cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes on the Shear-Induced Crystallization Behavior of Poly(butylene terephthalate)

The effects of the incorporation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) with a diameter range of 10-30 nm on the shear-induced crystallization behavior of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) were investigated under myriad shearing and loading conditions employing principally the small-amplitude oscillatory shear flow. Upon shearing, the presence of MWNTs leads to the crystallization of the PBT nanocomposites at temperatures that are higher than the crystallization temperature of unfilled PBT. The Avrami analysis of the shear-induced crystallization data of PBT nanocomposite samples indicated that the kinetics of the crystallization depend on both the temperature and the concentration of the MWNTs. When the MWNTs were replaced with ∼70 µm graphite particles at similar volume loading levels the crystallization behavior of the PBT/graphite suspension samples did not differ from that of pure PBT. These findings emphasize that one primary mechanism associated with the significant changes in the mechanical properties observed upon the compounding of nanoparticles into various semicrystalline polymers is the change in the crystallization behavior of the polymer as affected by the presence and the concentration of the nanoparticles and the associated changes in the microstructural distributions of the nanocomposite.
The reflexivity of cognitive science: the scientist as model of human nature:

This article examines how experimental psychology experienced a revolution as cognitive science replaced behaviorism in the mid-20th century. This transition in the scientific account of human nature involved making normal what had once been normative: borrowing ideas of democratic thinking from political culture and conceptions of good thinking from philosophy of science to describe humans as active, creatively thinking beings, rather than as organisms that simply respond to environmental conditions. Reflexive social and intellectual practices were central to this process as cognitive scientists used anti-positivist philosophy of science simultaneously to justify their own work as valid and also as a model of human thinking. In the process, the normative philosophy of science or ‘good academic thinking’ that cognitive scientists used to reshape the discipline of psychology and characterize themselves became, at the same time, the descriptive model of human nature.
The pioneer venus orbiter ultraviolet spectrometer experiment: Analysis of hydrogen lyman alpha data

Abstract Pioneer Venus Orbiter Ultraviolet Spectrometer (PVOUVS) HI 1216A data from six (6) orbits are analyzed. Analysis of subsolar region periapsis data show that for an exobase temperature of 305K, the exobase density is 5 ± 2(4) @ cm −3 and the column abundance of atomic hydrogen between 110 and 200 km is 2.4 ± 0.8(13) cm−2. The upward flux through the exobase is determined to be 7.5 ± 2.5(7)/cm2s. Apoapsis data were analyzed for both evening and morning geometries. We conclude: (1) the observed limb profiles show a diurnal variation consistent with Brinton et al.; (2) the model temperature field provides a good fit to the morning data, but the morning temperature field must be used to match the evening data; and (3) the theoretical Ly α limb intensity profiles are sensitive to small changes in the shape and magnitude of the variation of exobase hydrogen with solar zenith angle. The solar Ly α flux at line center required to fit the magnitude of the data is 8(11) photons/cm2s A at Venus.
B23 is a downstream target of polyamine-modulated CK2.

Our previous studies have shown that the overexpression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, increases the enzymatic activity of the polyamine-responsive enzyme casein kinase 2 (CK2). Because CK2 is known to preferentially associate with the nuclear matrix in response to other trophic stimuli, we investigated the effects of ODC overexpression on CK2 localisation and on the CK2-mediated phosphorylation of a known CK2 substrate, the nucleolar phosphoprotein B23. Immunofluorescence analysis of CK2 and B23 in primary keratinocytes revealed that ODC overexpression resulted in the colocalisation of CK2 with B23 at the nucleolar borders. ODC overexpression also increased CK2 kinase activity 2-fold at the nuclear matrix, a response which could be abrogated by treatment of K6/ODC transgenic keratinocytes with the ODC inhibitor α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). Levels of B23 protein were also elevated in ODC-overexpressing cells compared to normal cells or transgenic cells treated with DFMO. This increase in protein level was neither due to an increase in steady-state mRNA levels, nor was it due to increased stability of B23 protein. Phosphorylation of B23 was also increased in ODC-overexpressing cells, and this increased phosphorylation could be blocked by treatment of the cells with the CK2 kinase inhibitors apigenin or 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB). These data suggest that B23 may be a downstream effector of polyamines via phosphorylation by the protein kinase CK2.
Efficiency evaluation of a two-dimensional incompatible finite element

Abstract An incompatible plane elasticity finite element is developed and its computational efficiency is compared to that of related compatible elements. The efficiency study includes the consideration of a plane stress bending problem and the extensional behavior of a thin slotted sheet. Finally the desirability of investigating the use of the Richardson's extrapolation procedure to improve the accuracy of finite element results is briefly considered.
Geoarchaeological approaches to the environmental history of Cyprus: explication and critical evaluation

Geoarchaeology represents crossdisciplinary research focused on environmental issues and human activities, and directed primarily to social scientists. Site micro-studies are central to the enterprise, emphasizing cultural sediments and the taphonomic record of site formation, preservation, or destruction. But when expanded to include off-site investigation and watershed studies, geoarchaeology can go well beyond stratigraphy and context, to address human impacts on the environment or long-term sustainability. This paper articulates a research agenda to evaluate the largely anecdotal premise that the island of Cyprus has been degraded by millennia of improvident land use. First, it outlines Holocene settlement, land use and forest histories, as a differentiated model against which to apply specific types of investigation, and in conjunction with other archaeological sciences. Second, it applies Quaternary-style watershed study to confront commonplace misunderstandings about possible degradation, to show that most of the slope and stream deposits on Cyprus are of Pleistocene age. Third, it switches to examples of site micro-geoarchaeology to illustrate the possibilities of understanding detailed change. The purpose is heuristic, in the absence of many more site and off-site studies that incorporate bioarchaeology. Provisional inferences suggest that environmental damage may be limited, that even with heavy land-use stress, climatic triggers were critical to inaugurate change, and that the system may be more resilient than anticipated. Such caveats may encourage greater attention to environmental research design in ongoing and future excavation projects.
Structural studies of bicyclomycin

The complete 1 H and 13 C nmr assignments for both bicyclomycin (1) and bicyclomycin-3'-ethyl carbamate (2) were achieved through the combined use of a series of nmr techniques. Extensive use of the long range heteronuclear multiple quantum chemical shift correlation experiment (HMBC) permitted the assignments of all the exchangeable protons as well as the 2,5-piperazinedione carbonyl carbons in both compounds. The X-ray crystallographic structure of 2 was determined and compared to the reported structure of bicyclomycin. Compound 2 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P2 1 2 1 2 1 with four molecules in a unit cell having dimensions a=7.931(2), b=10.834(4), and c=24.468(7) A. The structure refined to a final R value of 6.2%
On the nonlinear modeling of systems with higher-order nonholonomic constraints

This paper studies the nonlinear modeling problem for systems with higher-order nonholonomic constraints using tools from theoretical mechanics. A general control systems approach is developed for such systems. The applicability of the theoretical development is illustrated through a point mass moving on a constant-torsion space curve.
Reversibility of thought: An instance in multiplicative tasks

Abstract In line with current efforts to understand the piece-by-piece structure and articulation of children’s mathematical concepts, this case study compares the reversibility schemes of two eighth-grade students. The aim of the study was to identify the mechanism through which students reverse their thought processes in a multiplicative situation. Data collected through clinical interviews depict the precise strategies that the participants used to work back to find the missing values in an inverse proportional task. This study also illustrates how a conceptual template generated by one of the participants afforded him considerable flexibility in the multiplicative task. Another outcome of the study is that it shows how the numerical characteristics of the parameters in the problem affected the students’ ability to reverse their thought processes. We infer that there is a need for further research on how students might represent their reversibility schemes in the form of algebraic equations.
A Profile of Homeschooling in South Dakota

The authors conducted a statewide study to determine which factors influenced parents' decision making in electing to homeschool their children rather than send them to public school education in South Dakota. Analysis of data, using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations revealed that the most prevalent reasons for homeschooling in South Dakota were the opportunity for parents to strengthen their relationship with their children, religion, peer pressure, public schools not teaching American values, and not aiding in character development. The major reason why parents homeschooled their children was to strengthen their family relationship. The least prevalent factors were teacher salary, ridicule by peers, physical handicap, not getting along with teachers, and racial reasons.
Modeling Boron Adsorption Isotherms and Envelopes Using the Constant Capacitance Model

Boron adsorption on 23 soil samples belonging to six different soil orders was investigated both as a function of solution B concentration (0–23.1 mmol L −1 ) and as a function of solution pH (4–11). Boron adsorption exhibited maxima at high solution B concentration. Boron adsorption increased with increasing solution pH, reached a maximum around pH 9, and decreased with further increases in solution pH. The constant capacitance model was able to describe B adsorption on the soil samples as a function of both solution B concentration and solution pH simultaneously by optimizing three surface complexation constants. The ability to describe B adsorption as a function of pH represents an advancement over the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm approaches. Incorporation of these constants into chemical speciation transport models will allow simulation of soil solution B concentrations under diverse environmental and agricultural conditions.
A retrospective review of SBRT for larger brain metastases or post-resection cavities: preliminary evidence from the Knight Cancer Institute

Objective Radiation for brain metastases is typically delivered by whole brain radiation (WBRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), or a combination thereof. There are patients with lesions that are not candidates for SRS owing to a maximum target diameter >3 cm, for which avoiding WBRT may provide a quality of life benefit. Here, we report our early experience with stereotactic hypofractionated radiation therapy for brain metastases or resection cavities (SBRT brain) as an alternative to WBRT.
Collective Wisdom: Collective Wisdom and Institutional Design

What is collective wisdom, and how can institutions be designed to generate and exploit it? This essay argues for a reductionist conception of collective wisdom as collective epistemic accuracy, and cashes out that conception at the level of institutional design. Assuming that the social goal is to maximize the epistemic quality of the laws, I argue for a shift of constitutional lawmaking authority from courts to Congress and the executive, for the appointment of nonlawyers to the Supreme Court, and for an expansion of Congress' membership. I also outline the trade offs between epistemic and nonepistemic values, such as the costs of decision making, the aggregation of preferences, and the perceived legitimacy of the legal system.
The structure, function, and biosynthesis of plant cell wall pectic polysaccharides.

Plant cell walls consist of carbohydrate, protein, and aromatic compounds and are essential to the proper growth and development of plants. The carbohydrate components make up �90% of the primary wall, and are critical to wall function. There is a diversity of polysaccharides that make up the wall and that are classified as one of three types: cellulose, hemicellulose, or pectin. The pectins, which are most abundant in the plant primary cell walls and the middle lamellae, are a class of molecules defined by the presence of galacturonic acid. The pectic polysaccharides include the galacturonans (homogalacturonan, substituted galacturonans, and RG-II) and rhamnogalacturonan-I. Galacturonans have a backbone that consists of a-1,4-linked galacturonic acid. The identification of glycosyltransferases involved in pectin synthesis is essential to the study of cell wall function in plant growth and development and for maximizing the value and use of plant polysaccharides in industry and human health. A detailed synopsis of the existing literature on pectin structure, function, and biosynthesis is presented.
Decreased ovarian function is associated with obesity in very long-term female survivors of childhood cancer

Objective: Obesity and gonadal dysfunction are known major side effects of treatment in adult childhood cancer survivors (CCS). In the general population, obesity has a negative influence on female fertility. We aimed to evaluate whether obesity and serum insulin are associated with decreased ovarian reserve markers in CCS. Design: Retrospective single-center cohort study. Methods: Data of 191 female survivors of childhood cancer were analyzed. Median follow-up time was 18.8 (2.3-48.8) years. Outcome measures were serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and total follicle count (FC). Potential risk factors were: BMI; body composition measures, determined by dual- energy X-ray absorptiometry (total fat percentage, lean body mass, and visceral fat percentage); and fasting insulin. Results: Lower serum AMH was found in obese subjects (b (%) K49, PZ0.007) and in subjects with fasting insulin in the highest tertile (b (%) K43, PZ0.039). Total fat percentage tends to be associated with serum AMH (b (%) K2.1, PZ0.06). Survivors in the highest tertile of insulin had significantly lower FC than survivors in the lowest tertile (b K6.3, PZ0.013). BMI and other measures of body composition were not associated with FC. Correlation between serum AMH and antral follicle count (AFC) was rZ0.32 (PZ0.08). Conclusions: Obesity and insulin resistance are associated with gonadal damage, as reflected by decreased AMH and reduced FC in adult survivors of childhood cancer. In contrast to its highly predictive value for AFC in the healthy female population, serum AMH does not seem to correlate as well with AFC in CCS.
Calsequestrin 2 deletion shortens the refractoriness of Ca2+ release and reduces rate-dependent Ca2+-alternans in intact mouse hearts

Calsequestrin (Casq2) is a low affinity Ca(2+)-binding protein located in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of cardiac myocytes. Casq2 acts as a Ca(2+) buffer regulating free Ca(2+) concentration in the SR lumen and plays a significant role in the regulation of Ca(2+) release from this intracellular organelle. In addition, there is experimental evidence supporting the hypothesis that Casq2 also modulates the activity of the cardiac Ca(2+) release channels, ryanodine receptors (RyR2). In this study, Casq2 knockout mice (Casq2-/-) were used as a model to evaluate the effects of the Casq2 on the cytosolic and intra-SR Ca(2+) dynamics, and the electrical activity in the ventricular epicardial layer of intact beating hearts. Casq2-/- mice have accelerated intra-SR Ca(2+) refilling kinetics (76 ± 22 vs. 136.5 ± 15 ms) and a reduced refractoriness of Ca(2+) release (182 ± 32 ms Casq2+/+ and 111 ± 22 ms Casq2-/- ). In addition, mice display reduced Ca(2+) alternans (67% decline in the amplitude of Ca(2+) alternans at 7 Hz, 21oC) and less T-wave alternans at the electrocardiographic level. The results presented in this paper support the idea of Casq2 acting both as a buffer and a direct regulator of the Ca(2+) release process. Finally, we propose that alterations in Ca(2+) release refractoriness shown here could explain the relationship between Casq2 function and an increase in the risk for ventricular arrhythmias.
The effect of inorganic lead and/or a polychlorinated biphenyl on the developing immune system of mice

Approximately 200 female Swiss‐Webster mice, six to eight weeks of age, were divided into eight groups. Three of these groups were fed 10, 100, or 250 ppm Aroclor 1254. One group was treated with 1000 ppm lead. Three groups were exposed simultaneously to lead and Aroclor 1254 at concentrations of 10 ppm PCB + 1000 ppm Pb, 100 ppm PCB + 7000 ppm Pb, and 250 ppm PCB + 7000 ppm Pb. Control mice received deionized water and rat food only. All groups were exposed for a period of 12 wk, then bred, with exposure continued throughout gestation and lactation. Offspring were weaned onto the control diet at 3 wk of age. Results from this study indicate a varied effect of lead and/or PCBs on body and organ weights of both dams and their pups, no noticeable detrimental effect on reproduction, and very little effect on the pups’ ability to mount an immune response upon challenge with foreign antigens.
Effect of atropine on drinking induced by carbachol, angiotensin and isoproterenol.

Abstract Injections into the lateral septal area of either carbachol, angiotensin II, or DL isoproterenol HCl lead to increased drinking in the rat. Preinjections into the septal area of either atropine sulfate or atropine methyl nitrate produce a virtually complete blockade of carbachol induced drinking but have no effect on drinking induced by angiotensin or isoproterenol. Results indicate that angiotensin and isoproterenol induce drinking by a mechanism that may be independent of the cholinergic thirst system. Control data suggest that Angiotensin acts centrally but at non-muscarinic sites to enhance drinking, while isoproterenol probably acts systemically.
New Methodologies for Developing Radiation Embrittlement Models and Trend Curves of the Charpy Impact Test Data

A new methodology is developed for the prediction of RPV embrittlement that utilizes a combination of domain models and nonlinear estimators including neural networks and nearest neighbor regressions. The Power Reactor Embrittlement Database is used in this study. The results from newly developed near neighbor projective fuser indicate that the combined embrittlement predictor achieved about 67.3% and 52.4% reductions in the uncertainties for General Electric Boiling Water Reactor plate and weld data compared to Regulatory Guide 1.99, Revision 2, respectively. The implications of irradiation temperature effects to the development of radiation embrittlement models are then discussed. A new methodology that incorporates the chemical compositions into the Charpy trend curve was also developed. The purpose of this new fitting procedure is to generate a new multi-space topography that can properly reflect the inhomogeneneity of the surveillance materials and utilize this multi-space trend surface to link and project the surveillance test results to that of reactor pressure vessel steels.
The role of proton coupled electron transfer in water oxidation

Water oxidation is a key half reaction in energy conversion schemes based on solar fuels and targets such as light driven water splitting or carbon dioxide reduction into CO, other oxygenates, or hydrocarbons. Carrying out these reactions at rates that exceed the rate of solar insolation for the extended periods of time required for useful applications presents a major challenge. Water oxidation is the key “other” half reaction in these schemes and it is dominated by PCET given its multi-electron, multi-proton character, 2H2O → O2 + 4e− + 4H+. Identification of PCET was an offshoot of experiments designed to investigate energy conversion by electron transfer quenching of molecular excited states. The concepts “redox potential leveling” and concerted electron–proton transfer came from measurements on stepwise oxidation of cis-RuII(bpy)2(py)(OH2)2+ to RuIV(bpy)2(py)(O)2+. The Ru “blue dimer”, cis,cis-(bpy)2(H2O)RuORu(OH2)(bpy)24+, was the first designed catalyst for water oxidation. It undergoes oxidative activation by PCET to give the transient (bpy)2(O)RuVORuV(O)(bpy)24+, O-atom attack on water to give a peroxidic intermediate, and further oxidation and O2 release. More recently, a class of single site water oxidation catalysts has been identified, e.g., Ru(tpy)(bpm)(OH2)2+ (tpy is 2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine; bpm is 2,2′-bipyrimidine). They undergo stepwise PCET oxidation to RuIV=O2+ or RuV(O)3+ followed by O-atom transfer with formation of peroxidic intermediates which undergo further oxidation and O2 release. PCET plays a key role in the three zones of water oxidation reactivity: oxidative activation, O⋯O bond formation, oxidation and O2 release from peroxidic intermediates. Similar schemes have been identified for electrocatalytic water oxidation on oxide electrode surfaces based on phosphonated derivatives such as [Ru(Mebimpy)(4,4′-(PO3H2CH2)2bpy)(OH2)]2+. A PCET barrier to RuIII–OH2+ → RuIV=O2+ oxidation arises from the large difference in pKa values between RuIII–OH2+ and RuIV(OH)3+. On oxide surfaces this oxidation occurs by multiple pathways. Kinetic, mechanistic, and DFT results on single site catalysts reveal a new pathway for the O⋯O bond forming step (Atom-Proton Transfer, APT), significant rate enhancements by added proton acceptor bases, and accelerated water oxidation in propylene carbonate as solvent with water added as a stoichiometric reagent. Lessons learned about water oxidation and the role of PCET and concerted pathways appear to have direct relevance for water oxidation in Photosystem II (PSII) with PSII a spectacular example of PCET in action. This includes a key role for Multiple Site-Electron Proton Transfer in oxidative activation of the Oxygen Evolving Complex (OEC) in the S0 → S1 transition in the Kok cycle.
Review of thermoelectric and galvanomagnetic transport in bismuth nanowires

The experimental transport data measured on bismuth nanowires, 4 to 200 nm in diameter, imbedded in porous host materials such as alumina and silica, are reviewed here. We observe a very large enhancement of the thermoelectric power of bismuth nanowires with diameters on the order of 4 to 15 nm. Lin, Sun and Dresselhaus (2000) had theoretically predicted such enhancement, and their paper suggests that it should lead to the development of high figure of merit thermoelectric materials. The thermopower is maximized when the wire diameter is 9 nm, presumably because localization effects begin to dominate at smaller diameters. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistance of these nanocomposite samples is also consistent with the theory, and is very different from that of bulk bismuth. Magnetoresistance data show evidence for localization effects when the wire diameter is smaller than 50 nm, and these effects become important below 10 nm. The transport properties of the bismuth nanowires will be compared to those of zinc and antimony nanowires of similar diameters, which remain metallic.
Tyrphostin Tumor Growth Inhibitors of EGFR and ErbB2 Tyrosine Kinase

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are small molecules that bind to the ATP binding site of the tyrosine kinase domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and disrupt the uncontrolled signaling reactions in cancer cells by inhibiting tyrosine phosphorylation. Tyrphostins (or malononitriles) are one class of compounds known to function as tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Our focus is to determine the structural features of these molecules that make them candidates for tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In this study, the X-ray crystal structures of four compounds shown to have EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibition have been determined. They are 4-methoxybenzylidenemalononitrile, (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzylidene) malononitrile, α-cyano-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxy)thiocinnamide, and N-(3′,4′-dihydroxybenzylidenecyanoacetyl)indoline. Crystallographic data: 4-methoxybenzylidenemalononitrile, P21/c, a = 3.9173(6) A, b = 24.909(3) A, c = 9.6487(9) A, β = 91.10(1)°, V = 941.3(2) A3; (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzylidene) malononitrile, P21/c, a = 7.0065(5) A, b = 10.7158(9) A, c = 13.4191(10) A, β = 102.986(6)°, V = 981.7(1) A3; α-cyano-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxy)thiocinnamide, P1bar, a = 9.6640(19) A, b = 9.7204(13) A, c = 10.3305(18) A, α = 88.93(1)°, β = 83.88(2)°, γ = 66.12(1)°, V = 882.0(3) A3; N-(3′,4′-dihydroxybenzylidenecyanoacetyl)indoline, P1bar, a = 7.8887(7) A, b = 8.220(1) A, c = 12.967(2) A, α = 94.42(1)°, β = 99.45(9)°, γ = 118.37(8)°, V = 718.0(2) A3.
Minimally invasive assessment of tumor angiogenesis by fine needle aspiration and flow cytometry

The development of a new, less invasive, and more rapidly implemented method of quantifying endothelial cell density in tumors could facilitate experimental and clinical studies of angiogenesis. Therefore, we evaluated the utility of tumor fine needle aspiration (FNA) coupled with flow cytometry for assessment of tumor angiogenesis. Samples were obtained from cutaneous tumors of mice using FNA, then immunostained and assessed by flow cytometry to determine the number of CD31+ endothelial cells. Results of the FNA/flow cytometry technique were compared with quantification of tumor microvessel density using immunohistochemistry. The ability of the FNA/cytometry technique to quantify the effects of anti-angiogenic therapy and to monitor changes in tumor angiogenesis over time in individual tumors was also determined. We found that endothelial cell percentages determined in tumor tissue aspirates by flow cytometry correlated well with the percentages of endothelial cells determined in whole tumor digests by flow cytometry and with tumor microvessel density measurements by immunohistochemistry. Moreover, we found that repeated FNA sampling of tumors did not induce endothelial cell changes. Interestingly, by employing repeated FNA sampling of the same tumors we were able to observe a sudden and marked decline in tumor angiogenesis triggered when tumors reached a certain size. Thus, we conclude that the FNA/flow cytometry technique is an efficient, reproducible, and relatively non-invasive method of rapidly assessing tumor angiogenesis, which could be readily applied to evaluation of tumor angiogenesis in clinical settings in humans.
Floating-gates transistors for precision analog circuit design: an overview

This paper presents an overview of floating-gate transistors with an emphasis on using them as programmable elements to correct mismatch inherent in analog circuit design. The design methodology is such that floating-gate MOSFETs play the role of programmable elements while forming an inherent part of the circuitry of interest, as well. Such an approach results in a compact architecture with minimal additional power. Accurate programming that is key to a successful implementation is discussed along with experimental results demonstrating floating-gate charge retention. An overview of several circuit design examples is provided to demonstrate the feasibility of using floating-gate transistors for precision analog circuit design
The myth of a simple relation between space and aggression in captive primates

This paper reviews literature on the relation between captive environments and social behavior, particularly aggressive behavior, in monkeys and apes. The conclusion is that theories of “crowding” and “stress” are too simplistic to account for the observed relation. Instead, it is suggested that environmental effects be investigated from the standpoint of behavioral adjustment. Primates show behavior patterns that seem to aim at the avoidance of conflict and the reduction of social tensions. Such coping mechanisms are expected to be especially effective in groups that have lived in a particular environment for a long time. As an indication that this may be so, data on stable groups of rhesus monkeys under three very different conditions show a remarkable similarity in aggression rate.
Gallbladder Relaxation in Patients With Pigment and Cholesterol Stones

Abstract Thirty gallbladders were studied in vitro; 5 had black pigment stones and 25 contained manifestations of excess cholesterol in bile. Of the 25, 14 had cholesterol stones, 7 had macroscopic cholesterolosis, and 4 had cholesterol crystals. There were no differences in basal active tension among these groups, but the force of spontaneous phasic contractions was reduced in gallbladders with cholesterol stones, cholesterolosis, and cholesterol crystals compared with specimens with pigment stones (p −10 –10 −6 M), acetylcholine (10 −7 –10 −3 M), and potassium chloride (20–60 mM) were greater in strips from specimens with pigment stones than in strips from specimens with cholesterol stones or cholesterolosis (p −6 M cholecystokinin-8 in normal calcium (2.5 mM) and in the absence of extracellular calcium. Weaker muscle strips had a reduced response to cholecystokinin-8 in the absence of extracellular calcium (p
Hypoelectrolytemia as a Presentation and Complication of Cystic Fibrosis

We describe three patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) with four episodes of hy poelectrolytemia, two of which were associated with documented metabolic al kalosis. CF should be included in the differential diagnosis of infants and children presenting with hypoelectrolytemia and metabolic alkalosis. Patients with CF are at risk of developing severe hypochloremia in hot weather and during intercurrent illness. An abrupt diminution of oral intake is an important suggestive sign, alerting the physician to look for the development of hypoelectrolytemia.
The magic volume lens: an interactive focus+context technique for volume rendering

The size and resolution of volume datasets in science and medicine are increasing at a rate much greater than the resolution of the screens used to view them. This limits the amount of data that can be viewed simultaneously, potentially leading to a loss of overall context of the data when the user views or zooms into a particular area of interest. We propose a focus+context framework that uses various standard and advanced magnification lens rendering techniques to magnify the features of interest, while compressing the remaining volume regions without clipping them away completely. Some of these lenses can be interactively configured by the user to specify the desired magnification patterns, while others are feature-adaptive. All our lenses are accelerated on the GPU. They allow the user to interactively manage the available screen area, dedicating more area to the more resolution-important features.
Architectural Modifications to Improve Floating-Point Unit Efficiency in FPGAs

FPGAs have reached densities that can implement floating-point applications, but floating-point operations still require a large amount of FPGA resources. One major component of IEEE compliant floating-point computations is variable length shifters. They account for over 30% of a double-precision floating-point adder and 25% of a double-precision multiplier. This paper introduces two alternatives for implementing these shifters. One alternative is a coarse-grained approach: embedding variable length shifters in the FPGA fabric. These units provide significant area savings with a modest clock rate improvement over existing architectures. Another alternative is a fine-grained approach: adding a 4:1 multiplexer inside the slices, in parallel to the LUTs. While providing a more modest area savings, these multiplexers provide a significant boost in clock rate with a small impact on the FPGA fabric.
CI-1033, a pan-erbB tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

Overexpression of the erbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases has been implicated in a variety of tumors including breast, lung, prostate, and brain. Most solid tumors express one or more of these receptors, which can often be related to tumor aggressiveness and poor patient prognosis. CI-1033, a pan-erbB tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is a clinically promising agent that is active against all four members of the erbB receptor tyrosine kinase family. In vitro studies of human cancer cell lines indicate that CI-1033 results in prompt, potent, and sustained inhibition of tyrosine kinase activity. This inhibition is highly selective for erbB1 (epidermal growth factor receptor), erbB2, erbB3, and erbB4 without inhibiting tyrosine kinase activity of receptors such as platelet-derived growth factor receptor, fibroblast growth factor receptor, and insulin receptor, even at high concentrations. Treatment of athymic nude mice bearing xenografts of human A431 epidermoid carcinoma, H125 non-small cell lung carcinoma, and SF-767 glioblastoma results in highly significant suppression of tumor growth. The major toxicity in animals is diarrhea, which is more severe at higher doses. In animal models, all side effects are reversible on cessation of treatment. Thus, CI-1033, which is currently undergoing phase I clinical trials, holds significant potential for use in a broad range of solid tumors.
An Application of Surface Geophysical Techniques to the Study of Watershed Hydrology

The applicability of geophysical methods to experimental watershed research is demonstrated by a study of a 106-acre forested watershed in central Pennsylvania. Data from a shallow seismic refraction study and an electrical resistivity study of the watershed were used to determine the depth of soils, their volumes, depth to bedrock, configuration of the bedrock surface and delineation of the bedrock surface and delineation of the water table. With this information on the subsurface conditions, the hydrologic properties of the watershed were described in greater detail. This information will be of value in explaining the watershed's response to various watershed treatment practices that eventually will be used. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Data from a study using the shallow seismic refraction method and electrical resistivity method were used on an experimental watershed to determine the depth, volume, and water-storage characteristics of the soil mantle and its relationship to the water table and underlying bedrock. The seismic survey grid system, which covered the entire 106-acre watershed, established 154 geophone locations for depth measurements. Results were used to plot vertical and horizontal profiles depicting the subsurface conditions of the watershed. Water-storage capacities were calculated for each major soil type and also for the entire soil mantle of the watershed.
A Smart Setup for Craniospinal Irradiation

230 2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Siyong Kim, PhD, owns interests of Medical Tool and Technology, LLC. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Submitted November, 27, 2013, Accepted December, 6, 2013 Corresponding Author: Jennifer L. Peterson, Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA Tel: +1-904-953-1003 E-mail: Peterson.jennifer2@mayo.edu A Smart Setup for Craniospinal Irradiation
In Vitro and In Vivo Stability a Cryptococcus neoformans Glucuronoxylomannan Epitope That Elicits Protective Antibodies

The monoclonal antibody (MAb) 2H1 defines an epitope in Cryptococcus neoformans capsular glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) that can elicit protective antibodies. In murine models of cryptococcosis, MAb 2H1 administration prolongs survival and reduces fungal burden but seldom clears the infection. The mechanism by which C. neoformans persists and escape antibody-mediated clearance is not understood. One possibility is that variants that do not bind MAb 2H1 emerge in the course of infection. Using an agglutination-sedimentation protocol, we recovered a variant of strain 24067 that did not agglutinate, could not be serotyped, and had marked reduction in GXM O-acetyl groups. Binding of MAb 2H1 to 24067 variant cells produced a different immunofluorescence pattern and lower fluorescence intensity relative to the parent 24067 cells. Addition of MAb 2H1 to 24067 variant cells had no effect on cell charge. Phagocytic assays demonstrated that MAb 2H1 was not an effective opsonin for the 24067 variant. The 24067 variant was less virulent than the 24067 parent strain in mice, and MAb 2H1 administration did not prolong survival in animals infected with the variant strain. To investigate whether variants which do not bind MAb 2H1 are selected in experimental infection, three C. neoformans strains were serially passaged in mice given either MAb 2H1 or no antibody. Analysis of passaged isolates by agglutination assay, flow cytometry, and indirect immunofluorescence revealed changes in MAb 2H1 epitope expression but no clear trend with regards to gain or loss of MAb 2H1 epitope. C. neoformans variants with reduced MAb 2H1 epitope content can be isolated in vitro, but persistence of infection in mice given MAb 2H1 does not appear to be a result of selection of escape variants that lack the MAb 2H1 epitope.
The Efficacy of Phonological Awareness Training with First-Grade Students Who Have Behavior Problems and Reading Difficulties:

Research has identified a comorbid group of children who have both antisocial and attention problems. Many of these children demonstrate the most deleterious features of both conditions (e.g., aggression and academic underachievement) and experience the most negative outcomes, including school failure, drug and alcohol abuse, and delinquency in adolescence, than either condition alone.Treatment outcome studies, although few in number, suggest that remediation of academic deficits may be associated with reciprocal effects on social and behavioral domains.The purpose of the present study was to conduct a preliminary investigation of the effectiveness of a reading intervention program for first-grade children at risk for conduct and attention problems.Academic, social, and behavioral outcome measures were examined using single case methodology. Findings support the efficacy of early intervention in the area of early reading for these children. However, the findings also suggest that while improvements were n...
Integrated policy simulation in complex system-of-systems

This study presents an integrated framework for evaluation of different policy scenarios in complex System-of-Systems. The proposed framework uses a bottom-up approach and hybrid simulation paradigms to model the micro-dynamics of a System-of-Systems and to investigate the desired policy outcomes. The application of the proposed framework is presented in the evaluation of financing policies in infrastructure System-of-Systems in which a hybrid agent-based/system dynamics platform was created to model the micro-behaviors of different entities affecting the level of investment. The created model provides a platform for conducting scenario analysis and investigating the landscape of desired policy outcomes. The results show that the proposed framework facilitates: (1) investigation of the impacts of the adaptive behaviors of different entities as well as the uncertainties; and (2) identification of the highly likely scenarios which lead to the desired policy outcomes.
Diet and Age Affect Intestinal Morphology and Large Bowel Fermentative End-Product Concentrations in Senior and Young Adult Dogs

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of age and diet on intestinal morphology and large bowel fermentative end-product concentrations in healthy dogs. Small intestinal villus width, height, and area, and small intestinal and colonic crypt depth were measured. Large bowel digesta samples were analyzed for ammonia, SCFAs, and branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs). SCFAs are considered to be beneficial fermentative end-products in the intestine because they exert trophic effects on intestinal cells. Twelve senior (age = 11.1 y +/- 0.6 at baseline; 6 male, 6 female) and 12 young adult (age = 8 wk old at baseline; 6 male, 6 female) beagles were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 dietary treatments, an animal product-based diet (APB) and a plant product-based diet (PPB). Diets were fed for 12 mo. Jejunal (P = 0.03) and ileal (P = 0.02) villus height, and duodenal (P = 0.04) villus width were greater for dogs consuming the PPB diet. Young dogs had greater (P = 0.04) jejunal villus height, whereas senior dogs had greater (P < 0.001) colonic crypt depth. Ammonia concentrations decreased (P = 0.03) from proximal to distal colon and were higher in dogs consuming APB (P = 0.03). Age and treatment affected butyrate concentrations, with senior dogs (P = 0.04) and dogs consuming APB (P = 0.04) having higher concentrations. Both diet and age affected small and large intestinal morphology, and colonic fermentative end-product concentrations in dogs.
Arsenic Exposure and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Southwestern American Indians

Association of urinary arsenic concentration with incident diabetes was examined in American Indians from Arizona who have a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes and were screened for diabetes between 1982 and 2007. The population resides where drinking water contains arsenic at concentrations above federally recommended limits. A total of 150 nondiabetic subjects aged ≥25 years who subsequently developed type 2 diabetes were matched by year of examination and sex to 150 controls who remained nondiabetic for ≥10 years. Total urinary arsenic concentration, adjusted for urinary creatinine level, ranged from 6.6 µg/L to 123.1 µg/L, and inorganic arsenic concentration ranged from 0.1 µg/L to 36.0 µg/L. In logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and urinary creatinine level, the odds ratios for incident diabetes were 1.11 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79, 1.57) and 1.16 (95% CI: 0.89, 1.53) for a 2-fold increase in total arsenic and inorganic arsenic, respectively. Categorical analyses suggested a positive relationship between quartiles of inorganic arsenic and incident diabetes (P = 0.056); post-hoc comparison of quartiles 2-4 with quartile 1 revealed 2-fold higher odds of diabetes in the upper quartiles (OR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.19, 3.85). Modestly elevated exposure to inorganic arsenic may predict type 2 diabetes in American Indians. Larger studies that include measures of speciated arsenic are required for confirmation.
Highly Efficient Multimedia Event Recounting from User Semantic Preferences

We present the design of a video event recounting system that takes YouTube-like videos, and identifies a minimal set of video segments and textual keyword descriptions in order to convince a user, in a time efficient manner, that the video contains an instance of a user-specificed human activity. The system is based on extensive user studies that have lead to nine design principles about human preferences and limits in semantic understanding. The processing pipeline locates the presence of user query keywords within the video, segments the video according to a model of human short-term memory for semantic similarities, selects those segments that best contain query terms, and abbreviates both the video and textual presentation. Speed-ups of a factor of 6 over simple video viewing time are achievable, without loss of semantic accuracy. In the 2013 Trecvid Multimedia Event Recounting competition, this system placed first in time efficiency, while remaining above average in description accuracy.
Sensibilism, Psychologism, and Kant’s Debt to Hume

Hume's account of causation is often regarded a challenge Kant must overcome if the Critical philosophy is to be successful. But from Kant's time to the present, Hume's denial of our ability to cognize supersensible objects, a denial that relies heavily on his account of causation, has also been regarded as a forerunner to Kant's critique of metaphysics. After identifying reasons for rejecting Wayne Waxman's recent account of Kant's debt to Hume, I present my own, more modest account of this debt, an account that seeks to unite the two very different pictures of Kant's relationship to Hume sketched above.
Therapeutic Responses in Asthma and COPD: Bronchodilators

The presence of acute reversibility to bronchodilators does not distinguish asthma from COPD. Patients with either condition can benefit from bronchodilators, and should be given a trial to assess their response. Some respond with a change in lung volume with less hyperinflation; others improve their forced inspiratory flow and become much more comfortable. The combination of long-acting β-agonists (LABAs) and inhaled steroids is useful in both conditions. While anticholinergics seem to yield the best results in COPD, some patients with asthma benefit from their use. Tiotropium may be the most effective agent as monotherapy in COPD, but the combination of an inhaled steroid and a LABA may produce similar results in improving lung function. Long-acting bronchodilators are effective agents as monotherapy in COPD, but in asthma should be combined with a controller medication. Short-acting β-agonists should be used intermittently in asthma, but may be used regularly or combined with an anticholinergic in COPD. The roles of stereoisomers, leukotriene receptor antagonists, and type 4 phosphodiesterase inhibitors in asthma and COPD remain uncertain at this time.
IN VITRO COLLECTING (IVC). I. THE EFFECT OF COLLECTING METHOD AND ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS ON CONTAMINATION IN TEMPERATE AND TROPICAL COLLECTIONS

In vitro collecting is the process of initiating tissue cultures in the field. In order for in vitro collecting to be broadly available as a technique for collecting plant germplasm, the levels of contamination in such cultures must be controlled. Two techniques for in vitro collecting were compared: leaf punch and needle collecting. The effectiveness of these methods for collecting leaf and stem tissues from plants at tropical and temperature sites was compared. Stem tissue collected by the needle collecting method gave cultures with an average contamination percentage of 31% and 16%, from the tropical and temperate sites, respectively, while with the leaf punch method, average contamination percentages were 90% and 69%. The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents in reducing contamination in leaf punch cultures was evaluated. Addition of the fungicide benlate and the antibiotics cefotaxime and vancomycin, to the leaf punch collections reduced contamination to an average of 30% in the tropical collections and 35% in the temperate collections. Over 90% of both tropical and temperature species collected in multiple samples of 10 or more had at least one clean sample using this medium. The use of either the leaf punch method in combination with a fungicide and antibiotics or the needle collecting technique yielded a high percentage of clean tissues for study and growth.