cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microstructure of weathered paint and its relation to gloss loss: Computer simulation and modeling

The role of pigment particle size, pigment volume concentration, and dispersion in gloss loss of paint films on weathered surfaces is unclear. Because reproducible and cost effective data are difficult to obtain, an approach based on computer simulation and modeling is a promising supplementary tool. We describe the simulation of a painted surface consisting of pigment particles of known size, pigment volume concentration and dispersion, situated in a binder that erodes over time due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Pigment particle size, geometry, pigment volume concentration, and pigment particle dispersion are parameters of the model. Our purpose is to illustrate how simulation can be used to aid the development of formulation strategies for the design of coatings with desirable gloss characteristics.
Nitric oxide adsorption and desorption on alumina supported palladium

Abstract The adsorption properties of nitric oxide (NO) on alumina supported palladium were studied by a simultaneous thermogravimetric-analysis and differential-scanning-calorimetry (TGA-DSC) in a temperature ranges between 220 and 470 K. Upon adsorption, NO molecules on both Pd/Al2O3 and Pd/NaOH-Al2O3 samples were molecularly adsorbed between 220 and 300 K. Some NO molecules were strongly adsorbed on Pd/NaOH-Al2O3 and possessed a higher enthalpy of adsorption [∼140 kJ (mol NO)−1] than Pd/Al2O3 [∼114 kJ (mol NO)−1]. Upon heating above 320 K, the adsorbed NO molecule on these palladium surface was dissociated. In addition, a temperature programmed desorption and mass spectrometer (TPD–MS) study in a temperature range between 300 and 1100 K further indicated that some strongly adsorbed NO molecules may stay on basic sites (∗b) and Pd–NaOH interface sites (∗i) to enhance the decomposition of NO.
Argon, Krypton and Xenon in Iron Meteorites

Abstract The isotopic compositions of Ar, Kr and Xe trapped in iron meteorites appear to be a complementary component to the unusual noble gas component found in carbon-rich residues of stone meteorites. The isotopic compositions of noble gases in the earth, the moon, the sun and other classes of meteorites may represent mixtures of these two planetary components.
Rubratoxin production by Penicillium rubrum when grown in a synthetic medium containing different sources of carbon and nitrogen.

A sterile mineral salts broth was fortified with different additives, inoculated with conidia ofPenicillium rubrum P-13, and incubated quiescently for 14 days or with shaking for 3 to 5 days. Maximal fungal growth and rubratoxin production occurred when the broth contained 20% sucrose. Broth with 10% glucose, 10% fructose, 5% maltose, or 1% asparagine supported formation of substantial amounts of rubratoxin (52.9–78.5 mg/100 ml). When the broth was fortified with glucose plus lysine, arginine aspartic acid, cystine, ammonium citrate, or ammonium phosphate, moderate amounts (27.5–39.5 mg/100 ml) of rubratoxin and mycelium (0.1–1.5 g/100 ml) were produced. Presence in the broth of 5% galactose or starch resulted in accumulation of small amounts (22.2 and 24.6 mg/100 ml, respectively) of rubratoxin and mold tissue (0.70 and 0.5 g/ 100 ml, respectively). Whereas some toxin was recovered from mineral salts broth fortified with lactose or ribose, toxin was not recovered when the mold grew in broth containing mannitol or fumarate. With the exception of gluconate which supported some growth and toxin formation and ethanol which permitted formation of small amounts of toxin, other carbon sources resulted in little or no fungal growth and no toxin formation. Yields of rubratoxin decreased with an increase in amount of agitation or length of incubation ofP. rubrum cultures. Mold growth increased and toxin formation decreased with an increase in volume of culture.
Semantic neighborhood effects on the recognition of ambiguous words

The effect of semantic neighborhood on the processing of ambiguous words was examined in two lexical decision experiments. Semantic neighborhood was defined in terms of semantic set size and network connectivity. In Experiment 1, the variables of semantic set size, network connectivity, and ambiguity were crossed. An ambiguity advantage was observed only within small-set low-connectivity words. In Experiment 2, the effect of network connectivity on the processing of words of high and low meaning relatedness was examined. Participants responded more rapidly to words of high meaning relatedness, relative to words of low meaning relatedness, but only within high-connectivity words. These results are interpreted within a framework in which both semantic feedback processes and meaning-level competition can affect the recognition of semantically ambiguous words.
Electrical conductance of aqueous solutions of KCl solutions at pressures up to 2000 atm

Electrical conductance measurements are reported for aqueous KCl solutions at 25°C as a function of concentration up to 0.02 M and pressure up to 2000 atm. The data from 103 runs were analyzed with the Fuoss-Hsia-Fernandez-Prini (FHFP) equation. The standard error of fit σΔ varies from 0.018 at 1 atm to 0.12 at 2000 atm. The increase of σΔ with pressure arises from increasing nonrandomness in the distribution of errors about the FHFP equation, suggesting that modifications in the theory are necessary. Departures from the Walden product for KCl as a function of pressure are compared with MgSO4 and CaSO4 in aqueous solutions.
What Is the Priority of Research in the Marketing and Promotional Efforts of Convention and Visitors Bureaus in the United States

Abstract A convention and visitors bureau (CVB) is the primary tourism marketing organization for cities and counties throughout the United States. A step in the process of planning and managing marketing is research: assessing or analyzing marketing and evaluating marketing efforts. The purpose of this study was to describe the priority of the research managed by CVBs by examining the types of research being conducted, the individuals conducting the research, and their research situation at the bureaus. A survey instrument was designed, tested, and implemented with 153 respondents being used in the analysis. It was found that total budgets averaged approximately $10 million with the research budget ranging from $5,000 to $49,000. The research managed by the respondent is primarily conducted by the CVB, but ten percent or less time is spent on research. Research was seen as important and essential to making the CVB more productive, but the bureaus do not seem to be putting time and money into research and...
Development of Thermoelectric Inks for the Fabrication of Printable Thermoelectric Generators Used in Mobile Wearable Health Monitoring Systems

Power consumption appears to be the biggest technical issue and performance bottleneck in the development of mobile wearable health monitoring systems. One promising approach for addressing this challenge is to harvest the body heat energy using flexible thermoelectric generators, and printing is a low-cost technique for large-scale fabrication of flexible circuits and systems. This paper discusses the development of thermoelectric inks that can be used in the fabrication of thermoelectric generators, which can be used as sustainable power sources for mobile wearable health monitoring systems. The operation mechanism of thermoelectric generators for body heat harvesting is discussed, followed by the requirements on the properties of thermoelectric inks for the fabrication of printable thermoelectric generators. To achieve high thermoelectric figure of merit, we synthesized nano-structured thermoelectric materials with high Seebeck coefficient and low thermal conductivity, and developed surface functionalized carbon nanotubes that can be used as conducting agents for improving the electrical conductivity of thermoelectric inks.
Immunohistochemical localization of feline immunodeficiency virus using native species antibodies.

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is the feline analog of human immunodeficiency virus and a small animal model of human acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). We sought to identify early in vivo target cells in cats infected with clade B or C FIV. In tissues, however, neither mouse monoclonal nor rabbit polyclonal antibodies suitably detected FIV because of either insensitivity or lack of specificity. We therefore developed an immunohistochemical protocol using high-antibody-titer serum from cats chronically infected with FIVPetaluma. Native species anti-FIV antibodies were labeled with biotinylated protein A before placement on tissues, and downstream signal was tyramide-amplified. This method revealed many productively infected cells in bone marrow, lymph node, thymus, mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue, and spleen, but few such cells in liver and none in kidney or brain. Concurrent labeling for virus and cell phenotype revealed that antigen-bearing populations were primarily T lymphocytes but included macrophages and dendritic cells. Our results demonstrate that FIV: 1) expands rapidly in T cells, 2) targets long-lived reservoir populations, and 3) is replicatively quiescent in brain at 3 weeks after infection. Use of native species antibodies for immunohistochemical detection of infectious antigens has application to other settings in which xenotypic (eg, mouse and rabbit) antibody sources are inadequate or unavailable.
Underdeveloped embryos in dwarf seeds and implications for assignment to dormancy class

Studies were conducted to determine if small embryos (i.e. low embryo length:seed length ratio) in mature dwarf seeds (0.2–2 mm) are underdeveloped. In this case, they would grow (inside the seed) prior to germination, and seeds would have morphological or morphophysiological dormancy. Prior to radicle emergence, embryo length in seeds of Drosera anglica (Droseraceae), Campanula americana, Lobelia appendiculata, L. spicata (Campanulaceae) and Sabatia angularis (Gentianaceae) increased 0, 103, 182, 83 and 57%, respectively. Since embryo growth did not occur in seeds of D. anglica prior to germination, embryos, although small, are fully developed; seeds have only physiological dormancy. The underdeveloped embryo in seeds of C. americana has little or no physiological dormancy; thus, seeds have morphological dormancy. On the other hand, underdeveloped embryos in seeds of L. appendiculata, L. spicata and S. angularis are physiologically dormant, and seeds have morphophysiological dormancy. Therefore, since small embryos in dwarf seeds may or may not be underdeveloped, assignment of seeds to a dormancy class requires that studies be done to determine if embryos grow inside the seed before germination can occur. Such information is important in understanding the evolutionary relationship of the different kinds of seed dormancy.
Thin plate splines with tension

The equation of an infinite thin plate under the influence of point loads and mid-plane forces is developed. The properties of the function as the tension goes to zero or becomes large is investigated. This function is then used to interpolate scattered data, giving the user the parameter of tension to give some control over overshoot when the surface has large gradients. Examples illustrating the behavior of the interpolation function are given.
Third-Party Logistics Service Providers: Purchasers’ Perceptions

A recent survey of manufacturers provides insight into their relationships with providers of international logistics services. The research examines the purchasers’ perceptions regarding the service providers’ capabilities. Further, differences between high-performance logistics providers and those perceived as providing lower levels of performance are identified and discussed.
CONCEPTS OF CULTURE-FAIRNESS

Fairness of a test relates to fair use. One definition of fair use states that a common qualifying score may be used with two groups if the regression line based on one group does not systematically over- or under-predict criterion performance in the other. However, it is shown that when the two groups differ appreciably in mean test score, the above procedure, which is “fair” to individual members of the group scoring lower on the test, is “unfair” to the lower group as a whole in the sense that the proportion qualified on the test will be smaller, relative to the higher-scoring group, than the proportion that will reach any specified level of criterion performance. An alternate definition would specify that the qualifying scores on a test should be set at levels that will qualify applicants in the two groups in proportion to the fraction of the two groups reaching a specified level of criterion performance.
Predictor-corrector with cubic spline method for spectrum estimation in Compton scatter correction of SPECT

In single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), Compton scattered photons degrade image contrast and cause erroneous regional activity quantification. A predictor-corrector and cubic spline (PCCS) method for the compensation of Compton scatter in SPECT is proposed. Using spectral information recorded at four energy windows, the PCCS method estimates scatter counts at each window and constructs the scatter spectrum with cubic spline interpolation. We have shown in simulated noise-free situations that this method provides accurate estimation of scatter fractions. A scatter correction employing PCCS method can be implemented on many existing SPECT systems without hardware modification and complicated calibration.
Multi-zone modeling of size-resolved outdoor ultrafine particle entry into a test house

Abstract Airborne particle entry into buildings is important for human exposure to particles and associated health effects. The present study investigated the entry of size-resolved outdoor ultrafine particles into a test building under three different ventilation scenarios using a multi-zone airflow and contaminant transport model. Simulations of the entry of outdoor ultrafine particles into a residential test building were performed and validated with measurement data. The study results show that accurate particle deposition and penetration inputs are required to predict the time-varying particle concentrations in buildings. For closed-window conditions, both deposition and penetration have significant effects on modeling UFP transport, while deposition is more important than penetration for open-window conditions. As the window opening area increases, the filtering effect of the building envelope decreases and more outdoor particles enter the building through window openings. The study results also show that the indoor–outdoor (I–O) concentration ratio is a strong function of particle size and building operating conditions. The comparison between measurements and prediction suggests that a multi-zone particle transport model can provide insight into particle entry into buildings under various weather and building operating scenarios.
Survival Analysis for Epidemiologic and Medical Research

This practical guide to survival data and its analysis for readers with a minimal background in statistics shows why the analytic methods work and how to effectively analyze and interpret epidemiologic and medical survival data with the help of modern computer systems. The introduction presents a review of a variety of statistical methods that are not only key elements of survival analysis but are also central to statistical analysis in general. Techniques such as statistical tests, transformations, confidence intervals, and analytic modeling are presented in the context of survival data but are, in fact, statistical tools that apply to understanding the analysis of many kinds of data. Similarly, discussions of such statistical concepts as bias, confounding, independence, and interaction are presented in the context of survival analysis and also are basic components of a broad range of applications. These topics make up essentially a 'second-year', one-semester biostatistics course in survival analysis concepts and techniques for non-statisticians.
Baby Boomers and the Shifting Political Construction of Old Age

Employing the political construct of "target" populations, we suggest that the Boomers in old age will constitute a conceptually distinct population from that represented by either their parents or grandparents. A fourfold typology organized along the dimensions posited by Schneider and Ingram (1993) yields categorizations of target populations as Dependent, Deviant, Advantaged, or Contender. Although these authors labeled the aged as Advantaged, categorizations of target populations can and do change over time. Using historical analysis, we explore, first, the transformation of the aged from Dependent to Advantaged and the more recent transformation to Contender status. This latest shift is reinforced by the perceived characteristics of the Boomer cohort itself now entering old age and by economic and political circumstances severely constraining policy agendas and options. We argue that the combination of weakened legitimacy in the face of pressing needs among many of the Boomer population may result in a fracturing of elders' longstanding singular political imagery. More affluent Boomers will continue to fight for their benefits as Contenders, whereas vulnerable Boomers may be relegated back to the Dependent categorization.
Defects in synaptic vesicle docking in unc-18 mutants

Sec1-related proteins function in most, if not all, membrane trafficking pathways in eukaryotic cells. The Sec1-related protein required in neurons for synaptic vesicle exocytosis is UNC-18. Several models for UNC-18 function during vesicle exocytosis are under consideration. We have tested these models by characterizing unc-18 mutants of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In the absence of UNC-18, the size of the readily releasable pool is severely reduced. Our results show that the near absence of fusion-competent vesicles is not caused by a reduction in syntaxin levels, by a mislocalization of syntaxin, by a defect in fusion or by a failure to open syntaxin during priming. Rather, we found a reduction of docked vesicles at the active zone in unc-18 mutants, suggesting that UNC-18 functions, directly or indirectly, as a facilitator of vesicle docking.
Phase-Sensitive Sum-Frequency Spectroscopy

Phase-sensitive sum-frequency spectroscopy (SFS) allows the complete measurement of the complex spectra of surface nonlinear response coefficients. Similar to linear spectroscopy, the spectrum of the imaginary part of a surface response coefficient directly characterizes surface resonances without complication. This newly developed technique has greatly enhanced the capability of surface SFS and provides many new research opportunities for surface science. This article describes the experimental schemes and underlying theory for the technique and briefly reviews works that have clearly demonstrated its power.
Numerical Simulations of Microstructural Evolution of Lamellar Alloys: Applications to Pb-Sn Solder

Understanding the morphological changes of Pb-Sn solder alloys helps to improve their performance in electronic applications. The focus of our study is degeneration of lamellar structures at high temperatures. Microstructural evolution of the Pb-Sn eutectic lamellar structure is modeled numerically using Monte Carlo Potts approach. The initial structure consists of alternating layers of Pb-rich and Sn-rich phases, simulating the lamellar array in a near eutectic system. Faults are introduced to destabilize the system. After a short incubation period the shape of lamellae become irregular. The perturbations grow with time and eventually break the lamellae into nearly equiaxed grains. The grain size of the degenerated structure is 2-3 times the original lamellar spacing weakly depending on the spacing between the faults. This is consistent with the experimental observation of degeneration of Pb-62 wt% Sn solder. The duration of degeneration processes is comparable with the time it would take Ostwald ripening to produce grains of the same size. Eventually grain growth reaches the asymptotic regime of coarsening described by a power-law function of time.
Academic Outcomes and Texas’s Top Ten Percent Law

In this article, the author estimates the causal effect of attending a selective college on a student’s academic performance. The results differ from previous studies because the author estimates a local effect, identified only for students who enroll in a selective college but would not have been able to do so without the guaranteed admissions granted to them by Texas’s Top Ten Percent Law. Differing from many previous studies, the author finds significant negative effects of attending a selective college on the following measures: first- and sixth-semester grade point average, probability of completing the sixth semester, and graduation probability.
Comic Strip Videos

This article describes a pilot of an intervention strategy that combined established evidence from the field of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) with evidence from other fields along with clinician ...
on scriptural essentialism and ritual variation: Muslim sacrifice in Sumatra and Morocco

This article examines the contrasting ways in which Muslims in Sumatra and those in Morocco observe the Feast of Sacrifice, and it advances an argument against recent essentialist studies of Islam. Whereas Moroccans publicly reaffirm patriarchy through the ritual, many Gayo men and women in highland Sumatra interpret it in terms of transactions and bilateral family ties. But within each society there are alternative interpretations of the ritual: in Morocco domestic and interstitial rites assert gender complementarity; in Sumatra religious modernists underscore the proper attitude of the sacrifier and deny the possibility of transaction. In each society the multiple ritual forms engage in an internal dialogue, each shaping the other, and are thus “double-voiced” in Bakhtin's sense. [ritual, sacrifice, gender, Islam, religion, Indonesia, Gayo, Sumatra, Morocco]
Testing Gene-Environment Interaction in Large-Scale Case-Control Association Studies: Possible Choices and Comparisons

Several methods for screening gene-environment interaction have recently been proposed that address the issue of using gene-environment independence in a data-adaptive way. In this report, the authors present a comparative simulation study of power and type I error properties of 3 classes of procedures: 1) the standard 1-step case-control method; 2) the case-only method that requires an assumption of gene-environment independence for the underlying population; and 3) a variety of hybrid methods, including empirical-Bayes, 2-step, and model averaging, that aim at gaining power by exploiting the assumption of gene-environment independence and yet can protect against false positives when the independence assumption is violated. These studies suggest that, although the case-only method generally has maximum power, it has the potential to create substantial false positives in large-scale studies even when a small fraction of markers are associated with the exposure under study in the underlying population. All the hybrid methods perform well in protecting against such false positives and yet can retain substantial power advantages over standard case-control tests. The authors conclude that, for future genome-wide scans for gene-environment interactions, major power gain is possible by using alternatives to standard case-control analysis. Whether a case-only type scan or one of the hybrid methods should be used depends on the strength and direction of gene-environment interaction and association, the level of tolerance for false positives, and the nature of replication strategies.
The Distribution of Tetrahymena pyriformis

SYNOPSIS. This paper is a brief account of both amicronucleate and sexually active strains of Tetrahyrnena Pyriformis and their ROBABLY most early microscopists who studied fresh water protozoa saw Tetrahymena pyriformis. From the time AndrC Lwoff grew this ciliate in axenic culture in 1923 (21) many thousands of strains have been isolated from fresh water in various parts of the world, indicating its ubiquitous occurrence. Like Paramecium and other ciliates which have been carefully examined, this species includes many reproductively isolated populations, each with a sharply defined gene pool. If the concept of a biological species is adhered to, each would qualify as a species. The relative merits of assigning species names to the many strains of such interbreeding populations of protozoa was discussed in detail by Sonneborn (33) and Hairston (17). For a long time they have been referred to as vaiieties but currently the term syngen is being used and probably is more appropriate. For that reason these populations of T. pyriformis will be referred to as syngens. The so-called “classical” amicronucleate strains, which have been used so extensively as experimental tools, were all isolated from natural waters in the United States” with the exception of 4, 3 of which were found in France and one in England (5). Since these strains do not conjugate they tell us little about their relationships. The discovery of sexuality provided organisms with the potential for examining the genetic constitution of different populations (syngens) taken from various regions of the earth. This information could give us some understanding of the relationships among the populations as well as some insight into their evolution. The 1st interbreeding population of T. pyriformis, taken from fresh water samples collected on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, was discovered in 1951 (11). Since that time nearly 1,300 fresh water habitats from the major continents, as well as Pacific Islands, have been examined for this ciliate. The area covered can only be roughly approximated at best but probably was something less than 4,000 square miles. This means that water samples taken from small streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, etc., may be representative of the surrounding area. Thirty-nine percent of the habitats contained the ciliate, but this varied widely (1070%) in different localities. Among the 7,115 clones iso
Toward the Optimal Control of Asthma

The optimal management of asthma is not simple. Our best current understanding of how asthma should be diagnosed and treated is summarized in the Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma.1 Although 417 pages long, this document still only summarizes the full complexity of asthma management.
Fourier transforms, generalized functions and two classes of integral equations, part II

Abstract : This report is concerned with some Wiener-Hopf type integral equations for which the Fourier transforms of the solutions must be considered as generalized functions. The proper fundamental spaces are studied together with the structure of the generalized functions on these spaces. These results will be used in another paper to obtain the solutions to some Wiener-Hopf equations.
Variable Region Identical Immunoglobulins Differing in Isotype Express Different Paratopes

The finding that the antibody (Ab) constant (C) region can influence fine specificity suggests that isotype switching contributes to the generation of Ab diversity and idiotype restriction. Despite the centrality of this observation for diverse immunological effects such as vaccine responses, isotype-restricted antibody responses, and the origin of primary and secondary responses, the molecular mechanism(s) responsible for this phenomenon are not understood. In this study, we have taken a novel approach to the problem by probing the paratope with 15N label peptide mimetics followed by NMR spectroscopy and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. Specifically, we have explored the hypothesis that the C region imposes conformational constraints on the variable (V) region to affect paratope structure in a V region identical IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, and IgG3 mAbs. The results reveal isotype-related differences in fluorescence emission spectroscopy and temperature-related differences in binding and cleavage of a peptide mimetic. We conclude that the C region can modify the V region structure to alter the Ab paratope, thus providing an explanation for how isotype can affect Ab specificity.
2.8 Å resolution reconstruction of the Thermoplasma acidophilum 20S proteasome using cryo-electron microscopy

Proteins perform many critical tasks within cells, and to do so, they must first fold into specific shapes. Being able to visualize these shapes can help scientists to understand how proteins work, and help them create drugs that can interact with the proteins to treat diseases. The past few years have seen the rapid development of an imaging technique called single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (or cryoEM for short), and this technique is now increasingly used to investigate protein structures. First, proteins are embedded in a thin film of non-crystalline ice by rapidly cooling to around the temperature of liquid nitrogen (below −180°C). This traps the protein in the shape it has in solution. High-energy electrons are then transmitted through the protein sample and their interaction with the atoms in the protein is recorded by a direct electron camera. The analysis of a large series of images recorded in this way can be used to determine the approximate positions of the atoms in the protein. Previously, single-particle cryoEM techniques have not produced a detailed enough protein structure to be useful to scientists interested in drug development. By refining these techniques, Campbell, Veesler et al. have now obtained the most detailed cryoEM protein structure to date—a structure of an enzyme complex that helps get rid of proteins that are misfolded or that have become too abundant. The structure is so detailed that it reveals the shapes of some small groups of atoms that stick out from the sides of amino acids in the enzyme complex. (Amino acids are the building blocks of enzymes and all other proteins.) Moreover, the structure shows where individual water molecules are positioned around the protein. The level of detail in the structure produced by Campbell, Veesler et al. is high enough to be useful to drug researchers. Furthermore, because only 10% of the images Campbell, Veesler et al. collected were used to produce the structure, future work will investigate whether incorporating more of the images could reveal structures in even greater detail.
Segmental arterial mediolysis—an iatrogenic vascular disorder induced by ractopamine

Abstract Background Segmental arterial mediolysis, an uncommon arterial disorder most often occurring in the splanchnic muscular arteries of the abdomen, is a cause of catastrophic hemorrhages. Its histology and initial clinical presentations suggested that it represented a localized norepinephrine-induced vasospastic response to perturbations in vascular tone and blood volume distribution caused by coexisting vasoconstrictor conditions. However, later presentations were at odds with some aspects of this hypothesis. Methods Nine greyhound dogs were administered a single dose of ractopamine. Two dogs developing persistent conduction abnormalities with biochemical evidence of heart injury were euthanized and necropsied—one 4 days and the other 17 days after dosage This report is based on findings and comparisons of the canine abdominal and coronary arteries to segmental arterial mediolysis. Results Lesions having features of early-injurious-stage segmental arterial mediolysis were identified in the canine arteries 4 days postractopamine, and arteries examined after 17 days showed alterations typically occurring in reparative-stage segmental arterial mediolysis. It is suspected that ractopamine, a Beta-2 adrenergic agonist, created segmental arterial mediolysis by neuromodulating the peripheral sympathetic nervous system to release norepinephrine from varicosities of efferent nerves serving splanchnic arteries that stimulate alpha-1 receptors to induce injury at the adventitial medial junction and medial muscle apoptosis. Conclusion This finding and other cited examples suggest that segmental arterial mediolysis may be a disorder principally caused by iatrogenic or accidental exposure to alpha-1 adrenergic receptor agonists or Beta-2 agonists able to release norepinephrine from the peripheral nervous system.
Multidimensional separations of complex peptide mixtures: a combined high-performance liquid chromatography/ion mobility/time-of-flight mass spectrometry approach

Abstract High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been combined with high-resolution ion mobility separations and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MS) for the analysis of complex biomolecular mixtures such as those that arise upon tryptic digestion of protein mixtures. In this approach, components in a mixture are separated using reversed phase HPLC. As mixtures of peptides exit the column, they are electrosprayed into an ion mobility/time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Mixtures of ions are separated based on differences in mobilities through a buffer gas, and subsequently dispersed by differences in mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios in a mass spectrometer. The multidimensional approach is feasible because of the large differences in timescales of the HPLC (minutes), ion mobility (milliseconds), and time-of-flight (microseconds) techniques. Peak capacities for the two-dimensional liquid chromatography-ion mobility separations (LC-IMS) and three-dimensional LC-IMS-MS separations are estimated to be ∼900 to 1 200 and ∼3.7 to 4.6 × 105, respectively. The experimental apparatus and data acquisition considerations are described; data for a mixture of peptides obtained upon tryptic digestion of five proteins (albumin, bovine and pig; cytochrome c, horse; hemoglobin, dog and pig) are presented to illustrate the approach.
Targeting CD40 in Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia

CD40 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family and is expressed in a majority of B-cell malignancies. In Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM), CD40 expression is a common feature of bone marrow infiltrating lymphoplasmacytic cells, and preclinical evidence suggests that CD40 signaling is functionally important for WM growth and survival. Two antibodies targeting CD40 (SGN-40 and HCD 122 [Chir 12.12]) are currently undergoing clinical testing in multiple myeloma (MM) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). HCD122 is a novel, fully human, IgG1 antagonistic monoclonal antibody while SGN-40 is a humanized IgG1 partial agonistic antibody. Both agents have demonstrated activity in preclinical models and are potent mediators of antibodydependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Clinically, phase I data suggest both agents are well tolerated with no immunogenicity and have early evidence of single-agent clinical activity in relapsed and refractory NHL and MM. These observations support the testing of CD40-targeted agents in WM.
Arthroscopic Capsular Plication for Microtraumatic Anterior Shoulder Instability in Overhead Athletes

Background:Extreme loading conditions at the glenohumeral joint during overhead athletic activities can result in both soft tissue and osseous adaptative changes at the shoulder. Subtle alterations in the stabilizing structures may lead to anterior instability and debilitating shoulder pain with subsequent inability to participate in athletics. There is currently a paucity of data documenting clinical outcomes after arthroscopic capsular plication in overhead athletes who demonstrate objective findings of pain and anterior instability on physical examination.Purpose:To evaluate outcomes after arthroscopic capsular plication for anterior instability in overhead athletes with an emphasis on postoperative range of motion, postoperative shoulder function, and return to sport.Study Design:Case series; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:The authors identified 20 overhead athletes with debilitating shoulder pain and a failed trial of nonoperative management who underwent arthroscopic capsular plication (12 suture plic...
The GANA Program: A Tailoring Approach to Adapting Parent Child Interaction Therapy for Mexican Americans

The current manuscript describes the process of developing the GANA program, a version of PCIT that has been culturally adapted for Mexican American families. The adaptation process involved combining information from 1) clinical literature on Mexican American families, 2) empirical literature on barriers to treatment access and effectiveness, and 3) qualitative data drawn from focus groups and interviews with Mexican American mothers, fathers, and therapists on how PCIT could be modified to be more culturally effective. Information from these sources was used to generate a list of potential modifications to PCIT, which were then reviewed by a panel of expert therapists and chnical and mental health researchers. The resulting GANA program and ongoing research to evaluate its effectiveness with Mexican American families is described.
A multi-Gbit/s optical LAN utilizing a passive WDM star: towards an experimental prototype

The goals and basic node configuration of STARNET, an optical broadband local area network based on a physical passive star topology, are presented. Over a single physical network, STARNET offers all users both a moderate-speed packet network and a high-speed WDM circuit interconnect. Several topological and protocol solutions based on these two data transport facilities are available to the users. An ongoing experimental effort aimed at the realization of a STARNET prototype is described. The prototype nodes are FDDI and SONET OC-48 data-format-compatible. The first four network layers will be fully implemented and the nodes will serve high performance workstations. >
Flaw-tolerance in silk fibrils explains strength, extensibility and toughness of spider silk

Silk is an ancient but remarkably strong, extensible and tough material made from simple protein building blocks. Earlier work has shown that the particular molecular geometry of silk with a composite of semi-amorphous and nanocrystalline beta-sheet protein domains provides the structural basis for its characteristic softening-stiffening behavior and remarkable strength at the nanoscale. Yet, an open question remains as to how these nanoscale properties are upscaled so effectively to create strong, extensible and tough silk fibers. Here we discover that the geometric confinement of fibrils to ≈50-100 nm width and arranged in bundles to form larger-scale silk fibers, is the key to explaining the upscaling of the mechanical properties of silk from the atomistic scale upwards. We find that under this geometric confinement, hundreds of thousands of protein domains unfold simultaneously and thereby act synergistically to resist deformation and failure, providing access to enhanced large-scale strength, extensibility and toughness. Moreover, since the material is in a flaw-tolerant state under this geometric confinement, structural inhomogeneities such as cavities or tears that typically act as stress concentrators do not compromise the material performance. Indeed, experimental work showed that the diameter of silk fibrils that make up larger-scale silk fibers are on the order of 20-100 nm, in agreement with our findings. The exploitation of this mechanism in engineering design enables the synthesis of hierarchical fiber materials for superior performance despite limited and inferior building blocks.
Relation of Brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels to Cognitive Dysfunction in Adults >55 Years of Age With Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is associated with cognitive deficits long before the onset of stroke or dementia. Recent work has extended these findings and shown that patients with congestive heart failure also exhibit reduced cognitive performance. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is used to help diagnose heart failure, but no study has examined whether BNP predicts cognitive dysfunction in older patients with CVD. BNP values and performance on the Dementia Rating Scale were assessed in 56 older adults with documented CVD. Forty-eight percent of the participants were women, and their average age was 70 ± 8 years. All participants had Mini-Mental State Examination scores greater than the cutoff for dementia and no histories of neurologic or severe psychiatric disorders. The average BNP level was 122 ± 202 pg/ml. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that log-transformed BNP levels predicted Dementia Rating Scale total score after adjusting for possible demographic and medical confounders (ΔR2 = 0.09, F[1, 44] = 6.14, p = 0.017). Partial correlation analysis adjusting for these possible confounders showed a particularly strong relation to the conceptualization subtest (r = −0.44, p = 0.002), a measure of verbal and nonverbal abstraction abilities. In conclusion, the results of the present study provide the first evidence for an independent relation between BNP and cognitive dysfunction in older adults with CVD.
Are they guilty of their parental behavior? Parenting forms constructed in termination of parental rights court cases

The study examines forms of parenting constructed in Israeli termination of parental rights (TPR) cases, and the processes involved in their construction, based on a qualitative thematic analysis of 130 TPR cases. The study hypothesized that, due to lack of clearly-defined evaluation criteria, judges and professionals engage in social constructions of reality processes related to the child–parent relationship. The analysis indicated that, through constructions of non-normative parenting, biological parents are depicted, in court, not only as dysfunctional and parentally unfit but also as “guilty.” Four categories of such parenting were identified: impaired, “failed,” dangerous and harmful. The perception of guilt resulted from the courts' attribution of parental behavior to pathological psychological factors, while ignoring contextual factors such as poverty and stress. The study discusses how negative views of parenting impact on legal decisions aimed at serving the child's best interests and consequent ...
Saturating Laboratory Samples by Back Pressure

Previously published theoretical expressions relating the back pressure required to fully saturate a partially saturated soil sample with the initial degree of saturation are presented in this paper. An empirical expression is developed to determine the amount of time necessary to fully saturate various samples of Ottawa sand at varying initial degrees of saturation for laboratory testing for various types of soil along with alternate methods for saturating are also presented.
Teach Them to Fish: Giving Junior Attorneys Feedback on Their Writing

This article discusses effective methods for attorneys to provide junior attorneys with feedback on their writing and the importance of providing such feedback.
The perceptual modification of colored figures.

The past decade has seen a renewed interest in the study of perception, and some of the problems considered at the turn of the century are being attacked again. One of the problems of yesterday-formulated in the language of the time-was whether the elements that theoretically make up a percept are discernible in it. Today, in spite of attempts to avoid it, the same problem is posed by the results of experiments on the effects of motivation and past experience on perception. In a recent examination of some of these experiments, Pratt has concluded that there is no evidence for the direct influence of motivational and experiential variables on perception-that the reported relationships can be explained, in effect, in terms of response-generalization.1 Here is a significant question concerning the characteristics of the 'mechanism' which intervenes between stimulus and response: although it may be avoided by an operational or behavioral logic, it is capable of experimental analysis. In an experiment by Bruner, Postman, and Rodrigues, each of a number of selected figures (physically equal in color) was matched with a differential color-mixer.2 Some of the figures (such as a lobster-claw or a lemon) had a characteristic red or yellow color, while others (such as geometrical forms) had no characteristic color. The results indicated that more red was added to the mixture for characteristically red figures than for neutral figures, and that more yellow was added to the mixture for characteristically yellow figures than for neutral figures. Unfortunately, however, these results are ambiguous; they can be interpreted either in terms of perceptual modification or in terms of response-generalization. From Pratt's point of view it might be maintained that O responded to a particular red color on the mixer as if it were the same color as that of characteristically red figures and as if it were redder than a neutral figure. In the present experiment, a more adequate method was employed. A
COGNITIVE AND MOTIVATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN TWO EXPERIMENTAL UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS IN BUSINESS

The article investigates the developmental consequences of a problem oriented program for business majors entering their junior year at a midwestern university that was designed to raise the concep...
Martensitic Nucleation in Small ZrO2 Particles

Small ZrO 2 particles were studied by in-situ transmission electron microscopy and the types of events which led to martensitic nucleation were recorded. These metastable particles were single crystals of several hundred nanometers size and were supported on a carbon thin film but were otherwise free from any constraint. At room temperature, they are more than 1200°C below the equilibrium temperature. After dislocation loops were injected in-situ into the originally defect-free particles, a critical loop size was found beyond which the particle transformed spontaneously. It was also observed that Hertzian contacts between two particles led to martensitic nucleation and spontaneous transformation. These results were satisfactorily rationalized by ab-initio theoretical analysis.
Probabilistic modelling of chromatin code landscape reveals functional diversity of enhancer-like chromatin states

Interpreting the functional state of chromatin from the combinatorial binding patterns of chromatin factors, that is, the chromatin codes, is crucial for decoding the epigenetic state of the cell. Here we present a systematic map of Drosophila chromatin states derived from data-driven probabilistic modelling of dependencies between chromatin factors. Our model not only recapitulates enhancer-like chromatin states as indicated by widely used enhancer marks but also divides these states into three functionally distinct groups, of which only one specific group possesses active enhancer activity. Moreover, we discover a strong association between one specific enhancer state and RNA Polymerase II pausing, linking transcription regulatory potential and chromatin organization. We also observe that with the exception of long-intron genes, chromatin state transition positions in transcriptionally active genes align with an absolute distance to their corresponding transcription start site, regardless of gene length. Using our method, we provide a resource that helps elucidate the functional and spatial organization of the chromatin code landscape.