cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of parallelism and nonparallelism in bioassay dilution curves.

There is a lack of consensus among investigators who use a variety of immunoassay techniques (e.g., enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] and radioimmunoassay) regarding the protocols for describing and forming standard reference or calibration curves and interpolating serum antibody concentrations. This confounds the issue of detecting the presence or absence of parallelism between standard reference serum and serially diluted serum sample curves. These curves must be parallel to support the assumption that the antibody-binding characteristics are similar enough to allow the determination of antibody levels in the diluted serum sample. There is no universal and widely adopted strategy for assessing parallelism in bioassays, and without an assurance of parallelism, investigators are not able to calculate reliable estimates for antibody concentrations in serum samples. Furthermore, single-point (dilution) serum assays do not provide information related to parallelism and nonparallelism, and this, too, may lead to considerable error when calculating antibody concentrations. When assay methodology, technique, and precision improve to the extent that standard reference serum and serially diluted serum sample curves are fit with little error, standard analysis of variance techniques are overly sensitive to negligible departures from parallelism. We present a series of guidelines that compose a protocol for assessing parallelism between bioassay dilution curves that are applicable to data derived from ELISAs. These criteria should be applicable, with minor modifications, to most immunoassay experimental situations and, most importantly, are not dependent on the mathematical model used to form the standard reference curve. These guidelines have evolved in our laboratories over the past 4 years during the performance of thousands of ELISAs for antibodies to the capsular polysaccharides of Neisseria meningitidis groups A and C and Haemophilus influenzae type b.
A class of porous metallic nanostructures

Colloidal crystals are ordered arrays of particles in the nanometre-to-micrometre size range. Useful microstructured materials can be created by replicating colloidal crystals in a durable matrix that preserves their key feature of long-range periodic structure1. For example, colloidal crystals have been used to fabricate structures from inorganic oxides1,2,3,4,5, polymers6,7, diamond and glassy carbon8, and semiconductor quantum dots9, and some structures have photonic properties4,8,9 or are patterned on different hierarchical length scales5. By using colloidal crystals as templates, we have synthesized a new class of metallic materials with long-range nano-scale ordering and hierarchical porosity.
Iatrogenically induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome after a car accident

Abstract Background Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a hypersensitivity reaction that targets the skin and mucosal membranes. Ophthalmic manifestations may include conjunctival and corneal keratinization, shortening of the fornices, symblepharon, entropion, trichiasis, and adnexal cutaneous blisters. The syndrome is often misdiagnosed, and patients are treated incompletely with topical agents only leading to a worsening of the condition and graduated symptoms. Case A 61-year-old black man was admitted to the hospital for management and rehabilitation of multiple lower limb fractures after an automobile accident. The ophthalmic service was consulted regarding a persistent bilateral conjunctivitis that was worsening and recalcitrant to standard topical antimicrobial therapies. Best-corrected visual acuities were 20/70 in the right eye (O.D.) and the left eye (O.S.) secondary to grade III punctate corneal epitheliopathy resulting from evolving cicatricial ectropion. Anterior segment examination uncovered maderosis, blepharoconjunctivitis and dense corneal subepithelial infiltration from 3 to 5 o’clock. Externally there was bilateral juxtaorbital and transfacial skin blistering. After a review of history, the diagnosis of SJS was made, presumably secondary to recent oral antibiotic administration. Topical and oral steroids were initiated while concurrently seeking a dermatologic consult. The dermatologist agreed with our findings and management. The disease responded to the oral and topical regimen with significant reduction of signs and symptoms. An immediate physical improvement was evident within 10 days. Conclusions Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a multifactorial hypersensitivity reaction requiring prompt systemic and local anti-inflammatory therapy.
Blood groups and disease: a historical perspective.

It is reasonable to conclude, from what we know of polymorphism, that individuals belonging to the different blood groups are not equally viable . . . . A valuable line of enquiry which does not yet seem to have been pursued in any detail would be to study the blood group distributions in patients suffering from a wide variety of diseases. It is possible that in some conditions, infectious or otherwise, they would depart from their normal frequencies, indicating that persons of a particular blood group are unduly susceptible to the disease in question.
Diagnosis of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Infection using Monoclonal Antibodies

The monoclonal antibody (MAb) D89 against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) was used in conjunction with fluorescein-conjugated anti-mouse immunoglobulin in an indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) procedure on frozen tissue sections and cell culture. During the 2-year study, BVDV was isolated from specimens submitted in 460 cases. The D89 Mab detected all but 2 BVDV isolates, both cytopathic. In 316 of the cases in which BVD virus was detected by IFA, specimens were inoculated on bovine turbinate cells and examined for BVDV antigens at 3–5, 10, and 20 days postinoculation. The BVDV was detected in 238/316 cases (75%) after 3–5 days incubation. The remainder were not detected until 10 or 20 days postinoculation. Virus isolation was enhanced in the early test if plates were centrifuged at the time of inoculation. Results suggest that D89 monoclonal antibody is a suitable diagnostic reagent for the detection of BVDV isolated from diagnostic specimens. The D89 MAb can be used for the detection of BVDV in both cell culture and tissues. Combination of D89 with another BVDV MAb (C 17) did not improve the ability to detect BVDV in tissues compared to using D89 only, and the combined Mab's resulted in an increase in nonspecific fluorescence when used on tissues. Although pooling of different BVDV monoclonal antibodies may be necessary to detect all strains of BVDV in cell culture, pooling should be used with caution on tissues. Early detection of BVDV in cell culture by this IFA procedure permits faster confirmation of BVDV diagnosis when compared to the usual routine testing for noncytopathic BVDV at termination of first passage in cell culture.
Superconducting Pair Correlations in an Amorphous Insulating Nanohoneycomb Film

The Cooper pairing mechanism that binds single electrons to form pairs in metals allows electrons to circumvent the exclusion principle and condense into a single superconducting or zero-resistance state. We present results from an amorphous bismuth film system patterned with a nanohoneycomb array of holes, which undergoes a thickness-tuned insulator-superconductor transition. The insulating films exhibit activated resistances and magnetoresistance oscillations dictated by the superconducting flux quantum h/2e. This 2e period is direct evidence indicating that Cooper pairing is also responsible for electrically insulating behavior.
Characterization of CVD-hydrogenated diamondlike thin films on silicon by EELS, RBS/channeling and nuclear reaction analysis

Abstract Thin diamondlike films, deposited on (100) Si, have been examined by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and nuclear reaction analysis. Results indicate that films deposited at high partial pressures of H2, which have been found to be softer than those deposited at low partial pressures, have higher concentrations of oxygen but similar concentrations of hydrogen within their bulk. It is proposed that the oxygen is bound to the carbon matrix, thus modifying the extended sp2 network. Analysis of the substrate indicates a damaged region at the top surface of the Si.
Home Ownership for Individuals with Disabilities: Factors in Mortgage Decisions

Owning one's own home has long been a core value in the United States, and in recent years, Americans with disabilities have become increasingly interested in pursuing home ownership. A sample of 148 underwriters rated the probability that an applicant with a disability would be approved for a residential mortgage. Mailed applicant scenarios were randomized across type of disability (physical or developmental), intensity of supports (live-in or occasional), and source of income (earnings or public benefits). Type of disability alone was statistically significant, with approval more likely for the applicant with a physical disability. Respondents also provided explanations of their decision rationale, and these narratives were analyzed qualitatively. Implications for understanding the mortgage application process and for helping individuals with disabilities enter the housing market are discussed.
Exchange of water between a mite, Laelaps echidnina, and the surrounding air under equilibrium conditions.

Abstract The spiny rat mite has been found to have a mean half-life of water exchange with vapour in the surrounding air of 18·6 hr at 25°C when the activity of the water vapour of the air av = 0·925. Tritiated water was used in making this determination. It was found that the rate constant for transpiration (kT) could be determined by measuring changes in the tritium content ( T ∗ ) of the mite with time and that the rate constant for sorption (kS) could be similarly calculated from determinations of the specific radioactivity (S). The minimum rate constant (kP) for the pump responsible for the concentration of water from unsaturated air by the spiny rat mite can be calculated from kT, aw of the haemolymph, and the critical equilibrium activity. These studies were done under equilibrium conditions so that no significant changes in mass occurred. The mean values of the rate constants were: k T =k S 0·0373 hr −1 and k P =0·0036 hr −1 .
Effects of estradiol on cerebral cortical neurons and their responses to adenosine.

Abstract The effects of iontophoretically applied 17 α- and 17 β-estradiol on the spontaneous firing of, and actions of purines (adenosine, adenosine 5′-N-ethylcarboxamide) on, neurons in the rat cerebral cortex have been determined. Both steroids, applied as acetate, sulphate or hemisuccinate esters, depressed the spontaneous firing of approximately half of the neurons tested. 17 β-Estradiol potentiated the inhibitory actions of adenosine on some neurons (26%) and antagonized the effects of adenosine on others (42%). 17 β-Estradiol antagonized the inhibitory actions of adenosine 5′-N-ethylcarboxamide on 76% of the neurons tested, but did not enhance the actions of this uptake resistant adenosine analog. 17 α-Estradiol potentiated the actions of adenosine and adenosine 5′-N-ethylcarboxamide but failed to antagonize either purine. It is suggested that the potentiating effects of both stereoisomers on adenosine are a result of their ability to block adenosine uptake and that 17 β-estradiol is also able to antagonize the actions of these purines. Antagonism of the effects of endogenously released adenosine may account for the excitant actions of 17 β-estradiol on the central nervous system.
A boundary integral method for the simulation of two-dimensional particle coarsening

A boundary integral method for the solution of a time-dependent free-boundary problem in a two-dimensional, multiply-connected, exterior domain is described. The method is based on an iterative solution of the resulting integral equations at each time step, with the initial guesses provided by extrapolation from previous time steps. The method is related to a technique discussed by Baker for the study of water waves. The discretization is chosen so that the solvability conditions required for the exterior Dirichlet problem do not degrade the convergence rate of the iterative solution procedure. Consideration is given to the question of vectorizing the computation. The method is applied to the problem of the coarsening of two-dimensional particles by volume diffusion.
Phase Transitions in the Human Brain: Spatial Mode Dynamics

Pattern formation and switching between self-organized states are often associated with instabilities in open, nonequilibrium systems. We describe an experiment which shows that systematically changing a control parameter induces qualitative changes in sensorimotor coordination and brain activity, as registered by a 37-SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) array. Near the instability point, predicted features of nonequilibrium phase transitions (critical slowing down, fluctuation enhancement) are observed in both the psychophysical data and the brain signals obtained from single SQUID sensors. Further analysis reveals that activity from the entire array displays spatial patterns evolving in time. Such spatiotemporal patterns are characterized by the dynamics of only a few coherent spatial modes.
Stress and Failure Analysis of a Pin-Loaded Composite Plate: An Experimental Study:

A graphite/epoxy quasi-isotropic composite plate was loaded through an aluminum pin. High-sensitivity moire interferometry was used to obtain fringe patterns of in-plane displacement components near the pin-plate contact surface. Stresses around and near the contact surface were determined from the experimentally obtained displacements using a localized hybrid approach which consisted of introducing the displacements around a local region of interest into a finite element analysis. X-ray radiography and optical microscopy were employed in a failure analysis of the plate.Stress distributions on the near contact interface were obtained. Local damage was also documented successfully. A simple failure prediction based on classical laminate theory gave good agreement with the observed location of damage. Valuable local aspects fric tional phenomena were documented.
Breeding for Egg Weight and Related Characters

Abstract NUMEROUS investigations using the domestic fowl have been conducted in recent years to determine the mode of inheritance of egg weight and relationship of this character with other factors such as body weight and sexual maturity. Many studies have shown that egg weight is inherited and furthermore that there is a relationship between egg weight and the factors mentioned. Hadley and Coldwell (1920), for example, observed that the largest birds in their flock of White Plymouth Rocks tended to lay the heaviest eggs. The results obtained later by Asmundson (1921), Atwood (1923), Jull (1924), Parkhurst (1926), Upp and Thompson (1927), Rhynehart (1929), Hauschildt (1929), Hays (1930), Atwood and Clark (1930), and Hall and Marble (1930) supported this finding. Marble (1930) observed a significant positive correlation between egg weight and body weight and he pointed out that the mean egg weight increased as the average body weight increased. In general then, . . .
Divalproex Sodium: Migraine Treatment and Monitoring

Divalproex sodium is an effective drug for the treatment of migraine. Most adverse drug events are transient and not of great clinical concern. Although rare, well-documented examples of liver toxicity have been reported in children under 2 years of age on polypharmacy. Additional cases occur in children under 10 who are receiving polypharmacy, particularly those who have intractable seizures and degenerative central nervous system disease. Clinicians who treat migraineurs with divalproex sodium do not need to be overly preoccupied with monitoring of drug levels and liver function tests. The most valuable test is clinical observation of the patient.
Design of the modern inquiring system—ii. the contemporary computer

This is the second installment of a series of articles which attempts to trace the development of the modern inquiring system (IS), a system dedicated to the acquisition, production and dissemination of knowledge. The system which the writers of this column have in mind is a conceptual entity which need not be embodied in an actual piece of hardware, although the modern version of the computer has propelled the design of the IS system to previously unheard of capabilities
The nucleotide sequences of barley cytoplasmic glutamate transfer RNAs and structural features essential for formation of δ-aminolevulinic acid.

In chloroplasts and a number of prokaryotes, δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), the universal precursor of porphyrins, is synthesized by a multistep enzymatic pathway with glutamyl-tRNAGlu as an intermediate. The ALA synthesizing system from barley chloroplasts is highly specific in its tRNA requirement for chloroplast tRNAGlu; a number of other Glu-tRNAs are inactive in ALA formation although they can be glutamylated by chloroplast aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. In order to obtain more information about the structural features defining the ability of a tRNA to be recognized by the ALA synthesizing enzymes, we purified and sequenced two cytoplasmic tRNAGlu species from barley embryos which are inactive in ALA synthesis. By using glutamylated tRNAs as a substrate for the overall reaction, we showed that Glu-tRNA reductase is the enzyme responsible for tRNA discrimination.
Feature Space Analysis of Modulation Classification Using Very High-Order Statistics

This paper explains how higher-order statistics work in classifying a unknown modulation scheme, why the very high-order statistics are needed in recognizing a large variety of signals, and what features should be selected in developing an effective classifier. The categories and properties of moments are discussed.
THE GROWTH OPTIMAL CAPITAL STRUCTURE: MANAGER VERSUS SHAREHOLDER OBJECTIVES

Utilizing a geometric mean wealth maximization approach, this paper shows potential differences between the capital structure preferred by stockholders and the one preferred by managers. In general, managers may prefer more conservative, equity-oriented financing, while stockholders desire greater financial leverage. The problem arises because of differences in the degree of portfolio diversification achieved by managers and stockholders. Stockholders tend to have reasonably well-diversified portfolios, causing them to be concerned with systematic risk. Managers' portfolios are apt to be more concentrated and directly tied to the financial success of an employer, causing managers to be concerned with total risk. Thus, for a given capital structure, each party views the firm as having a different level of risk. Several executive compensation plans are considered that might more closely align the interests of managers and stockholders.
Variables associated with adolescent alcohol use: a multiethnic comparison.

Abstract The authors examined the influence of sociodemographic variables on the frequency and intensity of alcohol use among a nationally representative sample of Black, Hispanic, and White adolescents who had participated in the 1991 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1993). The sample consisted of 8,756 U.S. adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. The authors found that (a) approximately 19% of the respondents had used alcohol in the last 30 days; (b) among the respondents who had used alcohol, 21% had consumed 1 or more drinks per drinking episode; and (c) there were important similarities as well as important differences in variables that promoted alcohol use among Black, Hispanic, and White adolescents.
Human milk kills parasitic intestinal protozoa

Giardia lamblia, a common pathogenic intestinal parasite of humans, was rapidly killed by exposure to normal human milk in vitro. The killing did not depend on secretory immunoglobulin A. Entamoeba histolytica, the dysentery amoeba, was also killed by normal human milk. Giardia-cidal activity cochromatographed with an unusual lipase that is present in the milk of humans but not of lower mammals. Human milk may play a protective role in infants exposed to this parasite.
The use of the multiplicity survey to identify migrants.

New approaches must be developed and tested to meet the needs for current data on population movement. One such approach is the survey with multiplicity (social networks). It allows respondents to report events (in this case, migration) that occurred to specified relatives living elsewhere. In order to test the value of the approach on a limited, exploratory basis, a two-stage research design was employed. A sample of persons resident in Cranston; Rhode Island who had changed address in the three years preceding the survey, was first identified and information was gathered in Round I on their mobility and on their relatives living in the State. In tum, these relatives (Round II) were asked about the mobility of their parents, siblings, and children. (The responses from Round II should have included the migrants in Round I.) Evaluation of the accuracy of Round II responses in comparison to those obtained in Round I was undertaken in terms of kin relationships, recency of move, and type of move. The results indicate that respondents had a low awareness of their relatives’ movements, that moves of females were more likely to be reported than those of males, that recent moves were more frequently cited, and that moves between communities were more likely to be reported than intracity mobility.
Etiology of primary osteoporosis: an hypothesis.

: By convention, osteoporosis has been described in two categories: 1) primary (involutional or postmenopausal), and 2) secondary, in association with a wide variety of pathologic disorders. Primary osteoporosis is the ultimate consequence of progressive bone loss, which starts in the middle of the fourth decade. Given the apt name of “adult bone loss,” it is considered to be a universal phenomenon in that it afflicts all people of all races and both sexes. However, careful analysis of past studies generates evidence that not every person of advanced age loses bone. The etiology of “adult bone loss,” and thus of primary osteoporosis, is conceded to be unknown or at least controversial. Nevertheless, the complex dependencies of bone metabolism on the functional integrity of major organ systems imply a multifactorial etiology. The age-related progressive declines in functional reserves of major organ systems may indicate that primary osteoporosis evolves secondarily to a protracted suboptimal metabolic support of bone remodeling. Further confirmation of this hypothesis may have important implications for the prophylactic management of primary osteoporosis.
Professional liability (malpractice) coverage of humanist scholars functioning as clinical medical ethicists.

In contrast to theoretical discussions about potential professional liability of clinical ethicists, this report gives the results of empirical data gathered in a national survey of clinical medical ethicists. The report assesses the types of activities of clinical ethicists, the extent and types of their professional liability coverage, and the influence that concerns about legal liability has on how they function as clinical ethicists. In addition demographic data on age, sex, educational background, etc. are reported. The results show that while nearly one third (28.9%) of the ethicists regularly make recommendations about patient care, only 10.8% of them regularly make entries in the medical record; only approximately half (53.0%) of them are covered by professional liability (malpractice) insurance; and the vast majority (84.3%) of them say that concerns about legal liability do not influence the way they function as clinical ethicists.
Sexual behaviour and novel stimuli in male japanese quail (coturnix coturnix japonica)

Abstract Sexual performance levels following the presentation of a novel stimulus were examined in male Japanese quail. During a 1-hr observation period males were presented either with a new stimulus female each 20 min, with the same female removed briefly at 20-min intervals or with the same female left undisturbed. Although the latency to grab the neck of the famel was shorter in the group receiving a fresh female after 20 min, the overall number of completed copulations was unaffected by the treatments. It is concluded, therefore, that novelty is not an important factor governing sexual performance levels of male Japanese quail under these test conditions.
Central American counterpublic mobilization: Transnational social movement opposition to Reagan's foreign policy toward Central America

This article argues that – through a signal flare strategy of transnational activism – Central American activists’ testimonios and alternative information inspired many North Americans to oppose US policy. This strategy helped create, activate and sustain the US-Central American Peace & Solidarity Movement (CAPSM). In turn, CAPSM organizations amplified the Central Americans’ message, by disseminating it to a formidable issue public unified by its opposition to Reagan’s policy, which I call the US–Central America counterpublic. This counterpublic was made up of a network of human rights organizations, as well as local and national secular organizations and religious congregations spread across the United States. This article documents the impact of Central Americans’ signal flare strategy on public opinion by analyzing the letters that constituents wrote to President Reagan. These letters allow us to see: (i) how public opposition to Reagan’s foreign policy toward the region was activated by Central American activists’ mobilizations and testimonios and (ii) how these two sources of alternative information were transmitted to their North American counterparts through grassroots transnational networks.
Semi-empirical calculations of the isomeric C60 dihydrides

Abstract The reduction of C 60 to C 60 H 2 may result in the formation of 23 distinct, energetically non-equivalent isomers, of which three are meso. The heats of formation of these isomers were calculated at spin-restricted and spin-unrestricted semi-empirical levels using PM3 parameters. Our results indicate that at most two of the 23 isomers are likely to be significantly populated at thermal equilibrium at room temperature. The relative energies of the three lowest-energy isomers at the spin-unrestricted level are 0 kcal/mol for substitution across a 6,6-ring fusion, +2.5 kcal/mol for substitution 1,4 across of a 6 ring, and +9.1 kcal/mol for substitution 2,6 across a naphthalene ring subunit. A concise nomenclature for designating substitutional patterns on C 60 and fullerenes in general is proposed.
Changing Roles for Women: Implications for Marriage Counselors

Noting that marriage counselors focus on the male-female relationship and that changes affecting women also affect men, the author examines changes in womens' roles in American society and draws implications for marriage counselors. Editor.
Neuroimaging and cognition using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in multiple sclerosis

The present study utilized functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to detect neural activation differences in the orbitofrontal brain region between individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls (HCs) during a working memory (WM) task. Thirteen individuals with MS and 12 HCs underwent fNIRS recording while performing the n-back WM task with four levels of difficulty (0-, 1-, 2-, and 3-back). Subjects were fitted with the fNIRS cap consisting of 30 'optodes' positioned over the forehead. The results revealed different patterns of brain activation in MS and HCs. The MS group showed an increase in brain activation, as measured by the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin (oxyHb), in the left superior frontal gyrus (LSFG) at lower task difficulty levels (i.e. 1-back), followed by a decrease at higher task difficulty (2- and 3-back) as compared with the HC group. HC group achieved higher accuracy than the MS group on the lower task loads (i.e. 0- and 1-back), however there were no performance differences between the groups at the higher task loads (i.e. 2- and 3-back). Taken together, the results suggest that individuals with MS experience a task with the lower cognitive load as more difficult than the HC group, and the brain activation patterns observed during the task confirm some of the previous findings from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. This study is the first to investigate brain activation by utilizing the method of fNIRS in MS during the performance of a cognitive task.
Phonocardiography: Bizarre Murmurs in a Case of Ventricular Aneurysm

The data of a clinical case of ventricular aneurysm are reported. While auscultation failed to reveal unusual murmurs, phonocardiography revealed bizarre diastolic murmurs and more conventional systolic murmurs. Discussion of these murmurs follows.
THE LENGTH OF NOETHERIAN MODULES

ABSTRACT We define an ordinal valued length for Noetherian modules which extends the usual definition of composition series length for finite length modules. Though originally defined by Gulliksen[7] in the 1970s, this extension has seldom been used in subsequent research. Despite this neglect, we will show that the ordinal valued length is a quite natural measure of the size of a Noetherian module, and has advantages over more familiar measures such as uniform dimension, Krull dimension, and reduced rank. We will also demonstrate how some familiar properties of left Noetherian rings can be proved efficiently using length and the arithmetic properties of ordinal numbers.
Critical review of the thermodynamics of the Na-Al-O system

The free energies of formation of various phases in the Na-Al-O systems are critically reviewed for the composition range between pure alumina and sodium-aluminate. The results clearly indicate that in the temperature range between 600 and 1100 K neitherβ-alumina norβ′'-alumina (Na2O.5Al2O3) are stable with respect to sodium; the most stable phase in that range being sodium aluminate. Least square fitting and statistical analysis of all the available data on the free energy of formation ofβ-alumina deemed accurate yields ΔG form 0 (from oxides) = −8772+1.53T (J/mole of O) (600 ⩽T ⩽ 1200K) If the composition ofβ-alumina is assumed to be Na20.11Al2O3 then ΔG form 0 (Na1/17Al11/17O, from elements) = −565100+109.6T (J mole of O) (600 ⩽T ⩽ 1200 K) If the composition is assumed to be 1∶9 then: ΔG form 0 (Na1/14Al9/14O, from elements) = −564000+109.6T (J/mole of O) (600 ⩽T ⩽ 1200K) Based on the only study to date, the best estimate for the free energy of formation ofβ″-alumina is ΔG form 0 (Na1/8Al5/8O, from the elements) = −567860+114T (J/mole of O) (600 ⩽T ⩽ 1200 K)
Dehydration of Flocs by Freezing

A conceptual model was developed to explain the freeze/thaw conditioning process. This process transforms difficult-to-dewater residuals into a slurry of granular particles (zots) from which water readily drains. The conceptual model states that the most important effect of freezing and thawing is the removal of surface water from the colloidal particles comprising the floc. In addition to creating a drier floc, this dehydration may also explain the irreversibility of the process: dehydration causes the particles to come into close contact, at which point a new bond forms. Formation of a new bond explains the strength and granularity of the zots.
A Concatenated Form of Epstein-Barr Viral DNA in Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines Induced by Transfection with BZLF1

Abstract The replicative form of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA was studied using two lymphoblastoid cell lines, X50-7 and 6F11, which are latently infected by Epstein-Barr virus. The lytic cycle of EBV infection was induced by transfection of the cells with the BRLF1/BZLF1 coding region of the P3HR-1 defective genome. We combined two techniques to identify the productive replicative form of Epstein-Barr viral DNA in the lyric cycle-induced cells. Restriction enzyme analysis followed by Southern blot hybridization identified a significant increase in the fused fragment encompassing both ends of EBV DNA. This indicates an increase in either episomal DNA or concatameric linear DNA. Southern blot analysis of in situ lysing gels revealed that the cellular content of linear EBV DNA was also increased significantly after the initiation of the viral lytic cycle, while the amount of circular DNA remained approximately constant. We propose from these results that the source of the fused fragment encompassing both ends of EBV DNA is a concatenated linear EBV DNA molecule, and that such a concatenated molecule most likely represents a replicative form of EBV DNA in productively infected cells.
The Structure of Simple Reminiscence

This study sought to better delineate the nature of simple reminiscence, that is, the recall of past experiences. Studies of how reminiscence might enhance late-life development have been inconclusive, at least in part because of inadequate definition and measurement of the process. Using the comparative method, the investigator analyzed transcripts of older adults' reminiscences and found that the process consists of four elements: selection, immersion, withdrawal, and closure.
The influence of glutathione oxidation on renal cortex taurine transport.

Abstract The interaction of diamide, a rapidly reversible thioloxidizing re reagent, with the taurine accumulation system was examined in rat kidney cortex slices from animals of different ages. Diamide at 10 mM lowered renal cortex glutathione content by 80% at a time that taurine accumulation was inhibited by 65%. Although the addition of equimolar GSH overcame diamide inhibition of taurine uptake, GSH per se inhibited taurine accumulation at 0.01 mM, but not at 0.2 or 1.0 mM. Dithiothreitol (DTT) also overcame diamide inhibition of uptake. As previously shown by Pillion et al (Eur. J. Biochem. 79 , 73, 1977) diamide inhibited gluconeogenesis by cortex slices. Diamide inhibited taurine accumulation by 85% by the low Km taurine transport site in cortex from newborn, 2 week, 4 week and adult animals, but only 50% at the high Km site. In contrast to the situation in adult tissue, efflux of taurine from preloaded slices of immature animals was not increased by diamide. Accordingly, one maturational event identified by these studies is that diamide-enhanced efflux was found only in mature cortex.
Regulation of macula densa Na:H exchange by angiotensin II

Regulation of macula densa Na:H exchange by angiotensin II. Background Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a positive modulator of tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF). At the present time, the site(s) at which Ang II interacts with the signal transmission process remains unknown. In certain renal epithelia, Ang II is known to stimulate apical Na:H exchange. Since macula densa cells possess an apical Na:H exchanger and Ang II subtype I receptors (AT 1 -receptors), we tested the possibility that Ang II might stimulate exchanger activity in these cells. Methods Using the isolated perfused thick ascending limb with attached glomerulus preparation dissected from rabbit kidney, macula densa intracellular pH (pH i ) was measured with fluorescence microscopy using BCECF. Results Control pH i , during perfusion with 25mm NaCl and 150mm NaCl in the bath, averaged 7.22 ± 0.02 ( N = 24). Increasing luminal [NaCl] to 150mm elevated pH i by 0.54 ± 0.04 ( N = 7, P -9 m), added to the bath in the same paired experiments, significantly elevated baseline pH i by 0.17 ± 0.04, increased the magnitude of change in pH i (Δ = 0.71 ± 0.05) and initial rate of alkalinization (by 69%) to increased luminal [NaCl]. Ang II produced similar effects when added exclusively to the luminal perfusate. In addition, low-dose Ang II (10 -9 m) stimulated while high-dose Ang II (10 -6 m) inhibited Na-dependent pH-recovery from an acid load. AT 1 blockade prevented the stimulatory but not the inhibitory effects of Ang II. Conclusion Through the AT 1 , Ang II may influence macula densa Na transport and regulate cell alkalinization via the apical Na:H exchanger. Thus, Ang II may modulate the TGF signal transmission process, at least in part, through a direct effect on macula densa cell function.
Characterisation of an acidic peroxidase from papaya (Carica papaya L. cv Tainung No. 2) latex and its application in the determination of micromolar hydrogen peroxide in milk

Abstract An acidic peroxidase isoform, POD-A, with a molecular mass of 69.4 kDa and an isoelectric point of 3.5 was purified from papaya latex. Using o-phenylenediamine (OPD) as a hydrogen donor (citrate–phosphate as pH buffer), the optimum pH for the function of POD-A was 4.6, and the optimum temperature was 50 °C. The peroxidase activity of POD-A toward hydrogen donors was both pH- and concentration-dependent. Under optimal conditions, POD-A catalysed the oxidation of OPD at higher rates than pyrogallol, catechol, quercetin and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS). The chemical modification reagents N-bromosuccinimide and sodium azide significantly inhibited POD-A activity. The results of kinetic studies indicated that POD-A followed a ping-pong mechanism and had a Km value of 2.8 mM for OPD. Using CPC silica-immobilised POD-A for the determination of micromolar H2O2 in milk, the lower limit of determination was 0.1 μM, and the recoveries of added H2O2 were 96–109%.
Pinning of a Bloch point by an atomic lattice

Bloch points are magnetic topological defects. The discrete nature of a magnetic lattice creates a periodic potential that can pin a Bloch point. The pinning force is of the order of the exchange constant, a few piconewtons in a typical ferromagnet (permalloy). A domain wall containing a Bloch point can have a sizable depinning field in the tens of oersteds.
Nature of Quantum Localization in Atomic Momentum Transfer Experiments.

We demonstrate that the quantum localization (narrowed momentum distributions) observed in the recent momentum transfer experiments may be associated with the influence of classical phase space resonance structures on quantum Floquet states. By numerically investigating the evolution of initial distributions located in chaotic regions of the classical phase space, we argue that dynamical localization, seen, for example, in quantum kicked rotor models, is not the only possible explanation of the observed localized momentum distributions. {copyright} {ital 1995} {ital The} {ital American} {ital Physical} {ital Society}.
Analysis of bounded disorder file organization

Recently Litwin and Lomet proposed the Bounded Disorder (BD) file organization which uses a combination of hashing and tree indexing Lomet provided an approximate analysis with a mention of the difficulty involved in exact modeling and analysis. The performance analysis of the method involves solving a classical sequential occupancy problem. We encountered this problem in our attempt to obtain a general model for single access and almost single access retrieval methods developed in the recent years. In this paper, we develop a probability model and present some preliminary results of the exact analysis.
Predictors of smoking cessation in U.S. adolescents.

Abstract Objective: To identify factors that predict quitting among adolescent smokers. Methods: Adolescent smokers aged 12–19 years ( N = 633) from the national Teenage Attitudes and Practices Survey I (1989), were followed up in the Teenage Attitudes and Practices Survey II (1993). Multiple logistic regression was applied to identify the predictors of quitting. Results: A total of 15.6% of adolescent smokers had quit smoking at the follow-up survey four years later. There was no significant difference in the quit rate by age, gender, or ethnicity. Five baseline factors were identified in a multivariate analysis as significant predictors of quitting: frequency of smoking, length of past quit attempts, self-estimation of likelihood of continuing smoking, mother's smoking status, and depressive symptoms. The more risk factors the adolescents had, the less likely they would succeed in quitting. Conclusions: Quitting smoking by adolescents is influenced by multiple biological, behavioral, and psychosocial variables. Identifying these variables can help tailor cessation programs to more effectively help adolescents quit smoking.
Deep culture in action: resignification, synecdoche, and metanarrative in the moral panic of the Salem Witch Trials

Sociological research on moral panics, long understood as “struggles for cultural power,” has focused on the social groups and media conditions that enable moral panics to emerge, and on the consequences of moral panics for the social control systems of societies. In this article I turn instead to modeling the specific cultural process of how the conditions for a moral panic are turned into an actual moral panic, moving the understanding of moral panic away from its Durkheimian origins and towards a process-relational cultural sociology. Drawing on Roland Barthes’ theory of myth and Kenneth Burke’s dramatism, the paper posits the cultural process of resignification via synecdoche and metanarrative as the driver of the disproportion, concern, hostility, consensus, and volatility of moral panics. This process can be carefully traced in the case of the Salem Witch Trials; a retrospective reading reveals the same process at work in the “Mods and Rockers” panic analyzed by Stanley Cohen. Beyond moral panics, theorizing resignification as a non-exclusive counterpoint to framing and ideational embeddedness enriches the theoretical repertoire of cultural sociology. “Deep culture” and mythological signification can, using the schema proposed here, be understood as practical accomplishments—rhetorical responses to particular situations that, when performed successfully, legitimate violence and other forms of domination.
Issues in planning and interpreting active control equivalence studies.

Abstract Active control equivalence studies, with the goal of demonstrating therapeutic equivalence between a new and an active control treatment, are becoming more widespread due to current therapies that reflect previous successes in the development of new treatments. Because ethical requirements preclude the use of a placebo or no-treatment control for internal study validation, certain methodology issues arise in active control equivalence trials that require special attention. We emphasize a special feature of this alternative study design, namely, its reliance on an implicit “historical control assumption”. To conclude that a new drug is efficacious on the basis of an active control equivalence study (ACES) requires a fundamental assumption that the active control drug would have performed better than a placebo, had a placebo been used in the trial. In designing an ACES, one needs some assurance that historical estimates of the active control drug's efficacy relative to placebo are applicable to the new experimental setting. Steps that can be taken to compile such evidence and to justify the use of an active control equivalence design are described. These issues are illustrated in the context of a planned study to evaluate the efficacy of a new drug for the prevention of stroke, using aspirin as an active control.
PARP1-Driven Poly-ADP-Ribosylation Regulates BRCA1 Function in Homologous Recombination–Mediated DNA Repair

BRCA1 promotes homologous recombination–mediated DNA repair (HRR). However, HRR must be tightly regulated to prevent illegitimate recombination. We previously found that BRCA1 HRR function is regulated by the RAP80 complex, but the mechanism was unclear. We have now observed that PARP1 interacts with and poly-ADP-ribosylates (aka PARsylates) BRCA1. PARsylation is directed at the BRCA1 DNA binding domain and downmodulates its function. Moreover, RAP80 contains a poly-ADP-ribose–interacting domain that binds PARsylated BRCA1 and helps to maintain the stability of PARP1–BRCA1–RAP80 complexes. BRCA1 PARsylation is a key step in BRCA1 HRR control. When BRCA1 PARsylation is defective, it gives rise to excessive HRR and manifestations of genome instability. BRCA1 PARsylation and/or RAP80 expression is defective in a subset of sporadic breast cancer cell lines and patient-derived tumor xenograft models. These observations are consistent with the possibility that such defects, when chronic, contribute to tumor development in BRCA1+/+ individuals. Significance: We propose a model that describes how BRCA1 functions to both support and restrict HRR. BRCA1 PARsylation is a key event in this process, failure of which triggers hyper-recombination and chromosome instability. Thus, hyperfunctioning BRCA1 can elicit genomic abnormalities similar to those observed in the absence of certain BRCA1 functions. Cancer Discov; 4(12); 1430–47. ©2014 AACR . This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, [p. 1355][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/4/1355?iss=12
Neural mechanisms for filtering self-generated sensory signals in cerebellum-like circuits

This review focuses on recent progress in understanding mechanisms for filtering self-generated sensory signals in cerebellum-like circuits in fish and mammals. Recent in vitro studies in weakly electric gymnotid fish have explored the interplay among anti-Hebbian plasticity, synaptic dynamics, and feedforward inhibition in canceling self-generated electrosensory inputs. Studies of the mammalian dorsal cochlear nucleus have revealed multimodal integration and anti-Hebbian plasticity, suggesting that this circuit may adaptively filter incoming auditory information. In vivo studies in weakly electric mormryid fish suggest a key role for granule cell coding in sensory filtering. The clear links between synaptic plasticity and systems level sensory filtering in cerebellum-like circuits may provide insights into hypothesized adaptive filtering functions of the cerebellum itself.
EFFECTS OF THREE DIFFERENT ONE-HOUR SINGLE-SESSION TREATMENTS FOR TEST ANXIETY

The effects of three different 1-hr. treatments for test anxiety were investigated using 155 undergraduate volunteers. The subjects were assigned by a block-randomized design to three treatment groups and a placebo procedure. The data showed that subjects in the relaxation-training group reported greater reductions of anxiety than those in the placebo procedure. No significant differences for academic achievement change scores were found among the groups. As with most lengthier treatments, a single 1-hr. session may reduce self-reported test anxiety but not improve academic achievement.
Performance of blind and sighted humans on a tactile grating detection task

We compared the abilities of blind and sighted humans to distinguish grooved from smooth surfaces pressed against the stationary index fingertip. Ranging in age from 20 to 72 years, 37 blind and 47 sighted subjects participated in an automated two-alternative forced-choice tactile grating detection task. The tactile acuity of blind and sighted subjects declined with age at equivalent rates (0.011-mm threshold increase per year), but the blind subjects were able to perceive significantly thinner grooves than were their sighted peers (the average difference between blind and sighted subjects of the same age and gender was 0.267 mm). The blind Braille readers performed no better than the blind nonreaders, and the congenitally blind subjects performed equivalently to those with adult-onset blindness. The superior tactile acuity of blind persons may result from the involvement of normally visually responsive cerebrocortical areas in tactile processing, as shown by functional-imaging studies.