cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rare examples of transition-metal-main-group metal heterometallic metal-organic frameworks from gallium and indium dipyrrinato complexes and silver salts: synthesis and framework variability.

New main-group metal dipyrrinato complexes [M(4-pyrdpm)3], where M = Ga3+ or In3+ and 4-pyrdpm is the anion of 5-(4-pyridyl)dipyrrin (4-pyrdpmH), have been synthesized and incorporated into metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) by reacting the dipyrrinato complexes with silver(I) salts. MOFs formed with AgOTf (OTf = O3SCF3) and AgSbF6 gave frameworks with three-dimensional (10,3) and two-dimensional (6,3) topologies, respectively. In contrast, AgPF6 produced both (10,3) and (6,3) network topologies, suggesting that the PF6 anion has little preference for templating (10,3) versus (6,3) frameworks within this system. These findings update an earlier MOF study that examined the role of these anions in templating related heterometallic MOFs which used [Fe(4-pyrdpm)3] and [Co(4-pyrdpm)3] metalloligands. All of the dipyrrin compounds reported here have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, including the first crystallographically characterized example of a 1,2,3-unsubstituted free-base dipyrrin,...
Dried plums and their products: composition and health effects - an updated review.

This paper describes composition of dried plums and their products (prune juice and dried plum powder) with special attention to possibly bioactive compounds. Dried plums contain significant amounts of sorbitol, quinic acid, chlorogenic acids, vitamin K1, boron, copper, and potassium. Synergistic action of these and other compounds, which are also present in dried plums in less conspicuous amounts, may have beneficial health effects when dried plums are regularly consumed. Snacking on dried plums may increase satiety and reduce the subsequent intake of food, helping to control obesity, diabetes, and related cardiovascular diseases. Despite their sweet taste, dried plums do not cause large postprandial rise in blood glucose and insulin. Direct effects in the gastrointestinal tract include prevention of constipation and possibly colon cancer. The characteristic phenolic compounds and their metabolites may also act as antibacterial agents in both gastrointestinal and urinary tracts. The indirect salutary effects on bone turnover are supported by numerous laboratory studies with animals and cell cultures. Further investigation of phenolic compounds in dried plums, particularly of high molecular weight polymers, their metabolism and biological actions, alone and in synergy with other dried plum constituents, is necessary to elucidate the observed health effects and to indicate other benefits.
Aqueous processing of coconuts: Economic analysis

A process previously has been developed at Texas A&M University for aqueous processing of coconuts to produce oil and a concentrated skim milk. This paper details the costs for that process and concludes that 20% of rate-of-return can be realized if the market price of coconut skim milk solids are assigned the value of $0.50/kg (bulk price).
Being Unimpressed with Ourselves: Reconceiving Humility

I first sketch an account of humility as a character trait in which we are unimpressed with our good, envied, or admired features, achievements, etc., where these lack significant salience for our image of ourselves, because of the greater prominence of our limitations and flaws. I situate this view among several other recent conceptions of humility (also called modesty), dividing them between the inward-directed and outward-directed, distinguish mine from them, pose problems for each alternative account, and show how my understanding of humility captures truths present but exaggerated in several of them. Responding to some problems for my view, including what I call “Driver’s Paradox”(i.e., the strangeness of someone’s proclaiming ‘I’m humble!’), I suggest that some over-ambitious claims about our moral responsibilities may indicate a lack of proper humility. I discuss the relationship of the character trait of humility both to what humiliates and to what humbles, concluding with consideration of the background assumptions against which, and the circumstances in which, humility may reasonably be classified as a moral virtue.
The META/REDUCE translator writing system

The META/REDUCE translator writing system operates in a LISP environment closely interfaced with both LISP and REDUCE syntax. The language supports: BNF like syntax, recursive descent parsing schemes, lexical primitives, symbol table primitives, and automatic syntax error message generation. A complete simple arithmetic expression evaluator provides an introduction to the capabilities of the system. The body of the work describes the control constructs and primitives of the system. The paper is completed with the description of a working interpreter for a subset of a contemporary programming language. It is assumed that the reader has some familiarity with LISP 1.5 and REDUCE.
Binormal Model of Ensemble Partial Cloudiness

Abstract A new formulation of partial cloudiness parameterization has been introduced that agrees with that for a random model in one limit and approaches the simple updraft/downdraft model of larger-scale models in the limit of very highly skewed flow. Each of the conserved variables, liquid potential temperature and total humidity, along with the vertical velocity, are assumed to have probability distributions that may be parameterized as combinations of two multivariate normal distributions. This allows the skewness of the variables to be controlled by the bias between the means of the two normals and their relative fractions. It also provides a smooth transition between the normal distribution and the two limiting delta function distribution of the updraft/downdraft model. Comparisons with large-eddy-simulation data show this new model to be valid over a much wider range of conditions than the single normal distribution. When a simple cloud-top entrainment instability (CTEI) analysis is made using the...
Facilitating experiential learning in environmental design

Abstract The challenge facing the future of design education is the preparation of design students for a life and professional career in a world of change. The experiential inquiry approach is presented. The approach stresses the facilitation of an action-oriented education environment which promotes affective and cognitive development and values clarification skills.
SOME LESSONS IN THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF MEGAPOWER: WPPSS AND THE MUNICIPAL BOND MARKET

The municipal bond market is the institutional mechanism for allocating capital to cities and other tax-exempt borrowers. A key function of this market is to provide investors and borrowers with information that allows them to gauge relative degrees of risk in bond sales, including the possibility of default. The present study examines the risk signals communicated by the municipal bond market to potential investors in five nuclear power plant proposed by the Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS) during 1973–1982. The behavior of WPPSS bonds is compared with other electric revenue bond issues floated during the same time period. Based on pooled regression analysis, it is concluded that the municipal bond market did not encourage least-cost capital or energy choices in the Pacific Northwest, and it cannot be expected to forecast the full risks of megapower projects such as WPPSS.
Suppose the USA had REACH: ramifications for formaldehyde

The Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) legislation for regulating chemicals came into force in the EU in June 2007. This framework is stricter and more precautionary than its counterpart in the USA – the Toxic Substances Control Act – in that it requires data submissions for not only new but existing chemicals as well. This study evaluates the REACH process by assuming that the program exists in the USA and by taking formaldehyde, which is widely used yet toxic at certain doses, through the steps of REACH. We find that the attractive features of REACH are that it shifts more of the technical burdens of regulation to industry and that it may stimulate competitive pressures for safer, ‘greener’ products. Downsides include technical ambiguities in the analytical guidance, a potential for creating large amounts of paperwork, and perhaps a small risk reduction relative to the costs of the legislation. We recommend additional case studies with other existing chemicals to obtain a f...
Translational Research in High-Intensity Therapeutic Ultrasound: Novel Techniques for Pre-Clinical Testing

High Intensity Therapeutic Ultrasound (HITU) is an emerging field that shows considerable promise for noninvasively performing medical procedures such as tumor and fibroid ablation, clot destruction, vessel cauterization. Owing to the potential of sensor damage by the intense acoustic field, traditional methods of pre-clinical testing ultrasound devices, such as hydrophone scanning, are problematic with HITU devices. New techniques for performing pre-clinical testing of HITU devices are desirable in order to expedite commercialization. This paper discusses two methods currently being developed for noninvasively determining the intensity fields produced by HITU transducers.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Positrons from Supernovae

Positrons are produced in the ejecta of supernovae by the decay of nucleosynthetic Co-56, Ti-44, and Al-26. We calculate the probability that these positrons can survive without annihilating in the supernova ejecta, and we show that enough of these positrons should escape into the interstellar medium to account for the observed diffuse Galactic annihilation radiation. The surviving positrons are carried by the expanding ejecta into the interstellar medium where their annihilation lifetime of 10 exp 5 - 10 exp 6 yr is much longer than the average supernovae occurrence time of about 100 yr. Thus, annihilating positrons from thousands of supernovae throughout the Galaxy produce a steady diffuse flux of annihilation radiation. We further show that combining the calculated positron survival fractions and nucleosynthetic yields for current supernova models with the estimated supernova rates and the observed flux of diffuse Galactic annihilation radiation suggests that the present Galactic rate of Fe-56 nucleosynthesis is about 0.8 +/- 0.6 solar mass per 100 yr.
SU-GG-T-20: GPU-Accelerated Auto-Segmentation for Online Adaptive Radiotherapy

Purpose: Accurate and fast delineation of targets and normal structures based on daily CTs is critical for online adaptive radiotherapy (ART). Manual contouring generally takes too long to be practical. Auto‐segmentation can run in a few minutes on modern computers, but it is desirable to reduce this time further. A simple, inexpensive option to accelerate auto‐segmentation is to use a graphics processor unit (GPU). This work aims to evaluate the performance of a GPU‐accelerated auto‐segmentation. Method and Materials: A GPU card (NVidia GTX 285) was added to a computer consisting of two 3GHz four core CPUs running auto‐segmentation software, ABAS (Atlas Based Auto Segmentation, Elekta CMS Software). To evaluate performance, this setup was tested using daily CTs acquired during IGRT using a CT‐on‐Rails (CTVision, Siemens) for 14 breast (4 prone, 10 supine) and 6 prostate cancer patients. Contours of targets and critical structures were populated from planning CTs to daily CTs using ABAS with and without the GPU. The accuracy of GPU‐accelerated contouring was measured using Dice's Coefficient (DC). Results: For prostate cases, there is no noticeable difference between contours generated with and without GPU ( 95%). The average time to segment images was reduced by 33% with GPU (to 2.8 minutes). For supine breast cases, contours generated with and without GPU agreed equally with contours drawn by physicians. The GPU average segmentation time was 2.3 minutes, reduced by 47%. Conclusion: The use of GPU can substantially accelerate auto‐segmentation without degrading the segmentation accuracy. This time saving is significant for online ART.
Communication between right pulmonary artery and left atrium

Abstract The 12th case of a direct communication between the right pulmonary artery and the left atrium is reported, with special emphasis on the clinical and hemodynamic findings. The anatomic differences in the 12 cases are categorized into three general types: an anomalous vessel connecting the posterior aspect of the right pulmonary artery and draining into the left atrium with (1) normal pulmonary venous connections or (2) the pulmonary vein draining into the anomalous vessel; and (3) an anomalous communication draining into the left atrium in place of the absent right lower pulmonary vein. In patients with this anomaly, surgery should result in complete cure; early intervention is recommended because the mortality rate is higher for patients who are older at operation and because there is an increased chance that cerebral and Systemic emboli will occur if surgery is not performed.
Presente y futuro del tratamiento antitrombótico en el síndrome coronario agudo

La terapia antitrombotica en el tratamiento del sindrome coronario agudo esta dirigida a inhibir tanto la cascada de coagulacion como la activacion plaquetaria, y evitar de este modo el desarrollo de las consecuencias fisiopatologicas que se derivan de estos procesos. Los principales enfoques terapeuticos que se utilizan para este fin incluyen el uso de heparina no fraccionada, heparinas de bajo peso molecular o antitrombinas directas, moleculas todas ellas que interfieren en la formacion del coagulo de trombina. Numerosos estudios clinicos han investigado las ventajas e inconvenientes de cada una de estas estrategias, asi como los beneficios y riesgos que puede tener la terapia combinada de estos farmacos o su asociacion con inhibidores plaquetarios. La dificultad para establecer los beneficios relativos de las diferentes aproximaciones terapeuticas se debe, en parte, al enorme numero de combinaciones posibles y a las distintas situaciones clinicas en las que pueden utilizarse. Ademas, la necesidad de encontrar agentes antitromboticos con una actividad inhibidora mas especifica y un rango terapeutico mas amplio esta promoviendo el desarrollo de una investigacion activa en diversos laboratorios de todo el mundo, que ha conducido al diseno de moleculas recombinantes y anticuerpos monoclonales dirigidos a interrumpir la activacion de la cascada de coagulacion en diversos puntos estrategicos. Queda por probar cual sera la relacion entre el beneficio clinico de las moleculas de nueva generacion y el coste economico anadido a los gastos de atencion sanitaria que se destine a su diseno y desarrollo.
Induction of myocardial insulin-like growth factor-I gene expression in left ventricular hypertrophy.

BACKGROUND Left ventricular hypertrophy is a generalized adaptation to increased afterload, but the growth factors mediating this response have not been identified. To explore whether the hypertrophic response was associated with changes in local insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) gene regulation, we examined the induction of the cardiac IGF-I gene in three models of systolic hypertension and resultant hypertrophy. METHODS AND RESULTS The model systems were suprarenal aortic constriction, uninephrectomized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), and uninephrectomized, deoxycorticosterone-treated, saline-fed rats (DOCA salt). Systolic blood pressure reached hypertensive levels at 3 to 4 weeks in all three systems. A differential increase in ventricular weight to body weight (hypertrophy) occurred at 3 weeks in the SHR and aortic constriction models and at 4 weeks in the DOCA salt model. Ventricular IGF-I mRNA was detected by solution hybridization/RNase protection assay. IGF-I mRNA levels increased in all three systems coincident with the onset of hypertension and the development of ventricular hypertrophy. Maximum induction was 10-fold over control at 5 weeks in the aortic constriction model, 8-fold at 3 weeks in the SHR, and 6-fold at 6 weeks in the DOCA salt model. IGF-I mRNA levels returned to control values by the end of the experimental period despite continued hypertension and hypertrophy in all three systems. In contrast, ventricular c-myc mRNA content increased twofold to threefold at 1 week and returned to control levels by 2 weeks. Ventricular IGF-I receptor mRNA levels were unchanged over the time course studied. The increased ventricular IGF-I mRNA content was reflected in an increased ventricular IGF-I protein content, as determined both by radioimmunoassay and immunofluorescence histochemistry. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that (1) hypertension induces significant increases in cardiac IGF-I mRNA and protein that occur coordinately with its onset and early in the development of hypertrophy, (2) IGF-I mRNA levels normalize as the hypertrophic response is established, (3) in comparison to IGF-I, both c-myc and IGF-I receptor genes are differentially controlled in experimental hypertension. These findings suggest that IGF-I may participate in initiating ventricular hypertrophy in response to altered loading conditions. The consistency of these findings in models of high-, moderate-, and low-renin hypertension suggests that they occur independently of the systemic renin-angiotensin endocrine axis.
Future Directions in Surface Electromyography

Abstract The use of surface electromyography (SEMG) has increased exponentially in the past four decades. SEMG is one of the most widespread measures employed today in psychophysiological assessment and one of three primary biofeedback modalities. This article briefly outlines three areas that the author believes are important for SEMG to address if it is to continue to flourish in the future: applications in telehealth, the use of telemetry and ambulatory monitoring, and studies on the stability or reliability of surface electromyography.
Evaluating the Constructvalidity of Work Commitment Measures: A Confirmatory Factor Model

A detailed description of the use of confirmatory factor analysis when evaluating the construct validity of work commitment measures is provided Using a random sample of 841 licensed pharmacists, evidence for the convergent and discriminant validity of the measures of career commitment, organizational commitment, career withdrawal intention, and job withdrawal intention was obtained. The factor loadings, error variances, and fit indices all indicated an adequate fit. The psychometric properties of each scale indicated that the scale items had high reliabilities. The results of these analyses indicate that confirmatory factor analysis provides an alternative to exploratory analyses when determining the construct validity of work commitment concept measures. Continued use of these scales is recommended in other professional groups so that these results may be replicated
BACTERIA AND PHOTOTHERAPY

To identify alterations in multiplication and antimicrobial sensitivity patterns, Staphylococcus aureus(S.a.), Escherichia coli(E.c.) and Streptococcus pyoqenes(S.p.)were exposed to quantities of blue light (400-500nm) comparable to those used in phototherapy of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Multiplication of S.p. was significantly decreased by photoirradiation: 1)delivered for 8 hrs. or longer with a fixed radiant flux of 28μw/cm2(measured at 455nm)(Tab.A)and 2) with radiant flux of 14μw/cm2 or more for a fixed time of 48 hours (Tab.B). Abnormal bacterial appearance on Gram stain, “Fried egg” colony appearance and transferability of variant colonies on solid medium indicated that photoirradiation had induced cell wall defective variants of S.p. after one hour at 28μw/cm2. S.a., photoirradiated at 28μw/cm2 for 48 hours, exhibited increased sensitivity to kanamycin(p<.1)as compared to controls. Multiplication of S.a. was not affected. Photoirradiation of E.c. had no effect. Morphology of photoirradiated S.a. and E.c. was normal. These results suggest that blue light in phototherapeutic amounts may affect bacterial cell wall, as manifested by decreased rates of multiplication, transferable abnormal cellular morphology, and increased sensitivity to kanamycin.
Design, Synthesis, and Conformational Dynamics of a Gated Molecular Basket

We have developed a synthesis and examined the conformational behavior and recognition properties of dynamic molecular containers 1−3. As follows from the 1H NMR dilution, diffusion NMR, and vapor pressure osmometry measurements, compound 1 has a low affinity for intermolecular aggregation and is mostly present in monomeric form in dilute chloroform solutions. Inspecting the O−H chemical shift resonances of 1, 3, and model compound 4 as a function of temperature afforded the Δδ/ΔT coefficients of 17.0, 17.3, and 4.7 ppb K-1, respectively. In combination with the results from variable temperature 1H NMR and IR measurements, the existence of conformers of 1 and 3 in equilibrium, each having a different extent of hydrogen bonding, was confirmed. Molecular mechanics calculations suggested 1a as the most favorable conformation, with three additional conformers, 1b, 1c, and 1d, populating local energy minima. Further optimization of each of the four conformers using semiempirical PM3 and ab initio (HF/6-31G*) m...
Competitor Effect on Molecular Complex Dissociation in the Absence of Ternary Complex Formation

The speed of formation and breaking apart of non-covalent complexes is a key determinant of function in molecular biology and pharmacology. Dissociation rates of complexes are conventionally assumed to depend only on the interactions between the molecules forming the complex. Experiments studying non-covalent interactions sometimes show concentration dependent dissociation rates, which are commonly attributed to the formation of a ternary complex of the binding partners and the competitor. Here we challenge this view through experiments that test the role of competitor molecules in solution in the dissociation process. We use single-molecule fluorescence co-localization experiments to confirm a key prediction of our model in which competitor accelerates dissociation of a non-covalently bound molecular complex by occluding the rapid rebinding of binding partners. The results show that an acceleration of ligand dissociation rate with increasing competitor concentration is a natural feature of a molecular competition that can occur in biologically relevant ranges of competitor concentration. In particular, contrary to common assumption the observation of such acceleration does not necessarily indicate formation of a ternary complex of binding partners and competitor. The results also demonstrate that single-molecule co-localization experiments can accurately measure dissociation rates despite their limited spatiotemporal resolution.
Launch Vehicle Payload Interface Response

A method has been developed by which an estimate of the launch vehicle/payload interface response is derived from the interface responses obtained from missions with the identical launch vehicle but different payloads. This method requires the knowledge of the launch vehicle eigenvalues, interface modal displacements, and the dynamic characteristics of the payloads. No other launch vehicle information is required. The organization responsible for the payload is able to perform loads and responses analysis resulting from a payload change without interfacing with the launch vehicle organization. SPACE mission often utilizes an existing launch vehicle for a new payload designed for a specific mission; such will be the case for future Shuttle missions. The dynamic design loads for the payload are obtained by performing a transient analysis of the analytical dynamic model of the coupled payload and launch vehicle. Each analysis iteration for a specific payload configuration is expensive and time consuming. The combined dynamic model of the payload/launch vehicle is not only large and complex, but the time duration of one iteration is extensive because of the number of different organizations involved. The proposed methodology allows the payload organization to estimate the dynamic loads for a design iteration independent of other organizations. It should be noted that the proposed method can also be applied to the general class of subsystems coupled to relatively large vehicles such as the guidance system on a missile and the auxiliary power unit on an aircraft. This method will make a significant contribution to the time- critical development of subsystems constrained by complex technical and project interfaces. The procedure assumes that the acceleration time history at the payload/launch vehicle is available from past flight measurements or analyses, the dynamic characteristics of the launch vehicle do not change, the forcing function on the launch vehicle can be approximated by a delta function, and the mass of the payload is small compared to the mass of the launch vehicle. These assumptions are realistic for most projects for design/analysis iterations. Historically, during the payload design phase, the payload/launch vehicle interface accelerations have been defined as a sine wave input or a shock spectrum.1'2 Both methods essentially eliminate the time dependency of the interface response. In the past 10 years, estimates of spacecraft interface ac- celerations measured from flight data have been used as an input forcing function to the payload to obtain more realistic estimates of the dynamic loads. At the Jet Propulsion Laboratory similar procedures were used on the Ranger, Surveyor, Mariner, and Viking Projects. In 1971, Caughey3 investigated the potential error in this procedure by assuming that the interface acceleration is invariant as the payload is modified. The study indicates that the error can be very large and is dependent on the dynamic characteristics of the system.
Temporary threshold shifts for masked pure tones. II. Broad-band masker.

The amount of temporary threshold shift (TTS) measured in a particular individual is dependent on several factors. One such factor is the pre-exposure hearing level of the subject. In this study, the contribution of this factor to the measured TTS was examined in 8 normal-hearing subjects. TTS measurements were made in unmasked and masked conditions following a 4-hour exposure to noise. The masked condition was designed to simulate a flat mild hearing loss. Results indicated that TTS observed under conditions of broad-band masking was reduced as compared to TTS for the unmasked condition. The results, moreover, were consistent with the predictions of a model developed previously from earlier research with narrow-band maskers.L'importance du glissement temporaire du seuil (TTS) depend de plusieurs facteurs parmi lesquels nous avons retenu le niveau d'audition avant exposition. Nous avons effectue sur 8 sujets normaux des mesures de TTS apres 4 h d'exposition a un bruit de restaurant en presence et en l'abs...
THE ANATOMY AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL MORPHOLOGY OF ANNULARIA HOSKINSII SP. N.

Foliage attached to calamitean shoots is described from coal ball petrifactions of Middle and Late Pennsylvanian age. Leaves correspond to the compression-impression genus Annularia and thus represent the first attached members of this genus to be recognized as petrifactions. Individual leaves contain a single unbranched vascular bundle flanked by wide lateral laminar areas which occupy more than half the leaf cross sectional area. Stomata are confined to broad bands within concave furrows which parallel the vascular bundle on the abaxial leaf surface. Epidermal cells within these furrows are in rows aligned obliquely to the leaf axis, and the rows angle outward at a slight angle towards the leaf margin. Convolutions of the leaf-bearing axes result from nodal diaphragms which are oblique to the shoot axis. Whorled leaves apparently radiate outward in the plane of each obliquely positioned nodal diaphragm. This petrified material helps explain the apparent flattening of entire nodal diaphragms and leaf whorls within the same plane as seen in compression specimens. Annularia hoskinsii sp. n. is proposed, and the systematic position of structurally preserved Annulaiia foliage relative to the genus Dicalamophyllum is discussed. WHEN FOUND as compressions or impressions, foliage of Carboniferous-age calamitean plants generally occurs in one of the two morphological forms, Asterophyllites Brongniart (1828) or Annularia Steinberg (1822). Asterophyllites is characterized by narrow, tapering leaves directed upward from the node of attachment. Annularia leaves are considerably broader than those of Asterophyllites and have a lanceolate or spatulate
Interaction of boar spermatozoa with porcine oocytes: Increase in proteins with high affinity for the zona pellucida during epididymal transit

Cauda boar sperm but not caput sperm bind to isolated porcine oocytes, and several cauda sperm plasma membrane proteins (PMPs) with high affinity for isolated zonae have been identified. These PMPs migrate with apparent molecular weights near 70, 45 and 30 K [Peterson et al, Gamete Res 12: 91–100, 1985]. When caput plasma membranes (PM) were fractionated on dextran sulfate (DS) agarose and compared to cauda PM similarly fractionated, less protein with high affinity for DS bound to the column, and significant differences in the PMPs eluted with increasing concentration of NaCl were observed. The PMPs at ∼70, ∼45, and ∼30 K, noted above, and two bands near ∼20K were present in fractions from cauda PM but were absent or present in only small quantities in caput PM. Cauda PM fraction eluted at high salt were effective in blocking the binding of sperm to isolated oocytes; caput PM fractions were not. Antibodies to the cauda PMPs eluted at high salt, which blocks the binding of capacitated sperm to eggs and fertilization in vitro, were absorbed by cauda PMV but not by caput PMV. These findings suggest that the ability of boar sperm to attach to porcine oocytes develops as the result of the addition of one or more of these PMPs to sperm during epididymal transit.
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the autonomic control of bladder function.

Abstract Micturition is achieved through complex neurological mechanisms involving somatic, autonomic and central components. This article briefly reviews recent findings on the autonomic control of urinary bladder function. Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors mediate fast synaptic transmission in autonomic ganglia, and activation of nicotinic receptors in parasympathetic bladder neurons produces contraction of the destrusor muscle. Autonomic ganglia contain transcripts for the α3, α4, α5, α7, β2 and β4 nicotinic subunits, which can assemble to form multiple nicotinic receptor subtypes, but the exact nicotinic receptor subunit composition in bladder ganglia is unknown. Mutant mice lacking the α3 or the β2 and the β4 nicotinic subunits have enlarged bladders with dribbling urination and develop urinary infection and bladder stones. Bladder strips from α3 null mice do not respond to nicotine but contract when stimulated with a muscarinic agonist or electric field stimulation. Mice lacking the β2 subunit have no overt bladder phenotype, and their bladders contract in response to nicotine. Surprisingly, bladder strips from β4 mutant mice do not respond to nicotine despite the absence of major bladder dysfunction in vivo. These findings suggest that nicotinic receptors containing the α3 and the β4 subunits are necessary for normal bladder function.
Analysis of γ1 shape changes in a single crystal Ni-Base superalloy

Abstract Analysis of γ 1 shape changes in a “commercial” nickel-base single crystal superalloy, NASAIR 100, was performed using a novel microstructural lattice model, MCFET. A negative mismatch of −0.3% and a modulos ratio (E γ 1 /E γ ) of 1.12 were used in the analysis. These values were based on actual high temperature measurements for NASAIR 100. Under a uniaxial stress, a regular array of γ 1 particles in the simulated microstructure was predicted to coalesce and form a plate morphology in which the broad faces of the plates and stress axis were perpendicular in tension but parallel in compression. These results were consistent with γ 1 shape changes observed in NASAIR 100 after creep testing at 1000C.
Age-related decline in the osteogenic potential of human bone marrow cells cultured in three-dimensional collagen sponges.

Studies with human and animal culture systems indicate that a sub-population of bone marrow stromal cells has the potential to differentiate into osteoblasts. There are conflicting reports on the effects of age on human marrow-derived osteogenic cells. In this study, we used a three dimensional (3D) culture system and quantitative RT-PCR methods to test the hypothesis that the osteogenic potential of human bone marrow stromal cells decreases with age. Marrow was obtained from 39 men aged 37 to 86 years, during the course of total hip arthroplasty. Low-density mononuclear cells were seeded onto 3D collagen sponges and cultured for 3 weeks. Histological sections of sponges were stained for alkaline phosphatase activity and were scored as positive or negative. In the group or = 60 years were positive (p = 0.0504). As revealed by RT-PCR, there was no expression of alkaline phosphatase or collagen type I mRNA before culture, however there were strong signals after 3 weeks, an indication of osteoblast differentiation in vitro. We performed a quantitative, competitive RT-PCR assay with 8 samples (age range 38-80) and showed that the group or = 60 years (p = 0.021). There was a significant decrease with age (r = - 0.78, p = 0.028). These molecular and histoenzymatic data indicate that the osteogenic potential of human bone marrow cells decreases with age.
What We Know about Doctoral Student Persistence.

Recognizing that the focus of studies on retention has been at the undergraduate level, a hypothesis is presented that to accomplish their objectives of providing scholars for the future, doctoral degree granting universities must focus attention on the factors affecting persistence of doctoral students. Further, due to the changing nature of the doctoral student population, doctoral students must now be defined as adults. Bringing together the themes of retention, persistence, and adult education, this review of the literature presents areas for further research and study.
Are Green Jobs Career Pathways a Path to a 21st-Century Workforce Development System?.

This article examines policy reports that advocate for new green jobs career pathways to help grow the green economy and create new opportunity structures in the green labor market. The reports are based on a series of propositions about the nature of green jobs and the existence of the political will to invest in new green education programs to support the green economy. The purpose of this article is to introduce educators and practitioners to the policy frameworks and propositions that shape their work to deliver effective green education and certification programs. It offers practical advice on how to understand and influence the basic premises on which green education policies and training resources are based.
Predicting Educational and Vocational Attitudes Among Rural High School Students.

Given the paucity of literature addressing the experiences of rural youth, this study investigated the ability of assessed levels of social support, perceived parental involvement, academic self-efficacy, and perceived educational barriers to predict school engagement and work role attitudes among rural high school students. The authors specifically intended to test the generalizability of M. E. Kenny, D. L. Blustein, A. Chaves, J. M. Grossman, and L. A. Gallagher's '(2003) findings with a rural population and within a social cognitive career theory (R. W. Lent, S. D. Brown, & G. Hackett, 2002) framework. Results supported the hypothesized importance of contextual factors (social support and parent involvement) and self-efficacy in predicting the work and school attitudes of rural students.
Racial Differences in the Career Success of Assistant Football Coaches: The Role of Discrimination, Human Capital, and Social Capital1

The purpose of this study was to examine competing hypotheses (human and social capital vs. discrimination) concerning the differential career outcomes of Black and White assistant football coaches. Data were gathered from 328 NCAA Division 1-A assistant coaches (224 White coaches, 104 Black coaches). Results demonstrated racial differences in the career satisfaction of coaches, number of promotions received, and organizational proximity to the head coach position among the coaches, with Black coaches scoring lower on each outcome. MANCOVA results and subsequent tests for mediation showed that these differences could not be explained by racial differences in human and social capital, thereby providing support for the discrimination hypothesis.
Do slow and fast gamma rhythms correspond to distinct functional states in the hippocampal network

Abstract For decades, hippocampal gamma was thought to be a single type of rhythm with a continuously varying frequency. However, an increasing body of evidence supports a new hypothesis regarding hippocampal gamma. The patterns traditionally defined as hippocampal gamma may actually comprise separate gamma subtypes with distinct frequencies and unique functions. The present review discusses the evidence for and against this new viewpoint. This review will also point out key questions that remain to be answered to validate the two-gamma hypothesis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Brain and Memory .
Systematic Identification of Drugs of Abuse II: TLC

Abstract A limited number of spray reagents and solvent systems were selected or developed to separate and identify over 40 of the most commonly encountered drugs of abuse. A new reagent is reported, and new uses were developed for well‐known reagents. A flowsheet for the systematic utilization of the spray reagents is given, and use of this sequence made it possible to identify systematically an unknown drug using only two to four TLC plates, providing that the drug was one of the compounds investigated. This TLC system also can be used to complement and confirm results obtained from spot tests.
Plasticity in reflex pathways to the lower urinary tract following spinal cord injury

The lower urinary tract has two main functions, storage and periodic expulsion of urine, that are regulated by a complex neural control system in the brain and lumbosacral spinal cord. This neural system coordinates the activity of two functional units in the lower urinary tract: (1) a reservoir (the urinary bladder) and (2) an outlet (consisting of bladder neck, urethra and striated muscles of the external urethra sphincter). During urine storage the outlet is closed and the bladder is quiescent to maintain a low intravesical pressure. During micturition the outlet relaxes and the bladder contracts to promote efficient release of urine. This reciprocal relationship between bladder and outlet is generated by reflex circuits some of which are under voluntary control. Experimental studies in animals indicate that the micturition reflex is mediated by a spinobulbospinal pathway passing through a coordination center (the pontine micturition center) located in the rostral brainstem. This reflex pathway is in turn modulated by higher centers in the cerebral cortex that are involved in the voluntary control of micturition. Spinal cord injury at cervical or thoracic levels disrupts voluntary control of voiding as well as the normal reflex pathways that coordinate bladder and sphincter function. Following spinal cord injury the bladder is initially areflexic but then becomes hyperreflexic due to the emergence of a spinal micturition reflex pathway. However the bladder does not empty efficiently because coordination between the bladder and urethral outlet is lost. Studies in animals indicate that dysfunction of the lower urinary tract after spinal cord injury is dependent in part on plasticity of bladder afferent pathways as well as reorganization of synaptic connections in the spinal cord. Reflex plasticity is associated with changes in the properties of ion channels and electrical excitability of afferent neurons and appears to be mediated in part by neurotrophic factors released in the spinal cord and/or the peripheral target organs.
A GENERAL MODEL FOR THE SPECTRAL CALCULATION OF OH RADIATION IN THE ULTRAVIOLET

Abstract A spectroscopic/collisional-radiative model is presented that permits the calculation of OH (A2Σ+−X2Π) spectra in the ultraviolet for a wide range of gas dynamics conditions, including those observed in hypersonic flows. This requires a rotational–vibrational–electronic excitation model sufficiently general to account for the diversity of collision rates that encompasses conditions ranging from equilibrium to collisionless regimes. To this end, the proposed excitation model considers several state-specific processes, including quenching, predissociation, radiation, and vibrational–rotational exchange. Although the structure of the OH (A→X) spectra is complex, accurate line positions and transition probabilities are available and have been used. This paper discusses the full excitation and spectral model and provides examples that demonstrate its generality. Detailed comparisons are presented with experimental spectra measured under very different conditions. The first spectrum was measured at atmospheric pressure in a plasma generated by a 50 kW radio-frequency plasma torch. The second spectrum was measured under rarefied conditions in the bow shock of a reentering rocket.
ON THE MECHANISM OF IMMUNITY IN TUBERCULOSIS : THE HOST-PARASITE RELATIONSHIP UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF A LOCALIZED AGAR FOCUS OF INFECTION AND THE GENERALIZATION OF THE DISEASE IN NORMAL AND IMMUNIZED RABBITS.

1. There is an extracellular factor which inhibits the growth of tubercle bacilli in immunized rabbits. 2. Extracellular factors localize carbon particles, trypan blue and tubercle bacilli at the site of introduction to a greater extent in the immunized than in the normal animal. 3. This greater fixation is brought about by an increase in the density and extent of the fibrin barrier formed about the focus of the immunized animal. The more pronounced in vivo agglutination of tubercle bacilli and carbon particles in the vaccinated or tuberculous rabbit also tends to immobilize them in the tissues. 4. The growth inhibitory and localizing agents are effective in the fixation of small doses on reinfection at the portal of entry. 5. With large doses on reinfection, the increased lymph flow resulting from the intensified inflammation in the immunized animal brings about a more rapid dissemination of the bacilli to the draining lymph nodes than in the normal animal. 6. The most significant factor in immunity is the increased capacity of the rapidly mobilized mononuclear phagocytes to destroy tubercle bacilli. The impotent polymorphonuclear leukocytes quickly disappear from the site of reinfection. 7. The invading bacilli that reach the draining lymph nodes of the immunized animal are retarded in multiplication or destroyed by these phagocytes. 8. Vaccination of rabbits with BCG brings into play the factors tending to immobilize the bacilli of reinfection, inhibit their growth and destroy them with a resulting significant immunity. 9. A virulent primary infection affords a greater immunity than one of low virulence and the host reactions are expressed by a quantitative increase in those immunity factors which operate in a vaccinated animal.
Testing a simulation model for reconstruction of prehistoric forest-stand dynamics

Three characteristics of the output of a forest-stand simulation model were matched to pollen records of actual vegetation in central Tennessee. Temporal shifts of individual pollen taxon frequencies were compared to shifts of individual plant species frequencies in simulated biomass for the last 16,000 yr. Individual pollen profiles (temporally ordered species frequencies) were also compared to simulated biomass profiles during that period. Modern ratios of pollen to vegetation composition (R values) were compared with those calculated from simulated biomass percentages and fossil pollen percentages. The model output was similar to the comparable characteristics of the pollen record. The model output is therefore a plausible description of vegetation characteristics at the site of pollen deposition in central Tennessee. The model produced information unavailable from other sets of prehistoric data. This information describes the invasion and growth of the yellow-poplar which produces no windborne pollen, and of palynologically indistinguishable oak and pine species. These results suggest that many paleoecological questions can be answered through appropriate simulation modeling studies.
On the measure of arithmetic sums of Cantor sets

Abstract It is shown that the arithmetic sum of middle-α Cantor sets typically has positive Lebesgue measure whenever the sum of Hausdorff dimensions is greater than one.
Histocompatibility-antigen distribution in patients with cervical and endometrial carcinomas

Abstract Thirty-eight patients with cervical carcinoma and seventeen patients with endometrial carcinoma were HLA-ABC typed using a N1H microcytotoxicity test. Results were compared with normal control values obtained from a random population of age-matched, unrelated females from the same geographical area as the tumor patients. Antigen frequencies were calculated for each of the groups of patients with cervical and endometrial cancers and compared to normal control values by χ 2 and regression analysis. Differences were studied for significance using Fisher's exact test, and P values were corrected for the total number of paired comparisons possible in each distribution. The frequency of HLA-AW31 was significantly increased in the cervical carcinoma group (21%), as compared to normal control values (4%) ( P P
Utilizing a novel tool for the comprehensive assessment of resident operative performance.

Purpose A mechanism for more effective and comprehensive assessment of surgical residents' performance in the operating room (OR) is needed, especially in light of the new requirements issued by the American Board of Surgery. Furthermore, there is an increased awareness that assessments need to be more meaningful by including not only procedure-specific and general technical skills, but also nontechnical skills (NOTECHS), such as teamwork and communication skills. Our aims were to develop a methodology and create a tool that comprehensively assesses residents' operative performance. Methods A procedure-specific technical skill assessment for laparoscopic colon resections was created through use of task analysis. Components of previously validated tools were added to broaden the assessment to include general technical skills and NOTECHS. Our instrument was then piloted in the OR to measure face and content validity through an iterative process with faculty evaluators. Once the tool was finalized, postgraduate 3 (PG3) and PG5 residents on a 2-month long rotation were assessed by 1 of 4 colorectal surgeons immediately after completing a case together. Construct validity was measured by evaluating the difference in scores between PG3 and PG5 residents' performance as well as the change in scores over the course of the rotation. Results Sixty-three assessments were performed. All evaluations were completed within 48 hours of the operation. There was a statistically significant difference between the PG3 and PG5 scores on procedure-specific performance, general technical skills, NOTECHS, and overall performance. Over the course of the rotation, a statistically significant improvement was found in residents' scores on the procedure-specific portion of the assessment but not on the general surgical skills or NOTECHS. Conclusion This is a feasible, valid, and reliable assessment tool for the comprehensive evaluation of resident performance in the OR. We plan to use this tool to assess resident operative skill development and to improve direct resident feedback.