cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relations among parental substance use, violence exposure and mental health: The national survey of adolescents

Abstract Objective To study the relations among parental substance use, violence exposure and psychopathology in a nationally representative sample of adolescents. Method Random digit dialing methodology was used to obtain a nationally representative sample of 4023 adolescents, ages 12–17. Telephone surveys, conducted in 1995, assessed demographics, parental substance use, violence exposure, and three psychiatric disorders: major depressive disorder (MDE), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse/dependence (SA/D). Results Obtained prevalence rates included: 8.2% for sexual assault, 22.5% for physical assault, and 39.7% for witnessing violence at home or in the community. Substance use by a family member was reported by 18.4% (n = 721) of adolescents, with 50.6% reporting parental alcohol use and 19.1% (n = 138) reporting parental drug use. Consistent with hypotheses, violence exposure and parental substance use, particularly parental alcohol abuse, were independently associated with outcomes. Additionally, parental substance use emerged as a moderator for MDE, PTSD, and SA/D; however, the moderating relations varied according to the outcome variable investigated. Conclusions Violence-exposed adolescents reporting parental alcohol or drug use had the highest rates of psychiatric diagnoses.
Resonance Raman studies of cytochrome P450 2B4 in its interactions with substrates and redox partners

Resonance Raman studies of P450 2B4 are reported for the substrate-free form and when bound to the substrates, benzphetamine (BZ) or butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), the latter representing a substrate capable of inducing an especially effective conversion to the high-spin state. In addition to studies of the ferric resting state, spectra are acquired for the ferrous CO ligated form. Importantly, for the first time, the RR technique is effectively applied to interrogate the changes in active site structure induced by binding of cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) and Mn(III) cytochrome b 5 (Mn cyt b 5); the manganese derivative of cyt b 5 was employed to avoid spectroscopic interferences. The results, consistent with early work on mammalian P450s, demonstrate that substrate structure has minimal effects on heme structure or the FeCO fragment of the ferrous CO derivatives. Similarly, the data indicate that the protein is flexible and that substrate binding does not exert significant strain on the heme peripheral groups, in contrast to P450 cam, where substantial effects on heme peripheral groups are seen. However, significant differences are observed in the RR spectra of P450 2B4 when bound with the different redox partners, indicating that the heme structure is clearly sensitive to perturbations near the proximal heme binding site. The most substantial changes are displacements of the peripheral vinyl groups toward planarity with the heme macrocycle by cyt b 5 but away from planarity by CPR. These changes can have an impact on heme reduction potential. Most interestingly, these RR results support an earlier observation that the combination of benzphetamine and cyt b 5 binding produce a synergy leading to unique active site structural changes when both are bound.
Growth ofKlebsiella aerogenes on xylitol: Implications for bacterial enzyme evolution

WhenKlebsiella aerogenes was grown in continuous culture with xylitol, an unnatural pentitol, as the growth limiting substrate, the structural gene which codes for ribitol dehydrogenase, an enzyme which gratuitously catalyzes the oxidation of xylitol to D-xylulose, was duplicated. It appears that the duplication mechanism only duplicates the gene which is subjected to selective pressure and not any of the other closely linked genes. The degree to which the ribitol dehydrogenase gene is duplicated does not appear to be strictly correlated with the ability to grow faster on xylitol. Duplication mutants do, in fact, grow faster than their parent strain, but when challenged to grow at even higher growth rates there is a catabolic repression of enzyme activity. Thus a situation is created in which a structural gene is duplicated in response to selective pressure; these mutants can grow faster on the new substrate, but faster growth results in a “silencing” of a portion of the genes by catabolite repression.
Associations among experiential avoidance, couple adjustment, and interpersonal aggression in returning Iraqi war veterans and their partners

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of experiential avoidance (EA) in relationship adjustment, psychological aggression, and physical aggression among military couples. Method: The sample was composed of 49 male soldiers who recently returned from deployment to Iraq and their female partners. As part of a larger study, participants completed self-report measures of emotional avoidance (EA; Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II), relationship adjustment (Dyadic Adjustment Scale), and conflict (Conflict Tactics Scale-2). Data from men and women were simultaneously modeled with the actor-partner interdependence model. Results: Men's EA was associated with decreases in relationship adjustment and increases in physical aggression perpetration and victimization. For women, relationship adjustment was not associated with EA, but greater EA among women was associated with decreased relationship adjustment for male partners. Associations among EA and psychological aggression were nonsignificant. Conclusions: These data provide evidence that EA may play a critical role in the relationships of couples following deployment and highlight the importance of targeting EA in couple therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
The Importance of Functional-Like Access for Memory Test

Memory test debug is a challenging problem due to a vast number of variable parameters that make it difficult to pinpoint root cause. Programmable built-in self-test (pBIST) solutions help overcome this problem by offering the ability to adjust algorithms on-the-fly for silicon debug and incorporate these tests into production. We present a case-study where the flexibility of the pBIST engine has been exploited for debugging customer returned failures. The enhanced capability of our pBIST debug environment has allowed for a powerful array of post-silicon user-configurable memory test debug techniques that provide instant feedback. Through our debug process we have discovered the critical need for tests to access embedded memories in ways similar to functional access modes to isolate design sensitivities, process sensitivities, and even new defect types.
Direct Determination of Glycidyl Esters of Fatty Acids in Vegetable Oils by LC–MS

An LC–MS method using a single quadrupole mass spectrometer was developed for direct analysis of glycidyl esters of fatty acids in vegetable oils. Without any sample clean-up, this method provided acceptable recovery of seven glycidyl esters, comparable results to a previously-published method utilizing two solid-phase extraction steps, and consistent detection parameters after greater than 200 injections without any cleaning operations performed. This method could readily be implemented as a screening assay for glycidyl esters in most oil laboratories.
Thinking the Unthinkable/Global Realities: Eleven Theses on Marx’s Eleventh Thesis*

Marx’s Eleventh Thesis has long been code for the social theorist’s duty ultimately to do more than think to world. Global realities early in the twenty-first century have rendered the Eleventh Thesis feeble if not futile. There is no singular ”world“ (not a trivial fact). Social thought must encounter a series of Unthinkables that Marx himself understood to a degree but, in the Eleventh Thesis, as in all of his general and specific politic advice, believed were not definitive barriers to what amounted to liberal politics that history has proven will always be thwarted by the resisted of regressive forces.
Fluorescent stilbene, diene and triene surfactants as probes of reactivity in amylose inclusion complexes

Abstract The surfactant diphenylbutadiene and diphenylhexatriene derivatives, trans,trans-1-[4-(3-carboxypropyl)-phenyl]-4-[4-butylphenyl]-1,3-butadiene (4B4A) and trans, trans, trans-1-[4-(3-carboxypropyl)-phenyl]-6-[4-butylphenyl]-1,3,5-hexatriene (4H4A), respectively, have been found to form highly fluorescent inclusion complexes with amylose in aqueous dimethylsulfoxide. The fluorescence of the complexed guests is comparable in efficiency to that of some intrachain surfactant trans-stilbenes and greater than that of earlier-studied monosubstituted stilbenes. Dissociation constants (Kd*) for the inclusion complexes are shown to be mainly determined by the effective chain length for several comparable surfactants. A preliminary study of quenching of the excited singlet of 4H4A indicates that the complexed probe is less reactive towards a variety of quenchers by roughly one order of magnitude.
Distributed leadership in the development of a knowledge sharing system

This paper studies leadership dynamics in the development of a knowledge sharing system. We apply the concept of distributed leadership, examining how leadership roles are distributed across different individuals in the organisation during developing and implementing a knowledge sharing system. The results of a case study demonstrate that the leadership was fulfilled by the interdependent and emergent roles played by several individuals: the spearheading and coordinating roles of a knowledgeable and persistent project leader, the supporting and steering roles carried by a group of perceptive and collaboration-inclined executives, and the knowledge sharing and momentum driving roles performed by knowledge champions. Each of these leadership influences was indispensable. None of the leaders could have accomplished this task individually, without the active involvement of the other types of leaders. This research makes its contribution to the understanding of the emergence and dynamics of distributed leadership in the information system environment, and demonstrates the importance of a full awareness of distributed leadership as tasks are carried out in developing a knowledge sharing system.
SALT MARSH RECOVERY FROM A CRUDE OIL SPILL: VEGETATION, OIL WEATHERING, AND RESPONSE

ABSTRACT Responding to oil spills in marshes is always problematic, since inappropriate response activities can easily add to the overall damage to the marsh. When a spill of Prudhoe Bay crude oil ...
Are We Family and Are We Treated as Family? Nonfamily Employees’ Perceptions of Justice in the Family Firm:

The importance of justice perceptions in fostering positive job attitudes and value–creating behaviors in organizations is well established in the literature. Despite this, only a handful of studie...
Energy interchange in deregulated power systems

This paper presents the basis for a new approach to solving the problem of inter-utility power transactions in deregulated electricity markets. The problem is formulated as an optimization approach with a nonlinear objective function and linear constraints. An example system is discussed, presenting the operation state for inter-utility transactions based on the equal-lambda criterion. The same example is presented for the proposed method and the results are discussed.
Inferential Internalism and Reflective Defeat

Inferential Internalists accept the Principle of Inferential Justification (PIJ), according to which one has justification for believing P on the basis of E only if one has justification for believing that E makes probable P. Richard Fumerton has defended PIJ by appeal to examples, and recently Adam Leite has argued that this principle is supported by considerations regarding the nature of responsible belief. In this paper, I defend a form of externalism against both arguments. This form of externalism recognizes what I call the phenomenon of reflective defeat: if one is justified in not believing that E makes probable P, then this defeats whatever justification one has for believing P upon the basis of E. I argue that this modified version of externalism has the virtue of accommodating the intuitions that motivate internalism, without the cost of the vicious regress that makes internalism so unattractive.
Robust fault detection filter design for a class of time-delay systems via equivalent transformation

This paper is concerned with the robust fault detection filter (RFDF) design for a class of linear time-invariant systems (LTISs) with output state time delays. Although existing results in literatures study the RFDF for time-delay systems, few is concerned with the output state time-delay systems. The basic idea of our study is to eliminate the time delays of system and transform it to a delay-free system (i.e., a linear time-invariant system without time delays) by the bicausal change of coordinates approach. Then, we design the RFDF for the delay-free LTIS, which is equivalent to the original system with time delays. We first introduce a class of systems with output state time delays, whose fault can be detected by using the RFDF design approach for delay-free systems. Then, since the RFDF design problem can be formulated as a standard H-infinity-model matching problem, it is solved by using H-infinity-optimization LMI techniques. In the last, the adaptive threshold of fault detection is chosen and an illustrative design example is used to demonstrate the validity of the design approach.
Biofilm structire and kinetics

Recently, conventional concepts concerning the internal structure of wastewater biofilms have been brought into question. Most existing biofilm kinetic models assume that biofilms can be modeled in a one-dimensional (perpendicular to the substratum) fashion. There is much evidence indicating that mature biofilms may adequately be considered as growing as a continuum, although heterogeneously stratified with depth, and thus can be modeled in this way. However, there is recent evidence indicating that at least some biofilms grow in a much more heterogeneous format, with a highly channelized structure. This paper reviews the research on biofilm structure and the implications for substrate and nutient mass transport into biofilms. It then discusses the impact of the various growth models on biodegradation kinetics.
The Ethics of Lobbying: Testing an Ethical Framework for Advocacy in Public Relations

This study evaluates the ethical criteria lobbyists consider in their professional activities using Ruth Edgett's model for ethically desirable public relations advocacy. Data were collected from self-administered surveys of 222 registered lobbyists in Oregon. A factor analysis reduced 18 ethical criteria to seven underlying factors describing lobbyists' ethical approaches to their work. Results indicate that lobbyists consider the following factors in their day-to-day professional activities: situation, strategy, argument, procedure, nature of lobbying, priority, and accuracy. This framework, derived from Edgett's 10 criteria, illustrates the importance of context while incorporating ideas from recognized ethical theories.
Characterization of the crystallographic structure of MgO thin films by ISS on the basis of trajectory-dependent neutralization

Abstract The structure of thin oxide films formed on the Mg(0001) surface has been a controversial subject. Both MgO(100)-like non-polar surfaces and MgO(111)-like polar surfaces have been proposed on the basis of LEED and work function measurements. In an attempt to resolve this controversy, the structure of the topmost layer of a MgO thin film was investigated by ISS, along with that of the (100) face of a MgO(100) single crystal. The angular dependence of the ISS spectra from the MgO(100) surface was found to be governed by an ion neutralization process. Based on this neutralization mechanism, a semi-empirical model was developed to simulate the ISS results from the thin film surface. The simulation demonstrated that the oxide layers on the Mg(0001) surface cannot be represented as MgO(100) domains, and that this surface is more likely covered by oxygen, as in the polar structure.
Characteristics, generation and mass transport of nonlinear internal waves on the Washington continental shelf

As a step toward better understanding the generation of nonlinear internal waves (NLIWs) on continental shelves and the factors determining their morphology, amplitude and propagation, we analyze more than 1500 NLIWs detected on the Washington (WA) continental shelf using four summer/fall time series of temperature and velocity measurements from a surface mooring deployed in 100 m of water. Propagating onshore toward the northeast, these NLIWs take a variety of forms, including internal solitary waves, solitary wave trains and bores. Nearly all are mode-1 depression waves that arrive semidiurnally along with the internal tide. The NLIW energy flux is correlated with the internal tide energy flux but not the local barotropic forcing, implying that the observed NLIWs arise primarily from shoaling remotely generated internal tides rather than local generation. Estimated onshore transport by the waves can equal or exceed offshore Ekman transport, suggesting the waves may play an important role in the mass balance on the continental shelf.
First-principles simulations of a-Si:H surfaces

We have constructed atomistic models of a-Si:H surfaces which differ in their bulk H concentration. The models are constructed by cleaving bulk a-Si:H structures and passivating the new surfaces with H. We analyse the geometric and electronic structure of each surface and compare them. These models will be useful for future studies of chemical reactions on the surface.
Neodymium-YAG laser therapy to the anterior hyaloid in aphakic malignant (ciliovitreal block) glaucoma

In three aphakic eyes and two eyes with intraocular lens implants (five patients, four women and one man, ranging in age from 65 to 76 years) persistent shallow or flat anterior chamber was observed despite multiple patent laser or surgical iridectomies. In each case direct application of the neodymium-YAG laser (3 to 11 mJ) to the anterior hyaloid face resulted in immediate deepening of the anterior chamber. This deepening was sustained in four of the cases. These results confirm previous observations suggesting that the anterior hyaloid can be the locus of abnormality in aphakic malignant (ciliovitreal block) glaucoma. Neodymium-YAG "hyaloidotomy" may be better than penetrating surgery in such cases.
Effects of Chronic Nω-Nitro-l-arginine Methyl Ester Administration on Glucose Tolerance and Skeletal Muscle Glucose Transport in the Rat

It has been suggested that nitric oxide (NO) is a key regulator of carbohydrate metabolism in skeletal muscle. The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of chronic in vivo competitive antagonism of NO synthase (NOS) by the administration of Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) in the drinking water (1 mg/ml) for 14 days on glucose tolerance and skeletal muscle glucose transport in rats. Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) revealed an impaired glucose tolerance in the L-NAME-treated rats as reflected by the area under the glucose curve (4675 ± 514 mg% × 120 min (control) vs 6653 ± 571 mg% × 120 min (L-NAME treated); P < 0.03). While a large rise in plasma insulin concentration was present in the control rats (0.87 ± 0.34 ng/ml, P < 0.001) during the first 15 min of the OGTT, rises in plasma insulin concentration were absent in the L-NAME-treated rats (0.18 ± 0.13 ng/ml, P = NS). Intravenous glucose tolerance tests confirmed an impaired insulin secretion in the L-NAME-treated rats. In contrast, insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose transport was enhanced (P < 0.03) by chronic NOS inhibition (5.29 ± 0.83 nmol/g/min) compared to control rats (2.21 ± 0.90 nmol/g/min). Plasma sodium concentrations were lower and plasma potassium concentrations were higher in the L-NAME-treated group, indicating an impaired electrolyte status. We conclude that chronic in vivo administration of a NOS inhibitor, while not impairing basal parameters of carbohydrate metabolism, may manifest different responses than acute exposure to the same agent in vitro.
Structures of larger proteins in solution: three- and four-dimensional heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy

Three- and four-dimensional heteronuclear nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy offers dramatic improvements in spectral resolution by spreading through-bond and through-space correlations in three and four orthogonal frequency axes. Simultaneously, large heteronuclear couplings are exploited to circumvent problems due to the larger linewidths that are associated with increasing molecular weight. These novel experiments have been designed to extend the application of NMR as a method for determining three-dimensional structures of proteins in solution beyond the limits of conventional two-dimensional NMR (approximately 100 residues) to molecules in the 150- to 300-residue range. This potential has recently been confirmed with the determination of the high-resolution NMR structure of a protein greater than 150 residues, namely, interleukin-1 beta.
Cyanopurpurins: synthesis from meso-(2-cyanovinyl)porphyrins

Porphyrin derivatives substituted at a meso-position with a (2-cyanovinyl) group were synthesized from (2-formylvinyl) porphyrins. Demetallation and subsequent cyclization produced the corresponding cyanopurpurins. All cyanopurpurin derivatives show strong band I absorptions at 692 nm.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
MDMA administration decreases serotonin but not N-acetylaspartate in the rat brain

In animals, repeated administration of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) reduces markers of serotonergic activity and studies show similar serotonergic deficits in human MDMA users. Using proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) at 11.7Tesla, we measured the metabolic neurochemical profile in intact, discrete tissue punches taken from prefrontal cortex, anterior striatum, and hippocampus of rats administered MDMA (5mg/kg IP, 4× q 2h) or saline and euthanized 7 days after the last injection. Monoamine content was measured with HPLC in contralateral punches from striatum and hippocampus to compare the MDMA-induced loss of 5HT innervation with constituents in the (1)H-MRS profile. When assessed 7 days after the last MDMA injection, levels of hippocampal and striatal serotonin (5HT) were significantly reduced, consistent with published animal studies. N-Acetylaspartate (NAA) levels were significantly increased in prefrontal cortex and not affected in anterior striatum or hippocampus; myo-inositol (INS) levels were increased in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus but not anterior striatum. Glutamate levels were increased in prefrontal cortex and decreased in hippocampus, while GABA levels were decreased only in hippocampus. The data suggest that NAA may not reliably reflect MDMA-induced 5HT neurotoxicity. However, the collective pattern of changes in 5HT, INS, glutamate and GABA is consistent with persistent hippocampal neuroadaptations caused by MDMA.
Brachy–syndactyly caused by loss of Sfrp2 function

Wnt signaling pathways are regulated both at the intracellular and extracellular levels. During embryogenesis, the in vivo effects of the secreted frizzled related protein (Sfrp) family of Wnt inhibitors are poorly understood. Here, we show that inactivation of Sfrp2 results in subtle limb defects in mice with mesomelic shortening and consistent shortening of all autopodal elements that is clinically manifested as brachydactyly. In addition, there is soft tissue syndactyly of the hindlimb. The brachydactyly is caused by decreased chondrocyte proliferation and delayed differentiation in distal limb chondrogenic elements. These data suggest that Sfrp2 can regulate both chondrogenesis and regression of interdigital mesenchyme in distal limb. Sfrp2 can also repress canonical Wnt signaling by Wnt1, Wnt9a, and Wnt4 in vitro. Sfrp2-/- and TOPGAL/Sfrp2-/- mice have a mild increase in beta-catenin and beta-galactosidase staining, respectively, in some phalangeal elements. This however does not exclude a potential concurrent effect on non-canonical Wnt signaling in the growth plate. In combination with what is known about BMP and Wnt signaling in human brachydactylies, our data establish a critical role for Sfrp2 in proper distal limb formation and suggest SFPR2 could be a novel candidate gene for human brachy-syndactyly defects.
Structural and Hydration Properties of Huntingtin Aggregates Determined by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

Huntington's disease involves an abnormally expanded polyglutamine sequence in huntingtin protein (Htt-exon1) making it highly susceptible to aggregate formation. A current challenge is to map out the aggregation pathway by identifying the various precursor structures and establishing their roles in the disease. Here, we are using time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) to follow the aggregation kinetics of both wild type and pathological Htt-exon1, where we obtain snapshots of the structures formed as the kinetic reaction ensues. An advantage of neutrons for these long time-scale measurements is that they are non-damaging to the biological sample. The scattering data can be fit using a multiple Guinier-Porod empirical model to account for the presence of multiple species, and this provides quantitative information on the size and shape of the precursors and internal structure of the resulting fibrils. Importantly, both the early-formed oligomers and mature fibrils of pathological Htt-exon1 exhibit distinct structural differences compared to wild type. Neutron contrast variation affords us with the ability to also probe corresponding hydration differences. This research is providing new insights into the pathway of Htt-exon1 aggregation and should later assist in determining the role that precursors play in neuronal toxicity.
Climate adaptation strategy for natural resources released

The National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy, released on 26 March by the Obama administration, calls for a series of measures to help public and private decision makers better address the effects of climate change on living natural resources. The measures include conserving habitat to support healthy fish, wildlife, and plant populations and ecosystem functions; managing species and habitats to protect ecosystem functions and provide sustainable commercial, subsistence, recreational, and cultural use; increasing knowledge and information about effects on and responses of fish, wildlife, and plants; and reducing nonclimate stressors to help fish, wildlife, plants, and ecosystems adapt.
Novel Insights into the Genetic Controls of Primitive and Definitive Hematopoiesis from Zebrafish Models

Hematopoiesis is a dynamic process where initiation and maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells, as well as their differentiation into erythroid, myeloid and lymphoid lineages, are tightly regulated by a network of transcription factors. Understanding the genetic controls of hematopoiesis is crucial as perturbations in hematopoiesis lead to diseases such as anemia, thrombocytopenia, or cancers, including leukemias and lymphomas. Animal models, particularly conventional and conditional knockout mice, have played major roles in our understanding of the genetic controls of hematopoiesis. However, knockout mice for most of the hematopoietic transcription factors are embryonic lethal, thus precluding the analysis of their roles during the transition from embryonic to adult hematopoiesis. Zebrafish are an ideal model organism to determine the function of a gene during embryonic-to-adult transition of hematopoiesis since bloodless zebrafish embryos can develop normally into early larval stage by obtaining oxygen through diffusion. In this review, we discuss the current status of the ontogeny and regulation of hematopoiesis in zebrafish. By providing specific examples of zebrafish morphants and mutants, we have highlighted the contributions of the zebrafish model to our overall understanding of the roles of transcription factors in regulation of primitive and definitive hematopoiesis.
Rapid Detection of Cutaneous Herpes Simplex Virus Infection with the Polymerase Chain Reaction

A simple and specific method for detecting herpes simplex virus infection in routinely processed paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens is described. DNA is extracted from paraffin blocks, and subjected to DNA amplification with the polymerase chain reaction. After 40 rounds, an amplified band can be detected after agarose gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining. This band is specific for herpes simplex virus, because tissues infected with related viruses do not give this amplified band. We have been able to detect viral DNA in small punch skin biopsies with this procedure, which can take as little as 6 h.
High-aspect ratio polymeric pillar arrays formed via electrohydrodynamic patterning

This paper describes a method to increase the aspect ratio of polymeric pillar arrays formed by electrohydrodynamic instabilities. Pillar arrays form spontaneously across a narrow capacitor gap when an electric field is applied normal to a thin, fluidic film. This simple technique is appealing because of its ability to rapidly form arrays of small structures in an inexpensive manner. The columnar structures formed using this technique have low-aspect ratios, which are non-ideal for patterning applications. Theory suggests that stretching the structures post-formation is one of the only ways to increase the aspect ratio of the pillars. We developed a tool to physically stretch these structures to increase their aspect ratio from ∼0.1 to ∼0.5. The capabilities and limits of this stretching technique have been discussed.
The Effects of Performance Budgeting and Funding Programs on Graduation Rate in Public Four-Year Colleges and Universities.

This study was conducted to determine whether states with performance budgeting and funding (PBF) programs had improved institutional performance of higher education over the five years (1997 through 2001) considered in this study. First Time in College (FTIC) graduation rate was used as the measure of institutional performance. In this study, the unit of analysis is institution level and the study population is all public four-or-more-year institutions in the United States. To test PBF program effectiveness, Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) growth analysis was applied. According to the HLM analysis, the growth of graduation rates in states with PBF programs was not greater than in states without PBF programs. The lack of growth in institutional graduation rates, however, does not mean that PBF programs failed to achieve their goals. Policy-makers are advised to sustain PBF programs long enough until such programs bear their fruits or are proven ineffective.
New Photoactive Organic Semiconductors: Photoconductivity and Schottky Barrier Studies

Abstract The photoconductivity of tetrathia- and tetraselena-fulvalenes has been compared with that of squaric acid-based organic dyes, in order to assess their potential for use in photovoltaic systems. Photoconduction action spectra have been measured for single crystals of each compound and compared with photoacoustic spectra. The magnitudes of the dark resistivities and of the photocurrents of these compounds have been compared. The electron-donor compounds are promising candidates for use in photovoltaic systems, so their behavior as thin films was studied. These compounds form potential barriers when sublimed to form films on metal surfaces, although preliminary results indicate that they may not form simple Schottky barriers.
Molecular cloning and sequencing of equine interleukin 4

We have cloned equine interleukin 4 (IL-4) cDNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and primers based on the human IL-4 sequence. The cDNA was amplified from mitogen-stimulated equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The cloned PCR product shares extensive homology ith IL-4 sequences from other species.
Kinetic energy loss in sputtering

Abstract The kinetic energy lost by atoms ejected during sputtering has been investigated in a multiple-interaction molecular-dynamics simulation. A significant fraction of the sputtered atoms were found to lose more energy (through collisions during the ejection process) than that required to overcome the nominal surface barrier potential. This contradicts the formulation of collisional sputtering theory by Falcone in which sputtered atoms are recoils that preserve their kinetic energy during the ejection process.
Side Chain Oxygenated Cholesterol Regulates Cellular Cholesterol Homeostasis through Direct Sterol-Membrane Interactions

Side chain oxysterols exert cholesterol homeostatic effects by suppression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein maturation and promoting degradation of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase. To examine whether oxysterol-membrane interactions contribute to the regulation of cellular cholesterol homeostasis, we synthesized the enantiomer of 25-hydroxycholesterol. Using this unique oxysterol probe, we provide evidence that oxysterol regulation of cholesterol homeostatic responses is not mediated by enantiospecific oxysterol-protein interactions. We show that side chain oxysterols, but not steroid ring-modified oxysterols, exhibit membrane expansion behavior in phospholipid monolayers and bilayers in vitro. This behavior is non-enantiospecific and is abrogated by increasing the saturation of phospholipid acyl chain constituents. Moreover, we extend these findings into cultured cells by showing that exposure to saturated fatty acids at concentrations that lead to endoplasmic reticulum membrane phospholipid remodeling inhibits oxysterol activity. These studies implicate oxysterol-membrane interactions in acute regulation of sterol homeostatic responses and provide new insights into the mechanism through which oxysterols regulate cellular cholesterol balance.
Role of computed tomography and ultrasound in neonatal brain imaging

Neonatal brain imaging has had a tremendous impact on neonatal care with the introduction of computed tomography and ultrasound to noninvasive study of the neonatal brain. Improved obstetrical and neonatal care have saved many premature infants, resulting in an increased incidence of central nervous system hemorrhagic and hypoxic brain damage in those very-low-birthweight infants who are at greatest risk for intracranial hemorrhage. The evaluation of the neonatal brain can best be done by an understanding of the relative merits of computed tomography and ultrasound as imaging techniques. This report demonstrates the ability of each modality in specific lesions and recommends a basic approach to neonatal care based on the most likely lesion.
Beyond the technology lists: tracking advanced optics and other critical technologies

The United States and other governments have increasingly engaged in technology-specific policies toward fields like advanced optics. But the data for making such decisions wisely is not available. Product data, R&D expenditure data, patent data, citation analyses, the industrial census, and technology lists all have serious shortcomings for tracking technical fields like optics. Better information should be obtained through more rigorous data collection on R&D activities and through a series of technology forecasts.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Light-induced rod and cone cell death and regeneration in the adult albino zebrafish (Danio rerio) retina.

Light-induced photoreceptor cell degeneration has been studied in several species, but not extensively in the teleost fish. Furthermore, the continual production of rods and cones throughout the teleost's life may result in regeneration of lost rods and cones. We exposed adult albino zebrafish to 7 days of constant darkness, followed by 7 days of constant 8000 lux light, followed by 28 days of recovery in a 14-h light:10-h dark cycle. We characterized the resulting photoreceptor layer cell death and subsequent regeneration using immunohistochemistry and light microscopy. Within the first 24 h of constant light, the zebrafish retina exhibited widespread rod and cone cell apoptosis. High levels of cell proliferation within the inner nuclear layer (INL) were observed within the first 3 days of constant light, as assessed by immunodetection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and BrdU labeling. The proliferating cells within the INL were closely associated with the radial processes of Muller glia, similar to the pluripotent retinal stem cells observed during embryonic development. Using antibodies generated against the individual zebrafish opsins, we determined that rods and the green, blue, and ultraviolet cone cells were replaced within the 28 day recovery period. While both rods and cones were replaced, the well-ordered cone cell mosaic was not reestablished. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 44: 289–307, 2000
Survivors of Suicide: A Comprehensive Bibliography Update, 1986–1995:

An update of a 1985–86 Omega bibliography of the literature on survivors of suicide is presented. Following brief introductory comments, including the identification of research and therapy needs and unresolved issues, the bibliography listings are organized by the following subtopics: general references on family members and friends as suicide survivors; children, adolescents, youth, and parents as survivors; school and educational settings; parental suicide; elderly suicide survivors; mental health professionals and clinicians in training as survivors; survivors of professionals' suicides; and research on attitudes toward survivors. Published works in professional journals, books, book chapters, and doctoral dissertations on the topic of survivor-victims are included.
Complications of vascular closure devices--not yet evidence based.

The interesting publication by Dangas et al. [(1)][1]claims to compare arteriotomy closure devices with manual compression after percutaneous coronary intervention. Unfortunately, this is a comparison only in the fashion that can be ascribed to a retrospective trial with mismatched procedural
Direct voting and proxy voting

I develop a hybrid of direct democracy and representative democracy in which each citizen may vote directly on each issue, or delegate his vote on any issue to a representative (that is, a proxy) of his own choosing. I construct both an axiomatic argument for such a system and an argument based on its ability to ameliorate the information problems inherent in both direct and representative democracy. I also propose practical measures for implementation, including new variations on existing proxy system proposals. These new variations include a ‘Dodgsonesque’ procedure, a proportional agenda-setting procedure, a provision for virtual committees, and a provision for continual consideration of issues.
BREWERS VIEW DRUNK DRIVING: A CRITIQUE

A survey of top executives of the leading US and Canadian brewing companies revealed a view of the drunk driving problem that acknowledged the involvement of the brewers' product, but that attributed the blame in the situation exclusively to misuse of the product by irresponsible or sick individuals. This article offers a critique of that viewpoint from the perspective of an academic sociologist and student of traffic safety.
Studies on aminoacylase immobilized on porous ceramic carriers

Aminoacylase was covalently coupled to several porous ceramic type carriers and studied for durability under operating conditions. These studies indicate that it should be possible to develop a commercially economic system based on ceramic carriers for the resolution of racemic mixtures of amino acids.
Chemotherapy does not nullify the ability of donor lymphocyte infusions to mediate graft-versus-host reactions

Two patients with multiple myeloma in relapse after allogeneic BMT received donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) but later required chemotherapy for treatment of myeloma-related complications. In both patients, recovery from chemotherapy-induced aplasia was accompanied by manifestations of graft-versus-host reactions. The first patient developed grade II acute GVHD and a complete remission which has lasted >22 months. The second patient developed grade III acute GVHD but died with co-existing GVHD and extensive extramedullary myeloma. These results demonstrate that chemotherapy does not nullify the ability of donor lymphocytes to mediate graft-versus-host reactions.
The Paxos Register

We introduce the Paxos register to simplify and unify the presentation of Paxos-style consensus protocols. We use our register to show how Lamport's Classic Paxos and Castro and Liskov's Byzantine Paxos are the same consensus protocol, but for different failure models. We also use our register to compare and contrast Byzantine Paxos with Martin and Alvisi's fast Byzantine consensus. The Paxos register is a write-once register that exposes two important abstractions for reaching consensus: (i) read and write operations that capture how processes in Paxos protocols propose and decide values and (ii) tokens that capture how these protocols guarantee agreement despite partial failures. We encapsulate the differences of several Paxos-style protocols in the implementation details of these abstractions.
Smart sensors and small robots

Robots are machines that sense, think, act and (more recently) communicate. Sensing, thinking, and communicating have all been greatly miniaturized as a consequence of continuous progress in integrated circuit design and manufacturing technology. More recent progress in MEMS now holds out promise for comparable miniaturization of the heretofore-retarded third member of the sense-think-act-communicate quartet. More speculatively, initial experiments toward microbiological approaches to robotics suggest possibilities for even further miniaturization, perhaps eventually extending down to the molecular level. Alongside smart sensing for robots, with miniaturization of the electromechanical components, i.e., the machinery of robotic manipulation and mobility, we quite naturally acquire the capability of smart sensing by robots. This paper summarizes the state-of-the-art, particularly both respect to the role of and the requirements for sensing. Three main cases are described: (1) the robot's mission is to carry sensors; (2) environmental sensing is required for the robot to accomplish its mission; and (3) proprioception, i.e., sensing for robot self-awareness.
Early Growth Patterns Associated with Cardiovascular Disease

Clearly, the development of cardiovascular disease in adulthood is influenced by growth very early in life, even prior to birth. Substantial evidence indicates that impaired fetal growth and subsequent low birth weight are associated with adult cardiovascular disease and related mortality, and there is emerging evidence that elevated birth weight has similar associations. Patterns of rapid and slow infant growth are each associated with multiple cardiovascular disease processes, and rapid growth during childhood is also predictive of adult cardiovascular disease. Additionally, early adiposity rebound is linked to obesity and diabetes mellitus later in life.
P32 Saliva incubation as replacement for intra‐oral malodour evaluation

Background Breath odor is scored by different techniques, each with its own shortcomings. Organoleptic ratings are uncomfortable for the patient, subjective, influenced by external parameters including food and cosmetics, and lack of international calibration. An intra-oral VSC rating (Halimeter) or gas chromatography can overcome the embarrassing situation for the patient, but not every clinician has this equipment. This project evaluated the reliability of saliva incubation as an indirect, in vitro, test for bad breath. Methods In a double-blind, randomized, long-term, parallel study 45 moderate periodontitis patients that received a ‘one-stage, full-mouth’ disinfection, oral hygiene instruction (including tongue scraping) and antiseptics. The intra-oral VSC ratings (at baseline, and at 3 and 6 months) were compared to in vitro VSC recordings of the headspace air from saliva (0.5 ml, 37°C, 1 and 2 h, anaerobic chamber). The latter recordings were further correlated to the number of CFU in the saliva. At the same time the headspace also received an organoleptic rating. Results Even though the VSC values remained within a narrow range (90% observation 10–200), a strong correlation was found between the intra-oral VSC ratings and the 1 h (r = 0.48, P < 0.0001) and 2 h (r = 0.43, P < 0.0001) VSC production of saliva. The VSC values of incubated saliva correlated strongly (r = 0.71) with the CFU for anaerobic species in the saliva. The VSC values and organoleptic ratings of the incubated saliva also correlated strongly (r = 0.64 after 1 h and 0.73 after 2 h incubation). Conclusions Saliva incubation can be used as an indirect way to score bad breath. Due to its simplicity it can be useful in longitudinal studies as alternative for direct organoleptic recordings.
Communicative Pre‐Reading Activities: Schema Theory in Action

Chedru, F., and N. Gerschwind. 1972. Writing disturbances in acute confusional states. Neuropsychologia 10:343-353. Oiler, John W., and Seid M. Ziahosseiny. 1970. The constrastive analysis hypothesis and spelling errors. Language Learning 20(2):183-189. Wing, Alan M., and Alan D. Baddeley. 1980. Spelling errors in handwriting. In Cognitive processes in spelling, Uta Frith (Ed.), 251-286. London: Academic Press.
Considerations on modelling the market for softwood lumber in the United States

The analysis in this paper looks at two important elements in modelling the market for timber in the United States. First, the issue of directional causality between price and quantity and its implications in a modelling effort is investigated. Second, the extent of the geographic market for timber is discussed and a method of detecting it is suggested. The method for detecting the extent of the geographical market is tractable and can be applied in a straightforward way. Both considerations are applied to the softwood lumber market in the United States.
Induction of Tetraploid Derivatives of Maize Inbred Lines by Nitrous Oxide Gas Treatment

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a model organism for various genetic and physiological studies. Induction of autotetraploid lines from elite inbred lines is valuable for investigating gene dosage effects on the molecular level. We applied nitrous oxide gas at the time of fertilization (30–36 h after pollination) for 20 h on maize inbred line Oh43. The nitrous oxide gas treatment between pressures of 600–1000 kPa proved to be effective in inducing tetraploids. The treatment also significantly increased the rates of germless and shriveled kernels. Twelve inbred lines were treated with nitrous oxide gas for 20 h at either 800 or 900 kPa pressures,30 or36 hafterpollination. Althoughtetraploidor tetraploid classaneuploidplantsfrom 9of 12inbredstestedwere successfully generated, only six genotypes produced progenies. The successful tetraploid inbred lines were from the A188, B73, H99, Oh43, Stock 6, and W22 genetic backgrounds. Aneuploids, plants with broken chromosomes and chimeras, were also found among the treated materials.