cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LYMPHOMATOSIS, MYELOMATOSIS, AND ENDOTHELIOMA OF CHICKENS CAUSED BY A FILTERABLE AGENT : II. MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENDOTHELIOMATA CAUSED BY THIS AGENT.

When stimulated by a filterable agent of leukosis of chickens (Strain 2), endothelium may undergo seemingly unrestricted growth. These neoplasms of endothelium are usually unaccompanied by the formation of blood cells. Occasionally they produce hemocytoblasts, discharged like those of the normal marrow into vascular channels as also myelocytes about the vessels. The same agent that stimulates endothelium also stimulates erythroblasts, myelocytes, and hemocytoblasts to unrestricted growth without obviously affecting the endothelium; and the association of endothelioma and leukosis is the result of stimulation of several types of cells by a single virus. Myelocytes appear also to develop from mesenchymal or endothelial cells without the intermediary stage of hemocytoblasts. It is often impossible to determine whether the neoplasms caused by the virus of Strain 2 are of endothelial or mesenchymal origin, and it is possible that both types of cells may be stimulated by the same virus. Types of sarcoma like those described by Rous are not produced by the virus of Strain 2.
Performance persistence of international mutual funds

Abstract This study applies the “winner–winner, winner–loser” methodology developed by Brown and Goetzmann, Goetzmann and Ibbotson, and Malkiel to test for short-term performance persistence in international equity mutual funds over the 20-year period from 1977 to 1996. Persistence tests are applied to a database consisting of all international equity funds in existence during this period, varying from a low of 11 (1977) to a high of 473 (1996) funds, reflecting the extremely rapid growth of this asset class over the last 20 years. The authors are not aware of any other persistence studies of international equity funds. The results show statistically significant performance persistence for 1-year holding periods, but no persistence for 2-, 3- or 4-year periods. For 1-year periods, overall, performance persistence is statistically significant at the .001 level. This leads to the conclusion that international equity mutual funds exhibit strong performance persistence for short-term (1-year holding periods), but persistence generally fades after the first year. These results are generally consistent with results found by other researchers using this methodology. Survivorship bias is a concern in virtually all time series studies of mutual fund returns. This bias is minimal in this study because each new fund is added to the database, merging funds continue to be included and adjustments are made for funds that cease operations. The only bias is that if any fund closed and did not merge with an existing fund, that fund would not have returns to be included for the future periods. Only 28 funds ceased operations over the 20-year period during which 490 new funds were introduced.
Chain Length Effects on the Thermodynamic Properties of n-Alkane Crystals

Molecular simulations are used to elucidate the effects of chain length on the unit cell dimensions, thermal expansion coefficients, heat capacities, and melting temperatures of n-alkane crystals. As the chain length increases, chain ends become less significant because they represent a smaller fraction of the chain, and the properties of the n-alkane crystals approach the properties of perfect polyethylene crystals. Energetic effects, associated with poorer packing at the chain ends, lead to a decrease in the density of shorter chain crystals. These energetic effects are compounded by entropic effects, associated with increased vibrational motion at chain ends, which lead to increased thermal expansion of shorter chain crystals. The heat capacity at constant volume is found to increase (on a per carbon basis) as chain length decreases, because shorter chains have more interchain modes in comparison to longer chains. Shorter chain crystals are also found to undergo instabilities related to melting at lowe...
The parti-resultantness of requirement: An explanation that failed

It appears that some relations may happen to be both defeasible and parti-resultant, relative to certain interesting reference classes. Confirmation is one of them, but, under several of the best available reconstructions of parti-resultantness, requirement is not. Moreover, parti-resultantness is not necessary for being defeasible, nor sufficient to assure it. So the conjecture by Ross and Chisholm that having the former property explains having the latter, especially where duty and requirement are concerned, turns out to be mistaken. It is probably only the persistent and deep-running ambiguity of parti-resultantness itself (uncovered above) that made the prospect of using it to account for defeasibility seem plausible.
Microstructural analysis in interorganizational systems

Abstract This paper argues that network analyses of interorganizational relations should begin by examining the way in which relations are organized at the local level. It posits that systematic departures from random models for dyad and triad censuses should be found before interpreting structural patterns isolated by analytic techniques concerned with overall network structure. Three principles of organizational bonding (resource inequality, reciprocity, and redundancy) are identified, and the implications of these for dyadic and triadic microstructures are detailed. Particular attention is given to differentiating between microstructural patterns to be anticipated when a system consists of autonomous actors approximately equal in power and resources and those expected when a system is highly centralized.
On the possibility of complete condensation shock waves in retrograde fluids

Shock discontinuities for which the upstream state is vapour and the downstream state is liquid are considered. The possibility of such shock waves is associated with a large number of molecular degrees of freedom: it is necessary that the ideal-gas specific heat cv [ges ] 24R at the critical temperature, a condition which is met by several common fluids. Shock properties are found from a corresponding-states thermodynamic model and from several calculations based on data for particular fluids. Condensation shock waves satisfy the usual stability conditions and should be found in laboratory experiments.
Metastatic Choriocarcinoma Presenting in a Gravid Woman

Choriocarcinoma coexistent with an intrauterine pregnancy is rare and requires decisions affecting mother and child to treat this aggressive tumor. An instance of this situation is presented to highlight clinical circumstances that warrant departure from accepted dogma. Pathologic aspects of choriocarcinoma are also discussed. Diagnosis of choriocarcinoma during an otherwise normal pregnancy requires a high index of suspicion and consideration of unconventional diagnostic maneuvers.
The Effect of a Brief Training in Motivational Interviewing on Trainee Skill Development.

Motivational interviewing (MI) is an empirically based practice that provides counselors with methods for working with resistant and ambivalent clients. Whereas previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of training current clinicians in this evidenced-based practice, no research has investigated the efficacy of teaching MI to counselors-in-training who work with clients from the general population. The authors examined the effect of a student-based training in MI for 43 graduate-level counselor trainees using a quasi-experimental controlled design. Statistical analyses based on pretest and posttest assessments revealed participants’ knowledge and skill in MI significantly improved in the treatment group. Implications for training future counselors and suggestions for additional research are explored.
Task Design: A Literature Review

The post-Hulin and Blood task design literature is reviewed, and several observations are made Individual differences (especially growth need strength) and organization variables moderate, affective responses (especially satisfaction with work) are most predictable, objective measures are needed; dimensionality is variable; optimal combinatory models are not widely accepted; and methodological problems are widespread.
Turbidimetry of two aqueous phase emulsions and related systems

Abstract Emulsion stability was studied using turbidimetry. The emulsions of interest contained one or more polymers. The first system studied was the two aqueous phase system made of a single solvent (water) and two polymers (polyethylene glycol and dextran). In the second and third systems, toluene was substituted for one of the phases and oil soluble polymer (polystyrene) was introduced. In all, efforts were made to choose nonadsorbing polymers, at least on a qualitative basis. Typical clearing times ranged from 1 2 to 1 h, although there were exceptions. All systems showed a second order response initially, indicating a flocculation controlled behavior. All explanations for the observed behaviors come from the conventional emulsion and thin film stability theory.
THE MATERNAL HEART IN THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD.

Abstract A series of profound changes in the maternal circulation are associated with pregnancy. Reversal of these changes in the postpartum period presents hazards to a few women with severe cardiac disease who have been in heart failure before delivery or, more rarely, who have been asymptomatic before delivery. Such dangers can be avoided for the most part by intelligent postpartum care. A rare form of postpartum myocardial degeneration occasionally occurs especially in Negro women in the southern United States. Its cause is unknown. With current methods of therapy the mortality approaches 20 per cent.
In Response to Community Violence: Coping Strategies and Involuntary Stress Responses Among Latino Adolescents

Among poor, urban adolescents, high rates of community violence are a pressing public health concern. This study relies on a contextual framework of stress and coping to investigate how coping strategies and involuntary stress responses may both mediate and moderate the relation between exposure to community violence and psychological well-being. Our sample consists of 223 ninth grade Latino adolescents from poor, urban families. In response to community violence, these adolescents reported using an array of coping strategies as well as experiencing a number of involuntary stress responses; the most frequent coping responses were turning to religion and seeking social support. Hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that involuntary stress responses mediated the relations between both witnessing or being victimized by violence and poorer psychological functioning, while coping strategies moderated these relations. These findings suggest that the negative psychological effects of exposure to community violence may, in part, be explained by involuntary stress responses, while religious-based coping may serve as a protective factor.
Deletion diagnostics for marginal mean and correlation model parameters in estimating equations

Regression diagnostics are introduced for parameters in marginal association models for clustered binary outcomes in an implementation of generalized estimating equations. Estimating equations for intracluster correlations facilitate computational formulae for one-step deletion diagnostics in an extension of earlier work on diagnostics for parameters in the marginal mean model. The proposed diagnostics measure the influence of an observation or a cluster of observations on the estimated regression parameters and on the overall fit of the model. The diagnostics are applied to data from four research studies from public health and medicine.
Radiation management of advanced breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION Two modalities of treatment for breast cancer, surgery and irradiation, have demonstrated consistent and predictable control of local-regional disease; long-term follow-up data support their use. A third modality, chemotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy, requires further study and evaluation. There is an unfortunate tendency to regard irradiation and chemotherapy in opposition to each other. In the treatment of locally advanced cancer of the breast, it is imperative to stop the theatrical prejudices of pros and cons, and to amalgamate all of the modalities into successful treatment, hopefully prolonging survival and improving the lives of afflicted patients. Although irradiation is successful in controlling large tumor masses in breasts and regional nodes, the sheer number of cells and the anoxic tumor compartment necessitate large doses. A 2-3 cm axillary lymph node will require 7000rad while a breast mass of 5 cm will require SOOO-10,000 rad in lo-12 weeks. Although local and regional control is achieved in more than 75% of the treated patients, the resulting fibrosis secondary to the high doses may be crippling with increasing necroses in the long-term survivors.
Reflections on an Intellectual Partner: My Life with Linda Datcher Loury

My intellectual partnership with Linda Datcher Loury began 37 years ago at MIT. It ended with her tragic, premature death last September. As a husband and a father, I will miss my wife tremendously, of course. And, as a scholar, I will see things a little less clearly, express myself a bit less surely, and ponder the often incomprehensible nature of social life with less confidence without my intellectual companion and life partner. The light of my understanding has grown dimmer and the path ahead is unclear.
Family and design in the IDC and CHI communities

As members of the HCI community we strive to design technologies that will benefit its intended users whether they are children, young adults, or older adults. The focus of this paper is to survey research related to technologies for families. In so doing we selected papers relating to technologies for families from all nine years of Interaction Design and Children (IDC) community (2003-2011) and then papers from the past 16 years of the larger Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) community (1996-2011). We present a survey of the design methods used in these papers. We identify trends in the technologies and identify the need for further exploration in the realm of participatory design for families.
Thyroid abnormality secondary to tortous carotid artery

A 59-year-old man was referred to the nuclear medicine service for a thyroid scan, as his neck was thick and the thyroid was not palpable. In the past the patient had undergone head and neck irradiation for acne. A123I-thyroid scan was interpreted as a “cold” nodule in the lower pole of the right lobe, but thyroid ultrasound showed no thyroid abnormality. Repeat ultrasound examination eventually showed a tortuous carotid artery behind the lower pole of the right lobe of the thyroid that corresponded to the “cold” defect.
Saturation spectrum of the parametric decay instability in the presence of an external magnetic field

The effects of an external magnetic field on the saturation spectrum of parametric instabilities are calculated and are discussed in the context of ionospheric heating experiments.
Coherent and incoherent inference in phylogeography and human evolution

A hypothesis is nested within a more general hypothesis when it is a special case of the more general hypothesis. Composite hypotheses consist of more than one component, and in many cases different composite hypotheses can share some but not all of these components and hence are overlapping. In statistics, coherent measures of fit of nested and overlapping composite hypotheses are technically those measures that are consistent with the constraints of formal logic. For example, the probability of the nested special case must be less than or equal to the probability of the general model within which the special case is nested. Any statistic that assigns greater probability to the special case is said to be incoherent. An example of incoherence is shown in human evolution, for which the approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) method assigned a probability to a model of human evolution that was a thousand-fold larger than a more general model within which the first model was fully nested. Possible causes of this incoherence are identified, and corrections and restrictions are suggested to make ABC and similar methods coherent. Another coalescent-based method, nested clade phylogeographic analysis, is coherent and also allows the testing of individual components of composite hypotheses, another attribute lacking in ABC and other coalescent-simulation approaches. Incoherence is a highly undesirable property because it means that the inference is mathematically incorrect and formally illogical, and the published incoherent inferences on human evolution that favor the out-of-Africa replacement hypothesis have no statistical or logical validity.
Associations of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Components of the Metabolic Syndrome in Obese Adolescent Females

Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk for metabolic syndrome. We determined the relationship of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) with metabolic syndrome components in obese adolescent females and assessed whether vitamin D treatment corrects metabolic disturbances. Eighty postmenarchal adolescents (53 African American (AA) and 27 Caucasian American (CA)) were evaluated with blood pressures and fasting measurements of serum 25(OH)D, lipid profile, C-reactive protein, alanine transaminases (ALTs) and aspartate transaminases followed by an oral glucose tolerance test. A subgroup (n = 14) of vitamin D deficient subjects were re-evaluated following vitamin D treatment. Among all subjects, 25(OH)D was inversely associated with fasting glucose (r = −0.28, P = 0.02) and positively associated with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (r = 0.31, P = 0.008), independent of race and BMI. In analyses by race, adjusted for BMI, 25(OH)D was inversely associated with fasting insulin in CA (r = −0.42, P = 0.03) but not AA (r = 0.11, P = 0.43) whereas 25(OH)D was positively associated with ALT in AA, but not CA (r = 0.29, P = 0.04 vs. r = −0.21, P = 0.32). Fasting glucose improved in vitamin D treated subgroup (from 89.07 ± 8.3 mg/dl to 84.34 ± 8.4 mg/dl, P = 0.05). A trend toward improvement in fasting glucose remained after exclusion of four subjects whose serum 25(OH)D2 did not improve following treatment (P = 0.12). In conclusion, serum 25(OH)D was inversely associated with fasting glucose, and vitamin D treatment had beneficial effects on fasting glucose. Relationships of 25(OH)D with fasting insulin and ALT were ethnic specific. The positive relationship with LDL and ALT were suggestive of possible adverse influences of vitamin D.
SU-E-I-25: Performance Evaluation of a Proposed CMOS-Based X-Ray Detector Using Linear Cascade Model Analysis

Purpose: The need for high‐resolution, dynamic x‐ray imaging capability for neurovascular applications has put an ever increasing demand on x‐ray detector technology. Present state‐of‐the‐art detectors such as flat panels have limited resolution and noise performance. A linear cascade model analysis was used to estimate the theoretical performance for a proposed CMOS‐based detector.Methods: The proposed CMOS‐based detector was assumed to have a 300‐micron thick HL type CsI phosphor, 35‐micron pixels, a variable gain light image intensifier (LU), and 400 electron readout noise. The proposed detector has a CMOSsensor coupled to an LII which views the output of the CsI phosphor. For the analysis the whole imaging chain was divided into individual stages characterized by one of the basic processes (stochastic/deterministic blurring, binomial selection, quantum gain, additive noise). Standard linear cascade modeling was used for the propagation of signal and noise through the stages and an RQA5 spectrum was assumed. The gain, blurring or transmission of different stages was either measured or taken from manufacturer's specifications. The theoretically calculated MTF and DQE for the proposed detector were compared with a high‐resolution, high‐sensitive Micro‐Angio Fluoroscope (MAF), predecessor of the proposed detector.Results: Signal and noise for each of the 19 stages in the complete imaging chain were calculated and showed improved performance. For example, at 5 cycles/mm the MTF and DQE were 0.08 and 0.28, respectively, for the CMOSdetector compared to 0.05 and 0.07 for the MAF detector.Conclusions: The proposed detector will have improved MTF and DQE and slimmer physical dimension due to the elimination of the large fiber‐optic taper used in the MAF. Once operational, the proposed CMOSdetector will serve as a further improvement over standard flat panel detectors compared to the MAF which is already receiving a very positive reception by neuro‐vascular interventionalists. (Support:NIH‐Grant R01EB002873) NIH Grants R01‐ EB008425, R01‐EB002873 and an equipment grant from Toshiba Medical Systems Corp.
Flexible discriminant techniques for forecasting clear‐air turbulence

Forecasting aircraft (clear-air) turbulence is currently based on a system of observations by pilots combined with a mostly subjective evaluation of turbulence indices derived from numerical weather prediction models. We address the issue of improving the forecasting capability of the single indices by combining them in a nonparametric multidimensional regression model, and applying discriminant analysis to the resulting predicted values. Thus we enhance the predictive skills of the indices considered in isolation and provide a more robust algorithm. We adopt the paradigm of flexible discriminant analysis (FDA), and use multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) and neural networks (NN) in the regression stage. The data for this case study covers the period 12–15 March 1999, for the United States. Results of the analyses suggest that our statistical approach improves upon current practice to the point that it holds promise for operational forecasts. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Translating the theoretical into practical: a logical framework of functional analytic psychotherapy interactions for research, training, and clinical purposes.

Functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP) provides a behavioral analysis of the psychotherapy relationship that directly applies basic research findings to outpatient psychotherapy settings. Specifically, FAP suggests that a therapist’s in vivo (i.e., in-session) contingent responding to targeted client behaviors, particularly positive reinforcement of a client’s effective behavior, should be a powerful mechanism of change. However, much of the previous literature on FAP has been theoretical, broadly defining FAP techniques rather than explicating them with the precision necessary for replication and training. In this article, the authors explicate a logical framework for turn-by-turn interactions between the client and therapist that may guide research, training, and dissemination of FAP. This molecular behavioral description of the events of the proposed logical interaction lends itself to microprocess research methodology, and a discussion of potential hypotheses to explore follows. Prescriptive, direct ...
Sensor fusion for hand-held multisensor landmine detection

Sensor fusion issues in a streamlined assimilation of multi-sensor information for landmine detection are discussed. In particular multi-sensor fusion in hand-held landmine detection system with ground penetrating radar (GPR) and metal detector sensors is investigated. The fusion architecture consists of feature extraction for individual sensors followed by a feed-forward neural network training to learn the feature space representation of the mine/no-mine classification. A correlation feature from GPR, and slope and energy feature from metal detector are used for discrimination. Various fusion strategies are discussed and results compared against each other and against individual sensors using ROC curves for the available multi-sensor data. Both feature level and decision level fusion have been investigated. Simple decision level fusion scheme based on Dempster-Shafer evidence accumulation, soft AND, MIN and MAX are compared. Feature level fusion using neural network training is shown to provide best results. However comparable performance is achieved using decision level sensor fusion based on Dempster-Shafer accumulation. It is noted that, the above simple feed-forward fusion scheme lacks a means to verify detections after a decision has been made. New detection algorithms that are more than anomaly detectors are needed. Preliminary results with features based on independent component analysis (ICA) show promising results towards this end.
Targeting antigen into the phagocytic pathway in vivo induces protective tumour immunity

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) kill neoplastic or virally infected cells after recognizing on their surface antigenic peptides bound to major histocompatibility complex class I molecules. These peptides are derived from antigens that are degraded in the cytosol of the affected cell. Because exogenous proteins cannot enter the cytosol, immunizations with killed pathogens or their proteins do not generally elicit CTLs. However, antigens that are internalized into phagocytic cells can enter the cytosol and be processed for class I presentation. Here we show that immunization with a purified antigen on an avidly phagocytized particle primes CTLs, which in turn protect animals from subsequent challenge with tumours transfected with the antigen gene. Interestingly, these animals also become immune to other antigens expressed by the tumour. This approach could be exploited to develop tumour and viral vaccines.
How Pragmatics and Syntax Make Principle B Acquirable 1

We argue that the debate over the delay of Principle B effects needs to include an additional class of contexts: Evans-style or Exceptional Coreference contexts (ECCs) (e.g., “It's not true that no one voted for John. John1 voted for him1”). Our experiment compares acquisition of regular Principle B contexts (B-contexts) and ECCs by English-speaking children. Thornton and Wexler (1999) predict that there will be no age at which the acceptance of the disjoint reference reading is significantly higher in ECCs than in B-contexts, while Reinhart (in press), in contrast, predicts gradual trends towards more adult-like performance in each condition; we tested each of these predictions. Our experimental results are incompatible with Thornton and Wexler (1999) and are compatible with Reinhart (in press). Our results are also compatible with our own account on which ECCs pose additional pragmatic challenges compared to B-contexts.
The application of trace elements to the petrogenesis of igneous rocks of granitic composition

Abstract Although trace element modeling has been used to great advantage for petrogenetic interpretations of basaltic systems, similar studies on igneous rocks of granitic composition have been fewer. In general the mineral/melt distribution coefficients for rare earth elements (REE) in granitic melts are equal to or greater than those for similar minerals in the basaltic system. Thus the effects of these minerals on the REE patterns of granitic melts during partial melting or differentiation are exaggerated as compared to basaltic systems, making detection of residual phases easier. For the K/Rb ratio, if neither a K-feldspar component nor biotitephlogopite is present in the residue, it is difficult to reduce the K/Rb ratio of the melt relative to the parent by a factor of two by either differentiation or partial melting. The petrogenesis of four distinctly different rocks are received: (1) an Archean tonalite presumably derived by partial melting of an Archean tholeiite at mantle depths, leaving a garnet plus clinopyroxene residue; (2) an Archean quartz monzonite presumably derived by partial melting of a short-lived graywacke-argillite sequence at crustal depths; (3) a dacite from Saipan presumably derived by differentiation from a basaltic parent; and (4) a trachyte from Ross Island, Antarctica, presumably derived by differentiation from a basanitoid parent and contaminated by continental crustal components.
A network protocol for data acquisition at NSCL

A network protocol suited for data acquisition, designed and implemented by the authors, is described. The protocol is capable of sustained throughput of 400 Kbytes/s on Ethernet. The protocol has been embedded in a commercial intelligent Ethernet controller that provides a high-level interface to front-end systems in networked data acquisition systems. The discussion covers the protocol design goals, data transmission, link management performance, and the overall project status. >
Surgical Reconstruction of Pulmonary Stenosis With Ventricular Septal Defect and Major Aortopulmonary Collaterals

Background Pulmonary stenosis with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collaterals (PS/VSD/MAPCAs) is an extremely rare form of congenital heart defect. Although it has been assumed that PS/VSD/MAPCAs would be similar to pulmonary atresia (PA) with VSD/MAPCA, there are currently no data to support this conjecture. This study reviewed our surgical experience with reconstruction of PS/VSD/MAPCA. Methods This was a retrospective review of 25 patients (14 boys, 11 girls) who were born with PS/VSD/MAPCA and underwent surgical reconstruction. Preoperative pulmonary angiography was used to define the central branch pulmonary arteries and MAPCA. Patients were a median age of 4 months at the first operation. Results There was one operative death (4%) in this cohort of 25 patients, and complete repair was achieved in the 24 survivors (96%). There were two distinct subgroups of patients: 11 demonstrated cyanosis in the neonatal timeframe and underwent an initial procedure to augment pulmonary blood flow (+PBF). The remaining 14 patients formed the second group (–PBF). The median age at the first operation was 0.8 months in the +PBF group and 5.2 months in the –PBF group ( p p Conclusions Outcomes for PS/VSD/MAPCAs as a whole were excellent, with a low surgical mortality and high rate of complete repair. There were two identifiable subgroups with distinctive differences required in their surgical management. These results provide a prognostic outlook for patients with PS/VSD/MAPCAs that can be compared and contrasted with PA/VSD/MAPCAs.
Sex pheromone biosynthesis in the housefly: Evidence for the regulation of the fatty acyl‐CoA desaturation and elongation system by 20‐hydroxyecdysone

The effects of age, sex, and 20-hydroxyecdysone treatments on fatty acyl-CoA desaturation and elongation, key reactions in sex pheromone biosynthesis in the housefly, Musca domestica, were investigated. Radio-HPLC analyses of the elongation products of [1-14C] 18: 1-CoA in the presence of malonyl-CoA and NADPH by microsomes prepared from 0-, 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-day-old males and 0- and 1-day-old female houseflies showed that all even-numbered monounsaturated fatty acids up to 30 carbons were formed. Insects of these ages and sexes produce alkenes of 27 carbons and longer. When microsomes prepared from females 2, 3, and 4 days old (vitellogenic through postvitellogenic) were used, there was no elongation of [1-14C] 18: 1-CoA beyond the 24: 1 fatty acyl moiety. Similarly, neither [1-14C]22: 1-CoA nor [14, 15-3H]24: 1-CoA were efficiently elongated beyond the 24: 1-acyl moiety in mature females. Females 2–4 days old produce, as their major alkene, the sex pheromone component (Z)-9-tricosene (“muscalure,” Z9-23 Hy), and they use 24: 1-CoA as the fatty acyl precursor. The initial precursor for the long chain monoenoic fatty acids is oleic acid. Males treated with 20-hydroxyecdysone and 2–4-day-old females desaturated 18: O-CoA to 18: 1-CoA with 36–57% less efficiency than control males or previtellogenic females. These data demonstrate that 20-hydroxyecdysone is involved in the regulation of (Z)-9-tricosene production by altering both desaturation and elongation activities.
Preparation and evaluation of nano-epoxy composite resins containing electrospun glass nanofibers

In this study, electrospun glass (structurally amorphous SiO2) nanofibers (EGNFs) with diameters of ∼ 400 nm were incorporated into epoxy resin for reinforcement and/or toughening purposes; the effects of silanization treatment (including different functional groups in silane molecules) and mass fraction of EGNFs on strength, stiffness, and toughness of the resulting nano-epoxy composite resins were investigated. The experimental results revealed that EGNFs substantially outperformed conventional glass fibers (CGFs, with diameters of ∼ 10 μm) in both tension and impact tests, and led to the same trend of improvements in strength, stiffness, and toughness at small mass fractions of 0.5 and 1%. The tensile strength, Young's modulus, work of fracture, and impact strength of the nano-epoxy composite resins with EGNFs were improved by up to 40, 201, 67, and 363%, respectively. In general, the silanized EGNFs with epoxy end groups (G-EGNFs) showed a higher degree of toughening effect, while the silanized EGNFs with amine end groups (A-EGNFs) showed a higher degree of reinforcement effect. The study suggested that electrospun glass nanofibers could be used as reinforcement and/or toughening agent for making innovative nano-epoxy composite resins, which would be further used for the development of high-performance polymer composites. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
The distribution of RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB1) in the Xenopus germinal vesicle.

We describe the localization of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB1) in the oocyte nucleus of Xenopus laevis. A single oocyte nucleus contains 18 lampbrush chromosomes, ∼1500 extrachromosomal nucleoli, 50–100 Cajal bodies (CBs) and hundreds to thousands of B-snurposomes. CBs contain many factors involved in RNA transcription and processing, whereas B-snurposomes contain a subset of these factors involved in mRNA processing. Immunofluorescent staining demonstrates that most RPB1 is in the nucleoplasm and that the heptapeptide repeat comprising its carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) is not phosphorylated. A minor fraction of RPB1 is associated with the transcription units of the lampbrush chromosomes and is phosphorylated on serines 2 and 5 of the CTD. Another minor fraction occurs in CBs, which react with antibodies against unphosphorylated CTD repeats and repeats phosphorylated on serine 5. Although B-snurposomes are stained by an antibody against phosphorylated RPB1 (mAb H5), we present evidence that this stain is due to cross-reaction with one or more SR proteins. We show that constructs consisting of 15–17 CTD heptapeptide repeats fused to glutathione-S-transferase are targeted rapidly and specifically to CBs but not to B-snurposomes after injection into the nucleus. The staining and targeting data define at least three distinct populations of RPB1 in the GV with different states of phosphorylation. We suggest that CBs play a unique role in RPB1 metabolism, possibly as sites for assembly or modification of transcription complexes.
Pulsed Laser Surface Modification of AZ31B with Al-Si

A pulsed Nd:YAG laser was used to modify the surface properties of Mg alloy (AZ31B) for wear application with Al-Si as precursor material. Highly refined microstructure consisting of Mg2Si, Mg, Al12Mg17 and Al2O3 was obtained. Phase constituent was correlated with thermodynamic calculation by employing Thermocalc™. The evolution of phase amount in the coatings was associated with the laser processing parameters. Due to the presence of highly refined microstructure and hard intermetallic reinforcements, substantial improvement of microhardness has been found in the coating region.
Synthesis of monolithic 3D ordered macroporous carbon/nano-silicon composites by diiodosilane decomposition

Abstract Monolithic carbon/nano-silicon composites with a three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) structure were synthesized via a nanocasting route using a macro- and mesoporous silica monolith as a hard template for carbon with similar hierarchical porosity, followed by chemical vapor deposition to infiltrate mesopores with silicon nanoparticles. Diiodosilane was used as the silicon precursor to produce nano-silicon upon thermal decomposition. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the presence of both elemental silicon and oxidized silicon in the porous carbon. Silicon was dispersed uniformly inside 3DOM carbon without forming large agglomerates. The as-synthesized material was X-ray amorphous. A lithiation experiment showed an initial charge capacity of 920 mAh g−1 and a reversible Li+ capacity of 332 mAh g−1 for the carbon/nano-silicon composite. The lower-than-expected capacity is attributed to partial oxidation of nanosized silicon in the composite structure. A mechanism for decomposition of diiodosilane in this system is proposed.
High dose chemotherapy and autologous transplantation for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Although 40% of patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) can have long term disease-free survival with initial anthracycline-containing chemotherapy, the remainder will not go into a complete remission or relapse at a later time with the need for further therapy. Conventional salvage chemotherapies in these patients will obtain a 30% complete remission rate. However, there are very few long-term disease-free survivors with conventional salvage chemotherapy alone. The use of high-dose care for patients with chemotherapy sensitive relapsed NHL. In this patient group, 45% of patients can expect to be alive and disease-free years after the transplant. Methods to improve the outcomes with transplantation and to extend its usefulness to other high-risk patients are ongoing. Current strategies include the use of transplantation in first complete remission for high-risk patients, the addition of monoclonal antibodies, radioimmunoconjugates, or vaccines to the transplant regimen to enhance the outcome, or the use of multiple cycles of stem cell transplantation. In preliminary trials, some of these modifications appear to improve the outcome of transplantation. Large randomized trials will be needed to document that these modifications will improve the overall outcome for patients with aggressive NHL. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A00RC003 00010
Shoot regeneration of young leaf explants from basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

An efficient plant regeneration protocol was successfully developed for basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). Explants from 1 mo. old seedlings yielded the highest frequency of 85% regeneration with an average of 5.1 shoots per explant. The regeneration protocol was performed on three basil varieties (Sweet Dani; methylcinnamate; Green Purple Ruffles). Callus and shoot induction was initiated on Murashige and Skoog basal medium supplemented with thidiazuron (16.8 μM) for approximately 30 d. Shoot induction and development were achieved by refreshing the induction medium after 14 d. The most morphogenetically responsive explants were from the first fully expanded true leaves of greenhouse-grown basil seedlings. All developing bud tissue demonstrated temporary anthocyanin expression; however, anthocyanin expression in Green Purple Ruffles remained stable until maturity. Developing shoots were rooted in the dark on media with thidiazuron removed. Within 20 d, rooted plantlets were transferred and acclimatized under greenhouse conditions where they developed normal morphological characteristics. This is the first report of a successful in vitro regeneration system for basil through primary callus.
Comparative in vitro development of precocious and normal strains of Eimeria tenella (Coccidia).

SYNOPSIS. Eimeria tenella strain Wis-F is known to develop in chickens with a significantly shortened prepatent period and its pathogenicity is virtually completely attenuated. In vitro development of this strain paralleled development of the control (Wisconsin) strain through the first asexual generation. Instead of entering 2nd generation schizogony, however, most of the Wis-F merozoites developed into microgamonts or macrogamonts. Wall-forming bodies were prominent in developing macrogametes at 80–88 hr and began coalescing into the oocyst wall by 88 hr. Microgamete development paralleled that of macrogametes, with the appearance of multinucleate, immature forms at 72–80 hr and with recognizable, spermlike microgametes being prominent at 88–96 hr. Pathogenicity attenuation and reduction of the length of the prepatent period clearly resulted from omission of a portion of the life cycle (2nd generation schizogony).
Beggar Thy Neighbour

: A large literature emphasizes the virtues of home ownership. This article illustrates that homeowners' influence need not always be benign. Taking a first look at large vacant housing in East Germany, the article in part attributes vacant housing and its demolition to homeowners' interest in keeping real estate prices up.
Elucidation of intrinsic biosynthesis yields using 13C-based metabolism analysis

This paper discusses the use of 13C-based metabolism analysis for the assessment of intrinsic product yields — the actual carbon contribution from a single carbon substrate to the final product via a specific biosynthesis route — in the following four cases. First, undefined nutrients (such as yeast extract) in fermentation may contribute significantly to product synthesis, which can be quantified through an isotopic dilution method. Second, product and biomass synthesis may be dependent on the co-metabolism of multiple-carbon sources. 13C labeling experiments can track the fate of each carbon substrate in the cell metabolism and identify which substrate plays a main role in product synthesis. Third, 13C labeling can validate and quantify the contribution of the engineered pathway (versus the native pathway) to the product synthesis. Fourth, the loss of catabolic energy due to cell maintenance (energy used for functions other than production of new cell components) and low P/O ratio (Phosphate/Oxygen Ratio) significantly reduces product yields. Therefore, 13C-metabolic flux analysis is needed to assess the influence of suboptimal energy metabolism on microbial productivity, and determine how ATP/NAD(P)H are partitioned among various cellular functions. Since product yield is a major determining factor in the commercialization of a microbial cell factory, we foresee that 13C-isotopic labeling experiments, even without performing extensive flux calculations, can play a valuable role in the development and verification of microbial cell factories.
Female mate preference explains countergradient variation in the sexual coloration of guppies (Poecilia reticulata).

We tested the hypothesis that mate choice is responsible for countergradient variation in the sexual coloration of Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata). The nature of the countergradient pattern is that geographical variation in the carotenoid content of the orange spots of males is counterbalanced by genetic variation in drosopterin production, resulting in a relatively uniform pigment ratio. A female hue preference could produce this pattern, because hue is the axis of colour variation most directly affected by the pigment ratio. To test this hypothesis, we crossed two populations differing in drosopterin production and produced an F2 generation with variable drosopterin levels. When the carotenoid content of the orange spots was held constant, female guppies preferred males with intermediate drosopterin levels. This shows that females do not simply prefer males with greater orange spot pigment content; instead, the ratio of the pigments also affects male attractiveness. To our knowledge, this is the first direct evidence for a hypothesized agent of countergradient sexual selection.
Contextualizing the “Behavior Gap”: Student Prosocial Behavior and Racial Composition in Urban Middle Schools

Encouraging student prosocial behavior (PSB) is a challenge for urban middle schools. The issue of student behavior is a racialized one, as Black students generally evince more negative behavioral ...
Regularization parameter selection for Bayesian reconstruction of attenuation maps

Previously we developed algorithms to obtain transmission reconstructions from truncated projections and from emission data without transmission measurements. The optimal basis set derived from "knowledge set" was used to create an approximate attenuation map, and the expansion coefficients were estimated using optimization algorithms. Since a truncated expansion does not represent an image precisely, and the projections of the basis vectors are not orthogonal, the estimated coefficients may be unstable in the presence of systematic errors. In addition to this, a nonlinear problem of reconstruction of an attenuation map from emission data has a nonunique solution. A constraint based on distribution of the expansion coefficients is considered in this paper to regularize the estimation problems. The parameter selection methods based on different assumptions are applied to find the optimum regularization parameter. The selected regularization parameter obtained from a projection data set has been shown to provide satisfactory reconstruction results.
Characterization of antibodies to the rat substance P (NK-1) receptor and to a chimeric substance P receptor expressed in mammalian cells

Antibodies to neuropeptide receptors can be used to localize and characterize the receptors in tissues and cell lines. Two strategies were used to study the rat substance P receptor (SPR, NK-1) by immunological methods. First, a polyclonal antiserum was raised by immunizing rabbits with a peptide corresponding to the 15 amino acid residues (KTMTESSSFYSNMLA, SPR393–407) at the intracellular C-terminus of the rat SPR coupled to bovine thyroglobulin. An antiserum was obtained with a titer for half-maximal binding of 125I-SPR393–407 of 1:70,000. Nonradioactive SPR393–407 inhibited 50% of binding at a concentration of 10 pM. Binding of 125I-SPR393–407 to the antiserum was also displaced in a parallel manner by membrane proteins from tissues expressing high levels of the SPR (brain and submaxillary gland). Second, a chimeric SPR construct of a hydrophilic Flag peptide (DYKDDDDK) genetically engineered in sequence with the extracellular N- terminus of rat SPR was generated by polymerase chain reaction. The Flag-SPR chimera was expressed in rat kidney epithelial cells (KNRK) and judged to be fully functional, assessed by binding of 125I- substance P (apparent Kd of 5.63 nM) and calcium mobilization in response to substance P (EC50 of 0.66 nM). Antibodies to SPR393–407 and the Flag peptide stained the plasma membrane of KNRK cells expressing the native SPR or the Flag-SPR chimera. Staining was abolished by preincubation with SPR393–407 or the Flag peptide. Cells transfected with vector alone were unstained. The SPR antiserum recognized a broad protein band on Western blots of membranes prepared from cells expressing SPR but not from cells transfected with vector alone. The signal was quenched by preincubation of the antiserum with SPR393–407. By immunohistochemistry, the SPR antiserum was found to bind to neurons in the dorsal horn of the rat spinal cord and to ganglion cells in the myenteric plexus of the rat ileum near substance P-immunoreactive nerve fibers. Staining was abolished by preabsorption of the antiserum with SPR393–407. These antibodies can be used to localize the SPR in tissues and cells and to examine the function of the receptor in cell lines.
A Note on Square Rooting of Time Functions of Turing Machines

Let f and g be functions from N to N. We write f g to denote that there exists a constant c > 0 such that for all but finitely many n it holds that f (n) ≤ c(gcn) + cn. We say that f and g are equivalent if f g and g f . In [SBR] Sapir et al. conjecture that for all nondeterministic time functions T that are (n2) the square root of T is equivalent to the time function of a nondeterministic Turing machine. In this note we study this conjecture. We show that the deterministic version of this conjecture is false. For every rational number α, 0 < α < 1, there is a deterministic time function T = (n2) such that T α is not equivalent to any time function of a deterministic Turing machine.