cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Novel Family of Leaf-Type Compliant Joints: Combination of Two Isosceles-Trapezoidal Flexural Pivots

The leaf-type isosceles-trapezoidal flexural (LITF) pivot consists of two compliant beams and two rigid bodies. For a single LITF pivot, the range of motion is small while the center-shift is relatively large. The capability of performance can be improved greatly by the combination of two LITF pivots. Base on the pseudorigid-body (PRB) model of a LITF pivot, a method to construct the double-LITF pivots is presented by regarding a single LITF pivot as a the configurable flexure module. The trends of the center-shift are mainly considered by using this method with the combination of two LIFT pivots. Eight types of double-LITF pivots are synthesized. Compared with the single LIFT pivot, the stroke becomes larger, and stiffness becomes smaller. Four of them have the increased center-shift. The other four have the decreased center-shift. Two of the double-LITF pivots are selected as the examples to explain the proposed method. The comparison between PRB model and finite element analysis result shows the validity and effectiveness of the method. DOI: 10.1115/1.3046140
Influence of Natural Noise upon Antenna System Performance

The purpose of the paper is to examine the effects of natural radio noise upon the performance of ground antenna systems. The first part of the paper describes the spatial and spectral properties of the major sources of radio noise, and presents the results of a comprehensive program of machine computation of antenna temperature. In the second part of the paper, these results and those of a recently completed noise measurement program are used to evaluate the carrier-to-noise ratio at a ground receiving antenna which is tracking a space probe.
Cardiomyocyte Cultures With Controlled Macroscopic Anisotropy. A Model for Functional Electrophysiological Studies of Cardiac Muscle

Structural and functional cardiac anisotropy varies with the development, location, and pathophysiology in the heart. The goal of this study was to design a cell culture model system in which the degree, change in fiber direction, and discontinuity of anisotropy can be controlled over centimeter-size length scales. Neonatal rat ventricular myocytes were cultured on fibronectin on 20-mm diameter circular cover slips. Structure-function relationships were assessed using immunostaining and optical mapping. Cell culture on microabraded cover slips yielded cell elongation and coalignment in the direction of abrasion, and uniform, macroscopically continuous, elliptical propagation with point stimulation. Coarser microabrasion (wider and deeper abrasion grooves) increased longitudinal (23.5 to 37.2 cm/s; r=0.66) and decreased transverse conduction velocity (18.1 to 9.2 cm/s; r=-0.84), which resulted in increased longitudinal-to-transverse velocity anisotropy ratios (1.3 to 3.7, n=61). A thin transition zone between adjacent uniformly anisotropic areas with 45 degrees or 90 degrees difference in fiber orientation acted as a secondary source during 2x threshold field stimulus. Cell culture on cover slips micropatterned with 12- or 25- micro m wide fibronectin lines and previously coated with decreasing concentrations of background fibronectin yielded transition from continuous to discontinuous anisotropic architecture with longitudinally oriented intercellular clefts, decreased transverse velocity (16.9 to 2.6 cm/s; r=-0.95), increased velocity anisotropy ratios (1.6 to 5.6, n=70), and decreased longitudinal velocity (36.4 to 14.6 cm/s; r=-0.85) for anisotropy ratios >3.5. Cultures of cardiac myocytes with controlled degree, uniformity and continuity of structural, and functional anisotropy may enable systematic 2-dimensional in vitro studies of macroscopic structure-related mechanisms of reentrant arrhythmias. The full text of this article is available at http://www.circresaha.org.
Quenching of N2(A3∑+u) by Hg(II) halides

The flowing afterglow technique has been used to study the reactions of N2(A3∑+u'v = 0, 1) with some methylmercury and mercuric halides. Room temperature quenching rate constants and rate constants for production of HgX(B2∑+ were measured. Evidence is presented that shows another electronic state of N2, besides N2(A), can produce HgX(B) via dissociative excitation reactions with HgX2.
Mice with reduced NMDA receptor expression: more consistent with autism than schizophrenia?

Reduced NMDA-receptor (NMDAR) function has been implicated in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disease, most strongly in schizophrenia but also recently in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). To determine the direct contribution of NMDAR dysfunction to disease phenotypes, a mouse model with constitutively reduced expression of the obligatory NR1 subunit has been developed and extensively investigated. Adult NR1neo−/− mice show multiple abnormal behaviors, including reduced social interactions, locomotor hyperactivity, self-injury, deficits in prepulse inhibition (PPI) and sensory hypersensitivity, among others. Whereas such phenotypes have largely been interpreted in the context of schizophrenia, these behavioral abnormalities are rather non-specific and are frequently present across models of diseases characterized by negative symptom domains. This study investigated auditory electrophysiological and behavioral paradigms relevant to autism, to determine whether NMDAR hypofunction may be more consistent with adult ASD-like phenotypes. Indeed, transgenic mice showed behavioral deficits relevant to all core ASD symptoms, including decreased social interactions, altered ultrasonic vocalizations and increased repetitive behaviors. NMDAR disruption recapitulated clinical endophenotypes including reduced PPI, auditory-evoked response N1 latency delay and reduced gamma synchrony. Auditory electrophysiological abnormalities more closely resembled those seen in clinical studies of autism than schizophrenia. These results suggest that NMDAR hypofunction may be associated with a continuum of neuropsychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia and autism. Neural synchrony abnormalities suggest an imbalance of glutamatergic and GABAergic coupling and may provide a target, along with behavioral phenotypes, for preclinical screening of novel therapeutics.
Studies Concerning Possible Explanations for the Varying Response of Different Phosphorus Levels on Eggshell Quality

Abstract Four experiments were conducted to determine if differences in phosphorus (P) source or differences in dietary calcium (Ca) level were responsible for the changes in egg specific gravity observed when dietary P levels are increased or reduced. Individually caged hens (685) and 23 dietary treatments involving various Ca, P levels, and P sources (dicalcium phosphate and phosphoric acid) were used. The criteria were egg specific gravity, egg weight, egg production, feed consumption, serum calcium, and serum P. The results indicate that hens consuming various quantities of P (288 to 384 mg/hen/day) had similar, reduced, or increased egg specific gravities compared to that from hens receiving 714 to 819 mg P/hen/day. Hens with higher P intakes (1455 to 1710 mg/hen/day) had reduced egg specific gravity. There was no indication that P source or dietary calcium level influenced the observed response. Phosphorus intakes of 384, and 307 mg/hen/day maintained production in two experiments, but P intakes of 288, 310, 322, and 329 mg/hen/day did not in two other experiments. Although all low P treatments in which serum P was measured reduced serum P, there was little or no indication that this influenced egg specific gravity. Egg weight, feed consumption, and serum calcium varied among treatments. Results indicate that differences in ability of hens to utilize Ca from limestone vs. phosphate source or different calcium levels would not explain the variation in response to different P levels previously reported. It was concluded that until mechanisms responsible for varying responses to different P levels are known, reducing P levels to improve shell quality should be used cautiously.
Prolactin messenger ribonucleic acid concentrations in 4-day cycling rats and during the prolactin surge

Pituitary PRL mRNA concentrations were measured during the 4-day rat estrous cycle. Adult female Sprague- Dawley rats were killed at 3-h intervals throughout the cycle and hourly between 1000 and 2400 h on proestrus (n = 5-12). Serum PRL was increased on the afternoons of proestrus (P) and Eestrus (E), with peak concentrations at 1700 h (P, 624 ± E126;, 261 ± 107 ng/ml). PRL mRNA concentrations were elevated during the evening on P and E (2300 h: P, 14.4 ± 1.5; E, 16.1 ± 1.3 ng cDNA bound/100 μg pituitary DNA) to values 2-fold higher than those at 0800 h on each respective day. On diestrus (D) PRL mRNA levels decreased abruptly during the morning (1100 h, 1.7 ± 0.3 ng cDNA bound), followed by a 6- to 7-fold increase between 1700 and 2000 h on the same evening. In contrast, PRL mRNA levels were elevated at 0800 h on metestrus (M). The changes in PRL mRNA concentrations obtained on M and D were not associated with increased PRL secretion. A more detailed examination of P revealed that PRL mRNA levels increa...
Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome

The past 5 years have seen exponential growth in etiologic research and evidence-based therapies for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). The focus of this chapter is on symptomatic men without urinary tract infection (UTI), those classified as CPPS or NIH category III. The authors cover etiologies, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatments, including antimicrobials, anti-inflammatory agents, alpha blockers, hormonal manipulations, prostate massage and ejaculation, surgery and minimally invasive therapy, and alternative medicine.
Nitrogen Response in Cotton as Affected by Tillage System and Irrigation Level

More than 0.5 million ha of irrigated cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) are grown in the Southern High Plains of Texas. Conservation tillage cotton in terminated wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has been shown to improve water use efficiency and reduce wind erosion. However, limited N fertilizer response research has been done in this system. The objective of this 3-yr field study at Lubbock, TX was to characterize the response to N fertilizer (0, 28, 56, 84, or 112 kg N ha -1) at varying irrigation levels [0, 25, 50, or 75 % Evapotranspiration (ET) replacement] for conventional and conservation tillage cotton in an Acuff loam (fine loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic, Aridic Paleustoll). Additionally, we tested the chlorophyll meter as an indicator of in-season N status of cotton and compared it to petiole NO 3 -N analysis. Cotton lint yields showed a quadratic response to irrigation level in 1996 and 1997, and a linear response in the drought year of 1998. Maximum lint yield varied from 71 to 97 % ET replacement. In 1997 and 1998, cotton lint yields responded to N at the 50 and 75% estimated ET replacement irrigation levels, but not at the 0 or 25% ET levels. Quadratic-plateau models indicated that 19 to 38 kg N additional fertilizer ha -1 was needed to produce economically optimum lint yields near 1100 kg N ha -1 with conservation tillage than with conventional tillage. Chlorophyll meter and petiole NO 3 -N readings were positively related to N rate but were not affected by tillage system.
Characterization of exogenous hydroxyl radical effects on myocardial function, metabolism and ultrastructure

Abstract EDTA-chelated ferrous chloride (Fe 2+ -EDTA) mixed with ascorbic acid (VC) was shown in vitro to produce 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,3-DHBA), one of the hydroxyl radical (·OH) derivatives formed from reaction with 1 mM salicylic acid. The ·OH generating system of Fe 2+ -EDTA (5, 25 and 50 μM) mixed with VC (50, 250 and 500 μM) was perfused for 15 min to the isolated rat hearts to characterize the effect of exogenous ·OH on cardiac function, metabolism, and structure. A dose-effect relationship was observed between ·OH dosage and ventricular dysfunction, increase in coronary flow, structural damage in ATP and increase in lipid peroxidation. Catalase (CAT. 500 U/ml) and deferoxamine (DFX, 10 mM) significantly ( P in vitro , but superoxide dismutase (SOD, 100 U/ml) did not. When these agents were given to the heart perfused with 50 μM Fe 2+ -EDTA plus 500 μM VC, SOD failed to modify any myocardial alterations whereas CAT and DFX completely reversed them. Addition of 500 μM hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) to the 50 μM Fe 2+ -EDTA plus 500 μM VC further caused a 14-fold increase in ·OH generation. Addition of H 2 O 2 (500 μM) to the ·OH generating mixture induced more conspicuous myocardial changes compared with the mixture without H 2 O 2 addition, but the extent of those changes other than increase in coronary flow was less than that caused by perfusion with 500 μM H 2 O 2 alone. These results further suggest that the cardiac changes induced by the ·OH generating system are due to the combined effects of ·OH and H 2 O 2 which is formed as an intermediate product.
Rapid and Cost-Effective Method for Soil Carbon Mineralization in Static Laboratory Incubations

We evaluated a modified approach for carbon (C) mineralization using a single-cell infrared gas analyzer (IRGA). Objectives were to (i) determine if IRGA, gas chromatography (GC), and alkali absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) in sodium hydroxide (NaOH) have similar results over 21 days; (ii) determine how these methods correlate; (iii) estimate the limit of quantitation (LOQ); (iv) compare throughput times; and (v) estimate the concentrations of CO2 and oxygen (O2) that suppress respiration. IRGA did not differ from the GC and NaOH results over 21 days. Coefficients of determination (R2) for IRGA, GC, and NaOH had values of 0.92 or more. IRGA and GC had the lowest LOQ (115 and 90 ppm CO2), with the greatest LOQ (600 ppm CO2) found with NaOH. IRGA had the fastest sample throughput (150 h–1), followed by 17 and 10 h–1 for GC and NaOH, respectively. Average suppression concentrations were 5.3% for O2 and 10.5% for CO2.
Underutilization of evidence-based strategies in the diagnosis and treatment of venous thromboembolism among trainees.

BACKGROUND: The knowledge and attitude of trainees toward the use of prediction rules in the diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is understudied. The extent of knowledge as far as imaging strategies in the setting of VTE and use of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) among trainees is also understudied. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study; between October, 2006 and March, 2008, surveys were distributed at grand rounds and national medicine board review courses. Respondents returning completed surveys included 43 medicine attendings, 139 residents, and 134 medical students Emergency physicians were called at work and 46 completed an abbreviated version of the survey. Attending and trainee responses were compared. RESULTS: Over 60% of students and 40% of residents did not use any prediction rules. Most attendings (>60%) did not use a prediction rule. Among attendings, 48% of emergency physicians and 30% of medicine attendings felt that prediction rules were too complex to use. Knowledge about imaging techniques and diagnostic protocols for VTE were worse for students than for residents. A substantial minority of all respondents (17% of students, 12% of residents and 13% of medicine attendings) would not use LMWH in the therapy of non-massive pulmonary embolism. In general, level of training did not translate into a greater proportion of correct responses to clinical scenarios or greater knowledge about imaging systems and strategies. CONCLUSION: Trainees do not use a structured approach to VTE diagnosis. LMWH therapy is underutilized by a large minority of trainees and attendings. A top-down approach is needed to revitalize evidence-based management of VTE. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2010;5:E26–E30. © 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Management of the operating room

Summary The OR manager has multilevel challenges. Individual workers will look to the leader for daily answers to process problems. Teams will need advice about how to stay on performance pathways and the organization will ask for input into refining its strategy for the future. Managers who are able to reflect the mission of the organization through good listening skills, empathy, and innovation will be ongoing examples for a learning organization. When we are “customer-focused” we care about our patients' outcomes, our surgeons' operating conditions, and each other. Quality and sustained ability to compete then follow. Because of our familiarity with diseases, medical and surgical management, and appreciation of teamwork, we can make a difference to our many customers.
Relation of superoxide generation and lipid peroxidation to the inhibition of NADH-Q oxidoraductase by rotenone, piericidin A, and MPP+

Abstract The addition of NADH to submitochondrial particles inhibited by agents which interrupt electron transport from NADH-Q oxidoreductase (Complex I) to Q10 (rotenone, piericidin A, and MPP+) results in superoxide formation and lipid peroxidation. A study of the quantitative relations now shows that oxyradical formation does not appear to be the direct result of the inhibition. Although tetraphenyl boron (TPB) greatly enhances the inhibition by MPP+, it has no effect on O2•− formation or lipid peroxidation. When submitochondrial particles completely inhibited by rotenone or piericidin A are treated with bovine serum albumin to remove spuriously bound inhibitor molecules without affecting those bound at the specific inhibition site, NADH-Q activity remains inhibited and lipid peroxidation occurs but superoxide formation ceases. Thus oxyradical formation may be result of the binding of inhibitors at sites in the membrane other than those related to the inhibition of the electron transport.
TRANSIENT RAMAN OBSERVATIONS OF HEME ELECTRONIC AND VIBRATIONAL PHOTODYNAMICS IN DEOXYHEMOGLOBIN

Transient resonance Raman spectroscopy has been used to probe the vibrational dynamics of the heme active site of deoxyhemoglobin during photoexcitation. Near UV pulses of approximately 35 ps in duration were used to both excite the sample and generate resonance Raman spectra of the heme during its rapid electronic and vibrational relaxation. The behavior of the Stokes and anti-Stokes transitions as a function of incident laser flux directly reflects net heme vibrational populations and permits the isolation and characterization of ground and excited electronic state phenomena. Scattering from excited electronic states significantly influences the spectra only at the highest excitation fluxes used in this study. A simple model that accounts for the flux-dependent manifestations of the electronic and vibrational contributions to the heme transient resonance Raman spectra is discussed. In addition, the data presented here clearly show mode selectivity in the vibrational energy distribution associated with t...
Tissue Adhesives as Active Implants

Tissue adhesives are substances that hold tissues together, and could be broadly applicable in medicine and surgery. In appropriate circumstances, such materials could be attractive alternatives to sutures and staples since they can be applied more quickly, causes less pain and may require less equipment. In addition, there is no risk to the practitioner from sharp instruments (Singer et al., Acad. Emerg. Med. 5(2):94, 1998), and they may obviate the need for suture removal (Coulthard et al., Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 5:CD004287, 2010). An ideal surgical tissue adhesive should allow rapid adhesion and maintain strong and close apposition of wound edges for an amount of time sufficient to allow wound healing. It should not interfere with body’s natural healing mechanisms and should degrade without producing an excessive localized or generalized inflammatory response (Mobley et al., Facial Plast. Surg. Clin. North Am. 10(2):147, 2002). The clinical and scientific potential of adhesives can be enhanced by a variety of functionalities that may not be directly related to their function as glues or sealants. Here we will review adhesives in general, with an emphasis on enhancements that render those otherwise passive materials “active”. We note that some glues also have intrinsic secondary functionalities that can be direct or indirect consequences of their primary function, but that is not the focus of this chapter. (For example, they may augment local hemostasis directly, or by improving tissue apposition, without affecting clotting mechanisms (Reece et al., Am. J. Surg. 182(2 Suppl):40S, 2001)).
Correlation of thermal parameters with outcome in combined radiation therapy-hyperthermia trials.

Many studies utilizing combined hyperthermia (HT) and radiation therapy (XRT) in the treatment of advanced or recurrent malignancies have reported a correlation between some measure of the minimum temperature achieved and outcome. Previous reported studies at Stanford have demonste a statistically significant correlation between the duration of local control and Tmin, the mean over treatments of the minima of (a) measured intratumoral temperatures in fields which contained diffuse or nodular tumours, or (b) measured interstitial temperatures in fields treated for microscopic residual disease. Recently, T90, the mean of the temperatures above which 90% of all measured intratumoral temperatures fall, has been proposed as an alternative characterization of the efficacy of the HT treatment that reportedly has a superior correlation with outcome. To test this hypothesis, T90 was computed by two different methods for three groups of patients treated at Stanford with XRT-HT for superficially located tumor recurr...
Hormones, Anterior Pituitary Hormones

The hormones of the anterior pituitary gland play a significant role in the maintenance of normal health and body function. This master gland produces hormones involved in the regulation of somatic growth, metabolic rate, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, lactation, reproduction, and response to stress. Eleven anterior pituitary hormones have been extensively characterized at the protein and genomic levels. These hormones fall into three classic categories, ie, pro-opiomelanocortin-related (POMC-related) hormones, proteins structurally related to prolactin and growth hormone (PRL/GH-related), and glycoproteins. Structural similarities exist within each biochemical category, and the structural data presented represent listings in the Protein Identification Resource (PIR) database, compiled by the National Biomedical Research Foundation. Summary information on the principal biologic roles of each of these hormones is provided, as are commercial availability and source. Keywords: Adrenocorticotropic hormone; Metabolism; Melanotropins; Beta-endorphins; Lipotropin; Growth hormone; Prolactin; Glycoprotein hormones; Thyroid; Skin pigmentation
Development of real-time polymerase chain reaction assays for rapid detection and differentiation of wild-type pseudorabies and gene-deleted vaccine viruses

The successful eradication of pseudorabies in U.S. domestic swine was accomplished through the use of glycoprotein E (gE) deleted modified live virus vaccines and an accompanying gE differential enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Yet, pseudorabies virus (PRV) was established in feral swine in the United States, becoming a potential reservoir of PRV for infection of domestic swine and other native wildlife. A critical need for the current PRV surveillance program in the United States is the rapid detection of PRV infection. For this reason, a set of 2 real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays by using TaqMan chemistry was developed and evaluated for their capability in the detection and differentiation of field and vaccine strains of PRV. PCR primers and probes were designed for gB and gE genes of PRV, respectively. The newly developed PRV-specific real-time PCR assays could detect all wild-type PRV isolates from diagnostic submissions and differentiate them from vaccine strains. The analytical sensitivity of the assays was approximately 0.1 plaque-forming units per reaction. The assays were highly specific for PRV, because no positive results were obtained from testing other common swine viral pathogens and other animal herpesviruses. The results of testing samples from domestic and feral swine and from bovine showed that the real-time PCR assays are more sensitive than gel-based PCR. These results demonstrated the potential application of the developed real-time PCR assays as a differential test for rapid and specific detection of PRV in domestic and feral swine, as well as nonporcine species that can be infected with PRV and serve as carriers.
Utilization of protein expression profiles as indicators of environmental impairment of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from the Shenandoah River, Virginia, USA

The Shenandoah River (VA, USA), the largest tributary of the Potomac River (MD, USA) and an important source of drinking water, has been the site of extensive fish kills since 2004. Previous investigations indicate environmental stressors may be adversely modulating the immune system of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and other species. Anterior kidney (AK) tissue, the major site of blood cell production in fish, was collected from smallmouth bass at three sites along the Shenandoah River. The tissue was divided for immune function and proteomics analyses. Bactericidal activity and respiratory burst were significantly different between North Fork and mainstem Shenandoah River smallmouth bass, whereas South Fork AK tissue did not significantly differ in either of these measures compared with the other sites. Cytotoxic cell activity was highest among South Fork and lowest among North Fork AK leukocytes. The composite two-dimension gels of the North Fork and mainstem smallmouth bass AK tissues contained 584 and 591 spots, respectively. South Fork smallmouth bass AK expressed only 335 proteins. Nineteen of 50 proteins analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight were successfully identified. Three of the four identified proteins with increased expression in South Fork AK tissue were involved in metabolism. Seven proteins exclusive to mainstem and North Fork smallmouth bass AK and expressed at comparable abundances serve immune and stress response functions. The proteomics data indicate these fish differ in metabolic capacity of AK tissue and in the ability to produce functional leukocytes. The variable responses of the immune function assays further indicate disruption to the immune system. Our results allow us to hypothesize underlying physiological changes that may relate to fish kills and suggest relevant contaminants known to produce similar physiological disruption.
Lagrange Multiplier Test Diagnostics for Spatial Dependence and Spatial Heterogeneity

Several diagnostics for the assessment of model misspecification due to spatial dependence and spatial heterogeneity are developed as an application of the Lagrange Multiplier principle. The starting point is a general model which incorporates spatially lagged dependent variables, spatial residual autocorrelation and heteroskedasticity. Particular attention is given to tests for spatial residual autocorrelation in the presence of spatially lagged dependent variables and in the presence of heteroskedasticity. The tests are formally derived and illustrated in a number of simple empirical examples.
Narrating consciousness: language, media and embodiment.

Although there has long been a division in studies of consciousness between a focus on neuronal processes or conversely an emphasis on the ruminations of a conscious self, the long-standing split between mechanism and meaning within the brain was mirrored by a split without, between information as a technical term and the meanings that messages are commonly thought to convey. How to heal this breach has posed formidable problems to researchers. Working through the history of cybernetics, one of the historical sites where Claude Shannon’s information theory quickly became received doctrine, we argue that the cybernetic program as it developed through second-order cybernetics and autopoietic theory remains incomplete. In this article, we return to fundamental questions about pattern and noise, context and meaning, to forge connections between consciousness, narrative and media. The thrust of our project is to reintroduce context and narrative as crucial factors in the processes of meaning-making. The projec...
Limited hybridization across an edaphic disjunction between the gabbro-endemic shrub Ceanothus roderickii (Rhamnaceae) and the soil-generalist Ceanothus cuneatus.

UNLABELLED PREMISE OF THE STUDY Hybridization is thought to have played an important role in diversification of the speciose shrub genus Ceanothus; putative hybrid species have been described, and data suggest that intrinsic barriers may not exist among closely related species. However, the extent to which hybridization occurs in the wild is not known, and little is understood about how extrinsic factors such as soil chemistry may influence the process. The present research focuses on the gabbro-endemic C. roderickii and the closely related soil-generalist C. cuneatus. Though the species occur peripatrically, they remain distinct across an edaphic disjunction. • METHODS AFLP was used to quantify hybridization and introgression. Biological data and experiments were used to test for prezygotic isolation. Growth trials were used to test for local adaptation and selection against hybrids. • KEY RESULTS Ceanothus cuneatus and C. roderickii were strongly differentiated morphologically and genetically, despite a lack of evidence for prezygotic barriers. Hybrids and back-crosses were present but infrequent. Finally, there was selection against hybrids in nonnative soil. • CONCLUSIONS There is little genetic exchange between the focal species across an edaphic disjunction, despite the absence of prezygotic barriers. This result implies that soil conditions, as well as other extrinsic factors, should be considered as forces that may restrict hybridization and gene flow in Ceanothus, influencing local adaptation and speciation. Findings presented here are significant because they imply that exchange of genetic material between plants may be limited directly by the abiotic environment, rather than by the biology of the plants.
Novel Angiogenic Compounds for Targeted Drug Delivery

Abstract : Induction of angiogenesis is necessary for the success of engineered implantable tissues in order to meet oxygen and nutrient requirements of cells during tissue repair. Insufficient vascularization in bone graft reconstruction may impede healing and initiate hypoxic cell death at the interior of the implant. As a result, endogenous growth factors have been studied to enhance angiogenesis during wound repair. However, these peptide-based molecules are highly sensitive to processing that occurs during scaffold biomaterial fabrication and treatment for tissue engineering purposes. We report here the development of new small molecule regulators of angiogenesis that may circumvent the impediments associated with protein-based growth factor delivery. In this study, we report the design and evaluation of SC-3-143 as a regulator of endothelial function. We show that the compound significantly increases the formation of microvascular networks in vitro, and selectively enhances endothelial survivability by reducing endothelial cell death under serum deprived culture conditions.
Inhibitory control in young children and its role in emerging internalization

We examined inhibitory control as a quality of temperament that contributes to internalization. Children were assessed twice, at 26-41 months (N = 103) and at 43-56 months (N = 99), on repeated occasions, in multiple observational contexts and using parental reports. Comprehensive behavioral batteries incorporating multiple tasks were designed to measure inhibitory control at toddler and preschool age. They had good internal consistencies, corresponded with maternal ratings, and were developmentally sensitive. Individual children's performance was significantly correlated across both assessments, indicating stable individual differences. Girls surpassed boys at both ages. Children's internalization was observed while they were alone with prohibited objects, with a mundane chore, playing games that occasioned cheating, being induced to violate standards of conduct, and assessed using maternal reports. Inhibitory control was significantly associated with internalization, both contemporaneously and as a predictor in the longitudinal sense. The implications for considering children's temperament as a significant, yet often neglected contributor to developing internalization are discussed.
The psychopathology of self-assessed health : A cognitive approach to health anxiety and hypochondriasis

This paper reviews the relevant cognitive research on health anxiety and hypochondriasis, as well as research examining temperament/personality and social developmental factors relevant to health and illness cognition and associated negative emotional states. A cognitive developmental model is proposed which integrates individual difference variables, selective attention/cognitive factors, and social learning processes that may serve as vulnerability and maintenance factors in the etiology of health anxiety and hypochondriasis. Future directions for the study of cognition and hypochondriasis are suggested.
THE BIOCHEMISTRY OF PLASMALOGENS. II. HEMOLYTIC ACTIVITY OF SOME PLASMALOGEN DERIVATIVES.

A series of lysophosphatides was prepared from the plasmalogens phosphatidal choline and phosphatidal ethanolamine, and their hemolytic activity compared with that of α-palmitoyl lysolecithin. The nature of the linkage of the hydrocarbon chain (acyl ester, α,β-unsaturated ether, or alkyl ether) did not appreciably affect lytic activity. Unsaturation in the hydrocarbon chain of lysolecithins decreased hemolytic activity considerably; lysocephalins were significantly different in this respect. Sheep erythrocytes were much more sensitive to differences in lysolecithin structure than human or rabbit erythrocytes.
Partial Discharge Characteristics of Gap Model in Oil-Paper Insulation under Lightning Impulse Voltage

Aiming at the diagnosis analysis of transformer partial discharge under lightning impulse voltage test,the multi-scale oil-paper insulation gap model is established to study partial discharge characteristics under impulse voltage.Based on the mechanism of partial discharge under lightning impulse voltage,the time of lightning impulse voltage is divided into T1、T2、T3and T4.Driving mechanism of partial discharge in the stage of T4 is presented in detail.The results indicate that it is opposite polarity of partial discharge pulse in T2 and T4,but no overshoot oscillation phenomenon in T4;it extends the time of T3,the average discharge increases,cumulative discharge decreases and discharge repetition rate decreases with the increase of gap size.
The cost of coolers for cooling superconducting devices at temperatures at 4.2 K, 20 K, 40 K and 77 K

This author and other authors have written papers concerning the cost of refrigeration as a function of the refrigeration delivered. These papers have included small coolers as well. The lowest temperature range from 3.8 K to 4.7 K (the liquid helium temperature range) is covered using coolers that have two stages. The use of magnets and power equipment that use MgB2 conductors and HTS conductors have spurred the development of coolers that work well temperature ranges from 15 K to 30 K (hydrogen temperature applications), HTS conductors like BSSCO and YBCO for the range from 35 to 50 K and HTS devices from 65 K to 80 K (applications in the liquid nitrogen temperature range). This paper will present some cost data for a number of commercial two-stage and single-stage coolers. This data will be fitted to allow one to estimate the cost of coolers as a function of refrigeration for temperatures of 4.2 K, 20 K, 40 K and 77 K. The efficiency of a large number of coolers over a range of temperatures is also discussed.
A Colony Worth a Kingdom

Slavery had existed in Cuba long before the Haitian Revolution, indeed, long before Saint-Domingue had even embarked on its path as plantation power of the late eighteenth century. Yet the story of slavery in Cuba had differed significantly from that of the major slave societies of the French and British Caribbean, where in the two most productive colonies, Saint-Domingue and Jamaica, the enslaved accounted for over 85 percent of the population. There, plantations, monoculture, and slavery together formed the social and economic foundation of the colonies. In mid-century Cuba, slavery was significant, and local elites insistently called for its expansion. But in general, as Franklin Knight persuasively argued some time ago, the Spanish colony was more a society with slaves than a slave society. That began to change gradually in the last decades of the eighteenth century. With the start of the Haitian Revolution, it changed inexorably. Cuban planters ramped up production, purchasing more and more land and mills and enslaved laborers to fill the world demand for sugar now left unfilled by Saint-Domingue. But they did significantly more than fill an abstract space created in the world market. They remade their society, profoundly transforming the economic and social life of the colony. Allied with the colonial state, they worked to expand slavery and sugar while minimizing the risks of the kind of destruction engulfing Saint-Domingue. Situated at that crossroads, Cuban planters, authorities, and the enslaved themselves felt the urgency of the moment and the place they occupied. The revolution, planters were sure, was an opportunity, a gift. But as they worked to make slavery and sugar more powerful all around them, they occasionally let themselves wonder if Saint-Domingue might not also be a harbinger of a more dangerous future that their project might help bring into being. It was with these concerns and tensions palpable, always perceptibly in the shadow of the Haitian Revolution, that the Cuban slave system was transformed at the end of the eighteenth century and functioned for much of the nineteenth.
Pulsed laser interferometry with sub-picometer resolution using quadrature detection.

Femtosecond pulsed laser interferometry has important applications in measuring picometer-level displacements on sub-nanosecond time scales. In this paper, we experimentally examine its achievable displacement resolution, as well as the relationship between the laser’s optical spectrum and the interferometer’s effective wavelength. The resulting broadband displacement noise and noise floor of the pulsed laser Michelson interferometer are equivalent to that achieved with a stabilized continuous wave HeNe laser, where values of 1.01 nm RMS and 27.75 fm/√Hz have been demonstrated. It is also shown that a single effective wavelength can accurately describe the fringes of the pulsed laser interferometer but the effective wavelength value can only be determined from the optical spectrum under certain conditions. These results will be used for time-resolved displacement metrology with picosecond temporal resolution in the future.
Chronic periodontitis can affect the levels of potential oral cancer salivary mRNA biomarkers.

Background and Objective More than 100 salivary constituents have been found to show levels significantly different in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) from those found in healthy controls, and therefore have been suggested to be potential salivary biomarkers for OSCC detection. However, many of these potential OSCC salivary biomarkers are also involved in chronic inflammation, and whether the levels of these biomarkers could be affected by the presence of chronic periodontitis was not known. The objective of this pilot study was therefore to measure the levels of seven previously reported potential OSCC salivary mRNA biomarkers in patients with chronic periodontitis and compare them to levels found in patients with OSCC and healthy controls. The seven salivary mRNAs were interleukin (IL)-8, IL-1β, dual specificity phosphatase 1, H3 histone family 3A, ornithine decarboxylase antizyme 1, S100 calcium-binding protein P (S100P) and spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase 1. Material and Methods Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected from a total of 105 human subjects from the following four study groups: OSCC; CPNS (chronic periodontitis, moderate to severe degree, non-smokers); CPS (chronic periodontitis, moderate to severe degree, smokers); and healthy controls. Levels of each mRNA in patient groups (OSCC or chronic periodontitis) relative to the healthy controls were determined by a pre-amplification reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction approach with nested gene-specific primers. Results were recorded and analyzed by the Bio-Rad CFX96 Real-Time System. Mean fold changes between each pair of patient vs. control groups were analyzed by the Mann–Whitney U-test with Bonferroni corrections. Results Only S100P showed significantly higher levels in patients with OSCC compared to both patients with CPNS (p = 0.003) and CPS (p = 0.007). The difference in S100P levels between patients with OSCC and healthy controls was also marginally significant (p = 0.009). There was no significant difference in the levels of salivary IL-8, IL-1β and dual specificity phosphatase 1 mRNAs between patients with OSCC and patients with CPNS (p = 0.510, 0.058 and 0.078, respectively); no significant difference in levels of salivary ornithine decarboxylase antizyme 1 and spermine N1-acetyltransferase mRNAs between patients with OSCC and patients with CPS (p = 0.318 and 0.764, respectively); and no significant difference in levels of the H3 histone family 3A mRNA between patients with OSCC and either CPS (p = 0.449) or healthy controls (p = 0.107). Conclusions Salivary S100P mRNA could be a reliable biomarker for OSCC detection, regardless of the presence of chronic periodontitis. The presence of chronic periodontitis could significantly affect the levels of the other six mRNAs, and negatively influence reliability for using them as biomarkers for oral cancer detection.
The little-known history of Jack Kilby's misadventure in solar power

In the summer of 1958, a new employee at Texas Instruments, Jack St. Clair Kilby, had not yet accrued enough time off to take a company-wide vacation. Alone in the lab, Kilby pondered the then-current "tyranny of numbers" problem: the time-consuming and imperfect process of soldering connections between very large numbers of discrete solidstate components. Within a few short weeks, Kilby came up with a solution-the integrated circuit. This revolutionary invention, for which Kilby usually shares credit with Robert Noyce, launched the entire field of modern microelectronics and more than a half century of staggering technological progress.
Investigational histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) in myeloproliferative neoplasms

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The Philadelphia chromosome negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) mainly comprise polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET) and myelofibrosis (MF, primary or post-PV/ET). Therapy in PV and ET focuses on minimizing thrombosis and bleeding risk, while in MF, prolongation of survival is an important goal. Different cytoreductive agents are employed in high risk PV and ET, while the JAK inhibtior ruxolitinib is the cornerstone of therapy in MF. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are pleiotropic agents with diverse epigenetic and non-epigenetic actions, selectively in transformed cells. A number of HDACi have been or are being investigated in MPN.Areas covered: The mechanisms of action of HDACI in neoplastic cells are summarized, and the preclinical rationale and data supporting their development in MPN specifically examined, particularly their synergism with JAK inhibitors. Major findings of clinical trials of HDACi, both alone and in combination with ruxolitinib, ...
Second Cancers after CLL Diagnosis.

With the development of new treatment strategies, the survival of CLL patients has improved. Some reports indicate that CLL patients may be at increased risk of subsequent cancer. Patterns for the specific type of cancer may provide insights into possible causes associated with the development of secondary cancers. We evaluated the development of second cancer after diagnosis with CLL among 1069 patients diagnosed at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center between 1985 and 2001. Only patients with no prior invasive cancer and were followed-up for at least 1 year were included in the analysis. The mean age was 56 years (range: 16–89 years) and the male-to-female ratio was 1.47. During the mean follow-up of 6 years (range: 1–20 years), sixty six (6%) patients were diagnosed with secondary invasive cancers: breast (12), lung (11), colorectal (7), prostate (7), melanomas (6), Hodgkin’s disease (HD) (5), acute myelogenous leukemias (AML) (3), bladder cancers (3), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) (3), Merkel cell carcinomas (2), pancreatic (2), esophageal cancer (1), kidney (1), liver (1), endometrial (1) and appendix (1). The mean time to the development of secondary cancers was 4.7 years (range: 1 – 16 years). We compared the observed number (O) of second cancers to the expected number (E) calculated from the age-, sex- and calendar-year matched general US population using the Connecticut Tumor Registry data. Overall, no excess of second cancers was found, the standard incidence ratio (SIR) [O/E = 66/62 = 1.07 (95% CI: 0.84 – 1.37)]. When stratified by treatment, no significant increased risk of second cancer was observed among treated (SIR = 36/35.6 = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.71 – 1.40) and untreated patients (SIR = 30/25 = 1.20, 95% CI: 0.81 – 1.72) compared to the general population. However, when analyzing risks by cancer sites, higher risk of secondary melanoma (SIR = 4/0.85 = 4.71, 95% CI: 1.28 – 12.1) was observed among patients diagnosed with CLL at age older than 60 years. All five secondary Hodgkin’s disease were diagnosed in men, a significant excess of HD was found among both older (≥ 60 years) (SIR = 3/0.13 = 23.1, 95% CI: 4.75 – 67.4) and younger patients (
Some Expansions and Integrals

Our main objective in this chapter is to derive several important integrals and expansion formulas involving basic trigonometric functions on a q-quadratic grid. These results were established by Ismail, Rahman, Stanton, and Zhang in [68], [69], [71], and [76].
Communication in religious organizations

Regardless of one’s religious views, churches represent an important and distinctive arena of study, in part because of their prevalence in society. There are more than 350,000 churches in America,...
Author Reply: Affect, Value, Uncertainty, and Action:

Value and uncertainty are the critical components of decision and action. To think of the affective system as at the core of action is to draw attention to the role of affect in representing and co...