cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dispersion of the volcanic sulfate cloud from a Mount Pinatubo–like eruption

[1] We use the GEOS-5 general circulation model to simulate the transport of the volcanic cloud from an eruption similar to the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo. The simulated aerosol optical thickness and transport of the volcanic cloud are in good agreement with observations of the actual Pinatubo eruption from the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II (SAGE II) and the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and with vertical profiles of sulfur dioxide observed by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS). We tested the importance of initial conditions corresponding to the specific meteorological situation at the time of the eruption by comparing results when GEOS-5 is initialized using Modern Era Retrospective Analyses for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis fields with results when it is initialized from an existing model run. We found no significant difference in the transport of the cloud. We show how the inclusion of the interaction between volcanic sulfate aerosol and radiation is essential for a reliable simulation of the transport of the volcanic cloud. The absorption of longwave radiation by the volcanic sulfate largely induces the rising of the volcanic cloud up to the middle stratosphere and the divergent motion from the latitude of the eruption to the tropics. Our simulations indicate that the cloud is transported to the Northern Hemisphere through a lower stratospheric pathway and to middle and high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere through a middle stratospheric pathway, centered at about 30 hPa. The direction of the middle stratospheric pathway depends on the season of the eruption.
The impossibility of a non-zero rest mass for the graviton

Abstract The possibility of constructing a theory of gravity in which the graviton has a non-zero mass is discussed. The theory does not approach Einstein's theory in the limit of small graviton mass and is in disagreement with observation unless the source of the gravitational field satisfies certain conditions. It is shown that these conditions cannot be satisfied for a local source corresponding to a scalar field, a classical point particle, or a perfect fluid.
Development of a high-throughput screen targeting caspase-8-mediated cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein.

Caspases, effectors of apoptosis, are key mediators of neuronal death in several neurodegenerative diseases. Caspase-8 and caspase-6 have been implicated in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). s-Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is cleaved at Asp664 in its intracellular domain by caspase-8. We and other laboratories recently showed that obliteration of the caspase cleavage site on APP alleviates functional AD-like deficits in a mouse model. Therefore, caspase cleavage of APP constitutes a potential novel target for therapeutic intervention. To identify chemical inhibitors of caspase-8 cleavage, we screened a subset of the chemical library at the Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center's Laboratory for Drug Discovery in Neurodegeneration. We show that caspase-8, but not caspase-1, -3, or -9, cleaves a biotinylated peptide derived from APP at Asp664, and we report the development of a sensitive high-throughput assay for caspase-8 cleavage of APP and the use of that assay for the identification of specific small molecule "hit" compounds that potently inhibit Asp664 cleavage of APP. Furthermore, we demonstrate that one of these compounds (LDN-0021835) inhibits the cleavage of APP at Asp664 in cell-based assays.
The Fourth Walter Wile Hamburger Memorial Lecture, Institute of Medicine of Chicago Some Aspects of the Pulmonary Circulation in Normal Man and in Chronic Cardiopulmonary Diseases

A review of present day knowledge of the pulmonary circulation in man is presented. In particular the state of the lesser circulation in normal man at rest and under conditions of exercise and acute anoxia is defined in detail in order to provide the physiologic background against which to present the accumulated data in patients with certain types of chronic cardiopulmonary diseases.
Regulation of VE-cadherin linkage to the cytoskeleton in endothelial cells exposed to fluid shear stress.

Endothelial cells exposed to shear stress realigned and elongated in the direction of flow through the coordinated remodeling of their adherens junctions and actin cytoskeleton. The elaborate networks of VE-cadherin complexes in static cultures became more uniform and compact in response to shear. In contrast, the cortical actin present in static cultures was reorganized into numerous stress fiber bundles distributed parallel to the direction of flow. Exposure to shear did not significantly alter the expression of the junctional proteins VE-cadherin, beta-catenin, and alpha-catenin, but the composition of the junctional complexes did change. We detected a marked decrease in the alpha-catenin associated with VE-cadherin complexes in endothelial monolayers subjected to shear. This loss of alpha-catenin, the protein that links beta-catenin-bound cadherin to the actin cytoskeleton, was not due to decreased quantities of beta-catenin associated with VE-cadherin. Instead, the loss of alpha-catenin from the junctional complexes coincided with the increased tyrosine phosphorylation of beta-catenin associated with VE-cadherin. The change in beta-catenin phosphorylation closely correlated with the shear-induced loss of the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 from VE-cadherin complexes. Thus, the functional interaction of alpha-catenin with VE-cadherin-bound beta-catenin is regulated by the extent of tyrosine phosphorylation of beta-catenin. This, concomitantly, is regulated by SHP-2 associated with VE-cadherin complexes.
The Type A-Type B classification in a community sample of problem drinkers: structural and predictive validity.

Abstract Objective The Type A–Type B multidimensional classification model has been useful for identifying a subgroup of alcohol dependent drinkers with more severe psychosocial problems and a poor prognosis. Evidence suggests its dimensions may be useful for identifying problem drinkers in the general population at risk for developing alcohol dependence. To date, the model has not yet been investigated for this purpose. The present study investigated the Type A/Type B distinction in a community sample of problem drinkers as well as its predictive validity among problem drinkers with no history of alcohol dependence. Method Households from a geographically delimited area in the United States were designated via random digit dialing and randomly designated members were screened for eligibility. A total of 876 participants met eligibility criteria and completed a structured interview (AUDADIS) on alcohol and other health related behaviors at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. A k -means cluster analysis was performed to identify subgroups of problem drinkers. Results A two-cluster solution adequately fit the data and identified two main subgroups of problem drinkers consistent with a Type A–Type B distinction. The group differences held among those with and without a history of alcohol dependence and the subset of Type B drinkers with no history of alcohol dependence were approximately five times ( β = 1.56, p ≤ 0.01) more likely to have an initial onset of dependence than Type A drinkers at 1-year follow-up. In contrast, a DSM-IV alcohol abuse diagnosis at baseline did not predict 1-year onset of dependence. Conclusions The Type A–Type B model is useful for identifying untreated problem drinkers at risk for developing alcohol dependence. This model may facilitate the development of more targeted prevention efforts.
An animated simulation model for analyzing on-street parking issues

This paper describes an animated simulation model which was used to assess several strategies for improving urban on- street parking systems. Built in ARENA, the model tracks six key performance measures including the probability of finding a parking space, the time spent searching for a parking space, and the total amount of money put into parking meters. Sensitivity analyses performed with the model revealed that a driver's chances of finding a parking space increase at about the same rate as decreases in the mean actual parking time. The model was also used to assess the effects of various degrees of enforcement of the one-hour time limit on system performance. Finally, experiments were performed with the model to determine how newer meter technologies might affect parking revenues collected by city management. Specifically, when existing meters were replaced by resetting meters which zero out any time left after a car pulls out of a space, parking meter revenues rose by 23 %.
Chemical potential prediction in realistic fluid models with scaled particle theory

A procedure frequently proposed in the literature for calculating chemical potentials relies on the Kirkwood charging process. Numerical problems associated with coupling large repulsive forces can be avoided by estimating the contribution to the chemical potential due to these forces with scaled particle theory. The contribution due to soft repulsive forces and attractive forces can be calculated with the Kirkwood charging process using distribution functions for a test particle obtained from integral equation theories. We have used the accurate HMSA theory of Zerah and Hansen to provide distribution functions in mixtures of Lennard-Jones molecules, and we have used the PYP theory of Lee to scale the distribution functions over the charging process. The theory provides accurate estimates of chemical potentials over a range of densities from gas-like to liquid-like when the reduced temperature kT/ɛ is greater than 2. Accurate results for excess free energy changes of mixing are also obtained at these conditions. At lower temperatures accurate results are obtained for low to moderate reduced densities (ρσ 3⩽0.5).
Estimating Health-Related Quality of Life in Obese Individuals

Obesity has a significant impact on both morbidity and mortality, as well as an individual’s capacity to live a full and active life. Traditionally, outcome measures in obesity treatments have emphasised physiological variables such as amount of bodyweight lost and improvements in various health parameters. Increasingly, measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are used to address the patient’s point of view on whether obesity treatment has adequately enhanced functioning and general well-being. Generic measures of HRQOL allow clinicians and researchers to compare the negative social, emotional and physical impact of obesity against other health conditions; specific measures offer insight into how treatment interventions may alter distinct dimensions of HRQOL in overweight individuals.
Commonly Rare and Rarely Common: Comparing Population Abundance of Invasive and Native Aquatic Species

Invasive species are leading drivers of environmental change. Their impacts are often linked to their population size, but surprisingly little is known about how frequently they achieve high abundances. A nearly universal pattern in ecology is that species are rare in most locations and abundant in a few, generating right-skewed abundance distributions. Here, we use abundance data from over 24,000 populations of 17 invasive and 104 native aquatic species to test whether invasive species differ from native counterparts in statistical patterns of abundance across multiple sites. Invasive species on average reached significantly higher densities than native species and exhibited significantly higher variance. However, invasive and native species did not differ in terms of coefficient of variation, skewness, or kurtosis. Abundance distributions of all species were highly right skewed (skewness>0), meaning both invasive and native species occurred at low densities in most locations where they were present. The average abundance of invasive and native species was 6% and 2%, respectively, of the maximum abundance observed within a taxonomic group. The biological significance of the differences between invasive and native species depends on species-specific relationships between abundance and impact. Recognition of cross-site heterogeneity in population densities brings a new dimension to invasive species management, and may help to refine optimal prevention, containment, control, and eradication strategies.
Expression of anti-Müllerian hormone, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKN1B), androgen receptor, and connexin 43 in equine testes during puberty.

Sertoli cells are essential in development of a functional testis. During puberty, Sertoli cell maturation can be characterized by a number of markers, including anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and its receptor (AMHR2), androgen receptor (AR), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKN1B), and connexin 43 (Cx43). In the present study, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to characterize changes in expression of AMH, AMHR2, AR, CDKN1B, and Cx43 in prepubertal, postpubertal, and adult equine testes. During puberty, AMH expression decreased, and expression of AR as well as CDKN1B increased in Sertoli cells coinciding with the period of Sertoli cell maturation, arrest of cell proliferation, and presumptive AMH regulation by testosterone. Expression of AMHR2 appeared to decrease in Sertoli cells and increase in Leydig cells during pubertal maturation of the equine testis. In addition, expression and distribution of Cx43 changed during puberty in the stallion, suggesting a role for Cx43 in Sertoli cell signaling and maturation, hormone secretion, and blood-testis barrier formation. We concluded that Sertoli cell maturation during puberty in the stallion was accompanied by a reduced expression of AMH and its receptor, arrest of cell proliferation, increased expression of AR, and organization of gap-junctional communication.
Fecal excretion of Greek strains of hepatitis A virus in patients with hepatitis A and in experimentally infected chimpanzees.

The presence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in stool samples was determined in 36 children (mean age, 8.9 years) and 38 adults (mean age, 19.9 years) with acute type A hepatitis. Three stool samples, taken on admission and thereafter at three-to-five-day intervals, were collected from each patient. The first day of dark urine was considered to be the onset of illness. Molecular hybridization of cloned HAV cDNA to fecal extracts was used to detect HAV RNA; radioimmunoassay was used to detect HAV antigen. In all of the samples tested, HAV RNA was detected significantly more frequently than HAV antigen (28.4% vs. 8.1%, P less than .001). HAV RNA was detected with equal frequency in both children and adults during the first week of illness. However, HAV RNA was detected more frequently in children than in adults during the second week of illness (45.7% vs. 18.9%, P less than .05). Among patients with HAV RNA, detection in multiple samples was more frequent in children than in adults (38.9% vs. 7.9%, P less than .01), especially among males.
Guided ion-beam and theoretical studies of the reaction of Os+ (6D) with O2: Adiabatic and nonadiabatic behavior

Abstract The kinetic-energy dependence of the Os+ + O2 reaction is examined using guided ion-beam mass spectrometry. The cross section for OsO+ formation from ground state Os+ (6D) is unusual, exhibiting two endothermic features. The kinetic energy dependence for OsO+ formation is analyzed to determine D0(Os+ O) = 4.96 ± 0.02 eV, with the higher energy feature having a threshold 1.36 ± 0.11 eV higher in energy. This bond energy is roughly consistent with previous values determined by bracketing measurements. Formation of OsO2+ is also observed with a pressure dependent cross section, establishing that it is formed in an exothermic reaction of OsO+ with O2. The nature of the bonding for OsO+ and OsO2+ is discussed and analyzed primarily using theoretical calculations at the B3LYP/def2-TZVPPD level of theory. The ground state of OsO+ is identified as either 6Σ+ or 4Π, with the latter favored once estimates of spin-orbit splitting are included. Bond energies for ground state OsO+ are calculated at this level as well as BHLYP, BLYP, BP86, and CCSD(T,full) levels along with using the Stuttgart–Dresden (SDD) and Hay–Wadt (HW+) basis sets on osmium with a 6-311+G(3df) basis on oxygen. BLYP and BP86 theoretical bond energies are higher than the experimental value, whereas B3LYP and CCSD(T,full) values are lower, and BHLYP values are much too low. Potential energy surfaces for the reaction of Os+ with O2 are also calculated at the B3LYP/def2-TZVPPD level of theory and reveal that ground state Os+ (6D) inserts into O2 by forming a Os+(O2) (4B2) complex which can then couple with additional surfaces to form ground state OsO2+ (2B1). Several explanations for the unusual dual endothermic features are explored, with no unambiguous explanation being evident. As such, this heavy metal system provides a very interesting experimental phenomenon of both adiabatic and nonadiabatic behavior.
Direct deposition of continuous metal nanostructures by thermal dip-pen nanolithography

We describe the deposition of continuous metal nanostructures onto glass and silicon using a heated atomic force microscope cantilever. Like a miniature soldering iron, the cantilever tip is coated with indium metal, which can be deposited onto a surface forming lines of a width less than 80 nm. Deposition is controlled using a heater integrated into the cantilever. When the cantilever is unheated, no metal is deposited from the tip, allowing the writing to be registered to existing features on the surface. We demonstrate direct-write circuit repair by writing an electrical connection between two metal electrodes separated by a submicron gap.
Potential species dependency for the pulmonary antiallergic effects of aerosolized heparin.

Abstract Summary: The inhibition of antigen aerosol-induced bronchoconstriction by heparin aerosol pretreatment has been demonstrated in conscious sheep. Therefore, we investigated the effect of heparin aerosol pretreatment on antigen aerosol-induced bronchoconstriction in anaesthetized and ventilated guinea-pigs. In one study all animals were pretreated with propranolol and indomethacin in order to produce a large bronchoconstriction, whereas in a second study this pretreatment was omitted in order to produce a smaller bronchoconstriction. In both studies aerosolized heparin failed to inhibit antigen aerosol-induced bronchoconstriction, whether delivered at 1, 10 and 100 mg/ml 10 min prior to antigen challenge or delivered at 50 mg/ml 60 min prior to antigen challenge. In contrast, salbutamol aerosol pretreatment (1 mg/ml, delivered 10 min prior to antigen challenge) produced a near-maximum inhibition of antigen aerosol-induced bronchoconstriction. These results suggest that the pulmonary antiallergic effects of aerosolized heparin are potentially species dependent.
US bilateral trade equations: forecasts and structural stability

In this paper actual recent US trade values are compared with out-of-sample forecasts using a standard specification for real bilateral trade value equations. Though fairly accurate on average, there are large bilateral errors. A battery of coefficient stability tests indicates significant instability more often for imports over the forecast period and more often for exports over the latter part of the estimation period. Thus, standard bilateral trade equations appear to violate the basic regression assumption of stability and may be of little use for forecasting.
The evolution of computer monitoring of real time data during the Atlas Centaur launch countdown

In the last decade, improvements in computer technology have provided new 'tools' for controlling and monitoring critical missile systems. In this connection, computers have gradually taken a large role in monitoring all flights and ground systems on the Atlas Centaur. The wide body Centaur which will be launched in the Space Shuttle Cargo Bay will use computers to an even greater extent. It is planned to use the wide body Centaur to boost the Galileo spacecraft toward Jupiter in 1985. The critical systems which must be monitored prior to liftoff are examined. Computers have now been programmed to monitor all critical parameters continuously. At this time, there are two separate computer systems used to monitor these parameters.
Wafer bonding of highly oriented diamond to silicon

Abstract Polished, highly oriented diamond (HOD) with an RMS roughness of less than 3 nm was bonded to single-side polished silicon wafers in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) at 32 MPa of applied uniaxial pressure. Successful fusion of HOD to silicon was achieved at temperatures above 850 °C. Fusion resulted in the formation of an abrupt interface between the wafers in the areas away from diamond grain boundaries. Voids, partially filled with amorphous material, were observed at the fused interface near the diamond grain boundaries. Preferential diamond polishing, potential out-diffusion of hydrogen from diamond and oxygen from silicon are believed to have contributed to the observed non-uniformity of the bonded interface.
Degrees of Urbanism and Police Orientations: Testing Preferences for Different Policing Approaches Across Urban, Suburban, and Rural Areas

Citizen preferences for different police orientations have seldom been studied as a variable that is affected by degrees of urbanism. Although actual police styles are perceived to reflect preferences of local residents, there is no empirical evidence that suggests this is true. The data for this study was collected by surveying residents living in areas with various levels of urbanism to understand whether degrees of urbanism explain differences in preferences for different policing approaches across urban, suburban, and rural areas. The results indicated that urban residents have a stronger preference for community policing, suburban residents have a greater preference for police professionalism, and rural residents have a stronger interest in problem-oriented policing. The findings are explained with various personal, social, and contextual predictors, and their implications for policing are discussed.
Appointment scheduling with no-shows and overbooking

We study an overbooking model for scheduling arrivals at a medical facility under no-show behavior, with patients having different no-show probabilities and different weights. The scheduler has to assign the patients to time slots in such a way that she minimizes the expected weighted sum of the patients' waiting times and the doctor's idle time and overtime. We first consider the static problem, where the set of patients to be scheduled and their characteristics are known in advance. We partially characterize the optimal schedule and introduce a new sequencing rule that schedules patients according to a single index that is a function of their characteristics. Then we apply our theoretical results and conclusions from numerical experiments to sequential scheduling procedures. We propose a heuristic solution to the sequential scheduling problem, where requests for appointments come in gradually over time and the scheduler has to assign each patient to one of the remaining slots that are available in the schedule for a given day. We find that the no-show rate and patients' heterogeneity have a significant impact on the optimal schedule and should be taken under consideration.
Some Effects of The English Unemployment Insurance Acts on the Number of Unemployed Relieved Under the Poor Law

Introductory survey of legislation, 262. — I. Developments 1920–1926, 265. — The Act of 1927, 273. — II. Leniency of Boards of Guardians not an adequate explanation of conditions, 275. — III. Extent of overlapping of Poor Law and Insurance System, 280. — Analysis of recipients of aid from both, 285. — Conclusion, 287.
Clinical features and prognosis of Boston type I keratoprosthesis-associated corneal melt.

Purpose: To describe the clinical features and outcomes of corneal melt associated with Boston type I keratoprosthesis (KPro) implantation.Methods: Medical records of patients who experienced corneal melt following KPro implantation were reviewed retrospectively.Results: Sixty-six adult patients had KPro implantation from January 2004 to November 2010. Six patients had an underlying inflammatory ocular surface disorder. Four experienced corneal melt (6.1%) 5–42 months after the initial surgery. One patient was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome as a result of diagnostic workup following melt. Three patients were treated with systemic immunomodulatory therapy; two experienced fungal keratitis and subsequent endophthalmitis. KPro had to be explanted and replaced with donor cornea in all cases.Conclusions: KPro-associated corneal melt is uncommon and appears to occur in patients with preexisting inflammatory disorders, which might not have been previously diagnosed. Timely explantation of KPro and replacement...
Neonatal quinpirole treatment impairs morris water task performance in early postweanling rats: relationship to increases in corticosterone and decreases in neurotrophic factors

Abstract Background Past studies from this laboratory have shown that quinpirole administration from postnatal day (P) 1–21 produces persistent supersensitization of the dopamine D 2 receptor that persists throughout the animal's lifetime. Methods In Experiment 1, both male and female rats were treated with quinpirole or saline from P1–21 and tested on the place and match-to-place versions of the Morris water task (MWT) from P22–28. In Experiment 2, both male and female rats were administered either acute or chronic injections of quinpirole (1 mg/kg) or saline beginning on P1 until analysis for corticosterone (CORT) on P7, 14, or 21. Results Neonatal quinpirole treatment produced deficits on both versions of the MWT compared with saline control. One day after behavioral testing, brain tissue was harvested, and the hippocampus was analyzed for nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived nerve growth factor (BDNF); NGF was found to be significantly decreased by neonatal quinpirole treatment. Acute or chronic quinpirole treatment on P14 produced a larger increase in CORT than controls and produced larger increases in CORT than control rats on P21. Conclusions These results demonstrate that neonatal quinpirole treatment produces cognitive deficits that could be related to decreases in hippocampal NGF and increases in CORT, resulting in abnormalities in hippocampal development.
A bitter principle of safflower; matairesinol monoglucoside

Abstract During an examination of the components contributing to the bitter taste of safflower meal, l -matairesinol-mono-β- d -glucoside was isolated and identified. This represents the first observation of this lignan occurring naturally in glycosidic form.
Infective and inactivated filamentous phage as carriers for immunogenic peptides

The focus of this study is on development of vaccines using filamentous phage as a delivery vector for immunogenic peptides. The use of phage as a carrier for immunogenic peptides provides significant benefits such as high immunogenicity, low production costs, and high stability of phage preparations. However, introduction of live recombinant phage into the environment might represent a potential ecological problem. This, for example, may occur when vaccines are used in oral or nasal formulations in field conditions for wild and feral animals. To address this issue, comparative studies of antigenic properties of live and inactivated (non-viable) phage were accomplished. Inactivated phage, if released, will not propagate and will degrade as any other protein. In these experiments, a model phage clone that was previously selected from a phage display library and shown to stimulate production of anti-sperm antibodies with contraceptive properties was used. Multiple methods of phage inactivation were tested, including drying, freezing, autoclaving, heating, and UV irradiation. Under studied conditions, heating at 76°C for 3h, UV irradiation, and autoclaving resulted in complete phage inactivation. Phage samples treated by heat and UV were characterized by spectrophotometry and electron microscopy. To test antigenicity, live and inactivated phage preparations were injected into mice and antibody responses assayed by ELISA. It was found that phage killed by heat causes little to no immune responses, probably due to destruction of phage particles. In contrast, UV-inactivated phage stimulated production of IgG serum antibodies at the levels comparable to live phage. Thus, vaccines formulated to include UV-inactivated filamentous phage might represent environmentally safe alternatives to live phage vaccines.
The moderation of adolescent-to-peer similarity in tobacco and alcohol use by school levels of substance use.

Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study examined the impact of school-level smoking and drinking on adolescent-peer similarity for smoking and drinking. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that adolescent-peer similarity was significantly moderated by school-level substance use for both tobacco and alcohol use. For tobacco, similarity between adolescent and peer use increased from .18 in the lower quartile of tobacco-using schools to .44 in the upper quartile of tobacco-using schools. Corresponding similarities for alcohol use ranged from .25 to .34. These results suggest that schools with relatively few substance-using peers provide less opportunities for adolescents to pick niches that expose them to risk factors that correspond to their own substance-use behaviors.
Performance of commonly used respiratory questionnaire items in a cohort of infants born preterm.

Background: Items from respiratory questionnaires validated in older children are often used in research studies of preterm infants, although they have not been validated in this population. We aimed to assess both test-retest reliability and convergent validity of a group of commonly used respiratory questionnaire items in a cohort of preterm infants. Methods: The health status of 300 preterm infants was assessed by telephone questionnaire as part of a prospective cohort study. The questionnaire items analyzed in this study included six commonly used respiratory questions. The questionnaire responses used in this analysis were from the telephone follow-up in this cohort at six months of age adjusted for prematurity. A repeat interview one to two weeks after this interview was performed in a subset of subjects to assess test-retest reliability. The convergent validity of the respiratory items was also assessed by calculating the associations among the responses to the respiratory questions. Results: A total of 43 infants were singletons that met the criteria for test-retest reliability analysis. All of the respiratory questions demonstrated fair to strong test-retest reliability. Among 206 respondents, respiratory questionnaire items also demonstrated strong convergent validity, in that caretakers reporting wheezing or whistling in the chest were significantly more likely to also report other respiratory events. Conclusions: This selection of standard respiratory questionnaire items performed well for research purposes in this population.
Internet vs. Matter: Differences in Students' Concept Development from Elementary through High School

Internet is an emerging complex scientific concept that children have not yet systematically learned in schools but continuously experience in their daily lives. In contrast, matter is a classic complex scientific concept that children systematically study from elementary through high school in addition to continuous everyday experiences. In this study, with two independent samples of grades 4-12 students, the authors deliberately compared these two concepts to understand the effects of formal and informal learning experiences. Understandings of Internet and matter were measured and then converted into a same interval scale through Rasch modeling. Results show that the development of Internet understanding has a much lower rate than that matter and the development of Internet understanding shows more heterogeneous than that of matter. These findings suggest that formal learning helps increase the students' understanding growth rate while reduce variation in understanding among students.
Analysis of shorthorn sculpin antifreeze protein stereospecific binding to (2–1 0) faces of ice

In this paper we report the results of our studies on the stereospecific binding of shorthorn sculpin antifreeze protein (AFP) to (2 -1 0) secondary prism faces of ice. Using ice crystal growth and etching techniques together with molecular modeling, molecular dynamics, and energy minimization, we explain the nature of preferential binding of shorthorn sculpin AFP along the [1 2 2] direction on (2- 1 0) planes. In agreement with ice etching studies, the mechanism of preferential binding suggested by molecular modeling explains why the binding of shorthorn sculpin AFP occurs along [1 2 2] and not along its mirror symmetry-related direction [-1 -2 2] on (2 -1 0). This binding mechanism is based on the protein-crystal surface enantioselective recognition that utilizes both alpha-helical protein backbone matching to the (2 -1 0) surface topography and matching of side chains of polar/charged residues with specific water molecule positions in the ice surface. The mechanisms of winter flounder and shorthorn sculpin antifreeze binding to ice are compared.
Clopyralid and Compost: Formulation and Mowing Effects on Herbicide Content of Grass Clippings

The presence of clopyralid, a selective broadleaf herbicide, in compost near Spokane, Washington in 2000 was attributed to grass clippings collected from area lawns and subsequently used as compost feedstock. A field study was conducted in 2001 to evaluate the effects of herbicide formulation and mowing practice on the clopyralid content of grass clippings. The objective was to develop guidelines that would limit the concentration of clopyralid in clippings, thereby reducing the amount of clopyralid entering the compost production stream. Clopyralid was applied to turfgrass as either a sprayable (S) or granular (G) formulation. Grass clippings were either collected in a bagging lawn mower and removed from the plots or returned into the plant canopy using a mulching mower designed to finely chop and disperse the leaf blades. Clippings were sampled for a period of ten weeks after application, and again in the summer of 2002, and analyzed for clopyralid content. Mowing treatment had no significant effect on ...
Kinetics for oxygen reduction at platinum, palladium and silver electrodes

Abstract The electrochemical reduction of dissolved oxygen at pre-oxidized and pre-reduced metal electrodes has been studied using the galvanostatic and chronopotentiometric methods. Oxygen reduction at pre-oxidized electrodes occurs by a pH-dependent mechanism that gives water as the reduction product. With pre-reduced electrodes in acidic solutions, oxygen is reduced to hydrogen peroxide by a pH-independent mechanism. The kinetic parameters for these two mechanisms have been determined at platinum, palladium and silver electrodes.
Thrombin generation in normal plasma enriched with purified coagulation factors

During the intrinsic coagulation of normal platelet-rich plasma only 11% of the prothrombin is converted to thrombin. Complete conversion of prothrombin to thrombin occurs only via the extrinsic pathway (1). Addition of purified prothrombin to normal plasma to double or triple its concentration, doubled or tripled the amount of the generated thrombin as determined by the thrombin elution assay (1), so that the percentage of the proenzyme which was converted to thrombin remained the same. At the same time the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was prolonged. Proportionality of the amount of the generated thrombin to the amount of prothrombin added and a delay in the appearance of thrombin activity was also observed with the thrombin generation test. Normalization of the APTT was observed when factor IX was added together with prothrombin. Addition of factor IX or X to normal plasma shortened the APTT but did not increase the amount of prothrombin which was converted to thrombin as determined by both the thrombin elution assay and the thrombin generation test. Further experiments indicated that (a) more factor X is activated per mg tissue factor than per mg of activated partial thromboplastin and (b) more thrombin is generated per unit of factor Xa in the presence of tissue factor than in the presence of activated partial thromboplastin. Thus, the two pathways differ not only by the mechanism of factor X activation but also by the extent to which prothrombin is activated by factor Xa.
Anticoccidial activities of 7-bromo-N-(2-imidazolidinylidene)-1H-indazol-6-amine and other alpha 2 adrenergic agonists.

Activity against the coccidial pathogen Eimeria tenella in chickens has been discovered among alpha 2 adrenergic agonists. The clonidine analog 7-bromo-N-(2-imidazolidinylidene)-1H-indazol-6-amine was active in feed at 7.5 ppm, a concentration similar to the use levels of potent commercial agents, e.g., maduramicin. Additional alpha 2 agonists were also found to have anticoccidial activity, for example, the catecholamine nordefrin, which is chemically unrelated to clonidine. However, alpha 1 agonists and alpha antagonists were inactive. These observations imply that anticoccidial effects reflect involvement of a receptor with the characteristics of the vertebrate alpha 2 adrenoceptor. alpha 2 agonists that permeate the blood-brain barrier (like clonidine) inhibit feed intake at efficacious levels, whereas those that are restricted to the peripheral compartment (such as catecholamines) do not inhibit feed intake as much. Hence, anticoccidial efficacy may be a peripheral adrenergic effect whereas depression of feed intake is likely centrally mediated.
Disposition of carotenoids in the blue goose barnacle Lepas fascicularis

Die blauen ozeanischen Cirripedien,Lepas fascicularis, speichern Karotinoide in Eiern, Eingeweiden und den meisten ubrigen Geweben in den folgenden ungefahren Konzentrationen: 5:2:1 mg/100 g. In jeder Art von Gewebe ist Astaxanthin das Hauptkarotinoid, welches meist in Form des blauen Chromproteins vorliegt. Kleinere Mengen von Karotin und etwas mehr Xanthophylle kommen in den Eingeweiden, nicht aber in den reifen Eiern vor.
Imaging photopolarimeter on pioneer saturn.

Results of Pioneer 11 imaging photopolarimeter observations of Saturn, its rings, and Titan are presented. The imaging photopolarimeter is a pointable telescope with an aperture of 2.5 cm and passbands of 390 to 500 to 720 nm which uses the spin of the spacecraft to scan across an object. Images of the Saturn system and of the rings are presented, and the absence of a D ring, structures in the C, B and A rings and the Cassini division and the discoveries of the F ring and the provisionally named Pioneer division separating it from the A ring are reported. A mean particle size less than 15 meters is estimated from estimates of total ring mass and the optical depth of the B ring. The discovery of the satellite 1979 S 1 at 2.53 Saturn radii is also noted. Models of the vertical aerosol structure of Saturn's atmosphere are compared with the polarization data, and it is indicated that the density of cloud particles decreases with altitude with a scale height about one fourth that of the gas, and that an optical depth of one is to be found at 750 mbar.
Macrophage dysfunction impairs resolution of inflammation in the wounds of diabetic mice.

Background Chronic inflammation is a characteristic feature of diabetic cutaneous wounds. We sought to delineate novel mechanisms involved in the impairment of resolution of inflammation in diabetic cutaneous wounds. At the wound-site, efficient dead cell clearance (efferocytosis) is a pre-requisite for the timely resolution of inflammation and successful healing. Methodology/Principal Findings Macrophages isolated from wounds of diabetic mice showed significant impairment in efferocytosis. Impaired efferocytosis was associated with significantly higher burden of apoptotic cells in wound tissue as well as higher expression of pro-inflammatory and lower expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Observations related to apoptotic cell load at the wound site in mice were validated in the wound tissue of diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Forced Fas ligand driven elevation of apoptotic cell burden at the wound site augmented pro-inflammatory and attenuated anti-inflammatory cytokine response. Furthermore, successful efferocytosis switched wound macrophages from pro-inflammatory to an anti-inflammatory mode. Conclusions/Significance Taken together, this study presents first evidence demonstrating that diabetic wounds suffer from dysfunctional macrophage efferocytosis resulting in increased apoptotic cell burden at the wound site. This burden, in turn, prolongs the inflammatory phase and complicates wound healing.
Theoretical and Experimental Research on Hydraulic Fracturing

A joint theoretical/experimental research program on hydraulic fracturing is being conducted. Newly developed two-dimensional numerical models (which include complete descriptions of the elastic continuum and porous flow fields) have been applied to analyze the effects of pore pressure on the fracturing process. By means of small-scale experiments, a better understanding is being acquired of the effects of the in situ stress field, the porosity and permeability of the solid, and the presence of interfaces or layering in the solid. The growth of cracks near an interface in several materials, including polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), Nugget sandstone, and Indiana limestone were studied. Results have shown that the mechanical properties of the interface relative to the properties of the materials on either side are important. A crack will not cross a well-bonded interface between two pieces of PMMA, even in the presence of a 2000 psi normal load. Cracks will cross a well-bonded interface from PMMA to limestone, but not vice versa. Similarly, cracks will propagate across a bonded interface from Nugget sandstone to limestone, but not the other way. Pressure-driven cracks will cross an unbonded interface between limestone blocks at normal loads as low as 3.45 MPa (500 psi). The fluid pressure atmore » which a crack initiates in limestone also determines whether a crack crosses an unbonded interface under a given load.« less
Pseudoangiomatous Stromal Hyperplasia and Breast Cancer Risk

Background Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) is a benign localized fibrotic lesion in which clusters of spindle cells form cleftlike spaces, resembling ectatic vessels. Its relationship to breast cancer risk has not been characterized.
Free Variation and the Intuition of Geometric Essences: Some Reflections on Phenomenology and Modern Geometry

Edmund Husserl has argued that we can intuit essences and, moreover, that it is possible to formulate a method for intuiting essences. Husserl calls this method ‘ideation’. In this paper I bring a fresh perspective to bear on these claims by illustrating them in connection with some examples from modern pure geometry. I follow Husserl in describing geometric essences as invariants through different types of free variations and I then link this to the mapping out of geometric invariants in modern mathematics. This view leads naturally to different types of spatial ontologies and it can be used to shed light on Husserl's general claim that there are different ontologies in the eidetic sciences that can be systematically related to one another. The paper is rounded out with a consideration of the role of ideation in the origins of modern geometry, and with a brief discussion of the use of ideation outside of pure geometry. What would be the study that would draw the soul away from the world of becoming to the world of being?… Geometry and arithmetic would be among the studies we are seeking … a philosopher must learn them because he must arise out of the region of generation and lay hold on essence or he can never become a true reckoner … they facilitate the conversion of the soul itself from the world of generation to essence and truth… they are knowledge of that which always is and not of something which at some time comes into being and passes away.
Opposite Orientation of Backbone Inclination in Pyranosyl‐RNA and Homo‐DNA Correlates with Opposite Directionality of Duplex Properties

Backbone inclination is a parameter which can be used for the classification of the structure type of oligonucleotide duplexes. Its significance for the interpretation of the sequence dependence of duplex stability is illustrated based on examples of the p-RNA and homo-DNA series.
Premenstrual syndrome : Evidence for symptom stability across cycles

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed cycle to cycle symptom stability in women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). METHOD: Symptom ratings obtained prospectively over three or more symptomatic cycles from 16 women with PMS were analyzed. Measures of symptom severity and change were used to generate a coefficient of variation and an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for each one of 14 symptoms across all cycles. In addition, symptoms were divided into three clusters, and the stability of the rank order of severity of symptoms within clusters and the correlation between symptom clusters were also calculated. RESULTS: In the 65 cycles studied, mood symptoms were the most prevalent. Mood symptoms—anxiety, irritability, and mood lability—had the lowest coefficients of variation but also the lowest ICCs of all symptoms. Within their respective symptom clusters, both physical and mood symptoms showed remarkable stability across cycles of their rank order of severity, but only the mood symptom cluster was highly c...
Ions, bubbles, and vortices at the superfluid λ-transition

A vortex-ring theory of the superfluid λ-transition is reviewed, and new results are presented for the vortex density and for the superfluid density of helium in confined geometries. Possible experiments using ion probes to detect the thermally excited vortices are discussed. It appears that the usual helium ions are not suitable for this purpose, and that larger ion complexes such as multielectron bubbles will need to be employed. An experiment to stably trap multielectron bubbles with acoustic standing waves is outlined.
A time-series analysis of the effectiveness of sex offender notification laws in the USA

Archival crime data of forcible rapes for all 50 states of the United States dating from 1960 to 2008 were analyzed using an interrupted time-series design. For each state, rates of forcible rape prior to the passage of sex offender legislation were compared to rates of forcible rape after the passage of sex offender registration and notification laws. The results were mixed, with 17 states demonstrating a significant drop in rates of forcible rape following implementation of sex offender notification laws, and 32 states demonstrating no discernable change. Potential explanations for the obtained results were explored including the effect of differences in notification practices, registration practices, and the availability of sex offender treatment. Implications for future research are discussed.