cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activation of glycogen phosphorylase by serotonin and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine in astroglial-rich primary cultures: involvement of the 5-HT2A receptor

Neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and ions regulate glycogen levels in the brain by modulating the activity of glycogen synthase (GSase) and glycogen phosphorylase (GPase). GPase is co-localized with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an astroglia-specific marker, suggesting that glycogen is localized in astroglial cells. Additionally, functional serotonin (5-HT) receptors are found in both neurons and glia, and 5-HT is known to stimulate glycogenolysis. It is reported that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), a drug of abuse, stimulates the release and inhibits the reuptake of 5-HT, and selectively inhibits the activity of MAO-A. These biochemical consequences of MDMA lead to increased extra-cellular 5-HT levels. This study investigates the effects of MDMA(+) and serotonin (5-HT) on glycogen metabolism in the rat brain. A histochemical method was designed to visualize active glycogen phosphorylase (GPase) in an astroglial-rich primary culture. Serotonin activated GPase in a concentration-dependent manner (100 nM−100 μM). Maximal activation by 5-HT was achieved by 50 μM and resulted in a 167% increase in the number of reactive sites (P < 0.001). MDMA(+) (500 nM−50 μM) directly stimulated GPase activity with maximal activation induced by 5 μM, which caused a 70% increase in the number of reactive sites (P < 0.001). The 5-HT2 receptor agonist, 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOB), also displayed a concentration-dependent increase in the number of GPase reactive sites. Maximal stimulation by DOB occurred at 100 nM which increased the number of reactive sites by 166% (P < 0.001). These effects of 5-HT and MDMA(+) were significantly attenuated by mianserin (200 nM), a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist. An astrocyte-neuron metabolic link may be vital for synaptic homeostasis. By increasing 5-HT levels in the synapse, MDMA(+) may increase GPase activity and promote glycogenolysis via activation of the 5-HT2 receptor. Prolonged GPase activity may lead to depletion of synaptic energy stores, thereby compromising the energy state of the synapse. The resulting deficiency in synaptic energy may contribute to terminal degeneration induced by substituted amphetamines.
Rotator cuff repair tension as a determinant of functional outcome

This study evaluated the effect of rotator cuff repair tension on surgical outcome. A total of 67 consecutive rotator cuff repairs for full-thickness tendon tears were prospectively evaluated. Rotator cuff repair tension was quantified by means of an intraoperative calibrated tensiometer after cyclic loading. The point of maximum repair tension was measured. Patients were evaluated for pain and improvement before and after surgery through use of Constant scores, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons' functional criteria, isokinetic strength-testing, and visual analog scale scores. Increased repair tension correlated with lesser gains in postoperative Constant score, a decrease in perceived improvement, decreased isokinetic strength measurements, and increased pain. Tension on repaired rotator cuff tendons should be minimized. High-tension repairs--those greater than 8 lb--are associated with poor subjective and objective outcomes and are not recommended.
Comparing Welfare Service Delivery Among Public, Nonprofit and For-Profit Work Agencies

Abstract Since passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) in 1996, there has been a proliferation of contracting for welfare services, specifically around Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and related benefits and services such as child care. The services most commonly contracted include those around the work or employment function, such as training, education, job placement, and support services to promote job entry or retention. The purpose of this article is to examine differences in the quality of service provision among public, nonprofit, and for-profit auspices in the delivery of work-based welfare reform services. The findings show that there are some differences in welfare programs across the three sectors. The significance of this issue relates to the critical question of whether social needs can be best met through competitive outsourcing.
CELLULAR INTERACTIONS MEDIATED BY THE HOMEOTIC PISTILLATA GENE DETERMINE CELL FATE IN THE ARABIDOPSIS FLOWER

Abstract Flowers develop from the coordinated division and differentiation of cells derived from the shoot apical meristem. By inducing chromosomal deletions in individual shoot apical meristem cells, we have generatedArabidopsisplants that are genetically mosaic for the homeoticPISTILLATAgene. Flowers bearing wild-typePISTILLATAepidermal tissue and mutantpistillatainternal tissues are phenotypically normal. Based on this non-cell-autonomy, we suggest thatPISTILLATAcontrols the production of a substance involved in cell–cell communication between the outer and inner tissue layers of the flower. These mosaic flowers were also used to assess the relative contributions of meristematic cells to the developing floral organs. These observations indicate that meristematic cells have discrete but somewhat variable contributions to theArabidopsisflower. We have used these results to construct a fate map of theArabidopsisfloral primordium.
Human babesiosis : an emerging tick-borne disease

Human babesiosis is an important emerging tick-borne disease. Babesia divergens, a parasite of cattle, has been implicated as the most common agent of human babesiosis in Europe, causing severe disease in splenectomized individuals. In the US, Babesia microti, a babesial parasite of small mammals, has been the cause of over 300 cases of human babesiosis since 1969, resulting in mild to severe disease, even in non-splenectomised patients. Changing ecology has contributed greatly to the increase and expansion of human babesiosis in the US. A relatively recently described babesial parasite, the WA1-type, has been shown to be the causative agent in seven human cases in the western US. This parasite is closely related to babesial parasites isolated from large wild ungulates in California. Like B. microti, WA1-type parasites cause mild to severe disease and the immunopathogenesis of these parasites is distinctly different from each other in experimental infections of hamsters and mice. A B. divergens-like parasite was also identified as the cause of a fatal human babesiosis case in Missouri. Isolated cases of human babesisosis have been described in Africa and Mexico, but the causative parasites were not well characterized. Standard diagnostic techniques for human infection, such as examination of Giemsa-stained thin blood smears and serology, have been complemented with molecular techniques, such as PCR. Current treatment for babesiosis is focused on a regimen of clindamycin and quinine, although new drugs have shown promise. Prevention of infection relies on self-monitoring for the presence of ticks and, in some locations, targeted application of pesticides to decrease tick abundance. Identification of human infection with Babesia spp. will probably increase as physicians and the public become more aware of the disease, as people live and recreate in rural tick-infested areas, and as the numbers of immunocompromised individuals increase.
Female adolescents of alcohol misusers 1: Sexual behaviors

Studies show that children of alcoholics constitute an at-risk population. This study attempted to understand the impact of parental alcohol misuse on sexual behaviors of female adolescents, based on a sample of 1134 teenagers from alcohol misusing parents in Minnesota. Index adolescents were more likely to report having sexual intercourse as well as greater frequency of intercourse, history of pregnancy and greater overall pregnancy risk based on current patterns of sexual behavior and contraceptive utilization. Bivariate analysis revealed that gender of the drinking parent was also associated with the above variables. However, in multivariate assessment of protective and risk factors for adolescent pregnancy in the at-risk sample, maternal vs. paternal vs. both parents drinking was no longer salient. Pregnancy avoidance was associated in the index group with two-parent family structure and higher maternal education, while pregnancy history was associated with a history of physical abuse and perception of high levels of vandalism in the school setting.
Biochemical procedure for production of small deletions in simian virus 40 DNA

Abstract A simple biochemical procedure for producing small deletions (15 to 50 base pairs) at virtually any location in simian virus 40 DNA has been developed. The steps involved are: cleavage of the closed-circular DNA to produce a linear structure followed by 5'-exonuclease digestion to expose a short single-stranded segment at each 3' end of the molecule. Mutants containing deletions at the site of the cleavage are obtained by infecting permissive monkey kidney cells with the exonuclease-treated DNA in the presence or absence of a helper DNA (depending upon whether or not the site of cleavage and therefore the deletion occurred in a gene required for vegetative multiplication). In this paper viable mutants with deletions at the HpaII endonuclease cleavage site (0.735 map position) and defective trans-complementable mutants with deletions at the EcoRI endonuclease cleavage site (0/1.0 map position) were isolated.
Spectroscopically determined binding energies of CrAr+ and Cr(N2)+

Abstract Supersonically cooled CrAr + and Cr(N 2 ) + are photodissociated in the visible region. Diabatic dissociation thresholds are observed enabling the ground state binding energy to be determined as 0.61 ± 0.04 and 0.29 ± 0.04 eV for Cr(N 2 ) + and Cr(Ar) + , respectively. These data are compared with previously determined binding energies of first row transition-metal rare-gas diatomics.
Analysis of hindbrain neural crest migration in the long-tailed monkey (Macaca fascicularis).

Neural crest cells make a substantial contribution to normal craniofacial development. Despite advances made in identifying migrating neural crest cells in avian embryos and, more recently, rodent embryos, knowledge of crest cell migration in primates has been limited to what was obtained by conventional morphological techniques. In order to determine the degree to which the nonhuman primate fits the mammalian pattern, we studied the features of putative neural crest cell migration in the hindbrain of the long-tailed monkey (Macaca fascicularis) embryo. Cranial crest cells were identified on the basis of reported distributional and morphological criteria as well as by immunocytochemical detection of the neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) that labels a subpopulation of these cells. The persistent labeling of a sufficient number of crest cells with antibodies to N-CAM following their exit from the rostral, preotic and post-otic regions of the hindbrain facilitated tracking them along subectodermal pathways to their respective destinations in the first, second and third pharyngeal arches. Peroxidase immunocytochemistry was also employed to localize laminin and collagen-IV in neuroepithelial basement membranes. At stage 10 (8–11 somites), crest emigration occurred in areas of unfused neural folds through focal disruptions in the neuroepithelial basement membrane in both the rostral and pre-otic regions, although there was little evidence of crest migration in the post-otic hindbrain. By stage 11 (16–17 somites), the neural folds were fused (pre- and post-otic hindbrain) or in the process of fusing (rostral hindbrain), yet crest cell emigration was apparent in all three areas through discontinuities in the basement membrane. Emigration was essentially complete at stage 12 (21 somites) as indicated by nearly continuous cranial neural tube basement membranes. At this stage the pre-ganglia (trigeminal, facioacoustic and glossopharyngeal) were consistently stained with N-CAM. The current study has provided new information on mammalian neural crest in a well-established experimental model for normal and abnormal human development, including its use as a model for the retinoic acid syndrome. In this regard, the current results provide the basis for probing the mechanisms of retinoid embryopathy which may involve perturbation of hindbrain neural crest development.
Effect of Trifluoperazine, D600, and Phenytoin on Depolarization- and Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone- Induced Thyrotropin Release from Rat Pituitary Tissue*

The mechanisms by which TRH and membrane depolarization (40 mM K+) induce TSH release were explored by studying the effects of several calcium antagonists on TSH release and 45Ca2+ uptake by normal rat pituitaries. Trifluoperazine, a phenothiazine known to bind to calmodulin and block its action, inhibited TRH- and potassium-induced secretion. It also inhibited potassium-induced 45Ca2+ uptake, indicating that this agent can affect calcium movement in tissues as well as calcium action. The concentration of trifluoperazine required for half maximal inhibition of TRH- and K+-induced TSH release was 25–35 μM. In contrast, trifluoperazine potentiated 8-BrcAMP-induced TSH release, suggesting differences in the mechanisms of TRH and cAMP actions. D600 (α-isopropyl-α-[(N-methyl-N-homoveratryl)-γ-aminopropyl]-3,4,5-trimethoxyphenylacetonitrile hydrochloride) and phenytoin inhibited both TRH- and potassium-induced TSH release as well as potassium-induced 45Ca2+ uptake. D600 (1–100 μM) was slightly more effective in...
METHOD FOR COMPUTING THE RADIAL DISTRIBUTION OF EMITTERS IN A CYLINDRICAL SOURCE

A method for computing the distribution of emitters from the observed projected intensity profile is described. The method is applicable to optically thin volume sources with cylindrical symmetry. Unlike previous methods, this method yields results which are relatively insensitive to small random errors in the data.
The precautionary principle: a rose by another name [cellular radio health effects]

The number of cellular mobile telephone subscribers worldwide is in the 100s of millions, and is increasing at a rate of about 2% per month. The market penetration is well above 80% in some territories. Nevertheless, the potential health effects of radio frequency (RF) and microwave radiation, associated with cellular mobile telephones and related wireless devices, remain a leading cause of concern among users. While the scientific evidence on biological effects of RF and microwave radiation associated with these wireless devices is still tentative, the precautionary principle seems to be dominating the debate outside the United States, especially in Europe. The precautionary principle is a tool that may be used to guide decision making, where potential risks to human health and the environment require the adoption of an appropriate policy. The essence of the principle is captured in notions such as common sense or safety margins: a rose by another name? It is believed that the precautionary approach can enable individuals and societies to manage potential risks without departing from the principles of sound science, and in a way that is non-arbitrary and satisfactory in the eyes of public opinion. Such an approach can be of appreciable benefit; as human experiences show, it also can be of dubious utility and may even be counterproductive, depending on how it is applied.
Commercial policy, growth and the distribution of income in a dynamic trade model

Abstract This paper analyzes the effects of commercial policy in a dynamic three-factor, three-sector model that allows for endogenous capital accumulation, nontraded goods and both consumption and capital good imports. Simple, well-defined conditions are derived under which different trade strategies raise or lower the real wage and are effective in promoting capital accumulation.
Clinical course of phacoemulsification wound burns.

Abstract Purpose To present 3 cases illustrating the outcomes of phacoemulsification corneal wound burns. Setting A university referral center. Methods This was a retrospective case series. Results Three patients developed corneal wound burns during phacoemulsification of cataract. All eyes developed from +7.00 to +15.00 diopters of astigmatism in the axis of the incision. In 2 eyes, the astigmatism decreased over several months. The third had permanent high astigmatism and corneal edema requiring corneal transplantation. Conclusions Corneal wound burns occurring during phacoemulsification can have serious effects on the cornea, including corneal edema and severe astigmatism. In the milder cases, the astigmatism decreases spontaneously over several months.
The RNA-binding protein CUG-BP1 increases survivin expression in oesophageal cancer cells through enhanced mRNA stability.

Survivin, a member of the IAP (inhibitor of apoptosis protein) family, plays important roles in maintaining cellular homoeostasis and regulating cell-cycle progression. This IAP is overexpressed in oesophageal cancer cells, leading to uncontrolled cell growth and resistance to apoptosis. CUG-BP1 (CUG-binding protein 1) is an RNA-binding protein that regulates the stability and translational efficiency of target mRNAs. In the present paper, we report that CUG-BP1 is overexpressed in oesophageal cancer cell lines and human oesophageal cancer specimens. CUG-BP1 associates with the 3′-untranslated region of survivin mRNA, thereby stabilizing the transcript and elevating its expression in oesophageal cancer cells. Our results show that overexpression of CUG-BP1 in oesophageal epithelial cells results in increased survivin mRNA stability and consequently survivin protein expression. Conversely, silencing CUG-BP1 in oesophageal cancer cells destabilizes survivin mRNA, lowering the level of survivin protein. In addition, we have found that altering CUG-BP1 expression modulates susceptibility to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Overexpression of CUG-BP1 in oesophageal epithelial cells increases resistance to apoptosis, whereas silencing CUG-BP1 makes oesophageal cancer cells more susceptible to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Co-transfection experiments with small interfering RNA directed against survivin suggest that the anti-apoptotic role for CUG-BP1 is not entirely dependent on its effect on survivin expression.
Pure silicate perovskite and the PREM lower mantle model: a thermodynamic analysis

Abstract A recently published thermodynamic theory enables one to calculate α, the volume thermal expansivity; ΔV V 0 , the thermal expansion; and ϱ, the density in V , T space or P , T space, based on the values of seven thermoelastic parameters evaluated at P = 0. These parameters are themselves based on high-pressure and high-temperature measurements of V . Especially useful are calculated isobars of ΔV V 0 versus T or isentropes of ϱ versus P , because with these, seismic models of the earth can be compared with the perovskite compositional model. There is general agreement on the thermoelastic parameters of V 0 , K T 0 and K ′ 0 for perovskite, but not on the value of δ T 0 , the dimensionless Anderson-Gruneisen parameter, or of γ 0 , the Gruneisen ratio. In comparing the calculated isentrope of ϱ ( P ) with the geotherm of ϱ ( P ) from the PREM seismic model, we find the most sensitive parameter is γ 0 . We also find a number of reasons to select γ 0 = 1.5 ± 0.2 for perovskite. This range of γ 0 values leads to the conclusion that perovskite satisfies the PREM model of density in the lower mantle without the addition of heavy elements, like iron or silicon. The value range γ 0 > 1.9 for perovskite would require a significant amount of iron or silicon to satisfy PREM, but we cannot justify a value of γ 0 that high.
Basal area growth for 15 tropical tree species in Puerto Rico

Abstract The tabonuco forests of Puerto Rico support a diverse population of tree species valued for timber, fuel, food, wildlife food and cover, and erosion control among other uses. Tree basal area growth data spanning 39 years are available on 15 species from eight permanent plots in the Luquillo Experimental Forest. The complexity of the rain forest challenges current forest stand modeling techniques. As a starting point individual tree basal area growth is modeled using the Chapman-Richards function constrained for hypothetical maximum tree size. In addition to initial tree diameter or basal area, significant explanatory variables are crown class, topographic position and degree of ground incline. Plots illustrate the differing growth patterns of the 15 tropical mixed/moist forest species. Two species exhibit exceptional growth. Buchenavia capitata (Vahl) Eichl. has basal area growth peaking at 87 cm2 year−1. The Manilkara bidentata (A. DC.) A. Chev. data show growth rates in excess of 60 cm2 year−1 and the Chapman-Richards function indicates growth potential to a peak of 122 cm2 year−1.
Lymphoid Fibrosis Occurs in Long-Term Nonprogressors and Persists With Antiretroviral Therapy but May Be Reversible With Curative Interventions

The hallmark of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is progressive loss of CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood (PB) and lymphoid tissues (LTs) that is not fully restored with antiretroviral therapy (ART) [1–4]. HIV infection is also associated with chronic inflammation that is only partially normalized with ART [5, 6]. This chronic inflammatory state is maintained by several factors, including the direct effects of HIV replication [7], coinfections such as cytomegalovirus (and other herpes viruses) [8], and chronic damage to the gut mucosa that causes microbial translocation [9–11]. Acute and chronic inflammation associated with HIV infection leads to upregulation of transforming growth factor β in the LT, where HIV replicates and stimulates local production of collagen [12–14]. Collagen deposition into LT dramatically alters the architecture and function of the LT and ultimately causes progressive loss of naive T cells. This happens because the fibroblastic reticular network that produces interleukin 7 (important for naive T-cell homing and survival) is replaced by collagen [13, 15–17]. Potent and sustained suppression of HIV replication with ART reduces immune activation, but the degree to which LT pathologies are reversed and tissue architecture is restored is unknown. A subset of HIV-infected individuals called elite controllers have durable control of HIV in the absence of therapy, in that their plasma viral load is maintained at <50 copies/mL [18]. The response by HIV-specific mature CD8+ T cells is an important mechanism contributing to elite control [19–21]; however, virus replication and immune activation persist [18, 22, 23]. Clinical conditions attributable to immune activation and inflammation that are increasing in incidence among ART-treated persons (ie, coagulopathy and vascular disorders [24–26]) are also seen in elite controllers [27, 28]. We hypothesized that individuals exhibiting elite control of virus replication would have inflammatory damage to lymphoid structures but that the degree to which the tissue architecture was damaged would be less, given the lower burden of virus and decreased amount of immune activation, compared with persons without elite control. To test this hypothesis, we obtained a series of rectal tissues from elite controllers, HIV-infected patients requiring ART to control virus replication, HIV-infected persons who were not receiving ART, and people without HIV infection.
Quasi-electron and phonon interactions in the femtosecond time domain

Abstract The properties of optically excited particles in ultra thin metallic films differ markedly between the femto, and the picosecond time domain. In the specific case of Au films, the difference arises from the lack of thermal equilibrium in the femtosecond domain. It is also observed that some quasi-particles travel essentially unhindered, i.e., ballistically at near the Fermi velocity. It is further concluded that although a large number of phonons are produced through the decay of electrons, only a small fraction of the phonon energy returns to the quasi-electrons. It is further demonstrated that the experimental results are not consistent with the so-called “two temperature model (TTM)”, and that an attempt to use classical thermal dynamics, when a system is not in thermal equilibrium, is difficult to justify. We demonstrate that excellent agreement exists between experiment and Fermi-liquid theory (FLT), and that many parameters and functional relations, which describe quasiparticle dynamics and transport, can be recovered by the application of FLT to the experimental results.
Surgical Management of Neuroblastoma

Abstract Neuroblastoma treatment remains challenging but has been advanced by the establishment of clinical and biological variables that determine prognostic risk. Risk-based therapy currently is the hallmark of neuroblastoma treatment. Initially, stage and age were the prime determinants of survival used in clinical practice. The Shimada histopathologic classification added to the former 2 and biochemical markers like the serum ferritin, lactic dehydrogenase, and neuronspecific enolase also provided information regarding prognosis. The current era of neuroblastoma therapy has been influenced heavily by advances in molecular biology, most notably the identification of the MYCN oncogene and the application of recombinant DNA methods to identification of chromosomal deletions. Current risk assessment includes age, stage, histopathology, and biochemical markers but also analyses performed on DNA extracted from fresh tumors. This places the onus of obtaining an adequate quantity and quality of fresh neuroblastoma tissue directly on the pediatric surgeon who performs the initial biopsy.
Living on the margin: Ethnoecological insights from Marshall Islanders at Rongelap atoll

Abstract Pacific Islanders who live on atolls are among the first people who have begun to be seriously impacted by the effects of global climate change. These are the people whose entire landscape is typically no higher than one meter above sea level. Extreme environmental changes are nothing new to these communities. Over many generations these atoll cultures have survived major, unpredictable and locally devastating changes that are of the same magnitude as those expected from climate changes. An examination of traditional ecological knowledge of Marshall Islanders at Rongelap atoll serves to illustrate some of the coping strategies that have enabled these people to be resilient in the past and in the current environmental crisis. Interviews revealed that these atoll dwellers actively manage the resources that are most likely to be impacted by climate change.
Shrinking minds and swollen heads

The Encyclopedia of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Psychoanalysis edited by Benjamin B. Wolman Holt: 1996. Pp. 649. $135 The Blackwell Dictionary of Neuropsychology edited by J. Graham Beaumont, Pamela M. Kenealy and Marcus J. C. Rogers Blackwell: 1996. Pp. 788. £80
Increasing the noninvasive management of rhesus isoimmunization

Abstract Objective To determine the clinical outcome of isoimmunized pregnancies managed by middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity (MCA-PSV) in an intention-to-treat study. Method Rhesus isoimmunized pregnancies were managed with serial ultrasound and Doppler studies at 7-day intervals up to 34 weeks of gestation, between 2001 and 2005. Invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were carried out when MCA-PSV was indicative of moderate or severe anemia. Results The overall sensitivity in detecting moderate to severe fetal anemia at less than 34 weeks was 100% (95% confidence interval, 54.1–100.0 L). Twenty-two cases were managed with MCA-PSV. Twelve cases needed fetal blood sampling and 6 cases needed intrauterine transfusion. Cordocentesis revealed a hematocrit of more than 26% in 6 fetuses. Conclusion Management by MCA-PSV Doppler at weekly intervals is a highly sensitive method for detecting fetal anemia. It reduces the number of fetal blood samples needed and significantly lowers interventional procedures.
A new Hirnantia faunafrom Thailand and the biogeography of the latest Ordovician of south-east Asia

Abstract A new occurrence of the widespread latest Ashgill (Hirnantian) Hirnantia shelly fauna is documented from the Wang Tong Formation of Satun Province, southern Thailand. Neighbouring faunas are revised, including Mucronaspis malayensis, which proves different from the Hirnantian M. mucronata and is the only known post-Ordovician occurrence of the genus. The Thai fauna is essentially identical to that from the Panghsa-pye Beds, Northern Shan States, Burma (Myanmar), and brachiopod species erected from the latter are senior synonyms of better known names. Both faunas and sedimentary sequences from the Caradoc to the Llandovery in south Thailand and the Northern Shan States are found to be extremely similar to those from South China, indicating that the Sibumasu (Shan-Thai) palaeocontinent, on which both Thailand and the Northern Shan States were situated in the Ordovician and Silurian, was closer to South China than previously supposed.
Development of Transparent Porous Media with Permeabilities and Porosities Comparable to Soils, Aquifers, and Petroleum Reservoirs

Model porous media made from glass beads and matched refractive index liquids have made it possible to visualize displacement processes in heterogeneous porous media and to obtain in situ concentration profiles to validate flow codes. However, glass beads produce porous media that are translucent rather than transparent. Thus, these models cannot be used to observe 3-D effects. Furthermore, the current necessity of using relatively large glass beads results in permeabilities that are several orders of magnitude larger than natural porous media. This paper describes a new approach for making transparent porous media by consolidating suspensions of amorphous silica in matched refractive index liquids. The resulting porous media can be made to have porosities and permeabilities comparable to a very wide range of soils and reservoir materials by the appropriate choice of particle size and/or consolidation pressure. Because these porous media are truly transparent and not merely translucent, relatively simple optical techniques can be used to map variations in porosity and to measure 3-D flow processes.
Chemical thermodynamic representations of 〈PuO2−x〉 and 〈U1−zPuzOw〉

All available oxygen potential-temperature-composition data for the calcium fluorite-structure 〈PuO2−x〉★★ phase were retrieved from the literature and utilized in the development of a binary solid solution representation of the phase. The data and phase relations are found to be best described by a solution of [Pu43O2] and [PuO2] with a temperature dependent interaction energy. The fluorite-structure 〈U1−zPuzOw〉 is assumed to be represented by a combination of the binaries 〈PuO2−x〉 and 〈UO2 ± x〉, and thus treated as a solution of [Pu43O2], [PuO2], [UO2], and either [U2O4.5] or [U3O7]. The resulting equations well reproduce the large amount of oxygen potential-temperature-composition data for the mixed oxide system, all of which were also retrieved from the literature. These models are the first that appear to display the appropriate oxygen potential-temperature-composition and phase relation behavior over the entire range of existence for the phases.
The Effect of Exchange Rate Distortions on Grain Export Markets, The Case of Argentina

The growth of agricultural trade in the 1970s and the strong dollar and depressed commodity prices in the 1980s have increased awareness of the vulnerability of agricultural markets to economic forces outside the agricultural sector. Some of the recent agricultural developments are attributable to changes in exchange rate movements that transmit macroeconomic forces to a trade-dependent agricultural sector. Under the flexible exchange rate system, exchange rate volatility has increased (Artus and Young) because exchange rates adjust to balance external accounts for an independent level of money supply across countries. Volatility has also increased because asset markets and adjustments on the capital side of the balance of payments determine the exchange rate in the short run (Dornbush). Regardless of the sources of exchange rate movements, exchange rate changes can affect terms of trade and international competitiveness as long as they affect relative prices between traded and nontraded goods (Krueger). Even if exchange rate changes primarily adjust price levels between countries for a given level of the money supply, there are terms of trade changes in the short run. However, recent evidence indicates that exchange rate changes are greater than can be attributed to changes in domestic price levels across countries (Frenkel, Stockman).
X-ray absorption measurements on Tl1−xBixSr2CuO5 and Tl0.5Bi0.5Sr2CaCu2O7 Valences of Bi, Tl and Cu

Abstract Near-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements of Bi and Tl L3-edges and Cu K-edge in a series of compounds Tl 1− x Bi x Sr 2 CuO 5 and Tl 0.5 Bi 0.5 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 7 have been presented. The results provides strong evidence for the existence of mixed-valent Bi and Tl in these compounds. Moreover, the formal valence of copper in Tl 1− x Bi x Sr 2 CuO 5 and Tl 0.5 Bi 0.5 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 7 appears to be much higher than 2+. It is suggested that the Tl(Bi) 6s band could cross the Fermi level, resulting in electronic correlations between the Tl(Bi)-O and Cu-O layers, which is significant in determining the physical properties of these compounds.
MH4: APPLICATION OF THE RASCH MODEL TO THE SF36 MENTAL HEALTH 5 ITEM SCALE (MH5)

OBJECTIVES: To verify whether the SF36 Mental Health 5 item scale (MH5), an instrument commonly used in mental health research, fulfills criteria of unidimensionality and invariant measurement specified by item response theory (IRT). METHODS: As part of a survey of health care needs among university students in Geneva, Switzerland, 1257 respondents (64% of eligible persons) filled the MH5 (version 2). Each item was scored on a 5-level frequency scale (“never” to “all of the time”). We analyzed these data using both the traditional method (summative scoring), and the polytomous one-parameter IRT (or Rasch) model. RESULTS: In traditional analysis, the MH5 scale performed as expected (single factor, Cronbach alpha 0.85, mean 67.1, standard deviation 17.6, range 0–100). Rasch analysis revealed the good fit of all item characteristic curves. Threshold locations for feeling “nervous” (mental health logits: −3.2, −0.7, 2.0, 3.3), “down in the dumps” (−4.0, −1.7, 0.4, 1.5), “calm and peaceful” (−3.0, −0.6, 0.9, 6.0), “downhearted and blue” (−4.2, −1.6, 1.0, 3.0), and “happy” (−3.1, −0.9, 0.7, 4.2) were all ordinal, consistently with theory, and spread widely over a span of 10.2 logits. While classic MH5 scores and Rasch-based scores were closely correlated (r = 0.98), their relationship was S-shaped: the intervals, in mental health logits, between MH5 scores 0–10, 10–20, etc, up to 90–100 were: 2.23, 1.22, 1.00, 0.90, 0.85, 0.83, 0.90, 1.09, 1.54, and 3.21. CONCLUSIONS: The five MH5 items fit the Rasch model very well. Classic summative scoring tends to compress the measurement scale at its extremities, by assigning scores that are too low at the high end, and too high at the low end. Rasch scoring may render MH5 more sensitive to changes among well populations and among the very sick.
Gene network inference by probabilistic scoring of relationships from a factorized model of interactions.

Motivation: Epistasis analysis is an essential tool of classical genetics for inferring the order of function of genes in a common pathway. Typically, it considers single and double mutant phenotypes and for a pair of genes observes whether a change in the first gene masks the effects of the mutation in the second gene. Despite the recent emergence of biotechnology techniques that can provide gene interaction data on a large, possibly genomic scale, few methods are available for quantitative epistasis analysis and epistasis-based network reconstruction. Results: We here propose a conceptually new probabilistic approach to gene network inference from quantitative interaction data. The approach is founded on epistasis analysis. Its features are joint treatment of the mutant phenotype data with a factorized model and probabilistic scoring of pairwise gene relationships that are inferred from the latent gene representation. The resulting gene network is assembled from scored pairwise relationships. In an experimental study, we show that the proposed approach can accurately reconstruct several known pathways and that it surpasses the accuracy of current approaches.
Going Dutch in the Modern Age: Abraham Kuyper's Struggle for a Free Church in the Nineteenth-Century Netherlands

The nineteenth century witnessed a transition from the ancien regime to the ‘age of mobilisation’, says Charles Taylor, from an organically and hierarchically connected society to a fragmented society based on mass participation, charismatic leaders and organisational tactics. Amid this upheaval the Netherlands Reformed Church faced an unprecedented crisis as it lost its taken-for-granted social status. This essay examines the new legitimation that Abraham Kuyper offered the Church through his Free Church theology, and how various other aspects of his theology, including his baptismal and public theology, developed in conjunction with his ecclesiology. Kuyper's ecclesiology thus offers a case study of problems that ecclesiology in general faced due to the social and cultural shifts of the nineteenth century. Select ‘Lausanne 1974’: The Challenge from the Majority World to Northern-Hemisphere Evangelicalism
Adeno-associated virus DNA replication.

ABSTRACT. A model for the replication of adeno-associated virus (AAV) DNA is presented. The AAV genome is a linear single-stranded DNA molecule which contains a 145 nucleotide inverted terminal repetition of which the first 125 nucleotides form a palindromic sequence. The model proposes that the 3' end of AAV DNA can fold over to form a hairpin structure that serves as the primer to initiate replication which then proceeds by strand displacement to the other end of the molecule. The hairpin is broken by specific cleavage of the parental strand at a point opposite the initiation of synthesis leading to inversion of the 3' terminal 125 nucleotides and transfer of this sequence from the parental strand to the progeny strand. The transferred sequence is then replaced by repair synthesis. The transfer and inversion of the hairpin structure are demonstrated by physical, restriction enzyme, and sequencing analyses.
Escherichia coli Colonization Patterns among Human Household Members and Pets, with Attention to Acute Urinary Tract Infection

Background. Within-household transmission of Escherichia coli may promote urinary tract infection (UTI) but is poorly understood. Methods. Fecal samples from 228 individuals (152 humans [5 with acute UTI] and 76 pets) in 63 households were extensively processed for unique E. coli clones, as defined by random-amplified polymorphic DNA analysis and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Patterns of strain sharing (presence of a clone in multiple individuals) were assessed. Results. Of 335 E. coli clones, 90 (27%) were recovered from multiple hosts (up to 11 per clone). Within-household strain sharing (1) involved 68% of households, including 3 of 5 households in which a member had a UTI; (2) was more frequent than across-household strain sharing (27% vs. 0.8% of potential sharing pairs; P <.001); (3) increased with household size (r 2 = 0.93; P <.001); and (4) varied by host-pair type (pet-pet, 58%; human-human, 31%; human-pet, 17%). Sex partners shared strains more commonly than did other adults (31% vs. 7% of pairs; P =.08) but accounted for only 12% of within-household strain sharing. Conclusions. Within-household sharing of E. coli, including in households in which a member has a UTI, is common and can involve any combination of humans and pets. Identification of the underlying mechanism(s) could lead to novel preventive measures against UTI.
Adaptive data rate multi-carrier direct-sequence spread spectrum in Rayleigh fading

We propose an adaptive data rate multi-carrier direct sequence spread spectrum system for transmission over frequency selective, slowly fading channels. Adaptation is via the transformation used to distribute symbols across the subcarriers. Initially, the transformation is either a serial-to-parallel conversion of the incoming data into M parallel streams, or a split of each symbol across M subcarriers. By keeping the subcarrier symbol and chip rates constant, in split mode, we obtain a bit rate R/sub b/ equal to the symbol rate R/sub s/, and frequency diversity through maximal ratio combining. Conversely, when the channel is not deeply fading, the S:P transformation is used, and we treat each subcarrier as a single-carrier one, obtaining a bit rate R/sub b/=MR/sub s/. The adaptive transformation is analyzed using order statistics, and we use these analytical and computer simulation results to show that our proposed system has a higher data rate than a pure "split" system, and better error performance than a pure S:P system, and can operate anywhere between these two extremes via selection of an appropriate threshold.
Second-order motion conveys depth-order information.

depth-ordering cues. We hypothesized that these cues, and the second-order stimuli that provide them, were sufficient to support perceptual depth ordering. Using human subjects, we assayed the depth-order information contained in commonly used types of second-order stimuli. We found that, for all subjects, second-order motion stimuli provided cues for depth order that were at least as effective as stimuli that possessed both first- and second-order motion components.
Acting Rationally Without Really Thinking: The Logic of Rational Intuitionism for International Relations Theory

International Relations (IR) theorists have traditionally viewed rationality and consciousness as defining features of human behavior. But recently this approach has come under fire from several angles. Not only do many psychologists now consider rationality to be dependent on emotions, recent developments in the logics of action debate in IR theory explicitly argue for de-emphasizing the role of consciousness and rationality in theorizing agency. In an effort to put rationality back into its proper place, we critique two recent contributions to the logics of action debate: practice theory and the logic of habit. Both logics of action are useful in many respects, but we argue that they rest on a view of individual agency that is too structural and insufficiently cognitive to fully understand how individuals make decisions in international politics. We do not doubt that unconscious reflexes often control individual decisions, but we maintain that cognitive control and deliberation play a much larger role in constructing these reflexes than practice theory and the logic of habit recognize. We sketch a rational intuitionist logic of action for IR theory. We argue that intuitions constitute the most useful way to theorize the unconscious determinants of individual action and that although intuitions control how people behave in particular circumstances, they are subject to rational recalibration through internal and intersubjective reasoning.
Skylight dome-well system analysis from intensity distribution data†

A skylight test facility is in operation on the roof of the engineering building at the University of New Hampshire. Intensity distribution data for 18 skylight dome-well combinations have been taken for clear and overcast skies and a wide range of solar altitudes. These data are used in two ways: to calculate coefficients of utilisation for skylight systems so that these systems may be treated in the same manner as ceiling-mounted electric luminaires; and to compare skylight systems on the basis of dome transmittance, dome diffusion, dome height-to-width ratio, well reflectance, well angle, well height-to-width ratio, and direct sun shielding.
From Collaborative Purchasing Towards Collaborative Discarding: The Evolution of the Shared Print Repository

Academic research libraries have a tradition of collaboration, from selecting foreign language material to licensing electronic resources. Although most storage facilities have tended to be local, some libraries have collaborated on operating shared storage facilities. The growth of digital repositories of printed materials has given the library community the opportunity to engage in a conversation about how to collaboratively take responsibility for the long-term selection and preservation of the print originals. Establishing regional repositories will allow member libraries to draw down local print collections. This review article will trace the major development of this progression from local storage facility to regional print repository.
THE PLASMA PERMEABILITY FACTOR IN NEPHROTIC SYNDROME: INDIRECT EVIDENCE IN PEDIATRIC PERITONEAL DIALYSIS

BackgroundNephrotic syndrome (NS) in children has been associated with a systemic circulating permeability factor. Therefore, once peritoneal dialysis (PD) has been started, peritoneal protein loss...
Using Transactional Information to Predict Link Strength in Online Social Networks

Many scientific fields analyzing and modeling social networks have focused on manually-collected datasets where the friendship links are sparse (due to the costs of collection) but relatively noise-free (i.e. they indicate strong relationships). In online social networks, where the notion of “friendship” is broader than what would generally be considered in sociological studies, the friendship links are denser but the links contain noisier information (i.e., some weaker relationships). However, the networks also contain additional transactional events among entities (e.g., communication, file transfers) that can be used to infer the true underlying social network. With this aim in mind, we develop a supervised learning approach to predict link strength from transactional information. We formulate this as a link prediction task and compare the utility of attribute-based, topological, and transactional features. We evaluate our approach on public data from the Purdue Facebook network and show that we can accurately predict strong relationships. Moreover, we show that transactional-network features are the most influential features for this task.