cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Walking the talk: understanding how language barriers affect the delivery of rehabilitation services.

Purpose: Individuals who lack proficiency in the dominant language of their region experience difficulty accessing healthcare and exhibit poorer health outcomes. Utilization of professional interpreters can improve health services and outcomes for this population. Most existing studies focus on medical settings, with very little research about language barriers in rehabilitation services such as occupational and physical therapy. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of English-speaking rehabilitation clinicians working with limited English proficient (LEP) patients, as well as LEP patients receiving rehabilitation services. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted involving four focus groups with seven Spanish-speaking patients and 13 primarily English-speaking occupational and physical therapy clinicians. Transcripts and field notes were analyzed using directed content analysis. Results: Time and resource constraints, session demands, environmental factors, previous experiences, and patient characteristics influenced clinicians' decisions about whether to use professional interpretation, rely on untrained interpreters, or go without interpretation. Clinicians discussed both challenges and joys of working across language barriers. Patients reported minimal experiences with, and expectations of professional interpretation in rehabilitation, instead describing clinicians' attempts to "get by" with limited non-English language skills. Conclusions: Findings highlight unique considerations for language access in rehabilitation compared with other settings. These findings inform structural, process, and outcomes recommendations and changes in practice guidelines to improve language access in rehabilitation services.Implications for RehabilitationRehabilitation encounters present unique challenges for language interpretation services that require creative technological, procedural, and structural solutions.Technological solutions include flexible and mobile telecommunication devices, such as headsets, which allow real-time interpreting without interfering with treatment processes.Procedural solutions include establishing a systematic mechanism for recording patients' language needs, creating a standard and seamless protocol for clinicians to obtain language supports, and hiring trained interpreters who are familiar with rehabilitation jargon.Structural solutions include budgeting for interpreter services, sponsoring trainings for staff and clinicians, and adjusting clinicians' workload and expectations to allow greater time and flexibility to meet patients' language needs.
Introductory Remarks: The State of Religious Human Rights in the World Today — A Conference Report with Book Excerpts

This Article reports on a major international conference in 1994 a Emory on the state of religious rights and liberties around the world today. This report offers a thumbnail sketch of certain core teachings on religious rights and liberties among the Religions of the Book, notably the core guarantees of liberty of conscience, free exercise, and equality of religions. The second section of articles describes the state of religious rights and liberties in select nations and regions today.
ProcDefense — A Game Framework for Procedural Player Skill Training

A challenge of game design is in providing affordances to players so that they can learn and improve their skills. Ad- vances in Procedural Content Generation (PCG) suggest this type of game content is a candidate for automatic creation. Some work in PCG has been successful in customizing game difficulty to achieve desired player experience; however, this often involves bringing the difficulty of the game to a level appropriate for the player’s current skills. Players desiring to improve their performance in a particular game may be will- ing to tolerate relatively higher levels of frustration and anx- iety than are targeted in experience-based approaches. As an initial step in this line of inquiry, we introduce ProcDefense, an action game with a modular difficulty control interface, as a platform for future inquiry into the effectiveness of differing PCG techniques for performance-training, dynamic difficulty adjustment.
The global impact of obesity

Abstract The global obesity epidemic is worsening around the world and unless major interventions take place, the implications will be ominous. As stated previously, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing, not only in the United States but also globally. Apart from tobacco, obesity is likely the biggest threat to collective health in America. Globally, it has a major health impact and the effects on individuals, communities, and nations are lasting not just today but for future generations as well.
Variations in Patrol Officers’ Concerns About Racial Profiling Across Communal Contexts

Numerous studies have explored the issue of racial profiling, but only a few studies have examined how officers view racial profiling and whether such views affect officers’ patrolling of racial minorities. These latter studies generally have found that officers rationalize and dismiss the issue of profiling. However, studies pertaining to citizens’ perceptions of the police and studies identifying policing imperatives that officers associate with particular spaces suggest that there are characteristics of communities that may play an important role in shaping officers’ perceptions of profiling and patrolling of racial minorities. The current study, which is based on ethnographic ride-along interviews with and observations of 52 officers in three demographically different suburban communities in a northeastern state, examines how particular community contexts affect officers’ views of racial profiling, and whether the salience of racial profiling as an issue constrains officers’ patrolling of various racial minority groups. The author finds that officers’ perceptions of racial profiling and patrolling of racial minorities vary by race and space across and within towns. Community-based constituency pressures, residential and school-related spatial arrangements, and perceptions of what racial minorities are doing in particular spaces appear to play a significant role in shaping the saliency of profiling concerns, and in turn, officers’ patrolling of racial minorities.
The establishment of auditory equivalence classes with a go/no-go successive matching-to-sample procedure.

The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a go/no-go successive matching-to-sample procedure (S-MTS) to establish auditory-visual equivalence classes with college students. A sample and a comparison were presented, one at a time, in the same location. During training, after an auditory stimulus was presented, a green box appeared in the center of the screen for participants to touch to produce the comparison. Touching the visual comparison that was related to the auditory sample (e.g., A1B1) produced points, while touching or refraining from touching an unrelated comparison (e.g., A1B2) produced no consequences. Following AB/AC training, participants were tested on untrained relations (i.e., BA/CA and BC/CB), as well as tacting and sorting. During BA/CA relations tests, after touching the visual sample, the auditory stimulus was presented along with a white box for participants to respond. During BC/CB relations tests, after touching the visual sample, a visual comparison appeared. Across 2 experiments, all participants met emergence criterion for untrained relations and for sorting. Additionally, 14 out of 24 participants tacted all visual stimuli correctly. Results suggest the auditory-visual S-MTS procedure is an effective alternative to simultaneous MTS for establishing conditional relations and auditory-visual equivalence classes.
Self-perception and self-representation preference between 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional facial reconstructions among dentists, dental students, and laypersons

Abstract Statement of problem Computer-aided design (CAD) software can merge the intraoral digital scan with patient photographs or 3-dimensional (3D) facial reconstructions for treatment planning purposes. However, whether an individual perceives a 3D facial reconstruction as a better self-representation compared with a 2-dimensional (2D) photograph is unclear. Purpose The purpose of this observational study was to compare self-perception ratings and self-representation preference of the 2D and 3D facial reconstructions among laypersons, dental students, and dentists. Material and methods Three populations participated in the study: laypersons, dental students, and dentists (n=20, N=60). Facial and intraoral features were digitized by using facial and intraoral scanners, and a complete-face smile photograph was obtained. Two simulations were performed for each participant: 2D (2D group) and 3D (3D group) reconstructions. In the 2D group, a maxillary digital veneer waxing from the left to the right second premolars was produced without altering the shape, position, or length of the involved teeth. A software program (Dental Systems; 3Shape A/S) was used to merge the maxillary digital waxing with the full-face smile photograph. One image was obtained for each participant. In the 3D group, a dental software program (Matera 2.4; Exocad GmbH) was used to merge the intraoral and facial scans. Subsequently, 1 video of a 180-degree rotation of each 3D superimposition was obtained. Participants evaluated both superimpositions on a scale from 1 (least esthetically pleasing) to 6 (most esthetically pleasing). Finally, participants were asked which superimposition they preferred for a potential treatment outcome representation. Results All the ratings were esthetically pleasing (median group rating 5 or 6). When analyzed solely for differences across occupation groups, ratings for the 2D representation varied significantly across populations (Kruskal-Wallis chi-squared=13.241, df=2, P=.001), but the ratings for the 3D representation did not exhibit statistically significant differences (Kruskal-Wallis chi-squared=4.3756, df=2, P=.112). Ordinal logistic regression revealed no significant main effects but a significant effect of the population×image-type interaction on the esthetic rating. All participants felt well-represented in both the 2D and 3D representations. Also, 40% of dentists, 55% of dental students, and 50% of laypersons preferred the 3D reconstructions. Sex and occupation in general had no effect on the ratings. However, students tended to give higher ratings to the 3D representations of themselves. Conclusions There is no evidence based on the current study that 2D and 3D representations were perceived differently, but representation preferences may depend on a person’s occupation. When individuals rated 3D visualization higher than 2D visualization, they strongly preferred the 3D visualization for representing the treatment outcome.
f-Element Influence on the Size of Nanophase Phosphate Inclusions in Silica

Insight into the factors that control the formation and size of heavy metal phosphate nanophases in vitreous silica has been gained by combining conventional and anomalous small angle x-ray scattering studies with powder x-ray diffraction and laser-induced fluorescence investigations. Europium, thorium, and uranyl ions were sorbed from aqueous solutions into a chemically functionalized porous silica (termed Diphosil). Aliquots of those samples were heated to a series of temperatures that spanned the pore collapse point. Loading with trivalent europium ions resulted in production of nanophases whose size corresponded to the average number of metal ions per pore. Thorium or uranyl ions resulted in retention of porosity to higher temperature with eventual pore collapse that evidently resulted in formation of nanophases whose size exceeded that determinable under the experimental conditions.
A Qualitative Study of Perceptions of Risk and Protective Factors for Suicide Among Bhutanese Refugees

Over 100,000 ethnically Nepalese, "Lhotshampa," people experienced systematic oppression, disenfranchisement, and violence during the latter part of the 20th century. The Lhotshampa people were forced to flee their homes in southern Bhutan and enter refugee camps in Nepal for over 20 years. As of this writing, most Bhutanese refugees have been resettled in other countries (primarily the United States, Canada, and Australia). As the two remaining Nepalese refugee camps prepare to close, a growing suicide crisis is developing among many Bhutanese refugees. Bhutanese refugees resettled in the United States are dying by suicide at approximately twice the rate of the general U.S. population. It is crucial to examine, qualitatively, the nature of both risk and protective factors from the perspective of Bhutanese refugees, themselves. Our study included 15 Bhutanese refugees (8 men, 7 women) recruited from a community sample as part of a parent project examining culturally responsive suicide risk assessment. Mean age across both genders was 38.4 years (range of 22-55 years). Participants in our study were asked open-ended questions about suicide risk and prevention. We conducted a thematic analysis, synthesized risk and protective themes, and applied a socio-ecological framework to the data. We found risk themes included psychological distress and vulnerability, substance use, social and familial discord, interpersonal violence, isolation, and postmigration stressors. Protective themes included low levels of substance use, de-stigmatization of mental health concerns, strong social connections, reduced postmigration stressors, increased access to mental health care, and strong awareness within the host community of migration-related challenges.
The Role of China's Household Registration System in the Urban-Rural Income Differential

Together with the rapid growth of the Chinese economy, there has been a growing divide in the earnings of urban and rural residents. In this paper we focus on China's household registration system, or "hukou", as a potential source of the earnings gap. Using multiple waves of data from the Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey from 1993 through 2011, we take advantage of variation in hukou status generated by individual-level changes over time. Unlike previous studies, we are able to control for fixed individual-specific characteristics that determine earnings and focus specifically on estimating an urban hukou "premium". For estimates that do not account for time-invariant individual characteristics, urban hukou holders earn almost 30% more than rural hukou holders. After we account for individual-level fixed characteristics, the urban hukou premium drops to 6–8%. Our empirical evidence indicates that the hukou system is a notable component of the urban-rural earnings differential, but its importance should not be overstated. Given long-standing differences in access to government funding and social services between rural and urban populations, relaxing residency restrictions may not be a panacea for curbing rising income inequality.
Assimilation of Satellite Data in Regional Air Quality Models

In regional-scale air-pollution models probably no other source of uncertainty ranks higher than the current ability to specify clouds and soil moisture. Because modeled clouds are highly parameterized, the ability of models to predict the magnitude and spatial distribution of radiative characteristics is highly suspect and subject to large error. While considerable advances have been made in the assimilation of winds and temperatures into regional models (Stauffer and Seaman, 1990), the poor representation of cloud fields from point measurements at National Weather Service stations and the almost total absence of observations of surface moisture availability has made assimilation of these variables difficult if not impossible. Yet, the correct inclusion of clouds and surface moisture are of first-order importance in regional-scale photochemistry. Consider the following points relative to these variables.
G protein involvement in receptor-effector coupling.

Les proteines regulatrices fixatrices de guanine assurent le transfert de l'information des recepteurs hormonaux a l'adenylate cyclase. Recapitulatif de l'etat des connaissances concernant la structure et le mecanisme d'action de ces proteines G
Ganesh Natarajan: Leading Innovation and Organizational Change at Zensar (A)

In 2005, Ganesh Natarajan, CEO of Zensar, a Pune, India-based software company, and his senior management team are considering consolidating staff and resources at the firms. Natarajan proposes an additional, possible controversial business unit to the proposed new structure. The additional unit would explore new markets for the firm's promising innovation-Solution BluePrint (SBP). While he knew that some on his team would resist his proposal, he was eager to get the new technology into the field, and felt he had the right manager to lead the proposed group. Natarajan felt sure a group dedicated to SBP led by one of the firm's most respected technologists would help spur adoption.
Trends over a decade for a general hospital psychiatry unit.

This study examines the composition and delivery of services in a general hospital inpatient psychiatry unit during a 10-year period. Multiple regression techniques were used to assess the association of clinical, insurance, and demographic data with length of stay and likelihood of readmission for all admissions from 1985–1993. Two variables became progressively associated with readmission—Medicaid and psychotic diagnosis. The results indicate that: (1) the hospital is increasingly treating a poorer, sicker group of patients with shorter lengths of stay and more readmissions, and (2) the rise in readmissions, particularly within vulnerable populations, could represent an inadequate length of initial treatment. Future research should further investigate the generalizability of these results and implications for quality of inpatient care.
LACK OF PROTEIN-TYROSINE SULFATION DISRUPTS PHOTORECEPTOR OUTER SEGMENT MORPHOGENESIS, RETINAL FUNCTION AND RETINAL ANATOMY

To investigate the role(s) of protein-tyrosine sulfation in the retina, we examined retinal function and structure in mice lacking tyrosylprotein sulfotransferases (TPST) 1 and 2. Tpst double knockout (DKO; Tpst1(-/-) /Tpst2 (-/-) ) retinas had drastically reduced electroretinographic responses, although their photoreceptors exhibited normal responses in single cell recordings. These retinas appeared normal histologically; however, the rod photoreceptors had ultrastructurally abnormal outer segments, with membrane evulsions into the extracellular space, irregular disc membrane spacing and expanded intradiscal space. Photoreceptor synaptic terminals were disorganized in Tpst DKO retinas, but established ultrastructurally normal synapses, as did bipolar and amacrine cells; however, the morphology and organization of neuronal processes in the inner retina were abnormal. These results indicate that protein-tyrosine sulfation is essential for proper outer segment morphogenesis and synaptic function, but is not critical for overall retinal structure or synapse formation, and may serve broader functions in neuronal development and maintenance.
Religious congregations and welfare reform : Who will take advantage of Charitable Choice?

The Charitable Choice provision of the 1996 welfare reform legislation requires states that contract with nonprofit organizations for delivery of social services to include religious organizations as eligible contractees. This legislation altered the conditions under which religious organizations can provide publicly funded social services. I use data from the National Congregations Study, a 1998 survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,236 religious congregations, to address two questions: To what extent will congregations seek government support for social service activity? Which subsets of congregations are most likely to take advantage of these new opportunities? Univariate statistics show that more than one-third of congregations are potentially open to pursuing government funds to support social service activities. Multivariate analyses show that liberal and moderate congregations are much more likely than conservative congregations to pursue charitable-choice opportunities, and predominantly African American congregations are particularly likely to move in this direction. These results are consistent with sociological theory and research, but they are surprising in the context of the national politics of charitable choice
Pancreas transplantation in Ohio: a 15-year outcomes analysis.

Abstract Background. Beginning in 1984, all pancreas transplantations performed in the state of Ohio have been tracked by the Ohio Solid Organ Transplantation Consortium (OSOTC). In this study the outcomes of these transplantations were compared across 3 eras to determine whether increasing experience has been beneficial. Methods. Between July 1984 and December 1999, 765 kidney-pancreas (KPTx) and 76 pancreas only (Ptx) transplantations were performed. Outcomes measures for these 841 pancreas transplantations were compared over 3 eras, 1984 to 1989, 1990 to 1994, and 1995 to 1999. Results. One-year patient survivals for KPTx patients were 87%, 92%, and 94% in the 3 eras, respectively. Graft survival at 1 year was also markedly improved between era 1 and era 3, increasing for PTx patients from 21% to 85% and for KPTx patients from 68% to 85%. Average waiting time increased from 132 to 318 days between era 1 and era 3. Conversely, average length of stay in hospital was significantly decreased from 34 to 18 days. The cost of the procedure, as measured by hospital charges, also decreased when compared in 1985 dollars as a technique to control for inflation. Conclusions. These data suggest that pancreas transplantation in Ohio has become a very successful and cost-effective therapeutic intervention for patients with type I diabetes with or without concomitant end-stage renal failure. (Surgery 2001;130:546-53.)
Interface design principles for usable decision support

Graphical abstractDisplay Omitted Highlights? Alerts should be tiered by severity, have concise text, justification, clear response options. ? Prioritize concurrent alerts, use controlled color sets, consistent terminology. ? Format text to visually associate drug categories, show clinical context data. ? Maintain manageable pick lists, allow multiple entry options and custom order sets. Developing effective clinical decision support (CDS) systems for the highly complex and dynamic domain of clinical medicine is a serious challenge for designers. Poor usability is one of the core barriers to adoption and a deterrent to its routine use. We reviewed reports describing system implementation efforts and collected best available design conventions, procedures, practices and lessons learned in order to provide developers a short compendium of design goals and recommended principles. This targeted review is focused on CDS related to medication prescribing.Published reports suggest that important principles include consistency of design concepts across networked systems, use of appropriate visual representation of clinical data, use of controlled terminology, presenting advice at the time and place of decision making and matching the most appropriate CDS interventions to clinical goals.Specificity and contextual relevance can be increased by periodic review of trigger rules, analysis of performance logs and maintenance of accurate allergy, problem and medication lists in health records in order to help avoid excessive alerting.Developers need to adopt design practices that include user-centered, iterative design and common standards based on human-computer interaction (HCI) research methods rooted in ethnography and cognitive science. Suggestions outlined in this report may help clarify the goals of optimal CDS design but larger national initiatives are needed for systematic application of human factors in health information technology (HIT) development. Appropriate design strategies are essential for developing meaningful decision support systems that meet the grand challenges of high-quality healthcare.
Effect of steroid and other hormones on lung removal of noradrenaline

Abstract A preparation of independently and simultaneously perfused right and left rabbit lungs was used to study effects of adrenocortical steroid and other hormones on removal of noradrenaline (1.5μM) from the pulmonary vascular space. 17-β-estradiol (10 μM) inhibited noradrenaline removal by 28%: vasopressin, cortisone and hydrocortisone had smaller, but statistically significant inhibitory effects. Thyroxine, ACTH and insulin had no effect on removal of noradrenaline. Inhibition of lung removal of noradrenaline by hormones may elevate arterial blood concentrations of this amine.
Carpal tunnel syndrome impairs sustained precision pinch performance.

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) on digit force control during a sustained precision pinch.
High precision measurements of alkalinity and total carbon dioxide in seawater by potentiometric titration. 2. Measurements on standard solutions

We have prepared standard solutions identical to those of Hansson for the validation of titration procedures used to determine the alkalinity and total carbon dioxide content of seawater. We show that both titrimetric and gas extraction (coulometry) procedures yield virtually identical results of 2140.5 ± 2.7 μm CO2 kg−1 for such solutions. In an earlier work we reported that measurements on natural seawaters yielded discrepancies of 21 μm CO2 kg−1, which we tentatively ascribed to the presence of unknown organic acids masquerading as CO2 in the titration scheme, and generally unrecognized in thermodynamic models of the proton condition of seawater. The results presented here tend to confirm this hypothesis.
Is there J-Curve effect in Africa?

The J-Curve is a term used to describe the post-devaluation behavior of the trade balance, i.e., initial deterioration followed by an improvement. Previous research has tested the phenomenon for many developed and developing countries. However, African nations have not received any attention on this regard. In this paper, we test the hypothesis for nine African countries of Burundi, Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Tanzania for which quarterly trade data were available. After using the bounds testing approach to cointegration and error-correction modeling, we were unable to find any support for the J-Curve.
Arithmetic division in RNS using Galois Field GF(p)

This paper develops an enhanced algorithm for the arithmetic division problem in the Residue Number System. The proposed algorithm is based on Galois Field Theory GF(p). Mapping the arithmetic division problem over the Galois Field GF(p) eliminates many of the limitations of existing algorithms. The advantage of the proposed algorithm is that it has no restriction on the dividend and the divisor, no mixed radix conversion, no quotient estimation before division, no reciprocal estimation of the divisor, and no based extension operation.
The developmental change in immunological properties of the acetylcholine receptor in rat muscle.

Abstract We have used serum from a patient with myasthenia gravis containing antibodies that recognize unique determinants on the extrajunctional acetylcholine receptor (AChR) to characterize the AChR in extracts of developing rat muscle. Using mixtures of extrajunctional and junctional AChR from denervated and normal adult muscle, respectively, as standards, we estimated the proportion of each receptor type in muscle extracts of embryonic and neonatal rats. The presence of the immunologically adult form of the AChR was first detected during the first postnatal week. Analysis by two methods showed that this is also the time during which the proportion of the total muscle receptor that is at end plates increases.
Do air quality alerts reduce traffic? An analysis of traffic data from the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, Utah, USA

Abstract Air quality alert programs are a form of “soft” or persuasion-based policy that is common in metropolitan areas that do not meet federal air quality standards in the United States. These programs disseminate daily air quality conditions, with ordinal ratings describing the health implications and suggesting reductions in automobile use and other actions that contribute to the poor air quality. Evidence regarding the effectiveness of air quality alert programs on driving is less encouraging than other soft policies to discourage driving, with many studies reporting small or no reductions in traffic. This study examines evidence for the effectiveness of air quality alert systems in reducing traffic over a 10-year period in Salt Lake and Davis counties, Utah, USA, a metropolitan area that often does not meet US federal air quality standards for both ground-level ozone in the summer and PM 2.5 pollution in the winter. We find that while air quality alerts have some effectiveness for reducing traffic in the center city, these small reductions are exceeded by larger increases in traffic near the edge of the metropolitan area. These effects are stronger during the PM 2.5 alert season than during the ozone alert season. These increases can be explained as discretionary trips by individuals escaping poor air quality by driving to the mountains. A policy implication is that soft policies alone may not be effective at reducing driving behavior when the public health implication of the message conflicts with its public responsibility implication.
Two-hybrid analysis reveals multiple direct interactions for thrombospondin 1.

The yeast two-hybrid system was used to reveal the interactions between proteins residing within the cutaneous basement membrane zone and other gene products expressed in cultured human keratinocytes. The proteins of interest included type VII collagen, the predominant component of anchoring fibrils, and laminin 5, a component of anchoring filaments. Although the two-hybrid system was not able to verify a direct interaction between the type VII collagen NC1 domain and the short arm of Lamβ3, the type VII collagen NC1 domain (tVII/NC1) and the laminin 5 β3 chain globular domain VI (lam5/β3) cDNAs, when used as baits, detected four overlapping cDNA clones encoding thrombospondin 1 (TSP1). The overlapping region of these cDNAs encodes amino acids 400–459, a segment included within a 70 kDa chymotryptic fragment known to bind type V collagen, laminin-1 and other matrix components. The type VII collagen NC1/TSP1 interaction was confirmed by exchanging the vectors, and the interacting domain was mapped by testing a set of both 5′ and 3′ deletion constructs. The central region of TSP1, when used as a bait in two-hybrid system, showed strong binding to the fibronectin (FN) type III-like repeats 4–7 of type VII collagen NC1 domain. The TSP1 bait also interacted with laminin 5 β3 chain domain V/III, and the TSP1/laminin 5 β3 chain interaction was verified by a GST-fusion protein interaction assay. The transcripts encoding TSP1, TSP2, Lamβ3 and type VII collagen were abundant in cultured foreskin keratinocytes, and the expression of TSP1 and TSP2 in a wide variety of adult and fetal tissues was confirmed by PCR analysis of multiple tissue cDNA panels. Furthermore, TSP1 type I repeats showed self interaction, and recognized a clone for extracellular matrix protein fibrillin-2. In addition, clones encoding angiogenesis related protein Jagged1 and a platelet enzyme phospholipase scramblase were identified. Thus, the results indicate several previously undetected interactions of TSP1, which is known to be highly expressed during embryonic development, tissue remodeling and wound healing.
Assessment of the genotoxic potential of unleaded gasoline and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane in human lymphoblasts in vitro

The potential of unleaded gasoline and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane to induce gene locus mutation and sister-chromatid exchange in human lymphoblasts in vitro was determined. Neither unleaded gasoline, at its maximum tolerated concentration in the medium, nor 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, at its limit of solubility, induced mutation at the thymidine kinase locus. Negative results were seen both in the presence and absence of a rat liver homogenate metabolizing system. Sister-chromatid exchange analyses of the cultures treated with unleaded gasoline and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane were also negative. Therefore the carcinogenicity and nephrotoxicity of unleaded gasoline and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane observed in vivo are not correlated with any marked genotoxicity in these in vitro tests.
Los Angeles 1997

Abstract This paper examines the question of whether there is a Los Angeles identity and offers recommendations for capacity building in this culturally intermixed megalopolis from the vantage point of roles of local individuals, citizen associations and neighborhood initiatives and institutions. Community development in greater Los Angeles is described as occurring within a context of conflict, change, and power-characteristics found in all American cities. The paper concludes by recommending that the people of Los Angeles need to look toward themselves for sustenance and simultaneously collaborate with caregivers and community builders. Both formal high tech approaches and informal social capital generating acts are necessary for capacity building and community development in Los Angeles.
EFFECTS OF ATROPINE ON THE FEMALE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR OF MALE RATS

Soi~lairac and Soulairac (1957) showed that 10 mg. of intraperitoneal atropine sulfate inhibits male sexual behavior. Singer ( 1968) reported that the same drug and dosage inhibits both the male and female sexual behavior of female rats. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of atropine upon the female sexual behavior of male rats. Seven male rats of the Holtzman strain were castrated within three days of birth. Rats so treated will display female sexual behavior as adults when administered female hormones. Beginning at 90 days of age Ss were administered six weekly series of .Ol-mg. estradiol benzoace followed 48 hr. later by .SO mg. progesterone. Tests for the lordosis response, ~roduced by cwo vigorous males, were conducted 6 to 8 hr. after the progesterone. If Ss showed the lordosis response, they were injected intraperitoneal with either 10 mg. atropine sulfate or an equal quantity of saline. Twenty minutes later they were put back with the males and four mounts were observed. Ss were scored for the presence or absence of the lordosis response. With four mounts per session and three sessions for each chemical, each S's total score, per chemical, could range from 0 to 12. The mean number of Iordosis responses under saline was 7.9 while the mean number under the influence of atropine was 0. Ss did not appear inactive and continued to explore in a normal fashion but failed to show lordosis responses following the atropine. The results, in conjunction with previous experiments, show that atropine inhibits both the male and female sexual behavior of both the male and female rat.
Gender Differences in Television Use: An Exploration of the Instrumental-Expressive Dichotomy.

This study applied an interpersonal approach to understand gender differences in television use. Research shows that males are socialized to be instrumental in communication while females are socialized to be expressive, or focused on relationships. We expected this instrumental‐expressive dichotomy to emerge in television use. In two studies we found limited support that males had an instrumental viewing style, with goal‐directed reasons for watching and intentional, concentrated, and selective use of television. Females had a relationship‐oriented approach to television similar to the expressive orientation. These findings are linked to prior research on the uses of television.
Catalytic mechanism of F1-ATPase

The structure of the core catalytic unit of ATP synthase, alpha 3 beta 3 gamma, has been determined by X-ray crystallography, revealing a roughly symmetrical arrangement of alternating alpha and beta subunits around a central cavity in which helical portions of gamma are found. A low-resolution structural model of F0, based on electron spectroscopic imaging, locates subunit a and the two copies of subunit b outside of a subunit c oligomer. The structures of individual subunits epsilon and c (largely) have been solved by NMR spectroscopy, but the oligomeric structure of c is still unknown. The structures of subunits a and delta remain undefined, that of b has not yet been defined but biochemical evidence indicates a credible model. Subunits gamma, epsilon, b, and delta are at the interface between F1 and F0; gamma epsilon complex forms one element of the stalk, interacting with c at the base and alpha and beta at the top. The locations of b and delta are less clear. Elucidation of the structure F0, of the stalk, and of the entire F1F0 remains a challenging goal.
Secure and threshold-based power usage control in smart grid environments

Due to various advantages such as energy efficiency, reliability and self-monitoring, the smart grid technology has been emerging as the next-generation intelligent power grid system. Some of the well-known telecommunication, IT and power industries have already adopted smart grid technology along their daily business operations. This paper mainly focuses on the prevention of power outage issue in a smart grid environment. More specifically, consider a utility company which sets a threshold on the total power usage of households from a neighbourhood. Whenever the total power usage from the neighbourhood exceeds the threshold, some of the households need to reduce their energy consumptions, thereby avoiding the possibility of power outage. In the literature, this problem is referred to as threshold-based power usage control TPUC. In order to solve the TPUC problem, the utility company is required to collect the power usage data of households in a periodic fashion. However, due to privacy reasons, the above problem is not straightforward in a privacy-preserving environment. We emphasise that the existing privacy-preserving TPUC algorithms are either insecure or inefficient. Therefore, this paper proposes two novel secure and distributed TPUC protocols by preserving the privacy of households in a given neighbourhood. Furthermore, we empirically show the practical value of the proposed protocols through various experiments.
The effects of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin on follicular development, mating and pregnancy in mink.

Abstract Forty-four female ranch mink, maintained out-of-doors under standard conditions, were exposed to natural photoperiod supplemented with a period of artificial light from approximately 2300 hr to 0300 hr from early January to mid February. Breeding was initiated on March 1. After repeated attempts to breed the animals, it was determined that the likelihood of their breeding was very low, presumably due to the artificial and asynchronous long-day photoperiod. In an attempt to induce breeding, the mink were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: saline, 25 International Units (IU) PMSG, 37.5 IU PMSG and 50 IU PMSG. Significantly different (p
New Information on Water Interfacial Structure Revealed by Phase-Sensitive Surface Spectroscopy

A phase-sensitive sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopic technique is developed to study interfacial water structure of water/quartz interfaces. Measurements allow deduction of both real and imaginary parts of the surface nonlinear spectral response, revealing an unprecedentedly detailed picture of the net polar orientations of the water species at the interface. The orientations of the icelike and liquidlike species appear to respond very differently to the bulk pH change indicating the existence of different surface sites on quartz with different deprotonation pK values.
Compressive radar imaging using white stochastic waveforms

In this paper, we apply the principles of compressive sampling to ultra-wideband (UWB) stochastic waveform radar. The theory of compressive sampling says that it is possible to recover a signal that is parsimonious when represented in a particular basis, by acquiring few projections on to an appropriate basis set. Drawing on literature in compressive sampling, we develop the theory behind stochastic waveform-based compressive imaging. We show that using stochastic waveforms for radar imaging, it is possible to estimate target parameters and detect targets by sampling at a rate that is considerably slower than the Nyquist rate and recovering using compressive sensing algorithms. Thus, it is theoretically possible to increase the bandwidth (and hence the spatial resolution) of an ultra-wideband radar system using stochastic waveforms, without significant additions to the data acquisition system. Further, there is virtually no degradation in the performance of a UWB stochastic waveform radar system that employs compressive sampling. We present numerical simulations to show that the performance guarantees provided by theoretical results are achieved in realistic scenarios.
A Survey of Experiments on Communication via Cheap Talk

This paper is a survey of experimental evidence on behavior in games with communication, focusing on environments where “talk is cheap” in the sense that players' messages have no direct payoff implications. Also considered are some environments in which communication was permitted throughout the game, in addition to those environments in which only preplay communication was allowed.Journal of Economic LiteratureClassification Numbers: C72, C92.
The Conditioned Reflex Technique Applied to a Less Specialized Type of Learning

Although many aspects of the conditioned reflex technique were considered before Pav lov's work, the theory of conditioned learn ing was developed largely as the result of his studies. This theory (14) attempts to ex plain all modifications of behavior on the basis of the conditioned reflex. Allport 's ( 1 ) theory of the development of social behavior, Watson's (20) behaviorism, and Smith and Guthrie's (16) work are typical of this concept. If the conditioned reflex theory of learning is applicable to all kinds of everyday learning, the conditioned reflex technique applied to a less specialized type of learning should yield valuable data concerning the learning process. A survey of the literature concerning the applicability of the conditioned reflex theory to all modifications of behavior indicates a scarcity of experimental studies which have definitely applied the conditioned reflex tech nique to the less specialized types of learning. Studies such as those of Jones (11) and of Watson and Rayner (21) do, however, in a general way demonstrate the application of the conditioned reflex technique in modifying emotional behavior. Thorndike (18), in his investigation of what he calls "the principle of belongingness," seems very definitely to have used a phase of the conditioned reflex technique. There also seems to be some uncertainty among students of the conditioned reflex phe nomena as to whether all of the so-called conditioned reflexes are really true reflexes. Tolman (19) limits conditioned reflex learn ing to the conditioning of the true reflex; i.e., attaching of the original unconditioned re sponse to the conditioned stimulus. Other aspects of the conditioning process, which are less specialized than the true conditioned re flex, have been called "sign learning" by Tol man. "Sign learning," according to Tolman, consists of the everyday type of learning in which one learns to respond to a stimulus in a different way from that in which he first responded to it. This interpretation seems to be supported by Cason (5), who says there is considerable doubt whether all the condi tioned reactions wThich have been secured were true conditioned reflexes.
Neuroimaging and Neurophysiology of Periodic Lateralized Epileptiform Discharges: Observations and Hypotheses

Summary: Purpose: We assessed neuroimaging lesion type and distribution in patients with periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs), with a view to identifying electrographic differences between PLEDs associated with differing lesion locations. Our observations led us to consider a conceptual synthesis between PLEDs and periodic complexes (PCs). Methods: Retrospective review of acute neuroimaging results (CT/MRI) on patients identified to have EEG PLEDs, for the period 1999–2003 (n = 106). Blinded classification of original EEG recordings. Results: Neuroimaging abnormalities were classified as acute or chronic cortical, or acute or chronic subcortical. Seven out of 106 scans were classified nonlesional. Overall ∼70% of scans had cortical abnormalities, whether acute or chronic; ∼23% had subcortical abnormalities. “Cortical” PLEDs were significantly longer in duration (p < 0.05) and more variable in morphology (p < 0.01) than “subcortical” PLEDs. Conclusions: Structural brain disease commonly, but not invariably, underlies PLEDs; lesion type is spatiotemporally variable. Cortical and subcortical PLEDs have distinct EEG signatures. There is evidence that these may relate to mechanisms for other pathological large-scale oscillatory brain synchronies (e.g., PCs).
Electron microscopic demonstration of phagocytosis of Candida albicans by human eosinophilic leukocytes.

Abstract With the use of electron microscopy we have shown that human eosinophils can phagocytize antigen-antibody complexes of Candida organisms. By this method we have also shown the process of ingestion of these organisms by eosinophils.
Acne fulminans with synovitis-acne-pustulosis-hyperostosis-osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome treated with infliximab

Acne fulminans is a syndrome of sudden onset hemorrhagic and ulcerative acne involving the back, chest, and face combined with systemic symptoms. It can be the dermatologic manifestation of the synovitis-acne-pustulosis-hyperostosis-osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome. Current therapy for acne fulminans consists of wound care, topical and systemic corticosteroids, isotretinoin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Infliximab, a recently developed monoclonal antibody against tumor necrosis factor-alfa, has shown efficacy in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis both of which share clinical similarities to the SAPHO syndrome. We report the case of a patient with the SAPHO syndrome and acne fulminans who was treated with infliximab. Ten months after initiating therapy with infliximab, the area of the patient's ulcerative lesions was reduced by 70%. Infliximab might be considered as a treatment option for patients with acne fulminans unresponsive to conventional therapies.