cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alcohol and tobacco use among South Korean adolescents: An ecological review of the literature

Abstract This article represents a comprehensive review of the literature on the predictors, consequences and prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use among South Korean youth. A systematic review of the literature in Korean and English social science journals was undertaken. Findings suggest that processes at multiple levels may lead to problems with alcohol and tobacco among these youth. In particular, the literature suggests that risk factors at the socio-demographic (age, gender, and depression), micro- (family, peer, and teachers), meso- (relations between home and school), exo- (parent-related life events and media), macro- (parenting practices and academic stress), and chrono-systems levels (Asia-Pacific financial crisis in 1997) are associated with increased alcohol and tobacco use. Higher quality of relationships with parents, peers, and teacher can contribute to reductions in alcohol and tobacco use and may offer insights for developing prevention and treatment programs that are appropriate for this population.
Genetic disorders of the elastic fiber system

Over the last decade, a considerable amount of new information has emerged describing the protein components of elastic fibers. It is now evident that elastic fibers are complex extracellular matrix polymers, composed of at least 19 different proteins that comprise both the microfibrillar and the amorphous components of elastic fibers. Mutations in three of the genes encoding the most abundant of these elastic fiber proteins result in a broad spectrum of elastic tissue phenotypes, ranging from skeletal and skin abnormalities to vascular and ocular defects. The following disorders will be discussed in this review: supravalvular aortic stenosis; Williams-Beuren syndrome; cutis laxa; Marfan syndrome; ectopia lentis; familial thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections; MASS syndrome; isolated skeletal features of Marfan syndrome; Shprintzen-Goldberg syndrome; and congenital contractural arachnodactyly.
X-Ray diffraction of oriented amylose fibers. I. Amylose dimethyl sulfoxide complex

The amylose–dimethyl sulfoxide complex has been investigated with the aid of x-ray diagrams of oriented fibers. The amylose occurs in a six-residue helix with alternate “up” and “down” chains packed in a square array, that is, pseudo-tetragonal. A unit cell is proposed with a = b = 19.21 A. and c = 8.12 A.
Optimal Control Problems in Binocular Vision

Abstract Human eye movement can be looked at, as a rotational dynamics on the space SO(3) with constraints that have to do with the axis of rotation. A typical eye movement can be decomposed into two components, that go by the name 'version' and 'vergence'. The version component produces identical eye movement in both the eyes, and is used to follow a target located far away by taking the general direction of the target. In order to focus on a closer target, the eyes rotate in opposite directions, using the vergence component. A typical eye movement can be regarded as a concatenation of version followed by vergence. These two eye movements are modeled in this paper assuming that the eyes are perfect spheres with their mass distributed uniformly and that the eyes rotate about their own centers. An optimal control problem is considered where the goal is to rotate an eye pair from an initial 'parallel gaze direction' to a final 'gaze focusing on a target'. The eye pairs are to be actuated optimally using an external torque vector of minimum energy.
Specific Surface Determination of Expansible Layer Silicates.

The vacuum-oven technique for quantitative sorption of a glycerol duointerlayer by montmorillonite at 35°C is adapted to 130°C to obtain a mono-inter-layer of glycerol, glycerol vapor relative pressure being controlled by temperature differential. Values obtained for montmorillonite agree closely with theoretical values based on liquid glycerol density, while vermiculite retains a mono-interlayer of somewhat less than liquid glycerol density.
Chromium Research from a Distance: From 1959 to 1980

More than 50 years of work have led to the recognition of trivalent chromium as an essential element. Shortly after its identification as an essential element in 1959, its interaction with insulin in vitro and in vivo was established, and the site of action identified as the insulin-sensitive cell membrane. Despite other early clinical successes with chromium supplementation, four major problems have influenced the rate of progress since then: 1) chromium analysis; 2) interaction of chromium with other dietary factors; 3) diagnosis of chromium status; and 4) other controversies, such as the carcinogenic potential of chromium (since disproved) and the lack of an effect on glucose tolerance even in chromium deficient organisms (now explained). These controversies have mostly dissipated as new knowledge integrated seemingly irreconcilable facts and opinions. It is now known that chromium may potentiate the action of insulin either by an effect on insulin dependent functions, or by maintaining these functions...
Personalized, interactive news on the Web

We present Krakatoa Chronicle, an interactive, personalized newspaper on the World Wide Web implemented as a Java applet. The newspaper is similar in appearance to newspapers in the real world, with a multicolumn layout and justified text. At the same time, it provides various interaction techniques for browsing the content of articles, giving relevance feedback, and dynamically changing layout. As users interact with the system, individual 'user profiles' are built up at the webserver site. These are used to tailor the newspaper's content and layout to each user's declared and inferred preferences. The system allows for a balancing of personal and community interests, allowing the user to navigate through a space of newspapers corresponding to a range of viewpoints.
Reward systems and food intake: role of opioids

Humans eat for many reasons, including the rewarding qualities of foods. A host of neurotransmitters have been shown to influence eating behavior and some of these appear to be involved in reward-induced eating. Endogenous opioid peptides and their receptors were first reported more than 30 years ago, and studies suggesting a role of opioids in the regulation of food intake date back nearly as far. Opioid agonists and antagonists have corresponding stimulatory and inhibitory effects on feeding. In addition to studies aimed at identifying the relevant receptor subtypes and sites of action within the brain, there has been a continuing interest in the role of opioids on diet/taste preferences, food reward, and the overlap of food reward with others types of reward. Data exist that suggest a role for opioids in the control of appetite for specific macronutrients, but there is also evidence for their role in the stimulation of intake based on already-existing diet or taste preferences and in controlling intake motivated by hedonics rather than by energy needs. Finally, various types of studies indicate an overlap between mechanisms mediating drug reward and palatable food reward. Preference or consumption of sweet substances often parallels the self-administration of several drugs of abuse, and under certain conditions, the termination of intermittent access to sweet substances produces symptoms that resemble those observed during opiate withdrawal. The overconsumption of readily available and highly palatable foods likely contributes to the growing rates of obesity worldwide. An understanding of the role of opioids in mediating food reward and promoting the overconsumption of palatable foods may provide insights into new approaches for preventing obesity.
High-speed, high-resolution monolithic capillary LC-MALDI MS using an off-line continuous deposition interface for proteomic analysis.

High-speed, high-resolution LC separations, using a poly(styrene−divinylbenzene) monolithic column, have been coupled to MALDI MS and MS/MS through an off-line continuous deposition interface. The LC eluent was mixed with α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid matrix solution and deposited on a MALDI plate that had been precoated with nitrocellulose. Deposition at subatmospheric pressure (80 Torr) formed a 250-μm-wide serpentine trace with uniform width and microcrystalline morphology. The deposited trace was then analyzed in the MS mode using a MALDI-TOF/TOF MS instrument. Continuous deposition allowed interrogation of the separation with a high data sampling rate in the chromatographic dimensions, thus preserving the high resolution of narrow peaks (3−5-s peak width at half-height) of the fast monolithic LC. No extracolumn band broadening due to the deposition process was observed. Over 2000 components were resolved in a 10-min linear gradient separation of the model sample, and 386 unique peptides were identif...
The human calvaria: a review of embryology, anatomy, pathology, and molecular development

The human skull is a complex structure that deserves continued study. Few studies have directed their attention to the development, pathology, and molecular formation of the human calvaria. A review of the medical literature using standard search engines was performed to locate studies regarding the human calvaria. The formation of the human calvaria is a complex interaction between bony and meningeal elements. Derailment of these interactions may result in deformation of this part of the skull. Knowledge of the anatomy, formation, and pathology of the human calvaria will be of use to the clinician that treats skull diseases. With an increased understanding of genetic and molecular biology, treatment paradigms for calvarial issues may change.
Development of Cloned Embryos from Adult Rabbit Fibroblasts: Effect of Activation Treatment and Donor Cell Preparation

This research was to study the in vitro and in vivo development of cloned embryos derived from adult rabbit fibroblasts following various activation protocols. Effects of serum starvation and passage number of donor cells on the efficiency of cloning were also examined. In experiment I, oocytes were activated either by electric pulses or by electric pulses followed by culture with 6-dimethylaminopurin (DMAP). For experiment II, the best activation protocol from experiment I was employed for cloning using adult rabbit fibroblasts that were cultured for 0-15 passages. In experiment III, the effect of serum starvation of the donor cells on cloning was examined. Finally, in experiment IV, embryo transfers were conducted. These experiments showed that combined electrical pulse and DMAP treatment resulted in superior parthenogenetic blastocyst development (up to 29%), and that activation of the cytoplast before versus after fusion was not different in supporting the in vitro development of nuclear transferred embryos (16%-18% blastocysts). Adult fibroblasts derived from nonpassaged cells were less capable of developing into blastocysts than passaged cells (6% vs. 17%). Serum starvation of donor cells improved cleavage (up to 71%) but did not improve blastocyst development (13%), and no progeny was obtained, irrespective of the treatment. Cell-cycle analysis of adult rabbit fibroblast cells showed that passage 6 and 12 cells were more likely to be in G(0)/G(1) than passage 0 cells, which agrees with the improved embryo development in the passaged-cell groups.
The β‐glucoside system of Escherichia coli III. Properties of A P–HPr: β‐Glucoside phosphotransferase extracted from membranes with detergent

A P-HPr:β-glucoside phosphotransferase (enzyme IIbgl)1 has been extracted from membranes of a β-glucoside fermenting strain of Escherichia coli K 12 using the nonionic detergent Triton X–100. The extracted enzyme was rendered virtually free of both lipid and detergent by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. At this stage, the partially purified enzyme had negligible activity, but activity was restored effectively by the addition of (1) nonionic detergents of the Tween or Triton series and (2) crude E. coli phospholipids or an anionic lipid enriched fraction, but not phosphatidylethanolamine. Detergent activators were most effective at or near the critical micelle concentration, but were inhibitory when added at concentrations above the critical micelle concentration. In order to obtain maximal initial rates of phosphotransferase activity, it was necessary to incubate the extracted, partially purified enzyme with detergent activator and HPr prior to the addition of the other assay system components. High detergent concentration inhibited the initial rate of phosphorylation by interfering with an essential step (or steps) that occur during this preliminary incubation. The activation occuring during the preliminary incubation was also highly temperature dependent; a precipitous decrease in activation was detected below 16° when Tween 40 was employed as the detergent activator. Phosphorylation mediated by the membrane associated form of the phosphotransferase was not influenced by the physical state of the lipid components of the membrane. This is in marked contrast to the properties of the phosphorylation reaction mediated by the phosphotransferase in intact cells.
A Diffusion Model Analysis of the Effects of Aging in the Lexical-Decision Task

The effects of aging on response time (RT) are examined in 2 lexical-decision experiments with young and older subjects (age 60-75). The results show that the older subjects were slower than the young subjects, but more accurate. R. Ratcliff s (1978) diffusion model provided a good account of RTs, their distributions, and response accuracy. The fits show an 80-100-ms slowing of the nondecision components of RT for older subjects relative to young subjects and more conservative decision criterion settings for older subjects than for young subjects. The rates of accumulation of evidence were not significantly different for older compared with young subjects (less than 2% and 5% higher for older subjects relative to young subjects in the 2 experiments).
Recent advances in serotonin research II: Polymerase chain reaction to positron emission tomography

Abstract This issue contains the method-oriented papers from an interdisciplinary conference held at the Serotonin Club meeting in New Orleans. The techniques are described in detail with attention given to making the ‘tricks-of-the-trade’ known to the reader. This short review compares these methods to those presented at the first ‘Advances in Serotonin Research’ meeting in Los Angeles in 1981. The emerging dominance of molecular biology and pharmacology in serotonin research is reflected by this collection of papers. The strong interdisciplinary nature of these new methods, their greater sensitivity and selectivity and their application to human material makes the distance between polymerase chain reaction and positron emission tomography appear trivial.
Nodal is a novel TGF-β-like gene expressed in the mouse node during gastrulation

DURING gastrulation, the three germ layers of the embryo are formed and organized along the anterior-posterior body axis. In the mouse, gastrulation involves the delamination of ectodermal cells through the primitive streak and their differentiation into mesoderm1. These processes do not occur in embryos homozygous for a retrovirally induced recessive prenatal lethal mutation, the strain 413-d insertional mutation23. Instead of giving rise to mesoderm, embryonic ectoderm in 413-d mutants overproliferates and then rapidly degenerates, although extraembrysonic lineages remain viable2. Here we isolate a candidate for the mutated gene which encodes a new member of the transforming growth factor-p (TGF-p) superfamily4. Expression is first detected in primitive streak-stage embryos at about the time of mesoderm formation. It then becomes highly localized in the node at the anterior of the primitive streak. This region is analogous to chick Hensen's node and Xenopus dorsal lip (Spemann's organizer), which can induce secondary body axes when grafted into host embryos (reviewed in refs 5 and 6). Our findings suggest that this gene, named nodal, encodes a signalling molecule essential for mesoderm formation and subsequent organization of axial structures in early mouse development.
THE NUCLEI AND PARASEXUALITY IN PHYMATOTRICHUM OMNIVORUM

four. Diffuse nuclei, each containing many very small dark-staining bodies, are also common in the mycelium. As the "spore mat" matures vesicles are extruded through the walls of its conidiophores and hyphae. One, two, or rarely three nuclei migrate into each enlarging vesicle to form conidia. Almost all the nuclei migrate progressively from the hyphae into the conidiophores and theninto the conidia. The nuclei of the ungerminated strands and sclerotia are dark-staining spheres and ovals, although a few are similar to those mycelial nuclei which have evident chromosomes. As the sclerotia germinate, nuclei of the latter appearance becorme common in the pseudoparenchymatous cells, align in a row, and apparently reduce in size. Hyphae form in the pseudoparenchymatous cells and contain nuclei similar to those of the vegetative mycelium. The hyphae of the sclerotiurm form a mycelium. The nuclei of the various stages of the life cycle were stained by one to three procedures (Feulgen, aceto-orcein, and haematoxylin). Treatment of some sections of myceliurn with deoxyribonuclease prior to staining by Feulgen technique resulted in the absence of staining or observable nuclei, while similar treatment with ribonuclease had no effect on the appearance of the nuclei.
The Qajar era in the mirror of time

WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE (1937-4 1, THAT IS THE SECOND DECADE OF THE Pahlavi era), the study of Qajar history was far less fashionable than that of earlier periods of Persian history. The earlier periods were thought of as the time frames for the political, military, or cultural achievements that one could feel good about, or else the temporal receptacles of calamities and defeats one could lament. The Qajar period, however, was not distant enough to command "historical" respectability. As might be expected in the aftermath of a fallen dynasty, the names of the Qajar kings were too much tainted by allegations of backwardness, ineptitude, corruption, and abuse of royal power to inspire sufflcient interest. Social sciences had not yet made adequate headway in Persia to encourage the recording and analysis of contemporary events. Pioneers in researching Qajar history, like Abbas Eqbal, were few, and those who occupied themselves with it focused mainly on selected events of particular import, such as Persian defeats in the Perso-Russian wars, the reforms of Amir Kabir and his execution, Anglo-Russian intervention in Persian affairs, the Tobacco Regie and the Constitutional movement. The study of Qajar society, its ethos, its economy and fiscal infrastructure, and its social and administrative schemes, did not seem dramatic enough to attract attention. In the West, however, the Qajar period coincided with the high point of European imperial expansion and the study of "the Persian question," as Lord Curzon put it, was part of the ongoing colonial agenda and the "Great Game" played primarily by Britain and Russia over the future of Central Asia and Afghanistan in relation to India, "the jewel in the crown." It gave rise to a number of works on Persian contemporary conditions. The nineteenth century was also the heyday of European, particularly German, philological interest in the East, and the study of the languages, religions, arts, and history of Persia led also to descriptive works on the contemporary conditions of the land and its topography. In Great Britain alone, numerous works-from Sir John Malcolm's pioneering The History of Persia (1815, revised ed. 1829) to James Morier's two travelogues: A Journey through Persia, Armenia and Asia Minor. . . in the Years 1808 and 1809 (1812) and A Second Journey through Persia, Armenia ... 1810-16 (1818) to his trenchant satire of Persian mores in the nineteenth-century Persia, The Adventures of Hajii Baba of Isphahan in three volumes (1824-28) to
Probing the Tetrahymena Group I Ribozyme Reaction in Both Directions

The Tetrahymena L-21 ScaI ribozyme derived from the self-splicing group I intron catalyzes a reversible reaction analogous to the first step of self-splicing: CCCUCUA (S) + (UC)G h CCCUCU (P) + (UC)GA. To relate our understanding of the ribozyme to the self-splicing reaction and to further the mechanistic dissection of the ribozyme reaction, we have established a quantitative kinetic and thermodynamic framework for the forward and reverse reaction of the L-21 ScaI ribozyme under identical conditions. Examination of the framework shows that binding of products is cooperative with binding enhanced 5-fold, as was observed previously for binding of the substrates. Further, binding of UCGA is 12-fold weaker than binding of the unphosphorylated UCG, analogous to the 20-fold weaker binding of phosphorylated S relative to P; the molecular interactions underlying the stronger binding of UCG were traced to the 3'-hydroxyl group of UCG. The symmetrical effects on binding of substrates and products result in the equilibrium between ribozyme-bound species, Kint, that is essentially unperturbed from the solution equilibrium, Kext (Kint ) (E‚P‚UCGA)/(E‚S‚UCG) ) 4.6 and Kext ) (P)(UCGA)/(S)(UCG) ) 1.9). Last, we show that the pKa values of the nucleophiles in the forward and reverse reactions are g10. This observation suggests that metal ion activation of the nucleophile and stabilization of the leaving group can only account for a portion of the rate enhancement of this ribozyme. These and prior results suggest that the Tetrahymena group I ribozyme, analogous to protein enzymes, uses multiple catalytic strategies to achieve its large rate enhancement.
The influence of symmetric internal loops on the flexibility of RNA.

Abstract Internal loops are structural elements, often highly conserved, that are found in many RNA molecules of biological importance. They consist of short stretches of sequence in which the bases in one strand are not able to form canonical pairs with bases in the other strand, and are bounded on either side by helical RNA. In an effort to examine the influence of internal loops on the relative angular orientations of the flanking helices, we have quantified the apparent bend angles for symmetric internal loops of the form A n -A n and U n -U n ( n =2, 4, and 6), located at the center of 150 to 154 bp RNA molecules, using the method of transient electric birefringence. This hydrodynamic method exploits the extreme sensitivity of the rate of rotational reorientation of the RNA molecules to the presence and magnitude of internal bends and/or points of increased flexibility. The birefringence decay behavior of the loop-containing RNA molecules was found to be much less strongly influenced by the presence of symmetric internal loops than by bulges of the same sequence and size. This general observation is mirrored by the electrophoretic behaviour of the loop- containing molecules, which are much less strongly retarded on polyacrylamide gels than are corresponding, bulge-containing RNA molecules. The apparent bend angles for the symmetric loops range from ∽20° to 40° as n is increased from 2 to 6, with a marginal shift to smaller angles in the presence of Mg 2+ |1ru|. The apparent angles were similar when represented either as fixed bends of the specified angles (static representation), or as points of increased flexibility of specified root-mean-square angle (dynamic representation). For the latter representation, the corresponding angular dispersion would correspond to a loop persistence length of ∽|60 to 150 A, compared to 700 A for duplex RNA, and depending slightly on sequence and buffer conditions.
Thickness of Sedimentary Section in Appalachian Basin: ABSTRACT

Nine parallel aeromagnetic traverses were flown by the U. S. Geological Survey across the southern Appalachian Mountains and the plateau regions to the west. These traverses are at right angles to the prevailing structural trend and form a strip approximately 20 miles wide and 250 miles long, extending from the Blue Ridge, just north of Asheville, North Carolina, to the Ohio River at Louisville, Kentucky. There is a pronounced northeast linearity in the trends of the individual magnetic anomalies and the larger magnetic units which parallels the regional tectonic trends of the Appalachian Mountains. The anomaly pattern implies several sharp contrasts in magnetic expression of the crystalline basement rocks. The dominant feature on the profiles is a group of exceptionally large anomalies which delineate a block of strongly magnetic rock, approximately 100 miles in width, underlying the Appalachian Plateau. Available gravity data along this same strip, although sparse, show a marked resemblance to the over-all magnetic pattern. A positive Bouguer anomaly of about 30 milligals coincides with the group of large magnetic anomalies. It is concluded that these magnetic and gravity anomalies a e produced by a large mass of predominantly mafic igneous rock underlying the Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the Appalachian Plateau. Estimates of depth to magnetic rock have been made from many individual magnetic anomalies. These magnetic rocks presumably are part of the Precambrian complex underlying the Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. The depths obtained were generally consistent and indicate that in the Appalachian Plateau there are 8,000-10,000 feet of sedimentary rock and the basement surface is 7,000-9,000 feet below sea level. These thicknesses are less than those predicted from stratigraphic considerations but are supported by data from recently drilled wells which reached basement. One well in Leslie County, Kentucky, entered granite 9,412 feet below the surface or 8,233 feet below sea level. The depth analyses of magnetic anomalies in the Valley and Ridge province indicate that the Paleozoic section End_Page 1251------------------------------ thickens to the southeast, although not as much as expected. The average thickness in the Valley and Ridge province is about 17,000 feet and the greatest thicknesses are in the southern part, indicating that the basement surface plunges in that direction. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1252------------
The Relationship Between Early Drinking Contexts of Women “Coming Out” as Lesbian and Current Alcohol Use

Several decades of research show that lesbians are at risk for hazardous drinking. Compared with heterosexual women, lesbians are less likely to abstain from drinking, less likely to decrease their alcohol consumption as they age, and more likely to report alcohol-related problems. Stress associated with lesbian identity and reliance on lesbian or gay bars for socialization and support are frequently posited--but largely untested--explanations for lesbians' heightened risk. Results from general population studies indicate that patterns of alcohol use established early in the life-course or during life transitions influence later alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Further, heavy-drinking peers, availability of alcohol, and drinking in particular social contexts--such as at bars and parties--are believed to contribute to heavier drinking and to alcohol-related problems. To better understand lesbians' risks for hazardous drinking, we examined relationships between retrospective accounts of drinking patterns and drinking contexts in the early stages of lesbian identity development and current drinking outcomes in a large sample of adult lesbians. Findings suggest that early drinking patterns and drinking contexts influence later alcohol use and have important implications for risk reduction and prevention among lesbians.
Side-chain lactam-bridge conformational constraints differentiate the activities of salmon and human calcitonins and reveal a new design concept for potent calcitonin analogues

We have recently reported the potent hypocalcemic effects of side-chain lactam-bridged analogues of human calcitonin (hCT) (Kapurniotu, A.; et al. Eur. J. Biochem. 1999, 265, 606−618). To extend these studies, we have now synthesized a new series of (Asp17, Lys21) and (Asp17, Orn21) side-chain bridged salmon calcitonin (sCT) and hCT analogues. The affinities of these analogues for the human calcitonin receptor, hCTRI1-, and for rat-brain membrane receptors were assayed in competitive binding assays, and agonist potencies at the hCTRI1- receptors were assessed, using a cAMP-responsive gene-reporter assay. The bridged sCT analogues had activities similar to sCT itself. In contrast, an (Asp17, Orn21) side-chain bridged hCT analogue, cyclo(17−21)-[Nle8, Phe12, Asp17, Orn,21 Tyr22)-hCT, was 80 and 450 times more active than hCT in the hCTRI1- and rat-brain receptor binding assays, respectively, and was 90 times more potent than hCT and 16 times more potent than sCT in initiating receptor signaling. An uncycliz...
Chlordiazepoxide and phenobarbital in a model anxiety-inducing situation.

Abstract The study reported here is one of several in which we evaluated the effects of benzodiazepine tranquilizer on persons in an anxiety-inducing situation—outpatient dentistry. The study had three purposes: (1) to see whether a benzodiazepine tranquilizer, chlordiazepoxide, would reduce anxiety in patients undergoing a standard dental procedure; (2) to see whether the anxiety reduction would be greater in patients predicted to be highly anxious during dental procedures as contrasted with those predicted to be minimally anxious; (3) to compare chlordiazepoxide and phenobarbital on criteria of anxiety reduction and the presence of side effects such as sedation. Our previous studies using diazepam in highly anxious dental patients suggested that it was somewhat more effective than placebo, but not greatly so.1 In the present study we added a group of patients who were not particularly anxious about dentistry, predicting that they would have essentially no antianxiety response to the medication. The design of this study was to choose 6 patients scoring high on fear of dental procedures and 6 scoring low. They were given chlordiazepoxide, phenobarbital, or placebo in a three-session repeated-measures design. The design therefore consisted of two levels of patient dental fear and three medications.
Nonlinear Analysis of Unsymmetrical Composite Laminates using the Large Deflection First-Order Shear Deformation Theory with Arbitrary Angle of Orientation

The nonlinear structural behavior of unsymmetrical laminated beams in cylindrical bending is studied using the large deflection theory along with the first-order shear deformation theory. The nonlinear governing equations are obtained by using the von Karman geometrical nonlinearity. These equations are derived for arbitrary angle of orientation. The general solution are obtained and then solved for different boundary conditions. The solution for cross-ply laminates was compared with previously published results.
Brain Limbic System Based Robust Control for Lane Change Maneuver

This paper presents the application of a novel intelligent control strategy for lane change maneuvers in highway environment. The lateral dynamics of a vehicle with and without wind disturbance are derived and utilized to implement a neuromophic controller based on the brain limbic system. To show the robustness of the proposed controller, several disturbance conditions including wind, uncertainty in the cornering stiffness, and changes in the vehicle mass, are investigated. To demonstrate the performance of the suggested strategy, the simulation results of the proposed method were compared with the human driver model based control scheme, which has been discussed in the literature. The simulation results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed controller in energy efficiency, driving comfort, and robustness.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Affect Enhancement in the Pseudorecognition Task

This study tested affective enhancement of Turkish-like words, as a function of frequency of exposure to those words. Forty-one male undergraduate subjects were exposed to 6 Turkish-like words, using a Tachistiscopic projector, either)4,8, or 16 times during a training phase. It was emphasized that all words would be seen 20 times in combined training and "sub-threshold" recognition trials. A mixed ANOVA revealed a positive relationship between frequency of exposure during training and affective value. Affective enhancement may be an alternative explanation for social facilitation findings using the pseudorecognition task when, in high arousal situations, subjects prefer liked stimuli to minimize further increments in arousal or to reduce response competition.
The manipulation of zein genes to improve the nutritional value of corn

Abstract The zein genes from corn (maize) were among the first plant genes to be isolated by recombinant DNA techniques. They encode a set of proteins which are of agricultural importance. Over 2 billion bushels of corn are fed to poultry and pigs each year in the USA alone. However the nutritional balance of corn is not ideal and thus farmers must buy expensive feed supplements. By changing the composition of zein proteins, genetic engineers might produce savings of many million dollars a year.
Converged broadband optical and wireless communication infrastructure for next-generation telehealth

Emerging Telehealth and Telemedicine systems need to deliver affordable high-quality health care services by utilizing telecommunication and multimedia technologies in conjunction with medical expertise. In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a telecommunication and networking architecture for implementing next generation Telemedicine and Telehealth systems. Our integrated optical-wireless based network provides super broadband, ultra low-latency connectivity for voice, video, image and data across various telemedicine modalities to facilitate real-time and near real-time communication of remote health care information.
Intrasellar abscess following pituitary surgery

Purpose Intrasellar abscess is an uncommon cause of mass lesions in the sella turcica. Few cases have been reported in the literature, and much remains unknown about the etiology and diagnosis of these lesions. We sought to review a series of patients with intrasellar abscess encountered at our institution and identify defining characteristics of their presentation and management.
Pure Perception And Equanimity Of Heart

What follows are excerpts from Awakening through Love: Unveiling Your Deepest Goodness (Wisdom Publications, August 2007). In the book, Tibetan Buddhist meditations are adapted to make them accessible to people of all backgrounds and faiths. The book is intended for those interested not just in reading about Buddhist ideas but also in using the meditations to explore how Buddhists understand pure perception and experience unconditional love, compassion, and wisdom. Readers of all faiths are encouraged to see how their experience of these meditations might shed light on their own spiritual lives.
Treatment of Arrhythmias in Myocardial Infarction

More than 90% of the patients with acute myocardial infarction experience some type of arrhythmia. Premature venticular systoles occur most often, and lidocaine is preferred for initial drug therapy. For symptomatic ventricular tachycardia and for ventricular flutter or fibrillation, immediate direct current cardioversion is mandatory. The most important therapeutic aspect of supraventricular arrhythmias is control of the ventricular rate. Rapid rates must be slowed by atrial pacing, direct current cardioversion, or the administration of digitalis. Bradycardias may lead to ectopic beating and should be treated with atropine sulfate, isoproterenol hydrochloride, and artificial pacing if necessary. In patients with atrioventricular (AV) block, the differentiation between Mobitz type 1 and Mobitz type 2 is essential since the latter frequently requires transvenous pacing while the former resolves spontaneously and the problems associated with temporary transvenous pacing may be avoided.
Identifying ambiguous prostate gland contours from histology using capsule shape information and least squares curve fitting

To obtain an accurate assessment of the percentage and depth of extra-capsular soft tissue removed with the prostate by the various surgical techniques in order to help surgeons in determining the appropriateness of different surgical approaches. This can be enhanced by an accurate and automated means of identifying the prostate gland contour. To facilitate 3D reconstruction and, ultimately, more accurate analyses, it is essential for us to identify the capsule boundary that separates the prostate gland tissue from its extra-capsular tissue. However, the capsule is sometimes unrecognizable due to the naturally occurring intrusion of muscle and connective tissue into the prostate gland. At these regions where the capsule disappears, its contour can be arbitrarily created with a continuing contour line based on the natural shape of the prostate. We utilize an algorithm based on a least squares curve fitting technique that uses a prostate shape equation to merge previously detected capsule parts with the shape equation to produce an approximated curve that represents the prostate capsule. We have tested our algorithm using three different shapes on 13 histologic prostate slices that are cut at different locations from the apex. The best result shows a 90% average contour match when compared to pathologist-drawn contours. We believe that automatically identifying histologic prostate contours will lead to increased objective analyses of surgical margins and extracapsular spread of cancer. Our results show that this is achievable.
EFFECT OF GLUCOSE INFUSION ON THE INDIVIDUAL PLASMA FREE AMINO ACIDS IN MAN.

SummaryGlucose, with and without exogenous insulin, was infused into normal males under conditions which produced a submaximal fall in total plasma FAA concentrations. Analysis of the individual free plasma amino acids revealed a significant decrease in the following essential amino acids; leucine, valine, threonine, isoleucine, phenyl-alanine and tyrosine. This effect is enhanced by the presence of exogenous insulin.
Review of current research activities in optimization of smart structures and actuators

Much of the recent and past work in the area of smart materials and structures has focused on analysis of actuators and actively controlled systems. Although many sophisticated analysis models have been developed, they are often coupled with ad-hoc design methods or informal optimization procedures. A subset of the work done by the smart structures community has focused on development of formal design methodologies and optimization methods specifically for smart actuators and structures. The objective of this paper is to review the current work in development of design methodologies and application of formal optimization methods to the design of smart structures and actuators. In a related paper, optimization strategies for sensor and actuator placement were reviewed by a researcher at NASA Langley in 1999. The current paper reviews the recent work done in this area since 1999, in addition to optimization strategies for topology design of actuators, actively controlled structures, and drive electronics design. The main focus is on piezoelectric ceramic actuators, but relevant work in shape memory alloys and magnetostrictive actuation are included as well. Future directions for research in optimization are also recommended.
Wound healing essentials: Let there be oxygen

The state of wound oxygenation is a key determinant of healing outcomes. From a diagnostic standpoint, measurements of wound oxygenation are commonly used to guide treatment planning such as amputation decision. In preventive applications, optimizing wound perfusion and providing supplemental O2 in the perioperative period reduces the incidence of postoperative infections. Correction of wound pO2 may, by itself, trigger some healing responses. Importantly, approaches to correct wound pO2 favorably influence outcomes of other therapies such as responsiveness to growth factors and acceptance of grafts. Chronic ischemic wounds are essentially hypoxic. Primarily based on the tumor literature, hypoxia is generally viewed as being angiogenic. This is true with the condition that hypoxia be acute and mild to modest in magnitude. Extreme near-anoxic hypoxia, as commonly noted in problem wounds, is not compatible with tissue repair. Adequate wound tissue oxygenation is required but may not be sufficient to favorably influence healing outcomes. Success in wound care may be improved by a personalized health care approach. The key lies in our ability to specifically identify the key limitations of a given wound and in developing a multifaceted strategy to specifically address those limitations. In considering approaches to oxygenate the wound tissue it is important to recognize that both too little as well as too much may impede the healing process. Oxygen dosing based on the specific need of a wound therefore seems prudent. Therapeutic approaches targeting the oxygen sensing and redox signaling pathways are promising.
Gerontological research in psychology published in the Journal of Gerontology 1963-1974: Perspectives and progress.

Abstract Psychological research on human subjects published in the Journal of Gerontology from 1963 through 1974 was summarized along a variety of dimensions, including subject selection procedures, sample characteristics, data analysis techniques, research design, author characteristics, and area of psychological research. Comparison of 1963-1968 with 1969-1974 showed a dramatic increase in the number of studies analyzing data for sex differences and a lessened concern for the health status of subjects. Studies of intellectual/cognitive functioning clearly dominated, while those measuring a physiological variable increased the most over the 12-year span. Discussion focused on variations among studies on definitions of age, concerns with sample description with respect to health, and sex differences.
Predictors of emotional numbing in posttraumatic stress disorder

Little is known about the mechanisms underlying emotional numbing (EN). The functional relationship between other classes of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and EN is also not well understood. In the present study, we examined the statistical predictors of EN. We hypothesized that the severity of EN would be most strongly associated with the hyperarousal symptoms rather than the avoidance symptoms of PTSD, or comorbid depression or substance abuse. This prediction was derived from psychological and biological models that posit EN to be a product of the depletion of emotional resources subsequent to chronic hyperarousal. Using hierarchical multiple regression in two separate samples of Vietnam combat veterans, we found hyperarousal symptoms to be the most robust predictor of EN. These data suggest that there is a substantive relationship between hyperarousal symptoms and EN in PTSD.
Evidence of high rates of undiagnosed asthma in central Ohio elementary schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND In Ohio, 14.5% of 5- to 9-year-olds and 17.3% of 10- to 17-year-olds have asthma. Moreover, there is concern that these numbers may underestimate the true disease burden. We sought to evaluate variability in asthma rates and respiratory symptoms among central Ohio fourth graders as a means to assess potential undiagnosed and undertreated asthma and its determinants. METHODS We recruited 13 central Ohio elementary schools representing a broad range of nonurban settings and surveyed fourth graders to estimate school-level physician-diagnosed asthma (PDA), respiratory morbidity, and home exposures to smoking and pets. We used generalized linear mixed models with random intercept for school to examine relationships among exposures, respiratory symptoms, and PDA. RESULTS Across the 13 schools, 94% of students participated in the survey, and the estimated asthma prevalence rate was 10.2% (N = 101 of 987). An additional 41% reported not having PDA but then went on to report symptoms consistent with asthma potentially suggestive of undiagnosed asthma. Of students with PDA, 21% reported symptoms suggestive of poorly controlled asthma. High levels of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure were associated both with PDA (p = .05) and with respiratory symptoms (p < .0001). Students who owned a cat or a bird were more likely to report respiratory symptoms (p = .02 and p = .04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS We provide evidence that the already high childhood asthma public health burden in central Ohio may be underreported. Schools may be an ideal location to conduct screenings and implement environmental interventions oriented toward SHS and household pets that will yield respiratory morbidity benefits.
Non-contact atomic force microscopy characterization of micro-cantilevers and piezo electric transducers with frequencies up to the tens of MHz

We investigated the use of the non-contact atomic force microscopy (NCAFM) technique for evaluating high frequency mechanical vibrations. We demonstrated a clear resonance frequency (fres )o f∼11.8 MHz measured from a 0.25 cm2 piece Si placed on top of a driven PZT and probed by an AFM cantilever. We also showed that the probe cantilever in the NCAFM was able to follow the envelope of a Si on PZT vibration driven at 41 MHz frequency with a cyclic voltage. We showed that our method will not introduce a shift in the measured fres through comparison with the optically measured fres from a series of sample cantilevers using both mechanical excitation and the thermal noise-mechanical frequency spectra. These sample cantilevers were then measured under various conditions using the NCAFM resonance technique and the results showed a shift of <0.3% in the resonance frequency of the sample cantilevers. In addition, the sample cantilever was driven at its first harmonic frequency while the vertical displacement along its length was measured and its length dependence matched the expected first-order mode shape. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Calculated Phase Relations in the Al–Li–O System at 1000 K with Implications for Refractories and Metal–Matrix Composites

An isothermal section of the Al–Li–O system has been constructed at 1000 K using available thermodynamic data. Oxide stability is shown as a function of alloy composition and oxygen partial pressure pO2). Rigorous experimental verification of the calculated phase relations is precluded by the extremely low values of pO2) at equilibrium. The validity of the computed phase relations is considered from the results of laboratory studies of refractory compatibility and observations of interfacial phases in aluminum alloy matrix composites.
Physics and Reality

deals with sets of physical objects: theoretical physics is supposed to represent certain features of objects of a kind- namely, physical systems- and experimental physics assumes the task of testing such theoretical representations. And those objects that are the concern- or, as we shall say, the intended referents- of physical theory are, ex-hypothesi , self-existent: they are not mind-dependent. True, some of them, such as the transuranians, might not have come into being without human action guided by physical theory ; others, such as the magnetic monopoles, may be no more than fictions. And every idea concerning physical objects of a kind, whether or not it is an adequate idea, is no more and no less than an idea. Furthermore, no such idea is ever a photographic description of its intended referent but a hypothetical incomplete and symbolic representation of it. Yet the point at issue is that physical theory intends to refer ultimately to veal objects and, moreover, in the most objective (i.e. subject- detached or operator- invariant) and trice (adequate) possible way. What follows spells out the preceding platitudes and attempts to analyze some traits of physical theories that often obscure its intended real reference, objectivity, and partial truth.