cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ENDOR operation under an intense RF field

Abstract Strong ENDOR signals arising from a reduction of the ESR absorption were observed by applying an intense RF field. For example, in the case of an X ray irradiated crystal of N-acetylglycine, some signal intensities exceeded 10% of the ESR signal intensity. These signals appeared to arise from nuclear spin decoupling rather than population modulation, as in conventional ENDOR. Their behavior was found to be completely different in several respects from that for spin decoupling in high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance in liquids.
Correlation of spontaneous and induced premature atrial complexes initiating atrial fibrillation in humans: electrophysiologic parameters for guiding therapy.

Atrial Fibrillation Induction and Ablation. Introduction: The low frequency of spontaneous premature atrial contractions (PACs) may be an impediment to mapping and ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). It has been shown that PACs following external or internal cardioversion of AF can initiate AF. If this method could reproducibly induce PACs from the same location as spontaneous PACs, it would be clinically significant. High-resolution noncontact mapping can map a single beat, should help identify the sites of spontaneously occurring PACs and PACs induced following cardioversion of spontaneous or induced AF, and could help correlate the trigger sites for AF induction. Methods and Results: Twelve patients (8 men and 4 women; mean age 49 ± 10 years) with spontaneous PACs were included in the study. In all patients, AF was induced and subsequently cardioverted to assess and map isolated PACs or PACs that induced AF. Using the EnSite 3000 noncontact mapping system, mapping was performed of spontaneously occurring isolated PACs and PACs that induced AF and PACs (both with and without AF) that occurred on at least two different occasions following cardioversion. The locations of the spontaneous and the induced PACs were similar; 97% of induced PACs came from the same locations as those of spontaneous PACs (P = 0.5). Radiofrequency lesions guided by this mapping technique were delivered at 14 pulmonary vein sites. Following a single ablation attempt during a mean follow-up of 19 ± 4 weeks, 42% of the patients were in sinus rhythm and drug-free, whereas an additional 24% of patients could be maintained in sinus rhythm on drugs that had failed before. Conclusion: There is a high degree of correlation between spontaneous and induced PACs as the trigger sites for AF initiation. Cardioversion of spontaneous or induced AF could be used as an electrophysiologic parameter for guiding therapy.
Degradation of plasma-sprayed yttria-stabilized zirconia coatings via ingress of vanadium oxide

Abstract V 2 O 5 reaction and melt infiltration in plasma-sprayed 7 wt% Y 2 O 3 –ZrO 2 (YSZ) coatings were investigated at temperatures ranging from 750 °C to 1200 °C using SEM and TEM combined with EDS. The interlamellar pores and intralamellar cracks, common in plasma-sprayed materials, provide pathway for the molten species. The microstructure of the contaminated coatings is therefore the result of the interplay between the dissolution/reaction rates of the V 2 O 5 with YSZ coating and the infiltration rates of the molten species. Near the coating surface, the reaction front proceeds in a planar fashion, via dissolution of the lamella and precipitation of fine-grained reaction products composed of ZrV 2 O 7 (for reactions at 750 °C and below), m-ZrO 2 and YVO 4 . The thickness of this planar reaction zone or PRZ was found to increase as reaction time and temperature increased. The melted V 2 O 5 was observed to infiltrate along the characteristic microstructure of plasma-sprayed coatings, i.e. the interconnected pores and cracks, and react with the YSZ. The thickness of this melt infiltrated reaction zone or MIRZ ranged from 5 μm for reactions at 750 °C for 30 min to 130 μm for reactions at 1000 °C for 90 min. At 1200 °C, only a PRZ was observed (i.e. the thickness of the MIRZ was nominally zero), suggesting that the dissolution reaction within the pores/cracks and subsequent formation of reaction products may limit infiltration. Fifty-hour heat-treatments at 1000 °C and 1200 °C prior to reaction with the V 2 O 5 at 800 °C for 90 min were used to change the microstructural features of the coating, such as crack connectivity and pore size. The heat-treatment at 1000 °C was found most deleterious to the coating due to large cracks created via a desintering process that afforded deep penetration of the molten V 2 O 5 .
Transformation of a rabbit progesterone receptor from an 8S form to 5.5S and 4S forms

The 8S form of the rabbit uterine progesterone receptor transforms slowly at 0 degree C to a 4S form with an intermediate 5.5S form. The transformation is accelerated by either heat, increased ionic strength and dilution of cytosol. The transformation, which is reversibly inhibited by sodium molybdate, is unrelated to total cytosolic alkaline phosphatase activity. The transformation is accompanied by a positive change in receptor surface charge and a decrease in the rate of progesterone dissociation. The stability of the 8S progesterone-receptor complex is reduced and the sedimentation coefficient increased by acidic conditions; acid does not affect the 4S receptor as drastically.
Gasification of Boron Oxide Drops in Combustion Gases

Abstract The behavior of boron oxide drops was studied in the post flame region of a flat-flame burner. Individual particles were supported on a probe and rapidly could be placed in the gas environment. Measurements were made of the variation of particle size and temperature with time. Burner operating conditions were varied to give fuel equivalence ratios in the range 0.3–0.7 and gas temperatures in the range 1500–1975 K at atmospheric pressure. Flame environments both with and without water vapor present were con sidered. Results show that boron oxide gasification is a relatively slow process with 1000 μm initial diameter drop lifetimes ranging from two minutes to two hours. The presence of water vapor speeds gasification, as suggested by King, and probably accounts for the shorter ignition delay s observed for the oxidation of bo ron particles in wet en vironments. Application of a diffusion-limited equilibrium model provided excellent agreement with oxide drop-life histories at all conditions except f...
THE ELASTOPLASTIC THICK-WALLED SPHERE SUBJECTED TO A RADIAL TEMPERATURE GRADIENT

An exact solution is obtained for the behavior of an ideal elastoplastic hollow sphere that is thermally stressed by a slowly increasing temperature difference between the irner and outer surfaces. An approximate analysis in which elastic strains are neglected is also presented. It is shown that the approximate analysis gives the asymptotic form of the exact solution at infinitely high temperatures. (auth)
Different Shades of Green Consciousness: The Interplay of Sustainability Labeling and Environmental Impact on Product Evaluations

The sustainability labeling on the front of a package featured in a print advertisement may influence consumers’ product evaluations and purchase decisions. The findings of this exploratory study suggest that consumers seem to evaluate the sustainability claim more favorably if the advertisement highlights the personal impact on them. Moreover, environmental involvement appears to further moderate the effects of sustainability claims and environmental impact framing. The interactions that emerged in this study suggest that sustainability labeling effects constitute a complex phenomenon that warrants future research.
Self-correcting initial value formulations in nonlinear structural mechanics

Nonlinear static structural mechanical problems solution, using self correcting initial value formulations
The assembly of the Belle II TOP counter

Abstract A new type of ring-imaging Cherenkov counter, called TOP counter, has been developed for particle identification at the Belle II experiment to run at the SuperKEKB accelerator in KEK, Japan. The detector consists of 16 identical modules arranged azimuthally around the beam line. The assembly procedure for a TOP module is described. This procedure includes acceptance testing of the quartz mirror, prism, and quartz bar radiators. The acceptance tests include a chip search and measurements of bulk transmittance and total internal reflectance. The process for aligning and gluing the optical components together is described.
Age-dependent decline in EGF-induced signaling is independent of intracellular thiols

Loss of proliferative capacity is common in many tissue types during aging. We have shown that mitogenic signaling through the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor declines in hepatocytes from old rats. Specifically, we showed that in old hepatocytes there is a decrease in autophosphorylation of EGF receptor at Tyr-1173. This results in loss of recruitment of the adapter protein Shc to the membrane and decreased ERK MAP kinase pathway activation. Because EGF receptor signaling also requires intracellular generation of H202, we next questioned whether altering the intracellular GSH/thiol concentration may also affect the age-dependent decline in EGF receptor signaling. Surprisingly, decreased intracellular GSH had no effect on EGF receptor signaling in hepatocytes from either young or old animals. However, increasing the thiol concentration dramatically attenuated EGF receptor signaling in hepatocytes from both young and old animals. Unexpectedly, loss of EGF receptor signaling was due to a specific decrease in EGF receptor number, but not in other components of the EGF receptor signaling pathway such as ERK MAP kinase. These results suggest that age-dependent mechanisms of alteration in EGF receptor signaling are independent of thiol regulation of EGF receptor signaling.
Beliefs about Chronic Wasting Disease Risks across Multiple States, Years, and Interest Groups

) in several states and provinces. The disease causes abnormalbehavior, emaciation, and death in all infected animals (Williams, Miller, Kreeger, Kahn,& Thorne, 2002). There is no evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans or causeshuman health problems (Belay et al., 2004). Researchers and agency officials are quick topoint out, however, that they are not absolutely certain that it is safe to eat meat frominfected animals (Salman, 2003).Extensive research has examined the pathology, epidemiology, transmission, andclinical signs of CWD (see Williams et al., 2002 for a review). Research on the humandimensions of CWD, however, is limited and has primarily addressed economic impactsof CWD and hunters’ behavior and acceptance of management actions in response to thedisease (e.g., Bishop, 2004; Needham, Vaske, & Manfredo, 2004; Vaske, Needham,Newman, Manfredo, & Petchenik, 2006). Little empirical attention has focused ondescribing hunters’ and non-hunters’ current beliefs about CWD and the extent to whichthese beliefs are consistent across multiple states, years, and interest groups. This findingsabstract helps to address these knowledge gaps.Data were obtained from mail surveys of: (a) residents and non-residents who hunteddeer with a gun in 2003 in Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota,Utah, Wisconsin, or Wyoming; (b) residents and nonresidents who hunted elk with a gunin 2003 in Colorado, Utah, or Wyoming; (c) residents and nonresidents who hunted deeror elk with a gun in 2004 in Colorado; and (d) hunters and non-hunters residing inWisconsin’s southwest CWD eradication zone (i.e., 1,351 mi
John Dewey and human development

John Dewey (1859-1952) was an American philosopher-psychologist of international acclaim. Although he did not greatly influence early American psychology, Dewey's relevance to contemporary psychology is manifold. He identified the problem of social psychology as the relationship between human nature and changing social circumstances, proposed means and a rationale to broaden the empiricism of psychology to encompass domains outside of the traditional laboratory setting, suggested that functional rather than structural characteristics differentiate childish from adult reasoning, and proposed a theory of noninevitable child development in whcih social values and practices play essential roles. Dewey proposed that by elucidating mechanisms for realizing desired values psychology can be an empirically based instrumented for promoting human development and social progress in a democratic society
Nonlinear Structured Growth Mixture Models in Mplus and OpenMx

Growth mixture models (GMMs; B. O. Muthen & Muthen, 2000; B. O. Muthen & Shedden, 1999) are a combination of latent curve models (LCMs) and finite mixture models to examine the existence of latent classes that follow distinct developmental patterns. GMMs are often fit with linear, latent basis, multiphase, or polynomial change models because of their common use, flexibility in modeling many types of change patterns, the availability of statistical programs to fit such models, and the ease of programming. In this article, we present additional ways of modeling nonlinear change patterns with GMMs. Specifically, we show how LCMs that follow specific nonlinear functions can be extended to examine the presence of multiple latent classes using the Mplus and OpenMx computer programs. These models are fit to longitudinal reading data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Cohort to illustrate their use.
Facilitating Data-Based Decision-Making Managers' Use of Data in a Community Mental Health Center

With the implementation of management information systems in human service settings came the expectation that managers would use data to make decisions. There is substantial evidence that this has not occurred. Two reasons may be lack of skill in utilizing data among managers and inadequacies in the definition of "use of data. " The present investigation incorporated data-based decision-making skill training with a behavioral analysis of data use. Managers in a community mental health center were trained to use monthly service reports. Productivity and information use were measured in a multiple- baseline design. Results indicated improvements in measures of data use skills and changes in managers'reports of use. Environmental factors that reduce the impact of the independent variable on measures of staffproductivity and of service utilization by clients are explored, as are implications for defining use of data.
OLIGOMERIZATION OF IL-2Rα

Abstract Interleukin (IL) 2 receptor subunit alpha (IL-2Rα) increases the affinity of the IL-2 receptor complex while hetero-association of IL-2Rβ and γ c chains initiates a proliferative signal. We show here that IL-2Rα is necessary for receptor clustering required for augmentation of IL-2 signalling. Cells expressing chimeras incorporating the extracellular domain of IL-2Rα demonstrated IL-2 independent homo-association of the IL-2Rα chimera. Singly or co-transfected IL-2Rβ and γ c chimeras showed no spontaneous or IL-2-inducible oligomerization. Co-transfection of IL-2Rα and IL-2Rβ (±γ c ) chimeras diminished spontaneous IL-2Rα chimera oligomerization and permitted IL-2-inducible hetero-oligomerization of receptor components. Homo-association of IL-2Rα was also demonstrated by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The spontaneous homo-oligomerization property of IL-2Rα required the membrane proximal region of the receptor (exon 6) by deletion analysis; the IL-2 inducible oligomerization property of IL-2Rα required the second “sushi” domain (exon 4). This work provides insight into the mechanics of this complex receptor system and to other receptor complexes in the immune system that send signals by clustering receptor subunits.
Facies in Organic Buildups in Epeiric Seas and along Shelf Margins: ABSTRACT

A study of various types of banks, mud accumulations, and organic reefs in the geologic record hopefully permits some generalizations about them. As an example, several ancient organic buildups are compared on the basis of development relative to the photic zone and wave base, their shape or trend, and their biologic potentials for framework construction. These range from Cambrian algal mounds to Siluro-Devonian stromatoporoid-coral masses, to late Paleozoic carbonate mudstone and algal-foraminiferal accumulations, to Mesozoic coral and rudist buildups. Petrographic criteria useful in categorizing organic buildups include sedimentary structures in biohermal cores and "reef walls," an ecologic-morphologic classification of the biota, microfacies of the flanking or interree beds, criteria for recognizing exposure surfaces and intertidal sediments, and special criteria for depth recognition. Processes of (1) true organic frame-building reef formation, and (2) trapping and binding of fine-grained material by organisms have operated from Cambrian time on. Organic framework construction is known to be important in the middle Paleozoic and in some situations from Jurassic to Holocene times. However, binding and trapping of carbonate mud and silt by organisms account for practically all the late Paleozoic organic buildups and for many of those in the Cambro-Ordovician and Mesozoic. Most organic buildups in the geologic record are in no sense organic frame-built reefs. Further, many began development in downslope positions below wave base, some even below the photic zone. Whether there are modern analogues to such bodies of sediment, and how far downslope such organic buildups an form are questions that are unanswered. End_of_Article - Last_Page 875------------
Surface water hydrology and geomorphic characterization of a playa lake system: Implications for monitoring the effects of climate change

Summary Playa lakes are sensitive recorders of subtle climatic perturbations because these ephemeral water bodies respond to the flux of diffuse and channelized flow from their watersheds as well as from direct precipitation. The Black Rock Playa in northwestern Nevada is one of the largest playas in North America and is noted for its extreme flatness, varying less than one meter across a surface area of 310 km 2 . Geo-referenced Landsat imagery was used to map surface-area fluctuations of ephemeral lakes on the playa from 1972 to 2013 to provide baseline data on surface water hydrology of this system to compare to future hydrologic conditions caused by climate change. The area measurements were transformed into depth and volumetric estimates using results of detailed topographic global positioning system (GPS) surveys and correlated with available surface hydrological and meteorological monitoring data. Playa lakes reach their maximum size ( 2 ) in spring, fed by melting snows from high mountains on the periphery of the drainage basin, and usually desiccate by early- to mid-summer. The combination of a shallow groundwater table, sediment deposition, and hydro-aeolian planation probably are largely responsible for the flatness of the playa. When lakes do not form for a period of several years, the clay- and silt-rich playa surface transforms from one that is hard and durable into one that is soft and puffy, probably from upward capillary movement of water and resultant evaporation. Subsequent flooding restores the hard and durable surface. The near-global availability of Landsat imagery for the last 41 years should allow the documentation of baseline surface hydrologic characteristics for a large number of widely-distributed playa lake systems that can be used to assess the hydrologic effects of future climate changes.
Csk Homologous Kinase (CHK) and ErbB-2 Interactions Are Directly Coupled with CHK Negative Growth Regulatory Function in Breast Cancer

Abstract Our previous studies demonstrated that Csk homologous kinase (CHK) acts as a negative growth regulator of human breast cancer through inhibition of ErbB-2/neu-mediated Src family kinase activity (Bougeret, C., Jiang, S., Keydar, I., and Avraham, H. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 33711–33720. The interaction between the CHK SH2 domain and Tyr(P)1248 of the ErbB-2 receptor has been shown to be specific and critical for CHK function. In this report, we investigated whether the interaction of the CHK SH2 domain and ErbB-2 is directly related to the inhibition of heregulin-stimulated Src kinase activity. We constructed three CHK SH2 domain binding mutants: G129R (enhanced binding), R147K (inhibited binding), and R147A (disrupted binding). NMR spectra for the domains of each construct were used to evaluate their interaction with a Tyr(P)1248-containing ErbB-2 peptide. G129R showed enhanced binding to ErbB-2, whereas binding was completely disrupted by R147A. The enhanced binding mutant showed chemical shift changes at the same residues as wild-type CHK, indicating that this mutant has the same binding characteristics as the wild-type protein. Furthermore, inhibition of heregulin-stimulated Src kinase activity was markedly diminished by R147A, whereas G129R-mediated inhibition was stronger as compared with wild-type CHK. These results indicate that the specific interaction of CHK and ErbB-2 via the SH2 domain of CHK is directly related to the growth inhibitory effects of CHK. These new CHK high affinity binding constructs may serve as good candidates for inhibition of the ErbB-2/Src transduction pathway in gene therapy studies in breast cancer.
A neural network spectrum analyzer

The Fourier Series Neural Network (FSNN) is used as a Neural Network Spectrum Analyzer (NNSA) to gain the advantages of computational parallelism, self-learning intelligence and the capability of modeling complex systems with multiple variables. A comprehensive comparison study between the NNSA and a traditional spectrum analyzer based on the Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) was conducted to evaluate the performance of the NNSA when used for transfer function identification. This evaluation was carried out using computer simulations and experimentation in which a mechatronic robot end-effector was used as the plant to be identified using the two methods. The identification results described in this paper demonstrate that the NNSA is able to approach the same model accuracy as FFT.
A renewable waste material for the synthesis of a novel non-halogenated flame retardant polymer

The recognition of toxicity and environmental persistence of halogenated flame retardant (FR) materials has prompted the reduction in their usage across the globe. There is an immediate need for new types of non-toxic and effective FR produced preferably through sustainable routes. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of a new polyphenolic FR material based on a renewable and biodegradable starting material, cardanol (a byproduct of cashew nut processing). Cardanol was polymerized in aqueous media using various types of oxidants. The thermal properties of the resulting polymers were investigated. Polycardanol synthesized using a specific type of oxidant exhibited good thermal stability and low heat release capacity. Preliminary results obtained from this study are quite promising and indicate the possibility of synthesizing new types of FR materials from bio-based phenols.
Polyphosphate modulates blood coagulation and fibrinolysis

Inorganic polyphosphate is an abundant component of acidocalcisomes of bacteria and unicellular eukaryotes. Human platelet dense granules strongly resemble acidocalcisomes, and we recently showed that they contain substantial amounts of polyphosphate, which is secreted upon platelet activation. We now report that polyphosphate is a potent hemostatic regulator, accelerating blood clotting by activating the contact pathway and promoting the activation of factor V, which in turn results in abrogation of the function of the natural anticoagulant protein, tissue factor pathway inhibitor. Polyphosphate was also found to delay clot lysis by enhancing a natural antifibrinolytic agent, thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor. Polyphosphate is unstable in blood or plasma, owing to the presence of phosphatases. We propose that polyphosphate released from platelets or microorganisms initially promotes clot formation and stability; subsequent degradation of polyphosphate by blood phosphatases fosters inhibition of clotting and activation of fibrinolysis during wound healing.
A Five-Factor Measure of Obsessive–Compulsive Personality Traits

This study provides convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity data for the Five-Factor Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (FFOCI), a newly developed measure of traits relevant to obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) from the perspective of the Five-factor model (FFM). Twelve scales were constructed as maladaptive variants of specific FFM facets (e.g., Perfectionism as a maladaptive variant of FFM competence). On the basis of data from 407 undergraduates (oversampled for OCPD symptoms) these 12 scales demonstrated convergent correlations with established measures of OCPD and the FFM. Further, they obtained strong discriminant validity with respect to facets from other FFM domains. Most important, the individual scales and total score of the FFOCI obtained incremental validity beyond existing measures of the FFM and OCPD for predicting a composite measure of obsessive-compulsive symptomatology. The findings support the validity of the FFOCI as a measure of obsessive-compulsive personality traits, as well as of maladaptive variants of the FFM.
Markov Chain Marginal Bootstrap

Markov chain marginal bootstrap (MCMB) is a new method for constructing confidence intervals or regions for maximum likelihood estimators of certain parametric models and for a wide class of M estimators of linear regression. The MCMB method distinguishes itself from the usual bootstrap methods in two important aspects: it involves solving only one-dimensional equations for parameters of any dimension and produces a Markov chain rather than a (conditionally) independent sequence. It is designed to alleviate computational burdens often associated with bootstrap in high-dimensional problems. The validity of MCMB is established through asymptotic analyses and illustrated with empirical and simulation studies for linear regression and generalized linear models.
Men's Preferences in Romantic Partners: Obesity vs Addiction

Fewer men responded to a personal advertisement in which a woman identified herself as obese than to one in which she indicated a history of drug addiction. The men who responded to the two advertisements also disclosed their own obesity or addiction.
A commensal bacterial product elicits and modulates migratory capacity of CD39(+) CD4 T regulatory subsets in the suppression of neuroinflammation.

Tolerance established by host-commensal interactions regulates host immunity at both local mucosal and systemic levels. The intestinal commensal strain Bacteroides fragilis elicits immune tolerance, at least in part, via the expression capsular polysaccharide A (PSA). How such niche-specific commensal microbial elements regulate extra-intestinal immune responses, as in the brain, remains largely unknown. We have recently shown that oral treatment with PSA suppresses neuro-inflammation elicited during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for multiple sclerosis. This protection is dependent upon the expansion of immune-regulatory CD4 T cells (Treg) expressing CD39, an ectonucleotidase. Here, we further show that CD39 modulation of purinergic signals enhances migratory phenotypes of both total CD4 T cells and Foxp3+ CD4 Tregs at central nervous system (CNS) lymphoid-draining sites in EAE in vivo and promotes their migration in vitro. These changes are noted during PSA treatment, w...
Neuropsychiatric aspects of cytokines research : An overview

Cytokines are a group of proteins primarily synthesized by various immune cells. They have multiple functions within the immune system and have been implicated in a number of disease states. There is growing evidence that some cytokines are also synthesized in the central nervous system. Taking into consideration that some cytokines are also capable of inducing behavioral effects, it has been suggested that cytokines may play a role in some psychiatric and neurologic disorders.
The potential impact of rural mayday systems on vehicular crash fatalities.

Rural mayday systems can reduce the time between the occurrence of an accident and the notification of emergency medical services--called the accident notification time. Reductions in this time, in turn, may affect the numbers of fatalities. A statistical analysis is used to estimate the quantitative relationship between fatalities and the accident notification time. The elasticity of rural fatalities with respect to the accident notification time was found to be 0.14. If a rural mayday system were fully implemented (i.e. a 100% market penetration) and the service availability were 100%, then we would expect monetary benefits of about $1.83 billion per year and comprehensive benefits (which includes the monetary value attached to the lost quality of life) of $6.37 billion per year.
31P- and 13C-N.M.R.-spectral and chemical characterization of the end-group and repeating-unit components of oligosaccharides derived by acid hydrolysis of haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide

Abstract Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide [repeating unit, →3)-β- d -Ribf-(1 → 1)- d -Ribol-5-(PO 2H→] was partially hydrolyzed with HCl to give oligosaccharides that were isolated by size-exclusion chromatography, and then characterized by 31P- and 13C-n.m.r.-spectral and chemical methods, in order to determine the end-group composition and, hence, the number-average chain-length がL. The ratio (∼17:8) of monophosphate end-groups to d -ribofuranose end-groups revealed the relative rates of hydrolysis of the phosphoric diester linkage and the glycosidic linkage in the repeating-unit structure. Cleavage of the phosphoric diester linkage was ∼92% regioselective, as indicated by the ∼ 12:1 ratio of d -ribofuranose monophosphate end-groups to d -ribitol monophosphate end-groups. The n.m.r. spectra of the oligosaccharide repeating-unit provided evidence for partial stereomutation (∼3–8%) that involved rearrangement of the d -ribofuranose phosphoric diester linkage and anomerization at C-1 of d -ribofuranose. Variously sized oligosaccharides (がL = 4, 7, and 12) that had d -ribofuranose end-groups reacted with bovine serum albumin that had an average of ∼9 adipyl hydrazide functionalities, to give, within experimental error, quantitative yields of the corresponding, hydrazone-linked, oligosaccharide-protein conjugates.
Uneven transitions: Period- and cohort-related changes in gender attitudes in China, 1995-2007.

Abstract This paper analyzes temporal variations in two gender attitudes in China: beliefs about gender equality and perspectives on women’s combined work and family roles. It uses the most currently available population series from the 1995, 2001 and 2007 World Value Surveys of 4500 respondents and a series of multilevel cross-classified models to properly estimate period and cohort effects. Attitudes toward women’s dual roles manifest neither period nor cohort effects; the population displays a universal high level of acceptance of women’s paid employment. Orientations toward gender equality manifest both cohort and period effects: members of the youngest cohort of both sexes hold the most liberal attitudes; the positive effect of college education has increased over time. Attitude toward gender equality in China displays neither a shift toward conservatism nor an over-time trend toward egalitarianism in 1995–2007, a time of rapid economic growth.
Fluorescence enhancement of Eu3+ by Tb3+ in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)

Abstract Photoexcitation of EuCl 3 .6H 2 O and TbCl 3 .6H 2 O mixtures in DMSO at various wavelengths brings about a decrease in the fluorescence intensity of Tb 3+ and a subsequent enhancement in the fluorescence intensity of Tb 3+ provided that [Tb 3+ ] 3+ ]. The average value of the electronic excitation energy transfer rate constant k 10 which was found to be independent of the excitation wavelength, was determined to be about 1.50 × 10 3 M -1 s -1 . Photoexcitation of Tb 3+ and subsequent population of high energy excited states is accompanied by rapid nonradiative de-excitation processes to the lowest excited state 5 D 4 , which is the origin of the energy transfer process. A lower limit for the value of the reaction rate constant, associated with the transition 5 D 3 ⇝ 5 D 4 , namely k 5 , is of the order of 10 5 −10 6 s -1 . Excitation at conditions leading to the exclusive population of the 5 D 4 state of Tb 3+ gave rise to a value of k 10 equal to (2.2 ± 0.4) × 10 3 M -1 s -1 and a critical separation ( R 0 ) exp between Tb 3+ and Eu 3+ of about 13 A. A theoretical value of R 0 equal to 14.2 A was calculated. The energy transfer process does not appear to take place via clear cut dipole-dipole interactions but rather via complex multipole and/or exchange interactions.
Brain Tissue Responses to Neural Implants Impact Signal Sensitivity and Intervention Strategies

Implantable biosensors are valuable scientific tools for basic neuroscience research and clinical applications. Neurotechnologies provide direct readouts of neurological signal and neurochemical processes. These tools are generally most valuable when performance capacities extend over months and years to facilitate the study of memory, plasticity, and behavior or to monitor patients’ conditions. These needs have generated a variety of device designs from microelectrodes for fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) and electrophysiology to microdialysis probes for sampling and detecting various neurochemicals. Regardless of the technology used, the breaching of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) to insert devices triggers a cascade of biochemical pathways resulting in complex molecular and cellular responses to implanted devices. Molecular and cellular changes in the microenvironment surrounding an implant include the introduction of mechanical strain, activation of glial cells, loss of perfusion, secondary metaboli...
Drawing Offensive/Offensive Drawing: Toward a Theory of Mariconógraphy

On September 15, 2012, Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar took to the diamond of Rogers Centre armed with all the accoutrements of a professional baseball player facing off against his team’s adversaries, the Boston Red Sox: oiled glove in hand, sunglasses to deflect the intrusive stadium lighting, and eye black to withstand the sun’s glare. However, inside the covered stadium dome there would be no interfering sunlight, no meddlesome reflective surfaces, and no need to evade natural elements impinging on his sight. Escobar entered the arena facing throngs of spectators, teammates, and sports journalists bearing a brash message written in the greasy smudging beneath his eyes. It read: “Tu ere[h] maricon [You are a faggot]” (see Figure 1). His face inscribed with a defamatory Spanish slur, Escobar became the subject of intense scrutiny for what some defended as a “joke” in poor taste. Social media sports bloggers picked up Escobar’s photograph and circulated it widely. Many mainstream news outlets questioned the premeditated nature of the act and whether the anti-gay pictorial statement merited punishment. Major League Baseball investigated and finally suspended the shortstop for three games. At a poorly organized press conference, Escobar apologized and yet explained that maricon in his native Cuba could not be accurately translated into English—that it was a “word without meaning” (qtd. in Duque). He explained that the statement was aimless, harmless, and directed at no one in particular. His defense of cultural mistranslation was puzzling; he struggled to clarify its ordinary use among Cubans as a culturally specific turn of phrase that was nevertheless empty of historical, social, or political significance. In the eyes of Escobar, maricon meant nothing. Yet his bodily articulation said otherwise. His facial self-inscription in the visual field marks slippage in body, image, and text. His visibility is contingent
L2 Gain Performance Analysis of Periodic Linear Switched Systems

A bound is derived for the L2 gain of a periodic linear switched system, when the corresponding average system is asymptotically stable and the switching rate is sufficiently fast to ensure stability. Computation of the bound is illustrated with a numerical example.
Incarcerated Youths’ Perspectives on Protective Factors and Risk Factors for Juvenile Offending: A Qualitative Analysis

Objectives. We sought to understand incarcerated youths’ perspectives on the role of protective factors and risk factors for juvenile offending.Methods. We performed an in-depth qualitative analysis of interviews (conducted October–December 2013) with 20 incarcerated youths detained in the largest juvenile hall in Los Angeles.Results. The adolescent participants described their homes, schools, and neighborhoods as chaotic and unsafe. They expressed a need for love and attention, discipline and control, and role models and perspective. Youths perceived that when home or school failed to meet these needs, they spent more time on the streets, leading to incarceration. They contrasted the path through school with the path to jail, reporting that the path to jail felt easier. All of them expressed the insight that they had made bad decisions and that the more difficult path was not only better but also still potentially achievable.Conclusions. Breaking cycles of juvenile incarceration will require that the pub...
Apparent loss of vibrio vulnificus from north carolina oysters coincides with a drought-induced increase in salinity

Despite years of successful isolation of Vibrio vulnificus from estuarine waters, beginning in 2007, it was extremely difficult to culture V. vulnificus from either North Carolina estuarine water or oyster samples. After employing culture-based methods as well as PCR and quantitative PCR for the detection of V. vulnificus, always with negative results, we concluded that this pathogen had become nearly undetectable in the North Carolina estuarine ecosystem. We ensured that the techniques were sound by seeding North Carolina oysters with V. vulnificus and performing the same tests as those previously conducted on unadulterated oysters. V. vulnificus was readily detected in the seeded oysters using both classes of methods. Furthermore, oysters were obtained from the Gulf of Mexico, and V. vulnificus was easily isolated, confirming that the methodology was sound but that the oysters and waters of North Carolina were lacking the V. vulnificus population studied for decades. Strikingly, the apparent loss of detectable V. vulnificus coincided with the most severe drought in the history of North Carolina. The drought continued until the end of 2009, with an elevated water column salinity being observed throughout this period and with V. vulnificus being nearly nonexistent. When salinities returned to normal after the drought abated in 2010, we were again able to routinely isolate V. vulnificus from the water column, although we were still unable to culture it from oysters. We suggest that the oysters were colonized with a more salt-tolerant bacterium during the drought, which displaced V. vulnificus and may be preventing recolonization.
Discriminating congestion losses from wireless losses using inter-arrival times at the receiver

We present a simple scheme which enables a TCP receiver to distinguish congestion losses from corruption losses. The scheme works in the case where the last hop to the receiver is a wireless link and has the smallest bandwidth among all links on the connection path. We added our mechanism to TCP-Reno to evaluate the performance improvement. We compared our scheme against Ideal TCP-Reno which is TCP-Reno that can perfectly (but artificially) distinguish between congestion losses and wireless transmission losses. Under favourable conditions, our scheme performs similar to Ideal TCP-Reno and can lead to significant throughput improvement.
The effect of early diagenesis on the Fe isotope compositions of porewaters and authigenic minerals in continental margin sediments

Abstract Iron isotope compositions in marine pore fluids and sedimentary solid phases were measured at two sites along the California continental margin, where isotope compositions range from δ56Fe = −3.0‰ to +0.4‰. At one site near Monterey Canyon off central California, organic matter oxidation likely proceeds through a number of diagenetic pathways that include significant dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR) and bacterial sulfate reduction, whereas at our other site in the Santa Barbara basin DIR appears to be comparatively small, and production of sulfides (FeS and pyrite) was extensive. The largest range in Fe isotope compositions is observed for Fe(II)aq in porewaters, which generally have the lowest δ56Fe values (minimum: −3.0‰) near the sediment surface, and increase with burial depth. δ56Fe values for FeS inferred from HCl extractions vary between ∼−0.4‰ and +0.4‰, but pyrite is similar at both stations, where an average δ56Fe value of −0.8 ± 0.2‰ was measured. We interpret variations in dissolved Fe isotope compositions to be best explained by open-system behavior that involves extensive recycling of Feflux. This study is the first to examine Fe isotope variations in modern marine sediments, and the results show that Fe isotopes in the various reactive Fe pools undergo isotopic fractionation during early diagenesis. Importantly, processes dominated by sulfide formation produce high-δ56Fe values for porewaters, whereas the opposite occurs when Fe(III)-oxides are present and DIR is a major pathway of organic carbon respiration. Because shelf pore fluids may carry a negative δ56Fe signature it is possible that the Fe isotope composition of ocean water reflects a significant contribution of shelf-derived iron to the open ocean. Such a signature would be an important means for tracing iron sources to the ocean and water mass circulation.
cAMP and Mitochondria

Phosphorylation of mitochondrial proteins has emerged as a major regulatory mechanism for metabolic adaptation. cAMP signaling and PKA phosphorylation of mitochondrial proteins have just started to be investigated, and the presence of cAMP-generating enzymes and PKA inside mitochondria is still controversial. Here, we discuss the role of cAMP in regulating mitochondrial bioenergetics through protein phosphorylation and the evidence for soluble adenylyl cyclase as the source of cAMP inside mitochondria.
Traits in Transition: The Structure of Parent-Reported Personality Traits from Early Childhood to Early Adulthood

The present research was conducted to map the hierarchical structure of youths' personality traits, to identify the foundational level of this structure, and to test whether the meanings of some youth personality dimensions shift with age. We addressed these issues by analyzing personality parent reports describing a cross-sectional sample of 16,000 children, adolescents, and young adults (ages 3 to 20). These parent reports were made using a broadband measure of youths' personal characteristics, the common-language California Child Q-Set. Analyses of the full sample and comparisons of 16 age groups supported three main conclusions. First, the hierarchical structure of youths' personality traits both resembles and differs from the adult personality hierarchy in important ways. Second, a set of six dimensions--Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, Openness to Experience, and Activity--may constitute the foundational level of the youth personality hierarchy from middle childhood through adolescence. This "Little Six" structure represents a union of the most prominent personality and temperament dimensions. Third, the meanings of some youth personality dimensions (e.g., Activity, Conscientiousness) shift systematically with age. These findings advance our understanding of when and how personality structure develops during the first two decades of life.
EBSD Analysis of Friction Stir Weld Textures

Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) has become established as a convenient and accurate method for obtaining texture information. In friction stir welding, however, the complex, three-dimensional curvature of the deposited shear layers causes the textures to vary in orientation across the weld nugget. Only rarely are the EBSD data acquired in the shear deformation frame of reference. Thus, an analysis of those shear textures needs to take into consideration the local orientation of the shear deformation reference frame at the location of the analysis to appropriately identify the resultant texture. This article presents a systematic methodology for the analysis of friction stir weld textures that uses geometry-based rotations to align the analysis orientation to the local shear deformation frame of reference and thereby enable an accurate identification of the textures produced during the friction stir welding process.
Homogeneous anionic polymerization. III. Molecular weight of polyisoprene initiated by butyllithium

A study has been carried out on the molecular weights and their distribution for polyisoprene prepared with butyl lithium as initiator in n-hexane and tetrahydrofuran solvents. A stoichiometry of one chain per initiator molecule was found to apply. As in the case of styrene, the initiation reaction in the hydrocarbon solvent was relatively slow compared to propagation, thus leading to a broadening of the molecular weight distribution. However, narrow distributions were obtained by using a preinitiation technique, whereby all chains had an opportunity of growing simultaneously. In the THF solvent, the molecular weight distribution waa somewhat broader (Mv/Mn, ∽ 1.3) presumably due to a slow competitive chain termination reaction between the growing anionic chains and the solvent, a t room temperature.
Primary Prevention Is? A Global Perspective on How Organizations Engaging Men in Preventing Gender-Based Violence Conceptualize and Operationalize Their Work

Engaging men in addressing violence against women (VAW) has become a strategy in the global prevention of gender-based violence. Concurrently, Western public health frameworks have been utilized to guide prevention agendas worldwide. Using qualitative methods, this study describes how global anti-violence organizations that partner with men conceptualize primary prevention in their work. Findings suggest that "primary prevention" is not a fixed term in the context of VAW and that front-line prevention work challenges rigidly delineated distinctions between levels of prevention. Much can be learned from global organizations' unique and contextualized approaches to the prevention of VAW.
Giving Voice to Latino Voters: A Field Experiment on the Effectiveness of a National Nonpartisan Mobilization Effort

In this article, I present a summary of the findings of a randomized field experiment of 465,134 registered Latino voters, the largest such experiment on Latinos to date. The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials’s (NALEO’s) Voces del Pueblo voter mobilization effort in 2002 explored three alternative modes of communicating with voters: direct mail, robotic phone calls, and live phone calls from volunteers. Of the three, only live phone calls produced a statistically significant increase in voter turnout. The ineffectiveness of direct mail and robotic calls is consistent with results from other experimental campaigns. What remains unclear is the extent to which direct mail and robotic calls targeting low-propensity Latino voters would be more effective in presidential elections. For the present, it appears that the most effective way to mobilize low-propensity Latino voters is through phone banks staffed by volunteers.