page 505. It says, "This paper tests the hypothesis that, although individual cognitive style preference is stable . . . associated behavior is modified in a large industrial setting." No data are provided for the stability of the cognitive styles of the subjects studied. The support they cite comes from already published sources some of which do not involve the instrument used in this study.
Multidimensional Diagnosis and Treatment Planning in Maxillofacial Surgery

1. Computer-Assisted Navigational Surgery in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Baumann) 2. A Computer Assisted Approach to Planning Multidimensional Distraction Osteogenesis (Yeshwant) 3. Interactive CT Software on Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Dodson) 4. Imaging Guided Biopsy (Curtin) 5. Ultrasonography (O'Neill) 6. CAD/CAM TMJ Model Surgery (Keith, Stephens) 7. Geometrical Considerations in the Transitions from 2D to 3D Treatment Planning (Seldin) 8. Three Dimensional Computer-Aided Surgical Simulation for Maxillofacial Surgery (Xia)
Origins and implications of temperature-dependent activation energy barriers for dislocation nucleation in face-centered cubic metals

The linking of atomistic simulations of stress-driven processes to experimentally observed mechanical behavior via the computation of activation energy barriers is a topic of intense current research. Using dislocation nucleation from a crack tip as the reaction process, long-time multiscale molecular dynamics simulations show that the activation barrier can exhibit significant temperature dependence. Using an analytic model for the nucleation process and computing the relevant material properties (elastic constants and stacking fault energies), the temperature dependence is shown to arise primarily from the temperature dependence of the material parameters for both Al and Ni. After thermally activated emission of the first partial dislocation, there is then a competition between two other thermally activated processes: twinning and full dislocation emission. Because the activation barriers depend on temperature, this transition is more complex than usually envisioned. Simulations in Al reveal that a transition from twinning to full dislocation emission back to twinning occurs with increasing temperature, which is counter to traditional metallurgical wisdom. Temperature-dependent activation energies are thus essential to accurate understanding and prediction of those phenomena that control fracture and deformation in metals at realistic loading rates.
Influence of lead, cadmium, and nickel on the growth ofMedicago sativa (L.)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), cv. Iroquois, was grown in the greenhouse in soils amended with additions of either lead, cadmium, or nickel. Metals, at rates varying from 0–250 ppm, were not uniformly mixed but were placed close to the soil surface so as to simulate surface deposition. In one series of experiments the sulphate salt of each metal and two soils were used. In a second series of experiments the nitrate salts and one soil were used. Neither salt of lead significantly depressed alfalfa yields. Both salts of either cadmium or nickel significantly depressed yields. Additions of all metals to the soil resulted in both increased metal uptake and concentrations in alfalfa tissue, particularly for cadmium and nickel. The highest tissue concentrations of cadmium and nickel were associated with plant stunting and necrosis. However, at rates of 125 ppm and less, substantial increases in cadmium and nickel concentrations were obtained frequently without serious yield reductions. Generally, metal concentrations were greatest in the first harvest following metal application. Concentration and uptake of lead and cadmium were greater when the metal was applied to the soil as nitrate than when applied as the sulphate salt.
Discriminant Analysis for Prediction of College Graduation.

Data from readily available admission applications were obtained for first-time entering freshmen and transfer students who initially had enrolled at the University of Northern Colorado during the fall quarter 1970. These data were used to predict membership into a class of students who (a) were graduated by the end of the traditional 4-year college career, (b) were still enrolled after the 4-year period, (c) were not enrolled the quarter following academic probation or suspension, or (d) left the university while in good academic standing. This study attempted to answer the following questions: (a) Could discriminant functions be developed which would allow for the correct classification of a student into one of the four categories of interest? (b) Which ones of the variables were the best discriminators between the groups? and (c) How efficient were the discriminant functions in this classification procedure? Results indicated that discriminant functions could be developed which accurately place 33% to ...
Effects of melatonin and serotonin on 14C-glucose metabolism in rabbit adipose tissue.

Nous avons etudie les effets de la melatonine et de la serotonine sur le metabolisme du14C-glucose dans le tissue adipeux du lapin. La melatonine semble inhiber la synthese des acides gras et l'oxidation du glucose alors que la serotonine est sans action. La melatonine et la serotonine empechent l'incorporation du14C-glucose dans la fraction glyceride-glycerol.
Increasing Cooperation in Prisoner's Dilemmas by Establishing a Precedent of Efficiency in Coordination Games.

Coordination games have multiple Nash equilibria (i.e., sets of strategies which are best responses to one another). In weak-link coordination games players choose a number 1–7. Their payoff is increasing in the minimum number (or weakest link) and decreasing in the difference between their number and the minimum. Choosing 7 is an efficient equilibrium because it gives everybody a higher payoff than any other coordinated choice. Higher-payoff equilibria are riskier, however, so the game expresses the tradeoff between group efficiency and personal risk present in many social and organizational settings. We tested whether choosing efficiently in a weak-link game increases cooperative play in a subsequent prisoner's dilemma (PD) game. This cross-game transfer resembles the transfer of cooperative norms in small firms (which are more like coordination games than PDs) as firms grow larger and become like PDs. In two experiments, if a group of players share a history of playing the weak-link game efficiently, that efficiency precedent can transfer to a subsequent PD game, improving the level of cooperativeness. The effect of transfer is much larger in magnitude (increasing cooperation from 15–30% to 71%) than the effects of most variables in previous PD studies. However, the transfer effect depends on descriptive similarity of strategies in the two games, since it largely disappears when the strategies are numbered differently in the weak-link game and the PD.
SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE TO DESIGN OPTIMIZATION

Rockwell Space Systems Division has been undergoing dramatic changes in the last three years to embrace the Integrated Product Team (IPT) development concept. The architecture of the design system operates is critical to our mission in becoming cheaper, faster, better. Our design architecture is evolving from one that is a byproduct of the design to one of driving good design. A key element in the design process is the interconnectivity of systems and design engineering. This paper discusses the changes that are occurring in people, processes and technologies which are evolving to produce cost effective, designed products by Rockwell Space Systems Division. A modification product design case study involving tool integration known as Enterprise Process and Data Management (EPDM) will be examined in more detail.
Yellow Staining of Skin Among Plastics Workers

To the Editor.— We have reexamined the thesis that 4,4′-methylenedianiline (MDA) exposure was responsible for yellow staining of the skin among workers at a molded plastics factory. 1 Barr et al 2 note that metaphenylenediamine (MPD) is also a component of curing agent Z (Shell Oil Co, Houston), to which the workers were exposed. Figure 1 gives curing agent Z components, provided by Shell as potential health hazards at the time of the 1980 study (published in theArchivesin 1985) 1 . Shell did not include MPD as a component. Quite the contrary, information provided by Shell Technical Services attributed the probable cause of staining to MDA. In fact, MPD was acknowledged as a component on the Material Safety Data Sheet of curing agent Z only after 1983 (G. Youngblood, personal communication, March 1987). To determine which chemical(s) actually caused yellow discoloration of skin, we compared staining properties of reagent
Using Writing-to-Learn Science Strategies to Improve Year 11 Students' Understandings of Stoichiometry

This study researched the use of writing-to-learn strategies within a high-school (Year 11) chemistry classroom. The writing task itself asked the students to write a business letter to a younger audience of middle-school (Year 7) students. A mixed-method design was used for the study, incorporating pre/post- testing with semi-structured interviews. The evidence supports that the treatment students performed statistically significantly better on a conceptual question compared to the control group. Additionally, the treatment students felt that writing to a younger audience prompted them to use different language than they would have if, for example, writing to their teacher. Further, the treatment students described that the writing task promoted their understanding of and their confidence in their knowledge of the stoichiometry concepts addressed in class.
Interaction of harmonic plane waves with a mobile elastic phase boundary in anti-plane shear

Abstract This paper is concerned with the effect of sustained infinitesimal harmonic plane wave excitation of a phase boundary in a non-linearly elastic material that is subject to anti-plane shear deformation. The phase boundary is capable of motion that is here described by a harmonic travelling waveform. The reflected wave is also a harmonic plane wave, however the transmitted wave may be either in the form of a harmonic plane wave or a harmonic surface wave. The phase boundary motion is determined on the basis of a standard kinetic relation that involves a single mobility parameter. This gives phase boundary motion that is synchronized with the incident wave for the case of a transmitted plane wave, but is not synchronized with the incident plane wave for the case of a transmitted surface wave. A certain fraction of the energy provided by the incident wave is dissipated by phase boundary motion in a fashion that can be explicitly quantified. Special incident angles can suppress the reflected wave, suppress the transmitted wave or cause the dissipation to vanish.
Cadherin-8 and N-cadherin differentially regulate pre- and postsynaptic development of the hippocampal mossy fiber pathway.

Cells sort into regions and groups in part by their selective surface expression of particular classic cadherins during development. In the nervous system, cadherin-based sorting can define axon tracts, restrict axonal and dendritic arbors to particular regions or layers, and may encode certain aspects of synapse specificity. The underlying model has been that afferents and their targets hold in common the expression of a particular cadherin, thereby providing a recognition code of homophilic cadherin binding. However, most neurons express multiple cadherins, and it is not clear whether multiple cadherins all act similarly in shaping neural circuitry. Here we asked how two such cadherins, cadherin-8 and N-cadherin, influence the guidance and differentiation of hippocampal mossy fibers. Using organotypic hippocampal cultures, we find that cadherin-8 regulates mossy fiber fasciculation and targeting, but has little effect on CA3 dendrites. In contrast, N-cadherin regulates mossy fiber fasciculation, but has little impact on axonal growth and targeting. However, N-cadherin is essential for CA3 dendrite arborization. Both cadherins are required for formation of proper numbers of presynaptic terminals. Mechanistically, such differential actions of these two cadherins could, in theory, reflect coupling to distinct intracellular binding partners. However, we find that both cadherins bind b-catenin in dentate gyrus (DG). This suggests that cadherins may engage different intracellular signaling cascades downstream of b-catenin, coopt different extracellular binding partners, or target distinct subcellular domains. Together our findings demonstrate that cadherin-8 and N-cadherin are critical for generating the mossy fiber pathway, but that each contributes differentially to afferent and target differentiation, thereby complementing one another in the assembly of a synaptic circuit.
Novel Degenerate PCR Method for Whole-Genome Amplification Applied to Peru Margin (ODP Leg 201) Subsurface Samples

A degenerate PCR-based method of whole-genome amplification, designed to work fluidly with 454 sequencing technology, was developed and tested for use on deep marine subsurface DNA samples. The method, which we have called Random Amplification Metagenomic PCR (RAMP), involves the use of specific primers from Roche 454 amplicon sequencing, modified by the addition of a degenerate region at the 3’ end. It utilizes a PCR reaction, which resulted in no amplification from blanks, even after 50 cycles of PCR. After efforts to optimize experimental conditions, the method was tested with DNA extracted from cultured E. coli cells, and genome coverage was estimated after sequencing on three different occasions. Coverage did not vary greatly with the different experimental conditions tested, and was around 62% with a sequencing effort equivalent to a theoretical genome coverage of 14.10X. The GC content of the sequenced amplification product was within 2% of the predicted values for this strain of E. coli. The method was also applied to DNA extracted from marine subsurface samples from ODP Leg 201 site 1229 (Peru Margin), and results of a taxonomic analysis revealed microbial communities dominated by Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Euryarchaeota, and Crenarchaeota, among others. These results were similar to those obtained previously for those samples; however, variations in the proportions of taxa show that community analysis can be sensitive to both the amplification technique used and the method of assigning sequences to taxonomic groups. Overall, we find that RAMP represents a valid methodology for amplifying metagenomes from low biomass samples.
The excretion of dehydroisoandrosterone during adrenal stimulation with adrenocorticotropic hormone.

DEHYDROISOANDROSTERONE is recognized as a steroid excretion product related to adrenal function, and it is excreted in large amounts by persons suffering from adrenal tumor (1, 2, 3) but not by those suffering from adrenal hyperplasia. These facts suggest that a study of this excretion product after stimulation of the adrenal cortex with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) would yield further information on the activity of the normal adrenal cortex. The recent contribution of Landau and associates (4), using the Pettenkofer reaction, again calls attention to dehydroisoandrosterone as an important excretion product connected with normal adrenal cortical activity. The well recognized instability of dehydroisoandrosterone to the hydrolysis with strong acid at high temperature used by previous investigators, led to the use of milder hydrolytic procedures. As pointed out by Leiberman and Dobriner (5) mild acid hydrolysis appears to be sufficient to liberate the steroids conjugated as sulfate and certainly dehyd...
Mass incarceration, legal change, and locale: understanding and remediating American penal overindulgence

Research Summary In this article, I have three major aims. First, I examine in detail the role that changes to legal policies and practice have played in the rise of mass incarceration. I look at four distinct aspects of legal change and argue that the law (and legal change) in these varied forms is the engine that has driven prison growth and, therefore, must be addressed in explanations of this phenomenon. This discussion leads to my second major goal, which is to move beyond national-level explanations of American mass incarceration and call for a more unified empirically based understanding that highlights the localized social, cultural, and political factors that have contributed to the imprisonment explosion. I conclude by exploring how this kind of theorization provides a road map to a more localized policy reform strategy that aims to reduce our reliance on incarceration.
Implications of a light Higgs scalar

Phenomenological consequences of a light neutral Higgs scalar S (mass < 3.7 GeV) are explored in various two-Higgs-doublet models where some of the couplings are strongly enhanced. In one class of models the two-gluon decay mode is predominant, and decays into two muons are quite suppressed. A detailed analysis of the decay b → s + S is given. The consequences a light scalar for supersymmetric models are discussed.
Student-Initiated Study Groups for STEM Classes in Community College Settings

This article describes a focus group research study that examined the experiences of community college students who initiated study groups for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses based on self-identified needs for learning support. Results indicated that students identified early in the semester that they needed assistance with studying, negotiated group roles including identifying a group leader, and utilized technology to communicate and study with group members. Students who participated also believed they benefited from their participation by learning the material from different perspectives, and learning new techniques for studying, but also saw potential negative consequences for students who were not able to join study groups. They recommended that the institutions be more intentional about encouraging students to form study groups, especially in STEM classes.
Prediction based bandwidth reservation

A goal in soft real-time systems is to maintain quality of service in the presence of variations in computation times while efficiently utilizing the system. Several feedback-based scheduling algorithms have been proposed for this application. This paper presents a prediction-based bandwidth reservation policy with the same goal. A proof is presented to show stability, of the job queue. Simulation results are also presented to show the effectiveness of the policy
Longitudinal progression of subclinical structural brain disease in normal aging.

Objective The authors describe four types of brain structural change in "normal aging:" cortical atrophy, central atrophy, deep white-matter hyperintensities (DWMH), and periventricular hyperintensities (PVH). Cross-sectional investigations have reported that greater volumes of these forms of "subclinical structural brain disease" (SSBD) were found with increasing age. Greater volumes were also associated with poorer cognition, even though subjects performed within the normal range. The natural history of these forms of SSBD and their functional impact are not well established. Methods Twenty-nine normal subjects, ages 60–89, were examined longitudinally by volumetric magnetic resonance imagery, with two assessments performed at least 2 years apart; 26 also completed neuropsychological testing to evaluate processing speed, executive functions, language, and other cognitive functions. Associations between structure and function were evaluated with regression models. Results For most subjects, the volumes for signs of all types of SSBD were found to have increased; for many subjects, increases were small, and a few showed no change or small decreases. PVH and DWMH increases were predicted by baseline cerebrovascular risk factors. Cognitive test performance changed little over time for these normal subjects. Conclusions SSBD volumes increased for most subjects over time, with small average increases for most types. Pretreatment cerebrovascular risk factors were associated with greater increases of PVH and DWMH, suggesting that progression of these types of SSBD may be amenable to intervention.
Uniformity differentiation analysis of powder deposition characteristics in circular and rectangular shallow dies using feed shoe with square cross-section

The inhomogeneity of the pressure distribution after completion of the filling process might create tablet and compact quality issues. Generating a uniform precompaction powder deposition into a die would minimize one source of tablet quality issues. This article determines the characteristics of the deposition process into a rectangular die and a circular shallow die, using a feed shoe with a square cross-section tube. A series of experiments were performed that determined the cumulative influence of particle size, die geometry, and feed shoe speed on uniformity of pressure distribution at the end of filling process. For uniformity comparison, the profiles of pressure distribution at the end of filling process were displayed as contour plots. Symmetry analysis, variance metrics, and uniformity analysis were implemented to quantify the deposition characteristics. Feed shoe speeds of 20 and 100 mm/s were used to fill the die. Due to their differing particle characteristics and importance, a pharmaceutical ...
Gene-based partial least-squares approaches for detecting rare variant associations with complex traits

Genome-wide association studies are largely based on single-nucleotide polymorphisms and rest on the common disease/common variants (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) hypothesis. However, it has been argued in the last few years and is well accepted now that rare variants are valuable for studying common diseases. Although current genome-wide association studies have successfully discovered many genetic variants that are associated with common diseases, detecting associated rare variants remains a great challenge. Here, we propose two partial least-squares approaches to aggregate the signals of many single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within a gene to reveal possible genetic effects related to rare variants. The availability of the 1000 Genomes Project offers us the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of these two gene-based approaches. Compared to results from a SNP-based analysis, the proposed methods were able to identify some (rare) SNPs that were missed by the SNP-based analysis.
Aquatic electrical resistivity imaging of shallow-water wetlands

This study uses aquatic electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) to predict spatial and temporal patterns of pore-fluid conductivity in wetland soils of a shallow-water wetland. The technique involves floating electrodes from a paddleboat. Resistivity measurements for the study were obtained six times over a four-month period, covering a 10,000- m2 grid. Three-dimensional inversion is used in the study to determine the conductivity distribution of the subsurface, using the smoothness-constrained least-squares optimization method. Surface water depth and conductivity were entered as known information in the 3D inversion and measurement error (for constraining the inversion) estimated from tie points. Pore-fluid conductivity was constrained using (1) surface conduction measurements obtained from laboratory experiments on soils extracted from the wetland and (2) a correction for temporal and spatial temperature variations using direct surface water temperature measurements. The study demonstrates that aquatic ER...