cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving residents’ skills and confidence on advance directive discussion: a quality improvement project

Background: Advance directives have been established as a legal document that ensures patients' wishes are followed if/when they cannot make medical decisions for themselves. The concept, advance directive, is rooted in the ethical principle of patient's autonomy. New York State recognizes three types of advance directives: New York State Health Care Proxy, Living Wills, and Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order. A common misnomer in healthcare is the idea that advance directives are for the elderly or patients with terminal illness. As per New York State statutes, everyone older than 18-years-old should have an advance directive to avoid conflicts in times of crisis. It has been shown that most patients believe it is their physician's responsibility to initiate an advance directive discussion and residents are at the forefront of most health facilities. Objective: To assess the knowledge and attitude of internal medicine residents towards advance directive and to improve residents' skills and confidence on advance directive discussion. Design: We carried out a prospective study to assess the knowledge and attitude of the internal medicine residents towards advance directive to validate the need to implement didactic sessions and simulations. Results: Fifty out of the 75 internal medicine residents of Harlem Hospital Center participated in the study. Most of the responders indicated that they lacked sufficient knowledge in advance directive discussion and indicated that they were interested in didactic sessions and simulations related to how to help patients with advance directives. Conclusion: Our study showed that most of the residents lacked sufficient knowledge in advance directives discussions and the importance of its incorporation into residency training education.
Synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of Ba3M2Ge4O14 (M = Mn and Fe): Quasi-one-dimensional zigzag chain compounds

Abstract A series of trivalent transition metal germanates with a general formula of A3M2Ge4O14 (A ​= ​Sr, Ba, M ​= ​Mn and Fe) was synthesized using a high-temperature (580 ​°C) hydrothermal technique. Compound I, Ba3Mn2Ge4O14, is a new structure type that is characterized by one-dimensional Mn–O–Mn chains made from edge-sharing highly distorted Mn3+O6 units, and exhibits antiferromagnetic behavior below 15 ​K with field induced metamagnetic transitions. The A3Fe2Ge4O14 (A ​= ​Sr and Ba, II and III, respectively) series belongs to the well-known langasite structure type, crystallizing in space group P321. In A3Fe2Ge4O14, there is one octahedral Fe3+ site and one mixed-occupancy Fe3+/Ge4+ site that form the one-dimensional substructure. The magnetic susceptibility data of Ba3Fe2Ge4O14 reveals a much simpler magnetic structure with an antiferromagnetic transition near 5.5 ​K. The Jahn-Teller distortion of Mn3+ appears to be influential in the phase formation, leading to significantly different structures for these Mn3+ and Fe3+ compounds with similar chemical formulas.
Piles of piles: An inter-country comparison of nuclear pile development during World War II

Between the time of the discovery of nuclear fission in early 1939 and the end of 1946, approximately 90 nuclear piles were constructed in six countries. These devices ranged from simple graphite columns containing neutron sources but no uranium to others as complex as the water-cooled 250-megawatt plutonium production reactors built at Hanford, Washington. This paper summarizes and compares the properties of these piles.
Stimulus Intensity Affects Variability of Motor Evoked Responses of the Non-Paretic, but Not Paretic Tibialis Anterior Muscle in Stroke.

Background: Transcranial magnetic stimulus induced motor evoked potentials (MEPs) are quantified either with a single suprathreshold stimulus or using a stimulus response curve. Here, we explored variability in MEPs influenced by different stimulus intensities for the tibialis anterior muscle in stroke. Methods: MEPs for the paretic and non-paretic tibialis anterior (TA) muscle representations were collected from 26 participants with stroke at seven intensities. Variability of MEP parameters was examined with coefficients of variation (CV). Results: CV for the non-paretic TA MEP amplitude and area was significantly lower at 130% and 140% active motor threshold (AMT). CV for the paretic TA MEP amplitude and area did not vary with intensity. CV of MEP latency decreased with higher intensities for both muscles. CV of the silent period decreased with higher intensity for the non-paretic TA, but was in reverse for the paretic TA. Conclusion: We recommend a stimulus intensity of greater than 130% AMT to reduce variability for the non-paretic TA. The stimulus intensity did not affect the MEP variability of the paretic TA. Variability of MEPs is affected by intensity and side tested (paretic and non-paretic), suggesting careful selection of experimental parameters for testing.
Abstract P102: Generation Of A Novel Peptoid-peptide Analog Of Alpha-calcitonin Gene Related Peptide (α-CGRP) For The Treatment And Prevention Of Cardiovascular Diseases

Alpha-calcitonin gene related peptide (α-CGRP) is a 37-amino acid cardioprotective neuropeptide. Studies carried out in our laboratory and others establish α-CGRP as a potential therapeutic agent a...
Closing the Gap: Toward a Rights-Based Approach to Refugee Law

This Article attempts to bridge the gap between refugee law and human rights by advocating for a human rights-based amendment of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. The Convention links the definition of persecution primarily to violations of civil and political rights, and as such, persons who suffer socioeconomic persecution are largely excluded from refugee status. Conversely, contemporary human rights norms give socioeconomic rights equal status with civil and political rights, reflecting that in reality, the world's masses experience severe violations of their socioeconomic rights on a daily basis. The paper contends that the existing gap between refugee and human rights law can be bridged by adopting a rights-based approach to refugee law that fully embraces the equality, interrelatedness and indivisibility of all human rights. It also critiques the deeply-embedded global politics of the refugee law system (and international law, in general) which have contributed to the lacuna between the practice of refugee law and human rights by denigrating socioeconomic persecution. Ultimately, the paper proposes that recognizing the severity of socioeconomic persecution should allow for policymakers and adjudicators to expand the definition of the refugee.
Rumenotomy and Rumenostomy in Cattle

Few studies report long term information on how cattle perform following rumen surgery. The purpose of this study was to gather information from medical records of cattle having rumenotomy or rumenostomy to determine how these cattle functioned following surgery. The objective of the study was to determine if there were any preoperative factors (clinical signs, radiographic findings, laboratory values, etc.) that were correlated with outcome.
McKesson ® lubricating jelly and Aquasonic ® ultrasound gel can be used as bolus materials for radiation therapy

Bolus materials are commonly used for both human and veterinary radiation therapy (RT). Commercially available bolus materials often leave an air gap between the bolus and the skin which can lead to underdosing of the tumor. This prospective exploratory study evaluated the 6 MV X-ray and electron beam (6, 9, and 12 MeV) attenuating properties for two alternative bolus materials: McKesson lubricating jelly® (MLJ) and Aquasonic 100 Ultrasound gel® (AUG). The results comparing MLJ and water for 12 MeV and 9 MeV electron beams showed <3% difference, however, no other significant differences in radiation dose between water and MLJ nor AUG were seen. Findings demonstrated that both AUG and MLJ have radiation dose attenuating properties similar to water and supported use of these materials as alternative bolus materials for veterinary radiation therapy applications.
Profit Sharing in Mexico

Concepts of profit sharing vary almost without limit, differing from contract to contract and from country to country. The concepts range from the extreme of the U.S.,1 where no profit sharing is required, to the extreme of Peru,2 where the government wants workers to own a third of all private enterprises. Until fairly recently, Mexico could be considered to be somewhere in the middle of this spectrum.
“Ageismo” no Brasil: O que significa ? Quem pratica? O que fazer com isto?

The main goal of this article is to call attention to ageism and age as a part of the Brazilian system of prejudice and discrimination. Although ageism and age discrimination are often used interchangeably, ageism refers essentially to the system of attitudes so often attributed by individuals and society to others by age, while age discrimination describes a situation in which age is the deciding factor. An example of age discrimination is when an employer decides to recruit, to promote, to retrain or to retire/dismiss an employee based only upon age. While noticing someone’s age is not inherently offensive, acting on age-based stereotypes clearly is a prejudice against the individual that often goes unchallenged by mainstream society. This article relies on empirical findings and the cumulative knowledge on discrimination of the elderly, and discusses theoretical positions that link age discrimination with ageism. We argue that ageism and the practice of age discrimination in Brazil should be viewed as part of the multiple forms of discrimination experienced by individuals. A central assumption guiding this paper is that the way we frame ageism and intergenerational relations has a significant effect on both perceived age discrimination and support for age-based social programs and it will be illustrated for the Brazilian case.
Mixed-function amine oxidase of the rat hepatocyte nuclear envelope. Demonstration and effects of phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene.

Abstract Mixed-function amine oxidase (EC 1.14.13.8) has been demonstrated in highly purified rat hepatocyte nuclear envelope. The enzyme was present in the nuclear envelope at a level 20 percent of that observed in microsomes. Induction studies indicated that nuclear envelope amine oxidase as well as its microsomal counterpart were refractory to the effects of phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene. Phenobarbital administration increased the specific activity of the microsomal N , N -dimethylaniline N -demethylase and benzo[ a ]pyrene hydroxylase by 600 and 190 percent, respectively, but decreased the specific activity of the nuclear enzymes by 30–50 percent. In contrast, 3-methylcholanthrene increased the specific activity of benzo[ a ]pyrene hydroxylase in nuclear envelope and microsomes by 42- and 11-fold, respectively. The hydrocarbon also increased the microsomal and nuclear N , N -dimethylaniline N -demethylase by 40 and 60 percent, respectively, but the specific activity of microsomal and nuclear aniline 4-hydroxylase was decreased by 50 percent. Demonstration of amine oxidase in rat hepatocyte nuclear envelope implicates this enzyme in the toxicity and carcinogenicity of certain drugs and chemicals.
A Psychoanalytic View of the Sangha: Group Functioning in Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhism

The goal of Buddhism is to gain enlightenment through the realization of the psychological basis of human suffering. Like other religions Buddhists undertake this goal together in a community known as the Sangha, which, includes lay practitioners, clergy, and various symbolic figures. While, the ostensible goal of the Sangha is to help Buddhists reach a state of religious epiphany, it also functions in a psychological fashion to moderate the regressive effects of group membership. This moderation allows the Sangha to facilitate individuation for its members while they maintain their group membership. In this way the Sangha provides a practical method for applying spiritual principals to relationships with others in the group and later, to the world at large. This paper will review classical and object relations views of group psychology and then apply these perspectives to the understanding of the Sangha.
Semiquantitative Analysis of Fresh Sweet-Cream Butter Volatiles,

Abstract The neutral volatile fraction of fresh sweet-cream butter was analyzed semiquantitatively by capillary gas-liquid chromatography. Butter concentrations for 49 compounds ranged from approximately five parts for δ-dodecalactone to 5×10 −4 parts per million (ppm) for benzene. Other compounds whose concentrations were determined include odd-number methyl ketones, several alkanals, δ-lactones, γ-lactones, diacetyl, ethyl esters, and a number of aromatic compounds. Delta-C 10 ; C 12 , and C 14 lactones were above 1ppm; methyl ketones were approximately 0.1 to 0.4ppm; alkanals were generally lower than ketones, and aromatic compounds were in the parts per billion.
Data Structures and Pattern Recognition

The term “data structures”(1) is well-established in computer science, conveying the idea of how tables and lists are stored, but it is a relatively new concept in pattern recognition. In pattern recognition, the concept of data structures is a continuation of the initial notion of “feature” from statistical pattern recognition(2)—that is, a simple clue helpful in decision-making—to include: 1. Nonstatistical or descriptive pattern recognition methodologies(3): Linguistic, syntactic, and structural methods. 2 Sequential calculations (a) Feature extraction depending on decision to be made. (b) Multilevel or hierarchical classification processes: “understanding”(4,5).
The ecology of the Australian sandstone 'Meliphaga honeyeater' species

Two of the five Australian Meliphaga species, the White-lined M. albilineata and Kimberley M. fordiana Honeyeaters, are endemic to sandstone habitats in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, respectively. Little is known of their ecology, and their taxonomic status remains debated. We addressed this information gap by studying the foraging ecology and interspecific interactions of both taxa in the field. When compared with other Australian honeyeaters, both species were infrequently found in flocks, and foraged low in the canopy. Within their respective local assemblages, however, the White-lined Honeyeater foraged relatively higher in the forest strata than most species, whereas the Kimberley Honeyeater foraged lower than all other co-occurring honeyeaters. The results presented here fill in some of the gaps in knowledge about these species’ ecologies, and support the retention of the Kimberley Honeyeater as a distinct species.
The Competitive Impact of Targeted Television Advertisements Using DVR Technology

Digital video recorders (DVRs) are an emerging technology that is fundamentally changing the competitive landscape in industries that advertise on television. Perhaps the most familiar impact of DVR technology is that it enables consumers to avoid advertisements (ads) by fast forwarding through them. However, this �zipping� of ads is only one aspect of the impact of DVR technology. DVRs also collect a wealth of information at the consumer level that can be used by firms to target their ads more effectively. We examine how this targeting capability moderates the impact of ad avoidance in a competitive setting. Insights are provided on how best to manage this emerging technology in terms of the key managerial decisions of product pricing and advertising efforts, as well as its impact on profits in a competitive (duopoly) marketplace.
Resistance Heating for Self-healing Composites

Thermally remendable polymers have recently become available that are paving the way for the creation of self-healing composites. This article investigates the use of carbon fibers as a resistive heating network for future use in a self-healing composite. Various electrode methods are studied in an attempt to reduce the contact resistance that causes localized heating around the electrode. In addition to localized heating, electrical conduction through the fibers creates heat through composite resistance. It was observed that for short distances between electrodes, contact resistance dominates while over longer distances, composite resistance dominates. The balance between the two types of heating is measured and modeled using finite element modeling (FEM).
Growth and Asymmetry of the Human Liver During the Embryonic Period

Previous studies had suggested that the development of asymmetry in the human liver could occur as a consequence of the earlier developing asymmetry of the heart and that the preferential right-sidedness of hepatic volume was secondary to favored venous return on the right. To examine this question we reconstructed the liver from serial histologic sections of human embryos in the Carnegie Embryological Collection of stages 11 through 23. Photomicrographs of embryo sections were projected, traced into the digitizing pad on an image analyzer microcomputer, and the liver volume and relative volumes to right and left of the median plane of the body calculated. The 38 embryos studied represent each Carnegie stage, sectioned in transverse, frontal, or sagittal (except stage 11) planes. The liver appears in stage 11 and grows to over 90 mm at stage 23, as the embryo enlarges from 3 to 30 mm crown-rump length (CRL). A significantly greater proportion of the liver was found on the right of the median plane in all ...
Influence of nanoscale surface roughness on neural cell attachment on silicon

The adherence and viability of neural cells (primary cortical cells) from rat embryo on silicon wafers with varying surface roughness (10 to 250 nm) at the nano scale were investigated. The roughnesses were achieved by using chemical etching. Atomic force microscopy was utilized to determine surface roughness. We examined the adherence and viability of neural cells by using scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence immunoassaying. Antineuron-specific enolase antibody was used for immunostaining. Results from this investigation show that for these specific neural cells, there is an optimum surface roughness range, R(a) = 20 to 100 nm, that promotes cell adhesion and longevity. For silicon-based devices, this optimum surface roughness will be desirable as a suitable material/neuron interface.
Estimating Households’ Preferences for Environmental Amenities Using Equilibrium Models of Local Jurisdictions

Much research has focused on the development of equilibrium models of local jurisdictions to analyze the formation of social structures and community characteristics. These models, however, have been subjected to little empirical testing. In a recent paper, Epple and Sieg (1999) developed a new method for estimating equilibrium models of local jurisdictions, but they did not include environmental amenities in their empirical application. In this paper, we extend and apply this new method to estimate households’ preferences for alternative environmental amenities in the Portland Oregon metropolitan area. We show that estimated structural parameters would be biased if environmental amenities are ignored. By including amenities into the structural models of local jurisdictions, households’ preferences for alternative environmental amenities and public goods are estimated. Parameter values underlying households’ residential choices are uncovered. Many of the empirical regularities observed in the data are replicated (JEL R1, R2, Q2).
The impact of safety regulations on externalities

Empirical analyses of product safety regulations have indicated that such regulations induce compensating behavior (also known as offsetting behavior) by the users of products that pose risks to their health. Many of these analyses conclude that such compensating behavior causes externalities to rise. In such cases, regulations reduce the loss suffered by the user of the good when a harmful event occurs, encouraging a moral hazard response which creates externalities for others. Other studies find that although compensating behavior mitigates the beneficial impact of safety regulations, such externalities do not rise. This paper presents a model suggesting that although compensating behavior always occurs in response to product safety regulations, a dichotomy exists wherein regulations engineered to reduce the typical loss suffered by individuals per accident (or loss event) will increase externalities, while regulations engineered to reduce the number of accidents (or loss events) will reduce externalities.
Behavioral and physiological control of yolk synthesis and deposition in the female red-sided garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis).

Ovarian recrudescence in female garter snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis, follows spring emergence from hibernation and mating. In the laboratory, courtship and mating stimuli significantly increased the proportion of female garter snakes becoming pregnant, although some noncourted nonmated controls also became pregnant. Females given artificial mating stimuli under anesthetic, without courtship stimuli, were no more likely than either noncourted, nonmated or anesthetized controls to become pregnant. Hormonal changes and yolk synthesis rapidly followed mating in both laboratory and field females; serum estradiol increased more than 10-fold in 2 days and serum calcium, a measure of yolk precursor lipoprotein (vitellogenin) concentration, increased more than two times in 10 days. Administration of exogenous estradiol stimulated yolk synthesis, but did not result in yolk deposition into ovarian follicles. However, administration of ovine follicle-stimulating hormone induced both hepatic yolk synthesis and yolk deposition. Our results are consistent with the hypotheses that (i) courtship and copulation are facilitatory to ovarian recrudescence but neither alone nor in combination is necessary nor sufficient, and (ii) in this species yolk synthesis and yolk deposition are separately regulated.
High-speed electrical testing of multichip ceramic modules

This paper reports on the successful application of very-high-performance robotics in the electrical testing of multichip modules using only two probes, breaking with the old traditional array of probes as the primary test method. Complete production line tools include two high-speed Hummingbird® probing robots and precise x-y tables to carry them and a fast, accurate opens-shorts test. To ensure fast probe placement without damaging the part under test requires real-time control hardware and software to operate with extreme precision, flexibility, and programmability to accommodate any part. Finally, because a module can have nearly 100,000 points to be probed, computing an optimal path for the two probes to take for full testing of a part can greatly reduce test time.
Conditions for successful strategic alliances in the food industry

Abstract This paper focuses on strategic fuzzy alliances (SFAs) and the role of trust in business-to-business relationships. First, a theoretical model of governance choice involving strategic alliances is developed, integrating the Shapiro, Sheppard, and Cheraskin (1992) taxonomy of trust into a neoinstitutional framework. Second, this model, based on transaction theory, is then used to generate necessary and sufficient conditions for trust-based agreements. The third component of this paper is an empirical model, which tests the above theory. Finally, managerial implications from the results are discussed.
CLASSIFICATION OF QUALITATIVE DATA

A method has been described for classifying a collection of items characterized by qualitative attributes. The method uses mainly two concepts, typicality and similarity. The first of these has been derived by applying information-theoretical tools to the data. Typicality is a relation of one item to the whole collection. Similarity is a one-to-one relation between two items and depends on the number of common properties shared by them. The method has been programmed for the IBM 1620 computer.
Oral Staphylococcus in Older Subjects with Rheumatoid Arthritis

OBJECTIVE: To determine if Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, etiologic bacterial agents to late prosthetic joint infections (LPJI), are more prevalent in the oral flora of older individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than in an age and gender-matched nonarthritic control population (NA). DESIGN: Cultures were obtained from the nares, oropharynx, saliva, tongue, and gingival crevice, and the results were compared between older patients with RA and controls. SETTING: University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, VA Medical Center, and University of Michigan School of Dentistry. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 111 community-dwelling subjects with a diagnosis of RA and 83 gender-matched control subjects. MEASUREMENTS: Colistin nalidixic acid agar plates with 5% sheep's blood were inoculated and incubated. Isolates were speciated using the API Staph Trac® micro method and catalase and coagulase tests. MAIN RESULTS: Individuals with RA had a higher prevalence of S. aureus isolated from the oral cavity. However, only the oropharynx and tongue revealed higher rates; all other sites were insignificant. The presence of oral S. aureus was associated with xerostomia. Staphylococcus epidermidis was not detected from any of the oral sites sampled. Sixty-two percent (10/16) of the S. aureus isolates from the RA subjects were resistant to penicillin and ampicillin, whereas none were resistant to a cephalosporin. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that rheumatoid arthritis may be a risk factor for LPJI in older prosthetic joint patients undergoing invasive dental procedures in the posterior oral cavity. This increased risk is caused, in part, by a higher prevalence of S. aureus in the posterior oral cavity. The prevalence and the antibiotic resistance of S. aureus must be considered when determining the need for chemoprophy-laxis.
The prognostic role of cancer-specific beliefs among prostate cancer survivors

The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between cancer-specific beliefs and survival among men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. Based on data from a biracial cohort monitored for mortality for up to 15 years, we investigated the association between beliefs and survival among 251 men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1987 and 1990. We examined patients’ beliefs related to efficacy of regular checkups for detection, potential negative treatment effects, and perceived curability of cancer. Cox proportional hazards models were adjusted for sociodemographic variables, medical care measures, clinical factors, and lifestyle. In a fully adjusted model, not believing that most cancers can be cured was associated with an increased risk of death from any cause (Hazard Ratio = 1.62; 95% confidence interval = 1.11, 2.38). Beliefs regarding the efficacy of checkups or potential negative treatment effects were not associated with survival. Prostate cancer patients who reported not believing that most cancers are curable experienced poorer survival after adjusting for a wide array of prognostic factors and potential confounders. Future research to identify underlying behavioral (medical protocol adherence, lifestyle) and physiological (immune and endocrine regulation) mechanisms of this association would translate into improved intervention strategies for cancer survivors.
Neural Maintenance Roles for the Matrix Receptor Dystroglycan and the Nuclear Anchorage Complex in Caenorhabditis elegans

Recent studies in Caenorhabditis elegans have revealed specific neural maintenance mechanisms that protect soma and neurites against mispositioning due to displacement stresses, such as muscle contraction. We report that C. elegans dystroglycan (DG) DGN-1 functions to maintain the position of lumbar neurons during late embryonic and larval development. In the absence of DGN-1 the cell bodies of multiple lumbar neuron classes are frequently displaced anterior of their normal positions. Early but not later embryonic panneural expression of DGN-1 rescues positional maintenance, suggesting that dystroglycan is required for establishment of a critical maintenance pathway that persists throughout later developmental stages. Lumbar neural maintenance requires only a membrane-tethered N-terminal domain of DGN-1 and may involve a novel extracellular partner for dystroglycan. A genetic screen for similar lumbar maintenance mutants revealed a role for the nesprin/SYNE family protein ANC-1 as well as for the extracellular protein DIG-1, previously implicated in lumbar neuron maintenance. The involvement of ANC-1 reveals a previously unknown role for nucleus-cytoskeleton interactions in neural maintenance. Genetic analysis indicates that lumbar neuron position is maintained in late embryos by parallel DGN-1/DIG-1 and ANC-1-dependent pathways, and in larvae by separate DGN-1 and ANC-1 pathways. The effect of muscle paralysis on late embryonic- or larval-stage maintenance defects in mutants indicates that lumbar neurons are subject to both muscle contraction-dependent and contraction-independent displacement stresses, and that different maintenance pathways may protect against specific types of displacement stress.
CHROMATIN STRUCTURE AND THE CELL DIVISION CYCLE : Actinomycin Binding in Synchronized HeLa Cells

Measurements of actinomycin-3H binding in synchronized HeLa cells reveal that the binding capacity of chromatin decreases progressively during the S phase despite a doubling of nuclear DNA content, reaches a minimal level during G2 and mitosis, and then increases gradually throughout the subsequent G1 interval. Since this pattern was evident in experiments with living cells, ethanol-fixed cells, and isolated nuclei, but not with purified DNA, the actinomycin binding profile may reflect changes in the degree of association between DNA and chromosomal proteins at different stages of the cell cycle.
Stem elongation and changes in the levels of gibberellins in shoot tips induced by differential photoperiodic treatments in the long-day plant Silene armeria

The effects of differential photoperiodic treatments applied to shoot tips and mature leaves of the long-day (LD) plant Silene armeria L. on growth and flowering responses, and on the levels of endogenous gibberellins (GAs), were investigated. Gibberellins were analyzed by gaschromatography-mass spectrometry and the use of internal standards. Exposure of mature leaves to LD, regardless of the photoperiodic conditions of the shoot tips, short days (SD), LD, or darkness, promoted elongation of the stems and of the immature leaves. Long-day treatment of the mature leaves modified the levels of endogenous GAs in shoot tips kept under LD, SD, or darkness. In shoot tips kept in LD or darkness the levels of GA53 were reduced, whereas the levels of GA19 and GA20 were increased. The contents of GA1 were increased in all three types of shoots: SD twofold, LD fivefold, and darkness eightfold. Dark treatment of the shoot tips on plants of which the mature leaves were grown in SD promoted elongation of the immature etiolated leaves and increased the GA1 content of the shoot tips threefold. However, this treatment did not cause stem elongation. The different photoperiodic treatments applied to the shoot tips did not change the levels of GAs in mature leaves. These results indicate that both LD and dark treatments result in an increase in GA1 in shoot tips. In addition, it is proposed that LD treatment induces the formation of a signal that is transmitted from mature leaves to shoot tips where it enhances the effect of GA on stem elongation.
Ultra-thin bi-axially textured IBAD MgO template layers resolved by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction

We describe a method using grazing incidence diffractometry (GID) with a rotating anode X-ray source to measure the in-plane alignment of ∼10-nm thick MgO films deposited by ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD). In conjunction with these measurements, we have calibrated the IBAD film growth process by monitoring the film in situ with reflected high-energy electron diffraction and comparing the intensity versus time curve with results obtained from the ex situ GID measurements. GID has also been used to identify differences in the observed in-plane texture for samples with and without the addition of a homoepitaxial layer. Improvements in texture after the addition of the homoepitaxial layer are attributed to the healing of ion induced damage during growth of the IBAD layer. Further analysis has revealed that standard X-ray diffraction measurements of these overcoated films do not sufficiently quantify the in-plane alignment of the initial IBAD layers.
Homologous down-regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptors and desensitization of gonadotropes: lack of dependence on protein kinase C.

The demonstration that GnRH provokes the accumulation of diacylglycerol and the redistribution of protein kinase C to the membrane fraction in gonadotropes suggests a role for this enzyme as a mediator of GnRH action. In the present work we have investigated the possibility that protein kinase C might mediate GnRH-stimulated receptor down-regulation and desensitization. Pretreatment of pituitary cells for 6 h with GnRH (10−11−10−6 m) caused a biphasic change in GnRH receptor number [the maximum binding (Bmax) for 125I-buserelin binding was increased by 10−10 m GnRH and reduced by 10−7 and 10−6 m GnRH] and caused desensitization (pretreatment with 10−9−10−6 m GnRH reduced the proportion of cellular LH released in a subsequent challenge with GnRH). Pretreatment for 6 h with 0.2−200 nm phorbol myristate acetate (a protein kinase C-activating phorbol ester) did not cause desensitization, but at 200 nm, did reduce GnRH receptor number. As a further test of the requirement for protein kinase C for GnRH action, ...
Solution Structure of a Pyrimidine·Purine·Pyrimidine Triplex Containing the Sequence-specific Intercalating Non-natural Base D3

We have used NMR spectroscopy to study a pyrimidine·purine·pyrimidine DNA triplex containing a non-natural base, 1-(2-deoxy-β-D-ribofuranosyl)- 4-(3-benzamido)phenylimidazole (D_3), in the third strand. The D_3base has been previously shown to specifically recognize T·A and C·G base-pairs via intercalation on the 3′ side (with respect to the purine strand) of the target base pair, instead of forming sequence-specific hydrogen bonds.1H resonance assignments have been made for the D_3base and most of the non-loop portion of the triplex. The solution structure of the triplex was calculated using restrained molecular dynamics and complete relaxation matrix refinement. The duplex portion of the triplex has an over-all helical structure that is more similar to B-DNA than to A-DNA. The three aromatic rings of the D_3base stack on the bases of all three strands and mimic a triplet. The conformation of the D_3base and its sequence specificity are discussed.
Ligand Influences on the Structures of Molybdenum Oxide Networks

The influence of organonitrogen ligands on the network structure of molybdenum oxides was examined by preparing three new molybdenum oxide phases [MoO3(4,4'-bpy)0.5] (MOXI-8), [HxMoO3(4,4'-bpy)0.5] (MOXI-9), and [MoO3(triazole)0.5] (MOXI-32). The structure of [MoO3(4,4'-bpy)0.5) consists of layers of corner-sharing MoO5N octahedra, buttressed by bridging 4,4'-bipyridyl ligands into a three-dimensional covalently bonded organic-inorganic composite material. Partial reduction of [MoO3(4,4'-bpy)0.5] yields the mixed-valence material [HxMoO3(4,4'-bpy)0.5] (x approximately 0.5). The most apparent structural change upon reduction is found in the Mo-ligand bond lengths of the MoO5N octahedra, which exhibit the usual (2 + 2 + 2) pattern in [MoO3(4,4'-bpy)0.5] and a more regular (5 + 1) pattern in [HxMoO3(4,4'-bpy)0.5]. Substitution of triazole for 4,4'-bipyridine yields [MoO3(triazole)0.5], which retains the layer motif of corner-sharing MoO5N octahedra but with distinct sinusoidal ruffling in contrast to planar layers of [MoO3(4,4'-bpy)0.5] and [HxMoO3(4,4'-bpy)0.5]. The folding reflects the ligand constraints imposed by the triazole ligand that bridges adjacent Mo sites within a layer. MOXI-8, C5H4NMoO3: monoclinic P2(1)/c, a = 7.5727(6) A, b = 7.3675(7) A, c = 22.433(3) A, beta = 90.396(8) degrees, Z = 8. MOXI-9, C5H4.5NMoO3: monoclinic I2/m, a = 5.2644(4) A, b = 5.2642(4) A, c = 22.730(2) A, beta = 90.035(1) degrees, Z = 4. MOXI-32, C2H3N3Mo2O6: orthorhombic Pbcm, a = 3.9289(5) A, b = 13.850(2) A, c = 13.366(2) A, Z = 4.
Plutonium anomalies in attic dust and soils at locations surrounding the Nevada test site

Abstract Attic dust and soil samples were collected during the Summer of 1996 and the Spring of 1997 in southern Nevada and southern Utah. Analysis of the samples for radiocesium and plutonium give activity ratios of radiocesium/plutonium that range from 0.7 ± 0.1 to 27 ± 2, well below the world-wide fallout ratio of 34 ± 4 (as of 1 July 1997). This indicates anomalous plutonium throughout the region, including areas to the south of the Nevada Test Site (NTS), generally believed to have received only world-wide fallout. Safety tests and above-ground detonations that resulted in incomplete fission, conducted at the NTS during the 1950's and 1960's, are likely sources of this excess plutonium.
Apoptosis: mechanisms and implications for cancer therapeutics

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is essential for many physiological and pathological processes. Apoptosis results from an orderly activation of several cysteine proteases called caspases, which can be classically triggered by two upstream pathways: the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Deregulation of apoptosis is essential for tumor growth and a hallmark of cancer cells. In the recent years, many key elements of the apoptotic process have been identified and have become strategic targets for anticancer therapy. The novel approaches that target the apoptotic pathway may have either a direct proapoptotic effect or alternatively may sensitize cancer cells to other cytotoxics. This review describes the major elements of the apoptotic process, with a special focus of the tight interactions between the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways, and summarizes some of the most promising implications for cancer therapeutics.
Are high-volume surgeons and hospitals the most important predictors of inhospital outcome for colon cancer resection?

Background. Although recent studies have reported that high-volume surgeons and hospitals have better outcomes for colon cancer resections, it remains unclear whether there are other factors that are more important than volume. This study aims to evaluate the importance of the volume variables relative to other factors in an attempt to target specific areas for improving outcomes. Methods. Using nationwide data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Program, full-model logistic regression was performed on all patients undergoing colon cancer resection. Inhospital mortality was regressed against more than 30 different independent variables, including demographic factors (eg, age, gender, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status), burden of morbid and comorbid disease (prevalence and severity), and provider variables (eg, hospital size, location, teaching status, hospital and surgeon volume). A separate baseline probability analysis was then performed to compare the relative importance for all predictor variables. Results. The sample size for this analysis was 22,408; 622 inhospital deaths occurred (2.8%). Average age was 70 years old, 51% of particpants were male, and 60% had at least 1 comorbid disease. An operation was elective (64%), urgent (19%), or emergency (15%). The significant predictors for mortality (at P <.05) included age, gender, comorbid disease (ie, cardiovascular, pulmonary, liver), operation severity (ie, emergency, urgent), and volume (both hospital and surgeon). The baseline probability analysis shows that the mortality for a baseline case is 12/1000. If this baseline case goes to a high-volume hospital or surgeon, the mortality will decrease to 11/1000 and 10/1000, respectively. If a patient with a baseline case of colon cancer also has coexistent liver disease or requires an emergency operation, mortality increases to 44/1000 and 45/1000, respectively. Overall, the volume variables, although statistically significant, have a relatively smaller effect on outcome compared with other factors. Conclusions. Whereas other factors have a stronger association with outcome than volume, volume is the only acutely mutable variable. Although the regionalization controversy (ie, using only high-volume surgeons or hospitals) is not solved with our findings, this study elucidates and compares the relative importance of several different factors on outcome, which is essential when considering the conclusions and implications of this type of policy-relevant outcomes research. (Surgery 2002;132:268-73.)
Efficient driving-capability programmable frequency divider with a wide division ratio range

A programmable frequency divider with close-to-50% output duty-cycle, with a wide division ratio range, is presented. The proposed divider has also provisions for binary division ratio controls, and has demonstrated operation at frequencies as high as 3.5 GHz. With the above features, the proposed divider can be used in phase-locked loops, and is capable of driving various clocked circuits, which need different clock frequencies. The proposed divider has division ratios from 8 to 510, but it can easily be extended to higher ranges by simply adding more divider stages. The divider circuit has been realised in a 0.18-mum RF CMOS process. Test results show that the output duty-cycle is 50% when the division ratio is an even number. For odd division ratios the worst-case duty-cycle is 44.4% when the division ratio is 9. The output duty-cycle becomes closer to 50% when the division ratio is an increasing odd number. For each division ratio, the output duty-cycle remains constant for different chips, with different input frequencies from gigahertz down to kilohertz ranges, and with different power supply voltages.
A new geomagnetic observatory network

Input and comments are solicited for a study of the network of geomagnetic observatories. Although there are some 200 geomagnetic observatories around the world recording the intensity and direction of the geomagnetic field, they were established over the last 2 centuries without any overall plan and do not satisfy many of today's scientific and technical needs. As a follow-on to the National Geomagnetic Initiative Report currently being prepared, a small task group has been established with the encouragement of the U.S. Geodynamics Committee of the National Research Council's Board on Earth Sciences and Resources. The group consists of J. Heirtzler, chair, coordination, agency contacts; J. Booker, portable magnetometer arrays; A. Chave, seafloor observatories; A. W. Green, rapid data archiving; R. Langel and N. Peddle, optimum station distribution.
Critically Aware Multimedia

Socially-aware multimedia research balances recognition of the import of human interactions with consideration for the media content itself. The goal of this form of mediated social communication work is both to achieve technical innovation and to provide a rich user experience. This motivation can be extended to encompass a broader exploration of the socio-cultural condition that uses the design and development of socially aware multimedia systems as a reflexive lens for examination and dialog. This form of critical technical inquiry moves beyond efficiency and user experience to more directly interrogate the values evident in the technologies themselves.A critical approach advocates deep reflection on structural norms with a target goal of affecting change. The concept of "Critical Technical Practice" is attributed first to Phil Agre, who initiated the idea based on his personal experience as an artificial intelligence researcher [1]. Chaffing at the perceived constraints of his field, Agre embraced critical theory and in particular the philosophy of phenomenology to more concretely examine and interpret his life research and work. Critical reflection allowed Agre to deeply consider the concepts, methods and modes of inquiry in AI, in a framing that has been adopted by practitioners and researchers in a variety of technical fields including computer science, engineering and human-computer-interaction [2].Much of this recent work owes an allegiance to the influence of the humanities and the arts. While we may be familiar with the role of critical theory in the contributions of philosophers and social scientists, we can also scan the artistic horizon for centuries of work integrating mediated reflection with acute social commentary. From Jonathan Swift to John Oliver, Laura Mulvey to Miranda July, the artist practitioner and commentator has functioned as a powerful conduit for provoking societal examination and dialog. Examining the impact of critical work across multiple disciplines which exposes both technical and social implications therefore presents considerable utility for social multimedia researchers. In the following sections, we present work bridging art, design, engineering and computer science as exemplars of work in this domain.
Subsolidus emplacement history of the Lanzo massif, northern Italy

Olivine calcium concentrations have been used to obtain details of the final emplacement history of the Lanzo massif, northern Italy. The olivine-clinopyroxene geobarometer was applied to core CaO concentrations (0.08 wt%) in olivine. When coupled with two-pyroxene temperature estimates of 1000 °C, an equilibration pressure of 20 ±4 kbar is obtained. Olivine from some samples shows a systematic decrease in CaO to 0.04 wt% at rims in contact with clinopyroxene grains. These concentration profiles have been modeled by assuming that they result from diffusion during ascent of the Lanzo from the above equilibrium conditions. Results from a one-peridotite dimensional diffusion algorithm indicate that a two-stage uplift model, in which the massif is first brought adiabatically from 20 kbar to between 3 and 8 kbar and then allowed to cool isobarically, produces calculated diffusion profiles that are in excellent agreement with observations. The second stage of uplift occurs after the massif has cooled to below the 750 °C blocking temperature of Ca diffusion, and terminates with emplacement at the surface. These results indicate that the Lanzo massif originated in the upper mantle and was emplaced in the crust while solid at a rate consistent with plate velocities.
Understanding Client Resistance: Methods for Enhancing Motivation to Change

Clients sometimes work in opposition to their therapists, a phenomenon known as “resistance”. Such behavior is not simply an impediment to treatment, but also a potentially rich source of information about each client. This information can be assessed and utilized to strengthen the therapeutic relationship, help the therapist better understand the ideographic obstacles to change, and devise interventions that may motivate the client toward therapeutic activity and growth. Clinical vignettes of three resistant clients are presented, illustrating both the commonalties and unique factors that lead to resistance across cases. Eight important assessment questions and 10 suggested interventions are listed and discussed in detail. The practical applications of these methods in each of the three case studies shed light on how therapists can enhance their resistant clients' motivation for therapeutic change.