cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LateNight Penn State alcohol-free programming: students drink less on days they participate.

Despite the public health importance of alcohol-free social programs for college students, the majority of existing campus strategies have not been empirically evaluated. This study utilized repeated daily reports to examine the association between attendance at campus-led alcohol-free programming and alcohol use on specific days while controlling for individuals’ typical rates of use. The current study assessed students’ participation in the LateNight Penn State (LNPS) alcohol-free programming and amount of alcohol use at a daily level, in order to determine whether students consumed less alcohol on days they attended LNPS compared to weekend days they did not attend. First-year college students reported their daily social activity involvement and alcohol use via 14 consecutive daily web-based surveys. Multilevel regression analyses modeled variation in alcohol use on weekend days (N = 3,350) nested within people (N = 689 people, 51% women). Analyses focused on within-individual differences between nights attending and not attending LNPS, thereby controlling for stable individual differences, measured and unmeasured. Results indicated that students drank less on days they attended LNPS and on days they stayed in (rather than going to bars/parties, other campus events, or entertainment), both especially among women. These results suggest that alcohol-free social programs may be an effective strategy for decreasing alcohol use on days when students attend alcohol-free events rather than going to other events or gatherings.
Using analyses of public value orientations, attitudes and preferences to inform national forest planning in Colorado and Wyoming

Abstract Understanding public value orientations, attitudes and preferences towards national forests is a critical task for the USDA Forest Service (USFS) during the development of their forest plans. Social surveys are efficient and effective ways to generate this information from a representative sample of the larger public who may care about national forests but do not attend participatory events – the so-called silent majority. Survey results can be used to complement input generated from participatory and collaborative processes. This paper presents results and discusses implications from social surveys conducted on three national forests in Colorado and Wyoming. The results indicate that although respondents identified aesthetic, biodiversity, future and recreation value orientations as most important, there are also surprising linkages between value orientations, attitudes and preferences towards forest uses and policy options associated with specific geographic and socio-economic contexts and conditions. The results also suggest some “hotspots” where value orientations, attitudes and preferences display some apparent contradictions. Such hotspots indicate potential conflicts and suggest opportunities to focus participatory, collaborative methods. The relevance of these results to national forest planning in particular and public resource management is explored in the discussion and conclusion, especially as the USFS – and other public resource management agencies – face increased pressure to make room for place-based, collaborative planning while also taking into account broader public sentiments and preferences.
A projection from the mesencephalic tegmentum to the nucleus isthmi in the frogs, Rana pipiens and Acris crepitans.

Abstract The nucleus isthmi is a prominent part of the frog's visual system. Each nucleus isthmi receives input from the ipsilateral tectum and sends output to both tecta. Until now, no non-tectal inputs to the nucleus isthmi of amphibians have been demonstrated. Anterograde and retrograde tracing with horseradish peroxidase in Rana pipiens and Acris crepitans now reveal that a diffuse group of cells in the mesencephalic tegmentum projects to the caudal region of the contralateral nucleus isthmi. These cells are primarily within the nucleus anterodorsalis tegmenti. This same group of tegmental cells may also project to the caudal region of the ipsilateral nucleus isthmi. A similar investigation of the brain of another frog, Xenopus laevis , has not revealed any evidence of this tegmento-isthmic projection.
Simplex pivots on the set packing polytope

This paper considers the set packing problem max{wx: Ax ⩽ b, x ⩾ 0 and integral}, whereA is anm × n 0–1 matrix,w is a 1 ×n weight vector of real numbers andb is anm × 1 vector of ones. In equality form, its linear programming relaxation is max{wx: (x, y) ∈P(A)} whereP(A) = {(x, y):Ax +I m y =b, x⩾0,y⩾0}. Letx 1 be any feasible solution to the set packing problem that is not optimal and lety 1 =b − Ax 1; then (x 1,y 1) is an integral extreme point ofP(A). We show that there exists a sequence of simplex pivots from (x 1,y 1) to (x*,y*), wherex* is an optimal solution to the set packing problem andy* =b − Ax*, that satisfies the following properties. Each pivot column has positive reduced weight and each pivot element equals plus one. The number of pivots equals the number of components ofx* that are nonbasic in (x 1,y 1).
Further studies on interfering peaks in gas chromatographic exclusion screening of direct chloroform extracts of blood.

The capacity of 9 biochemicals to interfere with gas chromatographic exclusion screening analyses for volatile agents encountered in forensic blood samples was studied. The chloroform extractabilities and gas chromatographic retentions on OV-17 (at 160° column temperature) of 9 biochemicals were examined. On direct chloroform extracts of blood, gas chromatographic peaks were obtained with indole, 2-phenylethylamine and β-hydroxybutyric acid. No gas chromatographic peaks were obtained with glycine, cholesterol, cortisol, urea, tyramine and stearic acid. The retention distance of these three biochemicals interfered with the retention distance of the volatile drugs i. e. methyl salicylate, terpin hydrate, phenyl salicylate, amphetamine, acetanilide, and carbromal.
Bacterial Urinary Tract Infection after Fiducial Marker Placement or Prostate Biopsy

Abstract Fiducial markers placed in the prostate prior to treatment planning are often used in image guided radiation therapy to optimize beam alignment. A potential serious complication following fiducial marker placement or prostate biopsy is a bacterial urinary tract infection, particularly urosepsis, which requires hospitalization and aggressive antibiotic therapy. Patients usually undergo either procedure transrectally under ultrasound guidance and routinely receive antibiotic prophylaxis before and after the procedure, usually with fluoroquinolones (FQ), to reduce the risk of infection. There are few data pertaining to the risk of post fiducial marker placement infection so that most data pertain to post-biopsy bacterial urinary tract infection which has been increasing in recent years, primarily due to FQ-resistant gram-negative bacilli, usually Escherichia coli (E. coli). Strategies to reduce the risk of infection include empirically changing the prophylactic antibiotic regimen to include agents t...
A discipline-based approach to information literacy

This article, which proposes a discipline-based approach to teaching information literacy, argues that the responsibility for teaching information literacy should be shared throughout an academic institution, rather than limited to the library. An outline of the complementary responsibilities of librarians and classroom faculty in teaching information literacy is presented.
Comparison of fetal and maternal chromosome polymorphisms: Applications in prenatal diagnosis

By comparing the polymorphisms of Q-banded karyotypes of a mother and her female fetus, it is possible to confirm that maternal cell contamination is a rare event in prenatal diagnosis. The frequency with which any given polymorphism is distinctive is directly correlated to its prevalence in the population. Hence, since the polymorphisms on bands 3c, 13p and 21s are the most prevalent in the population, comparison of these maternal bands with the corresponding fetal ones is most likely to yield a distinctive pattern between a mother and her female fetus. However, in light of the rarity of maternal cell contamination, comparison of chromosomal polymorphisms is not cost-effective for all cases, and is recommended only for high-risk situations such as prenatal diagnosis of recessive or X-linked diseases, where maternal age is over 40, or when amniotic fluid is grossly bloody.
The nation as seen from below: Rome in 1870

When Rome joined the Kingdom of Italy in 1870, its symbolic importance played a large part in its role as the new capital of the nation-state. That very symbolic weight, though, left but a small space for the Romans themselves, particularly the lower classes. While recent scholarship on Italian nation-building has explored the cultural project underlying its political developments, it still remains to be understood how the lower classes first experienced and responded to their incorporation into the nation. Courted by the new nation-state, its clerical opposition and its radical opposition alike, their Risorgimento was different from that of the Romantic tropes informing the new national politics.
Application of OSL single-aliquot and single-grain dating to quartz from anthropogenic soil profiles in the SE United States

Abstract Reduced luminescence intensity in soils is a widespread phenomenon but is not understood. We examine the distributions of equivalent dose (DE) values of quartz from surface and buried soils from earthen mounds in Louisiana where pedoturbation is the likely cause of luminescence resetting. We first investigated the effectiveness of optical bleaching in surface samples similar in composition and environment to those at depth. Resulting DE distributions from the top 10 cm of the topsoils approach 0 Gy. The concentration of zero-age grains decreases rapidly with depth. Paleosol ages based on low values of the DE distribution demonstrate good agreement with previously published ages. We propose a three-zone model for the explanation of surface bleaching in which the soil surface is continuously stressed and loaded by subsurface turbation mechanisms creating surface relief. Surface relief is reduced by subaerial impact- and transport-forces causing disaggregation and single-grain dispersion. This results in a surface bleaching zone where soil particles and topography are in constant transition, suggesting that many soils may offer frequent and thorough presentation of mineral grains to surface insolation, and thus high concentrations of zero-dose grains.
Distinguishing grief from depression during acute recovery from spinal cord injury

Abstract Objective To examine whether grief is a psychometrically sound construct that is distinct from depression in individuals who have recently sustained a spinal cord injury (SCI). Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Inpatient rehabilitation units at 3 geographically diverse, university-affiliated medical centers. Participants Patients with SCI (N=206) were recruited (163 men [79.1%]). Most patients were non-Hispanic whites (n=175 [85.0%]). Most patients sustained a cervical SCI (n=134 [64.4%]). Various injury etiologies were represented, with the majority being accounted for by falls (n=72 [31.5%]) and vehicle-related accidents (n=69 [33.5%]). The mean time since injury was 53.5±40.5 days. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures An adapted version of the 12-item structured clinical interview for Prolonged Grief Disorder was used to assess symptoms of grief, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to measure depression. Demographic and injury-related data were also collected. Results A principal component analysis (with direct oblimin rotation) of the grief measure suggested a 2-component solution. The content of items loading on the separate components suggested 2 subscales: loss (6 items; Cronbach α=.810) and trauma (6 items; Cronbach α=.823). Follow-up principal component analyses including both grief and depression measures suggested clear differentiation of grief-related loss from depression. The prevalence of clinically significant levels of grief was low (6%), and levels of depression were consistent with previous findings related to inpatient rehabilitation (23.5%). Conclusions The items used to assess grief symptoms in patients participating in inpatient rehabilitation for recently sustained SCI appear to capture a psychometrically reliable construct that is distinct from that of depression. Research is needed on the predictive validity of early grief symptoms after SCI and the relation of grief to other psychological constructs over time.
Colorectal cancer: the role of dietary fat and caloric restriction

Studies of the relationship between dietary fat intake and colon-cancer risk are generally inconsistent. Animal studies show that caloric (energy) restriction will inhibit the growth of spontaneous or experimentally induced tumors. Exercise reduces the incidence of chemically induced tumors in rats and vigorous occupational activity has been shown to reduce colon-cancer risk in men. Reduced energy intake and/or increased energy output may provide a simple means for lowering cancer risk in man.
The effect of growth state on the activity of the protein kinase isoenzymes an increase in type II cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase is correlated with growth arrest in G1 phase

Native polyacrylamide gels have been used to resolve protein kinase isoenzymes from cultured cells and the protein kinases have been identified by carrying out phosphorylation reactions in the gel. Following electrophoresis the gels were incubated with histone and [gamma-32P]ATP. The gels were then thoroughly washed and dried down, and the protein kinases were located by autoradiography. Protein kinase activity as measured in the gel system was a linear function of cytosol protein concentration up to about 100 microgram per channel and incorporation of 32P into histone was time dependent. Three bands of protein kinase activity were resolved in cytosol samples from baby hamster kidney (BHK) fibroblasts. The band with the lowest relative mobility utilized histone IIA or casein equally well as substrate protein whereas bands 2 and 3 demonstrated a clear preference for histone. Bands 2 and 3 displayed a relative mobility in electrophoresis that was identical to that observed for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases I and II from rat liver. Treatment of cytosol samples with cyclic AMP prior to electrophoresis resulted in the disappearance of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases from the gel profile. This method was employed to identify bands 2 and 3 as cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases. The protein kinases in growth-arrested cells were compared with proliferating cells. We have observed a 3.5-fold increase in the activity of Type II protein kinase as the cells arrest growth in G1 phase of the cell cycle. This increase in Type II is correlated with the increase in cells blocked in G1 and a decrease in Type II activity appears to be an early event in permitting cells to leave G1 and resume growth.
Exposure to child and adolescent psychiatry for medical students: are there optimal "teaching perspectives"?

The ability to develop quality medical student exposures in child and adolescent psychiatry is critical to the professional development of these future physicians and to the growth of recruitment efforts into the field. This study identifies teaching perspectives among child and adolescent psychiatry faculty to determine whether there are optimal perspectives that positively influence medical student satisfaction. Eighty-eight third- and fourth-year students at an allopathic U.S. medical school assessed teacher performance over a 1-year period using a standard internal teacher evaluation. Three experienced faculty members teaching the medical student seminars each completed a Teaching Perspective Inventory. The authors compared the different teaching perspectives with student satisfaction scores on the standard teacher evaluation instrument. All teachers had two dominant perspectives and one recessive perspective. Each teacher had a predominant developmental perspective but they differed in other dominant and recessive perspectives. The transmission perspective was associated with significantly less favorable scores on the standard teacher evaluation compared to the apprenticeship and nurturing perspective. The authors discuss the value of teaching perspective identification among child and adolescent psychiatry faculty for medical student education.
Statistics for the strength and size effects of microcomposites with four carbon fibers in epoxy resin

Abstract Experimental results are presented for the strength distribution and length effects of carbon/epoxy microcomposites consisting of four carbon fibers (Hercules AS4) embedded in one of two different epoxies approximately in a square array at a fiber volume fraction of about 0.7. One epoxy (Dow DER 331 with Dow DEH 26 hardener) was stiff in bulk with a strain to failure of less than 10%, and the other (50% by weight of Dow DER 331 blended with 50% Dow DER 732 and Dow DEH 26 hardener) was very flexible in bulk with large apparent ductility and a strain to failure of 40%. Individual fibers tested at two gauge lengths, 1 and 20 cm, yielded a Weibull shape parameter of about 5 at each length, but the strength versus length plot for the scale parameter on log-log coordinates suggested a Weibull shape parameter of about 8.3. Therefore, the ratio a was about 0.6 rather than unity as in previous work in microcomposites. Thus a modified statistical theory for microcomposite strength as a function of length was developed to incorporate this a effect. Experimental verification of both the size effect and a effect are the two major advantages of the present model over previous Weibull fiber composite models. Strength data for microcomposites at two gauge lengths, 1 and 20 cm, for both epoxies were generated and plotted on Weibull coordinates, where both the expected doubling and tripling of the Weibull shape parameter as compared to that of the fiber and the predicted a effect for microcomposite length were observed. The stiff epoxy produced stronger composites at both gauge lengths. On the other hand, the length effect was more severe than predicted in the 20 cm flexible epoxy microcomposite apparently due to a combination of epoxy yielding in shear and fiber/matrix debonding at fiber breaks, and a lower matrix ultimate strength, leading to longer effective load transfer lengths, δ.
Radiation resistance of primary clonogenic blasts from children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Abstract Purpose: Detailed comparative analyses of the radiation sensitivity of primary clonogenic blasts from children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were performed to achieve a better understanding of clinical radiation resistance in ALL. Methods and Materials: The radiation sensitivity of primary clonogenic blasts from 74 children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was analyzed using leukemic progenitor cell (LPC) assays. Primary bone marrow blasts from all 74 patients were exposed to ionizing radiation and subsequently assayed for LPC-derived blast colony formation. Radiation survival curves of primary clonogenic blasts (i.e., LPC) were constructed for each of the newly diagnosed patients using computer programs for the single-hit multitarget as well as the linear quadratic models of cell survival. Results: A marked interpatient variation in intrinsic radiation sensitivity was observed between LPC populations. The SF 2 values ranged from 0.01 to 1.00 (median: 0.36; mean ± SE=0.40 ± 0.03), and the a values ranged from 0.00 Gy −1 to 3.27 Gy −1 (median: 0.280 Gy −1 mean ± SE=0.43 ± 0.09 Gy −1 ). Patients were divided into groups according to their sex, age, WBC at diagnosis, cell cycle distribution of leukemic blasts, and immunophenotype. Only immunophenotype provided a significant correlation with the intrinsic radiation sensitivity of LPC. Patients with B-lineage ALL had higher SF 2 (0.47 ± 0.04 vs. 0.31 ± 0.05, p −1 vs. 0.65 ± 0.10 Gy −1 p 2 ≥ 0.5. Similarly, 66% of B-lineage ALL cases, but only 37% of T-lineage ALL cases had LPC with α values −1 . Combining the two indicators of radiation resistance, we found that only 34% of the B-lineage ALL patients had none of the two parameters in the respective critical regions (α −1 SF 2 ≥ 0.5), while 63% of the T-lineage patients had none ( p in vitro plating efficiency, S-phase index, and proliferation index were significantly correlated with the radiation sensitivity or resistance of LPC. Conclusion: These results offer unprecedented evidence for an association between composite immunophenotype (viz., B-lineage ALL vs T-lineage ALL) and radiation resistance that may form a basis for modifying radiation conditioning regimens.
An Exploratory Analysis of the Impact of Family Functioning on Treatment for Depression in Adolescents.

This article explores aspects of family environment and parent-child conflict that may predict or moderate response to acute treatments among depressed adolescents (N = 439) randomly assigned to fluoxetine, cognitive behavioral therapy, their combination, or placebo. Outcomes were Week 12 scores on measures of depression and global impairment. Of 20 candidate variables, one predictor emerged: Across treatments, adolescents with mothers who reported less parent-child conflict were more likely to benefit than their counterparts. When family functioning moderated outcome, adolescents who endorsed more negative environments were more likely to benefit from fluoxetine. Similarly, when moderating effects were seen on cognitive behavioral therapy conditions, they were in the direction of being less effective among teens reporting poorer family environments.
In search of the perfect orthography

Philologists, linguists, and educators have insisted for several centuries that the ideal orthography has a one-to-one correspondence between grapheme and phoneme. Others, however, have suggested deviations for such functions as distinguishing homophones, displaying popular alternative spellings, and retaining morpheme identity. If, indeed, the one-to-one ideal were accepted, the International Phonetic Alphabet should become the orthographic standard for all enlightened nations, yet the failure of even a single country to adopt it for practical writing suggests that other factors besides phonology are considered important for a writing system. Whatever the ideal orthography might be, the practical writing systems adopted upon this earth reflect linguistic, psychological, and cultural considerations. Knowingly or unknowingly, countries have adopted orthographies that favour either the early stages of learning to read or the advanced stages, that is, the experienced reader. The more a system tends towards a one-to-one relationship between graphemes and phonemes, the more it assists the new reader and the non-speaker of the language while the more it marks etymology and morphology, the more it favours the experienced reader. The study of psychological processing in reading demonstrates that human capacities for processing print are so powerful that complex patterns and irregularities pose only a small challenge. Orthographic regularity is extracted from lexical input and used to recognise words during reading. To understand how such a system develops, researchers should draw on the general mechanisms of perceptual learning.
Ergodic Convergence Times for Molecular Liquids

A problem common to all molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations used to estimate fluid properties is how to decide when adequate sampling of the phase space of the system has been realized. One procedure for addressing the sampling question is to construct the energy metric for the system. The energy metric provides an indication of when the time-averaged energies of the individual molecules converge to a common value (self-averaging). The time required for the value of the energy metric to decrease to 1% of its initial value is a useful indication that adequate sampling has been realized. The energy metric based ergodic convergence times for the molecular liquids water, acetonitrile, methanol, and carbon dioxide plus mixtures of water and methanol and of water and acetonitrile are reported. The convergence time τ for water is about 100 ps at ambient conditions; for carbon dioxide it is about 300 ps while for methanol it is about 800 ps. The convergence times for water/acetonitrile mixtures are much longer due to the microheterogeneous structure of the mixtures. The ergodic convergence time is an increasing function of the mole fraction of methanol in the mixtures. The convergence times for water along the liquid side of the liquid–vapor coexistence curve are found to decrease strongly as the temperature increases.
Striatal dopamine release and contraversive rotation elicited by intranigrally applied muscimol

SEVERAL lines of evidence indicate that release of dopamine (DA) within the corpus striatum mediates turning behaviour in the rat1,2. The turning occurs in a direction away from the striatum with the greatest activation of DA neurones. Contraversive turning also occurs after unilateral microinjection of agonists of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) into the substantia nigra (SN)3–6, the site of origin of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway. This finding was unexpected, as GABA inhibits neurones7,8 thought to be DA-containing cells9,10 in the SN. Hence, a GABA agonist would be expected to cause a decrease in the rate of release of striatal DA on the microinjected side and result in ipsiversive turning. Therefore, it is unclear whether a GABA agonist applied to the SN alters DA release in the ipsilateral striatum to evoke turning, or whether the turning results from a non-dopaminergic mechanism5. The dopamine antagonist, haloperidol, has been reported either to reduce significantly3,6 or exert no action on4,5 the contraversive turning response evoked by intranigral injection of a GABA-like compound. To clarify the action of GABA on the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system, we examined the effect of muscimol, a potent GABA agonist11, on striatal DA metabolism and release. We report here that intraperitoneally (i.p.) administered muscimol increases the concentration of striatal homovanillic acid (HVA) and that intranigral perfusion of muscimol simultaneously evokes both contraversive turning and DA release from the ipsilateral striatum.
MOISTURE SORPTION ISOTHERMS OF COFFEE PRODUCTS

The moisture sorption isotherms of six different coffee products were determined at 20 and 30°C by a standard procedure which used saturated salt solutions. According to the analysis of variance applied to collected adsorption data, we observed that different drying methods (M), temperature of adsorption (T), and environmental relative humidity (RH) significantly influenced moisture adsorption by the product. It was also observed that interactions between M and decaffeination as well as between M and RH were also statistically significant. Monolayer values and sorption heat values were estimated from the isotherms by using the BET and Clausius-Clapeyron's equations.
Estimating outdoor recreation demand with aggregate data: A revealed preference approach

Abstract An aggregate travel cost model is employed to estimate the parameters of a single site recreation demand model for visiting a beach. Applying zonal data, the impacts of several variables which are likely to influence an individual's decision to take a trip to the beach are examined. The count nature of the dependent variable, distributional information (overdispersion), and heterogeneity of visitors' decisions are considered in employing three approaches for estimating the parameters of the demand function. The results suggest that the events, weather condition, season and weekend effect are among the most significant factors affecting the demand for the beach.
Higgs physics on the F4 lattice

With the goal of investigating the cut-off dependence of the Higgs mass bound we formulate the O(4) scalar model on the F4 lattice. We describe the structure of the F4 lattice and construct the transfer matrix. In order to compare different cut-off schemes we investigate the cut-off dependence of various physical observables. We compute the sigma width and the differential cross-section of Goldstone boson scattering at tree level, including all cut-off effects. Comparing with the hypercubic lattice allows us to define a relation between the two cut-offs. Finally we discuss finite volume effects to be exploited in the numerical simulation.
Preliminary evidence that anodal transcranial direct current stimulation enhances time to task failure of a sustained submaximal contraction.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) delivered while performing a sustained submaximal contraction would increase time to task failure (TTF) compared to sham stimulation. Healthy volunteers (n = 18) performed two fatiguing contractions at 20% of maximum strength with the elbow flexors on separate occasions. During fatigue task performance, either anodal or sham stimulation was delivered to the motor cortex for up to 20 minutes. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to assess changes in cortical excitability during stimulation. There was no systematic effect of the anodal tDCS stimulation on TTF for the entire subject set (n = 18; p = 0.64). Accordingly, a posteriori subjects were divided into two tDCS-time groups: Full-Time (n = 8), where TTF occurred prior to the termination of tDCS, and Part-Time (n = 10), where TTF extended after tDCS terminated. The TTF for the Full-Time group was 31% longer with anodal tDCS compared to sham (p = 0.04), whereas TTF for the Part-Time group did not differ (p = 0.81). Therefore, the remainder of our analysis addressed the Full-Time group. With anodal tDCS, the amount of muscle fatigue was 6% greater at task failure (p = 0.05) and the amount of time the Full-Time group performed the task at an RPE between 8–10 (“very hard”) increased by 38% (p = 0.04) compared to sham. There was no difference in measures of cortical excitability between stimulation conditions (p = 0.90). That the targeted delivery of anodal tDCS during task performance both increased TTF and the amount of muscle fatigue in a subset of subjects suggests that augmenting cortical excitability with tDCS enhanced descending drive to the spinal motorpool to recruit more motor units. The results also suggest that the application of tDCS during performance of fatiguing activity has the potential to bolster the capacity to exercise under conditions required to derive benefits due to overload.
Protein kinase C phosphomimetics alter thin filament Ca2+ binding properties.

Adrenergic stimulation modulates cardiac function by altering the phosphorylation status of several cardiac proteins. The Troponin complex, which is the Ca2+ sensor for cardiac contraction, is a hot spot for adrenergic phosphorylation. While the effect of β-adrenergic related PKA phosphorylation of troponin I at Ser23/24 is well established, the effects of α-adrenergic induced PKC phosphorylation on multiple sites of TnI (Ser43/45, Thr144) and TnT (Thr194, Ser198, Thr203 and Thr284) are much less clear. By utilizing an IAANS labeled fluorescent troponin C, , we systematically examined the site specific effects of PKC phosphomimetic mutants of TnI and TnT on TnC’s Ca2+ binding properties in the Tn complex and reconstituted thin filament. The majority of the phosphomemetics had little effect on the Ca2+ binding properties of the isolated Tn complex. However, when incorporated into the thin filament, the phosphomimetics typically altered thin filament Ca2+ sensitivity in a way consistent with their respective effects on Ca2+ sensitivity of skinned muscle preparations. The altered Ca2+ sensitivity could be generally explained by a change in Ca2+ dissociation rates. Within TnI, phosphomimetic Asp and Glu did not always behave similar, nor were Ala mutations (used to mimic non-phosphorylatable states) benign to Ca2+ binding. Our results suggest that Troponin may act as a hub on the thin filament, sensing physiological stimuli to modulate the contractile performance of the heart.
Characterization of two potentially universal turn motifs that shape the repeated five-residues fold - Crystal structure of a lumenal pentapeptide repeat protein from Cyanothece 51142

The genome of the diurnal cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. PCC 51142 has recently been sequenced and observed to contain 35 pentapeptide repeat proteins (PRPs). These proteins, while present throughout the prokaryotic and eukaryotic kingdoms, are most abundant in cyanobacteria. The sheer number of PRPs in cyanobacteria coupled with their predicted location in every cellular compartment argues for important, yet unknown, physiological and biochemical functions. To gain biochemical insights, the crystal structure for Rfr32, a 167-residue PRP with an N-terminal 29-residue signal peptide, was determined at 2.1 A resolution. The structure is dominated by 21 tandem pentapeptide repeats that fold into a right-handed quadrilateral β-helix, or Rfr-fold, as observed for the tandem pentapeptide repeats in the only other PRP structure, the mycobacterial fluoroquinoline resistance protein MfpA from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Sitting on top of the Rfr-fold are two short, antiparallel α-helices, bridged with a disulfide bond, that perhaps prevent edge-to-edge aggregation at the C terminus. Analysis of the main-chain (Φ,Ψ) dihedral orientations for the pentapeptide repeats in Rfr32 and MfpA makes it possible to recognize the structural details for the two distinct types of four-residue turns adopted by the pentapeptide repeats in the Rfr-fold. These turns, labeled type II and type IV β-turns, may be universal motifs that shape the Rfr-fold in all PRPs.
Comparison of low-energy proton damage in ion-implanted and diffused silicon solar cells

A comparison is made of low-energy proton damage in ion-implanted and diffused silicon solar cells. It is shown that ion-implanted cells are more radiation resistant.
To Waive or Not to Waive? Students' Misconceptions about the Confidentiality Choice for Letters of Recommendation:

When students fill out applications for graduate school, they choose to waive or not waive their rights to see a letter of recommendation. They accurately know that if they waive their rights, they may never see the letter; however, many think that choosing not to waive their rights means that they can see their letter if they do not get accepted and that they have a right to see the letter before it is sent. In fact, the relevant laws allow them to see their files only after they have been accepted at and enrolled in the graduate program. Faculty who wrote letters of recommendation and graduate departments' recommendation forms should clearly communicate students' rights.
RECOVERY OF SALMONELLAE FROM IRRADIATED AND UNIRRADIATED FOODS

SUMMARY Maximum recovery of salmonellae from artificially contaminated irradiated and unirradiated foods was usually obtained on tryptic soy yeast extract agar, a nonselective medium. Recovery on various selective media depended, in general, upon the serotype and the substrate. Irradiated cells were definitely inhibited on Salmonella-Shigella agar or desoxycholate citrate agar, but only slightly, if at all, on brilliant green, bismuth sulfite or MacConkey agars. The highest count of irradiated cells of Salmonella newport by the MPN method was obtained with tetra-thionate broth, yet this medium was inhibitory to Salmonella oranienburg and Salmonella heidelberg. In this latter situation, pre-enrichment in nutrient broth prior to inoculation into tetra-thionate broth was beneficial.
Biobrane—A useful adjunct in the therapy of outpatient burns

Fifty-five patients with partial thickness burns ranging from 1% to 10% of their body surfaces have been treated with Biobrane (Woodroof Laboratories, Santa Ana, CA) dressings on an outpatient basis. This material is a biosynthetic skin prosthesis that was introduced commercially in 1979. Advantages of Biobrane over other conventional dressings in outpatient burn care have been the significant pain relief, reduced number of dressing changes, decreased patient visits, and satisfactory epithelization in 7 to 14 days, ease of application and removal, and cost effectiveness. The dressing must be placed on clean wounds judged to be partial thickness in depth. Topical antibiotics are unnecessary in the care of these patients.
Recall Performance of Children Failing Memory Portions of a Speech--Language--Memory Screening Battery.

Recall performance of first- and third-grade children who failed memory portions of a speech-language-memory screen was examined using digit and consonant-vowel (CV) stimulus sets. Children passing the screening battery had more accurate recall performance than children failing the screening battery. Systematic variations in performance as a function of stimulus set (i.e., digit vs CV) were noted in the groups: significantly lower recall was noted for CV items than for digit items in all groups passing or failing the screening battery. Data indicate children failing the screening battery differed quantitatively, rather than qualitatively, from children passing the screening battery. These data further suggest the difficulties experienced by children failing the screening battery may be related to deficits in the initial coding of auditory information.
Does the use of stock incentives influence the payout policy of financial institutions

Abstract We investigate the link between payouts and stock incentives among financial institutions. We hypothesize that the varying degree of regulation across depositories, insurers, and securities firms is likely to influence the observed relation to the extent that regulation substitutes for other monitoring mechanisms. We find that managerial stock ownership is inversely related to dividend payouts across the institutions, consistent with the notion that managerial stock ownership is an effective method of reducing agency problems. We do not find evidence that the relationship occurs because of regulation since all institutions, regardless of the degree of regulation, exhibit the same inverse relationship between dividend payouts and management stock ownership. Our results suggest that, among financial institutions, regulation complements managerial stock ownership in minimizing agency problems.
Further Examination of the Exposure Model Underlying the Efficacy of Written Emotional Disclosure.

In the current study, the authors examined the effects of systematically varying the writing instructions for the written emotional disclosure procedure. College undergraduates with a trauma history and at least moderate posttraumatic stress symptoms were asked to write about (a) the same traumatic experience, (b) different traumatic experiences, or (c) nontraumatic everyday events across 3 written disclosure sessions. Results show that participants who wrote about the same traumatic experience reported significant reductions in psychological and physical symptoms at follow-up assessments compared with other participants. These findings suggest that written emotional disclosure may be most effective when individuals are instructed to write about the same traumatic or stressful event at each writing session, a finding consistent with exposure-based treatments.
Formation and Flow of Dust Grains in Cool Stellar Atmospheres

Stars are considered which would have no mass loss in the absence of dust grains, but are sufficiently cool for grains to condense in the atmosphere. Stars of ‘high’ luminosity lose gas and dust together at a copious rate; stars of ‘medium’ luminosity lose mainly grains without gas, and the atmosphere may be denuded of grain-forming material. Formulae are given for mass flow rates and for final velocities. A servomechanism is suggested which may lead to fairly large (∼0.1 μ), scattering silicate grains. An instability is suggested for cool M giants and supergiants, which leads to a patchy distribution of surface temperature (grains in cool patches, high flux in warm patches).
Stability of plates with step variation in thickness

Abstract The analytical strip method (ASM), which was recently developed for the bending problem of plates, is extended in this study to the buckling problem of rectangular plates. In this method, the plate is idealized as a system of plate strips and the system's behavior is derived by imposing the edge and continuity conditions on the closed-form solution of the individual plate strips. The advantage of this method lies in its versatility and its capability of dealing with plates which are partially compressed or have a step variation in their thickness. Results are presented for plates with various end conditions and for different step functions for the thickness.
Happily Ever After? The Journey From Foster Care to Adoption

Providing the foster child with a forever family through adoption is often seen as a happy ending to the long and painful journey through foster care. This qualitative study explores this complex journey from foster care to adoption from the perspective of 30 young adults aged 18 to 25 who were adopted from the foster care system after the age of 8. The results indicate that the foster and adoption experience for these youth cannot be compartmentalized when trying to understand the impact adoption has had on their overall sense of self. Implications for future research to explore the emerging concept of foster/adoptive identity for older youth adopted through the foster care system are provided.
Who Is Going to College? Predicting Education Training From Pre-VR Consumer Characteristics

The relationship of receiving college and university training within the state vocational rehabilitation (VR) program to pre-VR consumer characteristics was investigated with a multiple direct logi...
Quasi-static winds from neutron stars

A series of numerical models is constructed for radiatively driven, quasi-static winds from the surfaces of hot neutron stars. A mathematical technique is devised that in many cases facilitates the integration of the fluid equations in the vicinity of the sonic point, and an improved treatment of radiative transfer is developed that is appropriate to the exotic physical conditions encountered in the models. Boundary conditions which are more realistic than previous ones are used in these models. In agreement with earlier studies, it is found that radiatively driven winds are likely to be directly relevant to the existence of precursors in fast X-ray transients and to apparent radius variations during the course of some type I bursts, and that the presence of such a wind should prevent the bolometric luminosity of a neutron star from exceeding the Eddington limit by more than a small fractional amount. Formulas describing the wind models are presented which are usable as boundary conditions for calculations of the evolution of the deeper, hydrostatic layers of a neutron-star envelope.
Unified model of fundamental limitations on the performance of silicon solar cells

Previous attempts to explain the substantial discrepancy between observed and predicted efficiencies in silicon solar cells are shown to have treated inadequately two important features of typical devices: 1) In the diffused region the electric-field distribution is much wider than generally believed and the field values away from the junction are generally higher; 2) Auger processes in heavily doped regions have a more pervasive impact than has been recognized. By incorporating a suitable modification of the junction model and a consistent treatment of Auger effects into the analysis, a unified model is developed for the principal limitations on the performance of Si solar cells. This model accounts for limits to I sc and V oc arising in either the front or base region. The present analysis reinterprets the "violet-cell" observations of the effect of the diffusion profile and presents an alternative to the bandgap-narrowing model of the heavy-doping effect on V oc . A new method is developed for evaluating the junction saturation current in heavily doped regions of such solar cells and transistor emitters.
Nonlinear device noise models: Satisfying the thermodynamic requirements

This paper proposes three tests to determine whether a given nonlinear device noise model is in agreement with accepted thermodynamic principles. These tests are applied to several models. One conclusion is that the standard Gaussian noise models for nonlinear devices predict thermodynamically impossible circuit behavior: those models should be abandoned. But the nonlinear shot-noise model predicts thermodynamically acceptable behavior under a constraint derived here. Further, this constraint specifies the current noise amplitude at each operating point from knowledge of the device /spl upsi/-i curve alone. This paper shows how the thermodynamic requirements can be reduced to concise mathematical tests, involving no approximations, for the Gaussian and shot-noise models.
A Framework for Proactive Fault Tolerance

Fault tolerance is a major concern to guarantee availability of critical services as well as application execution. Traditional approaches for fault tolerance include checkpoint/restart or duplication. However it is also possible to anticipate failures and proactively take action before failures occur in order to minimize failure impact on the system and application execution. This document presents a proactive fault tolerance framework. This framework can use different proactive fault tolerance mechanisms, i.e., migration and pause/un-pause. The framework also allows the implementation of new proactive fault tolerance policies thanks to a modular architecture. A first proactive fault tolerance policy has been implemented and preliminary experimentations have been done based on system-level virtualization and compared with results obtained by simulation.
Assessment of collateral circulation to the hand prior to radial artery harvest

Assessment of collateral circulation to the hand is required prior to invasive procedures or harvesting of the radial artery (RA). A modified Allen's test (MAT) is commonly used to assess palmar arch collaterals. A variety of non-invasive methods including digital pressures, plethysmography, pulse oximetry and duplex ultrasonography are available to supplement physical examination. However, no consensus exists about the proper role of the MAT and the most appropriate non-invasive test (NIT) in this situation. Interpretation of the MAT and NIT findings are also controversial. This paper reviews the anatomy and the physiologic basis for the MAT and various NITs, the pros and cons of various NITs and recommendations for the assessment of collateral circulation to the hand prior to interventions directed at the RA.
False-Positive Urine Opiate Screening Associated with Fluoroquinolone Use

OBJECTIVE:To review the literature regarding false-positive urine opiate screens associated with the use of fluoroquinolones.DATA SOURCES:Literature was identified using MEDLINE (1966—February 2004), EMBASE, and all EBM Reviews with the terms quinolones, substance abuse detection, opiates, cross-reactions, false-positive reactions, and each fluoroquinolone. Article references were also reviewed.DATA SYNTHESIS:Various settings utilize the practice of screening for drugs of abuse, such as opiates. These screening procedures can impact aspects of one's life, such as employment; therefore, accuracy is of the utmost importance. Two clinical trials were evaluated which showed that certain fluoroquinolone antibiotics cross-react with some of the commonly used urine opiate screening immunoassays. This suggests the importance of verifying positive results in instances where one's livelihood can be affected.CONCLUSIONS:Fluoroquinolones can cause false-positive urine opiate screens. Clinicians should be aware of thi...