cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Internet and obstetrics and gynecology.

Background. The Internet is an unrestricted, easily accessed source of information that has been greatly touted by the mass media. It represents a major advance in information acquisition and dissemination. It is estimated that between 3(M-0 million North Americans alone have access to the Internet. This multimedia reservoir of information has developed into a significant resource for information gathering, especially for those who depend on comprehensive and contemporary information, including scientists and physicians.Methods and results. The purpose of this article is to describe some of the basic and practical services available on the Internet including e-mail, literature searches, interest groups, databases and on-line journals. Our focus is to describe these Internet resources with the physician in mind, and with particular emphasis on Internet applications for the obstetrician/gynecologist.Conclusion. The role of the Internet in medicine has not been defined, but continues to evolve. In the field ...
Chronic hyponatremia exacerbates multiple manifestations of senescence in male rats

The syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) is frequently responsible for chronic hyponatremia in the elderly due to age-related disruption of the inhibitory component of brain osmoregulatory mechanisms. Recent research has indicated that chronic hyponatremia is associated with gait disturbances, increased falls, and bone fragility in humans, and we have found that chronic hyponatremia causes increased bone resorption and reduced bone mineral density in young rats. In this study, we used a model of SIADH to study multi-organ consequences of chronic hyponatremia in aged rats. Sustained hyponatremia for 18 weeks caused progressive reduction of bone mineral density by DXA and decreased bone ash calcium, phosphate and sodium contents at the tibia and lumbar vertebrae. Administration of 10-fold higher vitamin D during the last 8 weeks of the study compensated for the reduction in bone formation and halted bone loss. Hyponatremic rats developed hypogonadism, as indicated by slightly lower serum testosterone and higher serum FSH and LH concentrations, markedly decreased testicular weight, and abnormal testicular histology. Aged hyponatremic rats also manifested decreased body fat, skeletal muscle sarcopenia by densitometry, and cardiomyopathy manifested as increased heart weight and perivascular and interstitial fibrosis by histology. These findings are consistent with recent results in cultured osteoclastic cells, indicating that low extracellular sodium concentrations increased oxidative stress, thereby potentially exacerbating multiple manifestations of senescence. Future prospective studies in patients with SIADH may indicate whether these multi-organ age-related comorbidities may potentially contribute to the observed increased incidence of fractures and mortality in this population.
Excitation-emission spectra and fluorescence quantum yields for fresh and aged biogenic secondary organic aerosols

Certain biogenic secondary organic aerosols (SOA) become absorbent and fluorescent when exposed to reduced nitrogen compounds such as ammonia, amines, and their salts. Fluorescent SOA may potentially be mistaken for biological particles by detection methods relying on fluores- cence. This work quantifies the spectral distribution and effective quantum yields of fluorescence of water-soluble SOA generated from two monoterpenes, limonene and α-pinene, and two different oxidants, ozone (O3) and hydroxyl radical (OH). The SOA was generated in a smog chamber, collected on substrates, and aged by exposure to ∼100 ppb ammonia in air saturated with water vapor. Absorption and excitation−emission matrix (EEM) spectra of aqueous extracts of aged and control SOA samples were measured, and the effective absorption coefficients and fluorescence quantum yields (∼0.005 for 349 nm excitation) were determined from the data. The strongest fluorescence for the limonene-derived SOA was observed for λexcitation = 420 ± 50 nm and λemission = 475 ± 38 nm. The window of the strongest fluorescence shifted to λexcitation = 320 ± 25 nm and λemission = 425 ± 38 nm for the α-pinene-derived SOA. Both regions overlap with the EEM spectra of some of the fluorophores found in primary biological aerosols. Despite the low quantum yield, the aged SOA particles may have sufficient fluorescence intensities to interfere with the fluorescence detection of common bioaerosols.
A Class of Discrete-Time Stabilizing Controllers for Flexible Mechanical Systems

A class of multivariable discrete-time control laws for flexible mechanical systems with colocated actuators and sensors is characterized. Stability of the proposed control law is derived in terms of energy dissipation properties of the system and is independent of physical parameters of the plant. The control law is applicable to linear, as well as nonlinear mechanical systems with any number of vibrational modes. It is therefore unaffected by modal truncation. The validity of the proposed approach is demonstrated by two examples.
A sulfuric acid management strategy for the production of liquid hydrocarbon fuels via catalytic conversion of biomass-derived levulinic acid

In this study, we first develop an integrated strategy for the catalytic conversion of lignocellulose into liquid fuels based on the production of levulinic acid (LA) followed by its hydrogenation to γ-valerolactone (GVL). Our integrated strategy involves a novel catalytic conversion process employing alkylphenol-based separation to extract LA from the sulfuric acid containing aqueous solution following the sulfuric acid catalyzed deconstruction of cellulose. To minimize utility consumption, we perform heat integration, while the remaining heating requirement is satisfied by the combustion of residual biomass. Hot combustion gases are also used to generate electricity, which meets the electricity requirement of the process, while the excess electricity is sold to the grid. We perform a technoeconomic analysis for the alkylphenol-based strategy and compare its economics with a previously reported strategy, in which butyl acetate was used as an extractive solvent to separate GVL from sulfuric acid following the LA hydrogenation step. With some improvements in the process configuration, the alkylphenol strategy leads to a minimum selling price (MSP) of $4.40 per gallon of gasoline equivalent (GGE) for compatible biofuel components, whereas the butyl acetate strategy leads to a MSP of $4.68 per GGE. We show that the alkylphenol strategy becomes a significantly better choice when the catalyst lifetime for the hydrogenation of LA becomes less than 6 months.
Effects of airborne particulate matter on the acidity of precipitation in Central Missouri

Abstract The pH of rainfall in central Missouri was monitored at four sites during the fall of 1983. Several pH values were well above 5.6, the theoretical pH of pure water in equilibrium with ambient levels of CO2. Most of the higher pHs were measured on rainfall of short duration or rainfall collected during the first few hours of extended rainfall events. Furthermore, the rainfall associated with storm events lasting several days exhibited a trend of decreasing pH with time approaching values as low as 4.0 during the late stages of rainfall. Precipitation pH values above 5.6 apparently reflect neutralization reactions between wet precipitation and various components of airborne dust, especially clays and carbonates. During extended rainfalls, the neutralization effects gradually diminish as suspended dust is washed from the atmosphere yielding more accurate values of the wet precipitation pH. The results of this study suggest that airborne particulate matter generated from the dust bowl region of the U.S. may affect the chemistry of precipitation in areas hundreds of km downwind.
Pulmonary Venous Aneurysms in Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Detected by 3-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Angiography

A 38-year-old woman with a history of presumed multiple pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs), epistaxis, and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) presented with a 2-year history of progressive dyspnea on exertion. She had no orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, edema, or exertional chest discomfort. She denied hemoptysis and seizure activity but complained of severe migraine headaches. Her medical history was otherwise unremarkable. Her family history was notable in that her mother died at age 44 from respiratory failure of unknown etiology; a sister has multiple PAVMs, and her daughter has recurrent epistaxis. In both the sister and daughter, the …
Identification of Spinning Dust in Hα-Correlated Microwave Emission

CMB experiments commonly use maps of Hα intensity as a spatial template for Galactic free-free emission, assuming a power law Iν ∝ ν−0.15 for the spectrum. Any departure from the assumed free-free spectrum could have a detrimental effect on determination of the primary CMB anisotropy. We show that the Hα-correlated emission spectrum in the diffuse WIM is not the expected free-free spectrum at WMAP frequencies. Instead, there is a broad bump in the spectrum at ~50 GHz which is consistent with emission from spinning dust grains. Spectra from both the full sky and smaller regions of interest are well fit by a superposition of a free-free and "warm ionized medium" Draine & Lazarian spinning dust model, shifted in frequency. The spinning dust emission is ~5 times weaker than the free-free component at 50 GHz, with the null hypothesis that the Hα-correlated spectrum is pure free-free ruled out at ≥8 σ in all regions and >100 σ for the full-sky fit.
Regional ischemia and compensatory vascular dynamics following selective tenotomy in primates

The effect of horizontal (H) and vertical (V) recti tenotomy on blood flow to primate anterior segment was determined using the Reference Blood Flow Method with 15 μm 103Ru labeled microspheres. Tenotomy of the medial and lateral (H) recti resulted in increased blood flow to the whole anterior segment and to the unit iris plus ciliary body with ciliary processes (ICBCP). Blood flow to the medial and inferior quadrants in the H-experimental eyes was significantly higher than in corresponding quadrants of the control. No significant differences were found in the proportion of total ICBCP blood flow received by each quadrant in the control or experimental eye. Tenotomy of the superior and inferior (V) recti in the experimental eye resulted in a decreased blood flow to the whole ICBCP. The medial ICBCP quadrant had a higher blood flow than any of the other quadrants in the V-experimental eye, accounting for approximately 70% of the total ICBCP blood flow. The data suggest that either horizontal or vertical recti tenotomy initiates a compensatory increase in the medial ICBCP quadrant blood flow, possibly via the medial long posterior ciliary artery (mLPCA). A diagrammatic representation of the basal and compensatory vascular dynamics is presented.
Purification and characterization of calcium-binding conchiolin shell peptides from the mollusc, Haliotis rufescens , as a function of development

Conchiolin peptides of the molluscan shell are believed to determine structural organization and facilitate calcification during shell formation. Changes in patterns of conchiolin synthesis during development, and the possible contribution of these peptides to shell formation, have been investigated by purification and characterization of the soluble peptides extracted from the shell of the gastropod mollusc,Haliotis rufescens (red abalone), at various stages of development. Shell peptides were purified from young post-larvae, juveniles and adults by gel-filtration column chromatography in aggregation-reducing bicarbonate buffers. Calcium-binding domains were detected spectrophotometrically after reaction with a cationic carbocyanine dye. Juvenile and adult shell peptides were found to be heterogeneous, and rich in aspartic acid and glycine residues; in contrast, post-larval shells were found to contain one major glycine-rich component. The juvenile shell peptide population shares components from each of the other two populations, suggesting that the synthesis of the different shell peptides results from the differential expression of a multi-gene family, in a developmentally controlled progression. Enzymatic analyses suggest that calcium binds to the aspartic acid residues of the peptide core, rather than to satellite groups such as phosphate, sulfate or carbohydrate. The possibility is discussed that the aspartic acid residues found in shell peptides may play an important role in the calcification of the abalone shell matrix. The methods demonstrated here also should prove useful for the purification, characterization, and comparative analysis of calcium-binding proteins of connective tissues, extracellular matrices and support structures in many other systems.
Factors that influence parental attitudes toward enrollment in type 1 diabetes trials.

Aims To assess parental attitudes towards type 1 diabetes clinical trials (T1DCTs) and factors that impact willingness to enroll their children with and without diabetes. Methods A cross-sectional survey of parents of children with type 1 diabetes was administered at an academic clinic and a diabetes educational event. Results Survey response rate was 36%. Of 166 participating parents, 76% were aware of T1DCTs. More parents reported willingness to enroll children with diabetes (47%) than unaffected children (36%). Only 18% recalled being asked to enroll their children, and of these, 60% agreed to enroll at least some of those times. Less than 30% were comfortable with placebos. Factors predicting willingness to enroll children with diabetes included healthcare provider trust, comfort with consent by proxy, low fear of child being a “guinea pig,” and comfort with placebo. Factors predicting willingness to enroll unaffected children were provider trust, comfort with consent by proxy, comfort with placebo, and perceived ease of understanding T1DCT information. Conclusions Parents report moderate willingness to enroll children in T1DCTs. Willingness is diminished by common trial methodologies. Although most parents recalled receiving trial-related information, significantly fewer recalled being asked to participate. Efforts to optimize effective communication around identified areas of parental concern may increase T1DCT participation.
Customer Service in Industrial Marketing: Hedge Against Competition

Customer service is a pre‐requisite for both developing and maintaining lasting buyer‐seller relationships. Long‐term benefits have been proved over time. As a strategic element of the marketing mix it is no longer dismissed on the basis of cost. Customer service issues involved, including the importance of evaluating the service‐price tag correctly, guarantee of supplies and transport are discussed, and actions required to provide industrial marketers with a differential advantage and a strong hedge against competitive pressures at home and abroad.
Ab initio calculation of the non-relativistic free-free Gaunt factor incorporating plasma screening

Abstract We present calculations of Gaunt factors for free–free absorption over a wide range of temperatures and densities. The calculations employ a partial wave expansion approach, which is able to account for plasma screening within the calculation of the free–free Gaunt factor. Much of the existing Gaunt factor data pertains to hydrogenic systems, and plasma screening is often incorporated in opacity calculations using approximate methods. The use of a more accurate method allows us to determine the accuracy of such approximations in calculations of the free–free monochromatic and mean opacities.
Discharge variability for an artesian spring of the Edwards Aquifer: Comal Springs (1933–2007)

Daily discharge volumes of Comal Springs, the largest artesian spring of the Edwards Aquifer (EA) in Central Texas, were utilized to characterize the flow of Comal Springs for the period of record spanning 1933–2007. The influence of water extraction (pumping) on discharge characteristics during the record was examined and found to be statistically significant for both volume and variability of spring discharge (p < 0.01). Pumping explains approximately a quarter of the variation in annual discharge (r2 = 0.25) and nearly a third of the daily variability (r2 = 0.32) within the Comal Springs discharge record. Statistically significant teleconnections to flow are demonstrated within the discharge record of Comal Springs. The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO, as measured by the Southern Oscillation Index) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) are shown to exhibit statistically significant correlations with annual mean flow from Comal Springs. PDO modulation of ENSO results in mean flow anomalies of 21.9% between extreme quintile years. The Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO) appears to exert influence based on the magnitude of the index value, irrespective of its positive or negative condition (p < 0.01), with the highest quintile (based on magnitude) years correlating with strong positive flow anomalies. A composite index was developed which combines the AMO, PDO and SOI. The extreme quintile years of this index demonstrate a 32.4% divergence in flow (p < 0.01) while demonstrating a stronger skill at capturing negative flow anomalies than positive anomalies. Precipitation data, at 4-km spatial resolution, were utilized to examine the temporal and spatial correlation of water input to the EA with rates of average monthly discharge from Comal Springs. The spatial dependence of the correlation between precipitation and Comal Springs discharge indicates significant seasonal variability. Overall, the correlation between precipitation and discharge is significant for spring, summer and fall seasons and not significant for winter. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Study Abroad Experiences in Computer Science (Abstract Only)

This BoF is to gather computer science educators interested in helping to create successful study abroad experiences for computer science students. While study abroad consistency places number one as the most impactful experience an undergraduate can have, computer science students have some of the lowest study abroad participation rates. While some of the reasons for this are financial, it is believed that the primary reason is the lack of meaningful study abroad opportunities.In the world of study abroad programs, it is a basic axiom that a study abroad program, to be successful, has to have a reason for being in its chosen location. Simply transplanting a course to an exotic location is considered educational tourism. The most successful study abroad programs leverage being present in a foreign location to provide some value added to the course over its back home-based counterpart. We define meaningful study abroad opportunities as ones where students can make forward progress in their major, but avoid becoming exercises in educational tourism. Furthermore, at all but the largest of institutions, discipline-specific study abroad programs, due to enrollment sizes need to be inter-institutional.How to create a meaningful study abroad experience in computer science is a difficult open question. The purpose of this BoF is to gather interested colleagues to brainstorm ideas and to begin a community-wide dialog on developing successful and meaningful study abroad programs for computer science students.
Direct and Interactive Effects of Distress Tolerance and Anxiety Sensitivity on Generalized Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety sensitivity and distress tolerance are both hypothesized risk factors for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, it is unclear whether these factors synergistically influence GAD and MDD and related symptoms. Using latent variable methods, direct and interactive relations between anxiety sensitivity and distress tolerance with worry and depressive symptoms and with GAD and MDD diagnoses were examined in 347 outpatients. Interactive effects of anxiety sensitivity and distress tolerance were found for worry and GAD/MDD. The interactions generally suggested that anxiety sensitivity confers a greater risk for worry and GAD/MDD at higher levels of distress tolerance, and that distress tolerance confers a greater risk for worry and GAD/MDD at lower levels of anxiety sensitivity. Given the interactive effects of anxiety sensitivity and distress tolerance for GAD/MDD, interventions targeting both risk factors may prove more efficacious than targeting each individually.
Intensity Diffraction Tomography

Over the past few years, a new technique known as intensity diffraction tomography has been developed which allows phaseless reconstruction of weakly scattering objects. We review the technique and discuss recent and future developments.
Spatio-Temporal Modification of Collagen Scaffolds Mediated by Triple Helical Propensity

Functionalized collagen that incorporates exogenous compounds may offer new and improved biomaterials applications, especially in drug-delivery, multifunctional implants, and tissue engineering. To that end, we developed a specific and reversible collagen modification technique utilizing associative chain interactions between synthetic collagen mimetic peptide (CMP) [(ProHypGly) chi; Hyp = hydroxyproline] and type I collagen. Here we show temperature-dependent collagen binding and subsequent release of a series of CMPs with varying chain lengths indicating a triple helical propensity driven binding mechanism. The binding took place when melted, single-strand CMPs were allowed to fold while in contact with reconstituted type I collagens. The binding affinity is highly specific to collagen as labeled CMP bound to nanometer scale periodic positions on type I collagen fibers and could be used to selectively image collagens in ex vivo human liver tissue. When heated to physiological temperature, bound CMPs discharged from the collagen at a sustained rate that correlated with CMP's triple helical propensity, suggesting that sustainability is mediated by dynamic collagen-CMP interactions. We also report on the spatially defined modification of collagen film with linear and multi-arm poly(ethylene glycol)-CMP conjugates; at 37 degrees C, these PEG-CMP conjugates exhibited temporary cell repelling activity lasting up to 9 days. These results demonstrate new opportunities for targeting pathologic collagens for diagnostic or therapeutic applications and for fabricating multifunctional collagen coatings and scaffolds that can temporally and spatially control the behavior of cells associated with the collagen matrices.
A thermodynamic investigation of {cobalt (II) bromide + acetonitrile} and {cobalt (II) bromide + propionitrile}

Abstract Equilibrium decomposition pressures were determined for (CoBr 2 + r CH 3 CN) at temperatures between 294 and 380 K and for (CoBr 2 + r CH 3 CH 2 CN) at temperatures between 303 and 367 K. Compositions studied ranged from mole ratios r of 0.37 to 3.0 for CH 3 CN and of 0.26 to 2.73 for CH 3 CH 2 CN. For each pair two stoichiometric compounds were identified: Co(CH 3 CN) 3 Br 2 , Co(CH 3 CN) 2 Br 2 , Co(CH 3 CH 2 CN) 3 Br 2 , and Co(CH 3 CH 2 CN) 2 Br 2 . For RCN(g) the values of ΔH o /kJ mol −1 were calculated to be (49.8 ± 0.5) for the partial decomposition of Co(CH 3 CN) 3 Br 2 , (56.9 ± 0.3) for the decomposition of Co(CH 3 CN) 2 Br 2 , (55.7 ± 0.4) for the partial decomposition of Co(CH 3 CH 2 CN) 3 Br 2 , and (55.0 ± 0.4) for the decomposition of Co(CH 3 CH 2 CN) 2 Br 2 .
Determining genetic expression profiles in C. elegans using microarray and real-time PCR.

Synapses are composed of a presynaptic active zone in the signaling cell and a postsynaptic terminal in the target cell. In the case of chemical synapses, messages are carried by neurotransmitters released from presynaptic terminals and received by receptors on postsynaptic cells. Our previous research in Caenorhabditis elegans has shown that VSM-1 negatively regulates exocytosis. Additionally, analysis of synapses in vsm-1 mutants showed that animals lacking a fully functional VSM-1 have increased synaptic connectivity. Based on these preliminary findings, we hypothesized that C. elegans VSM-1 may play a crucial role in synaptogenesis. To test this hypothesis, double-labeled microarray analysis was performed, and gene expression profiles were determined. First, total RNA was isolated, reversely transcribed to cDNA, and hybridized to the DNA microarrays. Then, in-silico analysis of fluorescent probe hybridization revealed significant induction of many genes coding for members of the major sperm protein family (MSP) in mutants with enhanced synaptogenesis. MSPs are the major component of sperm in C. elegans and appear to signal nematode oocyte maturation and ovulation . In fruit flies, Chai and colleagues 1 demonstrated that MSP-like molecules regulate presynaptic bouton number and size at the neuromuscular junction. Moreover, analysis performed by Tsuda and coworkers 2 suggested that MSPs may act as ligands for Eph receptors and trigger receptor tyrosine kinase signaling cascades. Lastly, real time PCR analysis corroborated that the gene coding for MSP-32 is induced in vsm-1(ok1468) mutants. Taken together, research performed by our laboratory has shown that vsm-1 mutants have a significant increase in synaptic density, which could be mediated by MSP-32 signaling.
On the possible role of the surface stress in environmentally induced embrittlement and pitting

The propagation of a crack in a solid is driven by the release of elastic stress and is opposed by the increase in free energy caused by the increase in surface area. Therefore the adsorption of any constituent from the environment increases the effective driving force upon a crack by reducing the surface free energy. This is the point of view of the Petch-Stables model. Both it and the decohesion model, which are equivalent at the thermodynamic level, consider the tensile breaking of atomic bonds (Mode I). From the point of view of energetics alone, the diminution of surface free energy by adsorption of some species can equally well facilitate the propagation of a Mode-II or a Mode-III crack, crack propagation by the slip-off mechanism, or even the blunting of a crack by dislocation emission. There has been a growing recognition that an adsorbate that can reduce the resistance to the tensile parting of atomic bonds probably can also decrease the resistance to a shear stress and hence facilitate the generation of dislocations at a crack tip. Which process is more affected by the adsorbate depends on the details of the substrate-adsorbate interaction. There is, in addition, another manifestation ofmore » this interaction which has been by and large neglected. Cox and Bauschliger have recently called attention to one aspect of it on the basis of molecular orbital calculations on a cluster of Be atoms with and without a hydrogen atom. The purpose of this note is to point out that thermodynamics by itself is sufficient to show that adsorption will in general cause a change in the forces experienced by the atoms at a crack tip.« less
Condensation of evaporated Cr on NaCl

A study of Cr deposited at very low incidence rates (0.01 A/sec) on rock salt preheated in ultra-high vacuum prior to evaporation at different temperatures indicates that the nucleation sites consist almost entirely of surface defects. Isolated particles of Cr which are defect nucleated have been used to estimate the effective migration distance of Cr atoms on NaCl. When the number of nuclei depends on the number of surface defects the nuclie density is independent of the adatom flux rate although the growth rate is proportional to the flux. This would indicate that the details of nucleation should be deduced from the growth rate of isolated particles rather than the density of nuclei per se. A growth law for defect-nucleated isolated particles is given, and the results are in accord with observations. If the evaporation time and rate are known, Ea–Ed, the difference between the energies for absorption and surface diffusion may be estimated from the observed size of isolated particles. For Cr on NaCl this value is 0.23 eV. Cr nucleated at cleavage steps and gross structural irregularities does not ordinarily grow epitaxially; however isolated particles show epitaxial overgrowth, and there are indications of growth anisotropy along preferential substrate directions.
Spiritual Experiences: A Quantitative-Phenomenological Approach

AbstractThis essay concerns the specific benefits for empirical theology of hybrid quantitative-phenomenological approaches to the scientific study of spiritual experiences. These benefits are conveyed through the consideration of several quantitative techniques newly emerging at the current time. One such technique is the generation of multi-dimensional profiles of individual spirituality, which helps manage the semantic vagueness surrounding the word “spirituality” and thereby yields empirically more robust constructs for use in scientific research studies. Another technique is the creation of quantitative phenomenological signatures of recalled spiritual experiences that penetrate as deeply as possible into the neuropsychological hierarchy of structures, subject to what can be made accessible to human conscious awareness. By hewing close to the shared biological nature of our species’ emotional and cognitive capacities, this type of quantitative phenomenology generates a number of breakthroughs in the scientific study of spiritual experiences. These breakthroughs apply to areas such as developing neuropsychological models of spiritual experiences, studying spiritual experiences cross-culturally, stabilizing descriptive classifications of spiritual experiences, and rendering more exact the experimental study of spiritual experiences. For theologians, there can be no question of the scientific study of spiritual experiences proving or disproving extant theological interpretations. Rather, the theological payoff of quantifying spirituality is the generation of constraints that can render characteristically normative theological interpretations more and less plausible. This underlines the fundamental contention of this essay: that empirical theology requires a partnership in which the importance of distinctively theological questions is respected and the value of empirically derived constraints is prized.
Fission Neutron Spectrum of U 235

The energy distribution of prompt and delayed neutrons originating from thermal fission of ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{239}$ has been measured from 0.5 to 8 Mev with nuclear plates. The spectrum obtained shows a maximum intensity in the 0.6- to 0.8-Mev region and an exponential slope of 4.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 Mev per decade of intensity in the energy region above 2 Mev.
Dream images as a technique for the study of creative processes

For a group of 12 established artists who participated in 12 discussions it appears that quantitative and qualitative analyses of dream images constitute a useful method. Artists' creative processes can be explored through their dream images.
The Colour of Disease: Syphilis and Racism in South Africa, 1880-1950

List of Tables Acknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction Tracking Down the Treponema, 1880-1910 From Paupers to Pass Laws: Control of VD in the Cape and Transvaal VD and the 'Poor White' Problem in the 1920s and 1930s VD, Treatment and Educational Propaganda for Whites, 1910-1930 Migrancy, Prostitution and VD, 1920-1950 Moral Tribes and Corrupting Cities: VD and the 'Native Question', 1920-1950 VD Treatment and Educational Propaganda for Africans, 1910-1950 Conclusion Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Bibliography Index
The Spacing Effect in Children's Generalization of Knowledge: Allowing Children Time to Forget Promotes Their Ability to Learn

Distributing learning events in time promotes memory to a greater degree than massing learning together in immediate succession, a phenomenon known as the spacing effect. In this article, I review research on the spacing effect in children's acquisition and generalization of conceptual knowledge. For decades, researchers hypothesized that spaced learning should deter generalization because the forgetting that occurs between learning events limits children's ability to retrieve prior learning. However, new research suggests that spaced learning promotes children's generalization and implicates forgetting as the mechanism that supports, rather than deters, children's generalization. This work counters the intuitive assumption that forgetting uniformly constrains children's learning, suggesting instead that forgetting is a domain-general process that promotes cognitive development.
Western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) chemical signals. I. Conspecific discriminations and release of a species‐typical visual display

Western fence lizards, Sceloporus occidentalis, were exposed to markings, droppings, and exudates (e.g., femoral and proctodeal gland secretions, and feces) collected from conspecific males and females in a chemicalcue, simultaneous discrimination procedure. Females performed no discrimination between unmarked brick surfaces and those labelled by conspecifics of either sex, as indexed by relative numbers of substrate licks or tongue flicks. Males performed significantly more of these actions to male- but not female-labelled surfaces. Immediately subsequent to licks of labelled surfaces, but never after licks of unlabelled surfaces, both sexes performed push-ups, a visual display in this genus. These findings suggest that these lizards are capable of discriminating and utilizing chemical signals as a mode of social communication, and that chemical signals alone are capable of releasing a visual display from conspecifics.
Impact of acamprosate on behavior and brain-derived neurotrophic factor: an open-label study in youth with fragile X syndrome

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is an inherited form of developmental disability and a single gene cause of autism. As a disorder with increasingly understood pathophysiology, FXS is a model form of developmental disability for targeted drug development efforts. Preclinical animal model findings have focused targeted drug treatment development in FXS on an imbalance between excessive glutamate and deficient gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission. We conducted a prospective open-label 10-week trial of acamprosate in 12 youth aged 6–17 years (mean age: 11.9 years) with FXS. Acamprosate use (mean dose: 1,054 ± 422 mg/day) was associated with treatment response (defined by a Clinical Global Impressions Improvement (CGI-I) scale score of “very much improved” or “much improved”) in nine of 12 (75 %) subjects. Improvement was noted in social behavior and inattention/hyperactivity using multiple standard behavioral outcome measures. No significant adverse effects or changes in vital signs, including weight or laboratory measures, occurred during treatment with acamprosate. Additionally, pre- and post-treatment blood biomarker analyses looking at brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels found a significant increase in BDNF with treatment. In our pilot sample, treatment response did not correlate with change in BDNF with treatment. Acamprosate was generally safe and well tolerated and was associated with a significant improvement in social behavior and a reduction in inattention/hyperactivity. The increase in BDNF that occurred with treatment may be a useful pharmacodynamic marker in future acamprosate studies. Given these findings, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of acamprosate in youth with FXS is warranted.
Activation of membrane receptors by a neurotransmitter conjugate designed for surface attachment.

Abstract The derivatization of surfaces with bioactive molecules is a research area of growing importance for cell and tissue engineering. Tetherable molecules used in such applications must contain an anchoring moiety as well as the biofunctional group, typically along with a spacer to prevent steric clashes between the target molecule and the tethering surface. Post-synaptic membrane receptors at chemical synapses in neural tissue mediate signaling to the post-synaptic neuron and are activated by the binding of diffusible neurotransmitter molecules released by the pre-synaptic neuron. However, little attention has been directed at developing neurotransmitter analogs that might retain functionality when tethered to a surface that could be interfaced with post-synaptic receptor proteins. Muscimol (5-aminomethyl-3-hydroxyisoxazole), an analog of GABA ( γ -aminobutryic acid), is a known potent agonist of GABA A and GABA C post-synaptic receptors found in retina and other central nervous system tissue. The present paper reports experiments testing the electrophysiological activity of “muscimol-biotin” on cloned GABA receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. This compound, which is potentially suitable for tethering at avidin-coated surfaces, consists of muscimol conjugated through an N -acyl linkage to a 6-aminohexanoyl chain that is distally terminated by biotin. We find that muscimol-biotin, as well as a structurally similar compound (muscimol-BODIPY ® ) containing a bulky fluorophore at the distal end of the aminohexanoyl chain, exhibits substantial agonist activity at GABA A and GABA C receptors. Muscimol-biotin and other similarly biotinylated neurotransmitter analogs, in combination with surface functionalization using avidin-biotin technology, may be useful in applications involving the controlled activation of neuronal post-synaptic receptors by surface-attached molecules.
Associations between pain and current smoking status among cancer patients

There is growing empirical and clinical interest in purported associations between smoking and the aggravation of cancer symptoms and treatment side effects, such as pain. Both pain and smoking are highly prevalent among persons with cancer, and there is recent evidence to suggest that cancer patients who continue to smoke despite their diagnosis experience greater pain than nonsmokers. Accordingly, the main goal of this cross-sectional study was to examine associations between multiple levels of smoking status and several pain-related outcomes among a sample of 224 cancer patients about to begin chemotherapy. Patients completed self-report measures of pain severity, pain-related distress, and pain-related interference, as well as a demographics questionnaire. Results indicated that persons who continued to smoke despite being diagnosed with cancer reported more severe pain than never smokers, F (2, 215) = 3.47, p < .05. Current smokers also reported greater interference from pain than either former or never smokers, F (2, 215) = 5.61, p < .01. Among former smokers, an inverse relation between pain severity and the number of years since quitting smoking was observed, r (104) = −.26, p < .01. These data suggest that continued smoking despite a cancer diagnosis is associated with greater pain severity and interference from pain; however, future research is warranted to determine the directionality of this relationship.
Spectrum sharing between public safety and commercial users in 4G-LTE

In this paper, we consider resource allocation optimization problem in fourth generation long term evolution (4G-LTE) for public safety and commercial users running elastic or inelastic traffic. Each mobile user can run delay-tolerant or real-time applications. In our proposed model, each user equipment (UE) is assigned a utility function that represents the application type running on the UE. Our objective is to allocate the resources from a single evolved node B (eNodeB) to each user based on the user application that is represented by the utility function assigned to that user. We consider two groups of users, one represents public safety users with elastic or inelastic traffic and the other represents commercial users with elastic or inelastic traffic. The public safety group is given priority over the commercial group and within each group the inelastic traffic is prioritized over the elastic traffic. Our goal is to guarantee a minimum quality of service (QoS) that varies based on the user type, the user application type and the application target rate. A rate allocation algorithm is presented to allocate the eNodeB resources optimally among public safety and commercial users. Finally, the simulation results are presented on the performance of the proposed rate allocation algorithm.
Visualizing the Ca2+-dependent activation of gelsolin by using synchrotron footprinting.

Radiolytic protein footprinting with a synchrotron source is used to reveal detailed structural changes that occur in the Ca2+-dependent activation of gelsolin. More than 80 discrete peptides segments within the structure, covering 95% of the sequence in the molecule, were examined by footprinting and mass spectrometry for their solvent accessibility as a function of Ca2+ concentration in solution. Twenty-two of the peptides exhibited detectable oxidation; for seven the oxidation extent was seen to be Ca2+ sensitive. Ca2+titration isotherms monitoring the oxidation within residues 49–72 (within subdomain S1), 121–135 (S1), 162–166 (S2), and 722–748 (S6) indicate a three-state activation process with a intermediate that was populated at a Ca2+ concentration of 1–5 μM that is competent for capping and severing activity. A second structural transition with a midpoint of ≈60–100 μM, where the accessibility of the above four peptides is further increased, is also observed. Tandem mass spectrometry showed that buried residues within the helical “latch” of S6 (including Pro-745) that contact an F-actin-binding site on S2 and buried F-actin-binding residues within S2 (including Phe-163) are unmasked in the submicromolar Ca2+ transition. However, residues within S4 that are part of an extended β-sheet with S6 (including Tyr-453) are revealed only in the subsequent transition at higher Ca2+ concentrations; the disruption of this extended contact between S4 and S6 (and likely the analogous contact between S1 and S3) likely results in an extended structure permitting additional functions consistent with the fully activated gelsolin molecule.
The Adoption and Safe Families Act: Creating a False Dichotomy between Parents' and Childrens' Rights:

At the end of 1999, there were approximately 550,000 children in foster care in the United States, almost double the number in care in the mid-1980s (Administration for Children and Families, 2000). This increase has been attributed to various factors from parental use of illegal drugs to over zealousness on the part of professionals who have misinterpreted the reasonable efforts requirement in federal law to require such extraordinary efforts that families have not been reunited nor children freed for adoption. In the 1990s, Congress acted several times to reduce the foster care population by increasing a child's chance of being adopted. In 1994, the Multiethnic Placement Act, which supports transracial adoptions, was enacted. The 1994 Act was amended by the Adoption Promotion and Stability Act of 1996, making any consideration of race, color, or national origin in placing a child for adoption a potential violation of the anti-discrimination provisions in the 1964 Civil Rights Act. In 1997, Congress enac...
Effects of Soil Conditions on Survival and Growth of Black Willow Cuttings

Current streambank restoration efforts focus on providing bank stability, enhancing water quality, and improving woody habitat using native vegetation rather than traditional engineering techniques. However, in most cases harsh site conditions limit restoration success. A two-year field study was conducted at Twentymile Creek, in northern Mississippi, investigating edaphic factors governing the survival of black willow (Salix nigra) cuttings used for streambank restoration. Low height growth, above-ground biomass production, and average leaf area were observed in willow cuttings grown in plots subjected to moisture deficits. However, sediment texture emerged as the dominant factor determining willow post growth, health, and survival. Shoot biomass, leaf biomass, and total above-ground biomass were 15-, 10-, and 14-fold greater for large willow cuttings (posts) grown in plots with sandy sediments relative to those grown in plots with similar moisture and soil redox potential but with silt and clay sediments. Average leaf size, average leaf mass and specific leaf area were all lower in fine textured plots. Under moisture conditions present at our sites, coarse-grained sediment (sand) was more conducive to willow growth, biomass production, and survival than were fine-grained sediments (silt/clay). Our results strongly suggest that soil texture and moisture conditions can determine restoration success. Therefore, it is critical that site conditions are factored into the selection of project locations prior to the initiation of willow planting restoration projects.
Role of reactive oxygen species and Cr(VI) in Ras-mediated signal transduction.

Previous studies have shown that a constitutively active isoform of Ras is able to produce superoxide radical (O2 −). The present study investigate the mechanisms by which O2 − radical mediates signals from Ras protein to the nucleus, leading to cellular responses such as apoptosis in Cr(VI)-stimulated cells. Two human prostate tumor cell lines, Ras(+), which overexpresses Ras, and Ras(−), which has a normal Ras level, were utilized. Compared to Ras(−) cells, Ras(+) cells exhibited higher susceptibility to apoptosis induced by Cr(VI). Catalase, sodium formate, and deferoxamine inhibited Cr(VI)-induced apoptosis. Similar differences were observed in both cellular DNA damage and the activation of p53 protein. The differences in Cr(VI)-induced cell responses in Ras(+) and Ras(−) cells were due to differences in the generation of free radicals between these two cells. ESR spin trapping measurements showed that Ras(+) cells generated more hydroxyl radical (·OH), O2 − radical, and Cr(V) than Ras(−) cells following Cr(VI) stimulation. The generation of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be abolished by the addition of superoxide dismutase (SOD) or if the experiment were carried out in an argon atmosphere. Catalase inhibited spin adduct signals but was much less potent than SOD. The mechanism of ROS generation in Cr(VI)-stimulated Ras(+) cells involves the reduction of molecular oxygen to O2 − radical by a flavoenzyme-containing NADPH oxidase complex as shown by oxygen consumption and diphenylene iodonium (DPI) inhibition. Results shown above support the following conclusions: (a) Ras protein mediates O2 − radical generation through reduction of molecular oxygen by NADPH oxidase in Cr(VI)-stimulated cells. (b) The O2 − radical and Cr(VI) produce other reactive species, including H2O2, ·OH radical, and Cr(V) through O2 − dismutation and Haber-Weiss type of reactions. (c) Among these reactive species, ·OH radical is responsible for the further transduction of signals from Ras to the nucleus, leading to various cell responses.
A note on the AHP and expected value theory

Abstract It is shown here that one cannot simply take columns of numbers, normalize them and add to obtain results corresponding to operations in the AHP. This is what traditional expected value theory using a single scale would lead one to do. Care needs to be exercised. What one must do is to interpret the data represented by each column according to relative importance to a decision maker so that the alternatives under each criterion are pairwise compared according to the fundamental scale used to represent judgments. This procedure then leads to a set of vectors which belong to the same ratio scale and they can now be combined by using the weights of the criteria.