cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early diving behavior in Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) pups

During the dependency period in mammals with parental care, offspring must develop the behavioral skills that allow them to forage independently and thus survive into early adulthood. Deep-diving Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) are a model species for research on diving physiology, yet previous studies lack a thorough investigation into the diving behavior of dependent pups when they first begin to enter the water. To capture fine-scale dive behavior during the dependency period, we deployed time-depth recorders (TDRs) on Weddell seal pups (n = 18) from the age of 1 week through 7 weeks, during the 2017 and 2019 breeding seasons in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Dive parameters were correlated with time of day, age, sex, and weaning status, to characterize diving behavior, and we used raw wet/dry data to determine which times of the day pups were most likely to be in the water. Pups made their deepest and longest dives and had the longest post-dive durations in the morning hours. Pups were in the water more during the late night and morning hours than in the afternoon. Whereas dive depth significantly increased with age, dive duration significantly increased with age and after weaning. Post-dive duration significantly decreased with age and after weaning. We discuss how dependent pups may prioritize the development of swimming and navigational abilities as opposed to building and practicing foraging skills.
Maternal Health and Child Behaviors as Risk Factors for Child Injury

MATERNAL HEALTH AND CHILD BEHAVIORS AS RISK FACTORS FOR CHILD INJURY By Christina J. Nicolais, B.A. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014 Director: Marilyn Stern, Ph.D. Affiliate Professor of Psychology and Pediatrics Departments of Psychology and Pediatrics Evidence suggests that child behavior, parent mental health, parent supervision, and home environment conditions impact a child’s risk of injury. Vulnerable families are at greater risk for the occurrence of child behavior problems, poor health, decreased supervision, and hazardous home conditions. Consistent with a model that proposes that parent, child, and environment factors interact within the lens of sociocultural factors to predict injury, the current study aimed to test a statistical model with maternal physical health and child externalizing behaviors as predictors of child injury, and home hazards and supervision as mediators of these relations. Analyses were conducted using a nationally representative sample of 3,288 vulnerable motherchild dyads. Results showed significant relations between parent physical health and child injury, and child aggression and child injury, though home hazards and supervision did not mediate either of these relations. Further research should continue to examine the mechanisms of action in the parent healthchild injury relation so that injury prevention interventions can be
Splenectomy and/or Bone Marrow Transplantation in the Management of the Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome: Long-Term Follow-Up of 62 Cases

This study describes the effects of two major treatment options, splenectomy and/or bone marrow transplantation, on the natural history of the Wiskott-Aldrich (WAS) syndrome. The records of 62 patients with the WAS evaluated at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center from 1966 to 1992 were reviewed. Nineteen patients were treated with bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and the results were largely dependent on the source of the graft. Twelve of 12 patients receiving HLA-matched sibling marrow achieved satisfactory immunologic and hematologic reconstitution. By contrast, only 2 of 7 patients receiving haploidentical, parental, or matched unrelated marrow survived more than 1 year after BMT. Thirty-nine patients who lacked suitable bone marrow donors early in their course underwent splenectomy for management of their thrombocytopenia; most received prophylactic antibiotics to minimize the risk of sepsis. Nearly all these patients achieved normal platelet counts and the rate of serious bleeding was reduced nearly sevenfold. Median survival in the untransplanted splenectomy group was 25 years, compared with less than 5 years in unsplenectomized patients. We conclude that HLA-matched sibling donor BMT is the treatment of choice for patients with WAS and that splenectomy and daily prophylactic antibiotics provide a significant survival advantage to those boys without a matched sibling donor. Splenectomy should probably be used in preference to unmatched BMT until results with alternative donor BMT significantly improve or gene therapy becomes available.
Network firewall visualization in the classroom

The implementation of network firewalls can be a difficult concept for students to grasp initially. Our Network Firewall Visualization tool, a capstone project created by our students, uses visualization (the graphical display of a simulation) to convey and teach network security and firewall configuration to students of all levels. This tool is intended to teach and reinforce key concepts including the use and purpose of a perimeter firewall, the use of separated subnets, the purposes behind packet filtering, and the shortcomings of a simple packet filter firewall. The expectation was that through the use of this tool students will gain a better understanding of the importance and use of network firewalls and their role in network security. This paper outlines the rationale behind the creation of the tool, how the tool is used in a classroom environment and demonstrates the improved understanding of the role of firewalls by students after using the tool in a guided classroom environment. The findings of this paper suggest a better student comprehension on written assessments following structured usage of this tool.
A dynamic multi-commodity model of the agricultural sector : a regional application in Brazil

A dynamic model to analyze the development process in Brazil's agricultural sector is presented. The model is formulated as a recursive linear programming model containing several commodities as outputs and including farm and regional resource constraints on owned and purchased inputs. Other constraints involve working capital and farm size. The objective function, which is assumed to be separable for each farm size and additive for the region, measures the net expected revenues from crop and livestock production, less an investment charge, for each year. Prices are exogenous, but because of this, the model cannot predict prices in either a forecasting or a normative sense. The model is tested for its ability to trace regional farm sector development in Southern Brazil over a decade. It is then used to analyze the impact of alternative agricultural policies. Since the model takes a microeconomic focus, it is useful for looking at the farm level impact of various policy options. Overall, it is concluded that the dynamic, multicrop programming model can be used for economic and policy analysis in the agricultural sector. Sample descriptive model results are included.
Solar Cycle Evolution of the General Magnetic Field

The data from magnetic field synoptic charts at Mt. Wilson for 16 years are separated into axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric fields. The axisymmetric field derived simply by averaging over longitude corresponds to the general magnetic field and can be regarded as reflecting the poloidal (radial) field since bipolar magnetic fields which have been regarded as reflecting the toroidal field are cancelled out by the averaging. The evolution of pattern of the latitudinal distribution of this field shows a conspicuous appearance similar to the Butterfly Diagram of sunspots but having two branches of different polarity in each hemisphere. The two branches start from the middle latitudes, and one branch propagates towards the pole and the other toward the equator. This shows that the solar general magnetic field behaves like a quadrupole not a dipole as was previously believed. This feature is exactly what has been predicted by a numerical solar cycle model driven by the dynamo action of the global convection. Another axisymmetric field is also derived by averaging over longitude the absolute value of the magnetic field after subtracting the poloidal field. This field corresponds to the toroidal field since if this field is averaged over longitude it vanishes. The evolutionary pattern of the latitudinal distribution of this field shows a feature quite similar to the Butterfly Diagram of sunspots. These features of the two fields become conspicuous only after averaging over many rotations, e.g., over 27 rotations (2 yr): such a diagram averaged over a small number of rotations shows rather large noise.
Innervation of the pancreas by neurons in the gut

Experiments were done in order to test the hypothesis that neurons in the bowel send axonal projections to the pancreas and can modify pancreatic activity. pancreatic injections of the retrograde tracer, Fluoro-Gold, labeled neurons in the myenteric plexus of the antrum of the stomach and in the first 6 cm of the duodenum. this labeling was not due to the diffusion of Fluoro-Gold from the pancreas, because the injections did not label longitudinal muscle cells overlying labeled ganglia in the bowel or neurons in the phrenic nerve nucleus or nucleus ambiguous; nor were enteric neurons labeled if insufficient time was allotted for retrograde transport. More Fluoro-Gold labeled neurons were found in the stomach (9.2 +/- 0.9/ganglion) than in the duodenum (3.8 +/- 0.3/ganglion; p less than 0.001). Neurons were found in myenteric ganglia of both duodenum and stomach that were doubly labeled by retrograde transport of Fluoro-Gold and anti-serotonin (5-HT) sera. In addition, thick bundles of 5-HT immunoreactive nerve trunks were found to run between the duodenum and the pancreas. Most 5-HT immunoreactive axons in the pancreas terminated in ganglia, although some fibers were also observed near acini, ducts, vessels, and islet cells. The B subunit of cholera toxin (B-CT) was microinjected into single myenteric ganglia in order to determine if axon terminals in the pancreas would become labeled by anterograde transport in the pancreas. B-CT labeled bundles of axons in the pancreatic stroma. Branches of these bundles entered the pancreatic parenchyma and varicose B-CT labeled terminal axons were found in pancreatic ganglia and in proximity to acinar and insulin immunoreactive cells. The intercalating fluorochrome 1, 1', dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylcarbocyanine perchlorate (Dil), which moves by lateral diffusion to outline entire cells, was introduced by microinjection into individual myenteric ganglia of fixed preparations. Fluorescence was seen in sequential observations to move away from the injected ganglion along connectives of the myenteric plexus. After about a month, neurons in ganglia at some distance from the injection site displayed Dil fluorescence as did nerve bundles that exited from the myenteric plexus and pierced the longitudinal muscle in the direction of the pancreas. Varicose Dil fluorescent terminal varicosities were also observed int he pancreas. These observations indicate that there is an extensive entero-pancreatic innervation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Alternative RNA splicing and cancer

Alternative splicing of pre-messenger RNA (mRNA) is a fundamental mechanism by which a gene can give rise to multiple distinct mRNA transcripts, yielding protein isoforms with different, even opposing, functions. With the recognition that alternative splicing occurs in nearly all human genes, its relationship with cancer-associated pathways has emerged as a rapidly growing field. In this review, we summarize recent findings that have implicated the critical role of alternative splicing in cancer and discuss current understandings of the mechanisms underlying dysregulated alternative splicing in cancer cells.
Identification of a conserved microsatellite site in the porcine and bovine insulin-like growth factor-I gene 5' flank.

Summary. Examination of published rat and human sequences for the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) gene indicated the presence of CA dinucleotide repeats in corresponding segments of each. Presence of similar microsatellite sequences in the porcine and bovine IGF-I genes was hypothesized. A 1200-bp segment upstream of the porcine and bovine IGF-I genes was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers developed from a consensus of human, rat and bovine sequences. Both porcine and bovine PCR products contained similar microsatellite sequences. Amplified pIGF-I DNA was cloned and sequenced, and an additional primer was developed specifically for microsatellite marker detection. Six allelic variants of 124, 130, 132, 134, 136 or 138bp were observed in pigs with differing frequencies between breeds (P < 0.01). The same primers were used to amplify the corresponding bovine microsatellite. Three alleles of 126, 128 and 130bp were observed in a genetically diverse cattle population with estimated frequencies of 0–06,0.68 and 0.26, respectively. Results of this study indicate sequence information from the human and laboratory species can be used to facilitate genetic marker development in livestock species.
Simple counts of ADL dependencies do not adequately reflect older adults' preferences toward states of functional impairment.

Abstract Objective To use unweighted counts of dependencies in activities of daily living (ADLs) to assess the impact of functional impairment requires an assumption of equal preferences for each ADL dependency. To test this assumption, we analyzed standard gamble (SG) utilities of single and combination ADL dependencies among older adults. Study Design and Setting Four hundred older adults used multimedia software (FLAIR1) to report SG utilities for their current health and hypothetical health states of dependency in each of 7 ADLs and 8 of 30 combinations of ADL dependencies. Results Utilities for health states of multiple ADL dependencies were often greater than for states of single ADL dependencies. Dependence in eating, which is the ADL dependency with the lowest utility rating of the single ADL dependencies, ranked lower than 7 combination states. Similarly, some combination states with fewer ADL dependencies had lower utilities than those with more ADL dependencies. These findings were consistent across groups by gender, age, and education. Conclusion Our results suggest that the count of ADL dependencies does not adequately represent the utility for a health state. Cost-effectiveness analyses and other evaluations of programs that prevent or treat functional dependency should apply utility weights rather than relying on simple ADL counts.
Therapeutic and prophylactic drugs to treat orthopoxvirus infections

With the global eradication of smallpox in 1979, the causative agent, variola, no longer circulates in human populations. Other human poxvirus infections, such as those caused by vaccinia, cowpox virus and molluscum, are usually relatively benign in immunocompetent individuals. Conversely, monkeypox virus infections cause high levels of mortality and morbidity in Africa and the virus appears to be increasing its host range, virulence and demographic environs. Furthermore, there are concerns that clandestine stocks of variola virus exist. The re-introduction of aerosolized variola (or perhaps monkeypox virus) into human populations would result in high levels of morbidity and mortality. The attractiveness of variola as a bioweapon and, to a certain extent, monkeypox virus is its inherent ability to spread from person-to-person. The threat posed by the intentional release of variola or monkeypox virus, or a monkeypox virus epizoonosis, will require the capacity to rapidly diagnose the disease and to intervene with antivirals, as intervention is likely to take place during the initial diagnosis, approximately 10-15 days postinfection. Preimmunization of 'at-risk populations' with vaccines will likely not be practical, and the therapeutic use of vaccines has been shown to be ineffective after 4 days of infection with variola. However, a combination of vaccine and antivirals for those infected may be an option. Here we describe historical, current and future therapies to treat orthopoxvirus diseases.
RNA helicase A is not required for RISC activity

It has been shown that siRNAs can compete with each other or with endogenous miRNAs for RISC components. This competition may complicate the interpretations of phenotypes observed through siRNA-mediated knockdown of genes, especially those genes implicated in the RISC pathway. In this study, we re-examined the function of RNA helicase A (RHA), which has been previously proposed to function in RISC loading based on siRNA-mediated knockdown studies. Here we show that reduced RISC activity or loading of siRNAs was observed only in cells depleted of RHA using siRNA, but not using RNaseH-dependent antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), suggesting that the impaired RISC function stems from the competition between pre-existing and newly transfected siRNAs, but not from reduction of the RHA protein. This view is further supported by the findings that cells depleted of a control protein, NCL1, using siRNA, but not ASO, exhibited similar defects on the loading and activity of a subsequently transfected siRNA. Transfection of RHA or NCL1 siRNAs, but not ASOs, reduced the levels of endogenous miRNAs, suggesting a competition mechanism. As a positive control, we showed that reduction of MOV10 by either siRNA or ASO decreased siRNA activity, confirming its role in RISC function. Together, our results indicate that RHA is not required for RISC activity or loading, and suggest that proper controls are required when using siRNAs to functionalize genes to avoid competition effects.
New concepts in the pathophysiology of acute myocardial infarction

Recent findings concerning the pathophysiology of acute myocardial infarction are reviewed and related to the potential for myocardial salvage. The myocardial infarction process can be divided into 2 phases, an early evolving phase (the first 6 hours) and a later convalescent phase. An evolving infarction is associated with an occluded coronary artery; in most cases, a thrombotic occlusion occurs. The human coronary artery normally has an intact endothelium, which has protective vasodilatory and antiplatelet-aggregating effects that are lost when the endothelium is damaged. The endothelium is exquisitely sensitive to trauma and can be damaged by high shear stress produced by narrowing of the coronary arteries that is not associated with reduced coronary blood flow. In addition, during this acute endothelial damage, monocellular infiltration of the coronary arteries has the potential to release factors that may cause platelet aggregation, enhance blood coagulation, attract other white blood cells or exert other effects on the coronary tree. Myocardial damage occurring in the early evolving stage is usually responsive to treatment that either restores myocardial oxygen supply or reduces myocardial oxygen demand. However, coronary events occurring after the first 6 hours usually are not responsive to such treatment. Certain clinical variables may shorten or extend the time period within which damaged myocardium can be saved. The findings suggest important approaches for intervention to modify the acute phase.
The new policies for rural health: institutional, social and financial challenges to large-scale implementation.

Rural development activities are frequently more important than isolated health care interventions in maximizing improvements in rural health status. In addition, integrated socio-economic development of rural areas ensures availability of local resources to finance health schemes, encourages community involvement in development and reforms and strengthens management capacity for health programme implementation and development. Public health services provide in turn an entry point for directly productive development activities. In designing, implementing and operating health components of rural development projects in developing countries, the most serious obstacles are almost invariably the following: (i) how to strengthen the managerial capacity of the health administration from the national to the local level and how to execute integrated programmes through decentralized and uncoordinated agencies; (ii) how to ensure adequate recurrent cost financing and contribution of beneficiaries to operating cost; and (iii) how to achieve active involvement of rural communities in decision-making and services delivery when projects are large and planned and executed by government authorities. In discussing these issues the paper will cite the World Bank9s experiences in a number of African, Asian and Latin American countries.
Asthma in the inner city: The perspective of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Since 1991, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has funded four consecutive research initiatives to investigate the problem of high asthma prevalence, morbidity and mortality in poor urban communities. The multi-site studies conducted under these initiatives have identified key risk factors for asthma morbidity and novel interventions to improve asthma control. NIAID focuses its asthma and allergy programs on understanding the interaction of the immune system with allergens and infectious agents and identifying genetic and epigenetic elements that influence the immune system. A key goal in this field is to define mechanisms of immune system deviation and immune tolerance and apply this knowledge to generate improvements in asthma care and allergen immunotherapy. A related goal is to further understand the environmental, social, and immunological elements that impact on the development of inner-city asthma through in-depth characterization and longitudinal follow-up of inner-city children from the time of birth. In the past 5 years, NIH budgetary constraints have imposed many challenges for the academic research community. Despite these constraints, NIAID has maintained its support of a highly productive asthma and allergy research program.
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN BACTERIAL MENINGITIS

Despite a decrease in the mortality from bacterial meninqitis, a high incidence of residua is still encountered including seizures (sz.), mental retardation (M.R.) and palsies. The C.T. findings in 5 patients with residua of bacterial meningitis are reviewed. P.C. had pneumococcal meningitis at 10 months. Residua include quadrispasicity, szs, and M.R. C.T. scan revealed ventricular enlargement and no cortical mantle. Arteriography revealed vascular occlusions. C.C. developed H flu meningitis at 11 months. Residua included quadrispasicity and szs. C.T. scan showed cortical atrophy and a right frontal infarct. O.S. had pneumococcal meninaitis at 10 months. Residua included M.R. and szs. C.T. scan showed ventricular enlargement. F.K. had H flu meningitis at 11 months. Residua included M.R., a right hemi-paresis and szs. C.T. scan showed a left porencephalic cyst. N.N. had H flu meningitis at 2 months. No organism was recovered. Residua included a right hemiparesis. C.T. scan showed subdural effusions. C.T. scanning can he a useful procedure during the acute illness and during recovery. It is recommended in all patients demonstrating neurologic residua. A prospective study delineating the incidence of C.T. abnormalites in a series of patients with meningitis is presently underway.
Experimental American leishmaniasis and Chagas' disease in the Brazilian squirrel monkey: Effect of dual infection on antibodies to parasite antigens

Adult, laboratory-bred squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) were infected with either Leishmania braziliensis braziliensis or L. b. panamensis and, 42 weeks later, they were challenge-infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Another group of monkeys was infected with T. cruzi and challenged with L. b. braziliensis after 42 weeks. Immunoblotting was used to examine parasite antigens bound by antibodies in plasma obtained from the monkeys during the course of primary and challenge infections. During primary infections Leishmania-infected monkeys produced antibodies which bound to a number of Leishmania antigens, most notably a Leishmania antigen of 72 kDa, which were not recognized by antibodies produced by the monkeys given a primary infection of T. cruzi. These Leishmania-induced antibodies were no longer detectable 42 weeks after primary infections. However, when the Leishmania-infected monkeys were challenged with T. cruzi they once again produced antibodies capable of binding numerous Leishmania antigens, including the antigen of 72 kDa, which had not been recognized by antibodies produced by the monkeys with primary T. cruzi infections. A similar phenomenon was observed in T. cruzi-infected animals following Leishmania challenge.
Decidability and the number of countable models

On considere des theories decidables completes, avec seulement des types complets recursifs, qui ont des modeles indecidables denombrables. On etudie une telle theorie qui a seulement un nombre denombrable de modeles denombrables a un isomorphisme pres et en fait pour laquelle le modele saturee denombrable est indecidable
Binomial distribution for the charge asymmetry parameter

Abstract It is suggested that for high energy collisions the distribution with respect to the charge asymmetry z = nF − nB is binomial, where nFand nB are the forward and backward charge multiplicities.
Passive guiding and sorting of small particles with optical binding forces

We demonstrate the possibility of serially guiding and sorting nanometer-sized particles without the use of any external control. The working principle is based on an equilibrium between scattering and binding forces, the latter depending on the properties of the particles. A configuration is proposed that utilizes this property and is shown to efficiently sort small particles as function of their size.
A fiber-optic evanescent wave DNA biosensor based on novel molecular beacons.

We have prepared a novel optical fiber evanescent wave DNA biosensor using a newly developed molecular beacon DNA probe. The molecular beacons (MB) are oligonucleotide probes that become fluorescent upon hybridization with target DNA/RNA molecules. Biotinylated MBs have been designed and immobilized on an optical fiber core surface via biotin−avidin or biotin−streptavidin interactions. The DNA sensor based on a MB does not need labeled analyte or intercalation reagents. It can be used to directly detect, in real-time, target DNA/RNA molecules without using competitive assays. The sensor is rapid, stable, highly selective, and reproducible. We have studied the hybridization kinetics of the immobilized MB by changing the ionic strength of the hybridization solution and target DNA concentration. Our result shows divalent cations play a more important role than monovalent cations in stabilizing the MB stem hybrids and in accelerating the hybridization reaction with target DNA/RNA molecules. The concentration ...
Between-Group Differences in Nutrition- and Health-Related Psychosocial Factors among US Adults and Their Associations with Diet, Exercise, and Weight Status

Abstract Background Large disparities exist across ethnic and socioeconomic status groups regarding obesity and other chronic diseases. Eliminating health disparities is a national priority in the United States. Objective To test between-group differences in nutrition- and health-related psychosocial factors (NHRPF) and their associations with US adults' diet, exercise, and weight status. Design and participants/setting Nationally representative data from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey 1994-96 from 4,356 US adults aged 20 to 65 years were used. Diet was assessed using 24-hour recalls, NHRPF was assessed by 25 questions, and weight status was determined by self-reported weight and height. Index scores were created to measure NHRPF. Diet quality was assessed using the US Department of Agriculture 2005 Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Statistical analyses Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were conducted to examine the associations. Results Some ethnic differences in NHRPF existed but were small. There were statistically significant ( P Conclusions Ethnic differences among American adults' NHRPF were small, but socioeconomic status differences were greater. More efforts are needed to study the influences of the complex interactions between individual and social environmental factors that affect Americans' diet and weight status and to explain related ethnic disparities.
Comparison of tyrosine kinase receptors HER2, EGFR, and VEGFR expression in micropapillary urothelial carcinoma with invasive urothelial carcinoma

Invasive micropapillary urothelial carcinomas (MPUC) emerge at higher stages and follow a more aggressive course than conventional invasive urothelial carcinomas (UC). Little is known about the target therapies using tyrosine kinase inhibitors in MPUC. This study is to investigate potential effectiveness of tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitors by determining expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR) proteins in MPUC and UC. 16 cases of MPUC and 16 stage-matched UC were identified. Immunohistochemistry for EGFR, HER2, and VEGFR2 and HER2 gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were performed. HER2 and EGFR proteins were expressed in MPUC and UC, with significantly higher HER2 expression in MPUC (ratio 1.82, p < 0.01). HER2 gene amplification was identified in 4 of 16 MPUC (25 %). Amplification was limited to cases with 3+ HER2 expression (100 % concordance). EGFR expression in MPUC was slightly higher than UC but not statistically significant (ratio 1.57, p = 0.19). EGFR and HER2 coexpression was noted in 75 % of MPUC and 37.5 % of UC. No VEGFR expression was identified in the urothelium. Strong VEGFR expression was noted in stromal vessels in both MPUC and UC. In conclusion, EGFR and HER2 are potential targets for neoadjuvant chemotherapy in MPUC and UC. There is no direct anti-tumor effect expected for VEGFR inhibitors.
Experimental determination of interfacial toughness curves using Brazil-nut-sandwiches

Abstract A Brazil-nut-sandwich with a crack on a substrate/interlayer interface is developed for fracture testing. The fracture loading phase is controlled by the angle of diametral compression. Interfacial fracture mechanics is summarized and adopted in reporting data. Experiments are conducted with aluminum, brass, steel and plexiglass as substrates and epoxy as interlayer. Interfacial toughness curves are measured for large range of loading phase. Effects of the roughness of the surfaces prior to bonding on the interfacial toughness are demonstrated. Failure patterns for the adhesive structure under different loading modes are observed with a scanning electron microscope. For the metal/epoxy systems, when the remote loading is predominantly mode I, cracks tend to kink out of interfaces and run within the epoxy layer, although the bulk epoxy fracture energy is much higher than the interfacial toughness. At large loading phases, abnormally high apparent toughness is measured. These observations are discussed in the light of crack path selection criteria in adhesive joints and large scale contact zone of crack faces.
Real Time Identification of Workpiece Material Characteristics From Measurements During Brakeforming

A novel method is described to estimate the material characteristics of a sheet being bent in a pressbrake from punch force-displacement data. The method is simple enough to be used for real time identification of uncertain sheet characteristics. This procedure can be combined with a model of pressbrake bending to provide real time control of the pressbrake. The setup procedure can be eliminated, and the final angle of the bends can be made insensitive to material property variations. A machine controlled in this manner can be integrated into an unmanned flexible sheet metal manufacturing cell.
Efficient alignment of multiple large complex LIDAR models

The construction of 3D models from light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data requires reliable and accurate alignment of multiple overlapping scans. While established manual and automated 3D alignment methods generally perform well, aligning scans of complex scenes from arbitrary perspectives with small amounts of overlap remains challenging. The projection information available with scanned LIDAR data is generally underutilized and may be better exploited to simplify the alignment process, avoiding manually specified algorithm parameters and improving reliability. In this work, we present projective methods for manual and automated 3D alignment and introduce a projective measure of surface interpenetration to quantify alignment error. Performance is demonstrated with a combination of indoor and outdoor scan sets, including cluttered forest scenes, and compared to results obtained using an established commercial product.
Respiratory symptoms among HIV-seropositive individuals.

Study objectives Recent evidence suggests that chronic or latent viral infection may be an important predisposing factor in the development of COPD among smokers. As such, understanding if HIV-seropositive smokers are at heightened risk for respiratory symptoms may have relevance with regard to COPD pathogenesis. The current study was done to systematically identify the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among an HIV-seropositive population and to identify associated clinical features. Design and setting Cross-sectional analysis at an academic medical center. Participants Three hundred twenty-seven HIV-seropositive individuals without a history of AIDS-related pulmonary complications. Fifty-two HIV-negative individuals with a similar age and smoking history served as a comparison group. Measurements Administration of the American Thoracic Society Division of Lung Diseases respiratory questionnaire, and pulmonary function studies. Results Respiratory symptoms including dyspnea (41.6% vs 7.7%), cough (40% vs 25%), and phlegm production (41.9% vs 23.1%) were extremely common in the HIV-group and significantly more common than in the HIV-negative group. Current or prior cigarette smoking was the most important predictor of respiratory symptoms among the HIV-seropositive group. The use of the antiretroviral agent lamivudine was associated with a significant reduction in dyspnea. Conclusion HIV-seropositive individuals are at increased risk for the development of respiratory symptoms even prior to the onset of AIDS-related pulmonary complications. This may reflect a heightened susceptibility to the effects of cigarette smoking.
Ecological Imagery and Cultural Adaptability: The Canelos Quichua of Eastern Ecuador

Ecological imagery among the Upper Amazonian Canelos Quichua native peoples of eastern Ecuador provides a paradigmatic, symbolic template organized by sets of cosmological premises. This template, anchored by traditional shamanism and ceramic manufacture, is invoked in emotionally charged ceremonial and juropolitical contexts to express resistance to normative culture bearers who have a potential or real impact on the ecosystem and indigenous political economy. The imagery is described as it exists within a system of radical change. Mechanisms are discussed whereby ecosystem knowledge and social structure are systemically linked to cosmological premises within a dynamic system of indigenous cultural adaptability. [Ecuador, symbolism of Canelos Quichua, Amazonian cosmology, cultural adaptability, ecological imagery]
Conformational analysis of a triproline-derived helical template and its peptide conjugates

Abstract The stable conformations in solution of a triproline-derived macrocyle and its peptide conjugates in solution are assigned as cct (nonnucleating) and ctt (3 10 helical) by an 1 H NMR analysis.
RECENT ADVANCES IN POLARIZATION SPECTROSCOPY: PERSPECTIVES OF THE EXTENSION TO THE SOFT X-RAY REGION

In this paper we present a general review of some of the new branches in the field of optical activity that have been developed during the last five years. Also, the conditions under which circular intensity differential scattering can be measurable in the soft X-ray region of the spectrum are established. It is found that the parameter which determines the strength of the preferential interaction of chiral molecules with opposite circular polarizations at these high energies is the anisotropy of the atomic polarizabilities in the molecule. The possibility of extending the other techniques discussed here to shorter wavelengths, is also discussed.
Simulations of information transport in spin chains.

Transport of quantum information in linear spin chains has been the subject of much theoretical work. Experimental studies by NMR in solid state spin systems (a natural implementation of such models) is complicated since the dipolar Hamiltonian is not solely comprised of nearest-neighbor $XY$-Heisenberg couplings. We present here a similarity transformation between the $XY$ Hamiltonian and the double-quantum Hamiltonian, an interaction which is achievable with the collective control provided by radio-frequency pulses. Not only can this second Hamiltonian simulate the information transport in a spin chain, but it also creates coherent states, whose intensities give an experimental signature of the transport. This scheme makes it possible to study experimentally the transport of polarization beyond exactly solvable models and explore the appearance of quantum coherence and interference effects.
The Y-OQ-12: psychosocial screening of youth in primary care medicine using items from an outcome measure

The studies reported herein describe the successful development and validation of a youth mental health screening instrument for identifying psychosocial distress in pediatric care patients. As a subset of 12 items from the well-established Youth Outcome Questionnaire-2.01 (Y-OQ-2.01), the Youth Outcome Questionnaire-12 (Y-OQ-12) screen intends to be the first stage in a two-stage screening process. Patients screened as positive complete the full-length Y-OQ-2.01 in the second stage. A stage two score in the clinical range can serve as a baseline in continuous outcome tracking using the Y-OQ-2.01. The 12 parent-report items of the Y-OQ-12 were selected using a combination of items from the Y-OQ-2.01 using a known-groups approach based on community (n = 500) and outpatient psychiatric (n = 500) samples. The sensitivity of the Y-OQ-12 was 0.84, with a specificity of 0.82 and an internal consistency of 0.90. Two factors emerged, accounting for 48% and 9% of the variance (‘mood/behavioural symptom distress’ and ‘quality of life’, respectively). A second validation study involving 371 youth from pediatric settings in three US states compared the Y-OQ-12 with the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-Present State. The Y-OQ-12 demonstrated sensitivity, specificity and predictive power that were comparable to the PSC and shows promise for screening in routine practice. The authors encourage the use of the Y-OQ-12 in practice and await the replication of these findings in future research. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The potato developer (D) locus encodes an R2R3 MYB transcription factor that regulates expression of multiple anthocyanin structural genes in tuber skin.

A dominant allele at the D locus (also known as I in diploid potato) is required for the synthesis of red and purple anthocyanin pigments in tuber skin. It has previously been reported that D maps to a region of chromosome 10 that harbors one or more homologs of Petuniaan2, an R2R3 MYB transcription factor that coordinately regulates the expression of multiple anthocyanin biosynthetic genes in the floral limb. To test whether D acts similarly in tuber skin, RT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression of flavanone 3-hydroxylase (f3h), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (dfr) and flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase (f3′5′h). All three genes were expressed in the periderm of red- and purple-skinned clones, while dfr and f3′5′h were not expressed, and f3h was only weakly expressed, in white-skinned clones. A potato cDNA clone with similarity to an2 was isolated from an expression library prepared from red tuber skin, and an assay developed to distinguish the two alleles of this gene in a diploid potato clone known to be heterozygous Dd. One allele was observed to cosegregate with pigmented skin in an F1 population of 136 individuals. This allele was expressed in tuber skin of red- and purple-colored progeny, but not in white tubers, while other parental alleles were not expressed in white or colored tubers. The allele was placed under the control of a doubled 35S promoter and transformed into the light red-colored cultivar Desiree, the white-skinned cultivar Bintje, and two white diploid clones known to lack the functional allele of D. Transformants accumulated pigment in tuber skin, as well as in other tissues, including young foliage, flower petals, and tuber flesh.
God and Sin After 50: Gender and Religious Affiliation

Eighty-six participants, 50 years and older, were given the Penn Inventory of Scrupulosity (PIOS) and the Attachment to God Inventory (AGI). Highly religious participants (Methodist or Baptist) responded to the instruments. Baptists appeared to fear sin and God to a greater degree than did Methodists. However, on the AGI, Methodists were lower on anxiety and higher on avoidance as compared to Baptists. Gender differences only appeared for fear of sin (PIOS) and avoidance (AGI). Males showed greater fear of sin and higher levels of avoidance than did females. None of the interactions reached statistically significant levels.
Immunohistochemical expression of erythropoietin and erythropoietin receptor in breast carcinoma

BACKGROUND Erythropoietin (Epo), induced by hypoxia, controls the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of Epo receptor (EpoR)-bearing erythroid progenitors and plays a role in the protection of neurons from hypoxic damage. Hypoxia in malignant disease is associated with invasion, metastasis, resistance to therapy, and selection for cells with diminished apoptotic potential. The authors recently demonstrated the basal and hypoxia-stimulated expression of Epo and EpoR in human breast carcinoma cell lines and in breast carcinomas, suggesting a role for autocrine Epo signaling in the hypoxic adaptations of mammary neoplasms. METHODS The authors characterized the expression of Epo and EpoR by immunohistochemistry in 184 invasive mammary carcinomas and 158 in situ mammary carcinomas and benign mammary epithelium. They analyzed the correlation of Epo and EpoR immunostaining with clinicopathologic tumor features and the patients' smoking history. RESULTS Benign mammary epithelial cells showed weak-to-moderate expression of Epo and EpoR. EpoR immunostaining was increased in carcinomas compared with benign epithelium both in nonsmokers and smokers, and Epo immunostaining was increased in carcinomas compared with benign epithelium in nonsmokers but not in smokers. Prominent Epo staining was seen in tumor cells adjacent to necrotic areas and at the infiltrating edge of tumors. EpoR staining, but not Epo staining, was significantly greater in tumors that showed high histologic grade, tumor necrosis, lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastases, and loss of hormone receptor expression. CONCLUSIONS The current findings suggest that increased EpoR expression may play an important role in breast carcinogenesis. The induction of autocrine or paracrine Epo signaling may represent a novel mechanism by which hypoxia can promote breast carcinoma. Cancer 2002;95:969–81. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10787
STUDY OF THE SINGLE CHANNEL HYPOTHESIS AND INPUT REGULATION WITHIN A CONTINUOUS, SIMULTANEOUS TASK SITUATION.

Subjects performed simultaneously on an auditory tracking and an auditory discrimination task, with each, task presented to a separate ear. Information transmitted on the tasks was measured as a function of ability to predict task characteristics, input information-rate, and input discriminability. Based on comparison of single-versus simultaneous-task performance, support was found for a single, central decision-type channel in information processing, having as one primary limit the rate at which information can be accepted. Discriminability of inputs also was found to be a limit on information processing rate. Although ability to predict a task's characteristics facilitated performance on that task, in this experiment it did not result in facilitation of performance on the second task. Relevance of these findings to certain aspects of Broadbent's information-processing model is discussed.
Humoral control of water and electrolyte excretion during water restriction

The goals of the present study were twofold: first, to assess the renal excretory and hormonal responses to chronic water restriction in dogs whose sodium retaining mechanisms had been stimulated through dietary sodium (Na+) deprivation; second, to determine the mediator(s) of the natriuresis which was observed with water restriction in these sodium deprived dogs. Three groups of dogs maintained on a low Na+ diet (5 mEq/day) for two weeks underwent a three day period of water restriction. In normal, intact dogs Group 1 (N = 5), water restriction resulted in a significant increase in Na+ excretion with a net cumulative loss of 26.3 +/- 2.6 mEq over three days. The natriuresis was associated with a significant increase in plasma vasopressin (PAVP) (1.7 to 10.2 pg/mliter) and a significant fall in plasma aldosterone (PALDO) from the levels observed with Na+ restriction alone (24.9 to 12.4 ng/dliter). The natriuresis could not be explained by decreases in food intake as determined by control studies in four dogs. Group 2 (N = 6) dogs had a decrease in PALDO with water restriction that was prevented by means of continuous i.v. aldosterone infusion (6.0 micrograms/kg/day). Dogs in this group failed to demonstrate a natriuresis during three days of water restriction, despite the fact that PAVP rose from 3.3 +/- 0.8 to a peak level of 14.95 +/- 1.9 pg/mliter. Group 3 (N = 6) dogs underwent selective neurohypophysectomy, thus preventing the rise in PAVP during three days of water restriction. In this group, PALDO also remained unchanged from the Na+ deprived level during water restriction, and no natriuresis was observed. We conclude: 1) that the natriuresis which occurs with water restriction is a potent physiological response that occurs even in the Na+ restricted state; and 2) this natriuresis can be explained by a fall in PALDO and not the rise in PAVP.
Modern agriculture in advanced placement human geography

Abstract This article is an overview of the agriculture section in the outline of the Advanced Placement (AP) human geography course. It is intended to provide a more detailed framework on which teachers may develop their own curriculum for the AP class. Special emphasis is given to the practice of agriculture in contemporary industrial societies. It also encourages teachers to balance the cultural and historical views of agriculture contained in many textbooks with an economic and geographic focus. Agribusiness is also given special treatment.