cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Why eat extrafloral nectar? Understanding food selection by Coleomegilla maculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Methods of increasing predator abundance within a habitat include the incorporation of non-prey food items, yet the influence of this on predation intensity toward herbivores remains unknown. In order to gain an understanding of nectar feeding in the predaceous beetle, Coleomegilla maculata (DeGeer), laboratory studies were conducted evaluating prey consumption in the presence of extrafloral nectaries. The physiology of beetles with access to prey only and a mixed diet were compared. To elucidate results of beetle physiology, Y-tube olfactometer studies were conducted and preferences between food types evaluated. Coleomegilla maculata females consumed 9 % fewer aphids when nectar was available. Lipid and glycogen content, as well as oocyte volume were not increased upon consumption of a mixed diet. Evaluation of predator behavior when offered both food resources together and separately demonstrated that extrafloral nectaries are attractive.
ABL-MYC retroviral infection elicits bone marrow plasma cell tumors in Bcl-XL transgenic mice

Multiple myeloma is characterized by the accumulation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. While there have been many attempts to genetically recapitulate this disease in animal models, few reports describe plasma cell tumors that exhibit bone marrow involvement. We recently described a Bcl-X(L) transgenic mouse that developed polyclonal non-malignant B-cell expansions in the bone marrow and lymphoid organs. In this report, we describe induction of plasma cell tumors in littermate control and Bcl-X(L) transgenic mice with a retrovirus expressing v-Abl and c-Myc. Nearly 100% of the ABL-MYC-infected littermate control and Bcl-X(L) mice developed plasma cell tumors. There was no difference in tumor latency in young mice infected; however, following ABL-MYC infection, aged Bcl-X(L) mice demonstrated a median survival of 9 weeks, while littermate control mice demonstrated a median survival of 19 weeks. Interestingly, while both littermate control and Bcl-X(L) mice infected with the ABL-MYC retrovirus developed extramedullary plasma cell tumors, only the ABL-MYC-infected Bcl-X(L) mice, but not the ABL-MYC-infected littermate control mice, developed bone marrow plasma cell tumors with characteristic radiolucent bone lesions. Tumor cell populations were clonally related, and analysis of tumor immunoglobulin genes demonstrated evidence consistent with somatic hypermutation. This report implicates an unidentified role of Bcl-X(L) in bone marrow plasma cell tumor formation, as ABL-MYC retroviral infection only elicits bone marrow plasma cell tumors in mice that ectopically express Bcl-X(L) in their B- and plasma cells.
Thermal imaging of wafer temperature in MBE using a digital camera

Abstract A modified commercial digital single lens reflex (SLR) camera using a silicon sensor with the infrared filter removed was used to image substrate temperature in situ in a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system. It was found that the silicon image sensor has sufficient responsivity in the near infrared portion of the spectrum from 720 to 1100 nm to detect thermal radiation of objects above approximately 400 °C.
Membrane-bound dimer structure of a beta-hairpin antimicrobial peptide from rotational-echo double-resonance solid-state NMR.

The intermolecular packing of a β-hairpin antimicrobial peptide, PG-1, in lipid bilayers is determined using solid-state NMR distance measurements. Previous spin counting experiments showed that PG-1 associates as dimers in POPC bilayers; however, the detailed dimer structure was unknown. We have now measured several intermolecular 13C−19F, 1H−13C, and 15N−13C distances in site-specifically labeled PG-1 to constrain the structure of the intermolecular interface. The distances are measured using the rotational-echo double-resonance (REDOR) technique under magic-angle spinning. The results indicate that two PG-1 molecules align in a parallel fashion with the C-terminal strand of the hairpin forming the dimer interface. Six hydrogen bonds stabilize this interface, and the Phe12 side chain adopts the g- conformation in the membrane as in solution. The parallel packing of the peptide in the lipid bilayer differs from the antiparallel dimer found in DPC micelles and may be stabilized by its strong amphipathic c...
Cerebrovascular segmentation for MRA data using level sets

Abstract In this paper, we use a level set based segmentation algorithm to extract the vascular tree from Phase Contrast Magnetic Resonance Angiography, “PCMRA”. Classification model finds an optimal partition of homogeneous classes with regular interfaces. Regions and their interfaces are represented by level set functions. The algorithm initializes level sets in each image slice using automatic seed initialization and then iteratively, each level set approaches the steady state and contains the vessel or non-vessel area. The results are validated using a phantom that simulates the “PCMRA”. The approach is fast and accurate. Results on various cases demonstrate the accuracy of the approach.
Psychopharmacologic Treatment of Eating Disorders: Emerging Findings

Psychopharmacologic treatment is playing a greater role in the management of patients with eating disorders. In this paper, we review randomized, placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), and other eating disorders over the past 3 years. Fluoxetine remains the only medication approved for an eating disorder, that being BN. RCTs of antipsychotics in AN have had mixed results; the only agent with some evidence of efficacy is olanzapine. One study suggests dronabinol may induce weight gain in AN. Preliminary studies suggest lack of efficacy of alprazolam, dehydroepiandrosterone, or physiologic estrogen replacement in AN; erythromycin in BN; and the opioid antagonist ALKS-33 in BED. In BED with obesity or overweight, bupropion may cause mild weight loss without seizures, and chromium may improve glucose regulation. Also in BED, three RCTs suggest the stimulant prodrug lisdexamfetamine may reduce binge eating episodes, and another RCT suggests intranasal naloxone may decrease time spent binge eating. There remains a disconnection between the size of eating disorders as a public health problem and the lack of pharmacotherapy research of these conditions.
Age-related changes in human vocal tract configurations and the effects on speakers' vowel formant frequencies: A pilot study

The study aims to: (i) make accurate measurements of age-related changes in female speakers' vocal tract configurations with acoustic reflection technique (ART); (ii) obtain acoustic information of vowel formant frequency changes as a function of aging; and (iii) test the hypothesis that there are age-related vocal tract dimensional changes and concomitant decreases in all the vowel formant frequencies as people age. Preliminary findings indicate that older female subjects tend to have a more expanded pharyngeal lumen, but not longer vocal tract length, than their younger cohorts, and formant frequencies would not unanimously decrease as a function of aging. The study highlights the importance of larger-scale measurements of age-related vocal tract configuration changes and the necessity of developing new acoustic models that will delineate all the concomitant formant frequency and other acoustic changes as people age.
Perceptions of Self and Relationship with Parents in Aggressive and Nonaggressive Rejected Children.

Abstract This study examined the perceptions of self and the attachment relationship to parents in aggressive and nonaggressive rejected children, as compared to children with an average or popular sociometric status. Participants were 216 children from grades 3 and 4. They completed peer nomination measures, the Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC), and the Security Scale (mother and father form). Results generally confirmed the assumption that only the nonaggressive rejected children perceive themselves as less competent and worthy as a person than the more popular children. Aggressive rejected children did not report lower feelings of global self-worth or competence, although they did report lower levels of social acceptance. Furthermore, rejected-nonaggressive children perceived the relationship with their father (but not with their mother) as less secure than did the more popular children. Logistic regression analyses suggested that the linkage between felt security with father and rejected-nonaggressive status was mediated by children's self-worth. Implications for attachment theory and for the hypothesized heterogeneity among rejected children are discussed.
Gender Related Naming Practices: Similarities and Differences Between People and their Dogs

We compared final written letters and spoken phonemes and syllable length in the names of male (N = 250) and female (N = 197) Golden Retrievers to determine if the same gender-stereotyping trends occurring in humans also appeared in dog names. Names were taken from a website of the most popular Golden Retriever names in English speaking countries. Both male and female dogs had names ending in letters and phonemes characteristic of their respective human male and female counterparts. Female dogs had more syllables in their names than male dogs and a higher percentage of male dogs had one syllable names. We conclude that the similarities between human and dog naming practices reflect a pervasive gendered naming phonology.
Visualization toolkit software

Information visualization is a discipline that takes data as an input and produces visual representations of that data in a form that can be readily understood by people. The overall goal of a Visualization Toolkit is to provide a library that can be used by professionals to construct appropriate visualizations so as to allow their data to be understood and used in decision-making. This article defines the major components of a visualization toolkit and provides details on how they can be implemented and the consequences and restrictions imposed by those decisions. WIREs Comput Stat 2012 doi: 10.1002/wics.1224 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website
Strain determination from the measurement of pebble shapes

Abstract Cross-sections of pebbles or other near-ellipsoidal bodies in rocks can be measured in three planes, conveniently chosen orthogonal to each other, but otherwise oriented arbitrarily. The three sets of measurements, referred to a single Cartesian coordinate system, can in principle be used to calculate the average pebble shape. Some of these measurements, however, are necessarily redundant and, generally, not compatible without adjustments for the distribution of an error. The calculation of the average ellipsoid is developed, as is that of the strain which transforms an original sphere into such an ellipsoid. This calculation involves the distribution by a weighted least-squares method of the error due to redundancy and leads to the assignment of an estimated error to each of the second-rank tensor components of the strain. The assumption is made that, after being referred to the common coordinate system, the measured values for each tensor component have a normal distribution. This assumption may not always be correct but could be tested before this method is used.
The philosophy of gestation.

Abstract The period from conception to birth is a preparation for the independent life of the human individual. The unborn organism during this period develops and grows, and acquires that degree of self-sufficiency which will enable it to sustain itself apart from the mother. Gestation is the name for this period, and it is divided into three more-or-less distinct stages. The “zygote” is the fertilized ovum before any differentiation takes place. The “embryo” is the name given to it for the two months after fertilization, and the “fetus” from the third to the ninth month. We shall be concerned with these stages from the philosophical point of view.
The Seismology of Sunspots: A Comparison of Time-Distance and Frequency-Wavenumber Methods*

A pair of formulae are developed that relate the absorption coefficient and partial-wave phase shift concepts of frequency-wavenumber local helioseismology to the center-annulus cross-correlation function of time-distance helioseismology, under the general circumstances that both induced and spontaneous sunspot oscillations may be present. These formulae show that spontaneous emission of p-modes by magnetic and Reynolds stresses within the spot and the mode mixing between incoming and outgoing p-modes affect only the outgoing center-annulus cross-correlation time τ+, and they caution that real or spurious phase lags of the umbral oscillation signal lead to differences in the incoming and outgoing correlation times, resulting in τ- ≠ τ+. The application of these methods to actual helioseismic data obtained by the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) project is carried out in order to provide a tangible illustration of how time-distance and frequency-wavenumber ideas can profitably be combined to yield deeper insight into the seismic probing of sunspots. By using the helioseismic GONG data in conjunction with concurrent observations of Doppler velocities and vector magnetic fields obtained by the High Altitude Observatory/National Solar Observatory (HAO/NSO) Advanced Stokes Polarimeter (ASP) for the 1995 October disk passage of active region NOAA 7912, we demonstrate that the inferred GONG umbral signal actually originates from the umbra-penumbra boundary about 6 Mm distant from the center of the spot. Further, the ASP observations show that the 5 minute oscillations at the umbra-penumbra boundary lag behind those in the center of the umbra by approximately 1 minute, which is precisely the difference between the incoming and outgoing correlation times for NOAA 7912 recently determined by Braun. This remarkable result underscores the perils of using umbral oscillations in time-distance helioseismology, and it calls into question previous claims that correlation time differences constitute direct evidence for the existence of a steady downflow in and around sunspots. Taken together, the observational and theoretical evidence suggest that the p-mode forcing of the spot leads to the generation of upwardly propagating slow magnetoatmospheric waves. These waves are in turn responsible for the decreased amplitudes of the outwardly propagating p-modes in the surrounding quiet Sun, and the dispersion in their travel times between the hidden subsurface layer where they are forced and the overlying level where the Doppler signals originate leads to the observed phase lag between the umbral and penumbral oscillations and the corresponding correlation time differences.
Indications and techniques for use of a fibrin clot in meniscal repair

Abstract Clinical and experimental studies have demonstrated the importance of the meniscus in load transmission, stability, shock absorption, and articular cartilage nutrition in the knee joint. As a result, clinicians have emphasized preservation of the injured meniscus when possible. Meniscal healing is dependent on a blood supply or factors derived from serum. An exogenous fibrin clot placed in a stable lesion in an avascular portion of the meniscus can support a reparative response by providing such serum factors. In this review, the authors describe the basic science aspects of meniscal repair and the indications, technique, and results of meniscal repair using an exogenous fibrin clot. Directions for future research on meniscal repair and replacement based on increasing understanding of meniscal biology are briefly discussed.
Textureshop: texture synthesis as a photograph editing tool

We combine existing techniques for shape-from-shading and texture synthesis to create a new tool for texturing objects in photographs. Our approach clusters pixels with similar recovered normals into patches on which texture is synthesized. Distorting the texture based on the recovered normals creates the illusion that the texture adheres to the undulations of the photographed surface. Inconsistencies in the recovered surface are disguised by the graphcut blending of the individually textured patches. Further applications include the generation of detail on manually-shaded painting, extracting and synthesizing a displacement map from a texture swatch, and the embossed transfer of normals from one image to another, which would be difficult to create with current image processing packages.
The dynamics of a laminar flow in a symmetric channel with a sudden expansion

Bifurcation analysis, linear stability study, and direct numerical simulations of the dynamics of a two-dimensional, incompressible, and laminar flow in a symmetric long channel with a sudden expansion with right angles and with an expansion ratio D/d (d is the width of the channel inlet section and D is the width of the outlet section) are presented. The bifurcation analysis of the steady flow equations concentrates on the flow states around a critical Reynolds number Rec(D/d) where asymmetric states appear in addition to the basic symmetric states when Re [ges ] Rec(D/d). The bifurcation of asymmetric states at Rec has a pitchfork nature and the asymmetric perturbation grows like √Re − Rec(D/d). The stability analysis is based on the linearized equations of motion for the evolution of infinitesimal two-dimensional disturbances imposed on the steady symmetric as well as asymmetric states. A neutrally stable asymmetric mode of disturbance exists at Rec(D/d) for both the symmetric and the asymmetric equilibrium states. Using asymptotic methods, it is demonstrated that when Re Rec(D/d), the symmetric states are unstable to this mode of asymmetric disturbance. It is also shown that when Re > Rec(D/d) the asymmetric states have an asymptotically stable mode of disturbance. The direct numerical simulations are guided by the theoretical approach. In order to improve the numerical simulations, a matching with the asymptotic solution of Moffatt (1964) in the regions around the expansion corners is also included. The dynamics of both small- and large-amplitude disturbances in the flow is described and the transition from symmetric to asymmetric states is demonstrated. The simulations clarify the relationship between the linear stability results and the time-asymptotic behaviour of the flow. The current analyses provide a theoretical foundation for previous experimental and numerical results and shed more light on the transition from symmetric to asymmetric states of a viscous flow in an expanding channel. It is an evolution from a symmetric state, which loses its stability when the Reynolds number of the incoming flow is above Rec(D/d), to a stable asymmetric equilibrium state. The loss of stability is a result of the interaction between the effects of viscous dissipation, the downstream convection of perturbations by the base symmetric flow, and the upstream convection induced by two-dimensional asymmetric disturbances.
New Results on Continuous-Time Switched Linear Systems With Actuator Saturation

This paper further studies the analysis and control problems of continuous-time switched linear systems subject to actuator saturation. Using the norm-bounded differential inclusion (NDI) description of the saturated systems and the minimal switching rule, a set of switched output feedback controllers is designed to minimize the disturbance attenuation level defined by the regional ℒ2 gain over a class of energy-bounded disturbances. The synthesis conditions are expressed as bilinear matrix inequalities (BMIs) and can be solved by numerical search coupled with linear matrix inequality (LMI) optimization. Compared to the previous method based on polytopic differential inclusion (PDI), the proposed approach has good scalability and potentially renders better performance. Numerical examples are provided to verify effectiveness of the proposed approach.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Ultrasonic imaging of solid surfaces using a focussed air-coupled capacitance transducer

A variety of small solid objects have been imaged in atmospheric air using a focussed, micromachined air-coupled capacitance transducer. The transducer, which was capable of generating and receiving ultrasound in air over a large frequency bandwidth (< 100 kHz ∼ 1.5 MHz) was employed in a pulse-echo arrangement such that generated waves reflected off the surface of the object before returning to the same transducer for detection. By raster scanning the transducer in a plane and recording the detected ultrasonic echo amplitude as a function of transducer position, images of object surfaces were obtained. As the transducer had been fitted with a micromachined Fresnel zone-plate, the ultrasonic waves could be focussed to a spot-size of ∼ 680 μm so as to provide images of high lateral resolution. One of the key factors in making the Fresnel zone-plate function effectively in these imaging applications involved the inclusion of a second aperture in front of the zone-plate. This additional aperture blocked the zone-plate's side-lobes and reduced the appearance of multiple (diffracted) images.
CHARGES, HYDROGEN BONDS, AND CORRELATED MOTIONS IN THE 1 A RESOLUTION REFINED STRUCTURE OF THE MATING PHEROMONE ER-1 FROM EUPLOTES RAIKOVI

A detailed description is given of the structure of the small protein mating pheromone Er-1 at atomic resolution. Emphasis is placed on the locations of charges and hydrogen bonds. The model includes all the protein atoms, anisotropic displacement parameters, four disordered side chains, 22 water molecules, a disordered ethanol, and "riding" hydrogen atoms. Analysis of the model revealed that this dense crystal is perfused by hydrogen-bonding networks of solvent and protein atoms. The termini of helices are capped by hydrogen bonding to solvent and protein atoms, and to symmetry-related molecules. An examination of the valencies and charges of the hydrogen-bonding groups suggests that three of the "water" molecules capping the C termini of two helices, and one other, may instead be NH4 ions. Water molecules mediate all but one of the interhelical hydrogen bonds, and many of the lattice interactions. Regions of the molecule where the atomic vibrations deviate from isotropy are identified. There is almost no overall libration of the molecule allowed by the packing, but the side-chains vibrate relative to the backbone. Four side-chains display alternate conformations. Indirect evidence is presented that the switches between their conformations are correlated and driven by protonation of acidic side-chains. These structural features are discussed in the context of function and stability. Equipped with the analysis of the model, we review the course and results of the refinement of the model against 1 A X-ray diffraction data to a crystallographic R-factor of 12.92%.
Specific gravity of different zones within potato tubers

The specific gravity of three concentric zones within tubers of 19 potato varieties was determined over the two-year period 1956–1957. During this study, a clear pattern emerged. In varieties where specific gravity of the entire tuber was high there was a large difference in spcific gravity between zone three (pith) and the two outer zones. In varieties with low specific gravity this difference was comparatively small. There was generally little difference in specific gravity between zones one and two. Specific gravity of zone three was relatively uniform between varieties.
Stimulus determinants of brightness and distinctness of subjective contours.

Subjective contours are characterized by both the appearance of an illusory border and an increase in apparent brightness within the illusory border. Theories have typically addressed only one of these perceptual attributes. The present experiments measured both apparent brightness and apparent border sharpness of stimuli that varied parametrically in number and width of inducing elements and stimulus configuration. It was found that apparent brightness is influenced more by number of inducing elements, whereas apparent sharpness increases more with inducing element width. Stimulus configuration may influence brightness and sharpness differentially. Thus, to be complete, theoretical accounts of subjective contours must address both perceptual attributes.
Occupational Status of Immigrants and African Americans at the Beginning and End of the Great Migration

This analysis utilizes data from the 1920 and 1970 Public Use Microdata Samples to examine the occupational status of immigrants and native-born blacks and whites in northern urban areas at the beginning and end of the Great Migration. In general, for both time periods we find that native-born black men, southern migrants and native northerners alike, fared worse than immigrants in terms of average SEI and level of white-collar employment. Further, we find that in 1920 southern-born and northern-born black women were more likely to be in the labor force and, when in the labor force, more likely to be employed in service occupations than were immigrant women. By 1970 the racial and ethnic differences in female employment patterns had grown considerably weaker. These findings suggest that immigrants from a range of countries made faster occupational progress than blacks throughout the Great Migration, despite important social and economic gains for blacks during the period. The evidence points toward a raci...
Professionalism In Commercial Infrared Sensing-An Update

Attendees of early Thermosense (TS) conferences were predominantly researchers, entrepreneurs, and equipment suppliers with interests in aerial scanning, ground imaging, and spot radiometer measurements, but all applied to buildings. While buildings are still strongly represented in TS V, the range of interests has broadened. Plant facilities and services were introduced as topics to the TS IV audience, and are being expanded upon in TS V. Industrial processing applications are new to TS V.
N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor-mediated calcium accumulation in neocortical neurons

Calcium imaging and patch-clamp recording techniques were used to investigate the relationship between membrane properties and intracellular calcium changes in response to the excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter glutamate. Application of glutamate to cultured neocortical neurons produced concentration-dependent increases in intracellular calcium, membrane depolarization and transmembrane current. At a low concentration (3 μM), glutamate induced only a small depolarization ( < 10 mV), yet produced a substantial increase in intracellular calcium. The calcium increase was observed in the presence of extracellular magnesium, was dependent on extracellular calcium, was blocked by an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist, and was not affected by manipulation of intracellular calcium stores. This low concentration of glutamate also induced membrane currents that exhibited an N-methyl-d-aspartate-like unconventional voltage dependence. When glutamate was increased to a concentration known to produce excitotoxicity (500 μM), large depolarizations and membrane currents were induced, which rapidly reversed following prolonged glutamate applications. Changes in intracellular calcium in response to 500 μM glutamate had both voltage-sensitive and -insensitive components, and consistently remained elevated following removal of glutamate. These results indicate that low concentrations of glutamate can preferentially activate N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors, leading to increases in intracellular calcium. Functionally this may be involved in N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor responses to ambient extracellular glutamate. In addition, N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor-mediated calcium influx and subsequent depolarization induced by high glutamate concentrations can produce alterations in intracellular calcium homeostasis, which may play an important role in excitotoxicity.
Colloid transport of radionuclides: Yucca mountain performance assessment

Colloids have the potential to enhance transport of contaminants in the subsurface. Kersting et. al.,[1] have shown that plutonium, as well as europium, cobalt and cesium, were associated with groundwater colloids at the Nevada Test Site. 240Pu/239Pu isotopic evidence confirmed that the plutonium was from the Benham nuclear test located 1.3 km away. This observation has lead to an increased concern that colloids may be potential vectors for radionuclide transport from an underground geologic repository [1]. The Anaylsis/Model Reports (AMRs) describe the characteristics of colloids for sparingly soluble radionuclides. The types of colloids formed, stability of the colloids as a function of pH and ionic strength, and the attachment of radionuclides to the colloids are modeled by the AMRs. The AMRs attempt to present bounding and conservative estimates for key parameters; however, waste form corrosion data, natural system studies, and experimental data do not always support the assumptions made in the AMRs. Most specifically, all colloids at Yucca Mountain, whether generated by the dissolution of waste glass or spent nuclear fuel or occurring naturally in groundwater, are assumed to be either smectite or iron-oxy-hydroxides. Data from waste form corrosion experiments do not support this assumption: numerous other phases have been identified including weeksite, clay particles with brockite inclusions, schoepite, soddyite, uranophane, boltwoodite, calcite, dolomite, Na-silicates, Al-oxides, absolone, birnessite, analcime, hydrated silicates, and apatite. Furthermore, the response of many of these phases to changes in pH or ionic strength is not known. If fundamental data for these phases, such as the point of zero charge (PZC), is different than that of either smectite or iron oxy-hydroxides, the TSPA may not accurately predict colloid transport of radionuclides. We have analyzed colloid samples from groundwater at the Nevada Test Site using high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) elemental mapping, and found that light rare-earth elements (LREE) and Th are associated with monazite. Cesium and uranium are associated with an unidentified phase that is rich in Si and Fe. In addition, Co-60, a fissiogenic element, is associated with a complex metal colloid that includes Fe, Ni, Mo, and Cr. None of these phases are accounted for in the AMRs and their response to changing geochemical conditions is unknown. In addition, the PZC of several Mn-oxide phases was determined and was found to extend beyond the range of PZCs accounted for in the AMRs by smectite and iron oxy-hydroxides. Pu has been shown to preferentially adsorb onto Mn-oxides in the presence of Fe-oxides [2, 3], and the AMRs may not accurately predict Mn-oxide colloid stability and subsequent transport of radionuclides of interest.
The Effects of Integrating Advertising and Negative Word‐of‐Mouth Communications on Message Processing and Response

Although many models of ad processing and response have been developed, most experimental tests of these models have exposed subjects only to advertising stimuli. In the marketplace, however, consumers often receive negative brand information in addition to advertising. In this study, we explored whether traditional models accurately predict ad processing and response when consumers integrate advertising with negative word-of-mouth (WOM) communications about the brand. A test was conducted using four experimental groups: ad only, negative WOM only, advertising then negative WOM, and negative WOM then advertising. Results show that (a) advertising mitigates the detrimental cognitive effects of negative WOM communication (when the ad is processed first) and the detrimental affective and conative effects (when the ad is processed last), (b) integrating ad content with negative WOM communication causes significant changes in the message processing of both, (c) negative WOM communication significantly reduces the perceived credibility of advertising as well as brand attitudes and purchase intentions, and (d) the effect of attitude toward the ad on brand attitude becomes nonsignificant when subjects process both types of information. Implications for marketing research and practice are discussed.
Reducing infections through commissioning

The DH (England) Cleaner Hospitals Programme (CHP) had a major impact on reducing cases of MRSA bacteraemia and C. diff. infections in NHS acute hospitals. Mandatory surveillance data and CHP feedback indicate that pre-48 and 72 hour MRSA and C. diff cases reduced at a slower pace. Commissioning organisations (CO) were key in driving acute care reductions in HAI through contract indicators but the nature of primary and community care (PCC) made it difficult to achieve similar outcomes. This study explored: innovation in commissioning to reduce HAI across the healthcare economy (HCE); challenges in reducing priority organisms in PCC; strategies to engage non-acute providers to bring about reductions in HAI.
Resin acids from two amazonian species of Hymenaea

Abstract The major diterpene acid constituents of two Amazonian species of Hymenaea have been isolated and identified. A new resin acid, guamaic acid, is described.
Acute Management of Ruptured Arteriovenous Malformations and Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas

Arteriovenous malformations of the brain (AVMs) are a major cause of stroke in young, healthy individuals and present multiple diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, particularly in the acute setting. Although the flow hemodynamics, biology, epidemiology, and natural history of AVMs have been extensively studied, little data have been published on AVM surgery in the acute setting, and acute surgery has been claimed to possibly increase the risk of persistent neurological deficits. Although it is usually preferable to defer AVM surgery for a few weeks or months, acute surgical (open and endovascular) management is essential in specific clinical and radiological settings.
Business Process Illustration: Supporting Experience-Grounded Validation of New Business Processes by Subject Matter Experts

In this experience report we present Business Process Illustration, a technique supporting experience-grounded validation of new business processes by subject matter experts.
The Stage-specific Testicular Germ Cell Apoptotic Response to Low-dose Radiation and 2,5-hexanedione Combined Exposure. II: qRT-PCR Array Analysis Reveals Dose Dependent Adaptive Alterations in the Apoptotic Pathway

Testicular effects of chemical mixtures may differ from those of the individual chemical constituents. This study assessed the co-exposure effects of the model germ cell- and Sertoli cell-specific toxicants, X-irradiation (x-ray), and 2,5-hexanedione (HD), respectively. In high-dose studies, HD has been shown to attenuate x-ray-induced germ cell apoptosis. Adult rats were exposed to different levels of x-ray (0.5 Gy, 1 Gy, and 2 Gy) or HD (0.33%), either alone or in combination. To assess cell type-specific attenuation of x-ray effects with HD co-exposure, we used laser capture microdissection (LCM) to enrich the targeted cell population and examine a panel of apoptosis-related transcripts using PCR arrays. The apoptosis PCR arrays identified significant dose-dependent treatment effects on several genes, with downregulation of death receptor 5 (DR5), Naip2, Sphk2, Casp7, Aven, Birc3, and upregulation of Fas. The greatest difference in transcript response to exposure was seen with 0.5 Gy x-ray exposure, and the attenuation effect seen with the combined high-dose x-ray and HD did not persist into the low-dose range. Examination of protein levels in staged tubules revealed a significant upregulation in DR5, following high-dose co-exposure. These results provide insight into the testis cell-specific apoptotic response to low-dose co-exposures of model testicular toxicants.
Salicylate Reduces Susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to Multiple Antituberculosis Drugs

Salicylate induces multiple antibiotic resistance in various bacterial species. Here we investigated the effect of salicylate on the susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to a range of antituberculosis (anti-TB) drugs. In the presence of salicylate, the killing effects of isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RMP), ethambutol (EMB), streptomycin (STR), and p-aminosalicylate (PAS) were reduced, as shown with a tetrazolium redox dye viability assay and a bacterial survival assay. Salicylate-induced resistance was more pronounced for PAS, STR, and EMB but was not apparent for INH and RMP when salicylate and the anti-TB agents were incorporated into 7H11 plates. The significance of these findings for TB treatment needs to be further evaluated in vivo.
Semi-rigidity of horocycle flows over compact surfaces of variable negative curvature

Let g be the geodesic flow on the unit tangent bundle of a C3 compact surface of negative curvature. Let μ be the g-invariant measure of maximal entropy. Let h be a uniformly parametrized flow along the horocycle foliation, i.e., such a flow exists, leaves μ invariant, and is unique up to constant scaling of the parameter (Margulis). We show that any measure-theoretic conjugacy: (h, μ) → (h′, μ′) is a.e. of the form θ, where θ is a homeomorphic conjugacy: g → g′. Furthermore, any homeomorphic conjugacy g → g′; must be a C1 diffeomorphism.
Chronology of the Later Stone Age and Food Production in East Africa

Abstract Evidence from several archaeological sites in sub-Saharan Africa suggests that the transition to modern human technology, marked by the change from the Middle to the Later Stone Age (LSA), occurred first in East Africa. Enkapune Ya Muto rockshelter, in the central Rift Valley of Kenya, contains the oldest known archaeological horizons spanning this transition. Radiocarbon and obsidian hydration dates from this 5·6-m deep cultural sequence show that the Later Stone Age began substantially earlier than 46,000 years ago. Ostrich eggshell beads were made 40,000 years ago. Early dates for the LSA and beads may have implications for the origin and dispersal of modern human behaviour and modern humans out of Africa. This site also contains the only known occurrences dating to the Middle Holocene dry phase in highland Kenya and Tanzania, as well as occurrences that span the transition from hunting and gathering to food production, and from the Neolithic to the Iron Age. The adoption of domestic animals by indigenous Eburran hunter–gatherers in highland East Africa occurred gradually between 4900 and 3300 uncorrected radiocarbon years BP and the Neolithic/Later Iron Age transition occurred around 1300 BP .
A structured review of randomized controlled trials of weight loss showed little improvement in health-related quality of life.

Abstract Objective To estimate the effect of weight-loss interventions on health-related quality of life (HrQoL) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs); to conduct a meta-analysis of weight-loss treatment on depressive symptoms; and, to examine methodological and presentation issues that compromise study validity. Study Design and Setting We conducted a structured review of 34 RCTs with weight-loss interventions that reported the relationship between HrQoL and treatment at two or more time points. We also evaluated study quality. Results Trials lasted 6 weeks to 208 weeks and evaluated behavioral, surgical, or pharmacologic interventions. Nine of 34 trials showed HrQoL improvements in generic measures. Obesity-specific measures were more likely to show improvement in response to treatment than non-obesity-specific measures. Meta-analysis showed no treatment effect on depressive symptoms. Most trials tracked loss to follow-up and conducted intent-to-treat analysis, but only four trials concealed recruitment staff to randomization and 14 blinded the investigation team to randomization. Conclusion HrQoL outcomes, including depression, were not consistently improved in RCTs of weight loss. The overall quality of these clinical trials was poor. Better-designed RCTs using standardized HrQoL measures are needed to determine the extent to which weight loss improves HrQoL.
Preventing organ-specific chemotherapy toxicity

Recent advances in treatment for pediatric cancers has increased overall survival rates. As more and more survive pediatric cancer, we continue to see the emergence of late effects of treatment within pediatric and the growing adult survivor population. The evaluation of late effects was initiated approximately two decades ago, and has become an extremely important facet of pediatric oncology. This review delves into several of the most serious organ-specific late effects of pediatric cancer treatment, outline what we know and what we do not currently understand about preventing or reducing them. Clinical and bench researach are necessary to develope interventions that will avoid or mitigate late effects and improve the health of pediatric cancer survivors.
Online Spatial-temporal Data Fusion for Robust Adaptive Tracking

One problem with the adaptive tracking is that the data that are used to train the new target model often contain errors and these errors will affect the quality of the new target model. As time passes by, these errors will accumulate and eventually lead the tracker to drift away. In this paper, we propose a new method based on online data fusion to alleviate this tracking drift problem. Based on combining the spatial and temporal data through a dynamic Bayesian network, the proposed method can improve the quality of online data labeling, therefore minimizing the error associated with model updating and alleviating the tracking drift problem. Experiments show the proposed method significantly improves the performance of an existing adaptive tracking method.
Theophylline Absorption and Disposition in Rabbits: Oral, Intravenous, and Concentration-Dependent Kinetic Studies

Theophylline pharmacokinetics following oral and intravenous administration were studied, and the absolute bioavailability of five commercially available products was determined using the rabbit as an in vivo model. Concentration-dependent clearance studies were performed by multiple constant-rate infusion and multiple bolus dose administration of aminophylline. Theophylline pharmacokinetics following the oral adminstration of these products obeyed the one-compartment open model adequately. However, the data obtained following rapid intravenous aminophylline administration in the rabbit fit either the one-compartment model (half-life = 2.8 hr and the volume of distribution = 0.586 liter/kg) or the two-compartment model (β-phase half-life = 4.4 hr and Vd(β) = 0.708 liter/kg). There were no significant product-to-product differences in the time to peak (tmax), the rate constant of absorption (ka), or the percent of dose absorbed at 1 hr (F1); however, differences in the absolute bioavailahility (F), dose-normalized peak serum concentration (Cmax(n)), and percent of dose absorbed at 6 hr (F6) were significant. There was no evidence of concentration-dependent clearance for theophylline in the rabbit in the serum concentration range studied, but the results of the multiple constant-rate infusion study suggest that total clearance decreases at higher serum theophylline concentrations.
Environmental and Economic Evaluation of the Massachusetts Smoke-free Workplace Law

An environmental and economic evaluation of the smoke-free law in Massachusetts provides a broad appreciation of how a state-wide smoking ban affects the health of patrons and workers as well as the industries that are commonly concerned about the effects of smoking bans on business. The aim of this study is to evaluate environmental and economic effects of the statewide Massachusetts statewide Smoke-Free Workplace Law. Before and after the smoking ban, air quality testing was conducted in a sample (n = 27) of hospitality venues and state-wide economic changes were assessed. Compliance, in terms of patronage was measured by person-counts. Environmental outcomes were respirable suspended particles (RSP) less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5). Economic outcomes were meals tax collections, employment in the food services and drinking places and accommodations industries. On average, levels of respirable suspended particles (RSPs) less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) decreased 93% in these venues after the Massachusetts Smoke-free Workplace Law went into effect. No statistically significant changes were observed among the economic indicators. This evaluation demonstrates that the state-wide Massachusetts law has effectively improved indoor air quality in a sample of Massachusetts venues and has not negatively affected several economic indicators.
Three-dimensional modeling of lacustrine diatom habitat areas: Improving paleolimnological interpretation of planktic : benthic ratios

Three-dimensional modeling of lake morphometry enables the calculation of lake volume, planar surface area, and basin surface area, which are critical components of a conceptual model of how planktic and benthic habitat areas change with changing lake level. We have applied three-dimensional modeling to Foy Lake, Montana, and compared model results of changing ratios of planktic and benthic habitat areas at all possible lake levels to sediment cores recovered from the lake. The model allows us to produce semiquantitative depth reconstructions and greatly improves lake-level reconstruction of this morphometrically complex basin. The conceptual model also was modified to examine the influence of resuspension versus gravity redistribution of diatomaceous material on the sedimentary record. Comparison of the model results with both long and short sedimentary records from Foy Lake, Montana, suggests that planktic : benthic ratios may be a better predictor of mean lake depth than maximum lake depth. The model developed here is simple enough to be easily implemented, has few requirements, can be adapted to suit any lake basin, and can be augmented to examine a variety of different lake processes that affect habitat availability.
Revealing the Anatomy of Cities through Spectral Mixture Analysis of Multispectral Satellite Imagery: A Case Study of the Greater Cairo Region, Egypt.

Abstract This paper examines the feasibility of spectral mixture analysis (SMA) in deriving comparable physical measures of urban land cover that describe the morphological characteristics of cities. SMA offers a way of analyzing satellite imagery of urban areas that may be superior to more standard methods of classification. Mixing models are based on the assumption that the remotely measured spectrum of a given pixel can be modeled as a combination of pure spectra, called endmembers. SMA, using four image endmembers (vegetation, impervious surface, soil, and shade), was applied to an IRS‐1C multispectral image in order to extract measures that describe the anatomy of the Greater Cairo region, Egypt, in terms of endmember fractions. The resulting fractions were then used to classify the urban scene into eight classes of natural and human‐built features through a decision tree (DT) classifier. The accuracy of the DT classification was compared to the accuracies of two per‐pixel supervised classifications ...
Atypical lateralization of language predicts cerebral asymmetries in parietal gesture representations

Humans typically show left-hemisphere dominance both for language and manual gestures. If this reflects a dependence of these behaviors on a common cerebral specialization, then healthy left-handers with atypical organization of language should show a similar pattern for gesture. Consistent with this hypothesis, we report fMRI data indicating that sinistrals (5/15) with bilateral, or right-lateralized, language representations in inferior frontal cortex exhibit a similar atypical pattern in inferior parietal representations of familiar gestures.