cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluorescence spectroscopy reveals N-terminal order in fibrillar forms of α-synuclein

The neuronal protein α-synuclein (αS) plays a key role in Parkinson's disease, forming inclusions termed Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. Recent improvements in cryo-electron diffraction and solid state NMR (ssNMR) have led to the elucidation of the structures of peptides derived from the αS fibril core and full-length human αS in fibrils. Despite the valuable insight offered by these methods, there are still several questions about the structures’ relevance to pathological aggregates. Herein, we present fluorescence data collected in vitro under the conditions which fibrils are typically assembled. Our data suggest that, in solution, fibrils are largely structured as observed by ssNMR. However, we observe significant disparities in the αS N-terminus as compared to ssNMR data, which provide insight on its important role in αS aggregation and fibril structure.
The Reshaping of Conventional Farming: A North American Perspective

Debates over the future of agriculture in North Americaestablish a dialectical opposition between conventional,industrial agriculture and alternative, sustainable agriculture.This opposition has roots that extend back to the 18th century inthe United States, but the debate has taken a number ofsurprising turns in the 20th century. Originally articulated as aphilosophy of the left, industrial agriculture has utilitarianmoral foundations. In the US and Canada, the articulation of analternative to industrial agriculture has drawn upon threecentral themes: the belief that agriculture is, in some way, tiedto democracy; the belief that complex bureaucratic organizationsare inherently opposed to human interests; and the belief thatthe family farms characteristic of 19th century North Americatend to produce people of superior moral character. It has proveddifficult to weave these themes into a coherent vision ofagriculture for the 21st century. Often, risk and health-basedconcerns are the basis for public criticism of conventionalagriculture, but these do not conflict with the utilitarianorientation of the industrial model, and are easily incorporatedinto it. If there is to be a philosophical debate over the futureof agriculture, we must find some way to rehabilitate thequasi-Aristotelean view of agriculture that emerges from thethree critical themes noted above.
Evaluation of the Kidney Transplant Candidate and Follow-Up of the Listed Patient

The most fundamental aspect of the entire transplant course is the pre-transplant evaluation of the potential kidney recipient. The pre-transplant evaluation is the initial step that triggers a sequence of events and actions, resulting in the waitlisting and eventual transplantation of patients, with the primary outcome goals of enhancing quality of life and/or prolonging life expectancy. In this chapter, we shall provide an overview of the process involved in getting transplant candidates through their evaluation onto the waiting list and their subsequent transplant center-relevant management until they are transplanted.
Measurement-Based Numerical Study of the Effects of Realistic Land Topography and Stratification on the Coastal Marine Atmospheric Surface Layer

Large-eddy simulations are used to investigate the effects of coastal topography and atmospheric stratification on the coastal marine atmospheric surface layer at the Field Research Facility in Duck, North Carolina, USA. Field measurements obtained from the CASPER-EAST intensive field campaign in autumn 2015 are used to determine the inlet and lower boundary conditions. The simulations are performed using the in-house Virtual Flow Simulator code, with the simulated mean streamwise velocity component, mean temperature, Reynolds shear stress, and turbulent heat flux, shown to be in good agreement with measurements. In the coastal area, the complex coastal topography leads to an enhancement of the Reynolds shear stress for both onshore and offshore flows, while the effect of atmospheric stratification on the momentum transfer is less significant than the topography. In contrast to the momentum flux, the heat flux is influenced by both the coastal topography and stratification. For onshore flow and stable stratification, the heat flux is significantly increased near the sand dune due to the enhanced turbulence and vertical temperature gradient. For onshore flow and unstable stratification, the strong turbulent mixing tends to enhance the heat flux, but is suppressed by the reduced vertical temperature gradient, such that the magnitude of the turbulent heat flux remains almost unchanged in comparison with the upstream flow. For offshore flow in both stable and unstable stratification, the heat flux is enhanced due to the flow separation at the sand dune.
Molecular profiling of resident and infiltrating mononuclear phagocytes during rapid adult retinal degeneration using single-cell RNA sequencing

Neuroinflammation commonly accompanies neurodegeneration, but the specific roles of resident and infiltrating immune cells during degeneration remains controversial. Much of the difficulty in assessing myeloid cell-specific functions during disease progression arises from the inability to clearly distinguish between activated microglia and bone marrow-derived monocytes and macrophages in various stages of differentiation and activation within the central nervous system. Using an inducible model of photoreceptor cell death, we investigated the prevalence of infiltrating monocytes and macrophage subpopulations after the initiation of degeneration in the mouse retina. In vivo retinal imaging revealed infiltration of CCR2+ leukocytes across retinal vessels and into the parenchyma within 48 hours of photoreceptor degeneration. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry confirmed and characterized these leukocytes as CD11b+CD45+ cells. Single-cell mRNA sequencing of the entire CD11b+CD45+ population revealed the presence of resting microglia, activated microglia, monocytes, and macrophages as well as 12 distinct subpopulations within these four major cell classes. Our results demonstrate a previously immeasurable degree of molecular heterogeneity in the innate immune response to cell-autonomous degeneration within the central nervous system and highlight the necessity of unbiased high-throughput and high-dimensional molecular techniques like scRNAseq to understand the complex and changing landscape of immune responders during disease progression.
The accumulation of T cells within acellular nerve allografts is length-dependent and critical for nerve regeneration.

Abstract Repair of traumatic nerve injuries can require graft material to bridge the defect. The use of alternatives to bridge the defect, such as acellular nerve allografts (ANAs), is becoming more common and desired. Although ANAs support axon regeneration across short defects ( 3 cm) is limited. It is unclear why alternatives, including ANAs, are functionally limited by length. After repairing Lewis rat nerve defects using short (2 cm) or long (4 cm) ANAs, we showed that long ANAs have severely reduced axon regeneration across the grafts and contain Schwann cells with a unique phenotype. But additionally, we found that long ANAs have disrupted angiogenesis and altered leukocyte infiltration compared to short ANAs as early as 2 weeks after repair. In particular, long ANAs contained fewer T cells compared to short ANAs. These outcomes were accompanied with reduced expression of select cytokines, including IFN-γ and IL-4, within long versus short ANAs. T cells within ANAs did not express elevated levels of IL-4, but expressed elevated levels of IFN-γ. We also directly assessed the contribution of T cells to regeneration across nerve grafts using athymic rats. Interestingly, T cell deficiency had minimal impact on axon regeneration across nerve defects repaired using isografts. Conversely, T cell deficiency reduced axon regeneration across nerve defects repaired using ANAs. Our data demonstrate that T cells contribute to nerve regeneration across ANAs and suggest that reduced T cells accumulation within long ANAs could contribute to limiting axon regeneration across these long ANAs.
An integrated flow reactor-membrane filtration system for heterogeneous photocatalysis. Part I: Experiments and modelling of a batch-recirculated photoreactor

A two-part study was undertaken to examine the feasibility of combining a batch-recirculated photoreactor with a hollow-fibre membrane based ultrafiltration unit for heterogeneous photocatalysis applications. Methylene Blue (MB) and titanium dioxide (Degussa, P-25) were used as the test substrate and photocatalyst respectively for this study. This paper, which forms Part I of this study, describes the influence of MB concentration, recirculation flow rate, TiO2 dose, solution volume in the reservoir and solution pH on the photocatalytic reaction rate. The dark adsorption of MB on the TiO2 particle surface was also analysed. The combination of the reservoir and the annular reaction vessel could be modelled as a continuous flow stirred tank in series with a plug-flow reactor. This model predicts that the reaction rate should increase with a decrease of solution volume in the reservoir, both in the low and high substrate concentration regimes of the Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetics formalism. This prediction was borne out by the experimental data for the low concentration regime. Part II of this series will describe experiments and modelling of the UF unit, and the operation of the combined system, respectively.
Chronic voluntary caffeine intake in male Wistar rats reveals individual differences in addiction-like behavior.

Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world. However, there is controversy about whether becoming addicted to caffeine is possible and a lack of well-established animal models to examine caffeine consumption. The present study sought to establish a model of caffeine consumption in Wistar rats, identify different rat populations based on caffeine preference, and determine whether extended voluntary caffeine consumption produces compulsive-like caffeine intake and withdrawal symptoms. Male Wistar rats were used throughout the experiment. The optimal concentration of caffeine to maximize caffeine consumption and caffeine preference was determined. Rats were then given continuous access to caffeine, followed by intermittent access. Rats were tested for signs of withdrawal-like behavior by measuring mechanical nociception and irritability-like behavior. Rats were further examined for compulsive-like caffeine consumption using quinine adulteration. Dose-response testing indicated an optimal caffeine concentration of 0.3 mg/mL. During intermittent access to caffeine, the rats did not escalate their caffeine intake and instead exhibited a decrease in intake over sessions. Three groups of rats were identified based on caffeine preference (high, medium, and low) across continuous and intermittent access. These three groups of rats matched low (1 cup), medium (2 cups), and high (4 cups) levels of daily coffee consumption in humans. Caffeine-consuming rats did not exhibit differences in mechanical nociception or irritability-like behavior compared with controls. In high caffeine-preferring rats but not in medium or low caffeine-preferring rats, compulsive-like caffeine consumption was observed. The present study established a rodent model of caffeine consumption that resulted in large individual differences in caffeine intake, similar to humans. Compulsive-like caffeine consumption in high caffeine-preferring rats and differences in caffeine preference between groups suggest that caffeine may result in compulsive-like intake in a subpopulation of subjects. Further testing is necessary to determine the factors that contribute to differences in caffeine preference and compulsive-like intake.
Experimental Investigation of Spherical Tank Slosh Dynamics with Water and Liquid Nitrogen

Understanding, predicting, and controlling fluid slosh dynamics is critical to safety and improving the performance of liquid propulsion systems for space missions. Computational fluid dynamics sim...
Special Session: An International Perspective of Overcoming Difficulties and Challenges in Doctoral and Early Career Years: An Abstract

Doctoral students and young academics face a vast array of challenges, especially during the early years of their career. However, international scholars experience even more difficulties beyond academic challenges, such as cultural ambiguities and uncertainties. A common behavior expressed by these future and young academics is staying within social and cultural zones of comfort shaped by home countries. However, this innate tendency could diminish integration efforts and job market performance due to limited awareness of American cultural and academic norms. This special session addresses international doctoral students and young academics acclimation efforts in the USA by exploring topics such as adaptation to course demands within the doctoral program, cultural differences related to relationship building, research collaboration demands, instructional delivery difficulties, and job-related hurdles. The international perspective fostered in this session allows for a unique opportunity for doctoral students around the global to compare experiences and provide guidance on how to become a successful international scholar within the USA. In addition, junior faculty members are encouraged to share their experiences and concerns related to adjusting to a new institution, work environment, and work requirements such as service and mentoring while adapting to a new cultural surrounding. The ultimate goal of the panel is to leave the audience with insights on how to overcome difficulties and challenges associated with being an international doctoral student, researcher, author, and junior faculty member in the USA.
Density functional calculation of the molecular properties of the [Au20-C60-Au20]n− (n = 0, 1, 2, 3) model complexes

Abstract We have calculated molecular geometries, HOMO-LUMO gaps, Fermi levels and vibrational frequencies for the σ-linear, σ-bent and π-coordinated [Au20-C60-Au20]n− (n = 0–3) complexes using the density functional B3LYP method and LANL2DZ basis sets. Our calculations showed that the σ-bent η1(b)-[Au20-C60-Au20]3− complex is the global minimum structure with Au-C distances of 2.27 and 2.97 A, respectively. The C60 calculated bouncing frequencies for the [Au20-C60-Au20]n− (n = 0–3) complexes appear at 18–60 cm−1 and compare well with the experimental value of 40 cm−1. The calculations of Mulliken charges indicate that the electrostatic interaction of the C60n− ions with the Au20 clusters plays a major role in the stability and electron-conducting properties of the [Au20-C60-Au20]n− (n = 0–3) complexes. The orbital analysis and calculated Fermi levels of the complexes indicate that the neutrally-charged singlet [Au20-C60-Au20] complexes have the HOMO-1 and LUMO+1 delocalized orbitals with Fermi levels at −5.18 eV that line up with the free C60 Fermi level.
Sheehan Syndrome: An Unusual Presentation Without Inciting Factors

Background: Sheehan syndrome (SS) is a rare complication of severe postpartum hemorrhage or hypotension during the processes of labor and delivery that results in ischemic pituitary infarction and necrosis. In this case report, we describe an unusual presentation of SS without inciting factors. Case Presentation: A 30-year-old multiparous woman presented 2 hours after a normal spontaneous vaginal delivery with a profound severe headache, and subsequent agalactia, dry skin, and mood changes. She was managed conservatively until 10 months postdelivery when she complained of persistent symptoms including amenorrhea. A brain magnetic resonance (MR) with pituitary imaging revealed findings consistent with SS. The patient's symptoms improved and ultimately resolved after levothyroxine, estrogen replacement therapy, and hydrocortisone were instituted. Conclusions: SS can present without recognized inciting factors. During the initial phase, women may present with profound headache and/or visual disturbances warranting neurological evaluation. A high index of suspicion and a brain MR with pituitary imaging should prompt early consideration of SS to aid in the diagnosis.
The Effect of Direct Oral Anti-Coagulants on Delayed Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Background The use of anticoagulant medications leads to a higher risk of developing traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (tICH) after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The management of anticoagulated patients can be difficult to determine when the initial head computed tomography is negative for tICH. There has been limited research on the risk of delayed tICH in patients taking direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) medications. Objective Our aim was to determine the risk of delayed tICH for patients anticoagulated with DOACs after mTBI. Methods We conducted a systematic review using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and searched several medical databases to examine the risk of delayed tICH in patients on DOACs. Results There were 1252 nonduplicate studies that were identified through an initial database search, 15 of which met our inclusion and exclusion criteria and were included in our analysis after full-text review. A total of 1375 subjects were combined among the 15 studies, with 20 instances of delayed tICH after mTBI. Nineteen of the 20 patients with a delayed tICH were discharged without any neurosurgical intervention, and 1 patient on apixaban died due to a delayed tICH. Conclusions This systematic review confirms that delayed tICH after mTBI in patients on DOACs is uncommon. However, large, multicenter, prospective studies are needed to confirm the true incidence of clinically significant delayed tICH after DOAC use. Due to the limited data, we recommend using shared decision-making for patients who are candidates for discharge.
CO2 separation from biogas using PEI-modified crosslinked polymethacrylate resin sorbent

Abstract The separation of CO2 from biogas to achieve vehicle/pipeline grade methane is an expensive step. Recently, PEI (polyethyleneimine) impregnated resins have been proposed and evaluated for CO2 separation from flue gases and air. However, its use in biogas upgrading and evaluation of the economic feasibility of such adsorbents have not been explored in detail. In this work, by modifying an inert polymeric resin (HP2MGL) using PEI, CO2 was separated from biogas. The sorbent exhibited the highest adsorption capacity of 2.7 mmolCO2/gads at 30% PEI loading, increasing to 2.9 mmolCO2/gads in the presence of moisture, and remained stable for up to five adsorption–desorption cycles. In situ DRIFTS studies showed that CO2 adsorption on PEI-impregnated sorbent is consistent with the zwitterion reaction mechanism, and the sorbent could be regenerated completely at 100 °C. The upgrading cost of biogas is primarily dominated by the operating cost of regeneration and the adsorbent cost. The economic feasibility analysis suggests that PEI-impregnated resin sorbent requires less capital and operating costs than conventional biogas upgrading technologies. Therefore, PEI-impregnated polymeric resins are promising for CO2 separation from biogas.
Prescriptive Measures for Environmental Performance: Emission Standards, Over-Compliance, and Monitoring

This paper studies optimal regulation when a regulator can exploit two levers: traditional enforcement and certification. The objective is to demonstrate how regulation can be adapted by combining theory and empirical regularities in the existing literature. The key result is that a regulatory scheme that allows the regulator to exploit over-compliance certification as well as traditional enforcement can achieve substantively greater environmental performance: a firm now has clear incentives to over-comply, and the others have to improve environmental performance through more stringent optimal standards.
Applicability of a sheep model for training in plastic surgery of eyelids and orbit.

ObjectiveTo test the applicability of a fresh tissue model for teaching facial plastic techniques and approaches to the eyelids and orbit.DesignObservational animal experiments.SubjectsTen prepubes...
New functions of the rodent prelimbic and infralimbic cortex in instrumental behavior.

Abstract The prelimbic and infralimbic cortices of the rodent medial prefrontal cortex mediate the effects of context and goals on instrumental behavior. Recent work from our laboratory has expanded this understanding. Results have shown that the prelimbic cortex is important for the modulation of instrumental behavior by the context in which the behavior is learned (but not other contexts), with context potentially being broadly defined (to include at least previous behaviors). We have also shown that the infralimbic cortex is important in the expression of extensively-trained instrumental behavior, regardless of whether that behavior is expressed as a stimulus-response habit or a goal-directed action. Some of the most recent data suggest that infralimbic cortex may control the currently active behavioral state (e.g., habit vs. action or acquisition vs. extinction) when two states have been learned. We have also begun to examine prelimbic and infralimbic cortex function as key nodes of discrete circuits and have shown that prelimbic cortex projections to an anterior region of the dorsomedial striatum are important for expression of minimally-trained instrumental behavior. Overall, the use of an associative learning perspective on instrumental learning has allowed the research to provide new perspectives on how these two “cognitive” brain regions contribute to instrumental behavior.
Aggressive Behaviour Exhibited by a San Joaquin Kit Fox, Vulpes macrotis mutica

While placing a hairtube-trapping device near a Kit Fox natal den, I observed a juvenile Kit Fox exhibit aggressive behaviour towards my presence. Although Kit Foxes usually are not aggressive, my observation demonstrated that some Kit Foxes defend their natal dens when alarmed.
Understanding Lay Assessments of Alcohol Use Disorder: Need for Treatment and Associated Stigma

Aims Three-quarters of people with an alcohol use disorder in the USA never receive treatment. Our understandings of who receives care are informed by sociological perspectives, theories and models, each of which discuss the role of lay people's understanding of illness. However, comparatively little work has been done to unpack the cognitive processes underlying lay assessment. In the context of the Framework Integrating Normative Influences on Stigma (FINIS), we aim to understand key factors guiding lay people's stigmatizing attitudes, perceptions and assessments of alcohol use disorder behaviors. Methods Lay people read a vignette depicting a male or female adult with a diagnosable alcohol use disorder, along with either a causal life-event explanation for the alcohol use disorder behaviors or no explanation. They then made judgments of the need for treatment, psychological abnormality and the stigma they felt toward the person depicted. Results Causal life-event explanations decreased lay judgments of the need for treatment, psychological abnormality and stigma. Conclusions The results suggest that the availability of a causal life-event explanation may have a complex effect on lay judgments, decreasing the likelihood of recommending treatment for alcohol use disorders, yet simultaneously reducing stigmatizing perceptions (and presumably social distance).
Effects of High Threshold Muscle Afferent Volleys on Ascending Pathways

Publisher Summary Recently, a laboratory has been able to demonstrate that high threshold muscle afferents also activate neurons that belong to the spinothalamic tract in the monkey. This chapter reviews this work. The effects of high threshold muscle afferents upon spinothalamic tract cells in the primate were investigated by the use of electrical stimulation of muscle nerves and by chemical stimulation of the sensory endings. Although some spinothalamic tract cells were excited by group I afferents, most of the cells receiving a muscle input required for excitation the inclusion of group II, III or IV afferents in the afferent volleys. Some spinothalamic tract cells appeared not to receive a muscle input, but this could have been a sampling error. Algesic chemicals injected intra-arterially into the circulation of the triceps surae muscles produced a powerful excitation of many spinothalamic tract cells. A prolonged discharge could also be evoked by the injection of hypertonic saline into the triceps surae muscles or the Achilles tendon. Because intra-arterial succinylcholine injections did not produce any significant effect on spinothalamic tract cells, it is possible that the group II (and I) afferents that excite spinothalamic cells originate from receptors other than muscle spindles. It is speculated that spinothalamic tract cells help mediate muscular pain.
Incentives: Motivation and the Economics of Information

When incentives work well, individuals prosper. When incentives are poor, the pursuit of self-interest is self-defeating. This book is wholly devoted to the topical subject of incentives from individual, collective, and institutional standpoints. This third edition is fully updated and expanded, including a new section on the 2007–08 financial crisis and a new chapter on networks as well as specific applications of school placement for students, search engine ad auctions, pollution permits, and more. Using worked examples and lucid general theory in its analysis, and seasoned with references to current and past events, Incentives: Motivation and the Economics of Information examines: the performance of agents hired to carry out specific tasks, from taxi drivers to CEOs; the performance of institutions, from voting schemes to medical panels deciding who gets kidney transplants; a wide range of market transactions, from auctions to labor markets to the entire economy. Suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students studying incentives as part of courses in microeconomics, economic theory, managerial economics, political economy, and related areas of social science.
Nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide receptor antagonist JTC-801 reverses pain and anxiety symptoms in a rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder

Background and Purpose Single-prolonged stress (SPS), a rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), also induces long-lasting hyperalgesia associated with hypocortisolism and elevated nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) levels in serum and CSF. Here, we determined the effect of JTC-801 (N-(4-amino-2-methylquinolin-6-yl)-2-(4-ethylphenoxymethyl) benzamide monohydrochloride), a nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) receptor antagonist, on symptoms of pain and anxiety in rats after SPS exposure, and examined N/OFQ-NOP receptor system changes. Experimental Approach Male Sprague Dawley rats received JTC-801 (6 mg kg−1 i.p., once daily) during days 7–21 of SPS. The ability of JTC-801 to inhibit N/OFQ-stimulated [35S]-GTPγS binding was confirmed in rat brain membranes. Anxiety-like behaviour and pain sensitivity were monitored by changes in elevated plus maze performance and withdrawal responses to thermal and mechanical stimuli. Serum corticosterone and N/OFQ content in CSF, serum and brain tissues were determined by radioimmunoassay; NOP receptor protein and gene expression in amygdala, hippocampus and periaqueductal grey (PAG) were examined by immunoblotting and real-time PCR respectively. Key Results JTC-801 treatment reversed SPS-induced mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia, anxiety-like behaviour and hypocortisolism. Elevated N/OFQ levels in serum, CSF, PAG and hippocampus at day 21 of SPS were blocked by JTC-801; daily JTC-801 treatment also reversed NOP receptor protein and mRNA up-regulation in amygdala and PAG. Conclusion and Implications JTC-801 reversed SPS-induced anxiety- and pain-like behaviours, and NOP receptor system up-regulation. These findings suggest that N/OFQ plays an important role in hyperalgesia and allodynia maintenance after SPS. NOP receptor antagonists may provide effective treatment for co-morbid PTSD and pain. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on Opioids: New Pathways to Functional Selectivity. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2015.172.issue-2
System Modeling with Block Diagrams

The key to a successful application of control theory is modeling. Chapter 2 describes how to model individual components using difference equations, and Chapter 3 details how to analyze these models using Z-transforms. This chapter discusses the use of block diagrams to model systems that consist of many components. We discuss the elements of a block diagram and principles for modeling systems using these elements. Also addressed is how to use block diagrams to obtain the transfer function of a system, thereby enabling the analysis of bounded-input, bounded-output (BIBO) stability and other properties using the techniques presented in Chapter 3.
Client Violence Against Social Workers

Abstract Literature surrounding the issue of violent actions directed toward social workers is examined with an emphasis on the interdependent roles of clients, social workers, and social work administrators. The role of legislators in developing policies aimed at preventing client violence against social workers within this framework is also delineated. Emphasis is placed on addressing this issue on multiple levels rather than adopting a traditional “blame” approach that places primary responsibility on the worker while drawing attention away from agency liability. Five specific recommendations are offered to guide the development of effective prevention policies.
Metabolism of vitamin B6 in the I-strain mouse: I. Absorption, excretion, and conversion of vitamin to enzyme co-factor☆

Abstract The I-St strain mouse is an inbred strain whose elevated requirement for vitamin B 6 and whose acute sensitivity to audiogenic seizures is confirmed in experiments described here. We have compared vitamin B 6 metabolism in the I strain mouse to that in a control strain, the C57B1/6J, to determine whether abnormalities can be detected in absorption, excretion, or in the ability to convert vitamin B 6 to the major co-factor form, pyridoxal phosphate. We have also compared the two strains with regard to the activity of glutamic acid decarboxylase, a pyridoxal phosphate enzyme in brain which may regulate neuroirritability. No physiologically significant differences between the two strains were observed in absorption of the vitamin or in the ability to convert dietary vitamin B 6 to enzyme co-factor. Both the activity of glutamic acid decarboxylase and the degree of saturation of the enzyme with pyridoxal phosphate were similar in the two strains. When mice were fed a vitamin B 6 -deficient ration high in protein, increased urinary losses of vitamin B 6 were observed in I strain mice as compared to C57 mice. This difference in excretion of vitamin B 6 is explored in detail in an accompanying paper.
Induction of labor—Pharmacology methods

Pharmacologic methods for induction of labor have been used for many decades. Pharmacologic agents have an advantage over mechanical methods in that they can be used during both the initial cervical ripening stage of induction and throughout the second stage of labor. Pharmacologic induction agents such as prostaglandins and oxytocin are commonly used for labor and delivery floors and are well established for use in cervical ripening. Nitric oxide donors and mifepristone are known agents in medicine but are new and actively studied in the area of cervical ripening. These agents are introduced and analyzed in this review.
Pressure-actuated microfluidic devices for electrophoretic separation of pre-term birth biomarkers

We have developed microfluidic devices with pressure-driven injection for electrophoretic analysis of amino acids, peptides, and proteins. The novelty of our approach lies in the use of an externally actuated on-chip peristaltic pump and closely spaced pneumatic valves that allow well-defined, small-volume sample plugs to be injected and separated by microchip electrophoresis. We fabricated three-layer poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic devices. The fluidic layer had injection and separation channels, and the control layer had an externally actuated on-chip peristaltic pump and four pneumatic valves around the T-intersection to carry out sample injection. An unpatterned PDMS membrane layer was sandwiched between the fluidic and control layers as the actuated component in pumps and valves. Devices with the same peristaltic pump design but different valve spacings (100, 200, 300, and 400 μm) from the injection intersection were fabricated using soft lithographic techniques. Devices were characterized through fluorescent imaging of captured plugs of a fluorescein-labeled amino acid mixture and through microchip electrophoresis separations. A suitable combination of peak height, separation efficiency, and analysis time was obtained with a peristaltic pump actuation rate of 50 ms, an injection time of 30 s, and a 200-μm valve spacing. We demonstrated the injection of samples in different solutions and were able to achieve a 2.4-fold improvement in peak height and a 2.8-fold increase in separation efficiency though sample stacking. A comparison of pressure-driven injection and electrokinetic injection with the same injection time and separation voltage showed a 3.9-fold increase in peak height in pressure-based injection with comparable separation efficiency. Finally, the microchip systems were used to separate biomarkers implicated in pre-term birth. Although these devices have initially been demonstrated as a stand-alone microfluidic separation tool, they have strong potential to be integrated within more complex systems.
A Comparison of Three Conventional Horse Feeders with the Pre-Vent Feeder

This study compared a feeder with molded cups on the bottom (Pre-Vent feeder) with a commonly used rubber tub and hanging bucket feeder to determine differences in time spent eating and feed wastage. Nine Quarter Horse geldings were fed a 12% crude protein pellet diet at 0.75% body weight twice daily from one of the three feeders twice daily for 3 days, and then switched to the next feeder, following a 3 � 3 replicated Latin square design (n ¼ 9). The horses spent more time eating from the cup feeders (31.15 � 1.43 minutes) than from bucket (19.39 � 0.42 minutes) and tub (18.87 � 0.49 minutes, P < .0001) feeders. When fed from cup feeder, horses dropped significantly less feed (3.2 � 0.52%) of their ration than when fed from bucket (10.2 � 1.75%) and from tub (7.0 � 1.32%, P ¼ .001) feeders. When the most wasteful horse was fed from the cup feeder, he lost a mean of 8.7% of his ration, compared with 32.8% when fed from the bucket, and 26.2% when fed from the tub feeders. The cup design is useful for increasing time spent eating and reducing feed wastage.
HEALTH PATTERNS OF AGED MIGRANT RETIREES

Data are reported from interviews with 349 retirees who have moved permanently from the Midwest to communities in Florida and Arizona. Analysis is made of the role of health considerations in their migration decision, as well as the implications of health problems for their differential adaptation to retirement living. Although health frequently was given as a motive for moving, the respondents were found to be in as good health as persons retiring in the Midwest. Migrants in poor health experienced greater financial difficulty and were less satisfied with their move than those in good health.
Decay of the direct correlation function in linear lattice systems

The direct correlation function of the one-dimensional lattice-gas (Ising) model with nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor interactions is calculated exactly. It is shown that, depending on the strengths and signs of the coupling constants, the direct correlation function can either have a finite range equal to that of the interactions, or decay exponentially in a monotonic or oscillatory fashion. At the critical point, which occurs at zero temperature, the direct correlation function is found in all cases to have exactly the range of the interactions, while its values become unbounded; this is in contrast to earlier nonrigorous results. The second moment of the direct correlation function is found to diverge at the critical point, in the neighborhood of which it becomes proportional to the correlation length of the density (spin) fluctuations, confirming a prediction of scaling theory in one dimension.
Warranty periods for production lots based on fatigue-test data☆

Abstract A two-parameter Weibull model for failure time is assumed. An easily implemented method is developed for calculating, from information obtained from a possibly censored life test, an approximate warranty period before which the k th failure occurs in a production lot of given size with some small specified probability. The precision of the approximation is investigated and a numerical example applied to failure data is given. The procedure developed can also be used for obtaining lower prediction limits for ultimate strengths of composite structures in production lots of specified size and for certain models other than the Weibull.
Physical Conditions in Eruptive Prominences at Several Solar Radii

SMM data from the Corograph/Polarimeter experiment giving intensities of Hα and continuum emission in eight erupting prominences are analyzed to obtain the physical conditions in the regions of Hα emission. Since the Hα intensity depends upon three unknowns whereas only two independent observations are available, it is necessary to assume one additional condition in order to obtain unique solutions. Solutions are chosen that give the maximum expansion of the prominence volume as reflected by minimum values of the electron density. These solutions correspond closely with those giving the best agreement between the gas pressure in the prominence and the ambient coronal pressure. Electron densities are found to be of the order of 108 cm-3 at temperatures near 2 × 104 K.
Exact algorithms for non-overlapping 2-frame problem with non-partial coverage for networked robotic cameras

We report our algorithmic development on the 2-frame problem that addresses the need of coordinating two networked robotic pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras for n, (n > 2), competing rectangular observation requests. We assume the two camera frames have no overlap on their coverage. A request is satisfied only if it is fully covered by a camera frame. The satisfaction level for a given request is quantified by comparing its desirable observation resolution with that of the camera frame which fully covers it. We propose a series of exact algorithms for the solution that maximizes the overall satisfaction. Our algorithms solve the 2-frame problem in O(n2), O(n2m) and O(n3) times for fixed, m discrete and continuous camera resolution levels, respectively. We have implemented all the algorithms and compared them with the existing work.
Pulmonary Hypertension Following Maze Surgery for Atrial Fibrillation

Purpose The Maze procedure is considered the definitive surgical approach to atrial fibrillation. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) has not been reported following Maze, but has been associated with radiofrequency ablation due to left atrial scarring and diastolic dysfunction (stiff left atrial syndrome). We sought to investigate the development of PH following Maze using echocardiographic indices. Methods and Materials Data from all patients undergoing Maze surgery between 1/1/1999 and 12/31/2004 at Mayo Clinic Rochester was retrospectively reviewed. Patients with adequate pre- and post-operative transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE) (>90 days after surgery) were included. Patients with congenital heart disease, isolated right-sided Maze, mitral stenosis, and pre-existing elevated right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP ≥40 mm Hg) were excluded. Diastolic parameters including left atrial volume index, E/e’, and E:A were reported when available. Results Forty-one patients (26 males) met inclusion criteria. Mean age at surgery was 63 ± 10 years, with normal ejection fraction pre- and post-operatively (60 vs 58%). Two patients underwent Maze surgery only, 5 had coronary bypass grafting, 36 had concomitant valvular operations (29 mitral, 4 aortic, 3 tricuspid), and 2 underwent septal myectomy for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Median RVSP increased from 32 mm Hg (interquartile range [IQ] 27;37) pre-operatively to 41 mm Hg (IQ 33;58) post-operatively. RVSP ≥40 mm Hg was observed in 26/41 patients on 150 total post-operative TTEs at a median follow-up of 1545 days (IQ 610;2339). Measures of left ventricular diastolic function worsened, with median pre-operative E/e’ of 14 (IQ 10;18) increasing to 22 (IQ 15;28), and median E:A ratio increasing from 1.8 (IQ 1.1;2.4) to 2.33 (IQ 2.0;3.3). Conclusions Maze surgery may be complicated by the development of increased right heart pressures and worsening diastolic function, raising the possibility that stiff left atrial syndrome may be a significant sequela of Maze surgery warranting further study.
Lower bounds for the average genus

Two lower bounds are obtained for the average genus of graphs. The average genus for a graph of maximum valence at most 3 is at least half its maximum genus, and the average genus for a 2-connected simplicial graph other than a cycle is at least 1/16 of its cycle rank. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Insulin-like growth factor-1 prevents age-related decrease in specific force and intracellular Ca2+ in single intact muscle fibres from transgenic mice.

In the present work we test the hypothesis that sustained transgenic overexpression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in skeletal muscle prevents age-related decreases in myoplasmic Ca2+ concentration and consequently in specific force in single intact fibres from the flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscle from the mouse. Measurements of IGF-1 concentration in FDB muscle showed higher levels in transgenic than in wild-type mice at all ages. The specific tetanic force decreased significantly in single muscle fibres from old (286 ± 22 kPa) compared to young wild-type (455 ± 28 kPa), young transgenic (423 ± 43 kPa), and old transgenic mice (386 ± 15 kPa) (P < 0.05). These results are consistent with measurements in whole FDB muscles. The peak Ca2+ concentration values in response to prolonged stimulation were: 1.47 ± 0.15, 1.70 ± 0.29, 0.97 ± 0.13 and 1.7 ± 0.22 μm, in fibres from young wild-type, young transgenic, old wild-type and old transgenic mice, respectively. The effects of caffeine on FDB fibres support the conclusion that the age-related decline in peak myoplasmic Ca2+ and specific force is not explained by sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ depletion. Immunohistochemistry in muscle cross-sections was performed to determine whether age and/or IGF-1 overexpression induce changes in fibre type composition. The relative percentages of type IIa, IIx and I myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms did not change significantly with age or genotype. Therefore, IGF-1 prevents age-related decline in peak intracellular Ca2+ and specific force in a muscle that does not exhibit changes in fibre type composition with senescence.
Sympathetic innervation of fetal mouse thymus

This study was carried out to investigate the presence of sympathetic nerve fibers in the developing thymus. Thymic rudiments from 13 days of gestation up to birth and adult thymuses were examined by histofluorescence microscopy to detect the presence of these nerve fibers during ontogeny. Sympathetic nerve fibers were first visible around day 17 of gestation and increased in density and distribution by the time of birth and in the adult thymus. The appearance of immunoreactive cells about the same time as the presence of nerve fibers in the thymic rudiments has been discussed in light of a regulatory role for the sympathetic neuronal input on the maturation of thymocytes during ontogeny.
NOx emission reduction in a hydrogen fueled internal combustion engine at 3000 rpm using exhaust gas recirculation

Abstract This paper describes five experiments conducted on a 2-l, 4-cylinder Ford ZETEC internal combustion engine (ICE) developed to operate on hydrogen fuel. The experiments were conducted to ascertain the effect exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and a standard 3-way catalytic converter had on NOx emissions and engine performance. All the experiments were conducted at a constant engine speed of 3000 rpm and each experiment used a different fuel flow rate, ranging from 1.63 to 2.72 kg/h . These fuel flow rates correspond to a fuel equivalence ratio, Φ, ranging from 0.35 to 0.75 when the engine is operated without using EGR (i.e. using excess air for dilution). The experiments initially started with the engine operating using excess air. As the experiments proceed, the excess air was replaced with exhaust gas until the engine was operating at a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio. The results of these experiments demonstrated that using EGR is an effective means to lowering NOx emissions to less than 1 ppm while also increasing engine output torque.
Effect of Intracluster Correlation on the R-Square Statistic

R 2 -statistic is a popular and very widely used statistic in regression analysis to estimate the square multiple correlation (SMC), Q 2 , between a response variable Y and p predictor variables, X 1 ....,X p . Numerous articles are available in the statistical literature on the properties of R 2 as an estimator of Q 2 when the observations are uncorrelated. However, relatively little is known about the behavior of R 2 when the available observations are correlated such as the data that result from complex sampling schemes. In this paper, we study the behavior R 2 in the presence of two-stage sampling data. An approximate expressions for the variance and the bias of R 2 in the presence of two-stage cluster sampling data with positive intracluster correlation (Q * ) are obtained. It is evident from these formulas and from a simulation study that R 2 is a poor estimator of Q 2 except when Q * is small. As such, we consider several alternative estimators of Q 2 and evaluate their theoretical properties and finite sample performance using a simulation study.
The “Efficient but Poor” Hypothesis

Theodore W. Schultz was an enormously influential economist; the second person in a distinguished department at the University of Chicago to be awarded the Nobel Prize in economics (in 1979, three years after Milton Friedman); the first development economist, along with W. Arthur Lewis of Princeton, to win the Nobel; and the first winner of the Nobel Prize who had devoted much of his early career to studying problems of agriculture. Schultz transformed how the economics profession looked at problems confronting developing countries. During the 1950s and early 1960s, it was widely accepted among economists and policymakers that the marginal product of labor in agriculture in developing countries was zero, so that labor could be withdrawn from agriculture for industrialization at no cost to agricultural production. It was also widely argued that farmers in developing countries were guided by tradition or culture and did not respond to economic incentives. In Transforming Traditional Agriculture, Schultz demolished these arguments. A central thesis of Schultz's work was that farmers in developing countries are "efficient but poor" (or, as many put it, "poor but efficient"), meaning that they make efficient use of their few resources. For economists trained since Transforming Traditional Agriculture was published and subsequently incorporated into the mainstream of the profession, it is difficult to appreciate how revolutionary Schultz's views on development economics were within the intellectual milieu of the 1960s. Recently, some development economists have questioned the efficient but poor hypothesis, arguing that aspects of agricultural household decisions and land tenancy arrangements in developing countries seemingly defy efficient