cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Motives for prescription opioid use: The role of alexithymia and distress tolerance

Background and objectives Prescription opioid (PO) use disorder is a national public health crisis. Distress tolerance and alexithymia are two separate but related components of emotion regulation that are known to impact substance use disorders. No studies to date, however, have examined the role of distress tolerance and alexithymia in PO use disorder. Thus, the current study examined the association between distress tolerance, alexithymia, and specific motivations for PO use. Methods Participants were non-treatment-seeking individuals with current PO use disorder (N = 81; average age = 35.0). Assessments included the Distress Tolerance Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and the Inventory of Drug Taking Situations. Results The findings indicate that distress tolerance mediated the association between alexithymia and PO use in negative situations. Specifically, distress tolerance mediated the association between alexithymia and unpleasant emotions, testing personal control, and conflict with others. Conclusions and scientific significance The results provide novel information regarding emotional states that may contribute to PO use and are malleable intervention targets. Additionally, this study adds to existing literature exploring the relationship between distress tolerance and substance use and is the first to expand upon the connection between alexithymia and distress tolerance in an opioid-using population. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.
The Arts of Witnessing

The essay examines Archbishop Laud’s prison diaries and scaffold sermon in relation to post-Foxean martyrology. In Laud’s writings one sees a distinctive theological stance reworking a highly conventionalized genre, and making out of it something that approaches Great Literature (in the Arnoldian sense), but also, in the process, affording reason to think that Laud has been ill-used by historians and is ripe (insofar as archbishops can ripen) for reassessment.
Multiphase Simulations of Blast-Soil Interactions

One challenge associated with the simulation of buried detonations involves the treatment of the multiphase flow phenomena related to the soil. At the moment when the soil “shatters” into a dense particulate cloud with detonation products escaping through the soil particles, the continuum model that assumes a single velocity shared by the blast gas and the soil at any given point no longer holds. Instead momentum coupling between the two phases has to be modeled. One characteristic at the stage of soil breaking is that the soil fragments packed in a tight configuration under large pressure provide significant blockage effect characterized by large particle volume fractions. Unfortunately, traditional drag laws do not address the momentum coupling between gas and solid phase under the condition of particle high volume fraction in high speed blast flows. In order to develop a phenomenological drag model to characterize the momentum coupling between the detonation gas and soil fragments when the soil initially breaks into a dense particulate cloud, we conducted a series of numerical simulations on the scale of soil fragments by only considering a small region occupied by a mixture of blast gas and soil fragments (so-called particle-scale simulations). A drag database was constructed based on the drag force collected from the particle-scale simulations under the conditions of various soil volume fractions and particle sizes. A new drag law was developed using data regression technique to characterize the dependency of the drag force exerted on particles as a function of particle volume fraction and Reynolds number based on particle size. The proposed drag law provides satisfactory representations of the simulation data, and converge to traditional drag model for isolated particles when the particle volume fraction approaches to zero. Finally, we applied the new phenomenological drag law in the simulations of buried detonation at the stage of soil breaking, and compared the results with the ones from continuum model in which the gas and the soil are assumed moving at the same speed.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Tachyon singularity: A spacelike counterpart of the Schwarzschild black hole

A Schwarzschild-like metric is presented for the region around a singularity associated with a spacelike world-line (tachyon singularity). Kruskal-type extensions of the metric are provided. The form of the metric suggests a qualitative explanation of tachyon motion (v>c) that does not involve transport of energy or information at speeds greater than the velocity of light. The extended metrics show both normal and time-reversed gravitational Cerenkov cones of high space curvature. The solutions correspond to half-advanced, half-retarded fields in accord with the Wheeler-Feynman absorber theory.
Oligopeptide-repeat expansions modulate ‘protein-only’ inheritance in yeast

The yeast [PSI+] element represents a new type of genetic inheritance, in which changes in phenotype are transmitted by a 'protein only' mechanism reminiscent of the 'protein-only' transmission of mammalian prion diseases. The underlying molecular mechanisms for both are poorly understood and it is not clear how similar they might be. Sup35, the [PSI+] protein determinant, and PrP, the mammalian prion determinant, have different functions, different cellular locations and no sequence similarity; however, each contains five imperfect oligopeptide repeats-PQGGYQQYN in Sup35 and PHGGGWGQ in PrP. Repeat expansions in PrP produce spontaneous prion diseases. Here we show that replacing the wild-type SUP35 gene with a repeat-expansion mutation induces new [PSI+] elements, the first mutation of its type among these newly described elements of inheritance. In vitro, fully denatured repeat-expansion peptides can adopt conformations rich in beta-sheets and form higher-order structures much more rapidly than wild-type peptides. Our results provide insight into the nature of the conformational changes underlying protein-based mechanisms of inheritance and suggest a link between this process and those producing neurodegenerative prion diseases in mammals.
SLA-aware resource over-commit in an IaaS cloud

Cloud paradigm facilitates cost-efficient elastic computing allowing scaling workloads on demand. As cloud size increases, the probability that all workloads simultaneously scale up to their maximum demand, diminishes. This observation allows multiplexing cloud resources among multiple workloads, greatly improving resource utilization. The ability to host virtualized workloads such that available physical capacity is smaller than the sum of maximal demands of the workloads, is referred to as over-commit or over-subscription.Naturally, over-commit implies risk of resource congestion. Therefore, there is a tradeoff between improving resource utilization by increasing an over-commit ratio and exposing the infrastructure provider and customers to the risk of resource congestion. In this work, we observe that while resource multiplexing naturally occurs in the cloud, the risks associated with exploiting it for higher levels of cloud utilization, are not transparent to the customers. We consider workloads comprising elastic groups of Virtual Machines (VMs). We suggest that cloud providers would extend a standard availability Service Level Agreement (SLA) to express the probability of successfully launching a VM (to expand a workload), complementing the current practice of offering a standard SLA on availability of VMs which are already successfully launched.Using the proposed extended availability SLA, we introduce a notion of the cloud effective demand, which generalizes previously introduced notions of effective size of a single VM and effective bandwidth of stand-alone and multiplexed network connections. We propose an algorithmic framework that uses cloud effective demand to estimate the total physical capacity required for SLA compliance under over-commit. We evaluate our proposed methodology using simulations based on the data collected from a real private cloud production environment.
Frequency- and time-domain detection of superluminal group velocities in one dimensional photonic crystals (1DPC)

In this work we discuss two recent experiments in the frequency- and time-domain for electromagnetic waves tunneling through an optical multilayer also known as 1DPC. These experiments are intended to demonstrate measurability and hence the physical reality of the superluminal (exceeding the speed of light in vacuum) group velocities for evanescent modes. Despite these anomalous velocities, Einstein causality is not violated since the front (Sommerfeld forerunner) remains luminal.
Customer Loyalty to the Salesperson and the Store: Examining Relationship Customers in an Upscale Retail Context

Only recently has research interest in relationship marketing and customer loyalty converged in the retail context. Although this research shows that relationship customers maintain their primary loyalty to the salesperson, which then “spills over” and affects loyalty to the store, other research suggests that salesperson loyalty has direct effects on store-level outcomes, such as spending and word of mouth. However, this has not been comprehensively investigated, and relationship researchers have specifically called for research examining the effects of salesperson and store loyalty on store-level outcomes. Our research addresses this call, and shows that in an upscale retail context a relationship customer's loyalty to the salesperson is significantly related to store loyalty as well as the important store-level outcomes of share of purchases, word of mouth and competitive resistance.
Informed Consent: Hints From Placebo and Nocebo Research

Mark Alfano in his article dissects the concepts of placebo and placebo effects into loosely related mechanisms, including “expectation-fulfillment, classical conditioning, and attentional-somatic ...
A reliability study of Au-Sn eutectic binding with Ga-As dice

GaAs test dice successfully bonded on alumina substrates using Au-Sn eutectic alloy with static pressure but without scrubbing are discussed. A scanning acoustic microscope (SAM) having a spatial resolution of 25 mu m was used to examine the quality of the bondings. Nearly perfect bondings have been achieved consistently. After 100 cycles of thermal shock between -196 degrees and +160 degrees C, good specimens remain well bonded without die cracking, as confirmed by the SAM images. Specimens with voids near the edge of the dice incur vertical die cracking due to the concentrated stress at the voids. Shear tests have also been performed and 95% of the specimens tested passed the MIL-STD-883C test. The resulting shear strength correlates perfectly with the quality of the bondings determined by the SAM images. >
Zero-Field Mobility of an Excess Electron in Fluid Argon

Drift velocities of electrons in fluid argon have been measured at temperatures from 90 to 160 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and at pressures from 10 to 100 atm for applied electric fields in the range -25 to -200 V/cm. The electron drift velocity is found to be linear with respect to electric field strength only to -100 V/cm at temperatures from 90 to 125 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and to become increasingly nonlinear at temperatures greater than 125 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Mobilities can be obtained from these data by extrapolation to zero field; maxima are found in the zero-field mobilities as a function of density, in the region of 0.81 g/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$. Using the model proposed by Lekner for electron scattering by a system of fluctuating potentials and assuming that the scattering length for electrons in fluid argon approaches zero at some density, it is possible to obtain a semiempirical relation for the zero-field mobility as a function of density. Excellent agreement between calculated and observed mobilities is found in the high-density range studied 1.0-1.4 g/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$. At densities less than 1.0 g/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$, several qualitative aspects of the experimental data are accounted for by the theory, but quantitative agreement is lacking. It is possible that at these lower densities, gas-like scattering is of dominant importance.
Echocardiography in Endocarditis and Aortic Regurgitation

Excerpt To the editor: I enjoyed the excellent paper by DeMaria, King, Sale, et al, "Echography and Phonography of Acute Aortic Regurgitation in Bacterial Endocarditis" (Ann Intern Med82:329-335, 1...
Analysis of DNA (cytosine 5) methyltransferase mRNA sequence and expression in bovine preimplantation embryos, fetal and adult tissues.

Abstract Mammalian preimplantation development is a critical stage for establishment of the genomic methylation pattern and proper function of the enzymes responsible for this appear essential for normal development. To date, the vast majority of work concerning the developmental expression of the DNA cytosine 5-methyltansferases (Dnmts) has been conducted in mice. Here we report the sequence and expression of the Dnmt family during bovine preimplantation and fetal development. Bovine Dnmt mRNAs display strong sequence homology to those of human and mouse and similar to other species, exist as multiple isoforms. Two of these splice variants, which have been termed Dnmt2γ and Dnmt3a4, represent previously unreported sequence combinations. Work presented here demonstrates early bovine embryos express mRNA coding for the somatic form of Dnmt1 and that this transcript fractionates with the ribosome. Unlike the murine model, mRNA encoding the de novo methyltransferases, Dnmt3a and 3b are present during preimplantation development and can also be found in the ribosomal subcellular fraction. Further, results of Real Time PCR analysis indicate significant differences in Dnmt mRNA expression levels exist among different tissue types as well as between fetal and adult stages. Recently, it has been postulated that the cause of abnormal methylation observed in cloned embryos may be due in part to misexpression of the Dnmt1o isoform during preimplantation development. Work presented here raises new and significant hypotheses that must be considered both regarding the cadre of DNA methyltranferases that direct epigenetic programming during normal development and regarding the implication of abnormal DNMT expression in cloned embryos.
High-sensitivity laser-based acoustic microscopy using a modulated excitation source

A laser-based acoustic microscopy system has been developed that uses an amplified electroabsorption modulated diode laser for narrow bandwidth acoustic wave generation at frequencies up to 200 MHz. The detection bandwidth reduction afforded by this technique allows for a significant improvement in signal-to-noise ratio over systems using pulsed-laser excitation and broadband detection. Femtometer range displacement sensitivity is demonstrated, allowing for materials characterization with only minimal surface heating. The source modulation frequency is scanned over the bandwidth of interest and the transient response of the specimen is reconstructed from the frequency domain data. This signal processing approach allows for easy identification of individual acoustic arrivals or multiple acoustic modes.
Design of superionic polymers—New insights from Walden plot analysis

Abstract Using a modified Walden plot analysis, we demonstrate that polyether-based solid electrolytes have intrinsic limitations for ionic transport at ambient and low temperatures, due to strongly coupled segmental and ion dynamics. On the other hand, rigid polymers can exhibit ionic conductivity that is highly decoupled from segmental relaxation, thus providing a significant advantage over traditional polyether electrolytes. Our analysis emphasizes that decoupling of ionic transport from segmental dynamics is the key for macromolecular design of “superionic” polymers.
HLA type and risk of alloimmunization in sickle cell disease.

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are frequently required to treat patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) [1]. One of the most serious complications of repeat transfusion is alloimmunization to RBC antigens [2]. Because human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes mediate the response to foreign antigens, particular HLA alleles may predispose to the development of alloimmunization in patients with SCD who receive multiple transfusions. We conducted a case-control study to determine if particular HLA alleles are associated with alloimmunization and whether HLA homozygosity influences the risk of developing RBC alloantibodies. High-resolution HLA genotyping was performed on DNA samples from 159 multiply transfused patients with SCD. HLA allele frequencies were compared between alloantibody-positive and alloantibody-negative groups. The HLA-DRB1 * 1503 allele was associated with an increased risk (P = 0.039), while HLA-DRB1 * 0901 conferred protection from alloimmunization (P = 0.008). HLA Class II locus homozygosity was more frequently observed in the alloantibody-negative group (P = 0.01). These preliminary findings suggest that particular HLA-DR81 alleles and overall homozygosity at HLA class II loci are associated with alloimmunization risk in SCD. If confirmed, HLA type may serve as a useful genetic predictor of alloimmunization risk, and permit a targeted approach to the use of phenotypically matched blood.
Multifocal mantle cell lymphoma in situ in the setting of a composite lymphoma.

Objectives: Mantle cell lymphoma in situ (MCLIS) consists of immunophenotypically defined but histologically inapparent neoplastic cells restricted to narrow mantle zones, without expansion or invasion beyond the mantle zone. We report a unique case of MCLIS associated with a much more manifest nodal marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) in an inguinal lymph node, porta hepatis lymph node, and bone marrow. Methods: Biopsies from all three locations were evaluated using standard H&E-stained sections, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, metaphase cytogenetics, and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Results: This case is unique for three reasons. First, the histologically covert mantle cell lymphoma was multifocal, detected in all three locations using one or more of flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, cytogenetics, and FISH. Second, the MCLIS was always accompanied by a more histologically dominant MZL. Third, where evaluable, it did not grow in an appreciable mantle zone distribution, presumably due to destruction of the normal nodal architecture by the neoplastic MZL cells and the resulting absence of recognizable follicles and mantle zones. Conclusions: This unique case provides new insight into the pathogenesis of MCLIS.
Trace analysis of organic volatiles in water by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with glass capillary columns.

Abstract Traces of volatile organic materials in water have been concentrated by gas phase stripping and adsorption onto a porous polymer. A simple all-glass sampling device is proposed which allows efficient concentration at elevated temperatures. Sample transfer from adsorbent into a gas chromatographic column is effected by a simple one-step procedure involving heat desorption. The capacity of the adsorbent has been determined for a number of model substances which are found in water. Under the sampling conditions used, compounds being less volatile than benzene are usually quantitatively retained, with some exceptions. Separations were effected with highly efficient glass capillary columns. Water samples, collected from a small number of locations, included both tap water and untreated waters. A number of volatiles have been determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in drinking water and in a river which flows through an industrialized area. The drinking water examined contains a large number of chlorinated and brominated compounds whereas the river water is largely free from this class of substances. Derivatives of comphor and terpenes have been identified in this particular river.
Angle-resolved local density of states of zinc-blende semiconductor (110) surfaces: An analytic Green's-function approach

The analytic Green's function proposed by Allen and the recently developed technique for obtaining the complex band structure and the evanescent states are used to study the electronic properties of semiconductor surfaces. This approach enables one to obtain the exact solution to the surface Green's function with great computational efficiency. Angle-resolved local density of states for five (110) surfaces, including GaAs, GaP, InP, InSb, and ZnTe, are reported. All calculations are performed within a realistic ten-band tight-binding model. The effects due to surface relaxation are also discussed.
Internet Linguistics: A Linguistic Analysis of Electronic Discourse as a New Variety of Language

The revolution in the electronic communication may give rise to new modes of communication. Electronic discourse is a new variety of language that leads to significant variations in written structure of language. Electronic discourse creates a kind of semi-speech that is between speaking and writing and it has its own features and graphology. This study attempts to present a comprehensive picture of electronic discourse as a new variety of language, its salient features. In addition, it aims to conduct linguistic analysis of the features found in the electronic discourse. The corpus of this study was 340 messages with total 4760 words. The findings indicate that only 25% of overall the corpus found to be electronic discourse. This finding come inconsistent with common notion that the students’ electronic discourse is incomprehensible, extremely shortened 'code'. In addition, findings revealed that students use variety of discourse features such as shortening, clippings and contractions, unconventional spellings, word-letter replacement.
Mimicking the Escherichia coli cytoplasmic environment activates long‐lived and efficient cell‐free protein synthesis

Cell-free translation systems generally utilize high-energy phosphate compounds to regenerate the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) necessary to drive protein synthesis. This hampers the widespread use and practical implementation of this technology in a batch format due to expensive reagent costs; the accumulation of inhibitory byproducts, such as phosphate; and pH change. To address these problems, a cell-free protein synthesis system has been engineered that is capable of using pyruvate as an energy source to produce high yields of protein. The "Cytomim" system, synthesizes chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) for up to 6 h in a batch reaction to yield 700 microg/mL of protein. By more closely replicating the physiological conditions of the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli, the Cytomim system provides a stable energy supply for protein expression without phosphate accumulation, pH change, exogenous enzyme addition, or the need for expensive high-energy phosphate compounds.
CRYOGENIC RADIATION RESPONSE OF SAPPHIRE

Abstract We have studied the response of sapphire (α-Al2O3) to heavy-ion and electron irradiation at cryogenic temperatures using a high-voltage electron microscope. The structural changes were determined in situ during irradiation with 1.5 MeV Xe+, 1 MeV Kr+, and a dual beam of 1 MeV Kr+ and 900 keV electrons at temperatures from 20 to 100 K. At 20 K, α-alumina is amorphized by 1.5 MeV Xe+ at about 3.8 displacements per atom (dpa). The critical temperature for this amorphization was determined to be about 170 K. However, the material remains crystalline when irradiated at 26 K with a dual beam of heavy ions and electrons. The results demonstrate that electron irradiation can promote damage annealing, even at cryogenic temperatures, by causing the migration of point-defects produced in ceramics by ion irradiation.
Optical coherence tomographic identification of retinal fold resolution in chronic hypotonous maculopathy after internal limiting membrane removal

Optical coherence tomography illustrated persistent macular folds of the sensory retina without corresponding choroidal folds or epiretinal membrane, secondary to chronic intraocular hypotony after trabeculectomy despite resolution of hypotony. Removal of the internal limiting membrane at the time of vitrectomy appeared to restore normal retinal contour and improve visual acuity. The authors suggest that internal limiting membrane reorganization was responsible for the macular folds.
A hierarchical scheme based on the generalized method of moments

Summary form only given. Hierarchical and multiresolution basis function schemes have been successfully employed as preconditioners for solution of the Combined Field Integral Equation (CFIE) in the context of Method of Moments (MoM) solvers. A hierarchical approach is attractive because it reduces susceptibility of the descretized CFIE-MoM system to low-frequency breakdown, and also acts as an effective preconditioner for iterative solvers, significantly speeding the rate of convergence. In past efforts, multiresolution basis sets have been constructed using hierarchical, conformal surface tessellations, most commonly on triangular meshes with corresponding hierarchical embeddings of Rao-Wilton-Glisson-type basis functions in linear combinations or wavelet-type macro-bases (see e.g. Vipiana, Pirinoli and Vecchi, TAP, 53, 2247-2258). These approaches have been successful, but suffer from the restriction that tessellations at a given level must be conformal with those at all higher levels, so that fine geometrical features dictate the maximum level of coarseness. Additionally, the approximation functions defined at different strata of the hierarchy must also conform in some sense, so that the types of basis functions that may be employed at different levels are necessarily closely linked and the choice of basis sets is significantly restricted. In this work, we present a highly flexible hierarchical methodology based on Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) that removes constraints of interlevel conformality and allows significant freedom in the choice of basis set and surface description across levels. These capabilities are afforded by the GMM surface description, which is composed of a set of overlapping patches {Ωi} that are decoupled using Partition of Unity (PU) functions. In the proposed method, GMM patches are successively merged to create a hierarchy of levels l = 1, 2, 3 · · · , N with corresponding hierarchical patch embeddings: Ω1,i C υn2 j Ω2,i,j C υn3 j Ω3,i,j C ... C υnN j ΩN,i,j. Surface currents therefore form a similar hierarchy, J1,i(r) C J2,i(r) C J3,i(r) C ... C JN,i(r), where Domain{Jl,i(r)} = υnl+1 j Ωl+1,i,j. Defining the hierarchy in this fashion removes the stricture of geometrical conformality between levels since patches at every level are decoupled. Additionally, the methodology allows independent control over surface fidelity at each level and permits great flexibility in the choice of basis sets. At the conference, we will provide details of the implementation of the method, convergence of approximations, and validation of its accuracy and utility.
A Photomultiplier Circuit for Precision Spectrophotometry

A circuit is described which allows precision measurements of the anode current of photomultipliers. In particular the circuit is suitable for the measurement of anode-current ratios which occur in spectrophotometry. In this circuit the principles of the potentiometer are utilized. Special features include a compensator for the dark-current, a choice of two sensitivity ranges, and the possibility of normalizing the higher of the two measured anode currents to unity. The precision obtainable depends greatly upon the particular photomultiplier employed. For an EMI 9558B the precision was found to be ±0.02%. Linearity measurements with photomultipliers were made. Considering the precision of the measurements no deviations from linearity were found.
Absolute deuterium coverage determination for the Mo0.75Re0.25(100), (110), and (111) surfaces

Abstract Adsorption of hydrogen (deuterium) on the (100), (110), and (111) surfaces of the random alloy Mo0.75Re0.25 has been studied with low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), temperature-programmed desorption, and nuclear reaction analysis. The relative distribution of Mo and Re in the outermost layers of these surfaces is orientation-dependent. Following exposure to D2, only (1×1) patterns are observed with LEED for all surfaces and D coverages, indicating no adsorbate-induced reconstruction. Using the D(3He, p)4He reaction, the saturation coverages for the (100), (110), and (111) surfaces are determined to be 2.02±0.10, 0.99±0.05, and 2.86±0.24 ML, respectively. No bulk absorption of D is observed after exposure to either D2 or D for all three surfaces.
Studies on blown film extrusion. II. Analysis of the deformation and heat transfer processes

Having investigated the elongational flow behavior of polymer melts (part I of this series), we have carried out both theoretical and experimental studies in order to better understand the deformation and heat transfer processes involved in blown film extrusion. For the experimental study, nonisothermal experiments were carried out, using high-density and low-density polyethylenes. Measurements were taken of the axial tension, bubble diameter, and film thickness at a series of extrusion conditions (i.e., flow rate, pressure difference across the film, and take-up speed). For the theoretical study, an analysis was carried out to simulate the blown-film extrusion process, by setting up the force- and energy-balance equations on the blown bubble moving upward. The approach taken in the theoretical study may be considered as an extension of the earlier work by Pearson and Petrie who considered the isothermal operation of Newtonian fluids. In the present study, However, we have considered the nonisothermal operation of power law fluids, whose rheological parameters were determined by an independent experimental study an described in part I of this series. Four highly nonlinear differential equations were solved numerically with the aid of the CDC 360 digital computer, using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. The mathematical model predicts the bubble shape, temperature profile, and film thickness as a function of the distance along the machine axis. Comparison is made of the experimentally observed bubble shapes with the theoretically predicted ones, showing a reasonable agreement.
Does Reading the Research Make a Difference? A Case Study of Teacher Growth in FL German

Although the research literature on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) has increased exponentially over the last few decades, it is not at all clear how its findings may or may not contribute to teacher growth or otherwise influence actual classroom praxis. The case study presented here shows one instructor, a native speaker of German, translating theory into practice in a beginning German as a foreign language college classroom. The theory employed in this case concerns corrective feedback in oral production, and the format follows an action research model. We note the instructor's initial treatment of spoken classroom errors, then his reaction to research articles on oral corrective feedback encountered in a pedagogy seminar, and finally how he implements those ideas in an action plan of his own design, for his subsequent teaching. Throughout the process, we find a series of cultural and conceptual filters at work that influence the reading of the research, the selection of ideas for the action research plan, and the way those ideas appear and mutate in actual classroom use. The study suggests (a) that the act of reflection itself, in tandem with the results and suggestions of the literature, produces change; and (b) that an emic view of classroom actions and reactions, where the instructor interprets his behaviors in light of a theoretical framework, is a critical component of classroom analysis.
Political communication in the Philippines: Implications for interpersonal influence

The purpose of this article is to show how in the Philippines, a Third World democracy, different channels and styles of communication, used in different spatial settings, are employed to pursue a variety of political goals. Our main emphasis will be on interpersonal communication. We begin with a summary description of Philippine society, Filipino political values, and Philippine governmental structure, i.e. of the setting in which political communication takes place. Then we identify three types of needs that government can satisfy. For each need we examine the political arena in which that need is most commonly satisfied, describe the formal and informal political structures involved, and describe the channels, styles and content of the communication. For each of the three types of needs we note also how their fulfillment unites and divides communities. Finally, we suggest some changes that appear to be in progress involving the Philippine political system and political communication. We conclude with ...
Preponderance of acute proximal left anterior descending coronary arterial lesions in fatal myocardial infarction: A clinicopathologic study

Abstract To determine whether an acute lesion in a specific segment of the cororiary tree is more likely than other obstructions to cause fatal myocardial infarction, 77 autopsy patients Who died of acute myocardial infarction were studied. Multiple coronary stenoses were present in 92 percent of these patients, arid the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery before the first septal perforator accounted for only 23 percent of the critical narrowings (greater than 70 percent of luminal diameter). In contrast, acute thrombotic coronary events associated with fatal myocardial infarction occurred most often in the proximal left anterior descending artery, accounting for 61 percent of acute lesions; this rate compared with 8 percent of acute lesions occurring in the mid or distal left anterior descending artery, 18 percent of those in the right, 6 percent of those in the left circumflex and 7 percent of those in the left main coronary artery. Of the autopsy patients, 32 (40 percent) had 77 prior nonfatal myocardial infarcts of which only 17 (22 percent) were anteroseptal infarcts related to occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. The amount of infarcted myocardium in the hearts with acute proximal left anterior descending coronary arterial lesions was somewhat more extensive but not significantly different from that of hearts with other acute coronary lesions. Fifty survivors of myocardial infarction who underwent cardiac catheterization were studied for comparison. In those patients, proximal left anterior descending coronary disease accounted for 17 percent of critical narrowings and only 22 percent of nonfatal infarcts. These findings suggest that an acute proximal left anterior descending coronary arterial lesion is more likely to result in fatal myocardial infarction than are critical obstructions elsewhere in the coronary arterial tree. Because the quantity of the infarct does not appear to be sufficient to explain these differences, qualitative differences in anteroseptal myocardium are suggested.
Intraoral melanocytic cellular nevi

Eight cases of intraoral melanocytic cellular nevi are presented, together with the clinical features and limited follow-up information. These cases are added to those already published, so that a meaningful series may eventually be analyzed.
Assignment of the NMR spectra of a potent ribonucleotide reductase inactivator-utilization of HMQC-TOCSY to establish connectivities in exchange broadened spectra

Inverted and Suppressed Direct Response (IDR and SDR, respectively) HMQC-TOCSY experiments are evaluated relative to the conventional HMQC-TOCSY experiment in the assignment of the congested proton and carbon spectra of a 2-acetylpyridine thiocarbonohydrazone used to potentiate the antiviral drug acyclovir. Spectra with moderate overlap can be most expeditiously interpreted using the inverted direct response HMQC-TOCSY variant; spectra with severe overlap can be more readily interpreted if direct responses are suppressed.
Recognition of patterned molecular ink with phage displayed peptides.

The development of a reliable method for patterning and recognizing molecular inks could enable exciting avenues in fundamental research and novel applications. Phage display is a powerful method f...
Copolyamino acid fractionation and protobiochemistry

Investigation of the origins of living things by the uniquely appropriate method of successive approximation in attempted retracement of steps in molecular evolution has yielded: a comprehensive theoretical flowsheet from archaic inanimate matter to an infrastructured, microscopic, protoreproductive, protometabolic protocell; a laboratory model of the same; and an explanatory assessment of the natural variation component of Darwinian evolution. For each of these, the significance is dependent upon awareness of the intrinsic tendency of amino acids, in mixed sets, to order themselves. Without such awareness, it is believed these vistas would have been delayed for decades. Selfordering would have in turn been difficult to recognize and support were it not for the chromatographic developments in fractionation of copolyamino acids.
Contemporary Use of Drug-eluting Stents.

Since the era of balloon angioplasty, stents have been a revolutionary advance in the treatment of severe coronary artery disease. However, one of the major limitations is in-stent restenosis. Although brachytherapy was found to be an effective treatment, the goal remains to develop a kind of stent that will not restenose. The emergence of drug-eluting stents provided a novel solution for the reduction of restenosis. The currently approved indication for drug-eluting stents by the US Food and Drug Administration is for discrete, de novo lesions in native vessels with reference vessel diameters of 2.5 to 3.5 mm. However, in the worldwide daily practice, there have been numerous off-label uses of drug-eluting stents, and their long-term follow-up and experience in more complex lesions are accumulating. This article reviews the current off-label uses of drug-eluting stents. The majority of the supporting data are from registry and observational studies, yet many studies are limited by small sample sizes. Therefore, large, prospective, randomized, double-blind, and controlled trials are definitely warranted to further support current practice. Nevertheless, the “real world” unrestricted uses of drug-eluting stents seem to be the current trend in the interventional field.
Chemistry of Molecular Growth Processes in Flames

Chemical mechanisms of pyrolysis, growth, and oxidation processes in flames have traditionally been inferred from spatial profile measurements of species concentrations. Experimental investigations now include the detection of numerous minor species such as reactive radicals and intermediate hydrocarbons. In assessing a proposed mechanism important new constraints can be established when the detailed species profile data are combined with velocity and temperature measurements and analyzed to determine production and destruction rates for specific molecules. Recent results on hydrocarbon diffusion flames provide new information on the interplay between chemical and transport processes. These measurements have led to direct tests of proposed routes for the formation of aromatic hydrocarbons and the first, small soot particles. The inception chemistry of hydrocarbon growth reactions and initial particle formation is thought to control soot formation, flame radiation and energy transfer, and pollutant emission in combustion environments.
CONTRACEPTION IN THE UNITED STATES : AN OVERVIEW AND PRIORITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT

Unintended pregnancy is a serious public health problem in the US associated with excess risks of prenatal fetal exposure to alcohol drugs and smoking; late prenatal care; low birth weight and infant death; child abuse and neglect; and physical abuse of the mother. A decline by more than two years in the average age of puberty in the last century and increases in the average age at marriage have extended the interval during which unmarried women need contraceptive protection. International experience provides evidence that the number of unwanted pregnancies in the US can be reduced through greater accessibility to contraceptive services. At present approximately 30% of poor Americans (11.5 million people) have neither health insurance nor Medicaid coverage. Although 85% of health insurance plans cover sterilization only 40% provide coverage for the 5 most widely used reversible methods (IUDs implants injectables diaphragm and oral contraceptives). About half of the 3.2 million unintended pregnancies each year in the US occur to couples using no contraceptive method; the rest involve couples who are using a reversible method but have difficulties using it consistently and correctly or experience a method failure. Needed are interventions to shorten or eliminate the "no method" interval through access to a full range of contraceptive options including emergency contraception and to improve correctness and consistency of use. In addition health policies that devote unlimited resources to the treatment of adverse medical outcomes associated with unintended pregnancy while placing low priority on the prevention of such births and reimbursement policies that impose financial disincentives for the use of cost-effective reversible methods should be reconsidered.
Automated Measurement of Flank Wear of Circuit Board Drills

The results of automated measurements of flank wear of drills used in circuit board drilling are presented. The measurement technique uses a machine vision system to increase measurement speed and reduce measurement variability. A flank area wear parameter is compared to the commonly used flank width wear measurement, and is shown to be more consistent, in agreement with similar work by T. I. Liu using multifaceted crankshaft drills.
Modeling optical turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer

Continued interest in temporal variations of optical turbulence argues for the development of a model to characterize turbulence conditions for ground-to-ground, ground-to-air, and air-to-ground observation/propagation scenarios. Standard vertical profile models of the refractive index structure parameter (C 2 n ) are available in segmented form, but are here combined to produce a single mean model of vertical structure for near noon daytime conditions that combines surface layer, boundary layer, and upper tropospheric effects. This model eliminates the discontinuities and ambiguities present in previous results. The temporal evolution of turbulence is also discussed, and several of the challenges to modelling C 2 n at a single level and developing temporally evolving vertical profile are addressed. The temporal evolution appears best handled via a surface energy budget model, which when coupled with an evolving profile model would provide greatly improved capabilities for simulating turbulence.
THREE DEGREES OF GUANYLIC ACID--INOSINIC ACID PYROPHOSPHORYLASE DEFICIENCY IN MOUSE FIBROBLASTS.

Three Degrees of Guanylic Acid — Inosinic Acid Pyrophosphorylase Deficiency in Mouse Fibroblasts
Radiation detection in a marine environment

We have performed radiation detection measurements to explore the feasibility of radioisotopic analysis and detection of a neutron source in a marine environment. We determined the maximum range in seawater through which complex (gamma) -ray emitting materials could be accurately assayed for isotopic content. Additionally we used the gamma rays from neutron capture on chlorine to detect a neutron source. Results from our experiments have been used to determine the greatest distance at which the presence of a neutron emitter can be confirmed. The measurements used an electromechanically-cooled high-purity germanium detector system in both laboratory and fielded seawater conditions. The laboratory experiments used a variety of sources in an arrangement where both the source and detector were surrounded by seawater. The field experiments were performed underwater with the detector in a sealed container that was separate from the source.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Phenotype in Mice Lacking the Cyclin-dependent Kinase 5 Cofactor p35

Background Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may result from delayed establishment of corticolimbic circuitry or perturbed dopamine (DA) neurotransmission. Despite the widespread use of stimulants to treat ADHD, little is known regarding their long-term effects on neurotransmitter levels and metabolism. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) regulates DA signaling through control of synthesis, postsynaptic responses, and vesicle release. Mice lacking the Cdk5-activating cofactor p35 are deficient in cortical lamination, suggesting altered motor/reward circuitry. Methods We employed mice lacking p35 to study the effect of altered circuitry in vivo. Positron emission tomography measured glucose metabolism in the cerebral cortex using 2-deoxy-2-[ 18 F] fluoro-d-glucose as the radiotracer. Retrograde dye tracing and tyrosine hydroxylase immunostains assessed the effect of p35 knockout on the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), especially in relation to mesolimbic circuit formation. We defined the influence of Cdk5/p35 activity on catecholaminergic neurotransmission and motor activity via examination of locomotor responses to psychostimulants, monoamine neurotransmitter levels, and DA signal transduction. Results Here, we report that mice deficient in p35 display increased glucose uptake in the cerebral cortex, basal hyperactivity, and paradoxical decreased locomotion in response to chronic injection of cocaine or methylphenidate. Knockout mice also exhibited an increased susceptibility to changes in PFC neurotransmitter content after chronic methylphenidate exposure and altered basal DAergic activity in acute striatal and PFC slices. Conclusions Our findings suggest that dysregulation of Cdk5/p35 activity during development may contribute to ADHD pathology, as indicated by the behavioral phenotype, improperly established mesolimbic circuitry, and aberrations in striatal and PFC catecholaminergic signaling in p35 knockout mice.
A fractal model for the characterization of mycelial morphology.

A new technique based on a fractal model has been developed for the quantification of the macroscopic morophology of mycelia. The morphological structuring is treated as a fractal object, and the fractal dimension, determined by an ultrasonic scattering procedure developed for the purpose, serves as a quantitative morphological index. Experimental observations reported earlier and simulations of mycelial growth, carried out using a probabilistic-geometric growth model developed for the purpose, both validate the applicability of the fractal model. In experiments with three different species, the fractal dimensions of pelletous structures were found to be in the range 1.45–2.0 and those of filamentous structures were in the range 1.9–2.7, with values around 2.0 representing mixed morphologies. Fractal dimensions calculated from simulated mycelia are in rough agreement with these ranges. The fractal dimension is also found to be relatively insensitive to the biomass concentration, as seen by dilution of the original broths. The relation between morphology and filtration properties of the broths has also been studied. The fractal dimension shows a strong correlation with the index of cake compressibility and with the Kozeny constant, two filtration parameters that are known to be morphology dependent. This technique could thus be used to develop correlations between the morphology, represented by the fractal dimension, and important morphology-dependent process variables. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.