cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forgetting and symbolic insight: Delay improves children's use of a novel symbol.

Abstract To use a symbol, children must understand that the symbol stands for something in the world. This development has often been investigated in the model-room task in which children use a scale model to try to find a toy that is hidden in the room that the model represents. To succeed, children must acquire dual representation; they must put aside their understanding of the model as an object and focus more on what the model represents. Here we suggested that forgetting irrelevant details or misleading information may be an important part of acquiring and maintaining dual representation. Based on prior research showing that forgetting can promote insight in children and adults and that a small sample of 3-year-olds could improve on the model-room task with a delay, we hypothesized that taking a break during the model-room task would facilitate forgetting and hence symbolic insight. A total of 88 3-year-olds performed 8 trials of the model-room task. Half of the children received a 24-h delay after Trial 4, and half performed the 8 trials consecutively. Children who received a 24-h delay had better symbolic performance on the last 4 trials compared with children whose testing sessions occurred consecutively on 1 day, even when statistically controlling for the effects of learning over trials and memory on children’s performance. This study provides strong initial evidence that a delay can promote symbolic insight in 3-year-old children.
Dynamic Competition of Polycomb and Trithorax in Transcriptional Programming

Predicting regulatory potential from primary DNA sequences or transcription factor binding patterns is not possible. However, the annotation of the genome by chromatin proteins, histone modifications, and differential compaction is largely sufficient to reveal the locations of genes and their differential activity states. The Polycomb Group (PcG) and Trithorax Group (TrxG) proteins are the central players in this cell type-specific chromatin organization. PcG function was originally viewed as being solely repressive and irreversible, as observed at the homeotic loci in flies and mammals. However, it is now clear that modular and reversible PcG function is essential at most developmental genes. Focusing mainly on recent advances, we review evidence for how PcG and TrxG patterns change dynamically during cell type transitions. The ability to implement cell type-specific transcriptional programming with exquisite fidelity is essential for normal development.
Correlation between rs17118 polymorphism of XYLB gene and ischemic stroke in a Chinese Han population

Objective To verify the correlation between rs17118 polymorphism of xyluloknase homolog (XYLB) gene and risk of ischemic stroke in a Chinese Han population. Methods A case-control study design was used. The case group was the patients with first-ever ischemic stroke and the control group was the healthy subjects from hospital physical examination. Taqman probe fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique was used to detect the genotype distribution of rs17118 C/A polymorphisms. Results A total of 475 patients with ischemic stroke and 483 controls were enrolled in the study. The proportion of hypertension (67.9% vs. 22.2%; χ2=292.982, P<0.001) and diabetes (24.2% vs. 7.3%; χ2=25.864, P<0.001), as well as the levels of triacylglycerol (1.649±1.126 mmol/L vs. 1.157±1.480 mmol/L; t=3.592, P<0.001), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.499±1.163 mmol/L vs. 3.105±0.627 mmol/L; t=-6.227, P<0.001) in the case group were significantly higher than those in the control group, but the total cholesterol level was significantly lower than that in the control group (5.144±1.296 mmol/L vs. 5.491±1.335 mmol/L; t=4.650, P<0.001). The AA genotype (11.4% vs. 7.5%; χ2=6.136, P=0.016) and A allele (32.3% vs. 26.4%; χ2=8.093, P=0.005) frequencies in the case group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for traditional risk factors, the risk of ischemic stroke in AA genotype carriers was 1.97 times of the CC genotype carriers (odds ratio 1.971, 95% confidence interval 1.040-3.736, P=0.038). Conclusions The rs17118C/A polymorphism of XYLB gene may be associated with the risk of ischemic stroke in the Chinese Han population. Key words: Stroke; Brain Ischemia; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); Polymorphism, Genetic; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Han Nationality; Risk Factors; Xylulokinase
Dating silica sinter (geyserite): A cautionary tale

Abstract We describe a new effort to date hydrothermal silica sinter deposits (geyserite) from the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park using 14C of co-deposited organic matter, U-series and cosmogenic 10Be methods. A majority of the samples were collected from stratigraphic sections, mainly at Riverside, Giant, and Castle Geysers. Ages obtained from 41 14C analyses range from modern to 12.1 cal ka BP. Nearly all the 14C ages show inconsistencies with their stratigraphic positions, and several replicate 14C analyses from the same sample result in significantly different ages. The δ13C values of the organic material in the sinter range from −26.6‰ to −12.7‰. The more enriched values are attributed to microbial fixation of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), which has heavier δ13C values and is 14C-depleted relative to atmospheric CO2, leading to an apparent older age. U-series analyses on 4 samples yielded ages between 2.2 and 7.4 ka. Large 230Th/U age uncertainties in the sinter, due to low uranium concentrations along with elevated 232Th and associated initial 230Th, make these ages imprecise for use on Holocene deposits. A single cosmogenic 10Be exposure age of 596 ± 18 ka is considerably older than the age of underlying rhyolite and is thus unreliable. This apparent old age results from contamination by meteoric 10Be trapped in the opal that overprints the very small amount of cosmogenic 10Be. By presenting the problems we encountered and discussing their probable cause, this paper highlights the difficulty in obtaining reliable, high-precision geochronological data necessary to use sinter deposits as paleoenvironmental and paleo-hydrothermal archives.
The EITC and Employment Transitions: Labor Force Attachment, Annual Exit, and the Role of Information

Many low-income households experience high frequency labor market transitions. It is unclear how the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) work incentives affect these frequent entry and exit decisions. Exploiting the panel nature of the Current Population Survey, I show that EITC expansions induce less-educated single women with previous work experience to work more months, leading to more annual weeks worked and less annual exit, suggesting the EITC operates in part by keeping previously employed single women in the labor force. Employment responds to changes in the previous year's EITC, consistent with people responding to information about the returns to work.
Failure Modes of Rapid-Setting Concrete Repairs Under Accelerated Aircraft Traffic

Maintenance and rehabilitation of concrete pavements for roads and airfields can be a logistical challenge when the ability to stop traffic is difficult, especially in high-traffic areas. For this reason, rapid-setting concrete is an efficient alternative to ordinary portland cement concrete (PCC) for pavement repairs such as slab replacements and large patches. Ordinary PCC used for rehabilitation often requires lengthy cure times, a plant to produce the concrete, and the ability to transport the PCC to the construction site. Rapid-setting concrete can be prepared on site, reduces the time required to fully cure to 2 h after placement, and can be utilized in remote areas. In this study, slab replacements and large patches were constructed by using rapid-setting concrete over various backfill materials. The surface thickness of the rapid-setting concrete caps varied from 15 to 36 cm. The slab replacements and large patches were trafficked with simulated aircraft load carts and evaluated structurally and visually during and after trafficking. This paper presents the typical failure modes and pavement distresses of rapid-setting concrete repairs caused by heavy aircraft loads as a function of repair size. Results indicate that failure modes are similar regardless of repair size.
The development of next-generation PBMC humanized mice for preclinical investigation of cancer immunotherapeutic agents

Investigation of the efficacy and mechanisms of human immuno-oncology agents has been hampered due to species-specific differences when utilizing preclinical mouse models. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) humanized mice provide a platform for investigating the modulation of the human immune-mediated antitumor response while circumventing the limitations of syngeneic model systems. Use of humanized mice has been stymied by model-specific limitations, some of which include the development of graft versus host disease, technical difficulty and cost associated with each humanized animal, and insufficient engraftment of some human immune subsets. Recent advances have addressed many of these limitations from which have emerged humanized models that are more clinically relevant. This review characterizes the expanded usage, advantages and limitations of humanized mice and provides insights into the development of the next generation of murine humanized models to further inform clinical applications of cancer immunotherapeutic agents.
The Safety, Tolerability, and Impact of Respiratory–Swallow Coordination Training and Expiratory Muscle Strength Training on Pulmonary, Cough, and Swallow Function Surrogates in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Purpose This feasibility study examined the safety, tolerability, and impact of expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) combined with respiratory–swallow coordination training (RST) in compariso...
How Can Bad News Increase Price? Short Squeezes After Short-Selling Attacks

We examine market returns following short-selling attacks, where short sellers publicly disclose the negative information that led them to short their targets. Counterintuitively, we find that for a significant proportion of these attacks (about 30%), the initial market reactions are positive. Consistent with short squeezes being a major driver of these positive returns, we demonstrate that about half of initially positive returns fully reverse over the following quarter, relative to about a third of initially negative returns, and this asymmetric reversal pattern cannot be explained by short sellers profitably covering their positions, by misleading disclosures, or by market attention. Further, short covering levels are high for target firms with initially positive returns that reverse, further suggesting that price pressure from short sellers forced to close their positions explains some of these positive returns. We find that short squeezes are difficult to predict ahead of time but may be triggered by conditions on the day of the attack, including insider purchases, highlighting the difficulty short sellers face in avoiding this risk. Lastly, short squeezes impose substantial costs on short sellers, leading to an average loss of $70 million per suspected squeezed campaign relative to estimated profits of $35 million per successful campaign.
Immediate and sensitive detection of sporulated Bacillus subtilis by microwave release and tandem mass spectrometry of dipicolinic acid.

Spore lysis of Bacillus species is achieved by brief (1 min) microwave irradiation while tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) allows identification of the characteristic spore marker, dipicolinic acid. This rapid measurement, made on 105–108 spores, has significant implications for biothreat recognition.
Molecular determinants of the axonal mRNA transcriptome

Axonal protein synthesis has been shown to play a role in developmental and regenerative growth, as well as in cell body responses to axotomy. Recent studies have begun to identify the protein products that contribute to these autonomous responses of axons. In the peripheral nervous system, intra-axonal protein synthesis has been implicated in the localized in vivo responses to neuropathic stimuli, and there is emerging evidence for protein synthesis in CNS axons in vivo. Despite that hundreds of mRNAs have now been shown to localize into the axonal compartment, knowledge of what RNA binding proteins are responsible for this is quite limited. Here, we review the current state of knowledge of RNA transport mechanisms and highlight recently uncovered mechanisms for dynamically altering the axonal transcriptome. Both changes in the levels or activities of components of the RNA transport apparatus and alterations in transcription of transported mRNAs can effectively shift the axonal mRNA population. Consistent with this, the axonal RNA population shifts with development, with changes in growth state, and in response to extracellular stimulation. Each of these events must impact the transcriptional and transport apparatuses of the neuron, thus directly and indirectly modifying the axonal transcriptome.
Tackling Seam Bias Through Questionnaire Design

This chapter examines the impact of dependent interviewing procedures on “seam bias,” a phenomenon peculiar to longitudinal panel surveys. Seam bias refers to the tendency for estimates of change measured across the “seam” between two successive survey administrations to far exceed change estimates measured within a single interview – often by a factor of 10 or more. The presence of seam bias almost always signals measurement error. Much research over the past two decades has documented the existence of seam bias in longitudinal surveys, and has also shed light on its essential nature – too little change within the reference period of a single interview, and too much at the seam. Attempts to control seam bias have met with some success, but have been limited primarily to employment-related characteristics.
Information Theoretic Models of Memory in Human Decisionmaking Models

Abstract Models of memory and information storage useful in the modeling and analysis of decisionmakers with bounded rationality are discussed. An information theoretic model of permanent memory is presented for describing the accessing of stored information by the algorithms within the human decisionmaker model. It is then applied to the study of the performance - workload characteristic of a decisionmaker assigned a dual task.
Effect of ear canal occlusion on pure-tone threshold sensitivity

This study sought to quantify the effects of varying the degree of ear canal occlusion on pure-tone threshold sensitivity. Thresholds were obtained from each ear of five normal-hearing adults without occlusion, with complete occlusion, and with partial occlusion estimated to be 40‐60% and 60‐80%. A commercial lubricant was used in the completely occluded condition to eliminate possible acoustic leakage. Results showed a reduction of threshold sensitivity in all occluded conditions, with the greatest effect in frequencies above 1000 Hz. Only in the completely occluded condition were frequencies below 1000 Hz affected. In the partially occluded conditions, thresholds decreased by an average 7.5 dB and 13.0 dB across frequency for the 40‐60% and 60‐80% conditions respectively. At frequencies above 1000 Hz, the average threshold shifts for the two partially occluded conditions were 10.0 dB and 16.8 dB respectively.The implications of these findings on routine pure-tone audiometric procedures, with specific relevance for industrial hearing conservation programs, are discussed.
Observation of plasmon resonance linewidth narrowing in embedded gold nanoparticle arrays

We demonstrate enhanced diffractive coupling resulting in sharpened extinction resonances in periodic arrays of metal nanoparticles embedded effectively below the substrate surface. Strongly enhanced near fields with large spatial overlap with the substrate material are shown to be associated with these extinction features. In particle arrays fabricated on substrates there is a phase velocity mismatch between light propagating above and below the substrate surface, which hinders diffractive coupling and access to such narrow resonances. In contrast, the embedding of the particle arrays beneath the substrate surface, achieved via an etching procedure, offers a more homogeneous dielectric background which improves the diffractive coupling, resulting in the sharp features associated with strong near field enhancements.
Inhibition of alcohol and lactic dehydrogenases by patulin and penicillic acid in vitro.

Abstract The inhibition of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and rabbit-muscle lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) by the mycotoxins patulin and penicillic acid has been studied in vitro. Both mycotoxins were non-competitive inhibitors of ADH, but were competitive with regard to LDH. The inhibition constants (K1) of patulin and penicillic acid, respectively, were found to be 50 × 10−5 m and 11 × 10−4 m for ADH and 6·2 × 10−6 m and 7·2 × 10−5 m for LDH. Cysteine reversed the inhibitory effect of both mycotoxins on LDH but not on ADH. The interaction of the thiol groups at the active site of the dehydrogenases with both mycotoxins is discussed.
EFFICIENT LEARNING BY CONSENSUS OVER REGULAR NETWORKS

In a network, each agent communicates with its neighbors. All the agents have initial observations, and they update their beliefs with the average of the beliefs in their neighborhoods. It is well known that in the long run, the network will reach consensus. However, the agents do not necessarily converge to the global average of the initial observations of all the agents in the network. Instead, the result is always a weighted average. Moreover, it takes infinite time for the process to converge. In this paper, we address regular networks of agents, where each agent (node) has the same number of agents. We propose a method that allows agents in these networks to learn the global average using the history of its local average in finite time.
Influence of IMF By on large-scale decreases of O column density at middle latitudes

Abstract The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) y component, B y , has a strong influence on ion convection and, hence, neutral circulation patterns at polar latitudes. This is observed in the Northern Hemisphere as an enhancement in ion and neutral velocities in the dusk (dawn) cell during periods of B y positive (negative), as well as an increase in the size of that cell relative to its dawn (dusk) counterpart. The effect of B y on neutral winds and thermospheric composition equatorward of the polar cap and auroral oval is less well established in observations, although it has been investigated through sophisticated numerical modeling. A consequence of the compositional variations is that the spectrum of the dayglow emissions in the sunlit hemisphere is altered. We describe observations of the influence of B y on the brightness of the 130.4- and 135.6-nm emissions of OI in the far-ultraviolet (FUV) dayglow that have been obtained with the Dynamics Explorer-1 (DE-1) FUV imaging photometer following auroral substorms. A fortuitous pair of DE-1 observations at ~ 1700 UT on days 267 and 279, 1981, suggests that the sign of B y influences the brightness and spatial extent of the OI emissions and, hence, the oxygen column density in the morning sector at subauroral latitudes. A series of images taken during four consecutive DE-1 orbits more clearly demonstrates the dependence of the OI dayglow brightness on the sign of B y . Hence, IMF orientation must be taken into consideration when interpreting FUV images of the dayglow and studying the underlying variations in thermospheric composition.
The Effect of Diazepam Sedation on Cerebral Glucose Metabolism in Alzheimer's Disease as Measured Using Positron Emission Tomography

The effect of sedation induced by intravenous diazepam on cerebral glucose metabolic activity was examined with [18F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) and positron emission tomography (PET) in five patients with probable Alzheimer's disease. Each subject was studied on 2 separate days: on one occasion at rest with eyes patched and ears open, and on the second when sedated with intravenous diazepam titrated to maintain stage II sleep by clinical and EEG criteria. Similar patterns of glucose uptake were observed in both the presence and the absence of sedation, but overall glucose utilization was depressed an average of 20% and was closely correlated with the amount of diazepam administered prior to the injection of FDG. The predominant temporoparietal hypometabolism and relative sparing of frontal metabolism observed in this disease are therefore not explained by differences in anxiety or activity level in this patient group. Utilization of diazepam sedation for PET study appears to be safe and may permit the study of patients otherwise unable to cooperate with FDG-PET procedures.
A study on the effects of motion in inductively coupled vehicular charging applications

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) and Electric Vehicles (EV) are gaining popularity due to political, environmental, and economical reasons. Research is being done to charge these alternatively fueled vehicles by means of Inductively Coupled Power Transfer (ICPT). In this paper, the authors study the effects of motion on inductively coupled systems. It is concluded that motion has very little effect in the form of induced voltage on the system.
Hepatitis C in the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) Atlanta V.A. (Veterans Affairs Medical Center) Cohort Study (HAVACS): The Effect of Coinfection on Survival

To examine the prevalence of and survival rates for coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), data were analyzed from all HIV-infected patients tested for HCV antibody from January 1992 until May 1997. The prevalence of HCV infection among 350 HIV-infected patients was 33%. By univariate analysis, HCV-positive (HCV + ) patients were more likely to be older (P = .003), be positive for hepatitis B core antibody (P = .006), be black (P = .001), be intravenous drug users (P = .001), and have an abnormal level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P = .001). In a logistic regression model, only intravenous drug abuse and abnormal AST level remained independently associated with HCV positivity. Length of survival, as determined by the Cox proportional hazards model, was similar for HCV + vs. HCV- patients when analyzed for three different endpoints: time from diagnosis of HIV to diagnosis of AIDS, time from diagnosis of HIV to death, and time from diagnosis of AIDS to death. The prevalence of HCV infection in this population is high but does not appear to affect HIV progression or survival.
Motivations for Male and Female Birdwatchersin New York State

To better understand the motivations influencing birdwatching participation, a mail survey was conducted in 2006 of 500 male and 500 female birdwatchers living in New York State. Negative binomial regressions were used to identify the relationship between participation (i.e., the number of birdwatching trips taken in 2005; dependent variable) and demographic characteristics and motivations (independent variables) for male and female respondents. For females, results indicated significant, negative relationships between participation and both the “spiritual” and “enjoying the outdoors” motivations, and positive, significant relationships between participation and the “intellectual” and “challenge” motivations. For males, a negative significant relationship between participation and the “spiritual” motivation, and a positive, significant relationship between participation and the “sharing knowledge” motivation were identified. Educational level was related to participation for males, whereas age group, mari...
Mozzarella Cheese: Impact of Milling pH on Functional Properties

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the impact of milling pH and refrigerated storage time on functional properties of unmelted and melted Mozzarella cheese. A “no-brine” Mozzarella cheese-making method was used to produce cheese with homogeneous chemical composition within and among vats. Three vats of cheese, each with a different milling pH (5.40, 5.25, and 5.10), were made in 1 d. Cheese making was replicated on 3 d. Differences in milling pH alone did not affect texture profile analysis parameters of unmelted Mozzarella cheese. Melted cheese characteristics, such as meltability and free oil formation, were unaffected by the differences in milling pH. However, hardness of unmelted cheese decreased, meltability increased, apparent viscosity of melted cheese decreased, and free oil formation increased during 50 d of storage at 4°C. Proteolysis of casein may be the cause of the significant cheese functionality changes during refrigerated storage.
Acoustic stratigraphy of Bear Lake, Utah–Idaho—Late Quaternary sedimentation patterns in a simple half-graben

A277-kmnetworkofhigh-resolutionseismic-reflectionprofiles,supplementedwithasidescan-sonarmosaicofthelakefloor,was collected in Bear Lake, Utah–Idaho, in order to explore the sedimentary framework of the lake’s paleoclimate record. The acoustic stratigraphy is tied to a 120 m deep, continuously cored drill hole in the lake. Based on the age model for the drill core, the oldest continuously mapped acoustic reflector in the data set has an age of about 100 ka, although older sediments were locally imaged. The acoustic stratigraphy of the sediments below the lake indicates that the basin developed primarily as a simple half-graben, with a steep normal-fault margin on the east and a flexural margin on the west. As expected for a basin controlled by a listric master fault, seismic reflections steepen and diverge toward the fault, bounding eastward-thickening sediment wedges. Secondary normal faults west of the master fault were imaged beneath the lake and many of these faults show progressively increasing offset with depth and age. Several faults cut the youngest sediments in the lake as well as the modern lake floor. The relative simplicity of the sedimentary sequence is interrupted in the northwestern part of the basin by a unit that is interpreted as a large (410 km) paleodelta of the Bear River. The delta overlies a horizon with an age of about 97 ka, outcrops at the lake floor and is onlapped by much of the uppermost sequence of lake sediments. A feature interpreted as a wave-cut bench occurs in many places on the western side of the lake. The base of this bench occurs at a depth (22–24 m) similar to that (20–25 m) of the distal surface of the paleodelta. Pinch-outs of sedimentary units are common in relatively shallow water on the gentle western margin of the basin and little Holocene sediment has accumulated in water depths of less than 30 m. On the steep eastern margin of the basin, sediments commonly onlap the hanging wall of the East Bear Lake Fault. However, no major erosional or depositional features suggestive of shoreline processes were observed on acoustic profiles in water deeper than about 20–25 m. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Purification and properties of a UDPglucose:flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase from Hippeastrum petals

Abstract The major flavonoid aglycone of Hippeastrum petals was found to be pelargonidin, an anthocyanidin. Flavonols such as kaempferol and quercetin were also detected, although in much smaller amounts. A glucosyltransferase that catalyzes the formation of these flavonol and anthocyanidin 3- O -glucosides (UDPglucose:flavonol O 3 - d -glucosyltransferase, E.C.2.4.1.91) has been purified 756-fold from post anthesis stage Hippeastrum petals. Purification to electrophoretic homogeneity by denaturing gel electrophoresis was achieved by (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 fractionation, gel-filtration, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Bio-Gel and chromatofocusing, yielding a preparation that contained 13% of enzyme activity found in the crude extract. The enzyme had a pH optimum at 5 with a shoulder at 8-8.5. The glucosyltransferase showed the highest reaction rate with kaempferol as acceptor, but also utilized dihydrokaempferol and quercetin to a significant degree. Naringenin, isosakuranetin, pelargonidin, cyanidin and malvidin were also glucosylated, but at a much lower rate (3–8%). The glucosyltransferase had an IEP at pH 5.6, and M r 49 000 and was composed of two identical subunits of M r 24 500 each. Apparent K m values of 12.5 μM (kaempferol), 1.0 mM (UDPglucose) and 70 μM for both quercetin and cyanidin were determined. The significance of these results in the metabolic sequence of anthocyanin biosynthesis is discussed.
A heuristic approach to necessary conditions of optimality

A simple, direct method is presented for deriving necessary conditions of optimality covering most of the situations encountered in practice. The method is based on the observation that, if generalized functions are admitted, a broad class of optimal control problems can be transcribed into a canonical form called the Canonical Variational Problem (CVP). The necessary optimality condition for CVP is phrased in the form of a Lagrange multiplier rule. This condition contains many of the results relating to minimum principles in the optimal control literature.
Tannic acid as an electron‐dense probe in the testis

The use of tannic acid to preserve and promote the staining of protein constitutents of the extracellular fluid is described. Its usefulness for delineating the extracellular compartment and detecting changes in capillary permeability is illustrated in experiments on the testis.
Diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopic characterization of silica dehydroxylation

Diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS) is employed to study the dehydroxylation of amorphous silica. Dehydroxylation results in the appearance of infrared absorption bands at 1022, 1107, and 1240 cm−1 assigned to asymmetric stretching vibrations for three different siloxane bridge types. The 1107-cm−1 absorbance band represents a siloxane bridge that is indistinguishable from bulk species. The 1022-cm−1 absorbance band represents a siloxane bridge with a bond angle that is smaller than the bulk, with little change in the stretching vibration force constant. The 1240-cm−1 absorbance band derives from a siloxane bridge characterized by a stretching force constant significantly larger than that of bulk siloxane bridges. This band may be indicative of a highly strained or broken siloxane bridge.
Differences in Numbers, Reproduction and Survival Between Two Neighboring populations of Bank Voles (Clethrionomys glareolus)

This research is supported by grant G-14533 from the National Science Foundation and grant M-5001 from the National Institute of Mental Health, U. S. Public Health Service. I am indebted to Hermine Kavanau for the illustrations and to Drs. Daniel H. Brant, Robert Glaser, Kenneth S. Norris and Frederick B. Turner for valuable suggestions concerning the manuscript. Thanks also are due to Marcyn Brown, Bill Landy, Tony Dymond and Greg Sarna for aid in data reduction.
Insect visitors to extrafloral nectaries of Byttneria aculeata (Sterculiaceae): relative importance and roles

. 1. Ants, parasitoids and flies are about equally frequent at foliar nectaries of Byttneria aculeata (Sterculiaceae) in lowland Costa Rica during the dry season, a pattern previously unreported but also observed at other plants in the area. 2. Species of Ectatomma, Crematogaster and Camponotus were the most frequent of twenty-four ant species on Byttneria, eight of which nested in the hollow stems. Ants spent most time at nectaries and little in patrolling. 3. Collections at nectaries yielded large numbers of species of parasitoid Hymenoptera with few individuals of each. Rearing studies of leaf-feeding herbivores yielded several species of parasitoids, including one species taken at a nectary and two others congeneric or closely related. 4. Flies appear to be nectar thieves, in the same sense as non-pollinating floral visitors, despite close association with Byttneria. 5. Ant-plants may be poor models for the larger number of species of less specialized plants with extrafloral nectaries. Plants which have only extrafloral nectaries may better suit the needs of parasitoids than ants, and plants such as Byttneria may benefit as much from parasitoids as from ants.
Distinguishing conventional and distonic radical cations by using dimethyl diselenide

Dimethyl diselenide is demonstrated to be among the most powerful reagents used to identify distonic radical cations. Most such ions readily abstract CH3Se from dimethyl diselenide. The reaction is faster and more exclusive than CH3S· abstraction from dimethyl disulfide, a reaction used successfully in the past to identify numerous distonic ions. Very acidic distonic ions, such as HC+(OH)OCH 2 · , do not undergo CH3Se· abstraction, but instead protonate dimethyl diselenide. In sharp contrast to the reactivity of distonic ions, most conventional radical cations were found either to react by exclusive electron transfer or to be unreactive toward dimethyl diselenide. Hence, this reagent allows distinction of distonic and conventional isomers, which was demonstrated directly by examining two such isomer pairs. To be able to predict whether electron transfer is exothermic (and hence likely to occur), the ionization energy of dimethyl diselenide was determined by bracketing experiments. The low value obtained (7.9±0.1 eV) indicates that dimethyl diselenide will react with many conventional carbon-, sulfur-, and oxygen-containing radical cations by electron transfer. Nitrogen-containing conventional radical cations were found either to react with dimethyl diselenide by electron transfer or to be unreactive.
Overview of Newer Agents: Where Treatment Is Going

Impaired insulin secretion (beta-cell), increased hepatic glucose production (liver), and decreased peripheral (muscle) glucose utilization constitute the traditional primary defects responsible for the development and progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus. beta-Cell failure, ultimately leading to decreased insulin secretion, is now known to occur much earlier in the natural history of type 2 diabetes than originally believed. Additionally, a better understanding of the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes reveals other etiologic mechanisms beyond the classic triad, now referred to as the ominous octet. In addition to the beta-cell, liver, and muscle, other pathogenic mechanisms include adipocyte insulin resistance (increased lipolysis), reduced incretin secretion/sensitivity (gastrointestinal), increased glucagon secretion (alpha-cell), enhanced glucose reabsorption (kidney), and central nervous system insulin resistance resulting from neurotransmitter dysfunction (brain). Currently, the management of type 2 diabetes focuses on glucose control via lowering of blood glucose (fasting and postprandial) and hemoglobin A(1c). However, the goal of therapy should be to delay disease progression and eventual treatment failure. Treatment should target the known pathogenic disturbances of the disease (i.e., reducing the deterioration of beta-cell function and improving insulin sensitivity). In recent years, treatment strategies have focused on the development of novel therapeutic options that affect many of the defects contributing to type 2 diabetes and that provide durable glucose control through a blunting of disease progression. Optimal management of type 2 diabetes should include early initiation of therapy using multiple drugs, with different mechanisms of action, in combination.
Direct green LED development in nano-patterned epitaxy

Blue LED progress has laid the ground works of nitride technology to tackle the higher challenge of longer wavelength direct emitters of green, yellow, and orange. Use of bulk GaN substrate allows leapfrogging epitaxy development and offers crystallographic planes that allow higher crystal perfection and a control over piezoelectric polarization. Their combination allows stabilization of emission wavelength with current. Further improvement is found in substrate patterning on the micro and nano-meter length scale where we find roughly equal performance enhancement due to both, enhancement in light extraction and enhanced crystalline perfection.
A Reputation for Success (or Failure) : The Association of Peer Academic Reputations With Academic Self-Concept, Effort, and Performance Across the Upper Elementary Grades

The associations between children's academic reputations among peers and their academic self-concept, effort, and performance were examined in a longitudinal study of 427 students initially enrolled in Grades 3, 4, and 5. Assessments were completed in the fall and spring of 2 consecutive school years and in the fall of a 3rd school year. Peer academic reputation (PAR) correlated moderately strongly with teacher-rated skills and changed over time as a function of grades earned at the prior assessment. Path-analytic models indicated bidirectional associations between PAR and academic self-concept, teacher-rated academic effort, and grade point average. There was little evidence that changes in self-concept mediated the association between PAR and effort and GPA or that changes in effort mediated the association between PAR and GPA. Results suggest that peers may possess unique information about classmates' academic functioning, that children's PARs are psychologically meaningful, and that these reputations may serve as a useful marker of processes that forecast future academic engagement and performance.
Effect of Carbon Nanofibers on Thermal Conductivity of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites

Abstract Carbon fiber-reinforced composites (CFRCs) have been fabricated using a vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) incorporating carbon nanofibers (CNFs). Incorporation of CNFs in the composite laminate was performed by both matrix-modification and fiber-modification routes. In the matrix-modification route, vapor grown carbon nanofibers (VGCNFs) were directly mixed into the epoxy resin EPON862 using ultrasound tip sonication. In the fiber-modification route, carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were directly grown on the carbon fiber fabric using chemical vapour deposition (CVD). A wire-based 3 technique was used to measure the thermal conductivity of the CFRCs in both in-plane and through-thickness direction. Although the matrix-modification route didn’t show significant improvement in the in-plane direction, the fiber-modification route showed improvement in both in-plane and through-thickness directions. Maximum improvement in through-thickness thermal conductivity of about 10% and 30% was observed in the matrix-modification and fiber-modification route, respectively. It is believed that the random orientation of the CNFs on the fiber surface results in such an improvement in the in-plane direction. Effect of temperature on thermal conductivity was also measured and found to be significant for the CNF-modified composites compared to unmodified composites.
Angiographic selection criteria for living related liver transplant donors.

The purpose of this study is to better define arteriographic selection criteria for living related liver transplantation (LRLT) based on literature review, technical and theoretical considerations, and correlation of patterns of variation in hepatic artery anatomy with recipient and donor outcomes.Visceral angiograms of 92 consecutive living related liver transplant donors were retrospectively reviewed by two radiologists and one transplant surgeon. Arterial configurations were categorized. Recipient and donor outcomes were determined by a review of transplant surgery and radiology records.Anomalous hepatic artery anatomy was identified in 67% of potential donors. A left hepatic artery (LHA) with a diameter of less than 2 mm was identified in 1%, and with a diameter of 2-3 mm, in 5%. A dual LHA supply to the left lateral segment was identified in 11%. Two subtypes were defined. Bifurcation of the LHA into branches entering segment II and segment III less than 1 cm from the LHA origin was present in 8%. A ...
Caution: conscience is the limb on which medical ethics sits.

conscientious refusal. However, the fact that there is a non-zero probability of something immoral happening is not all we can know about a given situation, and certainly not all the conscientiously-objecting pharmacist can know about the use of EC. We can know that the immoral thing is more or less likely to occur — often our approximation will be considerably more specific than merely non-zero. We can know whether or not the immoral thing is intended, by whom, and for what reasons. We can know whether the immoral thing is a more or less direct causal result of the professional’s actions. We can know that the immoral thing is a more or less seriously wrong. We can know roughly on a scale whether the immoral thing is widely understood as such or whether it is uniquely understood that way by the individual professional. Each of these is necessary for evaluating the reasonableness of the professional’s refusal to participate. In fact, we assume there are other categories relevant to the comprehensive ethical evaluation of contributing to an unethical act. It seems clear from these observations that Card (2007) uses the zero probability argument as a bit of a straw man. The conscientious objector does not rely on such a simplistic claim. In fact, conscientious objection can and should be evaluated in light of a variety of components, rather than the mere possibility that one’s actions will contribute to an unethical result. Specifically, conscientious objection appears to be made more plausible by a variety of factors, including the likelihood, intentionality, causal directness, degree of consensus, and not least, the severity of the unethical action.
Alterations in Heparan Sulfate in the Vessel in Response to Vascular Injury in the Mouse

Heparan sulfate (HS) is ubiquitous throughout the human body. The backbone of HS is composed of many types of sugars. HS serves as a docking site for a vast array of protein ligands. Recent evidence suggests a unique diversity in HS structure that alters protein binding and protein function. This diversity in HS structure has been overlooked till now. The goal of this study was to determine whether femoral artery wire injury modified HS structure. Femoral artery wire injury was performed in 16-week-old male C57BL6 mice. Transcript levels of a panel of enzymes that regulate HS fine structure, including N-deacetylase-N-sulfotransferases (Ndst) 1 and 2, exostoses (Ext) 1 and 2, C5 epimerase, and 2-O and 6-O sulfotransferases, were quantified with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction at 7 and 14 days post injury. All enzymes showed significant alterations in messenger RNA expression in response to injury. Ndst1, the most prevalent isoform, exhibited a 20-fold increase in response to injury. Injury induced significant alterations in fine structure specially increases in N-sulfated disaccharides at 14 days post injury. Vascular injury invokes transcriptional regulation of the enzymes that regulate HS structure, as well as changes in the pattern of HS chains in the vessel wall 14 days post injury. These findings may be important as the foundation of altered growth factor and chemokine binding in the process of vascular remodeling.
Advanced baseline sounder (ABS) for future geostationary operational environmental satellites (GOES-R and beyond)

The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) is being designed for future Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (starting with GOES-R in 2012). As with the current GOES Imager, this instrument will be used for a wide range of qualitative and quantitative weather and environmental applications. The ABI will improve over the existing GOES Imager with more spectral bands, higher spatial resolution and faster imaging (and more geographical areas scanned). The ABI will improve the spatial resolution from nominally 4 to 2 km for the infrared bands and 1 to 0.5 km for at least one visible band. There will be a five-fold increase of the coverage rate. The ABI expands the spectral band number from five to at least 12. Up to 18 bands on the ABI are being investigated. Every product that is being produced from the current GOES Imager will be improved with data from the ABI.
Cocaine-induced Conditioned Place Preference in Mice: Induction, Extinction and Reinstatement by Related Psychostimulants☆

Reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior in animals is relevant to drug relapse in humans. In the present study, we employed the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm to investigate the extinction and reinstatement of the place-conditioned response, a model that is consistent with drug-seeking behavior. Cocaine-induced CPP was rendered in Swiss Webster mice and then extinguished after repeated saline injections (8 days) in both the previously cocaine-paired compartment and the saline-paired compartment. Following the extinction phase, the reinstatement of CPP was investigated. Cocaine-experienced mice were challenged with one of the following psychostimulants, cocaine (15 mg/kg), methamphetamine (METH; 0.5 mg/kg), methylphenidate (MPD; 20 mg/kg) and phencyclidine (PCP; 5 mg/kg). The priming injection of cocaine, METH and MPD, unlike PCP, induced a marked preference for the previously cocaine-paired compartment. This finding suggests that all three psychostimulants reinstated the CPP response, and METH and MPD substituted for the reinforcing cue of cocaine. A challenge injection of cocaine administered two and four weeks after the reinstatement of CPP indicated that CPP was maintained up to two weeks. The finding that METH and MPD but not PCP reinstated and supported cocaine-induced CPP suggests that the CPP paradigm may be a useful tool for drug discrimination studies and the reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior.
Incentive-compatible regulation of foreign-owned subsidiaries: A tax simulation for the Jamaican bauxite industry

Abstract In 1974 Jamaica replaced the corporate income tax on multinationals in the bauxite sector with a production levy on bauxite in order to increase tax revenue. The results were mixed: tax revenue jumped initially, but the multinationsl quickly started shifting production elsewhere. We model Jamaica's taxation problem assuming that it has incomplete information about the multinationals' costs and derive the optimal incentive-compatible tax mechanism. We simulate and compare the effects on output and tax revenue of the actual and the incentive-compatible tax regimes and conclude that there might be substantial benefits to implementing an incentive mechanism.