cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transition energy measurements of the X-ray lines of neon-like europium

We report the measurements of the n = 3 → n = 2 L-shell X-ray transitions of neon-like Eu53+. These include all seven allowed electric dipole (E1) transitions, five electric quadrupole (E2) transit...
Wakanda for everyone: an invitation to an African Muslim perspective of Black Panther

Black Panther’s (2018) Afrofuturistic cultural footprint—left by the utopic, fictional African country of Wakanda and its new King, T’Challa/Black Panther—was significant not just for the superhero...
Effects of saturation and esterification of fat sources on site and extent of digestion in steers: digestion of fatty acids, triglycerides, and energy

Five steers (mean BW 526 kg) fitted with ruminal, duodenal, and ileal cannulas were used in a 5 x 6 Youden square design with 14-d periods. Diets contained chopped alfalfa hay, corn silage, and concentrate (25:35:40, DM basis). Treatments were 1) control (no added fat); 2) tallow (T), iodine value (IV) = 51.5; 3) partially hydrogenated tallow (PHT), IV = 30.7; 4) hydrogenated tallow (HT), IV = 6.9; 5) blend (1: 1) of HT and hydrogenated free fatty acids (HTHFA), IV = 9.0; and 6) hydrogenated free fatty acids (HFA), IV = 11.2. Fats replaced cornstarch in the control diet to supply 5% added fatty acids. Intake was restricted to 90% of ad libitum; DMI was similar among diets (mean 9 kg/d). Total fatty acid intake averaged 170, 500, 506, 525, 489, and 491 g/d for treatments 1 to 6, respectively. Flows of total C16, total C18, and total fatty acids to the duodenum were increased by supplemental fat; flows of total C18 and total fatty acids were greater than their intake for all treatments. Flow of total fatty acids associated with ruminal bacteria accounted for 50 and 17% of the total duodenal fatty acid flow for the control and fat-supplemented diets, respectively. Digestibility of total fatty acids entering the small intestine (74, 71, 62, 39, 53, and 63% for treatments 1 to 6, respectively) was greater for the control diet than for fat-supplemented diets and decreased as either saturation (T < PHT < HT) or esterification (HFA < HTHFA < HT) increased. Digestibilities of fatty acids in the total tract followed similar patterns. Ruminal lipolysis of dietary triglycerides decreased linearly as the degree of saturation of fat sources increased. Small intestinal disappearance of triglycerides (89, 75, 51, 44, 64, and 73% of duodenal flow for treatments 1 to 6, respectively) decreased linearly as either saturation or esterification increased. Flows and digestion of gross energy followed patterns similar to those for fatty acids and triglycerides. Resistance to ruminal and small intestinal lipolysis is a major factor contributing to the poor digestibility of highly saturated triglycerides.
Mining at Transvaal Gold Mining Estates, Limited 1872-1967

Gold was discovered in the Pilgrimi?½s Rest-Sabie district, Eastern Transvaal in 1872 and mines have been in continuous operation since that time, with Transvaal Gold Mining Estates Limited playing a leading role. This paper presents a historical review of this Company and of mining in the district. A descriptionption of the geology of the area is given and the m ethods used for prospecting, developing and mining the many and varying reefs and orebodies found. Metallurgical difficulties were encountered and these are descriptionbed together with the methods used in overcoming them. In the opening up of the area transport and power generation played a big part and an account is given of the development brought about by the mines. Some details are given of the more important mines and of the establishment of afforestation in the high rainfall areas along the escarpment.
Biochemical Pathways and Modeling

The precise etiology of the biochemical changes and the resulting constellation of symptoms seen in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has remained a mystery. Despite advances in our knowledge, the pathogenesis and alterations in the biochemical pathways underlying this disease are still not fully understood. PCOS is a multifactorial syndrome where a combination of genetics, lifestyle, and hormone abnormalities all play an intertwining role. This article will provide an in-depth look at the multitude of biochemical pathways that are dysregulated in PCOS and their relation to alterations in female physiology.
LCK senses asparagine for T cell activation.

Amino acids are critical nutrients that contribute to metabolic and signalling pathways required to meet energy and biosynthetic demands in T cells. A new study now demonstrates that LCK can sense intracellular asparagine to support T cell receptor-mediated CD8+ T cell activation and effector responses to pathogens and tumours.
Towards the replacement of wheat 'Green Revolution' genes.

This article comments on: Tang T, Botwright Acuna T, Spielmeyer W and Richards RA. 2021. Effect of gibberellin-sensitive Rht18 and gibberellin-insensitive Rht-D1b dwarfing genes on vegetative and reproductive growth in bread wheat. Journal of Experimental Botany 72, 445–458 .
Providing Support to Victims: Police Officers’ Service Referral Provision and Advocate Involvement in Domestic Violence Incidents:

Limited research has investigated police service provision and advocate involvement in domestic violence (DV) incidents. This study used a stratified random sample of 368 cases from an urban police...
Common Clinical Conditions of the Spine

Cervical radiculopathy is a clinic syndrome occurring with impingement or irritation of a nerve root in the cervical spine. Cervical radiculopathy most commonly results from degenerative changes of the spine, with contributions from both the bony architecture and soft tissues. As the intervertebral discs degenerate, there is loss of height between adjacent vertebrae and resultant loss of height of the neural foramen. Hypertrophic osteophytes of the uncovertebral and facet joints may impinge upon the exit nerve root. Additionally, the intervertebral disc can herniate posteriorly and impinge on the exiting nerve root. Any combination of these degenerative changes can result in inflammation and ischemia of the nerve root, producing the signs and symptoms of cervical radiculopathy.
A human factors approach to evaluate predicators of acute care nurse occupational fatigue.

Abstract Nurses function at the point of care and assume a significant role in intercepting errors. They work in a mentally and physically demanding profession that is comprised of shift-work, subjecting nurses to considerable fatigue. Yet, few studies constructed a comprehensive model that integrates personal and occupational factors to explore their relationship with various types of fatigue (acute, chronic, physical, mental, and total). Here, we examine this type of comprehensive fatigue-model, in a report that represents one aim of a larger, mixed-methods study. The study sample comprised of 1137 registered nurses working in eight hospitals in a Midwestern state. Nurses reported higher levels of acute and total fatigue than chronic and physical fatigue. Staffing and resource adequacy, exercise, and sleep were among the strongest predictors. Since fatigue is a multi-faceted construct, a comprehensive fatigue-management strategy that targets both day and night-shift nurses is the optimal way to manage nurse fatigue.
Aid in Dying: United States and Around the World

The ability to take one’s own life was seemingly acceptable until approximately 400 BCE when it is reported that Greek philosopher Socrates condemned the practice. Plato recorded that Socrates believed that individuals were the property of the gods and their individual lives did not belong to them. Plato declared the practice of suicide “disgraceful” and recommended the “perpetrators” be buried in unmarked graves. This practice was followed by Jewish leaders, who refused to allow suicide victims to be buried in “hallowed ground.” The refusal of a “proper burial” was followed by Christians until as recently as 1983. Aristotle, in the 300s BCE believed suicide was harm to the state, as the state was denied the labor and productivity of the individual. Recently views and laws have changed on the issue of aid in dying. This is true in the United States and across the world. In this article, the author surveys the changes in the recent past in various states in the U.S. and in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Albania, Norway, Italy, Australia and other countries. Undoubtedly the debate on the moral, ethical and legal issues will continue in the years ahead.
Development and choice behavior in probabilistic and problem-solving tasks.

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a general review of the research related to probability learning and similar tasks, with an emphasis on data collected using children as subjects. More specifically, some degree of integration of the literature related to developmental changes in choice behavior is provided. The series of reviewed studies all lead to the discussion of the same general problem—that of developmental changes in information-processing capacity. In probability-learning tasks, the issue takes the form of subjects systematically editing both strategies for “solution” of the task and the meaning of reinforcement or non-reinforcement of single responses or response patterns based on these strategies.
A Paradox in Newtonian Gravitation Theory II

Newtonian cosmology, in its original form, is logically inconsistent. I show the inconsistency in a rigorous but simple and qualitative demonstration. “Logic driven” and “content driven” methods of controlling logical anarchy are distinguished.
Strength of a Thick Graphite/Epoxy Rocket Motor Case After Impact by a Blunt Object

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is developing graphite/epoxy filament-wound cases (FWC) for the solid rocket motors of the Space Shuttle. The membrane region is about 36 mm thick. A study was made to determine the reduction in strength of the FWC due to accidental damage caused by low-velocity impacts. Two 76.2 cm diameter by 30.5 cm long cylinders were impacted every 5 cm of circumference with 1.27 cm radius impacters of various mass. The impacters represented tools and equipment dropped from various heights. One cylinder was empty and the other was filled with inert propellant. Five cm wide test specimens were cut from the cylinder. Each was centered on an impact sight. The specimens were X-rayed and loaded to failure in uniaxial tension. The strengths and depths of impact damage were analyzed in terms of maximum impact force. Rigid body mechanics and the Hertz law were used to derive an equation for impact force in terms of kinetic energy and the masses of the impacter and target. The depth of damage was predicted in terms of impact force using Love's solution of pressure applied on part of the boundary of a semi-infinite body.
Saving Capitalism from Itself: Whither the Welfare State?

Springfield, Massachusetts, the Bay State’s third largest city, suffered staggering manufacturing job loss over the last thirty years of the twentieth century. In 2004, the financial impact of job loss, coupled with dubious fiscal management, plunged the city into near bankruptcy. In response, state government passed legislation appointing a Finance Control Board to manage city business. Wage freezes for City workers were continued and cuts in numerous essential services occurred to deal with the debt. But the question remains, can a Control Board approach grow a large stock of well paying jobs — large enough to grow the city’s and the Connecticut River Valley’s economies?
Money-Boys in Thailand: Sex, Work, and Stigma During the XV International AIDS Conference

Abstract Thailand is widely applauded for its response to HIV/ AIDS. Yet, Thailand has largely ignored the problems of HIV/AIDS among MSM, despite a flourishing male commercial sex industry. This paper represents the author's observations of the male sex industry in Bangkok and Chaing Mai, Thailand, during the XV International AIDS Conference (IAC). I found a lack of abstracts presented at the XV IAC on young male sex workers in Thailand. I describe how MSW (money-boys) sell sex and suffer from stigma. I discuss the public health implications of these insights and offer some research questions to guide examinations of how MSW in Thailand negotiate sex, condoms, work, and Stigma.
Solvent deuterium isotope effects on the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase-catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl acetate.

Solvent deuterium isotope effects on the kinetics of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase-catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl acetate in aqueous solution in the pH range 6 to 9 and at 25° have been investigated. With the use of enzymes isolated both from rabbit muscle and yeast, it has been established that the rate of enzyme acylation by this ester is decreased 2.5-fold in deuterium oxide compared to water under conditions in which the rate is linearly dependent on hydroxide ion concentration but is independent of the isotopic nature of the solvent under more basic conditions in which the rate is independent of the hydroxide ion concentration. In water, the acylation rate constant is dependent on a basic group, the conjugate acid of which has a pKa near 8.2; in deuterium oxide this same group has a pKa near 8.7. This behavior is consistent with an acylation reaction involving the unaided attack of the anionic form of a crucial sulfhydryl residue on p-nitrophenyl acetate within the Michaelis-Menten complex. Closely related behavior is observed for deacylation of the yeast enzyme: the rate is depressed 3-fold by deuterium oxide under conditions of hydroxide ion catalysis but is unaffected by this agent under more basic conditions in which the reaction is pH-independent. Values of pKa for the conjugate acid of the basic species upon which the reaction depends are 8.8 and 9.3 in water and deuterium oxide, respectively.
Using multicast communication for dynamic load balancing in local area networks

A multicast-based algorithm is proposed for load balancing in a local computer network. The ability of a host to make its membership known to a multicast group based on its workload makes it possible to send a transfer request only to those hosts which have lower workload than the host that wants to transfer a task. This reduces the overhead of load balancing because a host does not waste computational resources when it cannot accept a task. The authors use a simulation model to investigate the performance of the multicast based algorithm and compare it favorably to algorithms that use unicast (point-to-point) communication. >
Sobresalir : Latino Parent Perspectives on New Latino Diaspora Schools

Normal.dotm 0 0 1 110 630 University of Pennsylvania 5 1 773 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false 72 72 Although many have documented the high value Latino families place on education, prevalent discourses nonetheless characterize Latino immigrant parents as not caring about their children’s education. This paper describes the practice-based components of a participatory action research project in which we created a collaborative film, intended for use in teacher professional development, which counters these discourses. In the film, Mexican immigrant parents in one New Latino Diaspora community discuss their experiences with schools. Parents’ stories give teachers an opportunity to re-think their relationships with and impressions of Mexican immigrant families. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
Habitat use by spruce grouse in northern Wisconsin

Spruce grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) habitat use varies widely across their range and is not well-understood near the southern extent of their range. Threats to conifers from climate change make understanding habitat use at the southern edge of the range increasingly important. We obtained habitat information on 55 radiocollared spruce grouse in northern Wisconsin, USA from 16 May 2007 to 10 July 2012. Black spruce (Picea mariana) and tamarack (Larix laricina) were the most common habitat components. Some of our findings differed from previous reports, including little use of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) or northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), use of tamarack in summer more than any other tree species, and winter roosting and feeding in red pine (Pinus resinosa), especially where jack pine (P. banksiana) was not available. Male display points contained fewer small broadleaf saplings (x¯ = 652 trees/ha), greater percent conifer (87%), more jack pine (x¯ = 148 trees/ha), and denser canopy (x¯ = 65% closure) compared with random points (3,288 small broadleaf saplings/ha, 70% conifer, 7 jack pine/ha, and 51% closure). Dense ground cover was the best predictor of brood points, although brood points were similar to random points. Winter flock points were typified by dense canopy cover (x¯ = 76% closure) and more jack pine (x¯ = 407/ha). Management should be focused on areas with extensive conifer, especially near black spruce–tamarack swamps. Retaining or establishing closed-canopy coniferous uplands, especially jack pine stands 15–30 years old, adjacent to lowland conifer swamps should benefit spruce grouse populations. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
Vasoresponsiveness of Sarcoidosis-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension

Objective: To assess short-term and long-term responses to treatment with pulmonary vasodilators in patients with sarcoidosis-related pulmonary hypertension. Methods: A prospective, observational study was performed on eight patients with moderate-tosevere sarcoidosis-related pulmonary hypertension. Patients underwent a short-term vasodilator trial, using inhaled nitric oxide (iNO), IV epoprostenol, and/or oral calcium-channel blockers. A favorable short-term response was considered a > 20% decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Five patients received long-term treatment with iNO (with one patient receiving epoprostenol in addition) and underwent follow-up hemodynamic and/or 6-min walk testing. Two patients received long-term treatment with calcium-channel blockers. Results: Baseline ( SE) mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) was 55 4 mm Hg and PVR was 896 200 dynescm 5 . A favorable short-term response was seen in seven of eight patients receiving iNO, four of six patients receiving epoprostenol, and two of five patients receiving calcium-channel blockers. With iNO, PVR decreased 31 5% (p 0.006) and mPAP decreased 18 4% (p 0.003); with epoprostenol, PVR decreased 25 6% (p 0.016) and mPAP decreased 6 2% (p not significant). Decreased systemic vascular resistance was the only significant response to treatment with calcium-channel blockers. Follow-up 6-min walk test results improved in all five patients receiving long-term treatment with iNO. Follow-up hemodynamic responses in three patients showed preserved vasoresponsiveness. These three patients subsequently died, as did the two patients receiving calcium-channel blockers. The two remaining patients continue to receive iNO. Conclusion: In the short term, pulmonary hypertension in patients with sarcoidosis is responsive to treatment with pulmonary vasodilators; these patients may benefit from long-term iNO therapy. (CHEST 2001; 120:866 – 872)
Reclaiming the “Other”: toward a Chicana feminist critical perspective

Abstract This essay contributes to the dialogue on methodology and offers preliminary suggestions about what constitutes a Chicana feminist critical perspective. In doing so, I heed the call of Chicana feminist Anzaldua (Anzaldua, G. (1990), Haciendo caras, Una entrada). In G. Anzaldua (Ed.), Making face, making soul Haciendo caras: Creative and critical perspectives by feminists of color (pp. xv–xxvii). San Francisco; aunt lute who argues for mestizaje theories that cross disciplinary boundaries and bring Chicana feminist voices into dialogues on identity and power relations. In my hopes to speak across methods, I highlight the narrative, which has implications for scholars in various disciplines. I argue that a Chicana feminist critical perspective on narrative highlights two central principles, decolonization and intersectionality, which inform Chicanisma.
Electrostatic effects in short superhelical DNA

We present Monte Carlo simulations of the equilibrium configurations of short closed circular DNA that obeys a combined elastic, hard-sphere, and electrostatic energy potential. We employ a B-spline representation to model chain configuration and simulate the effects of salt on chain folding by varying the Debye screening parameter. We obtain global equilibrium configurations of closed circular DNA, with several imposed linking number differences, at two salt concentrations (specifically at the extremes of no added salt and the high salt regime), and for different chain lengths. Minimization of the composite elastic/long-range potential energy under the constraints of ring closure and fixed chain length is found to produce structures that are consistent with the configurations of short supercoiled DNA observed experimentally. The structures generated under the constraints of an electrostatic potential are less compact than those subjected only to an elastic term and a hard-sphere constraint. For a fixed linking number difference greater than a critical value, the interwound structures obtained under the condition of high salt are more compact than those obtained under the condition of no added salt. In the case of no added salt, the electrostatic energy plays a dominant role over the elastic energy in dictating the shape of the closed circular DNA. The DNA supercoil opens up with increasing chain length at low salt concentration. A branched three-leaf rose structure with a fixed linking number difference is higher in energy than the interwound form at both salt concentrations employed here.
Water governance: from ideals to effective strategies

Integrated water solutions require effective governance, as well as appropriate technologies and management instruments. While decision scenarios vary across a range of water demands and scales, common patterns of governance are involved. The paper explains these patterns in terms of how policy, empowerment and control are applied in distinct ways in different water management scenarios. Principles of effective water governance emerge from the case discussions, and illustrate how decision makers can identify the actions needed for policy, empowerment and control as well as make progress even while other institutional arrangements continue to evolve.
Do pronghorn mothers reveal the locations of their hidden fawns

Success of the ‘hider’ strategy in ungulates depends, in part, on the mother's ability to minimize information she transmits about her young's hiding place while remaining close enough to distract or drive away a predator. We predicted that pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) mothers should: (1) maintain minimum distances from their hidden fawns sufficient to cause the expected energy gain for a ground predator, systematically searching around the mother, to fall below that expected when searching for some other prey; (2) orient the axes of either head or trunk towald the hidden fawn no more frequently than would be expected by chance; (3) schedule behavior so that no activity is more likely than another to occur when a visit to the hidden fawn is imminent. At the National Bison Range, where coyote (Canis latrans) predation on pronghorn fawns is frequent, pronghorn mothers conform to predictions (1) and (3), but not (2). Within the first 10% of their time away from fawns, mothers reached an average distance of 70.4 m from their fawns' biding places and remained at that distance until 95% of their time away was clapsed. At this mother-fawn distance a coyote, using the mother's position to begin a systematic search for the fawn, and searching at a rate of 4 m2/s, would gain energy at a lower rate than it would hunting ground squirrels (Spermophilus columbianus). Mothers pointed both head and trunk toward their hidden fawns more frequently than would be expected by chance and coyotes, able to use this information to establish a 90° quadrant to search, could expect rates of gain higher than those obtainable in 360° search. Mothers especially tended to orient both head and trunk toward their fawns when standing or moving. Coyotes that begin a 90° search based on the mother's head or trunk position only when mothers were standing or moving, could expect rates of energy gain almost double those expected in 360° search or ground squirrel hunting. Maternal activities (stand, feed, recline, or move) were distributed evenly across all mother-fawn distances and across percent total time away from the fawn. Thus, activity was not a good predictor of a mother's likelihood of soon returning to her fawn. Mothers also remained away from their fawns long enough to cause the expected rate of energy gain for a coyote hiding and watching for the mother's return to the fawn to fall well below the rate expected for searching or ground squirrel hunting.
Renormalization-group studies of the Hubbard-Peierls Hamiltonian for finite polyenes.

We have applied a numerical renormalization-group technique to study the Hubbard-Peierls model for (CH${)}_{\mathrm{x}}$. The method provides accurate many-body wave functions and energies for the ground and low-lying excited states of finite polyenes. We report tests of the method for finite chains (N=16) which show that the technique accurately reproduces known results in the noninteracting particle limit (U=0) and in the highly correlated limit (U/4t\ensuremath{\gg}1) and agrees well with Monte Carlo data where available for intermediate U. The model is applied to study correlation effects on the ground-state dimerization amplitude and to the ordering of the low-lying excited states of the rigid-lattice spectrum. Extension of the method to even longer systems appears to be quite practical.
Inflation of comparator stimuli following CS training

Water-deprived rats served in seven conditioned lick suppression experiments designed to assess the effects on responding to a target CS of a series of unsignaled USs given in the training context following completion of CS training. Such treatment has been hypothesized to increase (inflate) the associative strength of the background cues from training (putatively, the CS’s comparator stimuli), thereby reducing responding to excitatory CSs and increasing the inhibitory potential of inhibitory CSs. Although posttraining extinction (deflation) of the CS’s comparator stimuli usually decreases inhibitory potential and increases excitatory potential of the target CS, posttraining inflation of the comparator stimuli had no effect on either excitatory responding to the target CS or summation test performance indicative of conditioned inhibition. This outcome was consistently obtained across a number of training, inflation, and test conditions selected to maximize sensitivity to any possible effects of comparator inflation. Implications of these null results for the comparator hypothesis of conditionedresponse generationare discussed.
A monoclonal antibody with specificity for leukemic cells transformed by defective avian leukemia viruses

Mouse anti-chicken monoclonal antibodies were raised against an avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV)-transformed myeloblastic leukemic cell line. One monoclonal antibody, S1-37 (lgG2a), reacted with producer and nonproducer myeloblastic leukemia cell lines transformed by AMV and by E-26 virus, but it did not react with chicken fibroblasts infected with RAV-2, MAV-2, MAV-1, or RAV-7, S1-37 also did not react with normal chicken hemopoietic cells, except for yolk sack macrophages and a small population of embryonal and adult bone marrow cells that morphologically resembled macrophages. Cytotoxicity studies of GM-CFU, the normal stem cell population of the granulocytic macrophage lineage, indicated that these cells lack the surface antigen recognized by S1-37. Immunoprecipitation studies of 125I surfacelabeled myeloblastic leukemic cells indicated that S1-37 binds a 42,000 Mr polypeptide. The possible role of this polypeptide in the process of transformation and differentiation of chicken myeloid cells is discussed.
What is the appropriate description level for synaptic plasticity

The hypothesis that learning memory and some aspects of development are mechanistically implemented by synaptic plasticity has gained significant experimental support (1, 2). At the cellular and molecular level synaptic plasticity is a very complex phenomenon, involving hundreds of molecular species, depending on the structure of dendrites and on ion channel concentrations. If we are to understand how high-level processes arise from synaptic plasticity, and not simply that they arise from synaptic plasticity, we must know how to best characterize plasticity theoretically. Such a characterization should account for key experimental results, yet at the same time it should be as simple as possible so that we can use it to explain how plasticity can lead to learning and memory. The article by Gjorgjieva et al. (3) in PNAS argues that a sufficient model of synaptic plasticity can depend only on spike pairs and triplets and that more-complex biophysical and molecular processes might not be needed. It also shows a correspondence between this triplet-based rule and the well-known phenomenological Bienenstock Copper Munro (BCM) learning rule (4).
An educational image processing/machine vision system

The author describes an image processing/machine vision that was developed specifically for educational use. Most systems used in educational settings were not designed specifically for such use. In many cases, most of a student's laboratory time is spent learning the particular system in use, rather than the complexities of the assigned algorithm. The IBM PC based system described here, which consists of an adapter card for the PC, a standard black-and-white video camera and monitor, and a collection of image processing algorithms, eliminates this problem. The major advantages of the system described are its low cost and extremely simple programming interface. Both the hardware design of the adapter card and the software interface are described. >
The role of birth order in substance related disorders

This study was guided by two objectives. The first objective was to investigate which of the ordinal birth orders (one's chronological position with in their family of origin) was over represented within patients receiving treatment for addiction at a drugs rehabilitation centre. The second objective was to investigate whether psychological birth order (a person's perception of their ordinal birth order) was more prevalent in relation to substance related disorders. 28 male participants admitted in a rehabilitation centre were recruited for the study. Their age ranged from 18-50 years of age. The Psychological Birth Order Inventory (PBOI) by Campbell, White & Stewart (1991) was used to collect information concerning the participant's psychological birth order whilst Eckstein's 1977 ordinal birth order assessment question was used to derive information concerning the participants' ordinal position. In reference to the first objective, it was found that the youngest child was more likely to have a substance related disorder 33.3%, followed by the first and middle child who were just as likely to develop the disorder 28.6 % and lastly, an only child with a frequency of 7.6%. In the second objective, it was found that majority of the participants rated themselves as psychological first borns with a frequency score of 51.9%.This was followed by ratings of the psychological middle child 22.2% and the psychological only (11.1%) The interpretations and implications of the results have been discussed. Key words: psychology, birth order, performance, disorder
Effect of Alloying Pd with Oxophillic Metals on Electro-Oxidation of Alcohols in Alkaline Media

The effect of alloying Pd with Zn for use in electro-oxidation of methanol and ethanol in alkaline media was studied. Pd, Zn, and PdZn supported on Vulcan XC72R were synthesized, tested for alcohol electro-oxidation and compared to unsupported PdZn. It was found that alloying Pd with Zn had a synergistic effect on the oxidation of ethanol but not of methanol.
Mouse trophoblast cell invasion of extracellular matrix purified from endometrial tissue : a model for peri-implantation development

We have investigated the invasive activity of mouse trophoblast cells during em- bryo implantation in vitro by culturing blastocysts with extracellular matrix (ECM) purified from mouse endometrium obtained on day 4 of pregnancy Endometrium was dissected from lyophilized mouse uteri, and intact ECM was isolated by sequential precipitation in nonionic detergent and high salt. Electron microscopic examination of the ECM revealed typical collagen fibers plus an amorphous material resembling basement membrane. Electrophoretic analysis of the ECM re- vealed an enrichment of high molecular weight proteins, and immunoblotting indicated the pres- ence of fibronectin, laminin, entactin, and type IV collagen, but not the intracellular proteins 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide-3'-phosphodiesterase or vimentin. Mouse blastocysts cultured with this ECM attached to it within 3 days, and the trophoblast cells began to migrate through the matrix in a manner resembling trophoblast invasion in utero. Unlike blastocysts cultured on plastic surfaces, the trophoblast did not flatten and become disorganized, but retained a polarized, spherical struc- ture. Fluorescent microscopy with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled phalloidin revealed a high degree of microfilament organization and established that actin was absent from the ECM prepa- ration. In the presence of a serum substitute, differentiation continued through yolk sac forma- tion. Without serum components, yolk sac did not form; however, light and electron microscopic examination indicated that the invasive behavior of trophoblast cells persisted and was compa- rable to that of trophoblasts cultured in the presence of the serum substitute. A three-dimensional model for investigating trophoblast behavior in ECM from the endometrium should be of great value in elucidating the cellular and molecular events surrounding the process of blastocyst implantation. 0 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Resistant or Difficult‐to‐Treat Hypertension

Resistant hypertension, defined as uncontrolled hypertension on three medications, is becoming an increasingly common problem. In most cases, blood pressure remains elevated because of persistently high systolic blood pressure levels. Common characteristics of patients with resistant hypertension include older age, obesity, excessive dietary salt ingestion, and presence of sleep apnea. The evaluation of patients with resistant hypertension is focused on identifying contributing and secondary causes of hypertension. Treatment should include both lifestyle changes (weight loss, exercise, dietary salt restriction) and the use of effective multidrug regimens, including a diuretic. Recent data indicate that aldosterone antagonists may be effective when added to existing antihypertensive regimens even in the absence of primary aldosteronism.
Home Uterine Activity Monitoring for Preterm Labor: Review Article

PRETERM birth is a leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality in the United States. Preterm neonates are thought to account for at least half of the mortality and morbidity among newborns without congenital anomalies.1These conditions represent a leading cause of years of potential life lost before the age of 65 years. Preterm births generate large societal costs by requiring neonatal intensive care and long-term treatment for complications. Both primary and secondary preventive measures have been proposed for the prevention of prematurity. Primary prevention includes efforts to reduce risk factors for prematurity, such as cessation of tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use, and programs to improve nutrition, socioeconomic conditions, and prenatal care. Secondary prevention involves the early detection and treatment of preterm labor. It has been suggested that the risk of preterm birth can be reduced significantly by the prompt initiation of treatment, which includes rest, hydration, and
The Important Role of T Cells and Receptor Expression in Sjögren's Syndrome

Sjogren's syndrome (SjS), an autoimmune disease characterized by exocrine gland dysfunction leading to dry mouth and dry eye diseases, is typified by progressive leucocyte infiltrations of the salivary and lacrimal glands. Histologically, these leucocyte infiltrations generally establish periductal aggregates, referred to as lymphocytic foci (LF), which occasionally appear as germinal centre (GC)-like structures. The formation and organization of these LF suggest an important and dynamic role for helper T cells (TH), specifically TH1, TH2 and the recently discovered TH17, in development and onset of clinical SjS, considered a B cell–mediated hypersensitivity type 2 disease. Despite an ever-increasing focus on identifying the underlying aetiology of SjS, defining factors that initiate this autoimmune disease remain a mystery. Thus, determining interactions between infiltrating TH cells and exocrine gland tissue (auto-)antigens represents a fertile research endeavour. This review discusses pathological functions of TH cells in SjS, the current status of TH cell receptor gene rearrangements associated with human and mouse models of SjS and potential future prospects for identifying receptor–autoantigen interactions.
A Comparison of Independent, Interdependent, and Dependent Group Contingencies with Randomized Reinforcers to Increase Reading Fluency.

Fluency, or the rate at which a student reads, is developed in the early stages of literacy and has been shown to correlate with comprehension. A myriad of interventions have been developed to incr...
Observations of (C-12)O and (C-13)O J = 9-8 in Galactic molecular clouds

The 12 CO and 13 CO J = 9-8 transitions have been observed at a spectral resolution of 1.5 km s -1 in four Galactic molecular clouds : W3, DR 21, W51, and M17. The line shapes are generally similar to those of low-J CO lines for each species, with the exception that line reversals produced by less excited foreground gas are not evident. The ratio of 12 CO and 13 CO intensities shows that for all sources the J = 9-8 12 CO line is optically thick with τ ∼ 5-20. This high optical depth requires a significant amount of dense gas. The peak brightness temperature of the 12 CO J = 9-8 line is similar to or less than the dust temperature for all sources, and most of the detected J = 9-8 radiation appears to originate in the cool molecular gas which comprises the bulk of the clouds.
Characterizing and modeling user activity on smartphones: summary

In this paper, we present a comprehensive analysis of real smartphone usage during a 6-month study of real user activity on the Android G1 smartphone. Our goal is to study the high-level characteristics of smartphone usage, and to understand the implications on optimizing smartphones, and their networks. Overall, we present 11 findings that cover general usage behavior, interaction with the battery, power consumption, network activity, frequently-run applications, and modeling usage states.
Foundational Issues in Reliability and Risk Analysis

In this paper we discuss statistical methods for hazard characterization, reliability, and risk analysis. We motivate our development via the scenario of a fault tree and state that “probability is the only satisfactory way to describe the inherent uncertainty associated with these.” We discuss the various notions of probability, and recommend the one which appears to be the most meaningful for the context under consideration; in the sequel, we also discuss some difficulties in distinguishing between “real risk” and “perceived risk.” We then state the rules of probability and use them as a means of combining the various uncertainties. Following this we introduce the notions of a failure model, the parameters of a model and the reliability of an item. The important notion of independence and its relevance to applications is also discussed. Next, we introduce the notions of hazard rates, failure rates and the mean time to failure; the meaning of these and several isconceptions about them are pointed out. Fi...
Application of Heterogeneous Acid Catalysts to the Large-Scale Synthesis of 2- and 3-(p-Methoxyphenyl)-6-methoxybenzo[b]thiophenes

2-(p-Methoxyphenyl)-6-methoxybenzothiophene (3) was synthesized by acid-catalyzed cyclization and rearrangement of the β-ketosulfide precursor 1. The use of Amberlyst 15 resin as a catalyst for the cyclization increased the isomer ratio from 75:25 to 88:12, compared to a conventional approach using polyphosphoric acid (PPA). Although solid acid catalysts were also evaluated for the rearrangement, a two-phase mixture of methanesulfonic acid in toluene was found to be the best alternative to the use of PPA for this reaction. The rearrangement, which was shown to be equilibrium controlled, was driven towards completion by crystallization of the product as it formed. An Amberlyst 15 catalyzed cyclization, combined with an MsOH-catalyzed rearrangement, raised the overall isolated yield from 70 to 80%, and difficulties associated with the use of PPA on a large scale were eliminated. This process has been successfully scaled to a pilot plant and manufacturing scale.
The theory of therapeutic action.

(2007). The Theory of Therapeutic Action. The Psychoanalytic Quarterly: Vol. 76, No. sup1, pp. 1725-1733.
Long‐Range Electron Transfer through DNA Films

Regardless of its position within the DNA film, cross-linked daunomycin (DM) is efficiently reduced electrochemically, indicating that the electron transfer exhibits a shallow distance dependence. Upon the introduction of an intervening cytosine-adenine (CA) mismatch, the electrochemical response is dramatically attenuated (shown schematically). Therefore, the DNA double helix can facilitate long-range electron transfer, but only in the presence of a well-stacked pathway.
Hopf bifurcation analysis of the Lev Ginzburg equation

The Lev Ginzburg equation is shown to have a unique limit-cycle solution under certain conditions on the parameters appearing in this second-order, nonlinear differential equation. This conclusion follows from the application of the Hopf bifurcation theorem.
Dispersal pathways, seed rains, and the dynamics of larval behavior

Dispersing propagules (larvae, seeds, and spores) establish and maintain populations, which serve as templates for subsequent species interactions. Connectivity among demes derives, in large part, from connectivity between consecutive steps, release, transport, and settlement, in dispersal pathways. Concurrent measurements of individuals in each step are a necessary precursor to identifying governing mechanisms. Here we directly and definitively resolved the roles of physics and behavior in mediating dispersal pathways of an estuarine parasite between its intermediate hosts. Planktonic cercariae of Himasthla rhigedana, a parasitic flatworm, are functionally similar to lecithotrophic larvae of many free-living marine invertebrates. The combination of parasite life cycle characteristics and the relatively simple tidal flows in their habitat renders this system an effective model for dispersal studies. Simultaneous field measurements of larval release, transport, settlement, and the flow regime, together with mechanistic experiments, led to empirical understanding of host colonization. All dispersal steps were highly and significantly correlated over time and in space. This tight coupling resulted, unequivocally, from a suite of larval behaviors. Cercariae emerged from first intermediate host snails only during daytime flood tides, enhancing larval retention in the marsh. Daylight triggered downward swimming, and within seconds, cercariae overpowered turbulent mixing, landing in benthic habitat of second intermediate host snails and crabs. Larvae settled (encysted) on external regions of snails/crabs that, presumably, were most vulnerable to ingestion by definitive host shorebirds. In total, cercarial behaviors greatly foreshortened dispersal distances, magnified local parasite prevalence, and increased the likelihood of large-scale transmission by definitive hosts. Cracking open the black box of dispersal thus revealed mechanisms, connectivity, and ecological consequences of the larval stage.
SEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN PANDORINA UNICOCCA1

SUMMARY The effects of nutrients and light on sexual reproduction were investigated in 2 mating pairs of Pandorina unicoca. Strains 101–104 required nitrogen deficiency for sexual differentiation. Sulfur deficiency also appeared to be effective in evoking sexual differentiation. The time required for sexual differentiation of strains 103–104 after removal of KNO3 and MgSO from the medium was 24 hr. Addition of KNO3 and MgSO4 after 24hr did not reverse sexual differentiation. Light was required during the first 10–12 hr. Strains 105–106 did not require a period of sexual differentiation and, exhibited mating activity in the presence of nitrogen and sulfur in the medium. Both mating pairs required light for the mating response and calcium was necessary for zygote formation. The pH range for mating activity was determined.
Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus: clinical manifestations and their relationship to immune deficiency. A report from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.

Abstract In 1984 a large prospective study of gay and bisexual men was begun to elucidate the natural history of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. At two successive semiannual examinations, clinical or hematologic abnormalities were found up to 13 times more often among HIV-seropositive men (n = 1611) than HIV-seronegative men (n = 2646). More than 30% of the seropositive participants had persistent generalized lymphadenopathy, independent of T-helper lymphocyte (CD4) counts and most other signs and symptoms. Other clinical manifestations such as thrush, anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, fever, and fatigue occurred with only slightly reduced CD4 counts (400 to 700/mm3) and appeared to increase exponentially with progressively lower counts. A simple systematically derived clinical index using these manifestations identified more than 70% of the seropositive men with significant T-helper cell depletion. This kind of clinical index may be useful for assessing groups of HIV-infected persons, especially those whose T-lymphocyte numbers and function cannot be readily measured.