cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using a feed-grade zinc propionate to achieve molt induction in laying hens and retain postmolt egg production and quality.

A commercial-feed-grade form of zinc propionate was examined as a potential feed amendment at a concentration of 1% zinc to induce molt in 90-wk-old hens. Dietary treatments consisted, of 4 treatment groups of 28 birds each randomly assigned to either (1) molted conventionally by feed withdrawal, (2) 1% zinc as Zn acetate, (3) 1% zinc as Zn propionate, or (4) nonmolted control for 9 d. Ovary weights of hens fed Zn acetate or Zn propionate were not significantly different from each other, but hens fed Zn acetate or Zn propionate were significantly (p<0.05) lighter than the ovary weight of nonmolted control hens. Zinc concentrations in the kidney and liver were significantly (p<0.05) increased in both Zn acetate- and Zn propionate-molted hens when compared to either nonmolted control-fed hens or feed-withdrawal molted hens. Over the entire 3-mo postmolt period, there were no significant differences in interior or exterior egg qualities among the four treatments Egg production of hens fed Zn acetate was significantly lower than feed-withdrawal hens, Zn propionate-fed hens, or nonmolted control hens (p<0.05). The data of the current study demonstrated that feeding a feed grade of Zn propionate (1% Zn)-supplemented diet can induce molt and retain postmolt egg quality and production comparable to hens molted by feed withdrawal.
Symbolic Methods for VTB Model Development

Summary form only given. Symbolic computation is not just helpful, it is very nearly a prerequisite for building models of complex objects that will be used in dynamic system simulators such as the virtual test bed (VTB). The reason that symbolic computation is so necessary is that, for reasons of compuatational speed, the code of any VTB model having natural coupling ports must directly express the Jacobian of the dynamic equations. Computing the often-large number of Jacobian terms by hand is extremely tedious, time consuming, and error-prone, and entirely unnecessary with today's symbolic math tools. VTB model developers currently rely on several different tools to accomplish model development. One of the tools, included directly in the VTB distribution package, comes in both runtime and development-time versions that allow a user to directly enter the math equations that describe the system dynamics. Then those equations are either interpreted and symbolically processed on-the-fly during system simulation, or they are interpreted and processed prior to generation of C code that will later be compiled into a model. The combination of these two approaches provides an incremental path for model development: the first approach supports rapidly prototyping of a model, and the second supports final development of full-featured models that may require some additional hand-tailoring of the C code. Additional model development tools that are being developed based on commercial symbolic math packages will also be described
A minimum fixed point theorem for smooth fiber preserving maps

Let p: E → B be a smooth fiber bundle. Given a smooth fiber preserving map f: E → E, we will show that f can be deformed by a smooth, fiber preserving homotopy to a smooth map g: E → E such that the number of fixed points of g is equal to the fiberwise Nielsen number of f.
Weighted confidence interval construction for binomial parameters

Confidence intervals, in general, have become an important aspect of reporting statistical results. In particular, interval estimators for binomial proportions have been studied extensively in recent literature. The large-sample Wald intervals are known to perform poorly, but the Wilson intervals have been shown to perform well in a variety of situations. One criticism is the relative difficulty of computing the Wilson or quadratic intervals in comparison to the Wald intervals. We offer a computational formula for the Wilson intervals that is a weighted estimator of the observed proportion, p, and that based on an uninformative prior, 1/2. This contribution enhances our understanding of the coverage behavior of the Wilson intervals. In addition, we contrast the Wilson intervals with other well-known intervals for the case of zero successes.
Purification and crystallization of recombinant human TNF-like ligand TL1A.

Abstract TL1A is a recently discovered TNF-like ligand. Because of the interests in the structural basis of the specificity of the bindings of the TNF ligands to the TNF receptors, we sought to crystallize the mature soluble form of human TL1A. To prepare recombinant human TL1A, the coding sequence for mature human soluble TL1A (aa72–aa251) was cloned into Escherichia coli expression vector pDEST14 and the protein was purified in a succession of immobilized metal affinity, hydrophobic interaction, ion exchange and size exclusion chromatography, indicating that mature TL1A may have a metal ligand. The functional activity of recombinant TL1A was confirmed by its ability to bind to DcR3, a soluble decoy receptor of the TNF receptor family that has been previously reported to bind to TL1A. Single crystals of TL1A were obtained in a screen with a crystal screen kit using the hanging-drop vapor diffusion method. Diffraction quality crystals were grown after optimization. TL1A crystals belong to the tetragonal space group P 4 1 2 1 2, with unit cell parameter of a = b = 116.734, c = 118.927 A. The TL1A crystals diffracted to at least 3.2 A. Self-rotation functions showed that there are three molecules in the asymmetry unit. Assuming an average partial specific volume of 0.74 cm 3 g −1 for proteins, the water content of the crystal is 62.8%. A preliminary molecular replacement solution was obtained with three TL1A molecules in the asymmetric unit. The three protomers are related by a non-crystallographic 3-fold axis, like those of other TNF ligand family members.
Evaluation of Nonlinear Quantum Time Correlation Functions within the Centroid Dynamics Formulation

A method to evaluate nonlinear centroid correlation functions is presented that is amenable to simple numerical computation. It can be implemented with the centroid molecular dynamics method for approximate quantum dynamics with no additional assumptions. Two nonlinear correlation functions are evaluated for a model potential using this scheme and compared with results from exact quantum calculations.
An approach to the nonlinear dynamics of Russian wheat aphid population growth with the cusp catastrophe model

Many insect field populations, especially aphids, often exhibit irregular and even catastrophic fluctuations. The objective of the present study is to explore whether or not the population intrinsic rates of growth (rm) obtained under laboratory conditions can shed some light on the irregular changes of insect field populations. We propose to use the catastrophe theory, one of the earliest nonlinear dynamics theories, to answer the question. To collect the necessary data, we conducted a laboratory experiment to investigate population growth of the Russian wheat aphid (RWA), Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), in growth chambers. The experiment was designed as the factorial combinations of five temperatures and five host plant-growth stages (25 treatments in total): 1800 newly born RWA nymphs arranged in the 25 treatments (each treatment with 72 repetitions) were observed for their development, reproduction and survival through their entire lifetimes. After obtaining the population intrinsic rates of growth (rm) from the experimental data under various environmental conditions, we built a cusp catastrophe model for RWA population growth by utilizing rm as the system state variable, and temperature and host plant-growth stage as control variables. The cusp catastrophe model suggests that RWA population growth is intrinsically catastrophic, and dramatic jumps from one state to another might occur even if the temperature and plant-growth stage change smoothly. Other basic behaviors of the cusp catastrophe model, such as catastrophic jumps, hystersis and divergence, are also expected in RWA populations. These results suggest that the answer to the previously proposed question should be “yes”.
Zebra mussels decrease burrowing ability and growth of a native snail, Campeloma decisum

Invasive species can drive native organisms to extinction by limiting movement and accessibility to essential resources. The purpose of this study was to determine if zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) affect the burrowing ability and growth rate of a native snail, Campeloma decisum. Snails with and without zebra mussels were collected from Douglas Lake, MI, and burrowing depths were studied in both the laboratory and Douglas Lake. Growth rates were calculated as the amount of shell growth from 2004 to 2005. Both the tendency of snails to burrow and the depth to which they burrowed into the substrate were significantly decreased by the presence of zebra mussels on snail shells in both laboratory and lake experiments. There was no difference in the percentage of snails that exhibited growth as a function of zebra mussel presence. However, for those snails that grew, there was a 50% higher growth rate for snails without zebra mussels compared to snails with zebra mussels. These negative effects of zebra mussels on growth and burrowing ability will likely lead to decreases in snail population densities in the future.
Comparative Ecology of the Crayfishes Orconectes rusticus rusticus and Cambarus tenebrosus in Doe Run, Meade County, Kentucky

The ecology and life histories of Orconectes rusticus rusticus (GIRARD) and Cambarus tenebrosus HAY were investigated in a spring stream, Doe Run, Meade County, Kentucky, from September 1962 through September 1964. Differences in ecology of these species were most clearly seen in their habitat preferences and distributions in the stream, their feeding habits, responses to temperature, and infestations by an harpacticoid copepod Attheyella carolinensis CHAPPUIS, and in other life history phenomena, particularly with regard to reproduction and growth. Cambarus tenebrosus was most abundant in the constant temperature areas of the headwaters of Doe Run. Orconectes r. rusticus was found only in the lower three-fourths of the stream. Water temperatures in the headwater area may have been too low (12 — 14 C) for optimal growth of the crayfish had it existed there. Adults of C. tenebrosus were primarily hypogean, but young and subadults frequented the open stream environment. Orconectes r. rusticus was primarily an open stream inhabitant, and was sympatric with C. tenebrosus subadults and young in the downstream areas. When C. tenebrosus occurred in the open environment, it was most abundant in association with vegetation, and hence, was more heavily infested with A. carolinensis than O. r. rusticus. Detritus, mainly from fallen leaves and marl grazings, apparently formed the most important component of the diet of O. r. rusticus. Vascular plants, mainly fallen leaves from the riparian vegetation, constituted the main portion of the diet of C. tenebrosus; filamentous algae were widely used where and when they were present. Orconectes r. rusticus eggs hatch in May. These hatchlings become mature in 15 months and females oviposit after 22 – 24 months from March —May. Sexual maturity is attained at a carapace length of about 18 mm; maximum size is 45 mm. Most animals die after about 2.5 years; however, some live for three years. Molting activity ceases in winter. Cambarus tenebrosus young hatch in July and August. Most hatchlings remain in the burrows until October and November at which time they emerge in response to dominance behavior. Growth occurs throughout the winter months, and sexual maturity is attained in 20 – 22 months when the crayfish are about 40 mm in carapace length. Mature females oviposit during June and July after about 22–23 months, and probably again after 34–35 months. Mating occurs during the winter and spring. In Doe Run, maximum size attained is 65 mm carapace length. Cambarus tenebrosus probably lives for 36 – 38 months.
Regulation of high-affinity leucine transport in escherichia coli

Leucine is transported into E coli by two osmotic shock-sensitive, high-affinity systems (LIV-I and leucine-specific systems) and one membrane bound, lowaffinity system (LIV-11). Expression of the high-affinity transport systems is altered by mutations in IivR and lstR, genes for negatively acting regulatory elements, and by mutations in rho, the gene for transcription termination. All four genes for high-affinity leucine transport (livJ, livK, ZivH, and livC) are closely linked and have been cloned on a plasmid vector, pOXl. Several subcloned fragments of this plasmid have been prepared and used in complementation and regulation studies. The results of these studies suggest that 2ivJ and livK are separated by approximately one kilobase and give a gene order of livJlivK-livH. livJ and livK appear to be regulated in an interdependent fashion; livK is expressed maximally when the livJ gene is inactivated by mutation or deletion. The results support the existence of separate promoters for the livJ and livK genes. The effects of mutations in the rho and livR genes are additive on one another and therefore appear to be involved in independent regulatory mechanisms. Mutations in the rho gene affect both the LIV-I and leucinespecific transport systems by increasing the expression of livJ and livK, genes for the LIV-specific and leucine-specific binding proteins, respectively.
Evidence for an Alternative Pathway of Keratinocyte Maturation in Psoriasis from an Antigen Found in Psoriatic but Not Normal Epidermis

We have isolated a murine monoclonal antibody, called ψ-3, which immunolabels maturing keratinocytes in psoriatic skin but not in normal epidermis. The staining is cytoplasmic and is not extractable with 1% Triton X-100, which suggests that the ψ-3 antigen is a structural component of the keratinocyte. Neither basal cells nor invading inflammatory cells are stained in psoriatic skin and the antigen appears to be associated specifically with maturing and not proliferating keratinocytes. Keratinocytes cultured in vitro from skin from nonpsoriatic individuals display the antigen in a granular pattern in differentiated cells. The antigen is also expressed after tape-stripping of normal skin and, therefore, represents an inducible product of normal keratinocytes. The antigen is destroyed by proteinase K and appears to be a protein. On discontinuous sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis, the antigen has been found to have a molecular weight of 135,000. The ψ-3 antigen is interpreted as a new keratinocyte product expressed in psoriasis, culture, wound healing, and certain other pathologic skin conditions. The synthesis of such a new antigen would not be expected if keratinocyte maturation in psoriasis is a truncated version of the normal system and supports the hypothesis that psoriatic keratinocytes are following an alternative pathway. Results using experimental injury suggest that the psoriatic pathway is normally expressed during wound healing.
Structural damage identification using piezoelectric impedance and Bayesian inference

Structural damage identification is a challenging subject in the structural health monitoring research. The piezoelectric impedance-based damage identification, which usually utilizes the matrix inverse-based optimization, may in theory identify the damage location and damage severity. However, the sensitivity matrix is oftentimes ill-conditioned in practice, since the number of unknowns may far exceed the useful measurements/inputs. In this research, a new method based on intelligent inference framework for damage identification is presented. Bayesian inference is used to directly predict damage location and severity using impedance measurement through forward prediction and comparison. Gaussian process is employed to enrich the forward analysis result, thereby reducing computational cost. Case study is carried out to illustrate the identification performance.
Development of an in vitro primary cell culture system from the penaeid shrimp, Penaeus stylirostris and Penaeus vannamei

Abstract Studies were carried out to improve the methods for producing primary cell cultures of penaeid shrimp and to make these procedures routine and practical. Supplements tested included: lobster hemolymph, shrimp muscle extract, fetal bovine serum and hybridoma quality fetal bovine serum. Grace's Insect Medium supplemented with hybridoma quality fetal bovine serum was found to provide the best results. The optimum conditions for shrimp cells in Grace's Insect Medium were determined to be an osmolality of approximately 700–750 mmol/kg, a temperature range of 25–28 °C and incubation in a normal atmosphere. Using the methods developed, monolayers of primary cultures of ovarian epithelioid cells from Penaeus stylirostris and Penaeus vannamei were routinely obtained with 80% confluence within a 2-day period.
‘An Insider’s Game’ Framing Media Mergers in France and the United States

The article examines the way in which media mergers in France and the US are framed. This is done in order to ascertain whether media mergers, which are symptomatic of the growing concentration in the global media industries, are presented as purely commercial events or as events with sociopolitical repercussions. Content analysis of articles in the French press covering the Vivendi Universal merger in France and in the American press covering the AOL Time Warner merger in the US was conducted. Results suggest that in both countries the respective mergers are mostly framed as economic events, thereby removing the event from the realm of political contention.
Living where others dare not: Microhabitat distribution in Chorizanthe rigida, a serotinous desert annual

Abstract We studied the small scale distribution pattern of Chorizanthe rigida , a serotinous desert annual, in a shrub-mound-to-desert-pavement gradient. Two sites were established in the Mojave Desert and two sites where established in the Sonoran Desert. We placed transects along a soil surface gradient from shrub mounds to desert pavements, and measured land surface properties, soil characteristics, and C. rigida 's small scale distribution. A Principal Components Analysis was done on the resulting site × soil variables matrix. C. rigida established preferentially in desert pavements outside shrub canopies. Pavements showed finer soil textures and higher electrical conductivities, while shrub mounds had sandy textures, low surface rockiness, higher nitrogen, and higher cover of annuals. We discuss a probable relationship between seed retention and the establishment on desert pavements: timing seed release allows this species to avoid wind- or animal-induced seed dispersal into shrub mounds and establish outside the nurse mounds, where most annual plants concentrate. The seeds encased in the serotinous involucres, released after rains, are dispersed by run-off into the desert pavements and transition zones where, once developed, the dead seed-retaining structures of adult C. rigida plants persist for years releasing seeds to subsequent rain events.
Sex linkage and race differences in spatial ability: A reply

Stevens and Hyde have questioned only the empirical evidence relevant to Jensen's formulation of a genetic hypothesis to explain race and sex differences in spatial visualization ability, rather than the formulation of the hypothesisper se, which at present remains the only non-ad hoc hypothesis concerning these phenomena, which are admittedly in need of further empirical investigation. The formulation of potentially falsifiable hypotheses derived from genetic theory is the surest means for advancing knowledge in behavioral genetics.
Über ein Dimeres des Diphenylcarbodiimids

Diphenylcarbodiimid (2) dimerisiert sich in der Hitze und unter dem Einflus eines Katalysators zu 2.4-Bis-phenylimino-1.3-diphenyl-1.3-diazetidin (4). Die Struktur dieser Verbindung wird diskutiert.
Differential changes in central monoaminergic metabolism during first and multiple sodium depletions in rats

To investigate the role of central monoamines in the behavior of sodium appetite, serotonergic and dopaminergic metabolism in regions of the forebrain and dorsal hindbrain were measured in sodium-depleted rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were sodium depleted by injection of the diuretic-natriuretic drug, Lasix (furosemide, 10 mg), and maintained on a sodium-deficient diet overnight. Rats were tested at a first sodium depletion or after multiple sodium depletions. There were three test conditions: 1) mock depletion consisted of vehicle injection and overnight sodium-deficient diet; 2) sodium depletion alone consisted of Lasix injection and overnight sodium-deficient diet; and 3) intake of NaCl following sodium depletion consisted of 9-min access to 0.3 M NaCl after Lasix injection and overnight sodium-deficient diet. Dopamine (DA), DOPAC, HVA, 5-HT, and 5-HIAA were measured by HPLC in the olfactory tubercle, amygdala-pyriform lobe, n. accumbens, hypothalamus, caudate nucleus, and the dorsal hindbrain. Ingestion of 0.3 M NaCl for 9 min after the first sodium depletion increased 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio significantly in the n. accumbens and amygdala, and increased DOPAC/DA ratio in the n. accumbens and olfactory tubercle compared to the mock treatment. In contrast to the results after the first sodium depletion, rats that ingested 0.3 M NaCl after four or more sodium depletions had no changes in 5-HT and DA metabolism in the forebrain, but they did have a significantly larger 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio in the dorsal hindbrain than mock-treated rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A phase I, open-label, mass balance study of [(14)C] dacomitinib (PF-00299804) in healthy male volunteers.

Purpose This study aimed to characterize the primary routes of elimination of the pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor, dacomitinib (PF-00299804), to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of total radioactivity and of dacomitinib and to identify the metabolites of dacomitinib in plasma, urine, and feces in the healthy volunteers.
Stochastic nanoscale addressing for logic

In this paper we explore the area overhead associated with the stochastic assembly of nanoscale logic. In nanoscale architectures, stochastically assembled nanowire decoders have been proposed as a way of addressing many individual nanowires using as few photolithographically produced mesoscale wires as possible. Previous work has bounded the area of stochastically assembled nanowire decoders for controlling nanowire crossbar-based memories. We extend this analysis to nanowire crossbar-based logic and bound the area required to supply inputs to a nanoscale circuit via mesoscale wires. We also relate our analysis to the area required for stochastically assembled signal-restoration layers within nanowire crossbar-based logic.
Marriage and Opportunism

SPOUSE abuse is no longer a secret. It has become a thorn in America's conscience. Abuse even warranted a lengthy Supreme Court discussion in an opinion on abortion.2 It is certainly worth thinking about whether anything systemic caused the apparent outbreak of violence in the home. If there is a legal "fix" that would remove incentives to abuse, and therefore reduce the incidence of abuse at the margin, we should know about it.
Uniqueness of complex representing measures on the Choquet boundary

Abstract Let A be a linear subspace of complex C ( X ) which separates points and contains the constants. Hustad has shown that to each complex linear functional L in A ∗ there corresponds a complex regular Borel measure μ “supported by” the Choquet boundary ∂A of A which represents L and satisfies ∥ μ ∥ = ∥ L ∥. We give a number of conditions on the dual ball of A which are necessary and sufficient for each L in A ∗ to be represented by a unique such measure μ.
Structure-Function Studies on a Synthetic Guanosine Receptor That Simultaneously Binds Watson-Crick and Hoogsteen Sites

A series of receptors (11−16) designed to simultaneously bind the Watson−Crick and Hoogsteen sites of guanosine were synthesized, and their binding of guanosine tri-O-pentanoate (32) was probed via 1H NMR complexation studies in 5% DMSO-d6−chloroform-d. The guanosine receptors were synthesized with aminonaphthalene or aminoquinoline auxiliary groups tethered to N-4 of cytosine via a methylene or carbonyl group. A structure−function relationship was established allowing energetic contributions made by components of nucleoside analogues to be probed and more general design rules formulated that may guide the development of more efficacious DNA bases.
Blood Conservation During Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

• Blood conservation• Pediatric cardiac surgery• Cardiopulmonary bypass Eliminating blood product exposure in pediatric cardiac surgery is a challengingand difficult task.Avoidance of allogeneic blood products decreases the risk of atransfusion reaction and potential complications.Various strategies have beenexplored to decrease donor exposure from the preoperative through thepostoperative period.In this paper,the authors review the current literature onblood conservation techniques and examine the changing practice of blood useand blood conservation in the field of pediatric cardiac surgery.
An oscillating trend in Phanerozoic non-skeletal carbonate mineralogy

Textural and compositional data on ancient ooids and cements suggest the existence of an oscillating Phanerozoic temporal trend in non-skeletal carbonate mineralogy. The trend shows good correlation with eustatic–climatic oscillations proposed by others. The most likely mechanism appears to be plate-tectonically influenced oscillations in PCO2, the vapour pressure of CO2, rather than change in oceanic Mg/Ca ratio.
The choice of an error term in analysis of variance designs

This article presents a survey of the assumptions which may be made in variance designs, a description of the mathematical models which reflect these assumptions, and a discussion of the ways in which various experimental conditions affect the choice of an error mean square. Particular emphasis is laid upon the principles, purposes, and dangers of pooling error mean squares in order to raise the power of a test. Specific recommendations are made for the rules of procedure for pooling (under various conditions) which produce tests with optimum power and error characteristics.
Modeling Ion Channels in the Gigaseal

The ability to form gigaseals is essential for patch-clamp electrophysiology; however, ion channels located in the seal can produce measureable currents. To explore the expected properties of channels in the seal (i.e., rim channels), we created a mathematical model. The seal was a two-dimensional cable filled with saline and bounded on one side by membrane (with resistance and capacitance) and on the other side by glass (nonconductive and noncapacitive). We included ion depletion/accumulation around the channels. The channels were ohmic with a conductance that increased with the concentration of permeant ions. The aqueous seal thickness was set nominally to 1 nm. Imaging with fluorescent dyes in the pipette showed that the hydrophilic dye Alexa 488 is impermeant, but lipophilic FM1-43 labels the seal. The model showed that to obtain high-resistance seals, the conductivity of the seal media has to be <10% that of the bath. Stimulus voltages decreased with distance down the seal. In agreement with results in the literature, channels in the seal can produce currents similar to those in the pipette-spanning dome. The transition times of currents are slower due to membrane capacitance. If channel densities are uniform, patch currents are dominated by channels in the dome.
Chemically Vapor-Deposited Zinc Sulfide Infrared Windows: Optical Properties And Physical Characteristics

In recent years, work on chemically vapor-deposited zinc sulfide (CVD ZnS) has resulted in the development of a material that shows much promise for infrared systems applications involving windows (or domes) and operating in the 8- to 12-μm region. This paper summarizes measurements and calculations carried out in the context of assessing relevant features of CVD ZnS, particularly with regard to: (a) Spectral Transmittance /Emittance. We show that CVD-ZnS windows capable of satisfying structural requirements stemming from the mechanics of high-speed flight exhibit transmittance and emittance characteristics which do not seriously affect the system sensitivity, over the range of anticipated thermal loads. And (b) Image Spoiling Properties. Line-spread function data demonstrate that small-angle scattering, index inhomogeneities, and other potential image-spoiling features do not inject any detectable degradation in system MTF, at spatial frequencies of interest for high-resolution thermal imaging.© (1980) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Phase transitions and local minima of the action

Abstract We present evidence that non-trivial, non-degenerate local minima of the one-plaquette action in 4-dimensional lattice gauge theories with continuous gauge groups, give rise to a line of first-order “discreteness” phase transitions, persisting down to the region where the non-trivial minima become unstable. We illustrate this mechanism by analysing an extended model, involving the traces in the fundamental and six representation of SU(3), in which neither the topology, nor the group theoretic properties of the centre seem to play any role.
Studies on egg development and larval rearing of turbot, Scophthalmus maximus L., and brill, Scophthalmus rhombus L., in the laboratory

Methods are described for rearing turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.) and brill (Scophthalmus rhombus L.) to late larval stages; the major part of the work was done on the former species. Turbot were reared to 16–0 mm and brill to 17–0 mm in length. Rearing tanks ranged in capacity from 8 to 60 1. Turbotlarvae hatched at 2–7–3–0 mm and successful first feeding was established on rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) at a length of 3–6–3–8 mm; larvae were transferred to a diet of Artemia nauplii at 5–6—6–0 mm. Experiments on the effect of temperature on growth and yolkabsorption rates in yolksac turbot larvae showed optimal growth efficiency at 15–0 °C. Delayed initial feeding reduced subsequent survival. Drawings of larval development of turbot and brill were made as an aid to their identification in plankton samples.
The design of an automated assistant for acquiring strategic knowledge

Knowledge acquisition is the transfer and transformation of expertise from knowledge sources in the world (mainly people) into a form that can be executed by a knowledge-based system to perform an expert task. It is widely acknowledged that the knowledge acquisition problem is a significant barrier to the development of knowledge-based systems. The research reported here focuses on the problem of acquiring strategic knowledge: knowledge used by an agent to decide what action to perform next, where the actions are external events that effect both what is believed by the agent and the state of the world.
When should hydroxyurea be used for children with sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects 70 000 to 100 000 Americans and is diagnosed in ∼2000 infants per year. It is a heterogeneous disease with which some patients have only rare manifestations such as occasional pain crises or hyposthenuria, whereas others have to be hospitalized frequently for intractable pain, infections, stroke, or other complications. Complications of SCD result in >83 100 hospitalizations per year in the United States and cost approximately $488 million (2004 data).1 Twenty-five percent of these hospitalizations occur in children, and the average length of stay is 5 to 6 days. As of today, bone marrow transplant offers the only option of cure for a limited number of children with a matched sibling donor.2 However, major advances have been made regarding supportive care such as prophylaxis with penicillin, determination of stroke risk through transcranial Doppler screening, and prophylactic, chronic transfusion regimens for children who have had or are at risk for a stroke.3–6 Other therapeutic interventions have been limited. The … Address correspondence to Brigitta U. Mueller, MD, Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children's Sickle Cell Center, 6621 Fannin St, CC 1410, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail: bmueller{at}bcm.tmc.edu
Effects of miscut of the SrTiO3 substrate on microstructures of the epitaxial SrRuO3 thin films

We have studied the microstructures of epitaxial SrRuO 3 thin films on both exact and miscut (001) SrTiO 3 substrates with miscut angle of 1.9° and miscut direction of 12° away from the in-plane [100] axis by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Among six possible types of domains, the (110) domains [i.e. the (110) planes are parallel to the (001) planes of SrTiO 3 ] are favored during the growth of the SrRuO 3 film. The SrRuO 3 thin films on exact (001) SrTiO 3 are composed of two types of (110) domains in the plane with nearly the same volume fraction. Each type has an in-plane orientation relationship with respect to the substrate of either SrRuO 3 [110]//SrTiO 3 [100] and SrRuO 3 [001]//SrTiO 3 [010] (the X-type), or SrRuO 3 [110]//SrTiO 3 [010] and SrRuO 3 [001]//SrTiO 3 [100] (the Y-type). However, the SrRuO 3 thin films grown on the miscut (001) SrTiO 3 are composed of mainly X-type domain.
Interactions of the TnaC nascent peptide with rRNA in the exit tunnel enable the ribosome to respond to free tryptophan

A transcriptional attenuation mechanism regulates expression of the bacterial tnaCAB operon. This mechanism requires ribosomal arrest induced by the regulatory nascent TnaC peptide in response to free L-tryptophan (L-Trp). In this study we demonstrate, using genetic and biochemical analyses, that in Escherichia coli, TnaC residue I19 and 23S rRNA nucleotide A2058 are essential for the ribosome's ability to sense free L-Trp. We show that the mutational change A2058U in 23S rRNA reduces the concentration dependence of L-Trp-mediated tna operon induction, whereas the TnaC I19L change suppresses this phenotype, restoring the sensitivity of the translating A2058U mutant ribosome to free L-Trp. These findings suggest that interactions between TnaC residue I19 and 23S rRNA nucleotide A2058 contribute to the creation of a regulatory L-Trp binding site within the translating ribosome.
Cortisol treatment reduces ghrelin signaling and food intake in tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus

Abstract It is well known that after a stressor, levels of plasma cortisol rise, inducing physiological changes within the animal that are directed toward maintaining homeostasis. Less well understood is the role of cortisol in regulating food intake in teleosts. This study investigated the effect of cortisol on food intake and regulation of the neuroendocrine appetite-stimulating hormones, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and ghrelin, in tilapia ( Oreochromis mossambicus ). Male and female tilapia were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: unhandled control, vehicle-injected control, or cortisol (2 μg/g BW). Food intake was determined 24 h after injection during a 1-h feeding trial. Cortisol reduced food intake ( P P P
Special article: calculus breakability--fragility and durility.

Prior to the use of lithotripsy techniques, there was no requirement for a vocabulary to describe the relative breakability of a urinary calculus. With the introduction of lithotripsy, we became aw...
Three-dimensional models for integral membrane proteins: Possibilities and pitfalls

Some three-dimensional model-building techniques applicable to membrane proteins are presented. Requirements for a successful modeling project are outlined, and methodological limitations are discussed. One example of a modeling exercise for the β2 adrenergic receptor is reviewed briefly, and the utility of such studies is explored. The explosion of data for integral membrane protein sequences and properties make 3D modeling studies increasingly feasible and necessary. Model-building exercises should enable us to take better advantage of new protein sequence data, and studies of this type are likely to proliferate in the future.
Psychotic Spectrum Disorders and Alcohol Abuse: A Review of Pharmacotherapeutic Strategies and a Report on the Effectiveness of Naltrexone and Disulfiram

The rate of substance-use disorders in patients with mental illnesses within the psychotic spectrum, such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder, is higher than the rate observed in the general population and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although there are currently 3 medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of alcohol dependence, no medications have been approved for the specific treatment of dually diagnosed patients. A small but growing body of literature supports the use of 2 of these medications, disulfiram and naltrexone, in dually diagnosed individuals. This article outlines a review of the literature about the use of disulfiram and naltrexone for alcoholism and in patients with comorbid mental illness. In addition, results are presented of a 12-week randomized clinical trial of disulfiram and naltrexone alone and in combination for individuals with Axis I disorders and alcohol dependence who were also receiving intensive psychosocial treatment. Individuals with a psychotic spectrum disorder, including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder, had worse alcohol outcomes than those without a psychotic spectrum disorder. Individuals with a psychotic spectrum disorder had better alcohol-use outcomes on an active medication compared with placebo, but there was no clear advantage of disulfiram or naltrexone or of the combination. Retention rates and medication compliance in the study were high and exceeded 80%. Pharmacotherapeutic strategies should take into account the advantages and disadvantages of each medication. Future directions of pharmacotherapeutic options are also discussed.
Electric fields in the equatorial ionosphere derived from CHAMP satellite magnetic field measurements

The day-time eastward equatorial electric field (EEF) in the E-region plays an important role in equatorial ionospheric dynamics. It is responsible for driving the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) current system, equatorial vertical ion drifts, and the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA). Due to its importance, there is much interest in accurately measuring the EEF. However, there is a severe lack of high quality data with the notable exception being the JULIA coherent scatter radar in Peru. In this work, we use CHAMP satellite-derived latitudinal current profiles of the day-time EEJ in order to estimate the eastward electric field at all longitudes, seasons, and day-side local times. We have constructed a dataset of over 32,000 EEF estimates based on six years of CHAMP data. Our estimates agree well with JULIA measurements, with an RMS difference of 0.13 mV/m.
auroral electron transport using the Monte Carlo Method

A new algorithm for calculation of energetic electron fluxes in the atmosphere is described. Results are compared with other methods and the implications for auroral spectroscopic analysis are discussed. Good agreement is obtained with the model of Strickland et al.. 23 refs., 6 figs.
Experimental determination of solubility constant of hydromagnesite (5424) in NaCl solutions up to 4.4 m at room temperature

article i nfo This study reports the solubility constants of both synthetic and natural hydromagnesite (5424) determined
Contestação de normas e ameaça à paz e à segurança regional e internacional: a facilidade excessiva de acesso a armas

The ease of access to arms, by governments and non-government actors alike, exacerbates conflicts, destroys fragile peace agreements, and facilitates the perpetration of violations of human rights and egregious crimes against humanity. Compounding this, the arms trade is out of the purview of International Law; that is, there is no comprehensive legally binding international treaty regulating all aspects of arms transfers. The practice of transferring arms to non-state actors with no criteria regarding the end users is a recurrent feature of the global arms trade, and usually has deleterious consequences. These are perceived in the protracted conflicts in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, the Horn of Africa and the Middle East more recently in Syria and Libya, among many others. The present article looks at a contested attempt at international norm building to restrain a long-held international practice - that of transferring arms to non-state actors - and its implications for international security, international law and policymaking at the multilateral level. However, different from the constructivists, it examines a norm that, although diffusing in different regional contexts, has failed to find legal validity as an international normative reality.
Tetracyclic triterpenoids from Melia azedarach, L.—III

Abstract From petroleum ether extracts of the bark of M. azedarach four novel tetracyclic triterpenoids have been isolated and characterized to be C 30 compounds of the euphane (20 R ) series. Previously known triterpenoids from Meliaceae have all been 20 S compounds. Kulinone 1 is the first known euphane or tirucallane (20 S ) derivative oxygenated in the D ring; kulactone 2 , kulolactone 3 and methyl kulonate 4 are additionally oxygenated in the side chain. Compounds 2 and 3 have a 2-oxa- trans -bicyclo[3,3,0]-octanone structure.
An integrated toolkit for accurate prediction and analysis of cis-regulatory motifs at a genome scale

Motivation: We present an integrated toolkit, BoBro2.0, for prediction and analysis of cis regulatory motifs. This toolkit can (i) reliably identify statistically significant cis regulatory motifs at a genome scale; ii) accurately scan for all motif instances of a query motif in specified genomic regions using a novel method for p-value estimation; (iii) provide highly reliable comparisons and clustering of identified motifs, which takes into consideration the weak signals from the flanking regions of the motifs; and (iv) analyze co-occurring motifs in the regulatory regions. Results: We have carried out systematic comparisons between motif predictions by BoBro2.0 and by the MEME package. The comparison results on E. coli K12 genome and the Human genome show that BoBro2.0 can identify the statistically significant motifs at a genome scale more efficiently, identify motif instances more accurately and get more reliable motif clusters than MEME. In addition BoBro2.0 provides correlational analyses among the identified motifs to facilitate the inference of joint regulation relationships of transcription factors. Availability: The source code of the program is freely available for noncommercial uses at http://code.google.com/p/bobro/. Contact: Email: xyn@bmb.uga.edu
Do client attributes moderate the effectiveness of a group cognitive behavioral therapy for depression in addiction treatment

The study goal was to determine whether client attributes were associated with outcomes from group cognitive behavioral therapy for depression (GCBT-D) as delivered in community-based addiction treatment settings. Data from 299 depressed residential clients assigned to receive either usual care (N = 159) or usual care plus GCBT-D (N = 140) were examined. Potential moderators included gender, race/ethnicity, education, referral status, and problem substance use. Study outcomes at 6 months post-baseline included changes in depressive symptoms, mental health functioning, negative consequences from substance use, and percentage of days abstinent. Initial examination indicated that non-Hispanic Whites had significantly better outcomes than other racial/ethnic groups on two of the four outcomes. After correcting for multiple testing, none of the examined client attributes moderated the treatment effect. GCBT-D appears effective; however, the magnitude and consistency of treatment effects indicate that it may be less helpful among members of racial/ethnic minority groups and is worthy of future study.
An architecture for exploiting multi-core processors to parallelize network intrusion prevention

It is becoming increasingly difficult to implement effective systems for preventing network attacks, due to the combination of the rising sophistication of attacks requiring more complex analyses to detect; the relentless growth in the volume of network traffic that we must analyze; and, critically, the failure in recent years for uniprocessor performance to sustain the exponential gains that for so many years CPUs have enjoyed. For commodity hardware, tomorrow's performance gains will instead come from multi-core architectures in which a whole set of CPUs executes concurrently. Taking advantage of the full power of multi-core processors for network intrusion prevention requires an in-depth approach. In this work we frame an architecture customized for parallel execution of network attack analysis. At the lowest layer of the architecture is an ‘Active Network Interface’, a custom device based on an inexpensive FPGA platform. The analysis itself is structured as an event-based system, which allows us to find many opportunities for concurrent execution, since events introduce a natural asynchrony into the analysis while still maintaining good cache locality. A preliminary evaluation demonstrates the potential of this architecture. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The value of transparency

Purpose – This paper seeks to discuss the need for transparency in leadership during tough financial times. Design/methodology/approach – This point-of-view is enhanced with related literature references from the business community. Findings – This point-of-view demonstrates the long-term benefits to transparent behavior. Practical implications – The development of leadership skills related to transparency can lead to improved effectiveness as a leader. Originality/value – This article is reflective of the author's personal experiences in providing effective leadership during tough times.
Comparison of 5 Surgical Techniques for Partial Liver Lobectomy in the Dog for Intraoperative Blood Loss and Surgical Time

Objective: To compare surgical time and intraoperative blood loss for 5 partial liver lobectomy techniques in the dog. Study Design: Experimental in vivo study. Animals: Dogs (n=10). Methods: Five surgical techniques (SurgiTie™; LigaSure™; Ultracision® Harmonic Scalpel [UAS]; Suction+Clip; Suction+thoracoabdominal stapler [TA]) for partial liver lobectomy in dogs were evaluated and compared for total surgical time and intraoperative blood loss. Body weight, activated clotting time (ACT), heart rate, and intraoperative blood pressure (BP) were recorded. Blood loss was determined by adding the weight of the blood soaked sponges during surgery (1 g=1 mL) to the amount of suctioned blood (mL). Surgical time (in seconds) was determined from the start of the lobectomy until cessation of bleeding from the stump. Mean surgical time and mean blood loss for each technique were compared using a Tukey's multiple comparison test. Results: No significant differences were found between dogs for weight, ACT, heart rate, and intraoperative BP. No complications were seen with the SurgiTie™ technique in 9 of 10 cases. There was no significant difference in surgical time between techniques however there was a significant difference for blood loss; the Suction+Clip method had significantly more blood loss than the other techniques. Conclusions: Skeletonization of the lobar vessels before individually clipping them (Suction+Clip) resulted in a higher blood loss than using Suction+TA, UAS, SurgiTie™ or the LigaSure™ device. The SurgiTie™ appears to be an acceptable method for partial liver lobectomy. Clinical Relevance: Although skeletonization and individually clipping the vessels had the highest blood loss, it still was <7.5% of total blood volume. All 5 techniques should be safe for clinical use in small to medium sized dogs up to 26 kg.