cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear generation of very high-order UV modes in microstructured fibers

Cobweb microstructured optical fibers are often strongly multimode in the visible and near infrared regions. This may lead to a number of intermodally phase-matched nonlinear processes. Here we describe a process of nonlinear generation of very high-order UV modes by pumping such fibers with 100 fs Ti:sapphire pulses. Wavelengths as short as 260 nm are generated through a mechanism distinct from supercontinuum generation.
Evaluation of fly ash as a soil amendment for the Atlantic Coastal Plain: II. Soil chemical properties and crop growth

Crop yields in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the U.S.A. are limited by the low moisture-holding capacities of the sandy soils common to the region. Corn was grown in a Hammonton loamy sand soil amended with fly ash (0, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40%) to determine if the ash rates required to improve soil moisture holding capacity would adversely affect plant growth, or soil and plant levels of nutrients and heavy metals. Fly ash increased soil test levels of P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, B, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb. Nutrient concentrations in plants grown in the ash-amended soils, except P, Mn, and B, remained within established sufficiency ranges. The 20 and 40% ash rates increased soil soluble salt (EC) levels from 0.2 to 1.1–1.5 and 1.7–2.1 mmho cm−1, soil pH from 5.6 to 6.0–6.4 or 6.3–6.9, and extractable B from 0.2 to 2.2–5.9 and 2.2–9.0 mg kg−1. Fly ash reduced corn germination, delayed seedling emergence, and reduced root and shoot dry weights. Plant B concentrations at the 40% ash rate were in the phytotoxic range (136–189 mg kg−1). Management practices that allow for pre-leaching of B and soluble salts will likely be required to attain satisfactory corn growth in ash-amended soils.
Contraction increases the T 2 of muscle in fresh water but not in marine invertebrates

Previous studies suggest that the activity-induced increase in 1H-NMR transverse relaxation time (T2) observed in mammalian skeletal muscles is related to an osmotic effect of intracellular metabolite accumulation. This hypothesis was tested by comparing T2 (measured by 1H-NMR imaging at 4.7 T) and metabolite changes (measured by 31P-NMR spectroscopy) after stimulation in the muscles of a freshwater (crayfish, Orconectes virilis) vs two osmoconforming marine invertebrates (lobster, Homarus americanus; scallop, Argopecten concentricus). Intracellular pH significantly decreased after stimulation in the lobster tail muscle, but not in the crayfish tail or scallop phasic adductor muscles. The decrease in phosphoarginine-to-ATP ratio after stimulation was similar in the three muscles. Muscle T2 increased from 37 to 43 ms (p < 0.02, n = 7) after stimulation in crayfish, but was unchanged in lobster muscle (32 ms, n = 7), and significantly decreased (from 40 to 36 ms, p < 0.02, n = 11) in scallop muscle. The observation that T2 does not increase after stimulation in muscles of marine invertebrates with high natural osmolarity is consistent with the hypothesis that the T2 increase in mammalian muscle is related to osmotically driven shifts of fluid between subcellular compartments. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Abbreviations used: PArg phosphoarginine Pi inorganic phosphate
Game Theoretical Partially Overlapping Filtered Multi-tones in Cognitive Heterogeneous Networks

Partially overlapping tones have recently been paid attention to by the researchers in cognitive heterogeneous networks (HetNets). In this paper, we introduce partial overlapping in the filtered multi-tones instead of full overlapping for different users in the network. Interference, one of the major problems in HetNets, is aimed to be decreased by allowing users to perform partial overlapping. Game theoretical framework is utilized to determine which user should perform partial overlapping and in what percentage. To enhance the system performance further, we also introduce a filter roll-off selection game. In this two-step game, Nash equilibrium existence is proved and confirmed by simulation. Our results show that the system signal to interference plus noise ratio is improved significantly with the proposed two-step game.
Action learning: bridging academic and workplace domains

Addresses the need to interrelate academic and workplace domains from the perspective of management development. To address either domain in relative exclusion from the other risks creating a workplace context where learners are able to grasp real‐world problems but lack the underlying academic knowledge to solve them. Outlines how action learning can be used to bridge the two domains and provides actual examples from the USA, Australia and the UK. Provides an overview of action learning as a methodology.
Optical Properties Of The Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer: Aerosol Profiles

The distribution of aerosols in the marine boundary layer can be viewed as a dynamic balance of production, transport and removal processes. The balance of these processes can be represented by a simple mixed-layer model. The vertical distribution of aerosols is dominated by turbulent transport. When mixing is dominated by surface shear or cloudtop cooling (as is typical in mid-latitudes), a single "well-mixed" layer is sufficient to describe the aerosol profile. When scattered cumulus clouds are present (called the "trade wind" or "weak cumulus convection" regime), the well-mixed layer is confined to the region below cloud base. In the region above cloudbase and below cloudtops, strong vertical gradients of aerosol concentration may be observed. A simple parameterization of this gradient is presented.
Low-cost micrometer-scale silicon vias (SVs) fabrication by metal-assisted chemical etching (MaCE) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) filling

A low cost etching method, metal-assisted chemical etching (MaCE), was used to successfully etching 30 μm-diameter silicon vias (SVs), of which the quality are comparable to those fabricated by deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) method. A novel carbon nanomaterial filling method was developed based on chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. The influence of preparation of CVD catalyst on the quality of filling materials was compared and discussed.
Ultrastructural identification of axon terminals from the thalamic reticular nucleus in the medial geniculate body in the rat: An EM autoradiographic study

Injections of 3H-proline in the most caudal part of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) in the rat radioactively labeled a reticulo-thalamic projection to the ventral and dorsal parts of the medial geniculate body (MGB). In EM autoradiographic material of ventral MGB, the labeled reticular terminals contain flattened (F) synaptic vesicles, dark mitochondria, and establish synapses of the symmetrical type with neuronal perikarya, main dendritic trunks and small dendrites. Reticular terminals in MGB are, therefore, similar in their ultrastructure and synaptic relations to the reticular terminals previously identified in the rat lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). These data suggest that reticular terminals are of the F type in all dorsal thalamic nuclei innervated by the TRN.
A point mutation in the neu oncogene mimics ligand induction of receptor aggregation

The rat neu gene, which encodes a protein closely related to the epidermal growth factor receptor, is a proto-oncogene that can be converted into an oncogene by a point mutation. Both genes encode proteins with a relative molecular mass of 185,000 but the question of why the neu gene product, p185neu, is oncogenic, whereas the product of c-neu, p185c-neu, is not, remains unanswered. The proteins have several features common to the family of tyrosine kinase growth-factor receptors, including cysteine-rich external domains, a hydrophobic transmembrane region and a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase domain. The oncogenic p185neu differs from p185c-neu by an amino-acid substitution in the transmembrane region of the glycoprotein: this replacement of valine by glutamic acid at position 664 induces increased intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity which is associated with transformation. Many glycoproteins with charged amino acids in the transmembrane region exist as multimeric complexes at the plasma membrane. We have therefore investigated the association state of both products of the neu gene and show that the oncoprotein p185neu is organized at the plasma membrane primarily in an aggregated form, but that p185c-neu is not. Induction of an aggregated state may mimic aspects of ligand-induced receptor aggregation resulting in enzymatic activation that leads to cellular transformation.
Transforming growth factor β1 is an epithelial-derived signal peptide that influences otic capsule formation

Abstract Interactions between epithelial and mesenchymal tissues in the developing inner ear direct the formation of its cartilaginous capsule. Recent work indicates that many growth factors are distributed in the early embryo in vivo in a temporal-spatial pattern that correlates with sites of ongoing morphogenetic events. We report here the localization of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1 in both epithelial and mesenchymal tissues of the mouse inner ear between 10 and 16 days of embryonic development (E10–E16). In addition, utilizing a high-density culture system as an in vitro model of otic capsule chondrogenesis, we show that modulation of chondrogenesis by TGF-β1 in cultured mouse periotic mesenchyme mimics the in vitro effects of otic epithelium on the expression of chondrogenic potential. We provide evidence of a causal relationship of this growth factor to otic capsule formation in situ by demonstrating that the actual sequence of chondrogenic events that occur in the developing embryo is reproduced in culture by the addition of exogenous TGF-β1 peptide. Furthermore, in cultures of mesenchyme containing otic epithelium, we demonstrate the localization of endogenous TGF-β1, first within the epithelial tissue and later within both the epithelium and its surrounding periotic mesenchyme, contrasted to an absence of endogenous TGF-β1 in cultures of mesenchyme alone. Our results suggest that TGF-β1 is one of the signal molecules that mediate the effects of otic epithelium in influencing the formation of the cartilaginous otic capsule
Statistical Analysis and Modeling of Occupancy Patterns in Open-Plan Offices using Measured Lighting-Switch Data

Occupancy profile is one of the driving factors behind discrepancies between the measured and simulated energy consumption of buildings. The frequencies of occupants leaving their offices and the corresponding durations of absences have significant impact on energy use and the operational controls of buildings. This study used statistical methods to analyze the occupancy status, based on measured lighting-switch data in five-minute intervals, for a total of 200 open-plan (cubicle) offices. Five typical occupancy patterns were identified based on the average daily 24-hour profiles of the presence of occupants in their cubicles. These statistical patterns were represented by a one-square curve, a one-valley curve, a two-valley curve, a variable curve, and a flat curve. The key parameters that define the occupancy model are the average occupancy profile together with probability distributions of absence duration, and the number of times an occupant is absent from the cubicle. The statistical results also reveal that the number of absence occurrences decreases as total daily presence hours decrease, and the duration of absence from the cubicle decreases as the frequency of absence increases. The developed occupancy model captures the stochastic nature of occupants moving in and out of cubicles, and can be used to generate a more realistic occupancy schedule. This is crucial for improving the evaluation of the energy saving potential of occupancy based technologies and controls using building simulations. Finally, to demonstrate the use of the occupancy model, weekday occupant schedules were generated and discussed.
Religion within the bounds of naturalism: Dewey and Wieman

It is fair to say that naturalism is the dominant philosophical position in America. While it is clear that naturalism provides no room for traditional theism, it is not clear what conceptions of God it can tolerate, let alone support. And it is simply unclear whether a conception of God that is congenial to philosophical naturalism can be religiously satisfying. In this paper I aim to explore and critically evaluate two attempts within this century to find in naturalism the resources both for a viable doctrine of God and for the articulation and practice of religious faith. The two proponents of naturalism I will discuss are John Dewey (1859–1952) and Henry Nelson Wieman (1884–1975). But of these two, it is Wieman, the theologian, I will discuss at somewhat greater length.
PDZs and receptor/channel clustering: rounding up the latest suspects.

With their PDZ domains in the limelight, it is easy to overlook the fact that the Dlg/PSD-95 family of clustering proteins contain in their C-terminal half an SH3 domain and a GK domain, the function of which remain quite mysterious. Which proteins bind specifically to the SH3 domain? And given that no enzymatic activity has been detected, what is the function of the GK domain, which is approximately 30% identical at the amino acid level to yeast guanylate kinase? Another significant question is how PSD-95 molecules link to the cytoskeleton, as they surely must if they are involved in anchoring of receptor/ion channel clusters at specific membrane sites. Finally, how are these PDZ-containing proteins specifically targeted to their final synaptic (or other subcellular) destinations? Further analysis of PSD-95 and its relatives in vitro and in vivo has the potential to uncover the domains of the protein to which clustering, anchoring, targeting, and signaling functions are segregated. The continuing study of PSD-95-like proteins promises to illuminate our understanding of the structure, function, and plasticity of neuronal synapses.
Buprenorphine for office-based practice: consensus conference overview.

This overview of the March 2003 conference on the U.S. national buprenorphine implementation program is developed to inform the practitioner about the positive experience that has been accumulated worldwide on the use of buprenorphine for office-based practice. The first paper delineates the challenges for American psychiatry in moving buprenorphine forward into general practice. Most psychiatrists are unprepared to work with opiate-dependent patients or to use buprenorphine. The international successes with office-based buprenorphine from France and Australia are presented in the next papers, followed by presentations on several U.S. studies using buprenorphine in the community for detoxification and office-based maintenance. These experiences have thus far confirmed buprenorphine's utility and promise for opiate addiction treatment in the U.S. Finally, two national monitoring programs have been implemented to assess the public health impact of this new treatment opportunity. This opportunity has a three...
Sensitivity of a model projection of near‐surface permafrost degradation to soil column depth and representation of soil organic matter

[1] The sensitivity of a global land-surface model projection of near-surface permafrost degradation is assessed with respect to explicit accounting of the thermal and hydrologic properties of soil organic matter and to a deepening of the soil column from 3.5 to 50 or more m. Together these modifications result in substantial improvements in the simulation of near-surface soil temperature in the Community Land Model (CLM). When forced off-line with archived data from a fully coupled Community Climate System Model (CCSM3) simulation of 20th century climate, the revised version of CLM produces a near-surface permafrost extent of 10.7 × 106 km2 (north of 45°N). This extent represents an improvement over the 8.5 × 106 km2 simulated in the standard model and compares reasonably with observed estimates for continuous and discontinuous permafrost area (11.2–13.5 × 106 km2). The total extent in the new model remains lower than observed because of biases in CCSM3 air temperature and/or snow depth. The rate of near-surface permafrost degradation, in response to strong simulated Arctic warming (∼ +7.5°C over Arctic land from 1900 to 2100, A1B greenhouse gas emissions scenario), is slower inthe improved version of CLM, particularly during the early 21st century (81,000 versus 111,000 km2 a−1, where a is years). Even at the depressed rate, however, the warming is enough to drive near-surface permafrost extent sharply down by 2100. Experiments with a deep soil column exhibit a larger increase in ground heat flux than those without because of stronger near-surface vertical soil temperature gradients. This appears to lessen the sensitivity of soil temperature change to model soil depth.
A computer analog of shuttlebox avoidance by human subjects

Abstract Pilot research using a one-hand operated see-saw shuttlebox device demonstrated that (a) subjects who were told that they could do something about the shock aversive stimulus learned avoidance faster than those who were not told, (b) shocks in another apparatus prior to conditioning interfered with avoidance conditioning, and (c) a non-noxious tone stimulus could produce avoidance learning equivalent to that produced with a noxious shock stimulus. The two experiments reported here used the same basic paradigm but substituted a microcomputer analog apparatus for the see-saw shuttlebox. The first experiment showed that using two buttons on the keyboard to move an on-screen figure back and forth was as effective as using a joy-stick manipulandum to produce the same movement and that inclusion of a trial on which avoidance was not possible in every block of 5 avoidance trials had no debilitating effect. It also showed that an FR3 schedule (3 crossovers necessary for an avoidance) made acquisition sig...
Complexation of silver salts in pyridine

Abstract The molar conductances of the silver halides AgCl and AgBr and pseudohalides AgCN and AgSCN in pyridine at 25°C have been analysed in terms of the Fuoss-Hsia equation involving equilibria between ions, ion pairs, triple ions and quadrupoles (dimers). For AgSCN, the molar conductivities exhibit the classic minimum which, according to the 1933 theory of Fuoss and Kraus, is due to the formation of triple ions. The analysis of the conductivity data, confirmed by emf data from the literature, show that the major complexes formed are ion pairs and asymmetric triple ions. For AgCl, AgBr and AgCN, a minimum in the molar conductivities is not observed although it is known from emf studies that asymmetric triple ions are important species in pyridine solutions. The molar conductivities for these salts can be accurately treated using the Fuoss-Hsia equation by the inclusion of quadrupole equilibria. Analyses in terms of Barthel's modification of the Bjerrum equation is consistent with the known behavior of silver salts in pyridine solution, ie AgCl, AgBr, AgCN and AgSCN form inner-sphere ( ie contact) complexes whereas the hard donors NO − 3 , ClO − 4 and Pic − (picrate) form outer-sphere ( ie solvent separated) ion pairs.
Abstract A55: Inhibition of the heat shock protein receptor CD91 abrogates concomitant antitumor immunity.

Most tumors are capable of generating immune response in the bearing host, a phenomenon described as concomitant immunity. Since tumors lack the typical (foreign) PAMPs that provide signal 2 for T cell priming, the mechanism of how concomitant immunity is established remains a mystery. We provide evidence here that, heat shock proteins (HSPs), when released into the tumor microenvironment, is the immunogen necessary for priming concomitant tumor specific immunity. These responses require CD91- the endocytic and signaling receptor for the immunogenic HSPs. In our study, we generated cd11c-specific CD91 knockout mice and showed that tumors grew faster in those knockout mice, compared to CD91 +/+ mice. In addition, we abrogated the interaction of tumor-derived HSP with CD91 in vivo by over-expression of Receptor Associated Protein (RAP), an endogenous inhibitor of CD91. The data showed that: first, tumors expressing RAP grew with significantly faster kinetics than the non-RAP expressing counterparts in wild type mice, although this difference was non-existent in immunocompromised mice and the inherent proliferative rates of tumors with or without RAP were identical; second, RAP-expressing tumors, when used as an immunogen in tumor prophylaxis, were significantly less efficient in priming immune responses; third, we examined the competition for CD91 between RAP and tumor-derived HSP in vivo. In the presence of RAP, less amount of tumor-derived EGFP-labeled HSPs were taken up by APCs in draining lymph nodes. In summary, our study demonstrates that the HSP-CD91 pathway is critical for establishment of concomitant immunity. Considering that elevated RAP levels have been reported in colon cancer patients, we propose a novel mechanism of immune evasion for tumors expressing competing ligands for immune receptors such as CD91. Citation Format: Yu Jerry Zhou, Robert J. Binder. Inhibition of the heat shock protein receptor CD91 abrogates concomitant antitumor immunity. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology: Multidisciplinary Science Driving Basic and Clinical Advances; Dec 2-5, 2012; Miami, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A55.
Gender Bias in Predictions of Boys' Academic Failure.

Abstract A study was conducted to examine the gendered expectations of academic failure among 52 students preparing to enter a teacher-credentialing program at a California state university. As part of a technology class, student pairs completed a database and mail-merge assignment in which they named three imaginary students and identified one of the students as being in danger of failing. The subjects had complete autonomy in deciding the gender of the three students whom they named in their database assignment. A two-way chi-square analysis of the data collected from these groups showed a significant bias (p < .03) resulting in males being identified as being in danger of failing more than three times as often as females.
The orienting response as a nonverbal measure of neurological extinction.

S~/ninzrrry.-Detection ant1 localization of tactile stirnulalion in neurological patients is typically evaluated through verbal report. This approach is limited, especially in evaluating perceptual distortions, some of which may have a primarily psychological rather than physiological explanation. An alternative approach, based on the orienting response as measured by the galvanic skin response (GSR), was evaluated for its equivalence to verbal report. Its efficacy was explored in measuring face-hand extinction in which sensation on the hand is masked when face and hand are touched simultaneously. The GSR to single stimulations of the cheek was habituated and then simultaneous stimulation of the cheek and hand was given. Ss were dichotomized on the basis of their verbal report as to whether they reported feeling the touch on the hand. The 12 Ss reporting only face stimulation (extinction), showed no new orienting response, but a large response was evoked in 12 Ss reporting both touches. This measure might provide basic insight into paradoxical clinical phenomena such as hysterical anesthesia, allesrhesia, and unilateral right-left disorientation.
Complete Eulerian-mean tracer equation for coarse resolution OGCMs

McDougall and McIntosh showed that the adiabatic mesoscale mixing is represented incompletely in the tracer Eulerian-averaged equation (EAE) of coarse resolution OGCMs. We show that completing EAE requires an adequate decomposition of the mesoscale tracer flux which is achieved by means of transforming mesoscale fields to isopycnal coordinates (IC) where mesoscale dynamics has the simplest form. The transformation results in splitting F τ into two components and : the former is determined by buoyancy mesoscale dynamics only and has a trivial kinematic dependence on the mean tracer field, the latter is determined by mesoscale tracer dynamics. Thus, the problem of modelling (parameterizing) F τ in ZC is divided in two stages which can be termed kinematic and dynamic. The kinematic stage consists in adequate decomposing F τ, and the result is expressed in terms of mesoscale fields. The dynamic stage consists in applying a specific dynamic mesoscale model to parameterize the components of F τ. In this article...
Patient Specific FEM Analysis of the Atherosclerotic Carotid Bifurcation

Introduction Atherosclerosis in the carotid bifurcation is a highly variable disease that, in its stable form, can cause a dangerous reduction of blood flow to the brain. Should the plaque rupture or ulcerate, the patient is likely to experience a thrombotic or embolic stroke. Stroke is the 3 rd leading cause of death in the western world, and approximately 10-15% of these cases develop from carotid atherosclerosis. 1 In addition to the complex biochemistry involved in the initiation, progression, and acute insult of carotid disease, the mechanical environment of the carotid bifurcation may also play a pivotal role in these disease states. The finite element method can be used to interrogate the local mechanical environment of the carotid bifurcation throughout the cardiac cycle. The complex time-dependent stress and strain fields can thus be estimated to derive an understanding of the vessel’s mechanical response that may be used within the contexts of various failure criteria and conditioning of the materials present. In addition to the strictly solid-loading approach, fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations can be used to include the wall-pressure perturbations induced by flow in more stenotic vessels. 2 With a sufficiently fine fluid mesh, wall-shear-stress may also be measured, allowing characterization of the mechanical signals relevant to the intimal endothelium. 3 While much has been learned from idealized cases, patient-specific analyses are important due to the compounding effects of highly irregular geometry, nonlinear materials, and variable pressure loading. It is hoped that the further development of such analyses will lead to a useful predictive capacity that can be employed in a clinical setting. Methods In this work, CT angiograms of the carotid vessels are segmented using in-house software such that the contours of vessel wall, calcification, lipids, and the vessel lumen may be obtained at intervals of 0.5mm from 20mm above and below the bifurcation. The smoothed
Solution NMR Measurement of Amide Proton Chemical Shift Anisotropy in 15N-Enriched Proteins. Correlation with Hydrogen Bond Length§

Cross-correlation between 15N−1H dipolar interactions and 1HN chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) gives rise to different relaxation rates of the doublet components of 1H−{15N} peptide backbone amides....
Reinforcement Survey Schedule: Evaluation and Current Applications:

Since the publication of the Reinforcement Survey Schedule (Cautela & Kastenbaum, 1967), it has been widely used by many therapists and researchers in a variety of settings. This paper discusses the evaluation and extensions of the schedule since its original publication. Studies indicate that the schedule is reliable and valid under the conditions of assessment. Clinical applications of the schedule during the interview, for covert conditioning, for reinforcer sampling, and use in institutions are discussed. Suggestions for the use of the schedule as a research tool are also presented.
Homogenization of plain weave composites using two-scale convergence

Abstract In this paper, we homogenize a plain weave composite using convergence results developed for periodic functions. The two-scale convergence scheme is discussed and its results are applied to the elasticity problem of modeling composite weaves. Numerical implementation is discussed and parameter studies are given.
Partial purification and properties of a nucleoside hydrolase from Crithidia.

Abstract An enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of nucleosides was found to occur in Crithidia fasciculata and was partially purified (30- to 40-fold) by treatment with either streptomycin sulfate or MnCl2, ammonium sulfate fractionation, acidification and neutralization, passage through Sephadex G-200, and isoelectric focusing. The specific activity of these preparations was about 6 μmnoles of uridine hydrolyzed per mg protein per min. Specificity for the puriue or pyrimidine base was very broad; uridine gave the maximum rate of hydrolysis. Deoxyribosides were not hydrolyzed. The enzyme is relatively stable to heat and to acidification and can be stored frozen. Hydrolysis of uridine is inhibited by borate ions and by adenosine, inosine, and guanosine, but not by cytidine or xanthosine.
Intra-urban Job Accessibility and Hispanic Youth Employment Rates

Abstract This paper investigates the validity of the spatial mismatch hypothesis as an explanation for the relatively low employment rates of Hispanic youth. Job probability equations are estimated for Hispanic and white teenagers that include a measure of intraurban job accessibility among the set of independent variables. Job access is found to have an important effect on the job probability of both racial groups, regardless of school enrollment status. In addition, approximately 25 to 30% of the racial difference in employment rates is attributable to the fact that Hispanics live farther from jobs than whites.
Competitive protein-binding radioassay of 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in sera from normal and anephric subjects

Abstract A competitive protein-binding radioassay for 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [24,25-(OH) 2 D] in human serum has been developed. Whereas small amounts of [ 3 H]24,25-(OH) 2 D must be biosynthesized in order to trace the efficiency of the extraction and chromatographic procedures, tritiated 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 ([ 3 H]25-OHD 3 ) can be used as the assay tracer. Since 25-OHD 3 and 24,25-(OH) 2 D 3 are equipotent in their competitive displacement of [ 3 H]25-OHD 3 from rat serum, 25-OHD 3 can be used as the assay standard. Liquid-gel partition chromatography on small columns of Sephadex LH-20 can reliably isolate 24,25-(OH) 2 D by batch elution. The purity of biosynthesized [ 3 H]24,25-(OH) 2 D 3 and the 24,25-(OH) 2 D fraction isolated from serum was confirmed by high-pressure chromatography on 0.2 × 50 cm columns of 10-μm silica. Serum 24,25-(OH) 2 D levels averaged 16% of the serum 25-OHD concentrations in normal subjects. Since chronic hemodialysis patients, without kidneys, had normal serum 24,25-(OH) 2 D levels, significant extrarenal 25-hydroxycalciferol 24-hydroxylase activity occurs in these subjects. Since the present assay represents a reasonably simple extension of 25-OHD assay methodology, it should prove to be a useful technique in the analysis of clinical disorders of vitamin D metabolism.
Evaluation of National Research Council and Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein Systems for Predicting Requirements of Holstein Heifers

This experiment evaluated the effects of prepubertal energy intake and dietary protein source on average daily gain of Holstein heifers. Holstein heifers (n = 273) were assigned to one of three dietary energy treatments that were designed to achieve average daily gains of 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 kg/d from 90 to 320 kg of body weight. Within each energy treatment, heifers were assigned to diets that were supplemented with animal and plant proteins or plant protein and urea. Diets were formulated using the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System. Actual mean daily gains by heifers on each energy treatment were 0.68, 0.83, and 0.94 kg/d and were not affected by protein source. Undegradable intake protein was predicted by the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System to be adequate to support the observed daily gain that was allowed by the amount of energy in the diet and was 13 to 25% lower than the recommendations for undegradable intake protein by the National Research Council. These results suggested that requirements for undegradable intake protein may be met at concentrations that are less than 35% of the dietary crude protein. Energy equations from the National Research Council and Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System were evaluated and accounted for 87 and 86% of the variation in body weight gain that was allowed by the amount of energy in the diet with biases of -7.7 and -5.7%, respectively. The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System has the primary advantage of improved accuracy in the prediction of nutrient requirements in each unique production situation.
Transition from many domain to single domain martensite morphology in small-scale shape memory alloys

Abstract The morphology of the martensitic transformation during a superelastic cycle is studied by in situ scanning electron microscopy deformation experiments in microwires of Cu–Zn–Al. The diameters of the wires studied (21–136 μm) span the range in which significant size effects upon transformation hysteresis have been observed. In larger wires the transformation is accommodated by the continual nucleation of many new martensite plates that grow and eventually coalesce with their neighbors. In small wires a single martensite plate nucleates at the start of transformation and then proceeds to grow in a monolithic fashion; the wire transforms by smooth axial propagation of a single interface. The transition from many domain to single domain transformation is gradual with wire diameter, and is based upon scaling of the domain density with sample size. We attribute it to a crossover from bulk to surface obstacle control of transformation front propagation. This observation also sheds light on reported size effects in energy dissipation in shape memory alloys.
Korovkin inequalities for stochastic processes

Abstract The rate of convergence of a sequence of positive linear stochastic operators {Tj}j ∈ n to the unit operator I on spaces of stochastic processes X is studied. This is mainly done for stochastic processes that are smooth over a compact and convex index set Q ⊂ Rk, k ⩾ 1. Nearly best upper bounds are given for ¦E(T j X)(x 0 ) − (EX)(x 0 )¦, x 0 ϵ Q , where E is the expectation operator and Tj are E-commutative. These lead to strong and elegant inequalities many times sharp, which involve the first modulus of continuity of EXα, where Xα is a (partial) derivative of X. The case of Q being a compact convex subset of a real normed vector space is also met and there the upper bound is the best possible.
Musculoskeletal functional outcomes in children with osteogenesis imperfecta: associations with disease severity and pamidronate therapy.

Background: Intravenous pamidronate has been used off-label in the treatment of severe osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) for almost 20 years. Previous studies have found correlations between function and bone density in patients with OI, but have not studied the functional outcomes of these patients after bisphosphonate therapy with a validated outcome measure. The goal of this investigation is to describe the functionality and comfort of children with OI. We hypothesize that function is impaired in children with severe OI as measured using the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) and that improvements in the function of children with severe OI may be observed in association with intravenous bisphosphonate therapy. Methods: A total of 25 patients with OI were evaluated, of those, 15 received pamidronate therapy. Children with >2 long bone fractures per year were classified as having severe OI and were eligible for pamidronate therapy. Functional evaluation was performed using the PODCI for children who qualified for pamidronate therapy (severe OI) and those who did not qualify for pamidronate therapy (mild OI). PODCI evaluation was also performed after treatment with pamidronate in the group that qualified for pamidronate therapy. Results: There was a statistically significant difference at baseline between patients with “mild” and “severe” OI in the sports/physical functioning scale (P=0.0032). Among the children who received bisphosphonate therapy, PODCI scores in the sports/physical functioning domain were significantly improved after pamidronate therapy (P=0.0364). Conclusions: This study indicates that children with mild forms of OI can be differentiated from their more severe counterparts by their ability to participate in high-level play activities. Furthermore, patients with “severe” OI show a significant improvement in their ability to participate in high-level play after 1 year of pamidronate. Level of Evidence: Level IV.
An internally consistent integration method for critical state models

A new procedure to integrate critical state models including Cam–Clay and modified Cam–Clay is proposed here. The proposed procedure makes use of the linearity of the virgin isotropic compression curve and the parallel anisotropic consolidation lines in e–ln p space which are basic features of the formulation of critical state models. Using this algorithm, a unique final stress state may be found as a function of a single unknown for elastoplastic loading. The key equations are given in this article for the Cam–Clay and modified Cam–Clay models. The use of the Newton–Raphson iterative method to minimize residuals and obtain a converged solution is described here. This new algorithm may be applied using the assumptions of linear elasticity or non-linear elasticity within a given loading step. The new algorithm proposed here is internally consistent and has computational advantages over the current numerical integration procedures. Numerical examples are presented to show the performance of the algorithm as compared to other integration algorithms. Published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oligoanalgesia in blunt geriatric trauma.

Abstract Background Research suggests that older age can influence perception, assessment, and treatment of acute pain, resulting in inadequate pain control for geriatric patients. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine if geriatric trauma patients are less likely to receive analgesia in our emergency department (ED). Methods This retrospective chart review includes blunt trauma adult patients who presented to a Level I trauma center ED between June 1 and December 31, 2012. Age was categorized as ≥65 years old and 18–64 years old. χ 2 was used to analyze differences in patients receiving pain medication by age groups. Analysis excluded those with no or low pain. A logistic regression model estimated the odds ratio of analgesic use controlling for age, pain level, sex, race, alcohol, drugs, Glasgow Coma Scale, ED length of stay, and Injury Severity Score. T -test compared differences in analgesia administration time. Results Four hundred and sixty-three blunt trauma patients were included in the analysis. Seventy percent of those ≥65 years received analgesia, compared with 84% of those 18–64 years old ( p p = 0.03). Those ≥65 years were 69% less likely (odds ratio = 0.31; 95% confidence interval 0.16–0.59) to receive analgesia compared to patients aged 18–64 years, after controlling for confounders. Conclusions Trauma patients ≥ 65 years of age are less likely to receive analgesia than the younger cohort in our ED and waited longer to get it.
Strong in-plane angular dependence of spin-wave intensities in single crystals of yig films

Abstract In-plane angular variation of the spin-wave-mode intensities (found in Liquid-phase-epitaxy (LPE) YIG films) is explained in terms of a nonuniform anisotropic field localized in the diffusion zone rather than by an artificial uniaxial surface field.
Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Neonatal Macaques

Children with human immunodeficiency virus infection often have higher viral loads and progress to AIDS more rapidly than adults. Since the intestinal tract is a major site of early viral replication and CD4 + T-cell depletion in adults, we examined the effects of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) on both peripheral and intestinal lymphocytes from 13 neonatal macaques infected with SIVmac239. Normal neonates had more CD4 + T cells and fewer CD8 + T cells in all tissues than adults. Surprisingly, neonates had substantial percentages of CD4 + T cells with an activated, memory phenotype (effector CD4 + T cells) in the lamina propria of the intestine compared to peripheral lymphoid tissues, even when examined on the day of birth. Moreover, profound and selective depletion of jejunum lamina propria CD4 + T cells occurred in neonatal macaques within 21 days of infection, which was preceded by large numbers of SIV-infected cells in this compartment. Furthermore, neonates with less CD4 + T-cell depletion in tissues tended to have higher viral loads. The persistence of intestinal lamina propria CD4 + T cells in some neonates with high viral loads suggests that increased turnover and/or resistance to CD4 + T-cell loss may contribute to the higher viral loads and increased severity of disease in neonatal hosts.
Democracy and the Environment on the Internet: Electronic Citizen Participation in Regulatory Rulemaking

We hypothesize that recent uses of the Internet as a public-participation mechanism in the United States fail to overcome the adversarial culture that characterizes the American regulatory process. Although the Internet has the potential to facilitate deliberative processes that could result in more widespread public involvement, greater transparency in government processes, and a more satisfied citizenry, we argue that efforts to implement Internet-based public participation have overlaid existing problematic government processes without fully harnessing the transformative power of information technologies. Public comments submitted in two United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) rulemaking processes—the National Organic Program’s organic standard and the Forest Service’s Roadless Area Conservation Rule—compose our data. We conclude that the Internet provides an arena for playing out three types of conflicts that have long plagued environmental decision-making processes: conflicts over trust of fed...
One-pot polymerization, surface grafting, and processing of waterborne polyurethane-cellulose nanocrystal nanocomposites

A series of new waterborne polyurethane (WPU)/cellulose nanocrystal (CN) composites have been successfully synthesized viain situpolymerization. The conditions were optimized to induce the grafting of part of the pre-synthesized WPU chains on the surface of cellulose nanocrystals (CNs) and the corresponding nanocomposites were processed by casting and evaporation. The morphology, structural, thermal, and mechanical properties of the resulting nanocomposite films were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, and tensile tests. The success of the grafting was substantiated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Thus, it was demonstrated that the grafted WPU chains formed crystalline domains on the surface of CNs which expedited the crystallization of the polycaprolactone (PCL) soft segment domains in the WPU/CN nanocomposites. This co-crystallization phenomenon induced the formation of a co-continuous phase between the matrix and filler which significantly enhanced the interfacial adhesion and consequently contributed to an improvement in the thermal stability and mechanical strength of the nanocomposites. Although the ductility of the final nanocomposites was slightly reduced, in the CN content range from 0 to 10 wt-%, the Young's modulus and strength were significantly improved as shown by the change from 1.7 to 107.4 MPa and 4.4 to 9.7 MPa, respectively.
Positive-energy theorem and supersymmetry in exactly solvable quantum-corrected two-dimensional dilaton gravity.

Extending the work of Park and Strominger, we prove a positive-energy theorem for the exactly solvable quantum-corrected two-dimensional dilaton-gravity theories. The positive-energy functional we construct is shown to be unique (within a reasonably broad class of such functionals). For field configurations asymptotic to the linear dilaton vacuum we show that this energy functional (if defined on a spacelike surface) yields the usual (classical) definition of the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner (ADM) mass [ital plus] a certain quantum'' correction. If defined on a null surface the energy functional yields the Bondi mass. The latter is evaluated carefully and applied to the Russo-Susskind-Thorlacius (RST) shock-wave scenario where it is shown to behave as physically expected. Motivated by the existence of a positivity theorem we construct manifestly supersymmetric (semiclassical) extensions of these quantum-corrected dilaton-gravity theories.
Plasma-membrane Ca2+ pumps: structural diversity as the basis for functional versatility

Plasma-membrane calcium pumps [PMCAs (plasma-membrane Ca2+-ATPases)] expel Ca2+ from eukaryotic cells to maintain overall Ca2+ homoeostasis and to provide local control of intracellular Ca2+ signalling. Recent work indicates functional versatility among PMCA isoforms, with specific pumps being essential for cochlear hair cell function, sperm motility, feedback signalling in the heart and pre- and post-synaptic Ca2+ regulation in neurons. The functional versatility of PMCAs is due to differences in their regulation by CaM (calmodulin), kinases and other signalling proteins, as well as to their differential targeting and retention in defined plasma membrane domains. The basis for this is the structural diversity of PMCAs. In mammals, four genes encode PMCA isoforms 1–4, and each of these has multiple variants generated by alternative RNA splicing. The alternatively spliced regions are intimately involved in the regulatory interactions and differential membrane localization of the pumps. The alternatively spliced C-terminal tail acts as an autoinhibitory domain by interacting with the catalytic core of the pump. The degree of inhibition and the kinetics of interaction with the major activator CaM differ between PMCA variants. This translates into functional differences in how PMCAs handle Ca2+ signals of different magnitude and frequency. Accumulating evidence thus demonstrates how structural diversity provides functional versatility in the PMCAs. Abbreviations: CaM, calmodulin; PMCA, plasma-membrane Ca2+-ATPase
Ibutilide, a Methanesulfonanilide Antiarrhythmic, Is a Potent Blocker of the Rapidly Activating Delayed Rectifier K+ Current (IKr) in AT-1 Cells Concentration-, Time-, Voltage-, and Use-Dependent Effects

Background Ibutilide is an action potential–prolonging antiarrhythmic currently in clinical trials. The drug shares structural similarities with E-4031 and dofetilide, specific blockers of the rapidly activating delayed rectifier K+ current (IKr). However, previous in vitro studies in guinea pig myocytes have indicated that ibutilide does not block IKr but rather increases a slow inward sodium current. Methods and Results In this study, we compared the effects of ibutilide with those of dofetilide on outward current in mouse atrial tumor myocytes (AT-1 cells), a preparation in which, unlike guinea pig, a typical IKr is the major delayed rectifier and can be readily recorded in isolation from other currents. In AT-1 cells, ibutilide and dofetilide were both potent IKr blockers, with EC50 values of 20 (n=12) and 12 (n=8) nmol/L, respectively, at +20 mV. The time and voltage dependence of IKr inhibition by the two compounds were virtually identical. The following characteristics were most consistent with ope...