cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The extraction of a tissue collagenase associated with ovulation in the rat

A method has been developed to assay collagenase in ovarian extracts in the presence of tissue inhibitors. Rat ovarian tissue is first extracted with Triton X-100 and then heated to 60 degrees C in 50 mM Tris buffer containing 100 mM CaCl2. This extract contains collagenase activity and putative inhibitor(s). The inhibitory activity is removed by reduction with dithiothreitol and alkylation with iodoacetamide. Collagenase is then activated with aminophenylmercuric acetate and assayed using 3H-acetylated collagen from which the telopeptides have been removed. Identification of this activity as collagenase was performed by using the metalloprotease inhibitors EDTA and o-phenanthroline and by demonstration of the typical collagen cleavage fragments on sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis. To investigate the changes in collagenase activity associated with ovulation, immature rats received 20 IU of pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin and 52 h later 10 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). After hCG administration, ovaries were removed at intervals from 0 to 20 h. Collagenase activity rose from 4.9 +/- 1.4% digestion of the 3H-collagen at 0 time to a maximum of 24.7 +/- 1.5% digestion at 8 h after hCG and remained high at 12 h (time of ovulation) and up to 20 h (18.7 +/- 1.9% and 16.1 +/- 1.6% digestion, respectively). These findings support a role of collagenase in the rupture of the follicle and they suggest a further role for this enzyme in the events following ovulation.
Comparison of Sleep/Wake Behavior in CKD Stages 4 to 5 and Hemodialysis Populations Using Wrist Actigraphy

Background Patients with kidney failure have more sleep symptoms than the general population, but the contribution to sleep symptoms of kidney failure versus its treatment with thrice-weekly hemodialysis has been unclear. We assessed the influence of hemodialysis on sleep/wake behavior by using wrist actigraphy and self-reported sleep quality compared with patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 4 to 5. Study Design Cross-sectional study. Setting & Participants Thirty-six patients with CKD stages 4 to 5 and 51 hemodialysis (HD) patients wore wrist actigraphs and completed sleep diaries for 2 weeks. Predictors Thrice-weekly HD versus CKD stages 4 to 5, unstable total sleep times (TSTs), early HD shift. Outcomes Self-reported sleep quality and objective measures of sleep/wake behavior. Measurements Diaries, sleep questionnaires, and wrist actigraphy were performed. Results The group with CKD stages 4 to 5 had an average age of 51 years, 69% were men, 19% were African American, and average body mass index was 28.9 kg/m 2 . The HD group had an average age of 54 years, 60.8% were men, 49% were African American, and average body mass index was 27.5 kg/m 2 . Average TST was 66.8 minutes shorter and sleep efficiency was 5.2% lower in the HD group compared with the population with CKD stages 4 to 5. In the HD population, 28 individuals had a mean change in TST greater than 60 minutes between HD and non-HD nights, and this unstable sleep pattern was associated with daytime sleepiness. The early-HD group had TST 62 minutes (95% confidence interval, ∼22 to 102) shorter than those with later HD shifts. No significant differences in sleep efficiency or fragmentation index were found between the early- and late-HD groups. Limitations Study included those older than 18 years. Conclusions Both patients with CKD stages 4 to 5 and HD patients have short and fragmented sleep. An early-morning HD shift was associated with shorter TST and greater variation in nightly TST. Additional trials of the possible beneficial effect of behavioral sleep interventions, more frequent HD, and later HD shifts on sleep patterns are needed.
The Rehabilitation of Coronary Surgical Patients

Abstract Coronary revascularization has been reported to have failed to effectively rehabilitate working-age patients. This study of 565 patients demonstrates that motivation to return to work is strongly influenced by age and educational level. Patients under age 55 are more likely to return to work than are patients over that age, but preoperative job classification does not influence rehabilitation. Although preoperative disability was associated with a slightly lower return-to-work rate (90%) than was the case with patients working pre-operatively (97%) preoperative retirement was a strongly negative influence on rehabilitation. In this study, 80% of the patients worked to or beyond retirement age, and duration of work was not influenced by preoperative disability. The salary produced by those patients who were rehabilitated by surgery was four and a half times greater than the total cost of care and disability payments for the entire patient population. The factors which seemed to be the most important in effective rehabilitation were the psychological preparation of patients and their families and the attitude toward rehabilitation expressed by physicians and employers.
Recessive Inherited Doubling of the Chicken's Uropygial Gland Papilla

A new mutation that causes doubling of the uropygial gland (oil gland) papilla is described, and data that demonstrate its inherited basis are presented. This condition, which has been given the name "double oil gland papilla," varies in its expression: some individuals show only an indention of the papilla tip, while others exhibit a complete cleavage of the papilla such that two completely separate papillae project from a single oil gland. The data presented show that a single autosomal recessive gene, dgp, is the main determinant of this trait, but that its expression may also be influenced by background genetic factors as well as sex. Males more frequently are of the extreme doubling expression while females more frequently express the milder indented phenotype. Approximately 4% of mutant females are classified as normal. A linkage test with the rose comb gene showed independent segregation.
Schedule-induced polydipsia and aggression in rats

In Experiment 1, two groups of rats were exposed to an increasing series of fixed-ratio (FR) food schedules. One group had free access to water within the chamber, while the other group had free access to a target animal. The rats with water available demonstrated schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP), while the second group failed to demonstrate schedule-induced aggression (SIA). In Experiment 2, rats were exposed to random alternations between FR 200 and FR 20, with a target animal available within the operant chamber. No evidence of increases in aggression was found.
The protection of renal function from ischemic injury in the rat.

The role of cell swelling in the development of tissue injury was investigated in an ischemic model of acute renal failure in the rat. One kidney was selectively flushed with a 10% solution of polyethylene-glycol M.W. 6,000 (PEG) in normal saline prior to the clamping of the vascular pedicle, and the contralateral kidney was flushed with normal saline. Both kidneys remained ischemic for 45 min with the test solutions within their extracellular space; the concentration of PEG was chosen to prevent cell swelling during the ischemic period.
NMR studies of chalcogenide glasses: The system phosphorus-selenium

Abstract The feasibility of modern pulsed high-field high resolution solid state NMR techniques in non-oxide chalcogenide glasses is demonstrated for the system phosphorus-selenium. Isotropic and anisotropic chemical shieldings as well as 31 P- 31 P dipolar couplings from 31 P MAS and spin-echo NMR are reported on the glasses (10 to 50 mole% P), and the crystalline model compounds P 4 Se 3 and P 4 Se 4 . Measurement of spin-echo decays show a monotonic increase of 31 P- 31 P homonuclear dipole-dipole couplings with increasing phosphorus contents. The latter result suggests that the structure is more random than implied by the cluster model previously suggested.
Sustained Elevation of Pulsatile Growth Hormone (GH) Secretion and Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (IGF-I), IGF-Binding Protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and IGFBP-5 Concentrations during 30-Day Continuous Subcutaneous Infusion of GH-Releasing Peptide-2 in Older Men and Women

We test the interlinked hypotheses that in healthy older adults: 1). i.v. injection of GH-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) and GHRH synergizes more in aging women than men; 2). sc infusion of both GHRP-2 (1 microg/kg.h = 1) and GHRH (1, 3, or 10) for 24 h augments GH secretion more than either agonist alone; and 3). continuous sc delivery of GHRP-2 (1) for 30 d stimulates daily GH secretion and IGF-I, IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and IGFBP-5. Acute two-peptide synergy was 3-fold greater in young (n = 16) than older volunteers (n = 17; P < 0.025) and was 2.3-fold higher in elderly women than men (P < 0.025). The 24-h infusion of GHRP-2 (1) combined with GHRH (3 or 10) in men and with GHRH (10) in women drove GH secretion more than GHRH alone (P <or= 0.024). In the entire cohort (n = 11), GHRP-2/GHRH (1/10) stimulated GH secretion more than either GHRP-2 (1; P = 0.021) or GHRH (10; P = 0.012). The 30-d delivery of GHRP-2 (1; n = 17 subjects): 1). stimulated pulsatile, rhythmic, and entropic GH secretion by more than 3-fold on d 1 and more than 1.8-fold on d 14 and 30 (each P < 0.001 vs. saline); 2). elevated IGF-I to a stable plateau on d 1, 14, and 30 (P < 0.025 vs. baseline); and 3). increased IGFBP-3 (P < 0.01) and IGFBP-5 (P < 0.025) on d 14 and/or 30. Safety screening tests remained normal. In summary, in healthy elderly women and men: 1). acute synergy of GHRP-2 and GHRH is greater in the female; 2). 24-h combined GHRP-2 and GHRH drive is more effective than either agonist alone; and 3). 30-d stimulation with GHRP-2 sustains a physiologically activated somatotropic axis. We conclude that age, gender, stimulus duration, and secretagogue combination determine acute, intermediate, and extended responses of the somatotropic axis in the older adult.
Composite Sandwich Structure Optimization with Application to Satellite Components

Advanced design concepts and rigorous optimization methods are essential to address the conflicting and stringent design requirements of aerospace structures. The focus here is on the use of discrete optimization methods, specifically the genetic search method, for tailoring composite sandwich components of satellites. Failure modes induced by local instabilities associated with such composite sandwich constructions have been developed and used as design constraints in the optimization problem. A linear least-squares approximation is used in conjunction with the genetic search procedure to minimize the computational effort. Results of this study indicate that, for large-scale design optimization problems, the number of function evaluations required by this implementation is high and that more robust and alternate approximation concepts are necessary to minimize the overall computational effort.
Telepractice for pediatric Dysphagia: a case study.

A closed-ended intensive pediatric swallowing telepractice program was developed and piloted in one pediatric patient with Opitz BBB/G and Asperger’s Syndromes, oropharyngeal dysphagia and aerophagia. The present study is a case report. Outcome variables included behavioral, swallowing and quality of life variables, and were assessed at baseline and at the end of the four-week program. Selective variables were also assessed at a follow-up family interview four weeks post program completion. Over the four-week intervention period, the patient demonstrated substantial improvements in: oral acceptance of eating-related objects and a variety of foods (behavioral variable), timing of voluntary saliva swallows and aerophagia levels (swallowing variables) and quality of life. Follow-up interview analysis showed that most skills were retained or improved one-month post intervention. This intensive telepractice program proved to be feasible and effective for this pediatric patient with dysphagia.
A class of motions of elastic, symmetric Cosserat points: existence, bifurcation, and stability

Abstract In this paper, a class of motions of symmetric elastic Cosserat points is examined. These motions are such that the deformation gradient tensor of the Cosserat point is a function of time, are sustained in the absence of assigned director forces, and subsume a class of steady motions that has been discussed previously in the literature. Existence and non-linear stability criteria for these motions in both constrained and unconstrained elastic Cosserat points are developed using Routhian reduction. These criteria are illustrated for an incompressible Cosserat point with a Mooney–Rivlin strain energy. The results of this paper can also be interpreted within the context of a pseudo-rigid body.
Inferential control of processes: Part II. The structure and dynamics of inferential control systems

The static estimator of part I is incorporated into a dynamic control system. The system structure minimizes output feedback and thereby achieves stability even in the event of significant modeling errors. This inherent stability permits the use of simple and economical lead-lag compensation for the estimator and controller portions of the system. The overall system response to disturbances is similar to that of feed-forward control systems. The proposed control system structure is used to infer and control the overhead and bottoms product compositions of a simulated multicomponent distillation. Product compositions are inferred from selected stage temperature and process flow measurements. Inferential control system response to various disturbances is comparable or superior to that of a tuned composition feedback control system for both single product control and for simultaneus overhead and bottoms product control.
Computer protocol and torus maps

We investigate the dynamics of maps and flows which arise from a class of models of closed queueing networks in computer science theory. The network consists of n+/ servers, one of which is a central server with a queue of size n-1. A protocol or scheduling discipline must be specified in this server to define the queueing network. The standard model gives rise to a flow on an n-torus. We consider the service protocols first in-first out (FIFO) and last in-first out (LIFO) in dimension three, for which the state spaces are modifications of a 3-torus. We present a sufficient condition on the time it takes each call to complete one cycle for the FIFO protocol which guarantees that the set of periodic orbits which involve no waiting in the queue is a global attractorfor the associated semi-flow. We also investigate the dynamics for the LIFO service protocol via a return map derived from the associated area preserving flow.
The fourfold way: Determinism, moral responsibility, and Aristotelean causation

Thomas Szasz's emphasis on goal-oriented behavior and moral responsibility has raised profound theoretical questions about an ancient and enduring problem in philosophy, the relationships amongfree will, determinism, and moral responsibility. Two early thinkers, Jonathan Edwards and Aristotle, have both contributed to an understanding of this dilemma. Edwards (1754) demonstrated that the concept of man as a moral agent and the doctrine of philosophical necessity are inextricably intertwined, in opposition to the tenets of contingency, moral indifference, and self-determining volition. However, his argument rested on efficient causationalone. For further light on the problem we can turn to Aristotle's writings, notably the distinguishing criteria of the ‘practical’ sciences (including psychology) as opposed to the theoretical and the productive sciences; and multiple causation, one of the most powerful tools for intellectual analysis ever invented, which includes material, formal, and final causes as well as the efficient cause. The implications of Szasz's work force a re-examination of the contributions of both Edwards and Aristotle and make them relevant to contemporary psychiatry.
Homocysteine and Alzheimer's disease.

Summary Background A high circulating concentration of the amino acid homocysteine is an independent risk factor for stroke. Alzheimer's disease (AD) commonly co-occurs with stroke. Epidemiological studies found associations between hyperhomocysteinaemia and both histologically confirmed AD and disease progression and revealed that dementia in AD was associated with evidence of brain infarcts on autopsy. Thus, hyperhomocysteinaemia and AD could be linked by stroke or microvascular disease. However, given known relations between B-group-vitamin deficiency and both hyperhomocysteinaemia and neurological dysfunction, direct causal mechanisms are also plausible. Recent developments A recent prospective study (S Seshadri and colleagues N Engl J Med ; 2002 346 : 476–83) showed hyperhomocysteinaemia to be a strong, independent risk factor for dementia and AD. The researchers found a graded increase in risk of both outcomes with rising plasma concentration of homocysteine after multivariate control for putative risk factors for AD. In conjunction with demonstration of a fall in homocysteine concentrations in response to increasing B-group-vitamin status, these findings give hope that mental decline, or AD itself, could be prevented by dietary modification or food fortification. Where next? 25% of dementia cases are attributed to stroke. The possibility that some of the other 75% might be prevented by the lowering of homocysteine concentrations greatly increases the hope of maintaining self-sufficiency into old age. If homocysteine lowering can reduce the incidence of dementia or AD, decreased incidence of these disorders may be seen in Canada and the USA, where government-mandated folate-fortification programmes are in effect. Future research should focus on early detection of AD and on the possibility that the disease itself, or its primary symptom, could be prevented by folate supplementation.
The false promise of “what gets measured gets managed”

Discusses the importance of precise communication as a prerequisite to achieving alignment between internal and external stakeholders. Consideration is given to popular management catch‐phrases in general, with specific analysis of the widely‐used statement: “what gets measured gets managed”. The application of mathematical logic shows this to be a false statement, yet one that precipitates the management of measurements that may not add value as seen by the end‐use customer.
Evaluation and Research for Technology: Not Just Playing Around.

In virtually every part of American life, the development of usable skills and knowledge is essential. Documentation of performance is needed in order to demonstrate competency in school, to acquire and maintain employment, for career advances, and especially in areas where the cost of failure is unacceptable, such as in medicine, protective services, and the military. Technology has emerged as both a context for and a solution to educating the great numbers needing to learn and to expand their repertoires. In this paper, we will discuss some of the challenges of technology-based training and education, the role of quality verification and evaluation, and strategies to integrate evaluation into the everyday design of technology-based systems for education and training.
Hybrid notes: incisionless intragastric stapled cystgastrostomy of a pancreatic pseudocyst

Abstract Purpose We present a case report of a novel hybrid natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). The operation performed was a transgastric cystgastrostomy with endoscopic guidance for a pancreatic pseudocyst. This operation was completed entirely through an existing gastrostomy site with no incisions, thus avoiding the peritoneal cavity. Methods This is a case of a 7-year-old boy with neurologic impairment from congenital herpes simplex virus encephalitis who is tube fed. He had acute pancreatitis and developed a 9 cm pancreatic pseudocyst. The pseudocyst failed to resolve after 6 weeks and developed a mature wall. Due to a history of multiple abdominal surgeries and known abdominal adhesions, a minimally invasive approach that would avoid entering the peritoneal cavity was the desired approach. The technique involved a trans-oral endoscope for visualization and the use of the gastrostomy as access to the gastric lumen and pseudocyst. The pancreatic pseudocyst was stabilized with two T-fasteners and confirmed with needle aspiration under endoscopic visualization. The pseudocyst was then opened with the LigaSure (Valleylab, Boulder, CO). The cystgastrostomy anastomosis was completed with an Endopath ETS-Flex Articulating Linear Stapler/Cutter (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc, Cincinnati, OH). The operation took less than 2 hours and was completed without an incision. Under the policies of the Human Research Protection Program, review of a single case is outside the scope of the definition of human subjects research and does not require institutional review board review and approval. Results The patient did well postoperatively and had a dramatic reduction in size of the pancreatic pseudocyst to 3.5 cm by 2 weeks. Conclusions Hybrid NOTES cystgastrostomy performed through an existing gastrocutaneous fistula is an excellent approach for minimally invasive drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts.
Catalytic particle stability studies—III complex distributed resistances model☆

Abstract The problem of asymptotic stability of a chemical reaction system in a single catalyst particle is studied using a model in which the mass and heat transfer resistances are distributed over the interior of the particle. The analysis of the stability of the steady state is equivalent to the analysis of a non-self-adjoint eigenvalue problem derived from the nonlinear equations linearized about the steady state. Two sufficient conditions for stability are given. These conditions have the advantage of avoiding the complicated analysis of a non-self-adjoint system. A sufficient condition for the uniqueness of the steady state is also included. The same condition also implies the stability of the steady state. Numerical examples are treated.
Heat effects in gas sulfiding of hydroprocessing catalysts

An a priori model is developed to assess the heat effects during gas-phase (H2S/H2) sulfiding of a CoOMoO3/γAl2O3 hydroprocessing catalyst in a small fixed-bed reactor. The model satisfactorily predicts the observed maximum temperature rise and the speed of the traveling exotherm. It is found that the amount of heat released can be of sufficient magnitude to cause significant hot spotting and local starvation of H2S, both of which need to be avoided for desired catalyst performance. With this model, parametric studies were made to optimize the sulfiding operation. It is expected that the model can be used to guide catalyst synthesis research and to scale up laboratory/pilot-plant sulfiding procedures.
Utility of routine postoperative laboratory studies in patients undergoing potentially curative resection for adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum

In an effort to lower healthcare costs, this study was undertaken to evaluate the utility of routine postoperative (PO) laboratory studies and determine whether abnormalities alter patient (PT) care. This was a retrospective review of 105 PTs undergoing elective curative resection for colorectal cancer. A serum electrolyte and liver panel and a hematologic panel were drawn in all PTs. Of 8749 total laboratory values obtained, 5894 (67%) were normal. Two of these (0.03%) elicited a therapeutic intervention. Of the 2004 values that were low (23%), 103 (5.1%) elicited a therapeutic response. Of the 851 that were high (10%), 21 (2.5%) elicited a therapeutic response. Of 2089 preoperative laboratory values, 252 (12%) were abnormal, but in only 15 incidences in 9 PTs was any action taken. Three PTs required potassium supplementation and 6 PTs were transfused packed red blood cells before surgery. In the PO period 2603 laboratory values of 6660 obtained (39%) were abnormal. Of these, 735 (28%) were high and 1868...
Faculty Perception of Information Control Using LibQUAL+™ Indicators

Abstract The LibQUAL+™ survey was used in 2006 to assess library service quality at the University of Notre Dame. While results showed that the Libraries were meeting users’ expectations for service in most areas, a closer examination of the data revealed dissatisfaction from a subgroup of users in one particular dimension of library services. This study focuses on the deficient area, information control, and the dissatisfied group, faculty, by comparing local results with results from other ARL libraries that also participated in the 2006 survey. In addition, an analysis was conducted to determine the relationships between selected institutional characteristics and LibQUAL+™ scores for the service quality dimension of information control at the University of Notre Dame and other ARL Libraries. This analysis, with a narrowed focus on faculty and information control, increased the library’s awareness about which library services were most important to faculty and clearly identified areas needing improvement.
Response of the adrenal cortex of the neonatal rat after subjection to stress.

IT has been generally accepted that the infantile rat is incapable of an adreno-cortical response to stress in the first few days of life. Among the criteria used to support this contention are: adrenal ascorbic acid depletion1–9, adrenal corticosterone levels6–8, and plasma corticosterone levels9. Schapiro7 has referred to this as an absolute “stress-non-responsive period” (SNR period) and to the period which follows as the relative SNR period. The latter is characterized by the differential onset of the adreno-cortical response to various stimuli. The absolute period is reported as lasting for at least the first 4 days of life, and the relative period which follows may last until the sixteenth day. Levine10 has reported a significant increase in plasma corticosterone in the 3 day old rat following treatment with adrenocorticotrophic hormone or electric shock if the animal has previously received infantile stimulation. Furthermore, several other investigations have indicated that the SNR period is affected by experimental manipulation such as adrenalectomy of the mother before parturition2 and unilateral ligature of the Fallopian tube of the mother before mating3.
Lattice- and spin-dimensionality crossovers in a linear-chain-molecule-based ferrimagnet with weak spin anisotropy

[MnOEP][HCBD], a member of the metalloporphyrin family of donor-acceptor molecule-based magnets, consists of isolated ferrimagnetic chains of alternating $S=2,$ [MnOEP], and $s=1/2,$ [HCBD] units ($\mathrm{O}\mathrm{E}\mathrm{P}=\mathrm{o}\mathrm{c}\mathrm{t}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{t}\mathrm{h}\mathrm{y}\mathrm{l}\mathrm{p}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{r}\mathrm{p}\mathrm{h}\mathrm{y}\mathrm{r}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{t}\mathrm{o}$ and $\mathrm{H}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{B}\mathrm{D}=\mathrm{h}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{x}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{c}\mathrm{y}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{u}\mathrm{t}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{d}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{e}$). Analysis of the exchange pathways reveals an exchange along one interchain axis ${(J}_{\mathrm{inter}})$ almost 3 orders of magnitude weaker than the intrachain exchange ${(J}_{\mathrm{intra}}),$ and a negligible exchange along the other interchain axis. From the susceptibility and magnetization data we determine ${J}_{\mathrm{intra}}$ and ${J}_{\mathrm{inter}}$ to be antiferromagnetic with values of $\ensuremath{-}172\mathrm{K}$ and $\ensuremath{-}0.4\mathrm{K},$ respectively. At 19.6 K, the system undergoes both lattice and spin dimensionality crossovers in which the ferrimagnetic chains couple antiferromagnetically as two-dimensional Ising sheets.
The Myosin Super-Relaxed State is Regulated by Estradiol

We have used quantitative epifluorescence microscopy of fluorescent ATP to measure single-nucleotide turnovers in skinned muscle fibers from mouse models of female aging and hormone treatment. The loss of muscle strength is an undesirable consequence of aging, often leading to frailty, disability, and loss of independence for the elderly. Female muscle is additionally affected by age due to reduction of ovarian hormone production with menopause. Estradiol (E2) is the key hormonal signal to skeletal muscle in females, and strength loss is attenuated by E2 treatment. Single skeletal muscle fibers, isolated from sham-operated or ovariectomized (OVX) mice with or without E2 treatment, were incubated with mantATP. We measured decay of mantATP fluorescence intensity in an ATP chase experiment, as pioneered by Cooke and colleagues (Stewart et al., 2010; Cooke, 2011). These studies by Cooke unveiled a novel regulated state of muscle myosin characterized by slow nucleotide turnover on the order of minutes, termed the super-relaxed state (SRX). We detected a slow phase of nucleotide turnover in approximately one-third of sham-operated myosin heads, consistent with SRX. Turnover was substantially faster in OVX fibers. Strikingly, the chronic lack of E2 in OVX fibers did not alter the fraction of heads with slow turnover but rather decreased the turnover time, suggesting disordering of SRX. E2 treatment in OVX mice partially reversed this effect on SRX, while acute E2 treatment in the muscle bath had no effect. All experiments were conducted with uniformly low myosin light chain phosphorylation. We conclude that E2-mediated signaling regulates slow ATP turnover and ordering of heads, probably via pathways distinct from myosin phosphorylation status. Age- and hormone-related muscle functional losses may be targetable at the level of thick filament structure for strategies to offset weakness and metabolic changes that occur with age.
The Other Side of Academic Dishonesty: The relationship between faculty scepticism, gender and strategies for managing student academic dishonesty cases

Student academic ethics is a serious concern for colleges and universities. The literature dealing with student academic ethics, however, focuses little attention on the possible connection between organizational characteristics and the efforts made by faculty to deter student academic ethics violations. In this case study analysis of faculty at a medium-sized university in the western USA, we found that the level of faculty institutional confidence is related to the use of formal deterrence strategies. Additionally, we found that female faculty members are less confident in the administration, but are only marginally less likely to use formal administrative approaches to manage academic ethics.
The kinetics of pancreatic ribonuclease reaction with alkaline and acidic forms of poly A.

The RNase hydrolysis of random-coil (alkaline form) poly A follows biphasic kinetics at low salt concentrations. However, its resistance to RNase increases with the ionic strength. Helical (acidic form) poly A is also susceptible to RNase but its hydrolysis follows first-order kinetics, and its resistance increases as the pH is lowered. These conformation-dependent kinetics of poly A hydrolysis are similar to those obtained in the hydrolysis of cellular RNA and reovirus double-stranded RNA.
Psychiatric comorbidities in patients with headaches

Abstract Migraine and tension-type headaches are not, in and of themselves, psychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, there is a strong association between these headache diagnoses and a number of psychiatric disorders, especially depression and anxiety. Although most individuals with headaches in the general population do not have comorbid psychiatric disorders, many patients do, especially those presenting to specialty clinics. Moreover, there is some evidence indicating that psychiatric comorbidity is a negative prognostic indicator in children and adults with headache. Thus, the identification and treatment of psychiatric illness is necessary, beginning at an early age. In this study we provide an overview of the current literature on comorbidity of psychiatric illness and the most common headache disorders: migraine; tension type; and “chronic daily headache” (ie, chronic migraine, chronic tension type). We briefly discuss the assessment of psychiatric illness in medical (nonpsychiatric) settings and provide pharmacologic and behavioral treatment recommendations. Finally, we briefly examine the role of behavioral medicine in headache management, which appears to be especially important for headache patients with psychiatric comorbidity.
Ultrasound-guided Interdigital Neuroma Injections: Short-term Clinical Outcomes after a Single Percutaneous Injection—Preliminary Results

Purpose To describe the procedure of ultrasound-guided Morton’s neuroma and recurrent stump neuroma injections and early clinical outcomes after a single injection.
Development of nondestructive evaluation methods for hot gas filters

AbstractRigid ceramic hot gas candle filters are currently under development for high-temperature hot gas particulate cleanup in advanced coal-based power systems. The ceramic materials for these filters include monolithics (usually non-oxides), oxide and non-oxide fiber-reinforced composites, and recrystallized silicon carbide. A concern of end users in using these types of filters, where over 3000 may be used in a single installation, is the lack of a data base on which to base decisions for reusing, replacing or predicting remaining life during plant shutdowns. One method to improve confidence of usage is to develop nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technology to provide surveillance methods for determination of the extent of damage or of life-limiting characteristics such as thermal fatigue, oxidation, damage from ash bridging such as localized cracking, damage from local burning, and elongation at elevated temperatures. Although in situ NDE methods would be desirable in order to avoid disassembly of th...
Fusions: Integrating Values in Higher Education

Jane Govoni, Valerie Wright, and Peter Wubbenhorst in “Fusions: Integrating Values in Higher Education” identified six core values that are infused into the academic programs at Saint Leo University.
A case-control study of hypocalcemia in high-risk neonates: racial, but no seasonal differences.

A role for vitamin D in the defense against falling serum calcium (Ca) concentrations following cord clamping has been suggested. Since race and season are known to affect vitamin D status, we theorized that black race and birth in winter are additional risk factors for neonatal hypocalcemia (NHC). We retrospectively studied 13,462 infants born at University Hospital (Cincinnati, OH) between January 1, 1984 and December 31, 1987. Serum Ca was measured at 24 hours of age routinely in infants with low birth weight (less than 2500 g), preterm delivery (less than 2500 g), preterm delivery (less than 37 weeks), neonatal asphyxia, and diabetic mothers. After exclusion of infants of diabetic mothers (to remove maternal diabetes as a major confounder) and infants with major congenital anomalies, 714 infants remained. In multiple regression analysis, low serum Ca values were significantly associated with low gestational age (p less than 0.01), low Apgar score (p less than 0.01), and white race (p less than 0.01) (...
Elastica with Hinges

During the past decade, curve evolution has been applied to shape recovery, shape analysis, image smoothing, and image segmentation. Almost all of these applications are based on curve evolution which minimizes the total length of the curve. The curve moves with velocity proportional to the curvature and hence corners are smoothed out very rapidly. However, many of the approaches to shape analysis require corner-preserving presmoothing of shapes. To preserve corners, it is necessary to consider cost functionals based on curvature rather than on total length. Classically, such functionals have been applied to study bending of thin elastic rods called elastica. In this paper, an implementable formulation based on curvature is developed for smoothing curves while preserving corners.
Tilt corrections over complex terrain and their implication for CO2 transport

Observational data from sonic anemometers are commonly rotated from sonic to streamline coordinates, a procedure that is called tilt correction. Tilt corrections are often used to post-process air velocity data collected from sonic anemometers to allow objective interpretation of air flow data relative to the Earth. Since streamline coordinates depend on dynamical characteristics of the flow, the tilt correction depends not only on temporal and spatial variations of the flow, but also on local circulations. We found that ensemble- averaged slope flows are approximately parallel to the terrain slope close to the ground within the canopy layer, but not above, due to the influence of the diurnal variation of local vertical circulations. As a result, the diurnal variation of the observed vertical velocity in streamline coordinates at 21.5 m above the ground over 11-m tall forest canopies can be opposite to that calculated from the continuity equation. To estimate CO2 transport over sloping terrain, a workable reference coordinate system is needed such that multiple sonic anemometers have a common reference relative to the Earth. Streamline coordinate systems can be the choice of the common reference coordinate system only if flow, at least ensemble-averaged flow, is parallel to terrain slopes. The choice of the reference coordinate system and its implication in investigation of CO2 transport are discussed.
Effect of viral respiratory tract infection on outcome of acute otitis media.

We prospectively studied 271 infants and children (2 months to 7 years of age) with acute otitis media (AOM) for viral and bacterial causes, outcome at the end of therapy, and frequency of recurrence within 1 month. Comprehensive virologic methods, including viral antigen detection, cell culture, and serologic studies, were used to diagnose viral infection of the respiratory tract middle ear, or both. Evidence of viral infection was found in 46% (124/271) of patients with AOM. Sixty-six patients (24%) had virus or viral antigen in the middle ear fluid; 50 of these patients (76%) also had bacteria in middle earffluid, and 16 (24%) had virus alone. More patients with AOM and combined bacterial and viral infection (51%) had persistent otitis (3 to 12 days after institution of antibiotic treatment), compared with those with only bacterial otitis (35%; p =0.05) or patients with only viral infection (19%; p
Approximate confidence intervals on linear combinations of expected mean squares

Let represent independently distributed chi-squared random variables with ni degrees of freedom. In this article, we develop new procedures for obtaining approximate confidence intervals on linear combinations of the θi . The proposed approximations are indexed by a “tuning” constant. By choosing the appropriate constant, which can be easily determined from data, we show that the proposed methods produce confidence intervals that maintain the stated confidence level. Numerical examples compare the performance to other approximations.
Alternative paths to observing Efimov physics

We present some of our work on the ultracold behavior of three-body collisions and their relation to the recent experiment (Kraemer [1]). In particular, we discuss the role of Efimov physics in this experiment and other ultracold three-body collisions. We also suggest one way to make observation of the key feature of the Efimov effect – geometrical scaling – more experimentally feasible.
Practical Considerations Community Context in a Declining Rural Economy and Emerging Adults’ Educational and Occupational Aspirations

We examine how aspects of community context (i.e., social and familial attachments, attachment to place, and economic environment) are linked to rural emerging adults’ educational and occupational ...
Streaming birefringence behavior of dextrans produced by leuconostoc mesenteroides

The results of a large number of streaming birefringence studies on dextran fractions, both native and degraded, produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides are reported. The following solvents have been examined, all in admixture with varying proportions of glycerol (to enhance the solvent viscosity): water (with and without prior autoclaving), aqueous sodium hydroxide, formamide, and ethylenediamine. The results are surprisingly independent of the solvent used. Ethylenediamine–glycerol (equal parts by weight) was adopted for further investigation because of the high solvent viscosity. This solvent was found to yield a small birefringence with extinction angle near zero degrees, which, however, contributed no appreciable error except at polymer concentrations below 0.3%. Results were found to be substantially independent of polymer concentration and of temperature. Characteristically, the dependence of extinction angle on gradient was found to be much less than is to be expected for solutions of homogeneous, rigid molecules. It is concluded that this cannot be due to heterogeneity, at least in the case of certain well-fractionated preparation, and must be attributed to flexibility of the polymer molecule. It is shown that extrapolation of the apparent rotary diffusion constants to zero gradient can be carried out in most cases with some confidence. The resulting values, which should characterize the rotary diffusion properties of the undistorted polymers, are shown to be quite reasonable in terms of the known intrinsic viscosity and molecular weight of the fractions. The reduced birefringence of the various fractions is shown to be rather rigorously proportional to their intrinsic viscosity. Further, the extinction angles are found to approach a lower limit, at high gradient, which is related also to the intrinsic viscosity through the empirical equation Xlim = 24/[η]1/4.
Hydrodynamics influence coral performance through simultaneous direct and indirect effects

Hydrodynamic conditions can influence the distribution and abundance of aquatic species in many ways, including directly through disturbance and resource delivery, and indirectly by altering environmental cues and species interactions. In coral reef ecosystems, corallivory is an important top-down control of coral populations, while water motion can enhance coral performance via autotrophic and/or heterotrophic pathways. Using a large-scale field assay in Mo‘orea, French Polynesia, we measured the extent to which the growth of a branching acroporid coral is influenced by hydrodynamics that deliver nutrients and food to corals but also impede corallivory. We explored two hydrodynamic properties that characterized our study system, mean current velocity and current velocity fluctuation (a measure of waves and turbulence). In treatments where predators were excluded, coral skeletal growth was positively related to mean current velocity, whereas no effect of velocity fluctuations was detected. In the presence...
Genetic variability of the stable fly assessed on a global scale using amplified fragment length polymorphism

The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), is a blood-feeding, economically important pest of animals and humans worldwide. Improved management strategies are essential and their development would benefit from studies on genetic diversity of stable flies. Especially if done on a global scale, such research could generate information necessary for the development and application of more efficient control methods. Herein we report on a genetic study of stable flies using amplified fragment length polymorphism, with samples of 10-40 individuals acquired from a total of 25 locations in the Nearctic, Neotropic, Palearctic, Afrotropic and Australasian biogeographical regions. We hypothesized that genetic differentiation would exist across geographical barriers. Although FST (0.33) was moderately high, the GST (0.05; representing genetic diversity between individuals) was very low; Nm values (representing gene flow) were high (9.36). The mismatch distribution and tests of neutrality suggested population expansion, with no genetic differentiation between locations. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) results showed the majority of genetic diversity was within groups. The mantel test showed no correlation between geographic and genetic distance; this strongly supports the AMOVA results. These results suggest that stable flies did not show genetic differentiation but are panmictic, with no evidence of isolation by distance or across geographical barriers.
Measuring Exposure to Protobacco Marketing and Media: A Field Study Using Ecological Momentary Assessment

INTRODUCTION The aims of this study were to validate ecological momentary assessment (EMA) as a method for measuring exposure to tobacco-related marketing and media and to use this method to provide detailed descriptive data on college students' exposure to protobacco marketing and media. METHODS College students (n = 134; ages 18-24 years) recorded their exposures to protobacco marketing and media on handheld devices for 21 consecutive days. Participants also recalled exposures to various types of protobacco marketing and media at the end of the study period. RESULTS Retrospectively recalled and EMA-based estimates of protobacco marketing exposure captured different information. The correlation between retrospectively recalled and EMA-logged exposures to tobacco marketing and media was moderate (r = .37, p < .001), and EMA-logged exposures were marginally associated with the intention to smoke at the end of the study, whereas retrospective recall of exposure was not. EMA data showed that college students were exposed to protobacco marketing through multiple channels in a relatively short period: Exposures (M = 8.24, SD = 7.85) occurred primarily in the afternoon (42%), on weekends (35%), and at point-of-purchase locations (68%) or in movies/TV (20%), and exposures to Marlboro, Newport, and Camel represented 56% of all exposures combined and 70% of branded exposures. CONCLUSIONS Findings support the validity of EMA as a method for capturing detailed information about youth exposure to protobacco marketing and media that are not captured through other existing methods. Such data have the potential to highlight areas for policy change and prevention in order to reduce the impact of tobacco marketing on youth.