cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
D1 but not D2 dopamine receptor antagonism blocks the acquisition of a flavor preference conditioned by intragastric carbohydrate infusions

Abstract The effects of dopamine D 1 (SCH23390) and D 2 (raclopride) receptor antagonists on the acquisition and expressions of flavor preferences conditioned by the postingestive actions of sucrose were investigated. Food-restricted rats were trained in one-bottle sessions to associate one flavored saccharin solution (CS+) with intragastric (ig) infusions of 16% sucrose, and another flavored saccharin solution (CS−) with water infusions. Flavor preferences were then measured in two-bottle tests. In Experiment 1A, rats that received the D 2 antagonist (raclopride, 200 nmol/kg; RAC group) throughout training consumed less CS+ and CS− than did saline-treated Control rats; a saline-treated Yoked group had its intake limited to that of the RAC group. All three groups displayed CS+ preferences during two-bottle tests when treated with saline or raclopride, except at doses that greatly suppressed intake. Experiment 1B obtained similar results with rats treated with 400 nmol/kg raclopride throughout training. In Experiment 2, rats that received the D 1 antagonist (SCH23390, 200 nmol/kg; SCH group) throughout training consumed less CS+ and CS− than did saline-treated Control rats; a saline-treated Yoked group had its intake limited to that of the SCH group. Unlike the Control and Yoked groups, the SCH group failed to prefer the CS+ to the CS− in two bottle tests. SCH23390 treatment during two-bottle testing did not block CS+ preference in the Control or Yoked groups, except at doses that greatly suppressed intake. We conclude that D 1 , but not D 2 , dopamine receptors are critically involved in the acquisition of a sucrose-conditioned flavor preference, and both receptor subtypes have a more limited role in the expression of this preference.
Effects of the adenovirus H5ts125 and H5ts107 DNA binding proteins on DNA replication in Vitro

Abstract Genetic and biochemical studies of adenovirus (Ad) DNA synthesis in vitro demonstrate that the Ad DNA binding protein (Ad DBP) is not necessary for the initiation of Ad DNA synthesis but is required for chain elongation. The DBP, which enhances early elongation to the 26th deoxynucleotide by approximately two- to fourfold, is absolutely required as chain elongation proceeds further. Ad DNA synthesis was assayed in a system requiring Ad DNA covalently linked at each 5′ terminus to a protein (Ad DNA-pro), various fractions of Ad-infected cytoplasm, and an extract of uninfected Hela nuclei. Initiation of Ad DNA replication was measured by the formation of a covalent complex between the 80,000 dalton preterminal protein (pTP) and 5′ dCMP. DNA binding proteins from two ts mutants, H5 ts 125 and H5 ts 107, have been purified and shown to be functional at 30° but inactive at 38° in an in vitro elongation system dependent on purified proteins. Chymotryptic cleavage of the 72K wild-type Ad2 DBP produces a 34K carboxyl terminal fragment which retains full activity in the in vitro elongation of Ad DNA.
Decoupled double stochastic fractional integrals

This paper considers properties of decoupled double Wiener-Ito integrals with respect to fractional Brownian motion for values of The distribution of the decoupled 2-integral is found and shown to be the symmetrization of the distribution of the coupled 2-integral. This allows the development of moment estimates and large deviations estimates for decoupled 2-integrals similar to those known for coupled 2-integrals.
Athena and telemachus

The argument of this article is that, once one tries to interpret the Homeric poems, major deities like Athena will invite allegorical readings and that, in fact, Athena in theOdyssey should be seen as polyvalent. A close reading of the initial discussion between Athena and Telemachus reveals three distinct functions of the goddess, which carry over into other scenes: her psychological role as prudence, especially when one considers Telemachus and his development towards manhood; her function as familydaimon or goddess of the household, when one wishes to understand why she intervenes when she does; and finally the military goddess, when one realizes what her true intent had been throughout the poem. The scholiasts provide support for all three interpretations but especially stress the first. These interpretations also appear in the work of modern academics, both critics and historians of religion. They show that the scholiasts, who do not show how they came to their interpretations, and modern scholars who are more explicit and certainly hold different assumptions and have different methodologies, nevertheless, have provided accounts for these same three roles of Athena in the poem. They show that the scholiasts were not erratic readers of the poem. I simply present their readings, but the claim for polyvalency is my own.
Identity Formation across Cultures: The Interaction of Personal, Societal, and Historical Change

NarrativesWestern psychology has traditionally had considerable difficulty in dealing withculture and with history. In the search for universal principles of human behavior, cul-tural and historical considerations have most often been ignored or treated as epiphe-nomena. Even though developmental psychology has been more attentive to the role ofhistory and culture than some other branches of psychology, the emphasis in the fieldremains on processes of growth and change that are assumed to be common across allpeople. The fact that most American developmental research has been carried out withmiddle class European American samples is frequently not taken into consideration.This situation is changing gradually, as the increasing cultural diversity in the USdraws attention to the need to understand the role of culture and ethnicity in develop-ment. Yet even those who acknowledge the importance of the broader context wrestlewith questions about how to study the complex interactions among changing cultural,historical, and developmental factors. The study of developmental changes itselfpresents difficult challenges; when cultural and historical changes are considered aswell, the level of complexity is vastly increased.Researchers who are particularly interested in cultural factors in development facethe challenge of conceptualizing culture in a way that can be studied empirically. Mosteither focus on comparisons between discrete cultural groups or explore the interplay ofcultural practices and development within a single society. These approaches are yield-ing valuable information about processes related to cultural differences, but they do notaddress the ways in which cultures are themselves changing and becoming intermixed[Hermans and Kempen, 1998].
Likelihood that an Unsubtypeable Influenza A Virus Result Obtained with the Luminex xTAG Respiratory Virus Panel Is Indicative of Infection with Novel A/H1N1 (Swine-Like) Influenza Virus

With the sudden emergence of novel A/H1N1 (swine-like) influenza virus against a background of concurrently circulating seasonal H1N1 and H3N2 influenza viruses, diagnostic laboratories have been placed in a difficult situation regarding sensitive and accurate detection. This situation has been
The nonlinear prebuckling response of short thin-walled laminated composite cylinders in bending

Abstract The geometrically nonlinear Donnell shell theory is used to determine the prebuckling response of short thin-walled laminated circular cylinders in bending. Bending is induced by a known rotation of the clamped cylinder ends. The equilibrium equations and strain-displacement equations are manipulated so the governing partial differential equations are in first-order form. Using the separation of variables technique, along with a harmonic expansion in the circumferential direction, these first-order partial differential equations are converted to first-order ordinary differential equations. These equations are solved numerically using a finite-difference procedure and prebuckling responses are computed for cylinders with a radius: thickness ratio of 160 and length: radius ratios of 2 and 5. The range of validity of the prebuckling solution is limited by the critical, or buckling, end rotation, which is estimated by the simple classical method. The use of the classical estimate is justified by comparing it with more rigorous approaches. Three laminated composite cylinders are considered: an axially stiff [∓45/0 2 ] s layup, a circumferentially stiff [∓45/90 2 ] s layup, and a quasiisotropic [∓45/0/90] s layup. The displacement response is discussed for each cylinder as a function of axial and circumferential location, with particular emphasis on the character of the radial displacement and the boundary layer associated with the nonlinear response. Comparisons with a geometrically linear analysis are made. An analog with the axial compression problem is developed and valuable information about boundary layer length as a function of laminate material properties and applied end rotation is presented. In addition, the role of the laminate Poisson's ratio v xθ on the displacement behavior is discussed.
Word association training and creativity

The effects of verbal reinforcement on word-association responding were investigated in combination with pre-experimental tendencies for common or uncommon responses. Although effective in all combinations, reinforcement tended to be most effective when coinciding with pre-experimental tendencies. Neither variable was related to subsequent performance on the Remote Associates Test.
N-(3-Fluoro-4-(4-(2-methoxy or 2,3-dichlorophenyl)piperazine-1-yl)butyl)arylcarboxamides as Selective Dopamine D3 Receptor Ligands: Critical Role of the Carboxamide Linker for D3 Receptor Selectivity

N-(3-Fluoro-4-(4-(2,3-dichloro- or 2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine-1-yl)butyl)arylcarboxamides were prepared and evaluated for binding and function at dopamine D3 receptors (D3Rs) and dopamine D2 recept...
Case report 497

Decouverte radiologique fortuite d'une masse au niveau de l'os iliaque. Biopsie et exerese chirurgicale
Evolution of hepatitis C virus in liver allografts

1. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA+ liver allograft recipients invariably reinfect the liver allograft within hours after transplantation, and the majority (>70%) develop chronic hepatitis. The rate at which these patients experience progression to cirrhosis and the overall percentage are significantly increased in comparison with HCV infection in the nontransplant setting. 2. Core needle biopsy evaluation is used to establish the diagnosis of recurrent HCV, which can be difficult to distinguish from acute cellular rejection and other causes of allograft dysfunction. In the vast majority of cases, however, distinguishing recurrent HCV from other posttransplant syndromes is reliably achieved by a careful examination of hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections and correlation with clinical and serological data. 3. Recurrent HCV often coexists with other causes of liver allograft dysfunction, and the determination of the most important cause of injury and whether other causes of injury are present is important. Included are residual changes of preservation/reperfusion injury, biliary sludging/structuring, acute cellular and chronic rejection, and autoimmune hepatitis. 4. The complex interplay between immunosuppression management, viral replication, and the recipient immune system results in distinct patterns of recurrent chronic HCV in the liver allograft: (1) conventional or usual acute and chronic HCV, which resembles that seen in the general population with HCV; (2) fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis; and (3) plasma cell-rich HCV, which might represent a variant of, or overlap with, autoimmune hepatitis and rejection. 5. The variable but usually hastened histopathological progression toward cirrhosis in HCV+ allografts is similar to that seen in the nontransplant setting, but in allografts, the overall severity of lymphocytic inflammation is less, and ductular reactions, stellate cell activation, and subsinusoidal fibrosis are accentuated. Hepatic stressors and causes of an impaired ability of hepatocytes to replicate include persistently high levels of viral replication, HCV-specific CD4+ T responses, advanced donor age, high levels or rapid withdrawal of immunosuppression, and coexistent liver damage from preservation/reperfusion injury, biliary structuring, or coexistent cytomegalovirus or herpes 6 viral infection. 6. Immunological effector mechanisms involved in the rejection and control of HCV replication/HCV elimination show significant overlap. Patients with very high levels of HCV RNA rarely show significant clinically significant acute or chronic rejection, whereas their occurrence is frequently associated with very low levels or clearance of HCV RNA. Studying the evolution from recurrent HCV to acute rejection in patients treated with interferon and/or weaned from immunosuppression might provide valuable insights into the relationship between these 2 processes as well as liver allograft acceptance.
Upregulation of Osteopontin by Osteocytes Deprived of Mechanical Loading or Oxygen

The pathway(s) by which disuse is transduced into locally mediated osteoclastic resorption remain unknown. We found that both acute disuse (in vivo) and direct hypoxia (in vitro) induced rapid upregulation of OPN expression by osteocytes. Within the context of OPN's role in osteoclast migration and attachment, hypoxia-induced osteocyte OPN expression may serve to mediate disuse-induced bone resorption. Introduction: We have recently reported that disuse induces osteocyte hypoxia. Because hypoxia upregulates osteopontin (OPN) in nonconnective tissue cells, we hypothesized that both disuse and hypoxia would rapidly elevate expression of OPN by osteocytes. Materials and Methods: The response of osteocytes to 24 h of disuse was explored by isolating the left ulna diaphysis of adult male turkeys from loading (n = 5). Cortical osteocytes staining positive for OPN were determined using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. In vitro experiments were performed to determine if OPN expression was altered in MLO-Y4 osteocytes by direct hypoxia (3, 6, 24, and 48 h) or hypoxia (3 and 24 h) followed by 24 h of reoxygenation. A final in vitro experiment explored the potential of protein kinase C (PKC) to regulate hypoxia-induced osteocyte OPN mRNA alterations. Results: We found that 24 h of disuse significantly elevated osteocyte OPN expression in vivo (145% versus intact bones; p = 0.02). We confirmed this finding in vitro, by observing rapid and significant upregulation of OPN protein expression after 24 and 48 h of hypoxia. Whereas 24 h of reoxygenation after 3 h of hypoxia restored normal osteocyte OPN expression levels, 24 h of reoxygenation after 24 h of hypoxia did not mitigate elevated osteocyte OPN expression. Finally, preliminary inhibitor studies suggested that PKC serves as a potent upstream regulator of hypoxia-induced osteocyte OPN expression. Conclusions: Given the documented roles of OPN as a mediator of environmental stress (e.g., hypoxia), an osteoclast chemotaxant, and a modulator of osteoclastic attachment to bone, we speculate that hypoxia-induced osteocyte OPN expression may serve to mediate disuse-induced osteoclastic resorption. Furthermore, it seems that a brief window of time exists in which reoxygenation (as might be achieved by reloading bone) can serve to inhibit this pathway.
Derrida, a Kind of Philosopher: A Discussion of Recent Literature

Rodolphe Gasche, The Tain of the Mirror: Derrida and the Philosophy of Reflection. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1986. 348 pp. Irene E. Harvey, Derrida and the Economy of Differance. Studies in Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1986. xv & 285 pp. John Llewelyn, Derrida on the Threshold of Sense. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1986. xiii & 137 pp.
Thin-layer chromatography of steroid derivatives for radioimmunoassay.

Abstract Separation by thin-layer chromatography of the intermediates and final products in the synthesis of steroid-protein and steroid-tyrosine methyl ester conjugates is described for the following steroids: aldosterone, cholesterol, cortisol, progesterone and testosterone.
Approval voting in practice

Several leading professional associations have recently decided to use approval voting (AV). The largest of them, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE), with more than 300,000 members, adopted AV in response to practical political problems with conventional plurality elections of precisely the sort that AV was designed to solve. This paper analyzes results of the first three multicandidate elections conducted by the IEEE using the new system. Issues examined include participation rates, use of multiple votes, patterns of shared support, majority rule, AV-dominance, effects on outcomes, and encouragement of candidate entry. In general, AV appears to have had a successful test.
Circulatory catecholamines in the eel: origins and functions.

While the three catecholamines (CAs) dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E), are wide-spread in tissues of the American eel (Anguilla rostrata), the bulk of these CAs in the systemic blood originates from chromaffin cells in the wall of the posterior cardinal veins. In addition, the brain and unidentified structures in the opisthonephric kidney also release appreciable quantities of CAs. The functional realms attributed to systematically circulating CAs in teleosts comprise cardiovascular, respiratory, osmoregulatory, metabolic and endocrinotropic actions. In the eel, cardiovascular and respiratory effects are well established. However, we were unable to prove a physiological role of the CAs in osmoregulation. On the other hand, the eel is the only species among five vertebrates of greatly varying phylogenetic position (the others: hagfish, lamprey, rat, human) in which physiological doses of E were hyperglycemic. As in lamprey and rat, DA and NE are released in the eel by physiological doses of E. In addition, DA and NE also release the respective other two CAs. The physiological significance of the catecholaminotropic (CA-tropic) interactions remains to be established; however, the CA-tropic effect of E does not require the presence of the brain or ‘preganglionic’ nerve cells. In the eel, mild stress causes an immediate ‘unorthodox’ drop of plasma CAs, while stronger stress is followed by the expected increase of plasma CAs.
Minimum-weight design with piecewise constant specific stiffness

Much of the literature on minimum-weight design is concerned with structures with continuously varying dimensions. Structures of this kind achieve an absolute minimum of weight and thereby provide a useful standard of comparison, but their manufacturing cost is prohibitive in most applications. As a step toward the establishment of optimality conditions for more practical structures, the present paper discusses optimal design of sandwich beams and frames with segmentwise constant cross sections. Optimality is shown to require that the mean square stress in the face sheets has the same value for all segments. The use of the optimality condition is illustrated by examples.
Fibroblast Growth Factor, A Review

The recent identification of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)23 has filled in the gaps of our understanding of calcium– phosphate regulation. Together with its cofactor Klotho, FGF-23 is a phosphaturic factor that influences vitamin D metabolism and renal re-absorption of phosphorus in order to maintain serum phosphate levels within the normal range. In chronic kidney disease (CKD), FGF-23 levels rise in parallel with declining kidney function before any significant rise is perceived in serum phosphate concentration. Increased serum FGF-23 levels in CKD patients were found to be independently associated with ventricular hypertrophy and endothelial dysfunction after correcting for traditional markers of calcium–phosphate metabolism. FGF-23 has been implicated in various human diseases including autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets (ADHR), X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH), tumor induced osteomalacia and familial tumoral calcinosis. Lastly, in prospective studies, elevated serum FGF-23 levels predicted rapid disease progression in non-dialysis dependent CKD patients and increased mortality in chronic hemodialysis patients. The growing knowledge and understanding of FGF-23 may provide potential answers with regards to prevention and management of CKD [1]. The FGF family is comprised of polypeptides that share a common region of amino peptide residues. Seven human FGF subfamilies have been identified; FGF-23 belongs to the FGF19 subgroup including FGF 19, 21 and 23 having very different physiological functions despite sharing a similar disulphide bond which is absent in most other families. FGF23 is a central regulator of phosphate homeostasis, enhancing phosphorus excretion and suppressing1-alpha hydroxylase activity in the kidney [2, 3], whereas FGF-19 is involved in bile acid synthesis and FGF-21 stimulates insulinindependent glucose uptake in adipocytes and reduces triglyceride levels. The active form of FGF-23 is an approximately 32-kD (251 amino acids) protein with its gene located on chromosome 12 [4, 5]. It is mainly expressed in osteocytes [6, 7], and also expressed in pericyte-like cells around the venous sinuses, the ventrolateral thalamic nucleus, and in the thymus. The contribution of sites other than bone to circulating FGF-23 levels is still unclear. It is clear, however that there are high levels of expression in the osteocytes and that because osteocytes are the most abundant cell in bone, this suggests that the serum levels of FGF-23 are derived mainly from bone [8]. FGF-23 exerts its biological effects through activation of FGF receptors in a Klotho dependent manner, as a Klotho/ FGF-Receptor complex binds to FGF-23. Klotho is a transmembrane protein, the gene expression of which was detected in distal renal tubular cells, parathyroid gland, the pituitary gland, ovary, testis, skeletal muscle, duodenum, pancreas and choroid plexus. It is unclear why Klotho is G. C. Chibesakunda (*) :C. S. Brecklin Department of Medicine/Section of Nephrology, University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago, 820 S Wood Street (MC 793), Chicago, IL 60612, USA e-mail: gracecc@uic.edu
Motion characteristics of the lumbar spinous processes with degenerative disc disease and degenerative spondylolisthesis

Objective Recently, interspinous process devices have attracted much attention since they can be implanted between the lumbar spinous processes (LSP) of patients with degenerative disc disease (DDD) and degenerative spondylolisthesis (DLS) using a minimally invasive manner. However, the motion characters of the LSP in the DLS and DDD patients have not been reported. This study is aimed at investigating the kinematics of the lumbar spinous processes in patients with DLS and DDD.
A comprehensive update on the neuropsychology of cardiovascular disease

Neuropsychology and cardiovascular disease. Cohen, R. A. & Gunstad, J. (Eds.). 2010. New York, NY: Oxford. Pp. 416. ISBN 978–0–19–534118–8. $85.00. As the leading cause of mortality in the United S...
Effects of anti-IgM on mitogen-induced proliferation of human B-lymphocyte malignancies

Abstract Therapeutic trials of anti-immunoglobulin antibody have produced a wide range of responses in attempts to control the growth of human B lymphoid neoplasms. This variability might reflect differences in intrinsic functional characteristics of malignant B lymphocytes that determine susceptibility to anti-immunoglobulin-mediated regulation of growth. To characterize B-lymphocyte malignancies, tissue samples from 24 patients were studied during short-term culture in vitro. Malignant B lymphocytes were stimulated to proliferate by the T-independent mitogens lipopolysaccharide, cytochalasin B, and Staphylococcus aureus that bears protein A. The effects of monoclonal mouse anti-human IgM on mitogen-induced malignant lymphocyte proliferation were then assessed. Mitogen-induced responses of malignant lymphocytes from three patients were abrogated by 2 μg/ml monoclonal anti-human IgM. Proliferation was also abrogated by polyclonal goat anti-IgM antiserum but proliferative responses were not affected by control monoclonal antibody. Further study showed that anti-immunoglobulin-mediated inhibition of proliferation was not dependent on Fc-determined interactions, nor was it dependent on the presence of T lymphocytes. These results indicate that a subset of human B-lymphocyte malignancies are susceptible to inhibition of proliferation mediated by anti-IgM.
A Consideration of Graphite Electrodes

Graphite electrodes are one of the many material options for making contact to a molten glass bath for electric melting. Graphite has advantages and disadvantages over other materials, but laboratory testing against the specific glass confirms the success of use. The graphite grade is another important criterion for using the material as a glass melting electrode. The cost of graphite electrodes is about one-tenth that of molybdenum.
Pharmaceuticals and organochlorine pesticides in sediments of an urban river in Florida, USA

Sediments from a rural to urban gradient along the Alafia River in Florida, USA, were collected to determine the risk of environmental contamination with legacy (organochlorine pesticides (OCPs)) and new contaminants (pharmaceuticals). Bed sediments (0–10 cm) collected from rural and urban sub-basins of the Alafia River were analyzed for OCPs and pharmaceuticals using standard gas chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques. Three most frequently detected pharmaceuticals in sediments were carbamazepine (100 % of samples), trimethoprim (89 % of samples), and pseudoephedrine (63 % of samples). While acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, lidocaine, and nicotine were detected in <30 % of samples. The detection of caffeine in all sediment samples suggests that domestic wastewater from wastewater treatment plants and/or septic systems may be a contributing source at all the sites. Among the OCPs, endosulfan I was most frequently detected (37 % of samples), followed by δ-hexachlorocyclohexane (15 % of samples), γ-chlordane and endosulfan II (both in 11 % of samples), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene and methoxychlor (both in 7 % of samples). The lower concentrations of OCPs (sum 0–16.1 ng g−1) than pharmaceuticals (sum 0.5–61.9 ng g−1) in sediments are probably due to the historic use of OCPs since these were banned for use in the USA in the 1970s, while pharmaceuticals are still used. The variability in detection and concentrations of legacy and new compounds in rural and urban stream sediments is likely due to the different magnitude of input sources, site characteristics, and chemical properties of individual compounds. Significant positive correlations between OCPs and sediment properties (organic matter, silt, and clay) suggest that sediments are a major sink of various contaminants in the Alafia River. We conclude that the concentrations of both pharmaceuticals and OCPs in sediments of this urban river are relatively lower than existing literature; however, these can still be of environmental concern to aquatic organisms.
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION COEFFICIENTS FOR γ-RAY POLARIZATIONS PRODUCED IN POLARIZED CAPTURE REACTIONS☆

The previous publications have dealt with the angular momentum formalism of both linear and circularly polarized photons in ({gamma}, x) reactions on both polarized and unpolarized targets, and the inverse (capture) reactions initiated by polarized beams. In the present work, utilizing the general formalism of Welton, the authors deal with the linear polarization of the {gamma}-rays which are produced in capture reactions on unpolarized targets, including the possibility of having incident polarized spin {1/2} projectiles. These capture reactions are denoted by a({rvec x}, {rvec L})c, where {rvec x} is the incident polarized spin {1/2} projectile and {rvec L} represents the outgoing polarized {gamma}-ray. They present here the formalism in a convenient form, display a sample table of coefficients, and illustrate its use by means of several examples. A FORTRAN code will be made available for generating similar coefficients for other reactions.
Effect of wireless power link load resistance on the efficiency of the energy transfer

With the proper impedance matching system, a high efficiency can be acquired in wireless power transfer applications. Variations of the coupling coefficient factor could deviate, however, the impedance matching system from the designed considerations. In this paper, the transmitter reflected impedance from the receiver side is analyzed to avoid divergence of the impedance matching network considering a wide air gap range between transmitter and receiver sides. A 2 kW contactless system is designed to investigate an optimum impedance requirement by testing several displacement gaps between coils. Experimental results are demonstrated to reveal a relation between the efficiency and the reflected impedance.
Properties of septal plugs from the red alga Griffithsia pacifica1

Septal plugs from the marine red alga Griffithsia pacifica were freed intact from a clean cell wall fraction with cellulase, then isolated. Cytochemical data indicate that the plugs are composed of...
Analysis of causes of major train derailment and their effect on accident rates

Analysis of the causes of train accidents is critical for rational allocation of resources to reduce accident occurrence in the most cost-effective manner possible. Train derailment data from the FRA rail equipment accident database for the interval 2001 to 2010 were analyzed for each track type, with accounting for frequency of occurrence by cause and number of cars derailed. Statistical analyses were conducted to examine the effects of accident cause, type of track, and derailment speed. The analysis showed that broken rails or welds were the leading derailment cause on main, yard, and siding tracks. By contrast to accident causes on main tracks, bearing failures and broken wheels were not among the top accident causes on yard or siding tracks. Instead, human factor-related causes such as improper use of switches and violation of switching rules were more prevalent. In all speed ranges, broken rails or welds were the leading cause of derailments; however, the relative frequency of the next most common a...
The association between deployment-related posttraumatic growth among U.S. army soldiers and negative behavioral health conditions

Objectives: This study assessed posttraumatic growth (PTG) in a sample of U.S. Army Soldiers using the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), and the relationship between PTG and negative behavioral health (BH) conditions. Design: A sample of Soldiers with prior combat deployment experience (n = 1,834) completed an anonymous survey including demographics, the PTGI, and negative BH conditions. Results: Among previously deployed Soldiers, those reporting the highest number of combat experiences also reported significantly higher overall PTG. A significant inverse relationship was observed between PTG and recent suicidal ideation, whereby Soldiers reporting recent suicidal ideation reported significantly lower overall PTG. Conclusions: This study quantified PTG resulting from deployment and demonstrated the degree to which combat experiences might result in PTG. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 67:1–10, 2011.
Reducing conflicts in direct-mapped caches with a temporality-based design

Direct-mapped caches are often plagued by conflict misses because they lack the associativity to store more than one memory block in each set. However, some blocks that have no temporal locality actually cause program execution degradation by displacing blocks that do manifest temporal behavior. In this paper, we present a simple but efficient novel hardware design called the non-temporal streaming (NTS) cache that supplements the conventional direct-mapped cache with a parallel fully associative buffer. Every cache block loaded into the main cache is monitored for temporal behavior by a hardware detection unit. Cache blocks identified as nontemporal are allocated to the buffer on subsequent requests. Our simulations show that the NTS Cache not only provides a performance improvement over the conventional direct-mapped cache, but can also save on-chip area. For some numerical programs like FFTPDE, APPSP and APPBT from the NAS benchmark suite, an integral NTS Cache of size 9 KB (i.e., 8 KB direct-mapped cache plus 1 KB NT buffer) performs as well as a 16 KB conventional direct-mapped cache.
Robustness of the MSHIM Operation and Control Strategy in the AP1000 Design

The Westinghouse AP1000™ nuclear power plant design uses several evolutionary and advanced components, systems and analysis methods in order to maximize plant operational safety and efficiency. One advanced component of the AP1000 is the integration of the MSHIM operation and control strategy within the plant design. As a summary, the MSHIM operation and control strategy is an operational philosophy that has evolved from the Constant Axial Offset Control (CAOC) strategy, which was originally developed for the current generation of Westinghouse PWRs. The term MSHIM is derived from the fact that reactivity control uses low worth (or gray) control rod banks as a “mechanical shim.” This is opposed to today’s PWRs, which depend largely on changes in the chemical shim (soluble boron) concentration in the reactor coolant in order to provide fine reactivity control. The MSHIM strategy is unique in that it makes use of two independently controlled rod groups to provide fine control of both the core reactivity and axial power distribution during a wide range of operational scenarios. In the AP1000, the MSHIM operation and control strategy has been fully integrated into the digital rod control system. Specifically, automatic control of core reactivity (or RCS temperature) is provided using four (4) banks of “gray” control rods and two (2) banks of traditional control rods, all moving in a defined overlap. Furthermore, automatic axial power distribution (i.e., ex-core ΔI) control is provided using a single, heavy bank of traditional control rods which move independently of the reactivity control banks. It has been demonstrated that fine control of core reactivity and axial power distribution control can be achieved during a wide range of operational scenarios while relying only upon the automatic rod control functionality. Changes in the concentration of the chemical shim within the reactor coolant can thus be limited to only that required to directly compensate fuel and/or burnable absorber depletion during a given fuel cycle. In the AP1000, the MSHIM operation and control strategy is complemented by the BEACON™ on-line core monitoring system. BEACON provides direct monitoring of power distribution related parameters such as departure from nucleate boiling ratio (DNBR), peak linear heat rate (PLHR), and shutdown margin (SDM). The integration of the BEACON monitoring system into the AP1000 plant increases operational flexibility by relaxing certain operational limits during BEACON operation. The net effect of BEACON integration, thus, is to maximize the ability of rod control under the MSHIM strategy to maintain reactor operation within the associated technical specification limits, even under adverse operational transients. This paper explores the robustness of the MSHIM operation and control strategy under a range of anticipated plant operational scenarios. Furthermore, this paper demonstrates the operational simplification associated with this strategy as it has been integrated into the AP1000 plant control systems.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
At Home in the World

At Home in the World. MICHAEL JACKSON. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1995. x + 188 pp., maps, notes, references.
Are Kids Too Busy? Early Adolescents' Perceptions of Discretionary Activities, Overscheduling, and Stress

BACKGROUND: The activity patterns of children, especially after-school patterns, are receiving more professional attention. However, evidence regarding the value of various activities in children’s lives is contradictory. The purpose of this study was to assess perceptions of discretionary activities, overscheduling, and levels of stress from adolescents’ perspective. METHODS: A sample of 882 children, ages 9 to 13, recruited at 9 health education centers in the United States was selected for this study. Children answered questionnaires using remote, handheld devices. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression. The outcomes of interest were activity-based stress and desire for more free time. RESULTS: The primary predictor for the desire for more free time was hours of screen time (television, computer, video games): those who reported 3 or more hours were nearly 3 times more likely to desire more free time. Further, children who chose their own activities experienced more activity-related stress than those who shared decisions with parents. The single greatest predictor of activity-related stress was the reported number of hours spent on homework. Students who averaged at least 2 hours on homework per night were nearly twice as likely to report frequent activity-related stress. CONCLUSION: Parents of school-aged children should assess activity-related stress and the degree to which children perceive they are busy. Teachers, school counselors, and school administrators should be aware of these perceptions as they are making decisions regarding school schedules and should teach personal skills such as time management and stress control.
Perceptions of value: the uses of social television

We present the results of two studies on social television concepts. In one study, a Social TV prototype was tested in the field, allowing groups of users watching television at home to talk to each other over an audio link. Specific patterns of use are described, showing that users did perceive the system to be valuable. In another study, focus groups were presented with several Social TV concepts, and their responses were collected. These participants saw only moderate to marginal value in the concept. We discuss the discrepancy with reference to the limitations of each method.
Lessons learned from the Family Health Promotion Project

193 ISSN 1758-194X Colorect. Cancer (2012) 1(3), 193–195 10.2217/CRC.12.25 1Colorado School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology & University of Colorado Cancer Center, 13001 E. 17th Place, Aurora, CO 80045, USA 2Denver VA Medical Center & University of Colorado School of Medicine, 1055 Clermont St., Denver, CO 80220, USA *Author for correspondence: dennis.ahnen@ucdenver.edu The Family Health Promotion Project (FHPP) is a prospective controlled trial designed to test the effectiveness of a telephone-based counseling intervention to promote colonoscopy screening in members of high-risk colorectal cancer (CRC) families. FHPP participants were recruited from two National Cancer Institute-funded registries: the Colon Family Registry (CFR) and the Cancer Genetics Network (CGN). Both of these are multisite registries that have enrolled individuals diagnosed with CRC (probands with CRC) and their family members [1,2]. The FHPP recruited subjects from eight CFR and four CGN sites across the USA. Prior to randomization, FHPP participants completed a baseline survey that included information about CRC screening history, knowledge of CRC screening guidelines, attitudes and beliefs regarding colonoscopy, perceived barriers to CRC screening and perceived risk of CRC. The intervention was delivered by trained counselors using the Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) unit of the Survey Shared Resource of the University of Colorado Cancer Center. The intervention itself was designed to promote colonoscopy screening as this is the recommended CRC screening option for members of high-risk families; it was well grounded in behavioral theory and used motivational interviewing methodology. The design and baseline survey results have recently been published [3]. During the course of the FHPP we learned important lessons both from the study design and from the initial survey results. First and foremost, we learned that these registries are a valuable resource for conducting prevention trials in high-risk populations, which are often difficult to identify on a population level. The CFR and CGN had enrolled a large number of probands with CRC and their close relatives and had collected three-generation family histories. Having extensive family history data enabled us to easily identify individuals eligible for FHPP who were at increased risk for CRC due to an early “First and foremost, we learned that these registries are a valuable resource for conducting prevention trials in high-risk populations, which are often difficult to identify on a population level.” COMMENTARY
Boundary-Spanning Knowledge-Sharing In E-Collaboration

Knowledge creation and sharing in organizations is most often assumed to involve direct interactions. It is true that the creation of shared knowledge is really only feasible when people share and improvise local practices, through membership of the same workgroup. However, organizational innovation frequently involves a range of different stakeholder groups, spanning many different domains of professional practice. Definitions of "valid" and "relevant" knowledge become subject to negotiation and joint improvisation. This is reflected not only in discourse, but in the resources that mediate boundary-spanning interactions. This exploratory study analyzes how technical and organizational resources provided mediation of knowledge between different work-groups and how different forms of mediation led to the adaptation of the information systems that they defined and use in common.
Lossless image compression with a codebook of block scans

When applying predictive compression on image data there is an implicit assumption that the image is scanned in a particular order. Clearly, depending on the image, a different scanning order may give better compression. In earlier work, we had defined the notion of a prediction tree (or scan) which defines a scanning order for an image. An image can be decorrelated by taking differences among adjacent pixels along any traversal of a scan. Given an image, an optimal scan that minimizes the absolute sum of the differences encountered can be computed efficiently. However, the number of bits required to encode an optimal scan turns out to be prohibitive for most applications. In this paper we present a prediction scheme that partitions an image into blocks and for each block selects a scan from a codebook of scans such that the resulting prediction error is minimized. Techniques based on clustering are developed for the design of a codebook of scans. Design of both semiadaptive and adaptive codebooks is considered. We also combine the new prediction scheme with an effective error modeling scheme. Implementation results are then given, which compare very favorably with the JPEG lossless compression standard. >
Study of nonlinear variants of the least mean square (LMS) algorithm

The class of LMS-type algorithms utilizing zero-memory limiters (on one or both correlation multiplier inputs) is examined. A theorem by R. Price (1958) is utilized to simplify the analysis, which otherwise might be extremely difficult. The correlator limiters may be included to simplify the hardware implementation or may arise owing to the effect of limited dynamic range in the loop components. The analysis provides closed-form expressions for the mean weight convergence behavior, permitting establishment of convergence and performance bounds for this class of algorithms. >
Prediction of transmissivities, heads, and seepage velocities using mathematical modeling and geostatistics

Abstract A geostatistical approach is developed for the prediction of log-transmissivity, hydraulic head, and ultimately seepage velocities in a two-dimensional model of a confined aquifer under steady state conditions. The primary goal is to assess the uncertainty in model predictions associated with the uncertainty and scarcity of input data. The method uses cokriging to predict the most likely values for these functions and uses conditional simulations to generate equally probable realizations of these functions. The method allows for model uncertainty in the prescription of the boundary heads. The method is sucessfully applied to an artificial aquifer.
A stochastic approximation method for waveform cluster center generation

A method is presented that detects behavioral transients in waveforms. A structure is defined that accepts waveforms as inputs and generates a sequence of symbols representing the sequence of transients present in the waveform. This structure is developed by generalizing an unsupervised learning algorithm to the time-varying case. The algorithm accepts a sequence of unlabeled waveforms to find cluster centers associated with the transients. Clustering is assumed to be with respect to an arbitrary distance measure. This measure is assumed to satisfy differentiability and regularity requirements. The algorithm is shown to converge based on assumptions concerning a unique optimum. This is done by the application of a stochastic-approximation theorem to a gradient-following technique. The resulting algorithm is applied to a problem in speech processing. The structure resulting from the learning algorithm is compared to the standard linguistic phonetic structure.
Empowering Teachers? An Exploratory Study of Personnel Practices in Virtual Charter Schools in the United States

Virtual charter schools have the potential to transform teacher personnel management. However, there is currently little evidence that they are doing so. This study examined how 89 teachers at two virtual charter schools perceived school personnel practices and leadership. Survey analysis indicated that teachers perceived personnel practices as resembling those of their previous ‘brick and mortar’ public schools. The results also showed that these teachers had a more positive view of school leaders and the school climate than they had at their previous schools. Implications are discussed in light of teacher education and personnel management literature. Additional research is recommended, as is development of the preparation of school administrators to include online, flexible, and distance learning, and related innovative leadership practices.