cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computer-Assisted Dieting: Effects of a Randomized Nutrition Intervention.

Objectives: To compare the effects of a computer-assisted dieting intervention (CAD) with and without self-management training on dieting among 55 overweight and obese adults. Methods: Random assignment to a single-session nutrition intervention (CAD-only) or a combined CAD plus self-management group intervention (CAD+G). Dependent variables were the number of servings from various food groups and macronutrients related to body weight. Results: Both intervention groups reduced the consumption of energy, fat, and carbohydrates. Relative to CAD-only, the CAD+G condition was more successful in reducing fat intake, increasing vegetable consumption, and maintaining fruit intake. Conclusions: Effects of computer-assisted self-monitoring can be augmented through self-management training.
Fibroblast traction as a mechanism for collagen morphogenesis

To make visible the traction forces exerted by individual cells, we have previously developed a method of culturing them on thin distortable sheets of silicone rubber1. We have now used this method to compare the forces exerted by various differentiated cell types and have examined the effects of cellular traction on re-precipitated collagen matrices. We find that the strength of cellular traction differs greatly between cell types and this traction is paradoxically weakest in the most mobile and invasive cells (leukocytes and nerve growth cones). Untransformed fibroblasts exert forces very much larger than those actually needed for locomotion. This strong traction distorts collagen gels dramatically, creating patterns similar to tendons and organ capsules. We propose that this morphogenetic rearrangement of extracellular matrices is the primary function of fibroblast traction and explains its excessive strength.
Deep Well Disposal

Details concerning the drilling and successful completion of a deep waste disposal well at Newport, Indiana are described. The well is 6160 feet deep and penetrates about 900 feet into the Mt. Simon Sandstone which is the reservoir for disposal of inorganic waste. Under natural conditions, the Mt. Simon is saturated with essentially stagnant brine. The Eau Claire Formation overlying the Mt. Simon has a near zero permeability, thus, preventing upward migration of waste. To date, millions of gallons of waste effluent have been pumped into the well at an average injection rate of approximately 70 gallons per minute.
Heart failure enhances susceptibility to arrhythmogenic cardiac alternans.

Background Although heart failure (HF) is closely associated with susceptibility to sudden cardiac death (SCD), the mechanisms linking contractile dysfunction to cardiac electrical instability are poorly understood. Cardiac alternans has also been closely associated with SCD, and has been linked to a mechanism for amplifying electrical heterogeneities in the heart. However, previous studies have focused on alternans in normal rather than failing myocardium. Objective This study sought to investigate the hypothesis that HF enhances susceptibility to arrhythmogenic cardiac alternans. Methods High-resolution transmural optical mapping was performed in canine wedge preparations from normal (n = 8) and HF (n = 8) hearts produced by rapid ventricular pacing. Results HF significantly ( P P P P P Conclusion Heart failure increases the susceptibility to arrhythmogenic cardiac alternans, which arises from HF-induced impairment in calcium cycling.
An adsorption model for contact angle and spreading

Abstract The adsorption isotherm for a vapor on a substrate must cross the saturation pressure line at a finite film thickness in the case of those systems for which liquid adsorbate rests on the substrate with a finite contact angle. It is suggested that such isotherms be identified as types VI and VII, depending on the manner of the final asymptotic approach to the P0 line at infinite film thickness. A semiempirical model is presented, capable of representing type VI and VII isotherms, including the unstable regions. The model allows calculation of contact angles and spreading coefficients from adsorption data alone, and such calculations are illustrated with the use of published data for various vapors adsorbed on glass and on liquid water as substrates. A general purpose of the paper is to emphasize the central role of structural modifications in interfacial regions in determining wetting behavior and to provide a framework for predicting what types of liquid and substrate properties should give very high works of adhesion and very low (even negative) ones.
Constraints on the luminosities of gamma-ray bursts

Constraints are found on the gamma-ray burst luminosity function from an analysis of the combined BATSE/PVO intensity distribution. If bursts originate in an extended Galactic halo, then the intrinsic luminosity range is narrow, with bursts spanning only a factor of five or less in luminosity. If bursts originate in a simple Friedmann cosmology with Ω = 1 and Λ = 0, then very few luminosity constraints exist.
Charge immobilization linked to inactivation in the aggregation model of channel gating

Abstract Expected gating currents are derived analytically from a continuous, time-homogenous Markov process formulation of the random behavior of a single aggregation gating site. The concept of aggregation gating involves a voltage-dependent reversible conformational change and a voltage-independent reversible aggregation process. A site is assumed to consist of four hypothetical protein subunits. Based on these assumptions the model is defined by the scheme of transitions between 12 possible site configurations. The model can account for the phenomenon of charge immobilization in asymmetry current data of the voltage-clamped sodium conductance system. It predicts gating currents without a rising phase. A rising phase is obtained, however, if the model is subjected to conventional symmetrical pulse protocols for measuring asymmetry currents in the axon. Novel pulse protocols are given that do not result in a rising phase if applied to the aggregation model. Simplified transition schemes that describe the basic kinetic behavior of the potassium and the sodium conductance system are derived by eliminating transitions of negligible probability from the original scheme.
Watching Aggressive, Attractive, Female Protagonists Shapes Gender Roles for Women Among Male and Female Undergraduate Viewers

The impact of exposure to media representations of aggressive, attractive, female protagonists on audiences’ gender role expectations for women was explored through a laboratory experiment with 122 undergraduates from a large university on the west coast of the United States. Participants viewed a segment of a major Hollywood motion picture that featured a female protagonist who was either highly attractive or less attractive and either highly aggressive or not aggressive. Viewing clips featuring a female protagonist who was both aggressive and stereotypically attractive led to greater endorsement of stereotypically feminine and stereotypically masculine gender role expectations for women. The effect on endorsement of stereotypically masculine expectations was partially mediated by the perception that the protagonist was a good role model for women. Although women endorsed both feminine and masculine gender role expectations for women more strongly than men, the effects of exposure to aggressive, attractive, female protagonists were similar for both male and female participants. Results are discussed in terms of gender stereotype activation and superwoman expectations for women.
Observations and analysis of the influence of phase transformations on the instability of the thermally grown oxide in a thermal barrier system

Observations and measurements have been performed on a thermal barrier system comprising a Ptaluminide bond coat and a thermal barrier coating deposited by electron beam evaporation. Past research has highlighted a displacement instability in the thermally grown oxide (TGO), as it affects the failure mechanism in the thermal barrier coating (TBC). Phase transformations in the bond coat have also been identified, with a proposed role in the TGO instability. The present study assesses this influence by characterizing the transformations as well as their spatial correlation with the instability sites. Both the isothermal transformation from β→γ′ and the martensite transformation in the β have been addressed. Toward the end of life, the instabilities are preferentially located in the β phase, between neighboring domains of γ′. After cycling, the composition of the β grains is spatially uniform. Within the γ′, there are Ni and Al composition gradients in narrow layers near the interfaces with the β phase and the TGO. An evaluation suggests that the primary influence of transformation on the cyclic displacement of the TGO is to create a local misfit between the growing γ′ domains and the volume strain accompanying the martensite transformation in the intervening β phase, upon cooling and reheating.
Semliki Forest virus as an expression vector in insect cell lines

Studies were undertaken to determine if replication-deficient Semliki Forest virus expression vectors could be successfully used to express foreign gene constructs in insect cell lines. Using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a marker we recorded infection levels of nearly 100% in the Aedes albopictus cell lines C6/36 and Aa23T, as well as in the Ae. aegypti cell line MOS20. The virus was capable of infecting an Anopheles gambiae cell line MOS55. The amount of GFP protein produced in each cell line was quantified. Northern analysis of viral transcription revealed the presence of novel transcripts in Aa23T, C6/36, and MOS55 cell lines, but not in the BHK or MOS20. The initial characterization of these transcripts is described.
Energetic oxygen ions of ionospheric origin observed in the cusp

On 8/27/96 from 8 to 10:36 UT the POLAR satellite crossed the dayside cusp and observed very energetic ionospheric O ≤ +2 ions which had a magnetic moment spectrum, M(E) that followed a power law. Later at 14:45 to 15:30 UT the satellite passed through the ring current at 15–16 MLT where the O ≤ +2 ions again had a M(E) power law form but with a spectral amplitude that was two orders of magnitude lower. During this period from 8 to 16 UT there were no magnetic storms as Dst had an average value of ∼ −5 nT. The comparison of the fluxes at constant M means that the energetic ions in the cusp cannot have a source in the ring current. Arguments are given that the comparison of these sequential measurements of M(E) are valid and that a new mechanism is needed for producing these energetic ionospheric ions observed in the cusp.
A follow-up study of premenstrual syndrome.

Background: Previous data suggest that premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and affective disorder are related. The purpose of this preliminary study was to ascertain (1) whether women with PMS have an increased risk for future major depressive episodes compared with controls and (2) whether PMS is a stable diagnosis over time. Method: Patients with prospectively confirmed PMS, along with retrospective DSM-IV premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and asymptomatic controls were studied at 5- to 12-year follow-up using a structured clinical interview. Additionally, those women who still had regular cycles and were medication-free were asked to complete 2 months of prospective daily ratings. Results: Women with PMS (N = 27) had a nonsignificantly higher incidence of new-onset depressive episodes (DSM-III-R and Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Lifetime Version [SADS-L] criteria) during a 5- to 12-year follow-up compared with controls (N = 21). Differences in incidence disappeared when patients and controls without prior history of depression were compared. Prospective ratings completed during follow-up confirmed original diagnoses of PMS patients (N = 7) and controls (N = 11). Conclusion: While preliminary, these results suggest that the higher rate of major depression in patients with PMS during follow-up reflects the higher risk attendant to the history of major depression that existed at baseline. Additionally, at least in a small subsample, PMS appears to be a stable diagnosis over time.
Alt-PSM of Contact with Phase Assist Feature for 65-nm Node

Resolving the very small feature size of contact holes for 65-nm technology node has placed enormous challenge on even the up-to-date optical lithography techniques. Resolution enhancement technique (RET) will be helpful and necessary to alleviate the strain posed by such a task. Here we report that a 193-nm alternating phase shift mask (Alt-PSM) with phase-shifted assist features is used to print the contact holes for 65-nm node. With a novel algorithm of phase assignment, the phases of the main features are assigned properly in the full chip with the assistant features added. The results show that DOF of 110-nm iso-contact hole can be enhanced up to 0.5 μm.
Uterine preservation during surgery for uterovaginal prolapse: a review.

The traditional surgical treatment for uterovaginal prolapse has been vaginal hysterectomy. For many reasons, women may request uterine preservation at the time of prolapse surgery. The purpose of this paper is to review the medical literature pertaining to the role of uterine preservation during reconstructive surgery for uterovaginal prolapse. A MEDLINE search of literature in the English language (1966 to current) was carried out using the keywords ‘hysterectomy’, ‘hysteropexy’, ‘uterine preservation’, ‘uterine suspension’ and ‘uterovaginal prolapse.’ Fourteen articles primarily addressing the surgical repair of uterovaginal prolapse with uterine preservation were included in this review. Papers primarily addressing other forms of pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence or obliterative procedures were excluded. Existing procedures and their clinical outcomes were reviewed. The current literature suggests that uterine preservation during surgery for uterovaginal prolapse may be an option in appropriately selected women who desire it; prospective, randomized trials are needed to corroborate this.
Tandem mass spectrometric analysis of alkali metal cation–tripeptide clusters

Abstract Clusters of tripeptides bound to alkali metal cations are generated through electrospray ionization, and collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry is carried out. Fragmentation products of peptides bound to small ions are b- and y-type fragments with the ion attached, whereas fragmentation of peptides bound to larger ions leads to complete dissociation of the ion. Density functional theory calculations suggest that the ion–peptide binding energy decreases with both the increasing ion radius and the average distance between the ion and the carbonyl O atoms. There is no apparent relation between the binding energy and the partial ion charge.
Chemical, physical and sensory attributes of pre- and post-chill processed hams and bellies.

Hams and bellies from 4 control carcasses and 12 conditioned carcasses were evaluated to determine the physical, chemical and sensory characteristics of pre- and post-chill processed hams and bellies. Processing yields, chemical analyses and sensory characteristics of the hams were not significantly affected by processing treatment. Final yields for the control, post-chill bellies were higher (P < 0.05) than those for pre-chill bellies. Except for differences in crispness, no differences in sensory attributes were noted for cooked bacon strips. Overall, hams and bellies from conditioned carcasses were comparable to cold processed hams and bellies in each variable evaluated in the study.
Placement of Remote-Controlled Switches to Enhance Distribution System Restoration Capability

A smart distribution system should restore service to interrupted customers as quickly as possible after an outage. Upgrading manual switches to remote-controlled switches (RCSs) enhances restoration capability. The placement of RCSs should consider both functional and economic requirements. This paper presents a systematic method to determine the set of switches to be upgraded for an existing distribution system. The maximum restoration capability is achieved by upgrading a near-minimum number of manual switches to RCSs. The RCS placement problem is formulated as a weighed set cover (WSC) problem. A greedy algorithm with a polynomial-time computational efficiency is designed to generate a near-optimal solution for the WSC problem. A 3-feeder 9-node test system and a 4-feeder 1069-node unbalanced test system with microgrids are used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Treatment-Emergent Activation and Suicidality Assessment Profile

Although effective in treating a range of childhood psychiatric conditions, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) have been implicated in the induction of an “activation syndrome” (characterized by symptoms of irritability, restlessness, emotional labiality, etc.) that may represent an intermediary state change that fosters suicidality. SSRI-induced activation syndrome is well-accepted by many clinicians and thought to be relatively common, particularly in children and teens. However, gaps exist in empirical data on phenomenology and tools for early detection. With this in mind, we report on a recently funded National Institutes of Health grant to develop a measure of behavioral activation to be completed in a clinical setting. We discuss the development of this measure—the Treatment-Emergent Activation and Suicidality Assessment Profile (TE-ASAP)—as well as psychometric results from a sample of youth with internalizing disorders who were at varying stages of SSRI treatment. Overall, psychometric data were quite promising, with the TE-ASAP demonstrating excellent reliability (i.e., internal consistency, inter-rater, short-term test–retest stability) and strong validity properties. Through further evaluation of the TE-ASAP in the context of a controlled multimodal trial in youth with obsessive–compulsive disorder, we hope to augment understanding of activation syndrome and, in turn, mitigate risks through early detection of this potentially lifethreatening adverse effect.
Tugboat model for OB binaries, X-ray stars and pulsars.

AN examination of the kinematical properties of binary OB stars, binary X-ray sources and pulsars suggests an evolutionary sequence linking an apparent low-velocity class of pulsars to the binary nature of their extreme Population I progenitors.
Multiscale material removal modeling of chemical mechanical polishing

Abstract This paper describes a multiscale model for material removal during conventional chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). Three spatial scales are considered in the integrated model: (i) abrasive particle scale; (ii) asperity scale; (iii) wafer scale. The model is based on the deformation of hyper-elastic asperities attached to a linear-elastic pad. ANSYS is used to perform finite element analyses of a single asperity to obtain the relations between the deformation of the asperity, and the contact stress and area. Those relations are used in an extended Greenwood–Williamson model to compute the local average contact pressures on the pad. The material removal model includes the abrasive wear caused by local contact stress between the abrasive particles and the wafer, the distribution of asperity heights, and the plastic deformation of the wafer. The material removal rate results for unpatterned wafers are used to predict the material removal rates on a feature. The results of a computer simulation of material removal and the time evolution of a feature are shown. Two FEM based codes, ANSYS and EVOLVE are used; the former for the contact stress analysis and the latter to generate a new surface.
Mechanical Properties and Chemical Composition of Peanuts as Affected by Harvest Date and Maturity

Harvest date and maturity (by the Hull Scrape method) were compared to mechanical properties and chemical composition of peanuts. In general, later-harvested or mature peanuts exhibited higher cutting and shear-compression forces, shear-compression energy and slope of force-deformation curve than earlier-harvested or immature peanuts. Mesocarp color of peanuts could be used as an index to group peanuts with similar shear-compression energy (sensory crunchiness). Harvest date did not affect dry basis chemical composition except carbohydrates content decreased slightly as digging was delayed. Oil content increased and carbohydrates decreased as peanuts matured. Total unsaturated fatty acids content increased with maturity.
Decadal trends of silver and lead contamination in San Francisco Bay surface waters.

Over the past decade, San Francisco Bay surface waters have remained enriched with dissolved (<0.45 μm) silver and lead concentrations (decadal means of 5.7 ng kg-1 Ag[filtered] and 31 ng kg-1 Pb[filtered]) compared with those (0.26 ng kg-1 Ag[filtered] and 2.7 ng kg-1 Pb[filtered]) of adjacent oceanic surface waters of the northeast Pacific, despite efforts to reduce pollutant loadings to the Bay during that period. While time series models show that there has been a 40% decline in total lead concentrations in the southern reach of the estuarine system between 1989 and 1999, the filtered lead fraction has not changed significantly during that time. That persistence is attributed to (i) the ongoing input from previous atmospheric depositions and industrial lead to its drainage basin, which are slowly being advected into the estuary and (ii) the internal recycling of lead between the surface sediments and the water column within the Bay. In contrast, both filtered and total silver concentrations in the sou...
Trading costs, liquidity, and asset holdings

In this article I develop a model that accounts for interdependence between trading costs in various asset markets arising from the optimizing behavior of liquidity traders. The model suggests that noise trading is an important determinant of the liquidity of asset markets and provides a positive theory for diversified asset holding by risk-neutral liquidity traders. Article published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Financial Studies in its journal, The Review of Financial Studies.
A Method of Influence Functions for Thermal Analyses of Tribological Elements

Calculations for temperature and thermal deformation in finite tribological systems usually require finite-element (FEM) procedures. Because these calculations may be intermediate steps in iterations for film thicknesses and pressure distributions, combining FEM procedures into the iteration process may be considerably costly or even impractical. This paper reports the development of two influence functions for calculating the steady-stale temperature and the consequent thermal deformation for finite mechanical structures, as well as a method that utilizes these influence functions for thermal analyses of complicated tribological systems. A sample calculation on the thermalelasto hydrodynamic lubrication (TEHD) of a journal bearing was conducted; the results showed that this method is convenient to use and can considerably save programming effort and computation time. Presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri May 18–22, 1997
Regulation of innate immunity in tilapia: activation of nonspecific cytotoxic cells by cytokine-like factors

Exposure of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to water temperatures of 10-15 degrees C for 3-5 min produces physiological stress responses characterized by immediate phenotypic and immunological changes. In the present study, this general stress response was utilized as a model system to study innate immunity mediated by soluble factors and cytotoxic cells. Acute innate cytotoxic responses of nonspecific cytotoxic cells (NCC) in the peripheral blood (PBL), anterior kidney (AK) and spleen (SPL) were measured. Following temperature stress, the levels of NCC activity depended on the presence of soluble factors and on the cell compartments from which the NCC were obtained. NCC from PBL of stressed tilapia had 30x or greater cytotoxic activity compared to nonstressed PBLs from controls. NCC activity from the AK and SPL of stressed tilapia was lower than controls. Flow cytometric analysis of NCC in each tissue showed that increased cytotoxicity was not produced by increased numbers of NCC. To determine the mechanism of amplification of cytotoxicity, NCC from nonstressed tilapia were passively treated with serum from temperature stressed tilapia. Serum containing the "stress activated serum factor" (SASF) passively increased naive NCC cytotoxicity (from PBL) 3-4 fold. The cytotoxic cell response was inhibited by addition of anti-NCC monoclonal antibody 5C6. These data indicated that NCC are (at least one of) the target cells for SASF. SASF required only 15 min pre-incubation with naive NCC to activate cytotoxicity. Activation was nonreversible and concentration dependent. Pretreatment of NCC with SASF reduced the assay time required to amplify target cell cytotoxicity from 12-24 h to 6 h. SASF amplification of NCC cytotoxicity was not restricted by different histological types of target cells. Determination of select physical/chemical properties of SASF revealed: complete heat inactivation of cytotoxicity amplification following 55 degrees C and 65 degrees C pretreatment; SASF was thermostable at room temperature to 45 degrees C for 15 min; and freeze-thaw treatment reduced but did not completely remove amplification activity. The molecular weight range of SASF activity was identified in a 50-100 kDa fraction obtained by differential dialysis. SASF appears to be a protein sensitive to trypsin digestion.
The use of prolog as a protein querying language

Abstract PROLOG has been used to implement the knowledge base of a protein querying system. Its suitability for this application has been investigated as part o
Bank strategies toward firms in decline

Abstract Small firms are usually in constant need of funds. In addition, when they are in decline, it puts them in a weak and dependent relationship with a commercial bank. The strategy followed by the bank toward these firms is a powerful influence on their success in turnaround and their very existence. In order to identify generic strategies followed by banks, this exploratory study analyzed data on bank responses to 192 client firms. These firms have been classified as problem loans, i.e., there is an actual default or the bank perceives a potential default on their loans. As this problem in the firm arises largely out of weakness in its primary sources of payment, which is operations, problem loans are firms in the early stages of decline. Using factor analysis, four distinct strategies toward these firms were identified: (1) managerial, involving efforts to influence strategy and operations of the firm through suggestions and recommendations; (2) financial, involving efforts to safeguard the security interests of the bank by seeking additional collateral and guarantees; (3) legal, involving recovery of funds through courts; and (4) restructuring, including efforts to improve capitalization. The firms were clustered into six groups using factor scores. Thumbnail profiles of each cluster showed the groups to be distinct. Finally, three sets of contextual variables representing firm/loan characteristics, event triggers, and the bank/client relationship were used to discriminate among the clusters of firms. The variables found to be significant in discriminating among the groups and thus impacting the strategies followed toward them included: firm size, the secured status of the loan, the bank's perception of whether the decline was due to internal or external reasons, severity of the problems facing the firm, and cooperation of the client. Significantly, the extent of loss incurred by the firm and years as a client did not make a difference to the strategy used. Where reasons for decline were largely external to the firm, financial and merger strategies were preferred. When the causes were internal, managerial and legal strategies were important. Firm size was significant; banks were less inclined to adopt managerial and financial strategies toward small as against medium-sized firms. These findings point to important lessons for managers in their dealings with banks. Banks, generally, prefer to work with clients toward a turnaround rather than resorting to legal means of recovery. To take advantage of this attitude, firms need to demonstrate cooperation to secure favorable terms, as long as the bank's funds are fully secured. Moreover, because bank strategies are dependent on their perceptions of the causes of the problems, managers need to recognize the importance of providing appropriate information to create the right perception.
Monte Carlo evaluation of hadron masses in lattice gauge theories with fermions

Abstract An improved Monte Carlo method is presented for lattice gauge theories withfermions. Taking the pion mass and meson Regge trajectory slope as input, this procedure is used to calculate the rho mass on lattices up to 12 4 for gauge group¯I, the best discrete approximation to SU(2). The final result is m ρ =670±100MeV. Arguments are given to show that this prediction would be changed by replacing¯I by SU(2) or SU(3).
High-Energy Small- and Wide-Angle X-Ray Scattering: A Versatile Tool for Materials Analysis

Acquisition of microstructural information during realistic service conditions is an ongoing need for fundamental materials insight and computational input. In addition, for engineering applications it is often important to be able to study materials over a wide range of penetration depths, from the surface to bulk. In this presentation we discuss developments at the Sector 1-ID beamline of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) to utilize high-energy x-ray scattering for such studies. The use of high-energies (~80 keV) provides a highly penetrating probe, with sampling depths up to several mm in most materials. Through the development and use of high-energy optics, we can perform both small- and wide-angle scattering (SAXS/WAXS), to probe a large range of sample dimensions in reciprocal space (ranging from Angstroms to hundreds of nanometers), with real space resolutions ranging from microns to mm.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Application of self-organizing feature maps to analyze the relationships between ignitable liquids and selected mass spectral ions

The unsupervised artificial neural networks method of self-organizing feature maps (SOFMs) is applied to spectral data of ignitable liquids to visualize the grouping of similar ignitable liquids with respect to their American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) class designations and to determine the ions associated with each group. The spectral data consists of extracted ion spectra (EIS), defined as the time-averaged mass spectrum across the chromatographic profile for select ions, where the selected ions are a subset of ions from Table 2 of the ASTM standard E1618-11. Utilization of the EIS allows for inter-laboratory comparisons without the concern of retention time shifts. The trained SOFM demonstrates clustering of the ignitable liquid samples according to designated ASTM classes. The EIS of select samples designated as miscellaneous or oxygenated as well as ignitable liquid residues from fire debris samples are projected onto the SOFM. The results indicate the similarities and differences between the variables of the newly projected data compared to those of the data used to train the SOFM.
Dicopper complexes as oxidase catalysts immobilized on polystyrene and polyacrylic beads

Abstract The simple dicopper(II) complexes FSAL(Glu) 2 Cu 2 OH·2H 2 O and FSAL(Lys) 2 Cu 2 ·2HCl·2H 2 O, previously used as oxidase catalysts, were anchored to polystyrene and oxirane acrylic beads. The ability of the immobilized dicopper-bead complexes to catalyze the oxidation of catechol was measured and their catalytic activities were compared with those of the simple dicopper complexes used as homogeneous catalysts. The catecholase activities of the dicopper bead complexes, although found to be reasonably high, were less than the activities of the simple dicopper complexes.
Cytotoxic response profiles of cultured rat hepatocytes to selected aromatic hydrocarbons

Cultured rat hepatocytes were challenged with benzo[a]pyrene (BaP; 0.3-30 mum), naphthalene (NAPH; 0.1-100 mum), 2-methylnaphthalene (2-MNAPH; 0.1-100 mum), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; 0.001-1 nM), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF; 0.005-5 nM) or pentachlorophenol (PCP; 0.1-100 mum) for 4-24 hr to define class-specific differences in hepatotoxic potential. Mitochondrial fragility and GSH status were monitored as indices of hepatocyte injury. A 4-hr challenge with BaP and PCP increased mitochondrial fragility in a concentration-dependent manner, while TCDD and TCDF elicited erratic increases, and NAPH and 2-MNAPH were without effect. Pretreatment of hepatocytes with 250 muM diamide enhanced the mitochondrial toxicity of BaP. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists upregulated hepatocyte GSH levels by 24 hr, a response which in the case of BaP was preceded by varying degrees of GSH depletion between 6 to 16 hr. NAPH and 2-MNAPH transiently decreased hepatocyte GSH levels at 12 hr, but were without effect at later time points, while PCP did not modulate hepatocyte GSH levels. Modulation of hepatocyte GSH by BaP and TCDD was antagonized by 10 muM alpha-naphthoflavone. These data implicate oxidative mechanisms and aryl hydrocarbon receptor signalling in aromatic hydrocarbon hepatotoxicity.
Perspectives on the application of InP-based photonic crystal waveguides for optical signal processing

Photonic crystal waveguides have long attracted much attention in the integrated photonics community due to their high confinement properties and potential for the achievement of photonic circuits with a very high level of integration. While high propagation losses still impair most of the practical applications of such waveguides, predicted and demonstrated slow and dispersive propagation within compact lengths remain very attractive for optical signal processing. In this talk, results will be presented from an investigation on slow and dispersive propagation in two different types of InP-based photonic crystal waveguides fabricated at UCSB. Waveguides of the membrane type, with very strong vertical confinement, were fabricated and characterized, as well as guides with weak vertical confinement and deeply-etched holes. Those of the latter kind were successfully integrated with structures found in standard photonic circuits produced in our group. Detailed measurements of transmission will be presented showing slow and dispersive propagation close to band edges. Reasonable group delay enhancement is found, which is clearly dependent on propagation losses; on the other hand, extremely large GVD is found over reasonably wide bandwidths, even when considerable losses are present. This suggests that, by proper tuning of coupling coefficients, very compact dispersion-compensating elements can be designed. A discussion on the advantages and disadvantages, as well as different possibilities of using this class of waveguides for the implementation of delay lines and dispersion compensation will be presented.
Local TV News Content & Shared Services Agreements: The Honolulu Case

In 2009 3 of the 5 stations in Honolulu that deliver a daily newscast entered into a Shared Services Agreement (SSA). A community group, Media Council Hawaii, filed a formal complaint with the FCC ...
Inflammatory pseudotumor (myofibroblastic tumor) of the heart.

Abstract Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) (also known as inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor) is an uncommon spindle cell lesion that was initially recognized in the lung and is now known to occur in virtually every major organ of the body. Its precise biological nature and clinical characteristics are still relatively uncertain. We report the case of a 7-month-old girl who was found to have an IPT of the right atrium. The rarity of IPT in the heart poses a diagnostic difficulty for both pediatricians and pathologists because of the clinical and morphologic overlap with other intracardiac masses in children. The differential diagnostic aspects of IPT of the heart are discussed and the literature on that lesion is reviewed. Ann Diagn Pathol 6: 116-121, 2002.
Surface-specific bone formation effects of osteoporosis pharmacological treatments

Current anti-osteoporotic pharmacological treatments reduce fracture risk in part by altering bone remodeling/modeling. These effects can manifest on any or all of the bone envelopes—periosteal, intracortical, and trabecular/endocortical—each of which has unique effects on the biomechanical properties of bone. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of how the most common FDA-approved anti-osteoporosis agents [bisphosphonates, estrogen/hormone replacement therapy, selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), and parathyroid hormone (PTH)] affect tissue-level remodeling/modeling on each of the bone surfaces. Iliac crest biopsy data, the only means of assessing surface-specific bone formation in humans, exist for all of these agents although they predominately focus on trabecular/endocortical surfaces. Data from pre-clinical animal models provide an essential complement to human studies, particuarily for changes on periosteal surfaces and within the intracortical envelope. Although all of the anti-catabolic agents (estrogen replacement therapy, SERMs, bisphosphonates) exert positive effects on the various bone surfaces, the bisphosphonates produce the unique biomechanical combination of allowing normal periosteal expansion while limiting remodeling-induced bone loss on intracortical and trabecular/endocortical surfaces. PTH, the only FDA-approved anabolic agent, exerts biomechanically favorable alterations though enhanced trabecular/endocortical surface activity while also stimulating periosteal expansion. Through understanding how current and future anti-osteoporotic agents influence surface-specific bone activity we will move one step closer to developing agents that could potentially target a particular bone surface.
Human TRP-1 has tyrosine hydroxylase but no dopa oxidase activity.

Human TRP-1 has been immunopurified from normal human melanocytes cultured from black neonatal subjects and used to investigate the catalytic function of TRP-1 for the two substrates, L-tyrosine and L-DOPA. Immunopurified TRP-1 did not demonstrate DOPA staining on SDS/PAGE nor DOPA oxidase (DO) activity with either routine or modified assays. The purified TRP-1 also demonstrated no tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity using the routine Pomerantz assay. However, there was apparent TH activity exhibited by immunopurified TRP-1 under conditions with low tyrosine concentration (< or = 0.8 microCi/ml of 3H-tyrosine), prolonged incubation time (i.e., overnight) and in the absence of the cofactor L-DOPA. Using these latter specific conditions, TH activity was also detected in cell lysates from a tyrosinase-negative albino melanocyte line which exhibited no TH activity with the routine Pomerantz assay. In addition, TH activity under low substrate assay conditions was not exhibited in a melanocyte line derived from a TRP-1 deficient, Brown albino individual. However, the absence of TH in this Brown albino cell line could be compensated for by the addition of L-DOPA to the assay. These results suggested that TRP-1 has some tyrosine hydroxylase but no DOPA oxidase activity. We propose that one function of TRP-1 is to modulate tyrosinase activity by making DOPA available as a cofactor to perpetuate the initial steps in melanogenesis.
Basic associational designs: analysis and interpretation.

In this column we discuss the selection and application of appropriate statistical methods used in the associational research approach. The basic associational research approach examines the relation between two continuous variables (or at least ones that have many ordered levels) leading to a correlation coefficient. The most common correlation coefficient used to describe the relationship between two continuous variables is the Pearson product moment correlation, r. When at least one of the two variables is not normally distributed or there are violations precluding the use of parametric statistics, the Spearman correlation or the Kendall tau (τ) are most often applied. We also discuss common problems associated with the reporting and interpretation of correlation coefficients and the need to present effect sizes and confidence intervals. When we discuss the relationship between two variables in the associational research approach, technically, neither variable is designated as independent or dependent because a correlation is bidirectional. However, researchers usually have some direction in mind so we will continue to use the terms independent and dependent variable here.
Microteaching: What is it that is going on here?

Abstract Although microteaching has been found to be an effective way of helping preservice teachers learn about what it means to teach and while students themselves find it useful, researchers have not yet examined the task itself to discover exactly what it means to “microteach,” thus the purpose of this study was to learn more about the interactional structure of the task. The results of discourse analysis that was performed on 22 videotapes of microteaching showed that the question of how to frame the task was a constant challenge to the students, who must simultaneously negotiate the roles of teacher, student, classmate, and peer/friend. Analysis of the tapes, as well as of questionnaires in which participants described their perception of the activity and explained how they approached the task, reveals that microteaching resembles “performance” or “classroom task” to a much greater extent than it does “teaching.”
Two-particle angular correlations in pp and heavy-ion collisions

Abstract This paper presents a selected review of recent experimental results on two-particle angular correlations in AuAu and pp collisions. Two-particle correlations in AuAu collisions exhibit a rich structure as a function of hadron transverse momentum, carrying information about the expansion of the medium produced in nuclear collisions, the energy loss of high- p T partons in the medium and the medium response to these high- p T partons or other initial state inhomogeneities. Evidence on the interplay between initial state fluctuations and the final state correlation structure is discussed.
β-Endorphin: Demonstration of binding sites in three human neuroblastoma cell lines specific for the COOH-terminal segment of the human hormone

Summary This communication reports for the first time specific binding sites in human neuroblastoma cells for human β-endorphin (β h -EP). Three cell lines (IMR-32, NMB and Kelly) were investigated and found to bind tritiated β h -EP with an apparent dissociation constant of 2.2–4.2 nM. Further characterization with camel β-EP and synthetic analogs indicated that the binding is most likely mediated by the COOH-terminal segments. β h -EP-(6–31) had significant potency (15–75%) and β h -EP-(1–27) was without displacing activity. The camel β-EP has below 1% of the human β-EP activity.
Subclavian Vein Obstruction and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: A Review of Etiology and Management

This is a comprehensive review of acute and chronic venous obstruction, both thrombotic and nonthrombotic. It covers the anatomy, etiology, clinical features, management, and results of treatment of this uncommon condition. The typical clinical symptoms are pain and swelling in the arm, aggravated by exercise. Venography is the essential diagnostic test. The treatment options for acute thrombosis and their results include: anticoagulants, 49% improvement in 185 cases; fibrinolysis, 74% improvement in 62 cases, 36 of whom later had first rib resection and three of whom had angioplasty; and thrombectomy, 94% improvement in 33 cases. For chronic obstruction, treatment alternatives are first rib resection, 77% improvement in 97 patients; claviculectomy, 83% improvement in six patients; scalenectomy and soft tissue division, 83% improvement in 23 cases; endovenectomy, 90% improvement in 10 cases; and venous bypass, 67% improvement in 15 cases. The definitions of “improvement” are variable and sometimes ambiguous. The data do not provide a rigid guideline for specific management of each condition; rather, the options are presented with their supporting data to permit an individualized approach.
TBI Server: A Web Server for Predicting Ion Effects in RNA Folding

Background Metal ions play a critical role in the stabilization of RNA structures. Therefore, accurate prediction of the ion effects in RNA folding can have a far-reaching impact on our understanding of RNA structure and function. Multivalent ions, especially Mg2+, are essential for RNA tertiary structure formation. These ions can possibly become strongly correlated in the close vicinity of RNA surface. Most of the currently available software packages, which have widespread success in predicting ion effects in biomolecular systems, however, do not explicitly account for the ion correlation effect. Therefore, it is important to develop a software package/web server for the prediction of ion electrostatics in RNA folding by including ion correlation effects. Results The TBI web server http://rna.physics.missouri.edu/tbi_index.html provides predictions for the total electrostatic free energy, the different free energy components, and the mean number and the most probable distributions of the bound ions. A novel feature of the TBI server is its ability to account for ion correlation and ion distribution fluctuation effects. Conclusions By accounting for the ion correlation and fluctuation effects, the TBI server is a unique online tool for computing ion-mediated electrostatic properties for given RNA structures. The results can provide important data for in-depth analysis for ion effects in RNA folding including the ion-dependence of folding stability, ion uptake in the folding process, and the interplay between the different energetic components.
Perianesthesia care of adult and pediatric strabismus surgery patients

Strabismus procedures on children and adults are frequently performed in an outpatient setting. Perianesthesia care of patients having strabismus procedures may be optimized by recognizing the characteristics of strabismus patients, the frequently associated diagnoses that may affect perioperative care, and the specific surgical techniques used to treat strabismus. Complications including postoperative nausea, pain, prolonged PACU stay, and unplanned postoperative admissions can be minimized and treatment facilitated by preparing patients with preoperative instructions, careful choice of anesthetic agents and postoperative medications, and appropriate perioperative care. This report will provide a brief review of surgical strabismus, including current techniques, and present guidelines for perioperative care of pediatric and adult strabismus patients.
Levels Of Interventions For MFTs Working With Family Businesses

Family businesses (FBs) are a significant population in the world and therefore part of most practicing marriage and family therapists (MFTs) clientele; however, little is mentioned about FBs in the training of MFTs. This article offers some guidance to practicing MFTs who service this population, as well as MFTs who wish to expand their practice into a focused consultation practices with FB systems. This article uses Doherty’s Levels of Family Involvement Model as a road map for MFTs to organize the vast amount of literature on FB systems as well as the many ways in which MFTs might serve FBs. We also offer suggestions for the necessary skills, experiences, and levels of engagement required at each level of intervention provided by MFTs.