cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Altruism in terminal cancer patients and rapid tissue donation program: does the theory apply?

Rapid Tissue Donation (RTD) is an advancing oncology research procedure for collecting tumors, metastases, and unaffected tissue 2 to 6 hours after death. Researchers can better determine rates of progression, response to treatment, and polymorphic differences among patients. Cancer patients may inquire about posthumous body donation for research to offer a personal contribution to research; however, there are barriers to recruiting for an RTD program. Physicians must reassure the patient that their treatment options and quality of care will not be compromised due to participating in RTD. In this commentary we discuss how theories of altruism may explain cancer patients’ desire to participate in an RTD program, the ethical concerns of health care professionals and patients and the use of altruism as a recruitment strategy. We offer recommendations for examining the cultural and ethical climate of the institution prior to initiating such a program such as examining the relationship of healthcare professionals and patients, identifying ethical concerns, and examining ways to promote acceptance and buy-in across professionals, patients, and families.
Spacing practice sessions across days benefits the learning of motor skills

The effects of distributing practice sessions across days, compared to within days, on the learning of motor skills were examined. In Experiment 1, a continuous dynamic balance task was practiced in two sessions of seven trials each. For one group, sessions were separated by 20 min while for the other group the sessions were separated by 24 h. In Experiment 2, three variations of a key-press timing task were practiced in three sessions, one session for each task variation. Again, practice for one group was distributed within days and the other across days. In both experiments, a retention test was administered 24 h after the completion of practice. The results indicated that spacing practice sessions over relatively long intervals (days) resulted in the enhancement of performance during the remaining practice sessions and enhanced learning as assessed by the delayed retention test. The results are consistent with the memory consolidation hypothesis and suggest that this interval may play a substantial role in the learning of motor skills.
Mössbauer effect of 129I in a sulfenyl iodide (RS129I)

Abstract We have used the Mossbauer effect of 129 I to study the sulfenyl iodide bond in N-p-Chlorophenyl-2-(benzyloxy-carbonamido)-3- 129 iodothio-3-Methyl-butanamide. This compound has been proposed as a model for protein sulfenyl iodides. We believe that this is the first Mossbauer measurement of a sulfenyl iodide.
Relationships between viewing preference and outdoor scenic components among ethnically diversified viewers.

Abstract Visual preference is determined by what we see. This study shows the associative strength between visual preference and selected components of outdoor type scenes. Viewers were asked to assess the relative magnitude of what they saw when looking at 35 mm color slides depicting outdoor scenes. Correlation analysis was used to develop the association between the degree of viewer preference and the degree to which each scenic component was perceived. Analyses were also done for viewer groups by gender, age, ethnicity, community type, terrain type, education level, and professional expertise. Factor analysis revealed that twelve of the original eighteen components could be reduced to four, indicating that they are likely to be synonyms and may be measuring the same thing. The memories variable was consistently associated with viewing preference throughout all scenes and viewer types. Color brightness and color variety were also consistently correlated with viewing preference.
On ball's mapping of the two-system of screws

Abstract Ball's circular representation of the two-system of screws is generalized using a new formulation based on the eliminant of two quadratic equations. Special two-systems, which correspond to degenerate forms of the cylindroid, are systematically determined by the identical vanishing of the eliminant. Further, an original definition by Clifford is extended to Euclidean space to elegantly characterize the pitch and axis of a screw via projective metrics.
Ordinal measurement of autistic behavior: A preliminary report

Ordinal diagnostic criteria were developed and used to assess the clinical characteristics of 20 autistic children. Subgroups of autistic children were identified and, on the basis of rankings on behavioral measures and performance on standardized tests and indices of school achievement, found to differ with respect to general level of functioning and educational placement. Developmental changes, expected in autistic children over a 12-year period, were reflected in higher rankings, especially for those in less restricted educational placements. Although the ordinal classification of autistic behavior is preliminary and the present results are based on the observation of only 20 children, the inclusion of ordinal criteria was found to promote high levels of diagnostic agreement among therapists and to facilitate the clinical monitoring of autistic children.
The Preparation of Elementary School Counselors for Career Development: What Exists—What Is Needed

There has been much professional attention paid to the importance of the school counselor's role in the career development of students. Gysbers (1987) emphasized the 1984 American School Counselor Association (ASCA) position statement on career guidance which described counselors' work in career guidance as one of the most important contributions counselors make to students' lifelong development. The 1994 ASCA position statement (ASCA, 1994) on the emerging role of the school counselor focused almost exclusively on the expanded competencies that school counselors must possess in order to assist students at all levels (elementary, secondary, and special education students) with their career development needs. This position statement recommended that the substantive reforms being proposed for educational systems include the emerging emphasis on the role of the school counselor in career development. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP, 1993), as well as many state departments of education, have required the study of career development for counseling students preparing for certification as elementary school counselors. The National Career Development Guidelines (National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee, 1989), as well as nationally recognized state models for developmental guidance (e.g., Alaska Department of Education, 1989; Missouri Department of Education, 1986; Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 1991) have included career development competencies for elementary students K-5.
EVALUATION OF INSECTICIDE SEED TREATMENTS AND SOIL INSECTICIDES FOR CONTROL OF CHINCH BUG AND CORN EARWORM ON FIELD CORN, 2002

'Terral 2140' field corn was planted with a John Deer MaxEmerge 2 planter at a rate of 2.2 seed/row ft. 4 miles west of Gin City, AR on 29 Mar 2002. Soil type was sandy loam and had been planted to cotton in 2001. Plots consisted of four 32-inch rows 25 ft long. The experimental design was RCB with four replications. Treatments that contained seed treated with Poncho, Gaucho, Prescribe or Cruiser were provided by the Gustafson Research and Development Center, McKinney, TX. In addition to the seed treatments, granular insecticides were applied in furrow with use of the hopper boxes on the planter. Regent was applied with a single TeeJet 8002E nozzle directed into the furrow made by the planter on each row. Spray volume was 126 ml/nozzle/15 sec and sprayer speed was 40 sec/1,000 row ft. Insecticide effectiveness against Chinch bug (CB) was assessed on 6 May by counting the number of CB on 10 plants/plot. Effectiveness against Corn earworm (CEW) was assessed 53 days after planting by rating the amount of foliar feeding on 5 plants/plot. Plant height and yield also were determined.
Workplace Interventions to Reduce Obesity and Cardiometabolic Risk.

The worksite is ideal for implementing interventions to reduce obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors. Although worksite health promotion is not new, employer-sponsored wellness programs have become more widespread due to the rising prevalence and high cost of obesity. Over the past two decades, employers and researchers focused efforts on individual-based programs to change employees’ nutrition and exercise behaviors, but more recently, the worksite environment has been targeted. Overall, there is good evidence that individual-based worksite programs can produce modest weight loss, but the evidence for effects on other risk factors and on long-term health outcomes and costs is inconsistent. There is less evidence for the benefit of environmental-based interventions, and more data will be needed to establish conclusions about the benefits of these types of interventions. A major challenge for employers and researchers in the future will be to find the balance between effectiveness and economic viability of worksite wellness programs.
Some recent methods for partial differential equations of divergence form

Some recent methods for solving second-order nonlinear partial differential equations of divergence form and related nonlinear problems are surveyed. These methods include entropy methods via the theory of divergence-measure fields for hyperbolic conservation laws, kinetic methods via kinetic formulations for degenerate parabolichyperbolic equations, and free-boundary methods via free-boundary iterations for multidimensional transonic shocks for nonlinear equation of mixed elliptic-hyperbolic type. Some recent trends in this direction are also discussed.
Ethanol Oxidation by Hepatic Microsomes: Adaptive Increase after Ethanol Feeding

Hepatic microsomes contain an ethanol-oxidizing system distinct from alcohol dehydrogenase. In vitro, it has characteristics comparable to those of microsomal drug-detoxifying enzymes and, in vivo, it is capable of adaptation to the administration of ethanol. The existence of this microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system may explain ultrastructural, pharmacological, and biochemical effects of ethanol.
Direct measurement of high frequency, solid propellant, pressure-coupled admittances

This paper presents an experimental method that is capable of directly measuring solid propellant pressurecoupled responses at the high frequencies associated with tangential mode instabilities inside solid propellant rocket motors. The method utilizes a magnetic flowmeter to measure the velocity oscillation above a burning propellant surface simultaneously with a pressure oscillation measurement within an externally excited combustion chamber. A magnetic flowmeter burner was designed and constructed to evaluate this method of pressurecoupled response measurement. Response measurements were obtained for two formulations of AP/HTPB composite propellant at pressure oscillation frequencies of 4000 and 8000 Hz. The measurement data displayed repeatable trends in both the real and imaginary parts of the pressure-coupled response function.
Layer by layer melting of argon films on graphite: a computer simulation study

Abstract A series of computer simulations follow the melting of argon multilayers adsorbed on graphite substrate. The disordering process proceeds from the topmost atoms of the film to those near the substrate in a layer by layer progression with increasing temperature. Each layer disorders in two related processes. At a given temperature, a layer exhibits a well defined increase in the vertical promotion of atoms and vacancy creation. The layer subsequently disorders laterally forming a highly “modulated fluid” structure. The results are consistent with the data from recent diffraction and heat capacity experiments.
Important configurations in configuration interaction and coupled-cluster wave functions

Using a new general-order determinant-based program, we construct compact configuration interaction and coupled-cluster wave functions by selecting the most important configurations, by weight, from a full configuration interaction or full coupled-cluster wave function. Our results show that for the symmetric dissociation of water, chemical accuracy can be achieved across the surface with ∼2% of the full coupled-cluster expansion compared to ∼10% of the full configuration interaction expansion.
A coordinate descent based method for geometry optimization of trusses

The main objective of the structure optimization is to reduce the manufacturing cost of the structure. However, economical design should not deviate from engineering restrictions and laws. Based on this concept, various methods have been invented to optimize structures. In this research, some variations in one of the very simple and primary methods called ''coordinate descent'' or ''successive coordinate search'' is used for geometry optimization of the trusses. In order to increase the optimization speed and decrease the solution time of the problem, fast matrix analysis methods has been employed leading to reduction of the time required for calculating of the objective function. Furthermore, an optimized solution seeking algorithm has been introduced. In this algorithm, some factors have been defined by which the relation between the optimization time and these factors have been calculated, both experimentally and mathematically and the appropriate values of these factors are obtained to reduce the optimization time. Moreover, the effect of increasing the accuracy of the optimum solution on the number of analyses has been studied. Analysis of the presented method shows that regardless of its simplicity, it can be utilized as a fast method for optimizing variety of structures.
Solar cycle changes in the high frequency spectrum

We present observations of high frequency, intermediate degree, Ca-K line solar intensity oscillations. We compare the peak frequencies determined from these 1991.4 observations with the peak frequencies from 1987.9 South Pole observations (Duvallet al., 1991) in that portion of the spatio-temporal diagram where the two datasets overlap (degrees between 30 and 150 and frequencies between 4 and 6.6 mHz). We find that temporal changes are detectable in the high frequency spectrum and are particularly large near 5.4 mHz. The m-averaged high frequency peaks decreased in frequency in 1991.4 compared to the peak frequencies measured in 1987.9. The magnitude of the frequency shift is of the order of 10 μHz near 5.4 mHz, increases with degree, and decreases to near zero both above and below 5.4 mHz. It is unlikely that these temporal changes in the high frequency spectrum are due to a change in the height of the subphotospheric acoustic source layer. A physical mechanism for these frequency shifts has not yet been identified.
The Relationship Between Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness and Optic Nerve Head Neuroretinal Rim Tissue in Glaucoma

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between optical coherence tomography (OCT) measures of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and neuroretinal rim (NRR) in a nonhuman primate experimental glaucoma model, and in a population of clinical patients. METHODS For nonhuman primates, normative data were collected from 44 healthy monkeys, and nine animals with unilateral experimental glaucoma that were followed longitudinally. Cross-sectional human subjects data were collected from 89 healthy, 74 glaucoma suspects, and 104 glaucoma patients. Individualized transverse scaling for OCT scans was calculated using a schematic eye that incorporated optical ocular biometry. Custom algorithms were used to quantify RNFL thickness with and without vessels removed, scaled minimum rim width (sMRW), and neural rim volume (NRV). RESULTS For the experimental glaucoma group, NRR parameters showed the first changes with increased cumulative IOP. The data for both NRR and RNFL measures were best fit by an exponential rise model (NRV, R2=0.79, P<0.01, sMRW, R2=0.74, P<0.01). The major retinal vascular thickness contribution to the RNFL decreased (0.03 μm/μm, P<0.01) with RNFL loss, but the percent vascular contribution increased (-0.1%/μm, P<0.01) with disease progression. Overall, the findings for the cross-sectional human data were similar to those of the experimental model. CONCLUSIONS The findings illustrate a nonlinear relationship between NRR and RNFL measures and provide support for the use of multiple OCT scaled morphological measures for the diagnosis and management of primary open angle glaucoma in humans.
Thirty Years After the Discovery of Gender: Psychological Concepts and Measures of Masculinity

Study of the construct of masculinity has undergone substantial change since the feminist critique of gender in the 1960–70s. This review focuses on constancies and changes within empirical psychological theories and measurement because measures represent masculinity and their underlying assumptions are often obscured. After a brief historical introduction, 5 distinct movements are identified by their assumptions. These movements discuss masculinity as a unipolar construct, an ideology, a source of strain, a socially constructed entity, and, most recently, as a blend of these different movements. The lack of developmental accounts of masculinity and the positioning of masculinity as an acontextual, superordinate organizing element of individual lives are also addressed. Concluding comments address the lack of influence by masculinity researchers on broader psychological thought.
Interval Criteria for Oscillation of Second-Order Linear Ordinary Differential Equations

Abstract New oscillation criteria are established for the equation ( py ′)′ + qy = 0 that are different from most known ones in the sense that they are based on the information only on a sequence of subintervals of [ t 0 , ∞), rather than on the whole half-line. Our results are more natural according to the Sturm Separation Theorem and sharper than some previous results, and can be applied to extreme cases such as ∫ ∞ t 0 q ( t ) dt = −∞.
The additive effects of progestins on testosterone-stimulated hepatic ethylmorphine metabolism and cytochrome P-450 content.

Abstract The actions of several progestins on mouse liver were studied in terms of their inherent potency and for their ability to modify the biologic activity of testosterone. When hepatic ethylmorphine demethylase activity and cytochrome P-450 content were used as end points, the biological potency of progestins was ranked as follows: cyproterone acetate>progesterone>medroxyprogesterone acetate>hydroxyprogesterone caproate ⋟ controls. The induced alterations of these parameters were, therefore, unrelated to reported progestational (cyproterone acetate ⋟ medroxyprogesterone acetate>>hydroxyprogesterone caproate>progesterone) or androgenic (medroxyprogesterone acetate>cyproterone acetate = hydroxyprogesterone caproate = progesterone) actions of these steroids. A similar conclusion was reached when hepatic weight and microsomal protein content were used as end points. When progestins (0.1–10 mg/day) were administered with testosterone (0.1 mg/day), the effect of both steroids were additive. This is in contrast to their actions on other tissues such as kidney and sub-maxillary gland where progestins potentiate and inhibit androgen action. We conclude from these studies that the mechanism of action of progestins on the liver differs from that on other tissues.
IMPROVEMENTS TO RESISTIVE-WIRE FOCAL PLANE DETECTOR

Abstract A resistive-wire spectrometer focal-plane proportional-counter system has been improved by the addition of a thin-foil scintillation timing detector near the spectrometer entrance and of a second proportional counter with larger energy loss and hence better resolution.
VICARIOUS REINFORCEMENT: EXPECTED AND UNEXPECTED EFFECTS

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects on one child of observing another child receive direct social reinforcement. In the first part of the study, pairs of same-sex children worked on puzzles for three sessions spaced 2 to 3 days apart. One child was praised on a continuous schedule for performance, whereas the other received no praise. Although children who observed other children being praised increased their performance initially (as predicted by vicarious reinforcement and social comparison hypotheses), their performance decreased over time, reaching levels below their own baseline rates. In the second part of the study, intermittent praise delivered to the observing child was examined as a potential strategy to reverse the unexpected effects obtained in the first part of the study. Intermittent praise was found to be effective in reducing these effects and in producing enhanced performance. Individual data, as well as group data, are presented. Results are discussed in light of theoretical and applied issues related to the use of vicarious reinforcement in applied settings.
NEW FUNCTIONS FOR GAP JUNCTIONS

The most significant finding of the past year in gap junction research has been the association of connexin defects with human diseases. Connexin32 mutations cause X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a demyelinating peripheral neuropathy. Mutations in connexin43 may underlie cardiac malformations in visceroatrial heterotaxia syndromes. Genetic approaches and gene targeting have provided new insights, but also raise new questions concerning connexin function, the significance of connexin diversity and the regulation of intercellular communication.
The Role of Histone Acetylation in Cocaine-Induced Neural Plasticity and Behavior

How do drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, cause stable changes in neural plasticity that in turn drive long-term changes in behavior? What kind of mechanism can underlie such stable changes in neural plasticity? One prime candidate mechanism is epigenetic mechanisms of chromatin regulation. Chromatin regulation has been shown to generate short-term and long-term molecular memory within an individual cell. They have also been shown to underlie cell fate decisions (or cellular memory). Now, there is accumulating evidence that in the CNS, these same mechanisms may be pivotal for drug-induced changes in gene expression and ultimately long-term behavioral changes. As these mechanisms are also being found to be fundamental for learning and memory, an exciting new possibility is the extinction of drug-seeking behavior by manipulation of epigenetic mechanisms. In this review, we critically discuss the evidence demonstrating a key role for chromatin regulation via histone acetylation in cocaine action.
Some effects of pore diameter on single pore bony ingression patterns in Teflon

Teflon implants containing a single cylindrical pore were surgically embedded in the femural bones of rabbits. A total of eight different pore sizes were used for each experimental animal. Their diameters ranged from 274 to 670 μm, with approximately 50 μm intervals between sizes. The amount of bone tissue ingression and its spatial distribution was assessed for each pore diameter at weekly intervals over a sixteen-week period by bone labeling with Tetracycline injection. From these data an optimum pore diameter of between 400 to 450 μm was observed for maximum bone ingression. The distribution of new bone growth was characterized as an apposition pattern which emanated from the walls and the open end of the pore. No rejection phenomena were observed at the Teflon tissue interfaces.
Simian virus 40 early promoter mutations that affect promoter function and autoregulation by large T antigen

A set of nine mutants containing point mutations, and small deletions or insertions, were constructed in the early promoter region of simian virus 40 (SV40) to determine the role of the DNA sequences between the TATA box and the six upstream G + C-rich clusters in early transcription. The mutant templates were tested for transcription activity in vitro in HeLa cell extracts and in vivo in CV-1 and COS cells using the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase gene (CAT) assay. Both in vitro and in vivo results show that the narrow region from nucleotide positions 38 to 41 is an important domain of the early promoter. Deletion and insertion mutations most strongly affect the level of transcription. Specifically a four base-pair deletion in the promoter region enhances the level of transcription four- to sixfold in vitro, but causes a fourfold suppression of CAT gene expression in the in vivo assay. These opposite effects may result from changes in spacing under in vitro and in vivo conditions between the TATA box and the G + C-rich motifs where transcription factors may make simultaneous contact. Of the three T antigen binding sites (I, II and III), sites I and II have already been shown to be involved in the autoregulation of early transcription. Our mutational analyses demonstrate the role of site III, which partially overlaps with nucleotide positions 38 to 41, in the autoregulation of the SV40 early promoter.
Overexpression of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase Suppresses Tumor Necrosis Factor-induced Apoptosis and Activation of Nuclear Transcription Factor-κB and Activated Protein-1

Several recently identified intracellular proteins associate with the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor and activate nuclear transcription factor (NF)-kappaB, c-Jun kinase, and apoptosis. However, the mechanism is not understood. In the present report, we investigated the role of reactive oxygen intermediates in TNF-induced signaling. Overexpression of manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells completely abolished TNF-mediated NF-kappaB activation, IkappaB alpha degradation, p65 nuclear translocation, and NF-kappaB-dependent reporter gene expression. Besides TNF, phorbol ester-, okadaic acid-, ceramide-, and lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of NF-kappaB was blocked by Mn-SOD, indicating a common pathway of activation. H2O2-induced NF-kappaB activation, however, was potentiated. In addition, Mn-SOD blocked the TNF-mediated activation of activated protein-1, stress-activated c-Jun protein kinase, and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase. TNF-induced antiproliferative effects and caspase-3 activation, indicators of apoptosis, were also completely suppressed by transfection of cells with Mn-SOD. Suppression of apoptosis induced by okadaic acid, H2O2, and taxol was also inhibited by Mn-SOD but not that induced by vincristine, vinblastine, or daunomycin. Overall, these results demonstrate that, in addition to several recently identified signaling molecules, reactive oxygen intermediates play a critical role in activation of NF-kappaB, activated protein-1, c-Jun kinase, and apoptosis induced by TNF and other agents.
Practices That Promote English Reading for English Learners (ELs)

Schools are becoming increasingly diversified; however, training and professional development related to working with English language learners (ELs), especially in the area of English reading, is limited. In this article, we identify three “Big Ideas” of effective and collaborative practices that promote English reading achievement for EL students: (a) foster academic English at all stages of second-language acquisition by explicitly teaching vocabulary, emphasizing cross-linguistic transfer strategies, and supporting ongoing oral language development; (b) adopt a schoolwide collaborative approach to conduct frequent formative reading assessments and use the data to drive instruction by providing accommodations that promote English reading; and (c) implement a variety of grouping strategies to deliver reading instruction within a welcoming and sensitive learning climate. In addition, we discuss how school professionals may proactively instruct ELs and collaborate within a multidisciplinary framework to i...
Characterization and electrochemical analysis of gold cementation from alkaline cyanide solution by suspended zinc particles

Abstract Recent research efforts on gold cementation from alkaline cyanide solutions have provided further information on the nature of cementation reactions. The experimental work reported herein includes the kinetics of gold cementation by suspended zinc particles and electrochemical measurements using rotating zinc disk electrodes. The reaction which was usually limited by film diffusion was studied as a function of such variables as gold concentration, temperature, sodium cyanide concentration and lead nitrate addition using suspended zinc particles. The critical effect of the cyanide concentration on reaction kinetics was observed. Of particular significance was a particle aggregation phenomenon which involved the rapid coalescence and growth of reacting zinc particles (45 μm) to aggregates exceeding several millimeters in size. Evidence of zinc passivation and anodic closure were found from electrochemical measurements and support the analysis of the suspended particle reaction kinetics.
International Evidence on the Persistence of Economic Fluctuations

Abstract This paper presents new evidence on the persistence of fluctuations in real GNP. We estimate two measures of persistence nonparametrically using post-war quarterly data from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We compare these estimates with Monte Carlo results from various AR(2) processes. For six out of seven countries, the point estimates indicate that a 1% shock to output should change the long-run unvariate forecast of output by well over 1%. Low-order ARMA models yield similar conclusions. Finally, we examine the persistence in relative outputs of different countries.
The system H2O−HCl−NH4Cl at 25°C: A study of Harned's rule

Electromotive-force measurements of cells containing hydrochloric acid and ammonium chloride at constant total molality have been used to determine the variation of the logarithm of the activity coefficient of hydrochloric acid with change in the amount of ammonium chloride in the solution. The results are interpreted in the light of the recent work of Pitzer, and it is found that Harned's rule holds for both electrolytes.
Arrays of micro Penning-Malmberg traps: AN approach to fabricate very high aspect ratios

This paper reports on the progress of fabrication of very high aspect ratio (1000:1) micro-Penning-Malmberg trap arrays designed to store antimatter. The structure consists of thousands of 100μm diameter tubes etched by deep reactive ion etching through Si wafers. Cycles of thermal oxidation and wet etching in buffered oxide etch (BOE) minimized the sidewalls roughness and ensured a complete coating during gold sputtering. The wafers were then aligned and stacked in order to create the microtubes. Uniform plating with mean roughness of Ra=600nm was achieved by tuning the electroplating parameters.
Factorial designs in clinical trials: options for combination treatment studies.

Objective: This study reviews the use of factorial designs in clinical trials investigating combinations of therapies. Methods: Factorial designs may be used when (1) the factors are regarded as being independent or (2) the factors are thought to be complementary and a specific aim is to investigate these interactions. We describe what is meant by a factorial design and the issues that need to be addressed when using such a design. We discuss these issues in general and describe how they have been addressed in various prevention trials and in the COMBINE Study, which is a treatment trial of combinations of therapies for alcohol dependence. Results: Trials of type (1) can provide substantial cost savings in conducting multiple unrelated prevention studies in the same group of participants. Such a factorial trial poses few design challenges beyond those of a standard parallel group trial. Trials of type (2) require consideration of aspects that are intrinsic to the factorial design. Conclusions: A factorial...
Does browsing reduce shrub survival and vigor following summer fires

Abstract Periodic fire is widely hypothesized to limit woody plant encroachment in semiarid grasslands. In southern Texas, however, most of the woody plants that have invaded grasslands during the past two centuries are resistant to fire. We hypothesized that browsing by Odocoileus virginianus increases mortality of palatable shrubs and reduces vigor of shrubs following fire. We randomly selected ten pairs of each of three shrub species – Condalia hookeri, Acacia farnesiana, and Celtis ehrenbergiana – in each of three locations before prescribed burns during summer 2001. Following burns, we used a wire fence to protect one shrub of each pair from browsing. We estimated intensity of O. virginianus browsing and number and height of sprouts 4, 12, 20, 30, 38, and 47 weeks post-fire. We determined shrub height, survival, and biomass one year post-fire. Averaged across species, browsing intensity on unfenced shrubs was greater (LS Means, P 0.05) one year post-burn. Browsing by O. virginianus at the intensity in our study does not increase mortality or reduce vigor of C. hookeri, A. farnesiana, and Condalia ehrenbergiana producing new growth following destruction of aboveground tissues by a single fire compared to shrubs that are not browsed following fire.
Verapamil versus saline in electromotive drug administration for Peyronie's disease: a double-blind, placebo controlled trial.

Purpose: While surgery remains the gold standard of therapy to correct the acquired curvature of Peyronie’s disease, the search for a less invasive therapy continues. Transdermal drug delivery was proposed to be superior to oral or injection therapy because it bypasses hepatic metabolism and minimizes the pain of injection. After electromotive drug administration with verapamil tunica albuginea specimens were demonstrated to contain detectable levels of the drug. Due to varying success with verapamil as injectable therapy for Peyronie’s disease we performed a double-blind, placebo controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of verapamil delivered through electromotive drug administration.Materials and Methods: A total of 42 men with Peyronie’s disease volunteered to participate in this study, which was approved by our institutional review board. A genitourinary examination was performed on all patients, including plaque location, stretched penile length, objective measurement of curvature after papave...
AlGaAs/GaAs Pnp HBT with 54 GHz F/sub max/ and application to high-performance complementary technology

Summary form only given. A self-aligned AlGaAs/GaAs Pnp HBT (heterojunction bipolar transistor) with a maximum frequency of oscillation of 54 GHz is reported. Improvements in device speed over previous work were obtained by optimization of epitaxial structure and reduction of base contact resistance. The PnP epitaxial structure was grown by nonarsine MOVPE (metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy), with silicon and carbon as the donor and acceptor dopants. The Pnp HBT epitaxial structure was incorporated into recessed areas in wafers with a previously grown Npn HBT epi structure, and the two device types were fabricated simultaneously. Pnp and Npn devices on a single wafer achieved f/sub max/ of 50 and 90 GHz, respectively. >
A Social Norms Approach to Legitimacy

Rulers seek to develop legitimacy. Legitimacy is a murky concept, however, and just how rulers might attain it is not well understood. This article explores the implications of conceptualizing legitimacy as a social norm that encourages people to support the ruler. This conceptualization points to the importance of social relations as well as characteristics of the ruler and his or her behavior. These factors together are argued to affect the extent to which norms supporting the ruler are enforced and, in turn, the extent to which people obey and respond to calls to action by the ruler. On this view, a ruler seeking legitimacy should consider (a) the messages he or she sends to citizens about himself or herself and (b) the ways in which his or her policies affect ties between citizens.
Cognitive Optimism: Self-Deception or Memory-Based Processing Heuristics?:

In a wide variety of cognitive tasks, people's expectations of what their own performance is, was, and will be are an overestimate of reality. After documenting a number of situations in which people exhibit such overconfidence, several reasons for it are discussed. It is suggested that in these situations, the optimistic bias is not attributable exclusively to self-deception or wishful thinking. Rather, the information yielded up by the cognitive system, in combination with the heuristics used for making judgments of future and past performance tailored to the specific questions asked of participants, produces a bias toward believing that one knows, knew, and will perform better than actual performance substantiates. Consequently, in the cognitive domain, the inflated beliefs that result in overconfidence also result in cessation of efforts before the correct solution of problems is ascertained, before accurate retrieval of memorial information is attained, or before adequate learning of new material has been accomplished. This effect seems in contrast to findings on people's moods and self-esteem in real-world or threatening situations that suggest that an optimistic bias in these domains be person protective and adaptive.
Questioning the conventional wisdom: culture‐knowledge management relationships

Purpose – The aim of the paper is to provide a framework to enable firms and researchers to better understand and to test for the impact of various levels of culture on knowledge management practice and success.Design/methodology/approach – The paper questions the conventional wisdom that culture is a critical antecedent of KM success under all circumstances.Findings – A conceptual framework that can be used by a firm to address culture‐KM relationship issues or by researchers to study them more rigorously is developed.Practical implication – The measures presented here may be employed by firms, without sophisticated statistical analyses, to address issues of culture‐KM relationships.Originality/value – The paper questions the conventional wisdom and develops an approach that may be used to test it.
Development of a Linear Ion Trap/Orthogonal-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer for Time-Dependent Observation of Product Ions by Ultraviolet Photodissociation of Peptide Ions

A hybrid linear ion trap/orthogonal time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer has been developed to observe time-dependent vacuum ultraviolet photodissociation product ions. In this apparatus, a reflectron TOF mass analyzer is orthogonally interfaced to an LTQ using rf-only octopole and dc quadrupole ion guides. Precursor ions are generated by electrospray ionization and isolated in the ion trap. Subsequently they are directed to the TOF source where photodissociation occurs and product ions are extracted for mass analysis. To detect photodissociation product ions having axially divergent trajectories, a large rectangular detector is utilized. With variation of the time between photodissociation and orthogonal extraction in the TOF source, product ions formed over a range of times after photoexcitation can be sampled. Time-dependent observation of product ions following 157 nm photodissociation of a singly charged tryptic peptide ion (NWDAGFGR) showed that prompt photofragment ions (x- and v-type ions) domin...
A system for automatic temperature-programmed recording of circular dichroism and optical rotatory dispersion

The effect of temperature on the circular dichroism (CD) and the optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) of macromolecules, and particularly nucleic acids, provides useful information regarding macromolecular conformation (1–3). Instruments which can perform this function, however, are not commercially available. The dependence of CD upon temperature is usually measured by manual variation of the temperature of a jacketed-cell assembly positioned within the spectropolarimeter. We wish to report a modification of the Beckman Tm Analyzer1, which is designed to record temperature-optical density profiles, permitting the use of this instrument in conjunetion with a Durrum-Jasco recording spectropolarimeter2. This assembly provides for automatic recording of CD or ORD versus temperature at wavelengths between 190 and 700 mμ. We recently employed this system in studies of the temperature dependence of CD in DNA-ethidium bromide complexes (4,5).
The application of recirculating-beam electrostatic accelerators to free-electron lasers

Abstract The electrostatic accelerator has been found to be a nearly ideal beam source for free-electron lasers, producing a high-current electron beam with near thermally limited emittance and energy spread, in the absence of a limiting temporal microstructure. Techniques have been developed to transport the beam with minimal degradation and eventually decelerate and capture it within the accelerator resulting in high-current and high-efficiency recirculating operation.
Effect of sodium ions on RNA duplex stability.

The standard sodium concentration for RNA optical melting experiments is 1.021 M. Algorithms that predict Tm, ΔG°37, and secondary structure from sequence generally rely on parameters derived from optical melting experiments performed in 1.021 M sodium. Physiological monovalent cation concentrations are much lower than 1.021 M. In fact, many molecular biology techniques require buffers containing monovalent cation concentrations other than 1.021 M. Predictions based on the 1.021 M Na+ parameters may not be accurate when the monovalent cation concentration is not 1.021 M. Here, we report thermodynamic data from optical melting experiments for a set of 18 RNA duplexes, each melted over a wide range of sodium ion concentrations (71, 121, 221, and 621 mM). Using these data and previously published data for the same sequences melted in 1.021 M Na+, we report Tm and ΔG°37 correction factors to scale the standard 1.021 M Na+ RNA parameters to other sodium ion concentrations. The recommended Tm correction factor ...
Chlorsulfüron effects on protein synthesis and accumulation in cultured root tips of Pisum sativum L.

Summary The effects of chlorsulfuron, a potent inhibitor of cell division and branched-amino-acid biosynthesis, on protein synthesis and accumulation were studied in root tip cultures of pea ( Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska). Cultures were equilibrated for 24 h and then treated with 28 nM chlorsulfuron or left untreated for 36 h. Quantitative and qualitative changes in the rate and pattern of protein synthesis in treated and control cultures were investigated. The results suggest that chlorsulfuron's effect on cell cycle activity is not caused by either specific or nonspecific inhibition of protein synthesis or accumulation. This study supports the idea that chlorsulfuron's potency as an herbicide may be due to the accumulation of intermediates of the branched-amino-acid pathway rather than the depletion of these branched amino acids.
Cooperating services for data-driven computational experimentation

The Linked Environments for Atmospheric Discovery (LEAD) project seeks to provide on-demand weather forecasting. A triad of cooperating services provides the core functionality needed to execute experiments and manage the data. In this article, we focus on three MyLEAD services - the metadata catalog service, notification service, and workflow service - that together form the core services for managing complex experimental meteorological investigations and managing the data products used in and generated during the computational experimentation. We show how the services work together on the user's behalf, easing the technological burden on the scientists and freeing them to focus on more of the science that compels them.
Euclidean TSP on two polygons

We give an O(n^2m+nm^2+m^2logm) time and O(n^2+m^2) space algorithm for finding the shortest traveling salesman tour through the vertices of two simple polygonal obstacles in the Euclidean plane, where n and m are the number of vertices of the two polygons. By obstacle, we mean that the tour may not cross between the interior and exterior of either polygon. We also consider the problem's extension to higher dimensions, proving that, if P NP, constructing a shortest TSP tour on the vertices of two non-intersecting polytopes is NP-hard if the polytopes are similarly viewed as obstacles.
Modular agents for robot navigation

Building an expandable control strategy for a mobile robot system that is capable of performing a given task or tasks is an important issue. For instance, new hardware and peripherals keep emerging as better and faster technologies become available. In this paper, we describe a system that is designed for controlling a mobile robot system with multiple sensors or peripherals. We propose a control scheme that employs at least as many server modules as there are hardware or peripheral components. Thus, a server is dedicated to controlling one hardware component and responds to all requests designated to it. Since hardware components are independent of each other, the server modules can run concurrently and new peripherals can be easily added without modifying the existing system. A typical configuration of a system consists of several task specific modules, each carrying a subgoal as part of a common goal that the robot has to achieve. Information sharing among these modules is accomplished via communication with a central data server. All modules can send query or update requests of the information used by the entire system. The control system is designed to enable all the modules to run concurrently on different machines. Preliminary results on an indoor navigation task are encouraging.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Introduction to the Issue

The history of music in nineteenth-century America, and the place of music within American culture of the period, is an area of scholarly inquiry that recently has received increased attention. It is also, as the varied articles collected in this issue illustrate, a complex topic and an area ripe for much additional research. The four articles deal with different aspects of nineteenth-century American music history and culture; in each, however, there are also areas of overlap and intersection. All four authors use as a starting point issues that have already been the subject of some scholarly attention, and examine these topics either more thoroughly or from a new theoretical or contextual point of view. The resulting aggregate should help readers to understand better a complicated and under-explored world, for all four articles highlight the complexity of musical life in America and explore some of the many ways that cultural life in the United States reflected and resonated with that of Europe. All four authors, furthermore, either hint at or explicitly mention areas that are ripe for further research.
Coal combustion at high reynolds number

Measurements of the burning rate and characteristic combustion times of a bituminous Kentucky coal, a sub-bituminous Montana coal and a Texas lignite were conducted in a jet of heated gas and in a small externally heated fluidized bed. Individual coal particles from 2 to 10 mm were tested at 871, 815 and 705°C at 21% and 10.5% oxygen. The Reynolds number varied from 19 to 50 in the fluidized bed tests and up to 1000 in the jet tests. A volatile flame ignited after 2–12 sec and lasted for 10 to 60 sec. Char burnout occurred after 100 to 700 sec. The reactivity (burning rate per unit surface area) of the volatiles varied from 0.83 to 2.3 mg/cm2-s in the fluid bed tests and from 1.9 to 3.6 in the jet tests. The char reactivity varied from 0.3 to 1.3 mg/cm2-s in the fluid bed tests and from 0.4 to 1.0 in the jet tests. Reaction rate constants for the coal char were calculated and compared to theoretical diffusion and kinetic rate constants. Temperature rather than diffusion is the main rate limiting factor although diffusion is also important.