cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional relatedness between the E1a and E1b regions of group C and group D human adenoviruses.

Abstract The functional relatedness of the transforming genes (E1a and E1b) of adenovirus type 9 (group D) which induces mammary tumors in rats and those of the non-tumorigenic adenoviruses, Ad2 and Ad5 (group C) was examined. Transfection of established rat embryo cells with a DNA segment containing the E1a and E1b regions of Ad9 resulted in efficient transformation; similar results have been shown for group A, B and C Ads. In contrast to Ads of group A, B and C, Ad9 DNA containing the E1 region or the entire viral genome was unable to transform primary baby rat kidney (BRK) cells. The functional relatedness of genes encoded within the E1 region was compared using a mutant complementation assay in which various group C mutants defective in the entire E1 region or in the E1a or E1b regions alone as well as mutants defective exclusively within the 19K or 58K T antigens coding regions of Elb were coinfected with wild type (wt) Ad9 and tested for group C mutant DNA replication, virus production, or expression of early and late genes. These studies have shown that a defect in the entire E1 region of Ad2 could only be complemented poorly by Ad9; our earlier studies have shown that coinfection with Ad12 (group A) or Ad7 (group B) resulted in efficient complementation (Brusca and Chinnadurai (1981) J. Virol. 39, 300–305). Further analysis indicated that a defect in the E1a region could be complemented by the group D E1a region. The level of E1a complementation as judged by mutant DNA replication and activation of expression of mutant early viral genes was about one-fourth to one-fifth the level in 293 cells that constitutively express Ad5 E1a and E1b regions. Our results indicate that a defect in the E1b 19K T antigen, which leads to degradation of intracellular DNA in infected cells, could be complemented by the group D protein. However, a defect in the E1b 58K T antigen could not be efficiently complemented by the group D protein. Coinfection of group C mutants defective in the 58K T antigen and Ad9 wt did not lead to an increase in the mutant viral production. Furthermore, in cells coinfected with the 58K T antigen mutants and Ad9 wt there was a large reduction in the accumulation of group C late cytoplasmic RNA. The observed complementation defect of Ad9 in supporting multiplication of group C mutants defective in the entire E1 region may therefore be a cumulative effect of both E1a and E1b regions.
Genetic engineering: Prospects and recommendations

Abstract. At the 1983 Summer Conference on the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science, working groups chaired by the coauthors outlined some of the prospects for the use of somatic and germ line genetic engineering and related biological technologies to alleviate disease and to modify human behavior. They then offered a series of recommendations concerning the application of genetic engineering to persons and the monitoring of medical research and therapy.
Planning periodic persistent monitoring trajectories for sensing robots in Gaussian Random Fields

This paper considers the problem of planning a trajectory for a sensing robot to best estimate a time-changing Gaussian Random Field in its environment. The robot uses a Kalman filter to maintain an estimate of the field value, and to compute the error covariance matrix of the estimate. A new randomized path planning algorithm is proposed to find a periodic trajectory for the sensing robot that tries to minimize the largest eigenvalue of the error covariance matrix over an infinite horizon. The algorithm is proven to find the minimum infinite horizon cost cycle in a graph, which grows by successively adding random points. The algorithm leverages recently developed methods for periodic Riccati recursions to efficiently compute the infinite horizon cost of the cycles, and it uses the monotonicity property of the Riccati recursion to efficiently compare the cost of different cycles without explicitly computing their costs. The performance of the algorithm is demonstrated in numerical simulations.
What Does Electronic Full-Text Really Mean? A Comparison of Database Vendors and What They Deliver.

The experience of a multi‐site higher education library consortium in purchasing electronic journals and databases is described. The criteria and guidelines developed to assist in the decision‐making process for the purchase of multidisciplinary electronic products and services can be of value to other libraries whether in a single or consortial environment. Factors such as database features, coverage, search features, and delivery options were considered.
Conformational characteristics of legume 7S globulins as revealed by circular dichroic, derivative u.v. absorption and fluorescence techniques.

The 7S globulin storage proteins, phaseolin, vicilin, and beta-conglycinin of, respectively, dry bean, field pea, and soybean, are highly homologous, have similar predicted protein structures, and yet exhibit considerable differences in their susceptibility to various proteinases [Nielsen, S.S., Deshpande, S.S., Hermodson, M.A. & Scott, M.P. (1988) J. Agric. Food Chem. 36, 896-902]. These differences in their proteolytic behavior were studied in relation to their solution conformational states. The secondary structures of these three proteins determined by far u.v. circular dichroism were characterized by predominantly beta-sheet and beta-turn parameters. However, characterization of tertiary and quaternary structures using second derivative u.v. absorption spectroscopy, surface hydrophobicity using cis-parinaric acid as hydrophobic probe, and fluorescence quenching studies of intrinsic Trp fluorescence using an ionic (iodide) and a neutral (acrylamide) quencher indicated sharp differences in the conformation of these proteins. About 9.6 and 10.2 out of 13 and 15 tyrosyls/subunit of phaseolin and beta-conglycinin, respectively, were exposed to polar solvent, while the surface hydrophobicity varied beta-conglycinin greater than vicilin greater than phaseolin. The Trp residues in phaseolin were not accessible to iodide, while half those of vicilin and beta-conglycinin were quenched. The order of Trp accessibility to acrylamide was vicilin greater than beta-conglycinin greater than phaseolin. The relative compactness of these three proteins based on these studies was related to the observed differences in their susceptibility to various proteinases.
Acatalasemia in the mouse and other species

Genetic control of the level of blood catalase activity was first demonstrated in 1927. At present, such control has been demonstrated or suggested for nine different species, including man, the most studied. The development of an acatalasemic strain of mice has permitted a wide variety of experimental approaches, including most of those used in humans. Among those approaches which cannot readily be applied to man but have been used in acatalasemic mice are investigations of sensitivity to radiation lethality, mechanism of awareness to radiation, possible use as a model for replacement therapy for inborn errors of metabolism, and catalase in tissues other than erythrocytes. These are described, together with genetic, immunological, and other studies comparable to similar work on acatalasemic humans.
A Prospective Analysis Of The Relationships Among Sexual Assault Experiences: An Extension of Previous Findings

Research has indicated that sexual assault on college campuses is pervasive (Koss, Gidycz, & Wisniewski, 1987) and that a history of sexual victimization serves as a risk factor for future victimization (Gidycz, Coble, Latham, & Layman, 1993). The purpose of the present investigation was to extend the findings of Gidycz et al. (1993) in examining the link among sexual victimization experiences. College women were evaluated for child and adolescent sexual victimization, family adjustment, alcohol use, psychological adjustment, interpersonal functioning, and sexual behavior. Women were reevaluated at 3, 5–6, and 9 months for adult victimization, psychological adjustment, interpersonal functioning, and sexual behavior. Loglinear analysis indicated that chances of being victimized in one time period increased with greater severity of victimization in the preceding time period. The path analysis assessing the mediating effects of these variables on victimization experiences was partially supported. Implications for future research and preventative efforts are discussed.
Excitons in Metals: Infinite Hole Mass

The optical conductivity is evaluated for interband transitions between a flat valence band and a parabolic conduction band. The conduction band is filled with electrons to a Fermi energy ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{F}$. The conductivity is calculated assuming that the electron-hole interaction is attractive, static, and short range. The final-state interactions between the electron and hole cause a divergence in the conductivity at the interband threshold. This divergence appears to go as a power law. For this case of an infinite hole mass, the exciton binding energy vanishes, since the singularity in the scattering amplitude occurs just at threshold.
Current medical therapies for patients with peripheral arterial disease: a critical review

There is a paucity of trials that specifically evaluate the benefits of cardiovascular risk reduction therapies in patients with peripheral arterial disease. We therefore sought to describe the data supporting the use of therapies for lowering cardiovascular risk, preventing ischemic events, as well as managing intermittent claudication, in these patients. A search for randomized, placebo-controlled trials in peripheral arterial disease was conducted using Medline and reference lists of relevant articles. These trials served as the primary sources of data and treatment recommendations, while observational studies and case series were included as sources of commonly accepted treatment recommendations that were not fully supported by the randomized trial. Data from the primary sources support the use of antiplatelet therapy and, potentially, of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, for preventing ischemic events. In contrast, the evidence demonstrates a nonsignificant trend for treating dyslipidemia to prevent mortality and does not specifically support intensive glycemic control in persons with diabetes or estrogen use in these patients. However, observational data and data derived from trials in persons with other manifestations of cardiovascular disease may be generalized to support the importance of treating key risk factors, such as smoking, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Data supporting the use of estrogen to reduce cardiovascular risk are less clear. Studies do demonstrate improvement in walking ability resulting from exercise rehabilitation programs, as well as from use of cilostazol and, to a more modest degree, pentoxifylline. The consensus is to treat risk factors of peripheral arterial disease patients similarly to patients with other manifestations of atherosclerosis and to use exercise rehabilitation or cilostazol to treat the subset of patients with claudication.
Panel 4: What Should We Teach in a Scientific Visualization Class?

Scientific Visualization (SciVis) has evolved past the point where one undergraduate course can cover all of the necessary topics. So the question becomes "how do we teach SciVis to this generation of students?" Some examples of current courses are: A graduate Computer Science (CS) course that prepares the next generation of SciVis researchers. An undergraduate CS course that prepares the future software architects/developers of packages such as vtk, vis5D and AVS. A class that teaches students how to do SciVis with existing software packages and how to deal with the lack of interoperability between those packages (via either a CS service course or a supercomputing center training course). An inter-disciplinary course designed to prepare computer scientists to work with the "real" scientists (via either a CS or Computational Science course). In this panel, we will discuss these types of courses and the advantages and disadvantages of each. We will also talk about some issues that you have probably encountered at your university: How do we keep the graphics/vis-oriented students from going to industry? How does SciVis fit in with evolving Computational Science programs? Is SciVis destined to be a service course at most universities? How do we deal with the diverse backgrounds of students that need SciVis?
Matrisibs, Patrisibs, and the Evolution of Imprinting on Autosomes and Sex Chromosomes

Abstract: The conflict theory of genomic imprinting argues that parent‐of‐origin effects on allelic expression evolve as a consequence of conflict between maternally and paternally derived genomes. I derive explicit population‐genetic models of this theory when individuals in a cohort with an arbitrary and variable number of sires and dams interact. I show that the evolution of imprinting is governed by the reciprocal of the harmonic mean number of fathers but the reciprocal of the arithmetic mean number of mothers per cohort. Thus, a few monandrous females in a polyandrous population decrease the strength of the genetic conflict and the opportunity for conflict‐driven paternal imprinting. In contrast, in populations in which few males control large harems, rare males with small harems do not have such a disproportionate effect on genetic conflicts and maternal imprinting. Additionally, I demonstrate that under the conflict theory, selection for imprinted expression on paternally derived X chromosomes is ...
Blood, bone marrow and eye fluid ethanol concentrations in putrefied rabbits

Abstract The effect of putrefaction on postmortem blood, bone marrow and eye fluid ethanol levels was evaluated in rabbits. Control and dosed animals were sacrificed and stored at either room temperature (approx. 19°C) or cold temperature (approx. 3.5°C) for as long as 28 days. Control animals stored at room temperature showed ethanol levels in the bone marrow that peaked at 7 days after sacrifice, followed by decreases to a non-detectable level at 21 days. Overall decreases were demonstrated in bone marrow of dosed rabbits stored at room temperature for all postmortem intervals. The control animals stored at low temperature showed no ethanol in the bone marrow and blood until 21 days after sacrifice. Dosed rabbits stored at low temperature showed no significant changes in blood and marrow ethanol until 21 days after sacrifice.
Detection and Characterization of Benzimidazole Resistance in California Populations of Colletotrichum cereale.

ABSTRACT Colletotrichum cereale is the causal agent of turfgrass anthracnose, which has become a serious problem on annual bluegrass (Poa annua) and creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris) golf cou...
Radiolysis of Aqueous Solutions of Benzoate Ion: A Radiation Chemistry Experiment for Undergraduates

This investigation describes the chemical effects of ionizing radiation on dilute aqueous solutions of benzoate ion. We have composed an experimental procedure that allows undergraduate chemistry students to identify and to quantitatively determine the amount of the products that are produced. The student investigators determine the absorbed dose that a sample receives when exposed to a 60Co source, irradiate dilute aqueous solutions of benzoate ion, and analyze the resulting mixture of hydroxybenzoate ions using high-performance liquid chromatography. The radiolysis of dilute solutions of benzoate ion results in the formation of a mixture of ortho-, meta-, and para-hydroxybenzoate ions that are readily separated on a C18 μ-Bondapak column. By the use of appropriate calibration curves, the yield (G values) of each of the isomers may be determined and compared.
Two‐dimensional, transient model for mass transport in laser surface alloying

The process of alloy generation during laser surface alloying was examined. A numerical model was developed that solved the two‐dimensional, transient equation for convection diffusion of matter in the melt pool using the alternate‐diagonal implicit method. Velocity distributions used were for steels for a laser power of 1.5 kW, a 0.001‐m beam diameter and a traverse speed of 0.01 m/s. Calculations were made for a uniform surface mass flux of 5 and 10 kg m2 s−1 and values of 100 and 1000 for the Peclet number for diffusion. The results showed that powder particles injected into the melt pool melted practically instantaneously, that good mixing was determined by the pattern of fluid flow, that average solute contents increased linearly with increasing interaction time, and that a change in the solute diffusivity by a factor of 10 did not greatly alter the predicted solute distribution. Good mixing was also found with surface flux over only a part of the melt pool. The conclusions were that fluid flow dominates the process of mass transport and determines the nature of the solute distribution, that powder feed is an effective method for surface alloying, and that results of the model could be used to better understand the process of laser surface alloying.
Antioxidative enzymes in human nasal mucosa after exposure to ozone. Possible role of GSTM1 deficiency.

Objective and design: Epithelial antioxidative enzymes (AOEs) are thought to be a first line of defense against reactive oxygen species as they are upregulated after exposure to ozone according to animal studies. We analysed the activities of the AOEs catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in a tissue culture of human nasal mucosa and analysed the influence of GSTM1 polymorphism on AOE regulation.¶Methods: Tissue biopsies of 20 subjects were incubated for 24 h with and without 120 ppb ozone. Activities were assayed to determine what enzymatic changes had taken place, both overall and in regard to GSTM1 status.¶Results: Activities for GPX (p = 0.272) and SOD (p = 0.291) were found increased after ozone exposure. GSTM1-deficient patients showed a significantly enhanced upregulation of SOD activity (p = 0.011) compared to GSTM1 carriers.¶Conclusion: Our findings suggest that GSTM1-deficiency has an impact on AOE-regulation after ozone exposure.
The contribution of traffic to indoor concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

A photoelectric aerosol sensor (PAS) was used to measure real-time indoor concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at three residences. Semi-quantitative measurements of total indoor particle-bound PAH and temperature were collected continuously every minute for approximately 2 weeks at each location. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of traffic on indoor concentrations of PAHs. This was accomplished by collecting indoor measurements at an urban, semi-urban, and suburban residential location with varying levels of, and proximity to, traffic. Since the homes were occupied, the effects of cooking, the dominant indoor source, were also examined among the three nonsmoking households. The results indicate that traffic was the main outdoor source of PAH concentrations measured indoors for all locations. In fact, a significant ( p<0.001) traffic-related trend in weekday PAH concentration was detected with a geometric mean concentration at the urban location (31 ng/m 3) nearly two times that at the semi-urban location (19 ng/m 3) and over three times larger than the suburban location (8.0 ng/m 3), once adjusted for indoor sources. Hourly average concentration profiles also revealed weekday rush hour peaks of PAHs at all locations. No pronounced peaks and significantly lower concentrations (10, 10, and 4.9 ng/m 3) were seen during the weekends for all locations i.e., the urban, semi-urban and suburban locations, respectively. Indoor sources including frying/sauteing, broiling, and candle-burning were characterized by peak concentration, duration of PAH elevation, and potential dose. This analysis suggests that cooking, and especially frying/sauteing, may be an important source of indoor PAH concentrations.
Retention Intervals and Discriminative Control

Abstract Three pigeons responded to a color display on the center key of a three-key chamber. Following completion of a fixed ratio schedule, the display changed to a vertical line and subjects had to complete a fixed interval schedule (FI) after which the center key was darkened and both side keys illuminated. The correct side key was determined by both the color of the initial stimulus and the duration of the FI. Pigeons were able to discriminate successfully when the color changed between sessions and durations changed within sessions, when color changed within sessions and duration changed between sessions, and when both color and duration changed within sessions. The FI component served simultaneously as a retention interval and a discriminative stimulus.
Carboncarbon bond cleavage during lithium aluminum hydride reduction of a terminal propargyl alcohol

Abstract Reduction of dehydronerolidol with lithium aluminum hydride in the presence of sodium methoxide gave, in addition to the expected nerolidol, geranyl acetone. Labeling experiments established that the C-1 methyl of geranyl acetone is derived from one of the carbons of the acetylene.
Detection and modeling of magnetite buildup in steam generators

A major problem in nuclear power plant steam generators is the denting of tubes due to the corrosion of the tube support plate in the crevice gap adjacent to the tube, resulting from the attack of concentrated aggressive chemical impurities on the materials of the steam generator. An early detection of accumulation of this corrosion product (magnetite) in the crevice gap would help avoid squeezing and denting of tubes by chemically flushing the unit. The main objectives of the research reported here were to determine theoretically the feasibility of using a simple variable reluctance magnetic probe to detect the presence of magnetite in the crevice gap, and to develop a finite element model for predicting probe signals.
Growth Rate Inheritance in Japanese Quail 5. Protein and Energy Requirements of Lines Selected Under Different Nutritional Environments

Abstract WHILE selection under different environments has been reported in mice (Falconer and Latyszewski, 1952), tribolium (Hardin and Bell, 1967) swine (Fowler and Ensminger, 1960), and quail (Marks and Lepore, 1968), information on the nutritional requirements of these populations is unavailable. Comparisons of the protein and energy requirements of populations undergoing selection under different environments are critical for the evaluation of environmental stressors’ contributions to ultimate selection progress. Weber and Reid (1967) found the protein requirement of a population of nonselected quail (to five weeks of age) to be 24 percent when fed a soybean meal diet supplemented with methionine. The present study was conducted to determine whether quail selected under different nutritional environments were being separated through a mechanism involving the differential utilization of dietary protein. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three stocks were involved in this study. The P line was established by selection for high four-week body weight on a…
The Effects of Computer-Assisted Learning-Strategy Training on the Achievement of Learning Objectives.

This study investigated the effects of comprehension-directed and memory-directed computer-based learning-strategy training on the achievement of learning objectives. The subjects were sixty undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory computing course. Learners completed a tutorial about microcomputer components on the first day of the study. Two treatment groups completed a strategy-training tutorial focusing on comprehension or memory. The control group received extra time on the microcomputer-components tutorial and no strategy training. One week later, all subjects completed two separately administered tests including cued recall and recognition. The strategy training effects were significant on the fifty-item cued recall test, however, group mean scores were at or below 50 percent. Group mean scores on a recognition text suggested that comprehension-directed training was the most effective. All treatment group mean scores were significantly higher than the control group. The findings of this s...
The impact of adverse geological conditions on the design and construction of the Thames Water Ring Main in Greater London, UK

Abstract The Thames Water Ring Main has been driven through the various Palaeogene deposits of London and the underlying Cretaceous Chalk. Much of the tunnel alignment was designed to keep within the London Clay Formation over the western half of the project, although discovery of a number of Quaternary scour hollow features, during the ground investigation, led to revisions in tunnel design. In addition, a scour feature was also intersected during tunnelling, necessitating changes to the tunnel lining and use of compressed air. Over much of the eastern half of the project, the tunnel alignment was unable to avoid the lower Palaeogene deposits of the Lambeth Group, and Thanet Sand Formation, as well as the underlying Chalk. These deposits were found to contain hazardous features, such as sand-filled channels, sub-artesian groundwater and hard ground, complicated further by geological faults along the route. Intersection with these features could have had serious implications for the health and safety and efficiency of tunnelling operations. These adverse geological conditions were avoided by changes to the alignment during design or by ground dewatering prior to construction. When intersection occurred, the open-faced machines used compressed air and lining changes to mitigate the risk. From 1990, the project used Earth Pressure Balance Machines (EPBMs) for the first time in the UK. These allowed better control of problematic ground and allowed the project to set an all-time productivity record.
Aqua-3D: An underwater network animator

Research on developing Underwater Sensor Networks (UWSNs) has increased over the last few years. Due to the high costs of deployment and dangerous ocean environments, real-world field tests are not always a viable option. Therefore, a majority of researchers rely on simulations to perform experiments. Visualization of simulation results and field test experiments provide researchers with a vivid animation of the events and conditions that occurred, allowing for a more intuitive understanding of the system. There are many simulators and animators for terrestrial networks but few such tools exist for UWSNs. In this paper, we present a 3D underwater sensor network animator called Aqua-3D. This visualization tool has the ability to read trace files, which can be generated by an existing UWSN simulator or from field test experiments and animate the simulations in full 3D graphics. The accuracy of Aqua-3D's visualizations have been verified through test scenarios generated from field tests. Aqua-3D is a robust visualization tool with the ability to correctly visualize trace files of underwater network simulations, while providing a number of additional features.
High Potency Antagonists of the Pancreatic Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor

GLP-1-(7-36)-amide and exendin-4-(1-39) are glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, whereas exendin-(9-39) is the only known antagonist. To analyze the transition from agonist to antagonist and to identify the amino acid residues involved in ligand activation of the GLP-1 receptor, we used exendin analogs with successive N-terminal truncations. Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with the rat GLP-1 receptor were assayed for changes in intracellular cAMP caused by the test peptides in the absence or presence of half-maximal stimulatory doses of GLP-1. N-terminal truncation of a single amino acid reduced the agonist activity of the exendin peptide, whereas N-terminal truncation of 3-7 amino acids produced antagonists that were 4-10-fold more potent than exendin-(9-39). N-terminal truncation of GLP-1 by 2 amino acids resulted in weak agonist activity, but an 8-amino acid N-terminal truncation inactivated the peptide. Binding studies performed using 125I-labeled GLP-1 confirmed that all bioactive peptides specifically displaced tracer with high potency. In a set of exendin/GLP-1 chimeric peptides, substitution of GLP-1 sequences into exendin-(3-39) produced loss of antagonist activity with conversion to a weak agonist. The results show that receptor binding and activation occur in separate domains of exendin, but they are more closely coupled in GLP-1.
Synthesis, characterization and magnetic properties of [Mn30O24(OH)8(O2CCH2C(CH3)3)32(H2O)2(CH3NO2)4]: the largest manganese carboxylate cluster

Abstract We report the synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of a new member of the family of high nuclearity Mn clusters. The complex [Mn30O24(OH)8(O2CCH2C(CH3)3)32(H2O)2(CH3NO2)4] (1), is the highest nuclearity manganese cluster to date. Complex 1 was obtained from the comproportionation reaction between Mn(OAc)2·4H2O and KMnO4, followed by ligand substitution with Me3CCH2CO2H. It is mixed-valent with a trapped-valence 3MnII, 26MnIII, MnIV oxidation state description. Dc magnetic susceptibility studies indicate an S=7 ground state, and ac susceptibility studies show an out-of-phase susceptibility signal below 3 K, indicating complex 1 to display the slow magnetization relaxation diagnostic of a single-molecule magnet.
The Scattering of Light by Turbid Media. Part II

In Part I it was shown how the values of the transmission and reflection of a sheet of a medium containing particles in suspension can he calculated. First the amounts of light scattered in the forward and forward directions from a single particle were determined; from these results the transmission 1 and rejection R for diffuse incident light were found for a layer of the disusing medium, when the effects of boundary reflections are negligible. At this stage, the expressions developed apply to a mist or fog consisting of particles suspended in air. Finally it was shown how, if the particles are suspended in some other medium, having a different refractive index from that of air, the transmission and reflection ז and p can be expressed in terms of T and R and the surface rejection coefficients. The more general expressions, for the case when the incident light is a parallel beam, were also developed. We shall now show how the absorption coefficient μ can be determined from photometric observations. As a check on the theory, we shall deduce the diameter D of the particles and the number N present per unit volume and compare these calculated values with those found by direct observation, Finally, the necessary modifications of the theory will be made to cover the case when the diffusing medium is in the form of a spherical shell.
On the Availability of Wireless Sensor Networks

The success of wireless sensor networks relies on effective power-saving schemes. In this paper, we investigate a particular operating scheme: the sensor's communication function is alternately activated (on) and deactivated (off). The rationale of this scheme is mainly due to the facts that the communication function dominates the power consumption and, in many applications, data can be periodically transmitted to the sink. The investigation is conducted with a new metric called the availability. Since the availability at equilibrium can be readily determined by the averages of the on and off durations, rather than their intrinsic probability distribution functions, using this metric avoids the usual difficulty of estimating the distributions. Both qualitative descriptions and quantitative evaluations through several case studies are presented in this paper.
Effect of Cyclosporine on Hepatic Cytosolic Estrogen and Androgen Receptor Levels Before and After Partial Hepatectomy

Estrogen and androgen receptors within the liver have been reported to modulate the hepatic regenerative response to partial hepatectomy. Moreover, cyclosporine has several untoward effects that might occur as a consequence of alterations in sex hormone activity. To evaluate these questions the following experiments were performed. Estrogen and androgen receptors in cytosol were quantitated in livers of rats treated with cyclosporine or olive oil vehicle before and after partial hepatectomy or a sham operation. Ornithine decarboxylase activity and thymidine kinase activity were assessed as indices of hepatic regeneration. Preoperative levels of estrogen receptor activity in the hepatic cytosol were significantly greater in rats treated with cyclosporine as compared to vehicle treated controls (P<0.01). In contrast, preoperative levels of androgen receptor activity in the cyclosporine-treated and vehicle-treated animals were similar. Following partial hepatectomy, a reduction in the activity of both sex hormone receptors in the hepatic cytosol was observed and was compatible with results described previously in normal animals. Unexpectedly the preoperative levels of ornithine decarboxylase (P<0.01) and thymidine kinase activity (P<0.01) were significantly greater in the rats treated with cyclosporine as compared to the vehicle treated controls. As expected, ornithine decarboxylase activity (at 6 hr) and thymidine kinase activity (at 24 hr) rose and peaked in response to a partial hepatectomy but were significantly greater (P<0.05) in the rats treated with cyclosporine as compared to the vehicle. These results show that cyclosporine treatment causes an increase in the hepatic content of estrogen receptor activity that is associated with an enhanced potential for a regenerative response. These effects of cyclosporine treatment on the sex hormone receptor levels in liver may explain the mechanisms responsible for some of the untoward effects of treatment with this agent.
The Supreme Court and the Continuing Deconstitutionalization of Public Personnel Management

In Engquist v. Oregon Department of Agriculture, the Supreme Court held that public employees may not use the so-called equal protection clause of class-of-one doctrine to challenge the constitutionality of arguably arbitrary adverse personnel actions. In the 2000 case of Village of Willowbrook v. Olech, the high court had authorized citizens to bring class-of-one equal protection lawsuits to challenge arguably arbitrary discretionary decisions by government officials. The decision provides further evidence of the ongoing effort by a majority of the Roberts Court to limit the constitutional rights of public employees. The article argues that the ongoing deconstitutionalization of public personnel management has significant implications for the management of public organizations. If the trend continues, public employees, much like their private sector counterparts, will become much more dependent on statutory protections and collective bargaining agreements to protect them from arbitrary personnel decisions.
Efficient detection of empty-result queries

Frequently encountered in query processing, empty query results usually do not provide users with much useful information. Yet, users might still have to wait for a long time before they disappointingly realize that their results are empty. To significantly reduce such unfavorable delays, in this paper, we propose a novel method to quickly detect, without actual execution, those queries that will return empty results. Our key idea is to remember and reuse the results from previously-executed, empty-result queries. These results are stored in the form of so-called atomic query parts so that the (partial) results from multiple queries can be combined together to handle a new query without incurring much overhead. To increase our chance of detecting empty-result queries with only a limited storage, our method (1) stores the most "valuable" information about empty-result queries, (2) removes redundant information among different empty-result queries, (3) continuously updates the stored information to adapt to the current query pattern, and (4) utilizes a set of special properties of empty results. We evaluate the efficiency of our method through a theoretical analysis and an initial implementation in PostgreSQL. The results show that our method has low overhead and can often successfully avoid executing empty-result queries.
Site of the accelerating nonlinearity underlying luminance-change detection

The visual psychometric function for luminance-increment detectability (d') is known to be an accelerating function of stimulus energy. Two different models have been suggested to explain this fact and also why a luminance-increment pedestal linearizes the psychometric function. In the present experiment it is shown that a dichoptically presented increment linearizes the psychometric function and facilitates detection of weak signals. Since the dichoptic pedestal combines with the signal centrally, the nonlinearity must then originate more centrally. This result is compatible with the uncertainty model of the nonlinear psychometric function but not with a model that requires a nonlinear transducer.
Enhanced Miscibility of Low-Molecular-Weight Polystyrene/Polyisoprene Blends in Supercritical CO2

While ongoing efforts continue to explore the high-pressure phase equilibria of polymer blends, few studies have attempted to address the impact of a supercritical (sc) fluid on such equilibria. In this work, we report on the phase behavior of an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymer blend in the presence of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2), a nonselective plasticizing agent. Blends composed of low-molecular-weight polystyrene and polyisoprene have been examined as a function of temperature in scCO2 by visual inspection, small-angle neutron scattering, and spectrophotometry. In the presence of scCO2, the cloud point temperature is depressed by as much as 28 °C, depending on both blend composition and CO2 pressure. Complementary studies performed with nitrogen decouple the plasticization efficacy of CO2 from free-volume compression due to hydrostatic pressure. Existence of a pressure yielding a maximum in CO2-induced cloud point depression is established. These results provide evidence for...
A meta-analysis of the relationship between perceived organizational support and job outcomes: 20 years of research

Anecdotal comments from practitioners and extant empirical research suggests a tenuous link between perceived organizational support and desired employee outcomes. Accordingly, in this study the authors conduct a meta-analysis examining the effects of perceived organizational support on four employee outcomes: organizational commitment, job satisfaction, performance, and intention to leave. The authors also examine the extent to which these effects are moderated by job type (frontline vs. non-frontline employee). Findings from the study indicate that perceived organizational support has a strong, positive effect on job satisfaction and organizational commitment; a moderate, positive effect on employee performance; and a strong, negative effect on intention to leave. Study findings also indicate that the effects of perceived organizational support are more pronounced for non-frontline employees.
Demosponges as Substrates: an Example from the Pennsylvanian of North America

The rigid skeletal frameworks of two heliospongid genera from the Bethany Falls Limestone (Pennsylvanian) of Missouri provided suitable sites of attachment for other marine invertebrates in a quiet water environment. A cluster of three horn corals attached apically to one Heliospongia while it was upright. Other horn corals are in lateral contact with ?Coelocladiella fragments and may have attached to fallen specimens. The distribution of acrothoracic barnacle borings and membraniporiform bryozoans on ?Coelocladiella fragments suggest that the sponges were in an upright position when the epizoans lived. Calcareous worm tubes and shell scars of Derbyia are also associated with ?Coelocladiella. The sponges themselves became established on a soft carbonate mud bottom by growing on productacean shells and possibly fallen blades of calcareous algae. Irregularities in their form indicate that conditions were crowded on limited sites of attachment. The organisms in the assemblage are ecologically coherent and in situ. Ecological requirements of associated organisms and sponge morphologies indicate: (1) the energy of the environment was low to moderate, (2) the rate of deposition was slow and (3) the substrate was a soft carbonate mud.
Validation of Worst-Case and Statistical Models for an Automotive EMC Expert System

Previous papers have presented algorithms for an EMC expert system used to predict potential electromagnetic compatibility problems in a vehicle early in the design process. Here, the accuracy of inductive and capacitive coupling algorithms are verified through representative measurements of crosstalk within an automobile. Worst-case estimates used by the algorithms are compared to measured values and are compared to values estimated using statistical methods. The worst-case algorithms performed well up to 10-20 MHz, but overestimated measured results by several dB in some cases and up to 10-15 dB in others. An approximate statistical variation of the current expert system algorithms also worked well and can help avoid overestimation of problems; however, worst-case estimates better ensure that problems will not be missed, especially in the absence of complete system information.
Elder Mistreatment among Asians and Asian Americans: New Directions Toward Prevention, Intervention, and Policy

This special issue focuses on elder mistreatment (EM) among older Asians living in Asia and in the United States. EM has been recognized as a serious social problem worldwide for 40 years, and ther...
Is it possible to find an optimal controlled atmosphere

Every controlled atmosphere (CA) conference has included recommendations for controlled atmospheres that purport to produce the optimal storage atmosphere for specific horticultural crops. However, the natural variability in the raw material and its dynamic response to processing and storage conditions may render it impossible to identify a truly optimal storage atmosphere. Additional refinements in recommendations for the CA and modified atmosphere (MA) storage of fruits and vegetables will continue to accrue through empirical observations derived from traditional experiments in which the six components of the storage environment (i.e. duration, temperature, relative humidity, O2, CO2 and ethylene levels) are varied in well-defined steps. However, the variability inherent in biological systems and the often dynamic response of the stored commodities to changes in their storage environment may not be adequately accounted for in these types of static experiments where all variables are usually held constant for the duration of the experiment. Truly significant advances in the use of CA and MA may require the development of mathematical models that incorporate some measure of the commodity's dynamic response to the storage environment. These measurements should reflect the commodity's changing response to various storage parameters (e.g. a shifting anaerobic compensation point), and should be useful in predicting future changes in quality.
Time-resolved optical characterization of electrical activity in integrated circuits

If the rate of improvement in the performance of advanced silicon integrated circuits is to be sustained, new techniques for the measurement of electrical waveforms in operating circuits are needed. Critical factors dictating this requirement include the increased speed and complexity of circuits, the growing importance of faults that appear only during high-speed operation, and the use of flip-chip packaging technologies. Two recently developed all-optical methods for measuring the switching activity from the backside of a chip are described and compared. One is a passive approach based on the measurement of hot carrier luminescence emitted from the channel of a CMOS field-effect transistor (FET) during switching. The second uses a laser probe to sense the switching induced modulation of the silicon optical constants near an FET's source and drain.
Factors associated with compliance to adjuvant hormone therapy in Black and White women with breast cancer

Background Studies have demonstrated lower rates of breast cancer survival for Black versus White women. Factors implicated include later stages at diagnosis, differences in tumor biology, and lower compliance rates to adjuvant hormone therapy (AHT) among Black women with hormone sensitive breast cancer. We examined factors associated with compliance to AHT among Black and White women with invasive breast cancer.
Women and Traditionally Male Blue-Collar Jobs:

This article focuses on female employment preferences and summarizes the results of a questionnaire distributed to a sample of nonmetropolitan men and women. Although differences in men's and women's employment preferences do exist, a sizable percentage of nonmetropolitan women indicate an interest in traditionally male, blue-collar jobs. In addition, women who hold or have held traditionally male jobs generally have positive comments about their experience.
Lay Conceptions of Sexual Minority Groups

Bisexual people are often implored to “pick a side,” implying that bisexuality is both more controllable and less desirable than heterosexuality or homosexuality. Bisexual people’s status as a social group perceived to fall between a traditionally advantaged group and a traditionally disadvantaged group may have the potential to clarify lay conceptions of sexual orientation. We examined participants’ views of groups varying in sexual orientation by randomly assigning participants (including heterosexual men and women as well as gay men and lesbian women) from four samples to evaluate heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual targets (N = 1379). Results provided strong evidence for the previously untested theoretical argument that bisexuality is perceived as less stable than heterosexuality or homosexuality. In addition, participants low in Personal Need for Structure rated female (but not male) bisexuality as relatively stable, suggesting that a preference for simple, binary thinking can partially explain a negative conception of an ostensibly “intermediate” identity. Bisexual targets were perceived as falling between heterosexual and homosexual targets in terms of gender nonconformity, and less decisive, less monogamous, and lacking in positive traits that were associated with homosexual targets. In sum, views of bisexual people were both more negative than and qualitatively different from views of gay men and lesbian women. We discuss the results as an illustration of the complex ways that perceivers’ attitudes can differ depending on which target groups they are considering, suggesting that intergroup bias cannot be fully understood without attending to social categories viewed as intermediate.
Distribution Pattern of Atmospheric H2O2 in Los Angeles and its Vicinity and its Controlling Role as an Oxidant of SO2

Measurement of atmospheric H2O2 was carried out in Los Angeles (the concentration of gaseous H2O2, 0.03–1.35 ppb), the Mojave Desert (0.20–2.04 ppb) and the San Bernardino Mountains (0.43–1.72 ppb) during 1985–88. The H2O2 concentrations during midday (1200–1600) can be as high as 1 ppb in summer and c_a. 0.2 ppb in winter in Los Angeles. Statistical analysis indicated that solar intensity is the most important factor controlling the seasonal variation of gaseous H2O2, although temperature, primary pollutants such as NOx, and the height of the inversion layer are the determining factors in regulating the formation of O3. Our results show that in summer, atmospheric H2O2 is the dominant oxidant of SO2 in water droplets at low pH (<5.5), but the shortage of H2O2 in winter due to low photochemical generation of H2O2, limits the rate of S(IV) oxidation. Thus, the reduction of SO2 emission from anthropogenic sources, which was carried out by local electric utilities during 1979–83, may not have resulted in an equivalent reduction of sulfuric acid levels in rainwater in Los Angeles, where rain events mainly occur in winter.