cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electron Microscopic Study of Human Basophils

Electron microscope studies were carried out on human basophils obtained from peripheral blood and thoracic duct lymph. Delineation of the cells in thick sections was facilitated by staining with Toluidine Blue, which imparted the characteristic purple-red color to the granules. The cytoplasm contains many of the organelles seen in other cells, including a small Golgi apparatus, centrioles, mitochondria, fibrils and microtubules. Ribosomes and rough ER are rarely encountered. Basophil granules are surrounded by a unit membrane and contain particles which are uniform in size within the same granule but which vary in size in different granules within the same cell. Some granules reveal a homogeneous texture and/or "myelin" figures. The appearance of most basophil granules differs from the ultrastructure of human mast cell granules reported to date. It is suggested that the difference in fine structure may reflect a difference in the chemical constituents of the granules.
Benign tumors of the lung and bronchus

Benign tumors of the lung and bronchus are a heterogeneous group of lesions that usually present as asymptomatic, solitary, peripheral lung nodules or, less commonly, as endobronchial lesions causing obstructive symptoms. All endobronchial lesions should be removed surgically to alleviate symptoms and to prevent destruction of distal lung tissue. Parenchymal lesions may present challenging problems in clinical diagnosis and management. Most patients will ultimately require thoracotomy for histologic confirmation of benignity. It is probable that newer diagnostic procedures will allow a more accurate nonoperative diagnosis in certain patients in the near future. At the present time, expeditious limited thoracotomy affords a safe, rapid, and effective treatment for patients with a benign tumor of the lung or bronchus.
The Invertebrate Community of Ephemeral Waters

At intervals dictated by regional or local patterns of precipitation, runoff from rain or melting snow collects in shallow depressions and closed desert basins (Fig. 86). These sites often remain dry for years, but the process of filling can be rapid. Channeled runoff and sheet flooding (Fisher and Minckley, 1978; Eriksen, Patten and Rappoport, in prep.)—both of which can transport considerable sediment loads—seem to account for most of the inflow. Direct rainfall can contribute as well.
Sleep variability and nighttime activity among Tsimane forager-horticulturalists.

Objectives A common presumption in sleep research is that "normal" human sleep should show high night-to-night consistency. Yet, intra-individual sleep variation in small-scale subsistence societies has never been studied to test this idea. In this study, we assessed the degree of nightly variation in sleep patterns among Tsimane forager-horticulturalists in Bolivia, and explored possible drivers of the intra-individual variability. Methods We actigraphically recorded sleep among 120 Tsimane adults (67 female), aged 18-91, for an average of 4.9 nights per person using the Actigraph GT3X and Philips Respironics Actiwatch 2. We assessed intra-individual variation using intra-class correlations and average deviation from each individual's average sleep duration, onset, and offset times ( ɛ¯). Results Only 31% of total variation in sleep duration was due to differences among different individuals, with the remaining 69% due to nightly differences within the same individuals. We found no statistically significant differences in Tsimane sleep duration by day-of-the-week. Nightly variation in sleep duration was driven by highly variable sleep onset, especially for men. Nighttime activities associated with later sleep onset included hunting, fishing, housework, and watching TV. Conclusions In contrast to nightly sleep variation in the United States being driven primarily by "sleeping-in" on weekends, Tsimane sleep variation, while comparable to that observed in the United States, was driven by changing "bedtimes," independent of day-of-the-week. We propose that this variation may reflect adaptive responses to changing opportunity costs to sleep/nighttime activity.
Lower Extremity Functional Outcome Measures in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy-A Delphi Survey.

Background Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive neuromuscular disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness, multiple system involvement and premature mortality. Effective treatments for DMD through clinical trials and natural history studies are currently underway. Clinical trials in DMD typically include several outcome measures of motor function. Research sites and studies have been found to have slightly different operational definitions for a given functional outcome resulting in different procedures and protocols for these measurements. Objective The goal of this study is to establish agreement among experts in the field around best practices in collecting functional outcome data in DMD providing researchers and clinicians with guidance on best practices. Methods A group of 30 experts in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) with experience in the development and/ or execution of lower extremity outcome measures for this population met face to face to identify incongruences in the collection of this data. This effort was based in the United States (US) and sponsored by Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy. Several discrepancies were categorized for each outcome which included: 6-minute walk test, 10-meter walk/run, supine to stand, ascend 4 stairs, sit to stand, and the NorthStar Ambulatory Assessment. Following this meeting an additional 32 experts in DMD (28 from the United States and 11 international participants) consented to participate in a Delphi Survey to reach consensus on the protocols and execution of lower extremity outcomes. Results Round one: 70 operationally defined questions were surveyed with 45 (64%) reaching >70% consensus. Round two: 27 questions were operational, with 20 (74%) reaching >70% consensus. Those questions that did not reach consensus appear minor. Conclusion With minor modifications in the collection of data across sites, outcomes could potentially be normalized across research studies. This would reduce excessive training for evaluators in trials and produce minimal differences between protocols. Consistency in protocols will promote more efficient study start up, less errors between administration of items across studies, and ultimately improve quality and reliability of the functional outcomes. The authors strongly advocate for the establishment of a "research network library" that could be utilized by all those performing clinical assessments and trials in DMD.
Epitaxial Electrodeposition of BiI3 and Topotactic Conversion to Highly Ordered Solar Light-Absorbing Perovskite (CH₃NH₃)₃Bi₂I₉

Highly ordered, epitaxial semiconductor thin films have low defect densities and excellent photophysical properties that are desired for optoelectronic devices. In this work, the epitaxial films of...
GEOGRAPHERS, COLONIALISM, AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES: THE CASE OF PUERTO RICO

The growing literature on environmental racism has to date paid little attention to racism's influence upon natural resources, population, and development planning, or to links between yesterday's ...
Bounds on performance and dynamic bit allocation for sub-band coders

Optimal sub-band coder design is considered based on Shannon's bounds for the rate of a continuous source with a given spectral density. Minimization of these bounds with respect to band partitioning and rate per band is considered. For fixed sub-band bandwidths, the optimum rate allocation for each band is derived. The resulting expressions can be solved in real-time to yield a dynamic rate allocution scheme.
The Economy and the Economics Profession: Both Need Work

We are now suffering through economic problems that are worse than those that buffeted us 35 years ago, when the Eastern Economic Association was born. Since then, we have not made a great deal of progress toward methods of observation and analysis that would make economics a truly empirical science and would provide a means to better policy. Much if not most of the profession is still mired in the traditional ways of doing micro (sitting in a chair and making it up) and macro (pretending the economy is a single person, writ large). Factionalism in the profession, based on political leanings, is still rife. Behavioral and experimental economists assume we can learn what we need to know about businesses from watching students playing games made up by their professors. Neuroeconomics is arguably nothing but a diversion from what we should be doing. Very few economists are engaging in direct observation of businesses, as they actually operate. More of such work is needed.
Boundary and lens rigidity of finite quotients

We consider compact Riemannian manifolds (M, ∂M, g) with boundary ∂M and metric g on which a finite group Γ acts freely. We determine the extent to which certain rigidity properties of (M, ∂M, g) descend to the quotient (M/Γ,∂/Γ, g). In particular, we show by example that if (M, ∂M, g) is boundary rigid, then (M/Γ, ∂/Γ, g) need not be. On the other hand, lens rigidity of (M, ∂M, g) does pass to the quotient.
Behavior near the boundary of positive solutions of second order parabolic equations. II

A boundary backward Harnack inequality is proved for positive solutions of second order parabolic equations in non-divergence form in a bounded cylinder Q = Q x (0, T) which vanish on O,Q = OQ x (0, T), where Q is a bounded Lipschitz domain in R'. This inequality is applied to the proof of the Holder continuity of the quotient of two positive solutions vanishirLg on a portion of O,Q.
Ethylene and Methyl Jasmonate Interaction and Binding Models For Elicited Biosynthetic Steps of Paclitaxel in Suspension Cultures of Taxus Canadensis

Ethylene and methyl jasmonate (MJ) act as co-mediators of defined cellular responses in many plant systems. We postulate that specific biosynthetic steps for taxane production are regulated by allosteric regulation of ethylene binding, based on our absorption and induction modeling of paclitaxel formation in elicited suspension cell cultures of Taxus canadensis. Binding sites for ethylene on cellular membranes from many plant genera have been established for years, and recently the transmembrane ethylene receptor protein, ETR1, has been characterized as a two-component regulator. In attempting to model this system, we view a two-step process: MJ absorption in the membrane is directly related to MJ concentration, but its interaction with ETR1 is effective only at higher concentrations. Hence, at low MJ concentrations (0-20 μM), the unmodulated ethylene binding blocks induction of enzymes that either synthesize 3-phenylisoserine and/or add the sidechain to the baccatin III ring. Sigmoidal plots of paclitaxel and 7-xylosyl-10-deacetyltaxol productivity versus MJ concentration indicates allosteric modulation of ethylene binding by MJ. At medium to high MJ concentrations (200-400 μM), the modulation site is saturated, and no greater productivities are seen. These data logically fit an induction model described by Mirjalili and Linden [22]. Dependence on ethylene concentration is observed (27>10>7>3 μL/L) in baccatin III accumulation, but 7-xylosyl-10-deacetyltaxol and taxol in the culture medium are maximized using continuous 7 μL/L headspace (estimated 70 nM dissolved) ethylene, that is supplied independently to replicated shake flasks using flow along with uniform 10 (v/v) % oxygen and 0.5 (v/v) % carbon dioxide (balance nitrogen) from a gas mixing station.
Design of a burstiness measure for variable bit rate video

Some of the problems with existing burstiness measures are addressed, and a new burstiness measure for VBR video has been developed. It is shown that the burstiness measure has many desirable properties to specify not only the statistical characteristics, but also the temporal variations of traffic. The new burstiness measure is called the mean overload ratio (MOR) because it represents the degree of traffic overload during burst periods. To investigate the feasibility of this burstiness measure, the properties of MOR are discussed, and a positive relationship of the value of MOR with the cell loss rate is presented. The MOR measure has been applied to on-off source streams for the purpose of comparing the effectiveness of MOR with other burstiness measures. Our findings show that MOR is more appropriate for specifying the burstiness of traffic than the others. It is also the case that this measure can be applied to other types of bursty sources in ATM networks.
Validity of anthropometric measurements for characterizing obesity among adult survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study

BACKGROUND Childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) are at risk for obesity. The purpose of this project was to determine which clinical measures of body composition are most accurate among CCSs in comparison with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). METHODS The agreement between the body mass index (BMI), skinfold percent body fat, and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and DXA was evaluated among 1361 CCSs (mean age, 32.4 ± 7.7 years) 10 or more years after the diagnosis. The sensitivity and specificity of BMI, skinfold, and WHtR obesity classifications were calculated with respect to DXA. Log-binomial regression, stratified by sex, was used to evaluate treatment-related factors for misclassification as nonobese by BMI, skinfolds, and WHtR. RESULTS The mean body fat values were 23.3% ± 7.7% (males) and 32.3% ± 8.1% (females) for skinfolds and 26.9% ± 7.4% (males) and 38.4% ± 7.7% (females) for DXA. Pearson correlations between skinfolds and DXA were high (R = 0.83 for males, R = 0.84 for females). Skinfolds incorrectly classified 34.5% of obese males and 27.3% of obese females. BMI measures were the least sensitive with false-negative rates of 46.4% (males) and 53.1% (females). Males exposed to abdominal/pelvic radiation were at increased risk for misclassification as nonobese by BMI (relative risk, 1.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-1.95). The percentages classified as obese were highest with DXA (males, 63.1%; females, 84.8%) and lowest with BMI (males, 35.7%; females, 39.7%). Although skinfolds and WHtR underestimated the percentage classified as obese in comparison with DXA, the differences were not as large. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that skinfolds and WHtR are better than BMI for obesity classification in CCSs. Clinicians should be aware of the high risk of misclassifying obese CCSs as nonobese. Cancer 2015;121:2036–2043. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Accountability in the California State University system

One large state university system took the initiative to establish an institutional system of accountability that simultaneously met external and internal purposes.
Alpha 2-macroglobulin is a binding protein of inhibin and activin

The development of a two-site immunoassay for dimeric inhibin resulted in the detection of higher mol wt substances in follicular fluid that interfere with the measurement of dimeric inhibin by this assay, but not by a previously characterized inhibin a-subunit RIA. Therefore, we initiated a study to identify inhibin- and activin-binding proteins in biological fluids using ‘251-labeled recombinant human inhibin-A and activin-A. By gel permeation chromatography, we found that [‘““I] inhibin A or [“sI]activin-A incubated with either plasma or follicular fluid became associated with several higher mol wt proteins. The lowest mol wt complex eluted with a retention time similar to that of [““I] inhibin or [‘251]activin bound to porcine follistatin, a known inhibinand activin-binding protein. The largest mol wt complex eluted near the void volume, coincident with human Luz-macroglobulin (hanM) incubated with [“‘I]inhibin or [iz51]activin. Human plasma was incubated with [iz51]inhibin or [‘251]activin, and putative binding proteins were chemically cross-linked and analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Cross-linked ‘251-labeled inhibin or activin plasma binding protein complexes comigrated with [Y] inhibin or [iZ51]activin cross-linked to hanM. Antiserum to ha,M precipitated “‘1-labeled inhibin- and activin-binding proteins in human plasma that migrated identically in nolvacrvlamide gel electronhoresis to complexes formed between [%]inhibin or [iZ51]activin cross-linked to ha2M. Excess unlabeled inhibin or activin decreased the labeling of hazM and high mol wt human plasma binding proteins by [Y]inhibin or 1iz511activin. These results demonstrate that in addition to follistatin. a&l is a binding protein of both inhibin and activin. Although the physiological relevance of the inhibin-a*M and activin-cYzM interaction is unknown, anM may play a role in the delivery or clearance of inhibin and activin similar to that proposed for transforming growth factor-p and a number of other growth factors. (Endocrinology 132: 2038-2050, 1993)
Coping with Provider Role Strain: Adaptive Cultural Resources among Black Husband-Fathers

This study investigated provider role strain and adaptive cultural resources as predictors of global family satisfaction in a national sample of Black husband-fathers (N = 372). Multiple classifica...
FAILURE TO FIND INFANT-ADULT DIFFERENCES IN FORMATION OF LEARNING SET

One of the unique aspects of the learning set phenomena is the rather marked differences in phyletic and ontogenetic performance that have been reported for the learning-set tasks (Miles, 1965; Warren, 1965). In general, it appears that learning-set performance provides a quantitative index for our intuitive notions of phyletic and ontogenetic change. On the orher hand, our understanding of the factors contributing to learning-set performance is rather limited. The deficient learning-set performance of the infant monkey contrasts sharply with the rapid development of its performance on single problems (Zimmermann & Torrey, 1965). Several hypotheses have been advanced to explain these differential rates of development, one emphasizing motivational factors, others focusing upon procedural variables (Miles, 1965). The present experiment was concerned with one procedural variable (amount of training) that may be related to a motivational factor, stimulus perseverations, important in the learning-set performance of the infant monkey. Torrey (1963) found that learning each problem to a criterion of 10 consecutive responses had no effect on the rate of formation of learning set in the infant monkey. In the present experiment it was decided to use a criterion based on a runs test so that each problem was learned to the same probability level. The stimulus preference factor associated with the correct object would then be minimally reinforced, while the stimulus preference factor for the negative stimulus would receive maximum nonreinforcement. Method.-Ss were 14 infant monkeys, about 10 mo. of age. and 12 adult monkeys. All infants had had prior experience with discrimination problems in a maze. Only 4 of the adults had had previous discrimination training in the WGTA. These were evenly divided berween the two adult groups. Object-quality problems were presented in a WGTA. The set of 400 stereometric object pairs was a heterogeneous collection of laboratory fabricated objects, commercial hardware, notions and toys. After adaptation to the WGTA, half of the Ss in each group were assigned to either the Fixed Trial (FT) or Runs Criterion (RC) group. The FT group received 5 problems per day, 6 trials per problem. The RC group received no more than 5 problems per day and as many uials per problem as necessary to achieve a run of correct re
Classification of hyperspectral images using wavelet transforms and neural networks

The Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS), presently being flown by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, acquires images of the earth in the visible and reflected infrared. The wavelengths of the measured radiation range from about 400 nm to 2400 nm and are divided into 224 contiguous channels having a nominal spectral bandwidth of 10 nm. This means a high resolution radiance spectrum is acquired for each 20 m X 20 m ground cell in the AVIRIS scene. Geologic mapping from such data is possible by classifying each pixel based on the distinctive spectral signatures recorded in the channels. Artificial neural networks (ANN) have used these spectra successfully to classify an AVIRIS subscene of the Lunar Craters Volcanic Field (LCVF) in Nye County, Nevada. The size and number of spectra in an AVIRIS scene makes classifying these images a computationally intensive task. By classifying the data in a compressed format, savings in computer time may be realized. The wavelet bases have the desirable property of rendering signals similar to the AVIRIS spectra sparse in the wavelet domain. In this investigation, the discrete wavelet transform was applied to the spectra. This produced a set of wavelet coefficients for the spectra that could be made sparse with seemingly little loss of accuracy. Small subsets of the wavelet coefficients were used to classify the LCVF scene by ANN. The degree to which information was lost in the wavelet transform and the elimination of wavelet coefficients from the classification was assessed by making comparisons between the different ANN classifications. The ANN was chosen over more conventional classifiers because of its proven sensitivity in distinguishing subtle but geologically relevant features in these spectra.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Colo-colonic intussusception in an adult: an unusual presentation of perforated diverticulitis

We describe an unusual case of acute bowel obstruction caused by a colo-colonic intussusception associated with perforated sigmoid diverticulitis in an adult. Radiographic and pathologic features of the colo-colonic intussusception are presented. A review of the recent literature with regard to the clinical symptoms, signs, diagnosis, etiology, and treatment of colo-colonic intussusception is provided. Colo-colonic intussusception is a rare cause of acute intestinal obstruction in the adult and is usually associated with a malignancy. Treatment should include primary resection without attempts at reduction of the intussusception.
Forum: Principled Strategy: The Role of Equity Norms in China's Climate Change Diplomacy

Through more than two decades of multilateral climate change negotiations, China has steadfastly opposed emission limits for developing countries. Scholars have traditionally explained the rigidity of Chinese diplomacy with reference to economic interests and power, and in the process understated the importance of equity norms. In international negotiations, China has served as one of the key architects and promoters of the common but differentiated responsibility principle, which holds that global environmental justice requires that developed countries bear the primary obligation for combating climate change. China has used this principle strategically in order to legitimize its opposition to emission limits. However, China's negotiating stance cannot be defined simply as the instrumental use of norms, as Beijing is genuinely sensitive to issues of equity. These equity concerns have occasionally led China to act in a manner that, from a strict cost-benefit analysis, runs counter to its own economic inter...
The micromechanics of fiber pull-out

Abstract Results of experimental and modeling studies on the micromechanics of fiber pull-out are reported. For the experiment an optical glass fiber coated with a layer of acrylate or gold-palladium alloy is embedded in an epoxy matrix and then pulled out at various speeds. The fiber has a diameter of 125 or 200 μm. While the fiber is pulled out, the coating is left embedded in the epoxy matrix, producing frictional sliding between the contact surfaces of the glass fiber and the coating. As the thin and long fiber is pulled out, the trace of pull-force versus displacement shows several distinct stages corresponding to different pull-out processes. In the debonding process of the glass-acrylate interface, stable crack growth was observed prior to unstable sliding. The stable crack growth behavior is believed mainly to be caused by the fact that the interface fracture toughness is strongly mode dependent and the mode mixity of the debonding crack varies towards tougher mode as the crack advances. After the interface is completely debonded, the trace of pull-force versus displacement shows stick-slip oscillations about a constant mean full force. Through the use of photoelasticity it is found that the unstable stick-slip sliding of the glass-acrylate interface is caused by the propagation of a highly concentrated active sliding zone, a dislocation, along the interface. When a thin gold-palladium coating is introduced at the interface to produce debonding and sliding along the glass-gold-palladium interface, the initial stable crack growth is not observed and the interface dislocation emission is suppressed. The interface fracture toughness and the frictional sliding resistance are found to depend on the thickness of the coating; the interface fracture toughness is higher for thicker gold-palladium coatings, while the frictional sliding resistance is higher for thinner gold-palladium coatings. The sliding at the glass-gold-palladium interface also shows a stick-slip behavior under certain conditions. However, unlike the stick-slip process accompanying dislocation emission observed in the sliding process of glass-acrylate interface, the stick-slip is generated, while the entire contact interface slides simultaneously, by rate-dependent softening and hardening of the frictional interface. It is demonstrated that significant features of this type of stick-slip process can be predicted using a phenomenological friction law with an internal state variable.
Atrial fibrillation and hyperthyroidism in a 14-year-old boy

Summary Atrial fibrillation is reported in a 14-year-old boy with juvenile hyperthyroidism, who also developed congestive heart failure and mitral regurgitation. The atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure responded to treatment with digitalis, diuretics, quinidine, and antithyroid therapy. The murmur of mitral regurgitation resolved after the hyperthyroidism was brought under control. Hyperthyroidism should be included in the differential diagnosis of the pediatric patient with unexplained atrial fibrillation and unexplained congestive heart failure.
Detergent enema: A cause of caustic colitis

A 5-year-old boy developed acute colitis followed by stricture formation as a result of a detergent enema. The acute phase of the caustic induced colitis was reproduced in the dog and the rat using full strength and diluted detergent enemas. The severity of the experimental colitis was shown to be directly related to the concentration of the detergent.
The conversion of phenylalanine to tyrosine in man. Direct measurement by continuous intravenous tracer infusions of L-[ring-2H5]phenylalanine and L-[1-13C]tyrosine in the postabsorptive state

Steady state phenylalanine and tyrosine turnover and the rate of conversion of phenylalanine of tyrosine in vivo were determined in 6 healthy postabsorptive adult volunteers. Continuous infusions of tracer amounts of L-[ring-2H5]phenylalanine were determined intravenously for 13-14 hr. After 9-10 hr, a priming dose followed by a continuous infusion of L-[1-13C]tyrosine was added and maintained, along with the [2H5]phenylalanine infusion, for 4 hr. Venous plasma samples were obtained before the initiation of each infusion and every 30 min during the course of the combined [2H5]phenylalanine and [13C]tyrosine infusion for determination of isotopic enrichments of [2H5]phenylalanine, [13C]tyrosine, and [2H4]tyrosine by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometric analysis of the N-trifluoroacetyl-, methyl ester derivatives of the amino acids. Calculated from the observed enrichments, free phenylalanine and tyrosine turnover rates were 36.1 +/- 5.1 mumole . kg-1 . h-1 and 39.8 +/- 3.5 mumole . kg-1 . h-1, respectively. Phenylalanine was converted to tyrosine at the rate of 5.83 +/- 0.59 mumole . kg-1 . h-1, accounting for approximately 16% of either the phenylalanine or the tyrosine flux. The results indicate that the normal basal steady state phenylalanine hydroxylase activity in vivo in man is lower than that obtained from phenylalanine loading studies. This supports the existence of some type of substance activation of the enzyme as reflected in the previously reported exponential relationship between phenylalanine concentration and phenylalanine hydroxylase activity in vitro. The use of continuous simultaneous infusions of tracer amounts of stable isotope-labeled phenylalanine and tyrosine provides a direct means for studying physiological regulation of phenylalanine hydroxylase activity in vivo.
Maintenance of water balance in the twice-stabbed ladybird beetle, Chilocorus cacti (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), despite heavy infestation by the mite, Hemisarcoptes cooremani (Acari: Acariformes)

Abstract Large numbers (up to 400/elytron) of heavily sclerotized deutonymphs of the mite, Hemisarcoptes cooremani, attach to the elytral hypodermis of desert-inhabiting beetles, Chilocorus cacti, for transport and feeding. A potential physiological benefit to beetles of tolerating attached mites in dry habitats may be a reduction of the surface area-to-volume ratio of exposed evaporatory tissue (decreased water loss), especially during flight. In this study, infested beetles were observed to have identical water balance characteristics as nonparasitized beetles, indicating that mites provide no extra, mechanical advantage to the beetle in terms of increased water conservation. The beetles were not distinguished by having a low water content, high tolerance for dehydration, or ability to absorb water vapor from the atmosphere. Their ability to retain water (low net water loss rate that compares favorably to values for diapausing beetles that maximize water conservation during quiescence), however, helps a...
In Situ Disappearance of Cell Wall Monosaccharides in Alkali-Treated Orchardgrass and Alfalfa

Abstract The effect of varying levels of alkali treatment on the composition and disappearance of cell wall monosaccharides in alfalfa and orchardgrass was determined. Two field replicates each of first-cutting alfalfa (bud and midbloom) and orchardgrass (prehead and head) were treated at harvest with 0 (no solution applied), 2, 4, 6, or 8 g NaOH/100 g forage DM. Forages were hand cut, hand sprayed, and sun cured as hay. Disappearance kinetics of cell wall monosaccharides were measured by suspending polyester bags containing the forages in the cow's rumen for 6, 12, 24, 36, 60, and 72 h. Alkali treatment resulted in the following effects on forage NDF: decreased galactose content in mature orchardgrass and decreased glucose content of immature alfalfa; increased disappearance of xylose and glucose in all forages except in mature alfalfa; and increased rate of disappearance of xylose in immature orchardgrass and mature alfalfa and of arabinose in immature orchardgrass. Alkali treatment had limited effects on content of cell wall monosaccharides of two maturities of orchardgrass and alfalfa. Excluding mature alfalfa, alkali treatment increased disappearance of cell wall xylose and glucose in all forages.
Lagrange Multiplier Tests for Normality Against Seminonparametric Alternatives

In this article, I derive the Lagrange multiplier test of the null hypothesis that a stationary random vector has a (possibly heteroscedastic) normal distribution against the alternative that the distribution is a member of the family with seminonparametric probability density functions considered by Gallant and Tauchen (1989). The test is shown to contain special cases of the moment tests proposed by Newey (1985) and Tauchen (1985). Evidence from a small simulation study is reported, showing that the test has reasonable finite-sample properties in moderately sized samples. The test is applied to the change of price in a treasury-bill data series analyzed by Tauchen and Pitts (1983) and Tauchen (1985).
Temporarily insane: pathologising cultural difference in American criminal courts

In recent years, American criminal courts have seen the rise of the culture defence strategy or the argument that the defendant's cultural background should excuse crime, mitigate responsibility or reduce the penalty for criminal behaviour. This paper argues that the rise and success of this strategy in practice reflects not just multiculturalism – as earlier studies contend – but the cultural impulse known as the ‘therapeutic ethic’. Using the culture defence archive as a valuable and underused sociological resource, it examines the extent to which this legal strategy embodies the therapeutic ethic. Through an analysis of actual cases, the paper traces the medicalisation of culture in courts by which cultural differences are consistently converted into psychological disorders in order to diminish criminal responsibility. It suggests that culture defence must be seen not only against changes in criminal law – such as the increase in legal excuses that rely on the therapeutic ethic – but as an instance of how ‘other’ cultures may be pathologised in multicultural legal arenas.
Mass extinction of lizards and snakes at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary

The Cretaceous–Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary is marked by a major mass extinction, yet this event is thought to have had little effect on the diversity of lizards and snakes (Squamata). A revision of fossil squamates from the Maastrichtian and Paleocene of North America shows that lizards and snakes suffered a devastating mass extinction coinciding with the Chicxulub asteroid impact. Species-level extinction was 83%, and the K-Pg event resulted in the elimination of many lizard groups and a dramatic decrease in morphological disparity. Survival was associated with small body size and perhaps large geographic range. The recovery was prolonged; diversity did not approach Cretaceous levels until 10 My after the extinction, and resulted in a dramatic change in faunal composition. The squamate fossil record shows that the end-Cretaceous mass extinction was far more severe than previously believed, and underscores the role played by mass extinctions in driving diversification.
Multivariable predictors of postoperative surgical site infection after general and vascular surgery: results from the patient safety in surgery study.

Background Surgical site infection (SSI) is a potentially preventable complication. We developed and tested a model to predict patients at high risk for surgical site infection. Study Design Data from the Patient Safety in Surgery Study/National Surgical Quality Improvement Program from a 3-year period were used to develop and test a predictive model of SSI using logistic regression analyses. Results From October 2001 through September 2004, 7,035 of 163,624 (4.30%) patients undergoing vascular and general surgical procedures at 14 academic and 128 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers experienced SSI. Fourteen variables independently associated with increased risk of SSI included patient factors (age greater than 40 years, diabetes, dyspnea, use of steroids, alcoholism, smoking, recent radiotherapy, and American Society of Anesthesiologists class 2 or higher), preoperative laboratory values (albumin 1.0 mg/dL), and operative characteristics (emergency, complexity [work relative value units≥10], type of procedure, and wound classification). The SSI risk score is more accurate than the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance score in predicting SSI (c-indices 0.70, 0.62, respectively). Conclusions We developed and tested an accurate prediction score for SSI. Clinicians can use this score to predict their patient's risk of an SSI and implement appropriate prevention strategies.
Purification and characterization of a protein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae that binds tightly to single-stranded DNA and stimulates a cognate strand exchange protein.

A single-stranded DNA binding protein (yeast SSB protein) was purified to near-homogeneity from mitotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. The Mr 34,000 protein specifically eluted at high salt (approximately 1200 mM NaCl) during chromatography on a single-stranded DNA-cellulose column. The protein formed stable complexes with single-stranded DNA in an apparent cooperative fashion. As judged from titration and competition experiments, the affinity of the protein was much higher for single-stranded DNA than for double-stranded DNA or single-stranded RNA. The SSB protein also was found to stimulate the strand exchange reaction between linear M13mp19 RF DNA and circular M13mp19 viral DNA as catalyzed by a yeast strand exchange protein previously purified in this laboratory [Kolodner, R., Evans, D. H., & Morrison, P. T. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 5660-5664]. Titration experiments showed maximum stimulation of joint molecule formation at a stoichiometry of about 1 Mr 34,000 monomer yeast SSB per 18 nucleotides of single-stranded DNA. Kinetic experiments demonstrated at least an 18-fold increase in the rate of strand exchange due to the presence of the SSB in reactions where the amount of strand exchange protein was limiting. The yeast SSB protein stimulated the Escherichia coli RecA protein in the strand exchange reaction involving linear M13mp19 RF DNA and circular M13mp19 viral DNA as efficiently as E. coli SSB. However, the E. coli SSB protein did not substitute for the yeast SSB protein in reactions with the yeast strand exchange protein. This suggests that the stimulation of the yeast strand exchange protein by the yeast SSB may involve specific protein/protein interactions.
Error estimation and global fitting in transverse-relaxation dispersion experiments to determine chemical-exchange parameters

Off-resonance effects can introduce significant systematic errors in R2 measurements in constant-time Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) transverse relaxation dispersion experiments. For an off-resonance chemical shift of 500 Hz, 15N relaxation dispersion profiles obtained from experiment and computer simulation indicated a systematic error of ca. 3%. This error is three- to five-fold larger than the random error in R2 caused by noise. Good estimates of total R2 uncertainty are critical in order to obtain accurate estimates in optimized chemical exchange parameters and their uncertainties derived from χ2 minimization of a target function. Here, we present a simple empirical approach that provides a good estimate of the total error (systematic + random) in 15N R2 values measured for the HIV protease. The advantage of this empirical error estimate is that it is applicable even when some of the factors that contribute to the off-resonance error are not known. These errors are incorporated into a χ2 minimization protocol, in which the Carver–Richards equation is used fit the observed R2 dispersion profiles, that yields optimized chemical exchange parameters and their confidence limits. Optimized parameters are also derived, using the same protein sample and data-fitting protocol, from 1H R2 measurements in which systematic errors are negligible. Although 1H and 15N relaxation profiles of individual residues were well fit, the optimized exchange parameters had large uncertainties (confidence limits). In contrast, when a single pair of exchange parameters (the exchange lifetime, τex, and the fractional population, pa), were constrained to globally fit all R2 profiles for residues in the dimer interface of the protein, confidence limits were less than 8% for all optimized exchange parameters. In addition, F-tests showed that quality of the fits obtained using τex, pa as global parameters were not improved when these parameters were free to fit the R2 profiles of individual residues. Finally, nearly the same optimized global τex, pa values were obtained, when the 1H and 15N data sets for residues in the dimer interface, were fit independently; the difference in optimized global parameters, ca. 10%, was of marginal significance according to the F-test.
Experimental study of the three-dimensional ac conductivity and dielectric constant of a conductor-insulator composite near the percolation threshold.

We measured the ac conductivity and dielectric constant of a three-dimensional randomly mixed conductor-insulator system consisting of amorphous carbon and Teflon powder in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 13 MHz. Near the percolation threshold, these two quantities varied as a power of \ensuremath{\omega}, such as \ensuremath{\sigma}\ensuremath{\sim}${\ensuremath{\omega}}^{x}$, and \ensuremath{\epsilon}\ensuremath{\sim}${\ensuremath{\omega}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}y}$. The values of x and y were found to be 0.86\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.06 and 0.12\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04, respectively. These values are compared to the present percolation theories. We also measured the dc conductivity exponent t and dielectric constant exponent s to complete the study. Our data yielded t=1.85\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.25 and s=0.68\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05.
Optimization of the Local Evanescent Array-Coupled Optoelectronic Sensing Chip for Enhanced, Portable, Real-Time Sensing

Performance of the local evanescent array coupled (LEAC) biosensor is optimized by modifying the CMOS-compatible fabrication scheme and fine-tuning waveguide parameters based on simulation results of a full-vector finite difference mode solver. To enable in situ, real-time detection, an index-matched upper cladding reference region is patterned onto the waveguide. The reference region is followed by a sensing region exposed to the analyte, which is delivered via a flow cell. An on-chip, continuous photodetector array is implemented, which enables the fabrication of an optically smooth lower cladding/core interface, removing the need for chemical-mechanical polishing. As close mode-matching between reference and sensing regions increases the optical power launched into the sensing region, different mixtures of oils (n=1.4680-1.4722) were used as a proof of concept for real-time refractive index measurements. The ~ 1-cm2 LEAC chip, which exploits three independent sensing mechanisms, is demonstrated to have a static sensitivity of 4.6×10-6 RIU and a real-time (2s resolution) sensitivity of 4.1×10-5 RIU.
Contemporary aspects of diagnostic audiology.

Audiology emerged as a distinct profession during World War II with the advent of aural rehabilitation centers for personnel with hearing loss. This endeavor was led by the cooperation of Norman Canfeld, an otologist, and Raymond Carhart, then a speech pathologist, who are credited with coining the word “audiologist,” defined as a professional responsible for the assessment and rehabilitation of persons with hearing impairment. The need for continuing this cooperation was expressed 30 years later by James Jerger, a pioneer of diagnostic audiology, and Bobby Alford, a noted otologist.’ Despite the fact that audiology began as a rehabilitative profession, the first 30 years of clinical and research audiology focused on research for developing new and more efficient tests for auditory assessment. The first 25 to 30 years of diagnostic audiology in the United States were almost exclusively devoted to differentiating conductive from sensorineural sites of lesion,2*3 and cochlear from eighth nerve sites of lesion4-7. Few clinicians or investigators had examined the effects of central auditory nervous system (CANS] dysfunction, with the exception of researchers in Europe. Bocca, Calearo, and Cassinari’ noted that patients with CANS lesions often complained of hearing difficulties, although results on traditional auditory tests were within normal limits. These initial reports of normal audiograms in persons with pathologies affecting the CANS have been substantiated by other researchers.gs10
Molecular modeling methodology of β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes

Abstract A docking approach for molecular mechanics optimization of β-cyclodextrin complexes is described. Because of the specific geometry of the cyclodextrins and the class of guests (relatives of tert-butyl benzene), the guest molecule is moved along a vector going through the middle of the cavity. This vector is perpendicular to the mean plane of the acetal oxygen atoms that link the glucose units. At each step along this vector, the geometry of the bimolecular assembly was optimized to give a minimum in the molecular mechanics steric energy. As expected, the energy decreases as the guest molecule enters the cyclodextrin cavity, and again increases as the guest exits from the other side of the cavity. Rotation of the guest within the cavity prior to energy minimization did not result in lower energies; the minimization process found the best rotational orientation of the guest. On the other hand, it was necessary to drive the guest along the vector; the energy minimization process did not pull the guest into an optimal depth of penetration into the cavity. The binding energies calculated at two different dielectric constants were almost identical, indicating that the complex formation is stabilized by dispersive or Van der Waals forces and not electrostatic (dipole-dipole or hydrogen bonding) forces.
The composite first person narrative: texture, structure, and meaning in writing phenomenological descriptions

This paper illustrates the use of composite first person narrative interpretive methods, as described by Todres, across a range of phenomena. This methodology introduces texture into the presently understood structures of phenomena and thereby creates new understandings of the phenomenon, bringing about a form of understanding that is relationally alive that contributes to improved caring practices. The method is influenced by the work of Gendlin, Heidegger, van Manen, Gadamer, and Merleau-Ponty. The method’s applicability to different research topics is demonstrated through the composite narratives of nursing students learning nursing practice in an accelerated and condensed program, obese female adolescents attempting weight control, chronically ill male parolees, and midlife women experiencing distress during menopause. Within current research, these four phenomena have been predominantly described and understood through quantified articulations that give the reader a structural understanding of the phenomena, but the more embodied or ‘‘contextual’’ human qualities of the phenomena are often not visible. The ‘‘what is it like’’ or the ‘‘unsaid’’ aspects of such human phenomena are not clear to the reader when proxies are used to ‘‘account for’’ a variety of situated conditions. This novel method is employed to re-present narrative data and findings from research through first person accounts that blend the voices of the participants with those of the researcher, emphasizing the connectedness, the ‘‘we’’ among all participants, researchers, and listeners. These re-presentations allow readers to develop more embodied understandings of both the texture and structure of each of the phenomena and illustrate the use of the composite account as a way for researchers to better understand and convey the wholeness of the experience of any phenomenon under inquiry. Key words: Composite first person narrative, phenomenology, female adolescents, obesity, accelerated nursing program, male parolees, reintegration, healthcare, distress, menopause (Published: 12 April 2011) Citation: Int J Qualitative Stud Health Well-being 2011, 6 : 5882 - DOI: 10.3402/qhw.v6i2.5882