cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Political talk radio: Actions speak louder than words

This study examined differences among groups of listeners to political talk radio using data from a sample survey of adults in San Diego, California (N=583) from the perspective of Grunig's situational involvement model. More involved political talk radio listeners were characterized by greater political and social participation than less involved. The political talk radio audience was found to be higher in social economic status, more socially and politically integrated in society, and more attentive to political issues. Differences in political variables remained after statistical controls for education, age, political interest, and general exposure to television, newspapers, and radio were applied. Among more active audience members, limited motivational data suggest that political talk radio served a mix of needs, including seeking political information, interpreting reality, or companionship through parasocial interaction. Thus, more active listeners may also be less susceptible to potentially propag...
Primers for Exon-Specific Amplification of the KRT5 Gene: Identification of Novel and Recurrent Mutations in Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex Patients

The KRT5 and KRT14 genes encode the proteins keratin 5 and 14, respectively, which are the primary structural components of the 10-nm intermediate filaments of the mitotic epidermal basal cells. A single mutation in either gene can disrupt the keratin intermediate filament cytoskeleton, resulting in the skin fragility and blistering that is characteristic of the group of inherited disorders known as epidermolysis bullosa simplex. We have established a mutation detection system that facilitates KRT5 gene analysis from leukocyte genomic DNA, obviating the need for a skin sample or keratinocyte culture for cDNA synthesis. KRT5 intronic regions that flanked each exon were sequenced and sets of facing intronic primers were designed for specific amplification of each of the nine KRT5 exons. Direct sequencing of KRTSamplified exons identified three novel missense mutations. One mutation recurred in two unrelated patients with sporadic EBS. This glutamate to lysine substitution (E477K), located in the highly conserved KLLEGE motif at the end of the central rod domain, is the third recurrent mutation identified in dominant epidermolysis bullosa simplex disease. The corresponding glutamate in keratin 2e was previously reported to be frequently mutated in ichthyosis bullosa of Siemens, suggesting that this highly conserved residue may be a potential mutational hot spot in other type II keratins or nonkeratin intermediate filament proteins.
Phase Composition and Microstructure as a Function of Deposition Conditions for Potassium Tantalate Niobate Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Potassium tantalate niobate [K(Ta1−xNbx)O3 or KTN] films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on (100)MgO substrates from targets of KTN with x=0.45. The effects of substrate temperature (300–700°C) and ambient oxygen pressure (50 and 300 mTorr) on the characteristics of films were investigated. At 500°C and 300 mTorr, films were amorphous with a few isolated, randomly-oriented crystalline grains of perovskite and pyrochlore. At 600°C and 300 mTorr, the films comprised a columnar microstructure consisting of a mixture of amorphous phase with (100) perovskite. At 650°C, films were almost entirely (100) perovskite. At 700°C, the films were predominantly (100) perovskite, but contained a much higher fraction of pyrochlore. At 50 mTorr, pyrochlore was found in significant fractions up to 650°C. At 700°C, films were predominantly (100) perovskite. Rutherford Backscaftering analysis of the chemical composition showed that all the films were potassium-deficient and the tantalum to niobium ratio exceeded that found in the targets for all deposition conditions. There appeared to be a relationship between oxygen pressure during deposition and the amount of potassium retained in the films.
The adsorbate induced facetting of the Mo(111) surface

Abstract The adsorption of S,N,O, and CO on the Mo(111) surface has been observed to induce facetting to produce a surface formed of (111) and (112) planes. The formation of the facets is an activated process requiring heating to temperatures of ±700K. The orientation of the facets produced depends upon the adsorbate and has been related to the electronegativity of the adatom.
Computational simulations of the total cavo-pulmonary connection: insights in optimizing numerical solutions

The Fontan procedure is a palliative surgical technique that is used to treat patients with congenital heart defects that include complex lesions such as those with a hypoplastic ventricle. In vitro, in vivo, and computational models of a set of modifications to the Fontan procedure, called the total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC), have been developed. Using these modeling methods, attempts have been made at finding the most energy efficient TCPC circuit. Computational modeling has distinct advantages to other modeling methods. However, discrepancies have been found in validation studies of TCPC computational models. There is little in the literature available to help explain and correct for such discrepancies. Differences in computational results can occur when choosing between steady flow versus transient flow numerical solvers. In this study transient flow solver results were shown to be more consistent with results from previous TCPC in vitro experiments. Using a transient flow solver we found complex fluctuating flow patterns can exist with steady inflow boundary conditions in computational models of the TCPC. To date such findings have not been reported in the literature. Furthermore, our computational modeling results suggest fluctuating flow patterns as well as the magnitudes of these secondary flow structures diminish if the TCPC offset between vena cavae is increased or if flanged connections are added. An association was found between these modifications and improvements in TCPC circuit flow efficiencies. In summary, development of accurate computational simulations in the validation process is critical to efforts in finding the most efficient TCPC circuits, efforts aimed at potentially improving the long term outcome for Fontan patients.
Evaluating the role of feedback regulation in recognition processing

How the brain is able to perform recognition, especially of simultaneous patterns, is not clear. There are enormous amounts top-down feedback found within sensory processing regions of the brain which play a central role. However, these types of connections generate nonlinear dynamics, which are difficult to analyze mathematically. Simplifying the analysis, it is hypothesized that the purpose of feedback is to regulate or conserve of information. The computational basis of conservation of information is: that each input should only pass a fixed amount of information than to the next layer. If an input activates the output layer too vigorously, its information is ambiguous (because may outputs are using it) and it is quieted. If an input does not activate the output layer enough, its information is boosted. Figure ​Figure11. Figure 1 Comparison of hypothesized mechanisms utilized during recognition. Feedforward connections: neural networks and support vector machines. Lateral inhibition: winner-take-all. Feedback regulation: can be described as top-down self-inhibition, also known ... Regulatory feedback networks that conserve information display unparalleled performance with simultaneous patterns. Figure ​Figure22 compares performance of various recognition mechanisms, presented with simultaneous patterns. Figure 2 Simultaneous Pattern Recognition Test. The different recognition mechanisms are tested on simultaneous patterns. Such patterns are generated by combining multiple leaned patterns together and adding overlapping features. k represents the number of patterns ... Such regulation offers an explanation to why salience is an integral part of recognition and the configuration required offers an explanation to how it is generated from a neural perspective. Thus it is argued that feedback regulation and conservation of information are essential in enabling the brain to process simulations patterns.
Stereochemical studies of lasalocid epimers. Ion-driven epimerizations.

Abstract Certain stereoisomers of the ionophore antibiotic lasalocid A can be epimerized to the natural configuration using metal ions which form particularly stable complexes with the natural antibiotic.
Faith in Action: Religious Resources for Political Success in Three Congregations*

Religious institutions and networks provide one of the key social bases out of which Americans' political affiliations take shape. Thus, religion is one of the crucial cultural bases for the organization and projection of political power in American society. But when a given congregation strives to organize for political participation, what factors influence its subsequent success or failure? This article investigates how two factors often considered irrelevant to political success - the liturgical experience and religious symbolism of the congregation - influence the success of political participation. The article compares political mobilization and success in three congregations centered around very different liturgical experiences and theological world views, using subjective data from in-depth interviews of congregation members and leaders. These interviews and the congregations' political experience suggest that the most politically successful congregation is not that with the most "politicized" faith, but rather the congregation whose liturgy leads to rich religious experience and who interprets its religious symbols in this-worldly terms. The article provides a theoretical account for this finding, drawing on the organizations and social movements concepts of shared networks of meaning, ambiguity processing, and organizational stability. Throughout American history, religiously based movements have reshaped the political landscape: movements for temperance, abolition of slavery, civil rights, and anti-war policy have all been rooted at least partly in America's religious life. Political mobilization along religious lines underlies American debates today regarding abortion and the social status of homosexuality. Internationally, religiously based mobilization shapes crucial geopolitical events, including the ethnic conflict in Bosnia and Islamic extremism in the Middle East. Yet contemporary political sociology typically treats religion as a residual category, unimportant except insofar as it provides material resources or social legitimacy for a movement. While religion can influence political events by mobilizing resources or providing legitimacy, there is no logical reason to assume these are the only ways - except the tendency for academics to reduce religion to other phenomena.
Preferential flow in a sandy vadose zone: 1. Field observation

Abstract Field experiments of water movement in the lower portion of an unsaturated zone (i.e., vadose zone) are far more difficult to conduct than those in the root zone; thus our concept of the transport mechanism in the vadose zone is still primitive and mainly an extrapolation of our understanding of transport in the root zone. Recent results from field experiments conducted at the Hancock Agricultural Research Station indicated that water and solute applied uniformly to soil surfaces did not flow through the entire vadose zone. By using dye tracing and profile excavation, field experiments were conducted during the 1987 growing season to examine water flow patterns in the unsaturated zone of the Central Sand Area of Wisconsin (CSAW). The results confirmed that preferential flow paths constitute the dominant flow pattern at this location. Water flowing through the root zone was funneled into concentrated flow paths that occupied only a small portion of the soil matrix in the vadose zone yet accounted for most of the transport. The observed phenomena of preferential flow in a sandy vadose zone are discussed in this paper. The mechanism and implications of preferential flow are presented in a companion paper.
Preserving writing in doctoral education: exploring the concernful practices of schooling learning teaching

Preserving writing in doctoral education: exploring the concernful practices of schooling learning teaching¶Many contemporary scholars have challenged the current culture of graduate education and have suggested a need to reform nursing scholarship. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyse the common practices and shared lived experiences of nurses who are students or teachers in doctoral education. Participants recruited from across the United States included 15 nurses, five of whom were current faculty members in doctoral programmes in nursing and 10 who were currently enrolled as students in doctoral programmes. Data collected from extended, non-structured interviews were analysed hermeneutically using the interpretive phenomenology of Heidegger and Gadamer as the philosophical background. The results of this study reveal that the practices of scholarship, reading, writing, thinking and dialogue are inseparable and belong together. Analysing and describing how the practices of scholarship belong together will contribute to extending an understanding of how the practices of writing can be preserved in contemporary doctoral education. ‘Preserving’ refers to how teachers and students perpetuate and sustain these practices in ways that are meaningful and transformative and in ways that are oppressive. This study explores the experiences that are central to becoming a scholar and suggests how their meaningfulness can be sustained and extended into the next millennium.
The Effect of Desialylation on the in Vitro Interaction of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin with Human Thyroid Plasma Membranes

Previous studies have indicated that crude preparations of hCG (hCG-c) are much more active than purified preparations (hCG-p) in displacing 125I-labeled bovine TSH ([l25I]iodo-bTSH) from receptors in human and bovine thyroid membranes when the two are compared on the basis of their gonadotropic activity. In an attempt to elucidate the nature of the TSH-displacing factor in hCG-c and in view of the past reports indicating that such preparations contain a spectrum of desialylated hCG molecules, we have desialylated both hCG-c and hCG-p by treatment with neuraminidase and have studied their interactions with human thyroid membranes. Exposure of hCG-c to neuraminidase for increasing lengths of time yielded preparations with progressively greater ability to inhibit the binding of [125I]iodo-bTSH to the membranes, and the increase in inhibitory potency was directly related to the quantity of sialic acid released into the medium. On an equal weight basis, desialylated hCG-c was approximately 5 times more active...
Getting it right the first time: Robot mission guarantees in the presence of uncertainty

Certain robot missions need to perform predictably in a physical environment that may only be poorly characterized in advance. We have previously developed an approach to establishing performance guarantees for behavior-based controllers in a process-algebra framework. We extend that work here to include random variables, and we show how our prior results can be used to generate a Dynamic Bayesian Network for the coupled system of program and environment model. Verification is reduced to a filtering problem for this network. Finally, we present validation results that demonstrate the effectiveness of the verification of a multiple waypoint robot mission using this approach.
Improved methods for the determination of Hansen's solubility parameters and the estimation of solvent uptake for lightly crosslinked polymers

Two new methods for determining Hansen's three-dimensional solubility parameters (3DSP) for lightly crosslinked polymers are presented and evaluated using commercial glove materials composed of butyl, natural, nitrile, and neoprene rubber. In the first method, the polymer 3DSPs are determined from a weighted average of the 3DSPs of a range of organic solvents, where the weighting factor is the product of the solvent molar volume and the fractional uptake of the solvent measured by immersion testing. The resultant polymer 3DSPs were used to model solvent uptake via the Hildebrand–Scott and modified Flory–Rehner expressions for the Flory interaction parameter. After grouping solvents of similar structure and applying an additional weighting factor, estimates of equilibrium solubility within a factor of two of experimental values were obtained for 176 of the 212 (83%) solvent–polymer combinations examined. In the second method of estimating polymer 3DSPs, the Flory interaction parameters for all solvent–polymer pairs are determined at the outset via the modified Flory–Rehner equation and used to solve for the polymer 3DSP values by multiple nonlinear regression. Solubility estimates are then back-calculated. This method provided different values of the 3DSPs for the polymers, including negative δp values for the butyl and natural rubber. However, the accuracy of solubility estimation was comparable to that obtained using the weighted-average method without the need for any adjustable factors. The advantages of these alternative methods over the graphical method for obtaining reliable estimates of the 3DSPs of lightly crosslinked polymers are discussed. This is the first demonstration of a general 3DSP-based approach to quantitative solubility modeling in polymer–solvent systems. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Silicon photonics: On-chip OPOs

Optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) have now been realized in a CMOS-style process by exploiting nonlinear four-wave mixing. Such multiwavelength sources bring the prospect of ultrafast chip-to-chip optical data communications a step closer.
Sex differences in the effects of gonadectomy on amphetamine-induced rotational behavior in rats

The effects of gonadectomy on amphetamine-induced rotational behavior were studied in male and female rats. Different systemic doses were used to produce equivalent brain concentrations of the drug in each group, thereby controlling for sex differences in the metabolism of amphetamine. Ovariectomy of female rats significantly attenuated amphetamine-induced rotation, whereas castration of males was without effect. The results support the idea that in females, the endogenous gonadal hormones facilitate functional activity in the mesostriatal dopamine system.
Experimental Comparison of Classical versus Ablative Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

The evolution of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a compressible medium has been investigated both at an accelerating embedded interface and at the ablation front in experiments on the Nova laser. Planar targets of brominated plastic for the ablation front and brominated plastic backed by a titanium payload for the embedded interface were ablatively accelerated by the x-ray drive generated in a gold Hohlraum. When the perturbation is at the ablation front, short wavelength modes are stabilized, whereas at the embedded interface the shortest wavelengths grow the most.
Increased laminin deposition in capillaries of the stria vascularis of quiet-aged gerbils

The distribution of laminin (LA) and type IV collagen (IV-C) in the gerbil inner ear was investigated by light and electron microscopic immunohistochemistry. Changes in protein expression were assessed from birth to old age to determine the relation of these constituents to maturation of the cochlea and development of presbyacusis. The distribution of LA paralleled that of IV-C during postnatal development, and both were visualized in the basement membrane (BM) of endothelial, epithelial and spiral ganglion cells in neonatal and young adult gerbils. Immunopositive BM underlying the stria vascularis disappeared at 8-12 days after birth coincident with the development and maturation of the strial capillaries. Immunoreactivity for LA afforded an index to the thickness of the BM and was found to increase with age only in the BM of strial capillaries. At 6 months of age, occasional strial capillaries in the apex of the cochlea showed thickening of the LA-positive BM. Abnormal deposition of LA in strial capillary BM spread to lower turns and increased in prevalence with advancing age, affecting apical and basal more than middle cochlear turns. Thickening of the capillary BM appeared to precede capillary obstruction which eventuated in complete strial atrophy. Staining for IV-C in the walls of the strial capillaries did not increase with age. The data show that LA and IV-C play important roles in postnatal development of the cochlea and that LA deposition increases with age only in the BM of strial capillaries.
3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”): pharmacology and toxicology in animals and humans

(±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”), a ring-substituted amphetamine derivative first synthesized in 1914, has emerged as a popular recreational drug of abuse over the last decade. Pharmacological studies indicate that MDMA produces a mixture of central stimulant and psychedelic effects, many of which appear to be mediated by brain monoamines, particularly serotonin and dopamine. In addition to its pharmacologic actions, MDMA has been found to possess toxic activity toward brain serotonin neurones. Serotonergic neurotoxicity after MDMA has been demonstrated in a variety of experimental animals (including non-human primates). In monkeys, the neurotoxic dose of MDMA closely approaches that used by humans. While the possibility that MDMA is also neurotoxic in humans is under investigation, other adverse effects of MDMA in humans have been documented, including various systemic complications and a number of untoward neuropsychiatric sequelae. Notably, many of the adverse neuropsychiatric consequences noted after MDMA involve behavioral domains putatively influenced by brain serotonin (e.g., mood, cognition and anxiety). Given the restricted status of MDMA use, retrospective clinical observations from suspecting clinicians will probably continue to be a primary source of information regarding MDMA's effects in humans. As such, this article is intended to familiarize the reader with the behavioral pharmacology and toxicology of MDMA, with the hope that improved recognition of MDMA-related syndromes will provide insight into the function of serotonin in the human brain, in health as well as disease.
The Defense Department Exemption

In July 1976 an exemption from the Federal laser performance standards on tactical military laser systems was issued by the Bureau of Radiological Health (BRH). The exemption had an immediate impact upon tactical lasers then in production. The intent of the exemption was to assure some system safety features in tactical lasers while recognizing the military requirements which necessitated a stronger reliance on operational safety measures.
Spike-dependent depolarizing afterpotentials contribute to endogenous bursting in gonadotropin releasing hormone neurons

Pulsatile secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone in mammals is thought to depend on repetitive and prolonged bursts of action potentials in specific neuroendocrine cells. We have previously described episodes of electrical activity in isolated gonadotropin releasing hormone neurons, but the intrinsic mechanisms underlying the generation of spike bursts are unknown. In acutely isolated gonadotropin releasing hormone neurons, which had been genetically targeted to express enhanced green fluorescent protein, current pulses generated spike-mediated depolarizing afterpotentials in 69% of cells. Spike-dependent depolarizing afterpotentials could evoke bursts of action potentials that lasted for tens of seconds. Brief pulses of glutamate (as short as 1 ms), which simulated excitatory postsynaptic potentials, also triggered spike-mediated depolarizing afterpotentials and episodic activity. These data indicate that spike-dependent depolarizing afterpotentials, an endogenous mechanism in gonadotropin releasing hormone neurons, likely contribute to the episodic firing thought to underlie pulsatile secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone. Furthermore, fast excitatory postsynaptic potentials mediated by glutamate can activate this intrinsic mechanism.
Urothelial-cell carcinoma and solitary kidney: Outcomes with renal-sparing management

Purpose: To review our experience with renal-sparing approaches for upper-tract transitional-cell carcinoma (UT-TCC) associated with solitary kidneys. Patients and Methods: Ten patients with UT-TCC associated with solitary kidneys who were managed with renal-sparing approaches from 2000 to 2004 were identified. Patient data were gathered retrospectively, and a patient interview was conducted. A literature review was performed, and our results were compared with those from selected other authors. The mean follow-up was 33 months. Results: Eight patients (80%) developed recurrence after initial treatment necessitating further intervention. The average number of procedures was nine per patient, and an average of two cycles of topical therapy was given. At the end of the follow-up period, 6 patients (60%) were disease free. Of these 6 patients, 2 (33%) required interval nephroureterectomy because of disease progression in one and renal insufficiency leading to dialysis in the other. Metastatic disease occurre...
Guest Editor's Introduction: Technical Communication in the Age of Distributed Work

In this introduction, I review the topic of the special issue, distributed work: coordinative, polycontextual, cross-disciplinary work that splices together divergent work activities (separated by time, space, organizations, and objectives) and that enables the transformations of information and texts that characterize such work. After reviewing the literature on distributed work, I introduce the articles in this special issue.
Acute dose-effects of scopolamine on false recognition

Rationale: Recently, there has been increased research interest in the phenomenon of false recognition, in which participants claim to recognize words that had not been presented during an initial study phase but that are associatively related to presented words. Acute administration of the benzodiazepine hypnotic triazolam has been shown to decrease false recognition rates. However, no false recognition studies have examined the effects of scopolamine, an anticholinergic drug that might produce a different profile of memory-impairing effects than the benzodiazepines due to its distinct neurochemical profile. Objective: This study was designed to examine the acute dose-effects of scopolamine on false recognition. Methods: The effects of subcutaneously administered scopolamine (0.3 and 0.6 mg/70 kg) on performance in the Deese/Roediger-McDermott false recognition paradigm were examined in a repeated-measures placebo-controlled double-blind design in 18 healthy volunteers. Results: Scopolamine produced dose-related reductions in both true and false recognition rates, and induced a more conservative response bias relative to placebo for recollection-based ("remember") responses to studied words. Conclusions: While scopolamine's effects on false recognition are similar to those observed previously with triazolam, its effects on response bias may differ from those of triazolam.
Geometric localization of STEREO CMEs

[1] We describe a straightforward methodology for determining the location and other gross properties of CMEs within the coronagraph field of view in the upcoming STEREO mission observations. We use geometric triangulation upon a series of lines-of-sight taken from two spacecraft views that are locally tangent to the apparent edges of a CME. From the intersections of these lines-of-sight, we construct a set of stacked quadrilaterals that fully bound the structure and convey something of its location, shape, and size; a time sequence of such determinations can be used to determine the velocity. The technique is relatively robust and promises a substantial improvement in our capability to locate and characterize CMEs for research as well as forecasting purposes.
Dynamic mechanical relaxation properties of poly(ether ether ketone)

The influence of crystalline morphology on the dynamic mechanical relaxation properties of poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) has been investigated for the glass-rubber (α) and sub-glass (β) relaxations; a series of both cold-crystallized and melt-crystallized specimens were examined. The presence of crystallinity had a marked influence on the glass-rubber relaxation characteristics of PEEK owing to the relative constraint imposed on the amorphous-phase motions by the crystallites. Above Tg, a progressive relaxation of rigid amorphous-phase material was evident, as well as a small incremental decrease in modulus reflecting the onset of the low-temperature melting component. The sub-glass mechanical relaxation was bimodal, comprising a lower-temperature β1 component, which originated in the bulk of the amorphous material, and a higher-temperature β2 component, which originated in organized regions of the amorphous phase (i.e. at the crystal-amorphous interphase). Both the dynamic mechanical and corresponding dielectric results displayed morphological sensitivity in the β relaxation region, with the mechanical results encompassing motions of a more complex (i.e. cooperative) nature.
Patient Perceptions and Treatment Preferences in Migraine Management

As the characteristics of migraine vary among patients and between attacks, multiple factors must be considered clinically to ensure that patients receive the most effective treatment strategy. Critical information required from the patient is general medical history, migraine-specific history, and the impact of migraine. Once the strategy of care and the optimal therapeutic plan are decided, the choice of therapeutic delivery must take into account patient preferences, compliance and clinical need. During the symposium, a case review and interview with a patient were conducted to illustrate the complex nature of integrating the assessment of signs, symptoms, disability, comorbidities and patient preferences. At the woman’s first clinic visit, her Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) score was 70. Previous acute therapies had been only marginally effective, while previous prophylactic therapies had been discontinued because of adverse events or had also proved to be ineffective. The patient’s current acute therapy was zolmitriptan 5mg, which she responds to well. Seven months after her first clinic visit, the patient’s MIDAS score had decreased to 25. When asked about the relevance and utility of the MIDAS questionnaire, the patient felt that it asked about things that are important, helped her to understand the impact of migraine on her life, and accurately reflected her improvement. The patient also expressed an interest in trying more rapidly acting formulations of migraine-specific therapies in the future, such as a nasal spray formulation of zolmitriptan. The MIDAS questionnaire facilitates communication between physicians and patients to enable greater understanding of the impact of migraine. MIDAS grades can also be used in the stratification of treatment and for monitoring the course of illness and treatment outcomes. By increasing available treatment options, patient needs and preferences can be matched with specific features of migraine therapies. Taking patient preferences into account is likely to increase patient satisfaction and compliance, hopefully decreasing the degree of undertreatment of migraine that has been reported globally.
Distributions and fate of chlorinated pesticides, biomarkers and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments along a contamination gradient from a point-source in San Francisco Bay, California

Abstract The distribution and fate of chlorinated pesticides, biomarkers, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surficial sediments along a contamination gradient in the Lauritzen Canal and Richmond Harbor in San Francisco Bay was investigated. Compounds were identified and quantified using gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry. Biomarkers and PAHs were derived primarily from weathered petroleum. DDT was reductively dechlorinated under anoxic conditions to DDD and several minor degradation products, DDMU, DDMS, and DDNU. Under aerobic conditions, DDT was dehydrochlorinated to DDE and DBP. Aerobic degradation of DDT was diminished or inhibited in zones of high concentration, and increased significantly in zones of lower concentration. Other chlorinated pesticides identified in sediment included dieldrin and chlordane isomers. Multivariate analysis of the distributions of the DDTs suggested that there are probably two sources of DDD. In addition, DDE and DDMU are probably formed by similar mechanisms, i.e. dehydrochlorination. A steep concentration gradient existed from the Canal to the Outer Richmond Harbor, but higher levels of DDD than those found in the remainder of the Bay indicated that these contaminants are transported on particulates and colloidal organic matter from this source into San Francisco Bay. Chlorinated pesticides and PAHs may pose a potential problem to biota in San Francisco Bay.
A Structured Approach for Modular Design in Robotics and Automation Environments

In this paper, the RISCWare framework is proposed as a robotic middleware for the modular design of sensory modules, actuation platforms, and task descriptions. This framework will be used to customize robotic platforms by simply defining the available sensing devices, actuation platforms and required tasks. In addition, this framework will significantly increase the capability of robotic industries in the analysis, design, and development of autonomous mobile platforms. RISCWare is comprised of three modules. The first module encapsulates the sensors, which gather information about the remote or local environment. The second module defines the platforms, manipulators, and actuation methods. The last module describes the tasks that the robotic platforms will perform such as teleoperation, navigation, obstacle avoidance, manipulation, 3-D reconstruction, and map building. The objective is to design a middleware framework to allow a user to plug in new sensors, tasks or actuation hardware, resulting in a fully functional operational system. Furthermore, the user is able to install and uninstall hardware/software components through system lifetime with ease and modularity. In addition, when hardware devices are plugged into the framework, they are automatically detected by the middleware layer, which loads the appropriate software and avails the device for applications usage. This automatic detection and configuration of devices make it efficient and seamless for end users to add and use new devices and software applications. Several experiments, performed on the RISCbot II mobile robot, are implemented to evaluate the RISCWare framework with respect to applicability and resource utilization.
Regularity of higher energies of wave equation with nonlinear localized damping and a nonlinear source

Abstract Wave equation driven by a nonlinear dissipative source and subjected to a nonlinear damping that is localized on a small region near the boundary is considered. While finite-energy ( H 1 × L 2 ) solutions to this problem are bounded uniformly for all times t > 0 , this property generally fails for higher energy norms ( H 2 × H 1 ). This is due to a “generation” of higher energy by the source and the ultimate loss of dissipativity. However, the presence of the damping may turn things around by counteracting the sources also at the higher energy levels. The benefits of this counteraction depend on the nonlinear characteristics of dissipation. Any deviation from linearity (be it origin or infinity) causes degradation of the damping, hence of decay rates of finite energy. This, in turn, is shown to have an adverse effect on the stability of higher energies. The main aim of this paper is to provide a quantitative analysis of the interaction between nonlinearity of the damping and nonlinearity of the source. We show that under some correlation between growth rates of the damping and the source, the norms of topological order above the finite-energy level remain globally bounded for all times.
Antioxidant Capacity of Alcalase Hydrolysates and Protein Profiles of Two Conventional and Seven Low Glycinin Soybean Cultivars

Soy protein hydrolysates are considered a potential dietary source of natural antioxidants with important biological activities. This study was conducted to compare the effect of two conventional and seven low glycinin soybean cultivars on the antioxidant capacity (AC) of soy hydrolysates. Nine cultivars were grown in Bloomington, IL, Findlay, OH and Huxley, IA. The hydrolysates were produced enzymatically using alcalase and analyzed for AC using oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay and soluble protein. Statistical differences were observed in the protein profiles and AC among the different cultivars tested (P 0.05) had higher AC than purified glycinin (GL) hydrolysate (28.5 μM TE/μg soluble protein) (P < 0.05). It was possible to select a soybean cultivar that produced a higher antioxidant capacity upon alcalase hydrolysis.
Ferrate(VI) and ferrate(V) oxidation of cyanide, thiocyanate, and copper(I) cyanide

Abstract Cyanide (CN−), thiocyanate (SCN−), and copper(I) cyanide (Cu(CN)43−) are common constituents in the wastes of many industrial processes such as metal finishing and gold mining, and their treatment is required before the safe discharge of effluent. The oxidation of CN−, SCN−, and Cu(CN)43− by ferrate(VI) (FeVIO42−; Fe(VI)) and ferrate(V) (FeVO43−; Fe(V)) has been studied using stopped-flow and premix pulse radiolysis techniques. The rate laws for the oxidation of cyanides were found to be first-order with respect to each reactant. The second-order rate constants decreased with increasing pH because the deprotonated species, FeO42−, is less reactive than the protonated Fe(VI) species, HFeO4−. Cyanides react 103–105 times faster with Fe(V) than with Fe(VI). The Fe(V) reaction with CN− proceeds by sequential one-electron reductions from Fe(V) to Fe(IV) to Fe(III). However, a two-electron transfer process from Fe(V) to Fe(III) occurs in the reaction of Fe(V) with SCN− and Cu(CN)43−. The toxic CN− species of cyanide wastes is converted into relatively non-toxic cyanate (NCO−). Results indicate that Fe(VI) is highly efficient in removing cyanides from electroplating rinse water and gold mill effluent.
The Voloshin-Vysotski-Okun solution to the solar-neutrino problem in a left-right model

The apparent anticorrelation between the solarneutrino flux and the sun-spot number can be explained if electron neutrino has a large magnetic moment. A model with SU(2) L ×SU(2) R ×U(1) B−l gauge interaction is presented in which the electron neutrino has a large magnetic moment. The ingredients of the model are (i) the absence of the usual discrete left-right symmetry, (ii) new fermions that are singlets under SU(2) L and SU(2) R and (iii) two doublets and a charged singlet of higgs. The model utilises the see-saw mechanism of Gell-Mann, Ramond and Slansky give masses to all quarks and leptons. The large magnetic moment of the electron neutrino is achieved through charged singlet higgs fields.
Palliative care in neonatal intensive care, effects on parent stress and satisfaction: a feasibility study.

Context:Approximately 1 in 10 infants require neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization, which causes parental stress. Palliative care (PC) provides an opportunity to alleviate suffering and stress.Objectives:This study examines the effects of PC on NICU parent stress and satisfaction.Methods:A prospective cohort design compares stress and satisfaction among families receiving or not receiving PC.Results:No significant differences in stress scores were found (P = .27-1.00). Palliative care parents (100%) were more likely to report being “extremely satisfied” with care than usual-care parents (50%).Conclusion:This study supports the feasibility of evaluating NICU PC services. Infants referred for PC typically have higher morbidity/mortality; therefore, higher parental stress scores may be expected. Stress levels were similar in both cohorts, thus PC did not increase stress and may decrease PC parent stress.
Suppression of spleen natural killing activity induced by BCG

Abstract Mycobacterium Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) injected into mice ip depressed splenic natural killing (NK) of YAC tumor targets 5 to 14 days after injection. Suppression of spleen NK required a minimum dose of 10 8 BCG and ip inoculation; subcutaneous route was not effective. Contrarywise peritoneal cell NK was greatly stimulated under the same conditions of BCG dose, route, and time. NK levels returned to normal in the two populations 3 weeks after injection. In normal spleen and BCG-treated spleen and peritoneal cells, NK activity was found in a nonadherent fraction of cells lacking high affinity Fc receptors. Mice splenectomized one day before BCG injection still showed the characteristic elevation in peritoneal NK, demonstrating that the depressed splenic NK was not due to emigration of effector cells from the spleen to the peritoneal cavity. A suppressor cell population was found in BCG-treated spleens that inhibited normal spleen NK during the 5-hr assay. The suppressor cells were also found in the nonadherent, Fc − (EA rosette-depleted) fraction: In contrast to NK, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity to RBC targets mediated by spleen cells was enhanced in BCG-injected mice. These results suggest that each immune effector system may have a distinctive up- and down-regulatory mechanism.
The (Im) Possibility of Democratic Justice and the “Gift” of the Majority On Derrida, Deconstruction, and the Search for Equality

This article conceptually explores the problem of democratic justice in the form of legislated equal rights for minority citizen groups. Following Derrida's critique of Western logic and thought, at issue is the (im)possibility of justice for under- and nonrepresented constituencies. Derrida's socioethical treatment of justice, law, hospitality, and community suggests that the majority bestows a gift (ostensible sociopolitical empowerment); however, the ruse of this gift is that the giver affirms an economy of narcissism and reifies the hegemony and power of the majority. This article concludes by speculating on the possibility of justice and equality informed by an affirmative postmodern framework. A cultural politics of difference, contingent universalities, undecidability, dialogical pedagogy, border crossings, and constitutive thought would underscore this transformative and deconstructive agenda.
RATE BASE METHODS AND REALIZED RATES OF RETURN

Considerable regulatory energy and academic research has been devoted to examining the question of what constitutes the “correct” basis of valuation of the rate base for utility firms. This study compares utility earnings using data which adjust for differences among state jurisdictions concerning what is allowed in the rate base. The results show that there is no statistical difference in earnings of firms regulated by original cost, fair value, and reproduction cost jurisdictions. The results also show that regulation cannot generally explain the variance in earnings between states and rapid inflation does not seem to affect the results.
Stimulation of cAMP accumulation and superoxide production in human neutrophils and monocytes.

ABSTRACT The effect of sodium fluoride (NaF) on superoxide generation and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels in human neutrophils and monocytes was investigated. NaF (>10 mM) stimulated superoxide (O 2 − ) production in both cell types in a time dependent manner. NaF (0.5 to 20 mM) increased cAMP levels by 1.5-to 3-fold in both neutrophils and monocytes. Increases in cAMP levels were time-dependent; the maximal level was attained within 5 minutes after the addition of NaF, and cAMP levels remained elevated for up to 10 minutes. Only high concentrations of NaF (10 and 20 mM) increased both cAMP levels and O 2 − production. Therefore, a direct role of cAMP in O 2 − generation is not likely. It is speculated that since NaF (>10 mM) can complex with extracellular Ca + + , and thus reduce free Ca ++ concentration required for O 2 − generation, a NaF-dependent increase in cAMP may restore cytosolic free Ca ++ by mobilizing intracellular stores of Ca ++ . Further, in view of the proposed involvement of a phosphorylation-dephosphorylation mechanism in the regulation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, we speculate that NaF, by inhibiting phosphoprotein phosphatase activity, may indirectly activate the NADPH oxidase system and thus superoxide generation.
Progesterone Receptor Deficient in Chromatin Binding Has an Altered Cellular State

Our previous work has shown that the progesterone receptor (PR) can exist in two distinct functional states in mammary adenocarcinoma cells. The differences in function included the ability to activate a promoter in organized chromatin, sensitivity to ligand, and ligand-independent activation. To determine whether these functional differences were because of altered cellular processing, we carried out biochemical analyses of the functionally distinct PRs. Although the majority of PR is localized to the nucleus, biochemical partitioning resulted in a loosely bound (cytosolic) fraction, and a tightly bound (nuclear) fraction. In the absence of progestins, the functionally distinct PRs differed significantly in partitioning between the two fractions. To characterize these fractions further, we analyzed interactions of unliganded PR with chaperones by coimmunoprecipitation. We determined that PR in the cytosolic fraction associated with hsp90 and p23. In contrast, PR in the nuclear fraction consisted of complexes containing hsp90, p23, and FKBP51 as well as PR that was dimerized and highly phosphorylated. Hormone treatment significantly reduced the formation of all PR-chaperone complexes. The hsp90 inhibitor, geldanamycin, similarly blocked transcriptional activity of both functionally distinct receptors. However, the two forms of the PR differed in their ability to associate with the mouse mammary tumor virus promoter in organized chromatin. These findings provide new information about the composition and distribution of mature progesterone receptor complexes in mammary adenocarcinoma cells, and suggest that differences in receptor subcellular distribution have a significant impact on their function. These findings also reveal that transiently expressed steroid receptors may not always be processed like their endogenous counterparts.