cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stability of hippocampal place cell activity across the rat estrous cycle

Findings from both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that estrogen exerts pronounced effects on hippocampal morphology and physiology. The degree to which these molecular findings influence hippocampal processing in freely behaving animals is unclear. The present study assessed the effect of the estrous cycle on hippocampal place cells in naturally cycling rats during two behavioral states. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to alternate on a U-shaped runway for food reinforcement. Single-unit recordings of hippocampal CA1 cells were conducted under two conditions: (1) at rest on a holder, and (2) running on the maze. Spatial firing characteristics of the cells were examined at different stages of the estrous cycle (i.e., diestrus, proestrus, and estrus). Specifically, information was collected on (1) mean firing rates; (2) basic place field parameters; and (3) changes in the firing dynamics of these cells (e.g., burst properties). The findings showed a decrease in mean firing rate on the maze during proestrus. However, other basic measures of spatial tuning and burst properties were unchanged. The current study suggests that there is relative stability of hippocampal place cells across the estrous cycle during a well-trained task.
Love in America: Gender and Self-Development

List of figures and tables Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Love vs. self-development Part I. The History of Love: 2. The feminization of love in the nineteenth century 3. From role to self: the emergence of androgynous love in the twentieth century 4. The history of love: theories and debates Part II. Feminized Love and Its Costs: 5. Feminine and masculine love 6. Illness and split gender roles 7. Martial conflict over intimacy Part III. Androgynous Love: 8. Self-development through androgynous love 9. Androgynous love in marriage 10. Friends and relatives Conclusion 11. Current trends and future possibilities Appendices Notes References Index.
Neuronal Apoptosis and Necrosis Following Spinal Cord Ischemia in the Rat

We examined the characteristics of neuronal death induced by ischemia in the spinal cord. Spinal cord ischemia was induced in Long-Evans rats by occlusion of the descending aorta with a 2F Fogarty catheter for 20 min (model 1) or more limited aortic occlusion (15 min) coupled with blood volume reduction (model 2); rats were sacrificed 6 h-7 days later. The animals developed variable paraparesis in model 1 and reliable paraplegia in model 2. The extent of histopathological spinal cord damage, being maximal in the lumbar cord, correlated well with the severity of paraparesis. Two distinct types of spinal cord neuronal death were observed, consistent with necrosis and apoptosis. Neuronal necrosis was seen in gray matter laminae 3-7, characterized by the rapid (6 h) onset of eosinophilia on hematoxylin/eosin-stained sections, and gradual (1-7 days) development of eosinophilic ghosting. Although TUNEL positivity was present, disintegration of membranes and cytoplasmic organelles was seen under electron microscopy. Neuronal apoptosis was seen after 1-2 days in dorsal horn laminae 1-3, characterized by both TUNEL positivity and electron microscopic appearance of nuclear chromatin aggregation and the formation of apoptotic bodies. DNA extracted from the ischemic lumbar cord showed internucleosomal fragmentation (laddering) on gel electrophoresis. These data suggest that distinct spinal cord neuronal populations may undergo necrosis and apoptosis following transient ischemic insults.
The relationship between mixed strategies and strategic groups

This paper identifies a theoretical basis for the existence of strategic groups. We represent the competitive marketplace by means of a game-theoretic model and motivate the existence of markets wherein the only Nash solution may be in mixed strategies. Given deterministic behavior on the part of the firms, we interpret this solution in terms of a strategic groups equilibrium. The major implication of this analysis is that strategic groups can exist even if there is no inherent asymmetry (in terms of skills) between firms.
Improvement of creep strength of a third generation, single-crystal Ni-base superalloy by solution heat treatment

The standard solution heat treatment of the third generation, single-crystal Ni-base superalloy, CMSX-10, requires multiple steps at temperatures up to 1365 °C and lasts a total of approximately 45 hours. These high temperatures and long hours result in a heat treatment that is costly. Reducing the temperature and/or time of the heat treatment to reduce the cost of the heat treatment would result in residual segregation of W and Re to the dendrite cores, a locally unstable microstructure. Therefore, a modified heat treatment was evaluated that increased the maximum heat-treatment temperature and the amount of time at the higher heat-treatment temperatures. The microstructures and mechanical properties were evaluated for samples given both the standard and the modified solution heat treatment.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Plume Interaction With Storage Tanks

Etude experimentale de la dispersion d'un panache d'argon simulant le gaz naturel liquefie et d'un panache constitue d'un melange de 10% d'ethane, de 4% de dioxyde de carbone et de 86% d'azote simulant un gaz de densite neutre en presence d'un unique obstacle cylindrique
NOTE ON FUZZY SETS

Abstract : We present some improvements for the landmark paper of fuzzy sets for distributive law, convex combination and convex fuzzy sets. Our enhancement will help researcher absorb the original paper of fuzzy sets. Keywords : Fuzzy sets, convex combination.
Assessment of myocardial fatty acid metabolism with 1-11C-palmitate

The myocardium has the capacity to utilize a variety of metabolic substrates, including long-chain fatty acids, ketone bodies, glucose, lactate, and amino acids. Under most conditions long-chain fatty acids constitute the major myocardial energy source. Imaging of long-chain fatty acids can be accomplished with carbon 11-labeled palmitate (1-11C-palmitate) and positron emission tomography. Imaging can be performed in either static or dynamic modes. In normal subjects accumulation of the tracer is homogeneous throughout the heart. In patients with myocardial infarction, distinct defects in accumulation are seen. In dilated cardiomyopathy, uptake is spatially heterogeneous. Clearance of 1-11C-palmitate in normal myocardium is biexponential and homogeneous throughout the heart. Administration of glucose, or feeding, decreases uptake of the tracer into the early rapid turnover pool and decreases clearance of the tracer from that pool. In normal myocardium atrial pacing increases the rate of clearance; in ischemic myocardium the degree of increased clearance is attenuated. In patients with cardiomyopathy caused by long-chain fatty acid coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency, 1-11C-palmitate clearance is diminished compared with total myocardial oxygen consumption traced with carbon 11-labeled acetate. Thus positron emission tomography with 1-11C-palmitate permits assessment of patients with ischemic heart disease and cardiomyopathy of diverse causes, providing insights into both pathophysiologic mechanisms and the effectiveness of various therapeutic interventions.
Self-disproportionation of enantiomers of (R)-ethyl 3-(3,5-dinitrobenzamido)-4,4,4-trifluorobutanoate on achiral silica gel stationary phase

The very unusual phenomenon of separation of enantiomers by self-disproportionation on achiral silica gel stationary phase has been studied in detail using (R)-ethyl 3-(3,5-dinitrobenzamido)-4,4,4-trifluorobutanoate as an example. The appearance and magnitude of self-disproportionation were shown by this study to depend on the optical purity of the starting compounds and the nature (polarity) of an eluent used. Based on the results described by us and on previous literature data we conclude that it is not safe to assume that any type of chromatography is a reliable method for purification of non-racemic mixtures for determination of their enantiomeric purities. We recommend that chemists dealing with non-racemic compounds should first run an ESD-test (enantiomer self-disproportionation test) proposed herein before using chromatography for any purification. Moreover, one of the serious consequences of our finding is that all fluorine-containing chiral reagents and drugs, which are currently on the market, as well as all previously reported literature data on the stereochemical outcome of asymmetric transformations involving fluorine-containing compounds, should be carefully re-evaluated if column chromatography on silica gel was involved as a purification step.
Is it Time to Enhance Assessment of Alcohol Intake in Patients Slated for Statin Therapy

Use of statins significantly lowers low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, resulting in substantial reduction in cardiovascular event rates. Despite this great achievement, cardiovascular risk remains high, especially among the elderly (>65 years) and those with conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease. It is thus crucial to identify variables that modulate effectiveness and efficacy of statin therapy. Alcohol, a common dietary component, is widely consumed at varying amounts and often concomitantly with statin therapy. Since moderate alcohol consumption is associated with cardiovascular benefits while heavy intake increases risk for ill health, it is possible that moderate alcohol may enhance benefits from statins while heavy alcohol could diminish or even abrogate such benefits. Whether this is true remains unknown. In this commentary we present pathways through which alcohol may impact use and response to statins and suggest that enhancing screening for alcohol abuse among patients slated for statin therapy may improve therapeutic outcomes.
Renal vasodepressor mechanisms : the medullipin system

Renal vasodepressor hormone: Medullipin I is the renomedullary vasodepressor hormone secreted by the renomedullary interstitial cells of the renal papilla. It is conveyed to the liver where it is converted to its active form, medullipin II. Medullipin II is a vasodilator that suppresses sympathetic tone and causes diuresis and natriuresis. Its actions are opposite to those of angiotensin II. These are feedback control systems. The secretion and conversion of medullipin is related to the cytochrome P-450 dependent enzyme system of kidney and liver. Deficiency of medullipin: A deficiency of medullipin is considered to contribute to the pathogenesis of various hypertensive states. There are three known causes for such a deficiency, (1) removal of renomedullary interstitial cells by bilateral nephrectomy, renal surgical papillectomy, chemical papillectomy, papillary atrophy or necrosis; (2) decrease in number and damage to renomedullary interstitial cells in accelerated experimental hypertension and malignant hypertension of humans; and (3) dysfunction of renomedullary interstitial cells as mediated by angiotensin II, by resetting of the effect of increased renal artery perfusion pressure, by stimulation of the renal sympathetic nerve, by inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis and possibly by inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase. Secretion of Medullipin I: The main factor influencing secretion of medullipin I by the kidney appears to be the renal artery perfusion pressure. Elevation of this pressure is attenuated by the presence of medullipin I in the renal venous effluent. Lowering the pressure below normal shuts off this secretion. This is opposite to the effects of perfusion pressure on renin secretion, as elevation shuts off renin secretion while depression turns it on.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Selectively Damped Least Squares for Inverse Kinematics

We introduce two methods for the inverse kinematics of multibodies with multiple end effectors. The first method clamps the distance of the target positions. Experiments show this is effective in reducing oscillation when target positions are unreachable. The second method is an extension of damped least squares called selectively damped least squares (SDLS), which adjusts the damping factor separately for each singular vector of the Jacobian singular value decomposition based on the difficulty of reaching the target positions. SDLS has advantages in converging in fewer iterations and in not requiring ad-hoc damping constants. Source code is available online.
Quantifying the vascular response to ischemia with speckle variance optical coherence tomography

Longitudinal monitoring techniques for preclinical models of vascular remodeling are critical to the development of new therapies for pathological conditions such as ischemia and cancer. In models of skeletal muscle ischemia in particular, there is a lack of quantitative, non-invasive and long term assessment of vessel morphology. Here, we have applied speckle variance optical coherence tomography (OCT) methods to quantitatively assess vascular remodeling and growth in a mouse model of peripheral arterial disease. This approach was validated on two different mouse strains known to have disparate rates and abilities of recovering following induction of hind limb ischemia. These results establish the potential for speckle variance OCT as a tool for quantitative, preclinical screening of pro- and anti-angiogenic therapies.
Vitamin A supplements in newborns and child survival

Benefit depends on the setting, baseline infant mortality, and vitamin A deficiency Vitamin A supplementation at 6-72 months of age has become a mainline intervention for improving survival in populations with endemic vitamin A deficiency.1 However, in the same setting, supplementation at 1-6 months of age has little or no effect on mortality, whether given with immunisation or not.2 3 Giving vitamin A supplements to newborns within the first few days of life significantly reduced early infant mortality in Asian populations with endemic maternal vitamin A deficiency andhigh infant mortality.4 5 6 In Africa, however, this strategy had no beneficial effect on early infant survival in an urban setting7 or—as reported in the accompanying paper by Benn and colleagues—in a peri-urban setting.8 How can these findings be reconciled? Some might suggest that a meta-analysis of all the newborn dosing studies would provide a more accurate estimate of the true effect on early infant mortality. But combining these studies would be a fundamental mistake, because the variation in effect on early infant …
Plant Phototransduction: Phytochrome signal transduction

Signalling intermediates in plant phototransduction pathways have been identified. These new results suggest how plants maintain a hight photosyntheic efficiency despite changes in their light environment.
Use of a hinged external knee fixator after surgery for knee dislocation.

Abstract Purpose: This study documents short-term clinical outcomes in patients with knee dislocations after blunt trauma and evaluates the compass knee hinge (CKH) external fixator for their treatment. Type of Study: Nonrandomized prospective functional outcome study. Methods: Forty patients with 43 knee dislocations were evaluated. Twelve knees underwent ligament reconstruction followed by placement of a CKH; this was group A. Group B included 27 knees that underwent the same treatment and rehabilitation protocol except that an external brace was used rather than a CKH. Results: Thirty-six patients with 39 knee dislocations underwent follow-up ranging from 14 to 41 months (mean, 24). Four patients with 4 knee dislocations were lost to follow-up (1 group A, 3 group B). Group A underwent 27 knee ligament procedures with 2 (7%) failures based on clinical examination. Group B underwent 102 ligament procedures with 30 (29%) failures ( P P = .05). SF-36 data revealed low mean values with no significant differences between groups with current enrollment. Conclusions: Knee dislocation after blunt trauma requires aggressive surgical treatment and physical therapy. In the short-term evaluation, the CKH allows aggressive physical therapy without placing repaired or reconstructed ligaments under high stresses that can result in failure.
The perception of two vocal qualities in a synthesized vocal utterance: ring and pressed voice

Two vocal qualities, ring quality and pressed quality, were analyzed perceptually. Listeners were asked to rate (on a scale from 0 to 10) the "amount of ring" in one listening and the "amount of pressedness" in another listening. The stimulus was the synthesized utterance /ya-ya-ya-ya-ya/. In the continuum representation of ring, the skewing quotient and the cross section of the epilaryngeal tube area were systematically varied, independently and by a covariation rule. In the continuum representation of pressed, the flow amplitude and open quotient were similarly varied. Results indicated that the crossover point between ring and no ring occurred with an epilaryngeal area of around 1.0 cm2, and the crossover point between pressed and not pressed quality occurred at an open quotient of about 0.4. Fundamental frequency also had an effect on the perceptions, with a higher fundamental frequency receiving higher ratings of ring and pressed for otherwise the same parameters. Listeners demonstrated highly variable perceptions in both continua with poor intersubject, intrasubject, and intergroup reliability.
Initiative conflicts in task-oriented dialogue

An initiative conflict is an overlap of speech in which both conversants try to steer the conversation in different directions. In this paper, we investigate how conversants in human-human dialogue deal with such conflicts. First, in investigating why initiative conflicts occur, we find that the offsets of the utterances involved in initiative conflicts tend to be very short, and that initiative conflicts seem more likely to occur when one of the conversants has an urgent conversational goal. These findings strongly suggest that initiative conflicts are unintentional collisions and that conversants try to prevent them from even occurring, unless there is an urgent reason. Second, in investigating how initiative conflicts are resolved, we find that the overlaps tend to last less than two syllables, that volume correlates with who wins initiative conflicts, and that for longer overlaps, the volume of the winner increases in the second half of the overlaps. These findings strongly suggest that initiative conflicts are quickly resolved through an interactive process, using volume as one of the devices. Third, we find that after an initiative conflict is resolved, the winner sometimes repeats the words involved in the overlap; and this happens more when the overlap is more likely to interfere with the other conversant's understanding. These findings will help us build next-generation mixed-initiative spoken dialogue systems that are natural and efficient to use.
Synthesis and structure of novel perfluorinated iodinanes

Abstract Several novel iodinanes have been prepared and structurally characterized. The structures of all are heavily influenced by secondary bonding involving the iodine(III) center and oxygen or chlorine. The iodonium salt, [Ph(CF 3 CH 2 )I]CF 3 SO 2 NSO 2 CF 3 , has a chain structure with the anion in a transoid conformation, while the diphenyl derivative, [Ph 2 I]CF 3 SO 2 NSO 2 CF 3 , forms a dimeric structure which stabilizes a cisoid conformation of the anion. In comparison to the known compound, PhICl 2 , which has a simple chain structure, perfluoroalkyliodinedichlorides CF 3 CH 2 ICl 2 and CHF 2 (CF 2 ) 5 CH 2 ICl 2 , have more complicated structures in which weak interactions between chains, coupled with aggregation of perfluoro groups, results in the formation of layers. The dicarboxylate, CF 3 CH 2 I(O 2 CCF 3 ) 2 has a T-shaped coordination similar to other derivatives, but forms a tetrameric array of molecules not previously seen.
Regional distribution of catecholamines in nucleus accumbens of the rabbit.

: The nucleus accumbens is an important telencephalic region, which is the target limbic and mesolimbic pathways. Because of an ongoing physiological study of the effects of dopamine, we wanted to determine regional differences of dopamine and norepinephrine concentrations in the nucleus. As determined by radioenzymatic assays, dopamine levels were not significantly different in the anterior-posterior dimension, averaging approximately 187 ng dopamine/mg protein. Substantial amounts of norepinephrine were found throughout the nucleus, but the levels were significantly higher in the caudal portions of the nucleus, being approximately 4.5 times higher than in the anterior portions.
Factors affecting the acceptance of a report writer software application within two social service agencies

Within the research literature, there has been a well documented difference in the level of acceptance in the adoption of technology within social services agencies by mental health practitioners. This article describes a collaborative process of design, implementation and evaluation of a report writer application for clinicians in hospital settings. Two inpatient hospitals that implemented the report writer software were evaluated. In particular, factors which aided and hindered the acceptance of the application in the two facilities are discussed. A complete description is provided of the application, which allows clinicians to quickly generate a report by choosing and editing commonly used text.
Beliefs about Aging: Implications for Future Educational Programming

The specific aim of this research study was to gain knowledge regarding beliefs about aging, in order to develop future, priority, educational, and aging-related opportunities in Kansas. The study included six focus groups with a self-selected sample of Kansans born during the years 1946–1964 (N = 39). The main themes that surfaced included the following: health is fundamental, communities and families provide assistance, personal experiences shape perceptions, and American society creates expectations. Educational programs that were indicated as priority areas for future development and implementation are discussed.
A mathematical model for membrane transport of amino acid and Na+ in vesicles.

A model with a carrier having sites for both amino acid and Na+ can account for AIB (α-aminoisobutyric acid) transport kinetics observed in membrane vesicles from SV3T3 (simian virus 40-tranformed Balb/c3T3 cells) and 3T3 (the parent cell line). The main feature of this cotransport model is that Na+ binding to carrier decreases the effectiveK m for AIB transport, Na+ transport kinetics observed in both vesicle systems can be described by passive (possibly facilitated) diffusion. The lag of Na+ transport across the membrane compared to that for AIB, coupled to the Na+-dependent decrease in theK m for AIB, accounts for the overshoot in intravesicular AIB observed for SV3T3 in the presence of an initial Na+ gradient. Extra-vesicular Na+ maintains a derease in theK m for AIB influx before intra-vesicular Na+ has accumulated to balance it with a comparable decrease in theK m for AIB efflux. 3T3 vesicles display little overshoot, and this finding can be explained mostly by a lower carrier affinity for Na+.
Structure of hexacyclen salts 1,4,7,10,13,16‐hexaazacyclooctadecanehexahydrogennitratemonohydrte

The crystal structure of the anion-complexing agent, 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16-hexaazacyclooctadecanehexahydrogen-nitratemonohydrate, has been determined by a single-crystal x-ray diffraction study. Nitrate and water are bound strongly to the hexacyclen ring by hydrogen-bonds and ion-ion interactions. The hexacyclen ring has a conformation which is relatively independent of its crystallographic environment.
A modification of broyden's method for the solution of sparse systems—with application to distillation problems described by nonideal thermodynamic functions

Abstract An algorithm that permits Broyden's method to be used for the solution of large systems of algebraic equations with sparse Jacobians is presented. The new procedure is compared to Schubert's modification of Broyden's method and to the Newton-Raphson method by solving an extractive distillation problem. It is demonstrated that the new procedure is competitive with Schubert's method when it is necessary to evaluate Jacobian matrices numerically.
IRAS Low-Resolution Spectral Observations of H II Regions

Abundances of neon and sulfur for 95 H II regions whose spectra were measured by the IRAS Low Resolution Spectrometer (LRS) are determined; and theoretical implications of the neon ionization level and the sulfur-to-neon abundance ratio are discussed. The abundances show a distinct gradient of Ne/H with respect to Galactocentric radius RG, and a smaller gradient for S/H. The neon ionization is high only for sources with both low neon abundance and high luminosity. It is concluded that, due to the fact that the luminosities observed are so high compared to those predicted for the zero-age main sequence star, the most luminous H II regions are probably excited by several stars or a cluster of stars. The observed ionization of neon shows that the effective temperatures of the exciting stars cannot be more than 40,000 K, with an alternative explanation that 04 and 03 stars have Lyman continuum spectra cooler than the 45,000 - 50,000 K effective temperatures that are found for their visible and UV spectra.
Transformational Approaches to Model Driven Architecture - A Review

The model driven architecture (MDA) has been widely used as a paradigm in software development. This paper presents an overview on the current research in the model driven architecture. We analyze the key concepts of the MDA by illustrative examples, explore the existing approaches and tools that support model transformation - the essential part of the MDA, and classify these methods based on a multidimensional scheme. Furthermore, this paper summarizes the current technical achievements of model transformation techniques in software development at different abstraction levels of a system.
Guidelines Versus Practices in Cross-Lingual Assessment: A Disconcerting Disconnect

The International Test Commission's Guidelines for Translating and Adapting Tests (2010) provide important guidance on developing and evaluating tests for use across languages. These guidelines are widely applauded, but the degree to which they are followed in practice is unknown. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of published articles to determine whether the methodologies related to test adaptation and evaluation of cross-lingual measurement bias have improved since the initial publication of the Guidelines. Results demonstrated that although reporting reliability estimates and statistically analyzing construct equivalence improved since publication of the Guidelines, the majority of test development and validation practices in the published literature have not embraced the recommendations put forth by the International Test Commission. Overall, these findings call into question many of the inferences derived from cross-linguistic comparisons and clearly signal a need for be...
All-optical switching of picosecond pulses in GaAs MQW waveguides

All-optical switching has been achieved in zero-gap directional couplers containing either a single or multiple quantum wells. The mechanism which is due to free carrier induced refractive nonlinearities at near band-gap resonant frequencies has an instantaneous turn-on time and a recovery time that depends on the speed at which the carriers are dissipated. A recovery time as short as 130 ps has been obtained experimentally by the application of an external dc bias which sweeps out the carriers from the quantum wells.
Assessment of SNRPN expression as a molecular tool in the diagnosis of Prader-Willi syndrome

Background: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is associated with lesions of the paternal chromosome 15q11-13. Recently, loss of expression of a paternally expressed gene in this region, SNRPN, has been proposed as a molecular hallmark of PWS. The goal of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of SNRPN expression in a well-characterized cohort of PWS patients. Methods: SNRPN expression was analyzed by reverse transcription coupled to polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RNA was isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes and subjected to multiplex RT-PCR in which expression of SNRPN and a constitutively expressed internal control gene were analyzed. The amplified products were electrophoresed in agarose gels and visualized by ethidium bromide staining. Results: Multiplex RT-PCR was applied to RNAs isolated from 30 normal control subjects and 30 well-characterized PWS patients. All control patients expressed the SNRPN and internal control genes. In contrast, all 30 PWS patients demonstrated loss of SNRPN expression, with integrity of RNA being demonstrated by the presence of internal control gene expression. Conclusions: Loss of SNRPN expression appears to be a consistent finding in PWS. Expression analysis of SNRPN offers a novel approach for the diagnostic evaluation of PWS that is robust and can be performed in a single day.
Bile Acid Conjugation Pattern in the Isolated Perfused Rat Liver During Infusion of an Amino Acid Formulation

The influence of the taurine-containing amino acid mixture Trophamine on the pattern of bile acid conjugation was examined in the isolated perfused rat liver using cholic acid as the bile acid substrate. In all experiments, greater than 97% of the cholic acid appearing in bile was conjugated with taurine or glycine. The pattern of taurine and glycine bile acid conjugation, however, was dependent on the availability of taurine in the perfusate medium. Thus, in the absence of Trophamine infusion, the percentage of cholic acid conjugated with taurine (ie, taurocholate) declined throughout the course of the cholic acid infusion. Trophamine infusion increased the ratio of biliary taurocholate/glycocholate by 4.5-fold over that observed in the absence of the amino acid infusion. Increasing the amount of taurine in Trophamine by 2- or 5-fold resulted in a 1.8- and 4.3-fold increase, respectively, in the taurocholate/glycocholate ratio over that observed during the Trophamine infusion. Infusion of taurine alone, at an equimolar concentration of taurine as that in Trophamine, resulted in a similar taurocholate/glycocholate ratio as that observed during the Trophamine infusion. These data indicate that taurine availability, even in the presence of high concentrations of glycine and other amino acids in Trophamine, appears to be the most important factor in determining the pattern of bile acid conjugation in the isolated perfused rat liver.
Evangelical Environmentalism: Oxymoron or Opportunity?

Often defined by affiliation with conservative politics and a limited range of moral issues concerning “family values,” evangelical Christianity in the United States might seem like an odd place to look for a substantial environmental ethic. However, over the past few years many evangelicals have been working very hard to change this public face of their community and are becoming increasingly active in environmental issues. In this essay, I provide an overview of this trend by articulating the major tenants of evangelical environmentalism, outlining the major events in its history, and suggesting four primary obstacles to continued participation in this area. I contend that evangelical environmentalism is not an oxymoronic conception, but instead represents an opportunity for substantial progress as the engagement between religion and ecology becomes increasingly important to contemporary scholarly debates and public policy.
Modeling of RF plasma torch with a metallic tube inserted for reactant injection

Flow, temperature, and electromagnetic (EM) fields in a radio-frequency thermal plasma torch designed for the preparation of superconducting powders or films have been analysed by using a new two-dimensional modeling approach with the electric field intensity as the fundamental EM field variable. The insertion of a stainless steel injection tube into the torch leads to large induction currents in this tube. Although such large induction currents cause pronounced changes of the EM fields near the injection tube, flow and temperature fields are little affected. There exists only one large toroidal vortex in the upper part of the present torch, while the maximum temperature appears at an off-axis location within the coil region.
Runway Operations Optimization in the Presence of Uncertainties

A Runway Planning optimization model has been developed as a part of a comprehensive suite of models for the optimization of airport surface traffic in the presence of uncertainty. The runway planning problem is formulated as a two-stage stochastic program where the first stage determines an aircraft weight class sequence and the second stage assigns individual aircraft to the sequence. Stochastic attributes include pushback delay, time spent on taxiway, and deviation from estimated arrival time. The computational study shows that, if the schedule is dense enough, there is a potential benefit of using the stochastic runway planner over first-come-first-serve planning policy or a deterministic runway planner.
Quantum efficiency model for p+-doped back-illuminated CCD imager

An analytical model has been developed for predicting the spectral response of thinned, p+-doped back-illuminated charge-coupled device (CCD) imagers. The device is divided into two regions: a thin, uniformly doped p+ layer used to passivate the illuminated back surface from external electrical effects, and a p- region that extends from the p+ region across the approximately 10-micrometers thickness of the device to the potential well in the buried channel. The one-dimensional steady-state continuity equation for low-injection conditions has been solved analytically for the surface p+ region, which is characterized by electron diffusion length and coefficients appropriate for the doping level and a surface recombination velocity Sn that represents the loss of photoelectrons at the surface. All photoelectrons generated in the p- region are assumed to be collected in the buried channel because of the long diffusion length and the presence of a field sweeping the carriers into the CCD channel. The effect of multiple internal reflections on photoabsorption at long wavelengths is included. The quantum efficiency of this device is calculated as a function of the depth and recombination velocity of the p+ surface layer, using Sn as the only independent fitting parameter, and matches experimental results well over the wavelength range from 360 to 1100 nm.
The Meanings of Money: A Sociological Perspective

Money undergirds market exchange, but the social significance of money goes well beyond the obvious importance of its highly uneven distribution in modern market economies. In addition, modern money imposes an ostensibly precise and unidimensional valuation on social products, processes and relations that often conflicts with other modes of social valuation. In this regard, monetarization is a particular instance of quantification. Money’s status as an official economic metric is the result of a long, contingent, and uneven historical process. Given alternative forms of valuation, people manage and constrain the commensurability of money through a variety of individual, institutional and organizational practices (often akin to "earmarking"). The social reception of money is active, not passive. A variety of examples are discussed to illustrate and develop these points.
Learning by thinking during play: The power of reflection to aid performance

Coupled with reflection, play leads to the development of thinking dispositions and promotes deep learning and understanding. The twenty-first century world demands that children learn how to learn by becoming reflective, self-regulating inquirers capable of metacognition (thinking about thinking). This manuscript aims to analyse how young minds work and how children conceptualise thinking so that adults can better scaffold their thinking to help them understand their world. When adults help children make their thinking visible to themselves, children are likely to be more curious, more metacognitive and to develop thinking dispositions (tendencies that guide intellectual behaviour) as they find problems and try to solve them. The author reports research findings that reveal how adults can uncover children's thinking by engaging them in reflective conversations about the thinking process that took place during play, which will eventually evolve into sustained dialogic thinking (shared theory) associated w...
Reflectivity of Silver Chloride in the Ultraviolet

The reflectivity of silver chloride was measured at room temperature and at temperatures near those of liquid nitrogen and liquid helium over the wavelength range 2150–3750 A. The reflectivity-transmission cryostat used in making these measurements is described. The results at room temperature show the presence of a reflectivity peak around 2600 A, which is in the vicinity of the first absorption peak. The reflectivity peak sharpens and shifts to shorter wavelengths, attaining a value of nearly 40% at 2300 A when close to liquid helium temperature.
Posttrauma cotreatment with lithium and valproate: reduction of lesion volume, attenuation of blood-brain barrier disruption, and improvement in motor coordination in mice with traumatic brain injury.

Object Although traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and morbidity in young adults, no effective pharmaceutical treatment is available. By inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase–3 (GSK-3) and histone deacetylases (HDACs), respectively, lithium and valproate (VPA) have beneficial effects in diverse neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, in an excitotoxic neuronal model and in animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington disease, and stroke, combined treatment with lithium and VPA produces more robust neuroprotective effects than treatment with either agent alone. Building on previous work that establishes that therapeutic doses of either lithium or VPA have beneficial effects in mouse models of TBI, this study evaluated the effects of combined treatment with subeffective doses of lithium and VPA in a mouse model of TBI. Methods Male C57BL/6 mice underwent TBI and were subsequently treated with lithium, VPA, or a combination of lithium and VPA 15 minutes post-TBI and once ...
Do Alternative Marketing Arrangements Increase Pork Packers' Market Power?

In this article we use structural econometrics to formally test whether the use of the alternative marketing arrangements (AMAs) by pork packers is the source of their market power on the spot (cash) market for live hogs. We specify the pork packers' conjectures of the change in the industry total market procurement of live hogs through the spot market with respect to their AMAs stocks. The test is carried out using the mandatory price reporting data. Our results show that pork packers have statistically significant market power on the spot market for live hogs, but the source of that market power cannot be narrowed down to the existence of AMAs stocks. Copyright 2009, Oxford University Press.
Transformational Leader Behaviors and Substitutes for Leadership as Determinants of Employee Satisfaction, Commitment, Trust, and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors

The goal of this study was to examine the effects of transformational leadership behaviors, within the context of Kerr and Jermier’s (1978) substitutes for leadership. Data were collected from 1539 employees across a wide variety of different industries, organizational settings, and job levels. Hierarchical moderated regression analysis procedures generally showed that few of the substitutes variables moderated the effects of the transformational leader behaviors on followers’ attitudes, role perceptions, and “in-role” and “citizenship” behaviors in a manner consistent with the predictions of Howell, Dorfman and Kerr (1986). However, the results did show that: (a) the transformational leader behaviors and substitutes for leadership each had unique effects on follower criterion variables; (b) the total amount of variance accounted for by the substitutes for leadership and the transformational leader behaviors was substantially greater than that reported in prior leadership research; and (c) several of the ...
Transverse cooling and deflection of an atomic beam inside a Zeeman slower

We demonstrate the combined slowing and transverse cooling of a sodium atomic beam. Atoms have been slowed in a Zeeman slower with increasing magnetic field and transversely cooled by two-dimensional optical molasses inside the slower. The transverse molasses increases the brightness of the slow beam and allows it to be deflected out of the intense slowing laser light.
Torque optimization for a SRM using winding function theory with a gap-dividing surface

A novel design method which determines the optimal rotor and stator pole arcs for a switched reluctance motor (SRM) has been developed. This method uses an imaginary gap-dividing surface and winding function theory (WFT) to determine the inductance profile of the SRM for a range of possible stator and rotor pole arcs. The torque profiles for these combinations of pole arcs are calculated to determine the arcs yielding the maximum average torque and minimum torque ripple. Methods of introducing the nonlinearity of a skewed rotor and saturation effects are proposed, which play an important role in torque production of SRM.
Mesoporous ZnS Nanorattles: Programmed Size Selected Access to Encapsulated Enzymes

A size selective nanorattle was formed by encapsulating soybean peroxidase (SBP) within a ZnS mesoporous hollow sphere. Once encapsulated within the mesoporous hollow sphere, the SBP remained active against molecules smaller than the 3 nm diameter of the mesopores in the shell wall, while molecules larger than the mesopores, which could not pass into the hollow sphere, did not interact with the SBP. Specifically, encapsulated SBP catalyzed the oxidation of Amplex Ultra-Red, a small fluorogen, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, encapsulated SBP was deactivated by sodium azide, and no reaction was observed between encapsulated SBP and a greater than 3 nm diameter protease.
It Takes a Village: Ecological and Fitness Impacts of Multipartite Mutualism

Microbial symbioses, in which microbes have either positive (mutualistic) or negative (parasitic) impacts on host fitness, are integral to all aspects of biology, from ecology to human health. In many well-studied cases, microbial symbiosis is characterized by a specialized association between a host and a specific microbe that provides it with one or more beneficial functions, such as novel metabolic pathways or defense against pathogens. Even in relatively simple associations, symbiont-derived benefits can be context dependent and influenced by other host-associated or environmental microbes. Furthermore, naturally occurring symbioses are typically complex, in which multiple symbionts exhibit coordinated, competing, or independent influences on host physiology, or in which individual symbionts affect multiple interacting hosts. Here we describe research on the mechanisms and consequences of multipartite symbioses, including consortia in which multiple organisms interact with the host and one another, and on conditional mutualists whose impact on the host depends on additional interacting organisms.
Unintended childbearing, maternal beliefs, and delay of prenatal care.

Background: Delay of prenatal care is an important risk for poor birth outcome, yet its association with maternal knowledge and beliefs remains insufficiently studied. This research examined the relationship of unintended childbearing and beliefs about the importance of prenatal care with initiation after the first trimester, adjusting for key sociodemographic determinants. Methods: One hundred fifty-four Texas hospitals accounting for 80 percent of state births were asked to collect surveys from all women delivering infants during a one-week interval in 1986. Seventy-four percent of hospitals and 70 percent of women participated (n= 2032). No differences occurred between the sample and the population on rates of delayed care and low birthweight or maternal demographics. Results: Since delayed prenatal care is more frequent among low-income women, analyses were limited to those below the 200 percent poverty level. After adjustment for maternal age, marital status, education, parity, race, and health insurance status employing logistic regression, unintended births were 1.6 times more likely to involve delayed care. Mothers who believed prenatal care was unimportant were 2.1 times more likely to delay care. These coefficients exceeded or about equaled those for the covariates. Conclusions: Preconception education about the value of prenatal care and family planning programs to prevent unintended pregnancies should be conducted together with efforts to overcome financial and structural barriers if progress toward national prenatal care objectives is to be achieved. (BIRTH 24:4, December 1997)
Building a New China in Cinema: The Chinese Left-Wing Cinema Movement, 1932-1937

Chapter 1 Introduction Part 2 The History Chapter 3 The Merging of Histories Chapter 4 The Left-wing Cinema Movement Part 5 The Filmmakers and the Formation of a Collective Subjectivity Chapter 6 The Role of Authorship in the Age of Nationalism Chapter 7 Masculinity and Collectivism: Romancing Politics Chapter 8 Women's Stories On-screen versus Off-screen Part 9 The Spectators and The Film Culture Chapter 10 A Commercial Cinema or a Political Cinema? Chapter 11 A Shanghai Cinema or a Chinese Cinema? Chapter 12 Engaging Realism Part 13 Epilogue Chapter 14 Appendix I: Chinese Left-wing Movies of the 1930s Chapter 15 Appendix II: Popular Chinese Movies, 1932-1937 Chapter 16 Bibliography and Filmography
Meta-analysis of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation of Formula and Infant Cognition

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Infant formula is supplemented with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) because they are hypothesized to improve cognition. Several randomized controlled clinical trials have examined the effect of LCPUFA supplementation of infant formula on cognitive development. We conducted this meta-analysis to examine the efficacy of LCPUFA supplementation of infant formula on early cognitive development. METHODS: Two authors searched PubMed, PsychInfo, and Scopus for randomized controlled clinical trials assessing the efficacy of LCPUFA supplementation of infant formulas on cognition. Our analysis was restricted to randomized controlled clinical trials that examined the effect of LCPUFA supplementation on infant cognition using Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Our primary outcome was the weighted mean difference in Bayley Scales of Infant Development score between infants fed formula supplemented with LCPUFA compared with unsupplemented formula. We conducted secondary subgroup analyses and meta-regression to examine the effects of study sample, LCPUFA dose, and trial methodologic quality on measured efficacy of supplementation. RESULTS: Twelve trials involving 1802 infants met our inclusion criteria. Our meta-analysis demonstrated no significant effect of LCPUFA supplementation of formula on infant cognition. There was no significant heterogeneity or publication bias between trials. Secondary analysis failed to show any significant effect of LCPUFA dosing or prematurity status on supplementation efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: LCPUFA supplementation of infant formulas failed to show any significant effect on improving early infant cognition. Further research is needed to determine if LCPUFA supplementation of infant formula has benefits for later cognitive development or other measures of neurodevelopment. * Abbreviations: AA — : arachidonic acid ALA — : a-linolinic acid BSID — : Bayley Scales of Infant Development CI — : confidence interval DHA — : docosahexaenoic acid EPA — : eicosapentaenoic acid LA — : linoleic acid LCPUFA — : long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid WMD — : weighted mean difference