cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sex differences in poisonings among older adults: an analysis of the Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC) Registry, 2010 to 2016

Abstract Purpose Adults aged >65 years are susceptible to intentional and unintentional poisoning, with contributing factors that include polypharmacy, comorbidity, susceptibility to medication error, and gaps in research. Although toxicologists are often tasked with managing and preventing poisoning among older adults, little is known about sex differences in these poisonings. The aim of this study was to review sex differences in poisonings among older adults managed at the bedside by medical toxicologists. Methods All case subjects aged >65 years in the Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC) registry between January 2010 and December 2016 were reviewed. Data included reasons for exposure and consultation, exposure agents and routes, presenting clinical findings, and treatment provided. Cases missing age, sex, or primary reason for toxicology consultation data were excluded. We used χ2 tests to assess differences in distribution of study variables according to participant sex. Findings Among 51,441 total registry cases, 542 (1.05%) were excluded because of missing data. Among the remaining 50,899 cases, 2930 (5.8%) were included for age >65 years; 52.3% of older adults were female. Race was missing or unknown for 49.2% of cases. Adverse drug reactions were more commonly encountered in female subjects than in their male counterparts (9.6% vs 6.4%; P = 0.001). No statistically significant sex differences were observed for total numbers of intentional, unintentional pharmaceutical, and nonpharmaceutical exposures. The most common medications involved were cardiovascular (16.8%) and analgesics/opioids (14.8%). Female subjects were more likely than male subjects to be evaluated by a toxicologist for cardiovascular medications (18.7% vs 14.7%; P = 0.004) and analgesics/opioids (17.6% vs 11.8%; P Implications Older female adults were more commonly evaluated by a medical toxicologist for an adverse drug reaction than older male adults. Female patients were more likely than male patients to be evaluated for poisoning related to analgesic/opioids and cardiovascular medications, and older male patients more frequently received pharmacologic support than older female patients. No significant sex differences were observed in numbers of toxicology consultations for intentional, unintentional pharmaceutical, and nonpharmaceutical exposures.
Embedded and Controllable Shape Morphing with Twisted-and-Coiled Actuators*This work is partially supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant IIS-1755766.

Shape morphing, meaning a structure can first morph and then lock into another shape, can be applied to robot designs to endow robots with adaptive morphology for increased functionality and adaptivity. In this paper, we introduce a novel shape morphing scheme enabled by a new artificial muscle: twisted and coiled actuators (TCAs). This new actuator is purely soft, low cost, and electrically driven. Embedding a TCA and a thermoplastic material with variable stiffness into soft materials, we create a miniature shape-morphing link. We also establish a general model to predict the steady-state shape of the link given an input power applied to the TCA. Experiments are conducted to characterize parameters and verify the proposed model. Finally, we demonstrate this shape-morphing link can serve as a link in a mechanism to change the trajectory of its foot or endpoint. We envision that such a new shape-morphing scheme can enable robots to leverage the same mechanical design for different functions.
Observing the Brain-on-Task using Functional Optical Brain Monitoring

The efficiency and safety of complex high precision human-machine systems such as in aerospace and robotic surgery are closely related to the cognitive readiness, ability to manage workload and situational awareness of their operators. Subjective operator reports, physiological and behavioral measures are not sufficiently reliable to monitor cognitive overload that can lead to adverse outcomes. A key feature of the concept of mental workload - that reflects how hard the brain is working to meet task demands - is that it can be dissociated from behavioral performance data. Experienced human operators can maintain performance at required levels for a while through increased effort and motivation or strategy changes, even in the face of increased task challenge. Sustained task demands, however, eventually lead to performance decline unless the upward trend in mental workload can be used to predict subsequent performance breakdown. Consequently, it is important to assess mental workload independent of performance measures during training and operational missions. Neuroergonomic approaches based on measures of human brain hemodynamic activity can provide sensitive and reliable assessment of human mental workload in complex training and work environments. Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a field-deployable non-invasive optical brain monitoring technology that provides a measure of cerebral hemodynamics within the prefrontal cortex in response to sensory, motor, or cognitive activation. This presentation will examine the relationship of the hemodynamic response in the prefrontal cortex to expertise development levels, mental workload state and task performance in a variety of application areas.
Low-Energy State Electron Beam in a Uniform Channel

In our earlier work, we showed that a low-energy state of an electron beam exists in a nonuniform channel between two virtual cathodes in a magnetron with diffraction output, which consists of three uniform sections with increasing radius. A uniform axial magnetic field fills the interaction space. This led to magnetron operation with >90% efficiency when combined with a magnetic mirror field at the output end. In this present paper, we show that a low-energy state of an electron beam can be realized in a uniform channel in which an increasing magnetic field is used in order to create a magnetic mirror at the output end. We consider two cases, one where the injected beam current slightly exceeds the space-charge-limiting current and the other where the injected beam current greatly exceeds the space-charge-limiting current. On the time scale of relevance to planned experiments (∼30 ns), when the injected current slightly exceeds the space-charge-limiting current a stationary virtual cathode forms and when the injected current greatly exceeds the space-charge-limiting current the virtual cathode oscillates back and forth.
Creep Cracking in 2219-T851 Plate at Elevated Temperatures

The susceptibility of 2219 to time-dependent (creep) crack growth under sustained load has been evaluated, and, while no crack growth was observed at room temperature, it was observed at elevated temperatures at stress intensities (K I c c ) well below K I c . It appears that creep cracking will take place at stress intensities down to a threshold, designated K I c c t , about 40 percent of K I c at 300°F. and preliminary check tests suggest that similar behavior would be in evidence at 212 and 350°F in both the L-T and T-L orientations, though much work remains to be done in defining the extent of the temperature dependence. The rate of crack growth is controlled primarily by the instantaneous stress intensity factor and can be described by the following relationship: log da/dt = 0.085K - 4.14.
Using Cultural Algorithms to Learn the Impact of Climate on Local Fishing Behavior in Cerro Azul, Peru

Recently it has been found that the earth’s oceans are warming at a pace that is 40% faster than predicted by a United Nations panel a few years ago. As a result, 2018 has become the warmest year on record for the earth’s oceans. That is because the oceans have acted as a buffer by absorbing 93% of the heat produced by the greenhouse gases [1]. The impact of the oceanic warming has already been felt in terms of the periodic warming of the Pacific Ocean as an effect of the ENSO process. The ENSO process is a cycle of warming and subsequent cooling of the Pacific Ocean that can last over a period of years. This cycle was first documented by Peruvian fishermen in the early 1600’s. So it has been part of the environmental challenges that have been presented to economic agents throughout the world since then. It has even been suggested that the cycle has increased in frequency over the years, perhaps in response to the overall issues related to global warming. [2] [3]In this paper Cultural Algorithms are used to develop a multiobjective agent-based model of artisanal (traditional offshore) fishing behavior in coastal Peru, Cerro Azul. The data used to produce this model comes from the observation of fishing behavior over a four year period, 1982-1986. During this period over 6000 individual fishing trips were documented. This observation period overlapped with one of the largest ENSO activities ever recorded. As a result, it was possible to observe the changes in fishing behavior that were the result of this process. While the data is several decades old, the ENSO process was first observed in Peru in 1502. Thus, this data can be considered to reflect the adaptations that have been made to the process in the ensuing centuries.The model was used to produce Pareto curves that reflected tradeoffs in terms of fish quality and trip effort during each of three phases on the ENSO process. A version of Cultural Algorithms, CAPSO, was then used to compute whether these curves were significantly different from each other. The results suggested that they each represented a different phased response to the local climate change. During the warming phase fisherman had to exert less effort to secure quality fish than in the subsequent cooling off period. In that period there were more types of catches but they were distributed over a wider area. The final, back to normal phase reflected a compromise between the two, where fewer types of catches of slightly lower quality, but with lesser effort than in the previous phases.
Homeostasis: The Underappreciated and Far Too Often Ignored Central Organizing Principle of Physiology.

The grand challenge to physiology, as was first described in an essay published in the inaugural issue of Frontiers in Physiology in 2010, remains to integrate function from molecules to intact organisms. In order to make sense of the vast volume of information derived from, and increasingly dependent upon, reductionist approaches, a greater emphasis must be placed on the traditional integrated and more holistic approaches developed by the scientists who gave birth to physiology as an intellectual discipline. Our understanding of physiological regulation has evolved over time from the Greek idea of body humors, through Claude Bernard's "milieu interieur," to Walter Cannon's formulation of the concept of "homeostasis" and the application of control theory (feedback and feedforward regulation) to explain how a constant internal environment is achieved. Homeostasis has become the central unifying concept of physiology and is defined as a self-regulating process by which an organism can maintain internal stability while adjusting to changing external conditions. Homeostasis is not static and unvarying; it is a dynamic process that can change internal conditions as required to survive external challenges. It is also important to note that homeostatic regulation is not merely the product of a single negative feedback cycle but reflects the complex interaction of multiple feedback systems that can be modified by higher control centers. This hierarchical control and feedback redundancy results in a finer level of control and a greater flexibility that enables the organism to adapt to changing environmental conditions. The health and vitality of the organism can be said to be the end result of homeostatic regulation. An understanding of normal physiology is not possible without an appreciation of this concept. Conversely, it follows that disruption of homeostatic mechanisms is what leads to disease, and effective therapy must be directed toward re-establishing these homeostatic conditions. Therefore, it is the purpose of this essay to describe the evolution of our understanding of homeostasis and the role of physiological regulation and dysregulation in health and disease.
Prenatal Tobacco and Cannabis Exposure: Associations with Cortisol Reactivity in Early School Age Children

The study examined the association between prenatal tobacco or co-exposure to tobacco and cannabis and children’s cortisol reactivity at kindergarten age and the role of child sex, maternal negative mood (depression/perceived stress), and parenting behavior during play interactions as moderators of this association. The sample was 238 mother-child dyads (67 tobacco users, 83 co-users of tobacco and cannabis, and 88 non-users). Data used were obtained from pregnancy assessments and six postnatal assessments at 2, 9, 16, 24, and 36 months and kindergarten age. Infant cortisol was measured in response to two laboratory stress paradigms. Co-exposed children had a significantly greater decrease from pre-stressor to post-stressor and overall lower cortisol response compared with non-exposed children. This association was moderated by maternal harshness during play interactions across early childhood. Co-exposed children had flatter cortisol responses regardless of the mother’s level of harshness or stress/depression. However, non-exposed children who experienced low harshness had the normative cortisol peak 20 min post-stressor, while non-exposed children with high maternal harshness had a flatter cortisol pattern. Similarly, non-exposed children with more depressed/stressed mothers had higher pre-stressor cortisol levels, while those who experienced low maternal depression/stress had lower pre-stressor cortisol but peaked post-stress. Results suggest that prenatal polysubstance exposure is associated with greater risk for lower cortisol response in children and highlight the role of parenting behavior for non-exposed but not the co-exposed children.
Political Secularism and Muslim Integration in the West: Assessing the Effects of the French Headscarf Ban

In response to rising immigration flows and the fear of Islamic radicalization, several Western countries have enacted policies to restrict religious expression and emphasize secularism and Western values. Despite intense public debate, there is little systematic evidence on how such policies influence the behavior of the religious minorities they target. In this paper, we use rich quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the effects of the 2004 French headscarf ban on the socioeconomic integration of French Muslim women. We find that the law reduces the secondary educational attainment of Muslim girls and affects their trajectory in the labor market and family composition in the long run. We provide evidence that the ban operates through increased perceptions of discrimination and that it strengthens both national and religious identities.
Crowdsourced Assessment of Aesthetic Outcomes after Breast Reconstruction

Background Evaluating the aesthetic success of breast reconstruction can be difficult. Patients, surgeons, and the general population may differ in what constitutes a successful outcome. Recently, crowdsourcing has emerged to accumulate and analyze data on a massive scale. The authors propose that crowdsourcing can be a useful tool to reliably rate aesthetic outcomes of breast reconstruction. Methods One hundred one deidentified photographs of patients at various stages of breast reconstruction were gathered. Assessment tools included a five-point Likert scale and the transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) visual assessment scale. Anonymous crowd workers and a group of expert reconstructive surgeons rated an identical set of photographs on the Likert scale. Crowd workers also rated the set of photographs on the TRAM scale. Results The authors obtained 901 anonymous, layperson evaluations on both Likert and TRAM scales. Crowdsourced assessment data collection took 28.6 hours. Expert assessment took 15 months. Expert and crowdsourced scores were equivalent on the Likert scale (overall interrater reliability, κ = 0.99; 95 percent CI, 0.98 to 0.99). Intrarater reliability among each subcomponent was highly reproducible for the crowd (r = 0.98; 95 percent CI, 0.97 to 0.99) and experts (r = 0.82; 95 percent CI, 0.77 to 0.87). Breast contour and positioning were most predictive of overall aesthetic result. Skin patch and scar were least predictive of overall aesthetic appearance. Conclusions Aesthetic outcomes rated by crowds were reliable and correlated closely with those by expert surgeons. Crowdsourcing can be a rapid, reliable, and valid way to assess aesthetic outcomes in the breast reconstruction patient.
Substance Use and Sexual-Minority Status: Examining the Mediating Roles of Stress and Emotion Dysregulation in Young Adult Women:

Sexual-minority women (SMW) report higher rates of substance use and disorder across the life span and greater levels of minority stress in adolescence and young adulthood. Minority stress mediatio...
FDI Flows and Sudden Stops in Small Open Economies

Balance of payment crises, characterized by Sudden Stops, are not a phenomenon exclusive to emerging economies. This paper identifies 16 and 50 crises in advanced and emerging economies, respectively. Further, decomposing the Financial Account uncovers important differences between both groups of economies in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows: the average net FDI in advanced economies is close to zero and in emerging economies is negative, and during Sudden Stop episodes, net FDI in emerging economies shows large contractions while advanced economies flows do not move at all. To quantify the FDI’s channel effect on the dynamics of a crisis episode we develop a model with incomplete markets and an endogenous collateral constraint that generates endogenous Sudden Stops. The results from the model suggest that an emerging economy that increases the outflow FDI and eliminates the expropriation risk would reduce the long-run probability of a Sudden Stop from 2.9 to 1.3 percent.
Harmonizing Ratings From Different School Environment Assessment Methods: A Simplified Approach.

Background This study describes a method for harmonizing data collected with different tools to compute a rating of compliance with national recommendations for school physical activity (PA) and nutrition environments. Methods We reviewed questionnaire items from 84 elementary schools that participated in the Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (CORD) project, which was 3 distinct childhood obesity prevention projects in 7 communities in California, Massachusetts, and Texas. Each project used tools specific to its programs, schools, and communities. While this approach increased the feasibility of data collection, it created a challenge with the need to combine data across projects. We evaluated all questionnaire items and retained only those items that assessed one or more recommendations and constructed several items to indicate compliance or noncompliance with the respective associated recommendations. Results Ten constructed items covered 11 of the 20 recommendations. Analysis indicated that the scores detected variability in compliance both among communities and among school within communities. Conclusions The scores captured differences in compliance with the national recommendations at multiple levels. Our method, designed for creating common scores, may be useful in integrated data analysis, systematic reviews, or future studies requiring harmonizing of data collected via different tools.
Roles of negative regulators in the hematopoietic differentiation of murine ES cells

1267 Negative regulators of proinflammatory signal transduction pathways play an important role in control of cell growth, differentiation, survival and apoptotic cell death. Our laboratory has demonstrated that suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS-1), a key regulator of cytokine-mediated JAK/STAT signaling, plays a critical role in regulation of the function of antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DCs). Twist-2, a basic Helix-loop-Helix (bHLH) protein, is a transcription repressor. Recently it was reported that Twist-2 represses of NF-kappaB-mediated transcription of cytokine genes in immune cells. However, it is unknown whether these negative regulators of proinflammatory signaling play roles in the regulation of self-renewal and differentiation of murine embryonic stem (ES) cells. To investigate the biological roles of SOCS1 and Twist-2, we have established LV-siSOCS1-ES, LV-siTwist2-ES, LV-siGFP-ES clones by transducing them with recombinant lentiviral vectors expressing SOCS1-siRNA (siSOCS1), siTwist2, or control siGFP, respectively. We found that SOCS1-silenced ES clones exhibited an enhanced ability to generate embryonic bodies (EBs) compared with control LV-siGFP-ES clones. In addition, Twis-2 or SOCS1 -silenced ES clones were more efficiently differentiated into hematopoietic progenitors and mature cells. These results suggest that SOCS1 and Twist-2 negatively regulate the self-renewal and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). Further study is under way to elucidate molecular mechanisms for their regulation of ES renewal and differentiation.
A Dictionary of Bible Plants

This book describes and illustrates each plant mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments and the Apocrypha. Drawing on Lytton John Musselman's extensive field investigations from Beirut to Borneo and from the Atlas to the Zagros mountains, it also includes his original images of each plant. Incorporating new research on their use, reviews are made of recent analytical studies of plants used in materials and technology as well as ancient grains, beer production, medicine, tensile materials, soap and other articles. Based on these materials, Musselman provides several new plant identifications for controversial biblical passages. In addition, the book surveys the history of Bible plant literature from the time of the Greeks and Romans to the present, and reviews and correlates it with Bible plant hermeneutics. Extensive references for further study are provided, along with an index to all verses containing references to these plants.
Characterization of Duplex Stainless Steels by TEM, SANS, and APFIM Techniques

Cast duplex stainless steels, composed of dual phases of austenite and ferrite, are used extensively in the nuclear, oil, and chemical industries because of their superior strength, resistance to stress corrosion cracking, weldability, and soundness of casting. However, duplex stainless steels are susceptible to thermal aging embrittlement when exposed to service temperatures in the range of 300-500°C. Understanding of the embrittlement mechanism of duplex stainless steels has been hampered for many years because of the difficulty of characterizing the microstructures of the aged materials, which contain several fine-scale (<5 nm) precipitate phases that form simultaneously.
Evidence of IL-18 as a Novel Angiogenic Mediator

Angiogenesis, or new blood vessel growth, is a key process in the development of synovial inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Integral to this pathologic proliferation are proinflammatory cytokines. We hypothesized a role for IL-18 as an angiogenic mediator in RA. We examined the effect of human IL-18 on human microvascular endothelial cell (HMVEC) migration. IL-18 induced HMVEC migration at 1 nM (p < 0.05). RA synovial fluids potently induced endothelial cell migration, but IL-18 immunodepletion resulted in a 68 +/- 5% decrease in HMVEC migration (p < 0.05). IL-18 appears to act on HMVECs via alpha(v)beta(3) integrin. To test whether IL-18 induced endothelial cell tube formation in vitro, we quantitated the degree of tube formation on Matrigel matrix. IL-18, 1 or 10 nM, resulted in a 77% or 87% increase in tube formation compared with control (p < 0.05). To determine whether IL-18 may be angiogenic in vivo, we implanted IL-18 in Matrigel plugs in mice, and IL-18 at 1 and 10 nM induced angiogenesis (p < 0.05). The angiogenesis observed appears to be independent of the contribution of local TNF-alpha, as evidenced by adding neutralizing anti-TNF-alpha Ab to the Matrigel plugs. In an alternative in vivo model, sponges embedded with IL-18 or control were implanted into mice. IL-18 (10 nM) induced a 4-fold increase in angiogenesis vs the control (p < 0.05). These findings support a novel function for IL-18 as an angiogenic factor in RA and may elucidate a potential therapeutic target for angiogenesis-directed diseases.
Snake sodium channels resist TTX arrest

Some garter snakes dine on newts and are seemingly unfazed by large quantities of the neurotoxin TTX in the skin of their prey. In a colorful Perspective, [Huey and Moody][1] discuss new work ([ Geffeney et al .][2]) that unveils how the garter snake resists TTX. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/297/5585/1289 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/297/5585/1336
A centralized algorithm for dynamic TDD frame reconfigurations in synchronized HetNets

Traffic demands of mobile radio network have been tremendously increasing in the recent years due to the enormous success of smartphones and their continuous feature evolution requiring higher data rates. Heterogeneous networks (HetNets) consisting of low-power small cells underlying the existing macro cells represent the preferred solution to increase the capacity of cellular systems by means of spatial spectrum reuse. Static uplink/downlink time-division duplexing (TDD) configurations of existing networks cannot satisfy the varying traffic patterns of large number of small cells, which vary among cells and over time. In this paper we propose and evaluate a centralized algorithm for dynamic TDD frame configuration to which operates on a cluster-based cellular network, maximize the network throughput and preserving fairness. Our algorithm is characterized by only O(n log n) time complexity (with n cells in the network), which allows for instantaneous network-wise reconfigurations minimizing overhead. The algorithm is proven to be optimal and time efficient. Extensive simulation results using realistic application traffic have shown the superiority the proposed solution against static TDD configurations of LTE systems. Throughput improvements up to 43% as well as reductions in queued traffic at cells up to 52% are obtained using separate utility functions designed for throughput maximization and fairness respectively.
DARK STATES AND DE BROGLIE WAVE OPTICS

Abstract : The main thrust of this project is experiments with metastable helium atoms (He*) in dark states, entangled states, and other kinds of superpositions of motional and internal states. Also, the control of their motion by strong optical forces, exploiting non-monochromatic light. During the grant period we have made considerable progress toward these goals. Several experiments have worked, five doctoral theses have been completed, and a number of papers and conference proceedings have resulted.
The Examination of the Presence of Amide Groups in Glutamic Acid and Aspartic Acid Residues of Staphylococcal Nuclease (Foggi Strain)

Abstract The presence and absence of amide groups at 5 aspartic acid and 4 glutamic acid residues of the amino acid sequence of staphylococcal nuclease (Foggi strain) has been determined. These residues are glutamic acid 73, glutamic acid 75, aspartic acid 77, aspartic acid 83, glutamic acid 129, glutamine 131, asparagine 138, aspartic acid 143, asparagine 144, and aspartic acid 146. The previous studies and the present information establish the amino acid sequence of staphylococcal nuclease (Foggi strain). The molecular weight of nuclease Foggi is calculated to be 16,811.
Identification and purification of a transverse tubule coupling protein which binds to the ryanodine receptor of terminal cisternae at the triad junction in skeletal muscle.

Abstract In fast twitch skeletal muscle, the signal for excitation-contraction coupling is transferred from transverse tubule across the triad junction; calcium is thereby released from the terminal cisternae of sarcoplasmic reticulum triggering muscle contraction. Recently, the feet structures of terminal cisternae, which bridge the gap at the triad junction, have been identified as the ryanodine receptor and in turn with the calcium release channels of sarcoplasmic reticulum. The latter consists of an oligomer of a single high molecular weight polypeptide (Mr 360,000). This study attempts to identify the component in the transverse tubule which ligands with the foot structure to form the triad junction. The purified ryanodine receptor, derivatized with sulfosuccinimidyl-2-(p-azidosalicylimido)-1,3'-dithiopropionate (SASD), a thiol-cleavable, 125I-iodinatable, and photoactive probe, was shown to selectively cross-link to a protein with Mr of 71,000 in isolated transverse tubules. This coupling protein was purified from transverse tubule by solubilization with the detergent 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPS) and then purified by sequential column chromatography. In the absence of sulfhydryl agents, the purified polypeptide has an Mr of 61,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A complementary approach using SASD was employed to confirm association of the coupling protein with the ryanodine receptor of terminal cisternae. We conclude that the transverse tubule coupling protein together with the ryanodine receptor (foot structure) is involved in the liganding between transverse tubule and terminal cisternae of sacroplasmic reticulum.
A coupled phase-locked loops system for carrier tracking improvement

A system that couples several phase-locked loops to improve carrier tracking performance is considered. It coherently combines the received carrier signals at geographically separated ground antennas to increase the total effective aperture. The received carrier's phases are automatically aligned to enhance the received carrier signal-to-noise ratio. The system's tracking performance is assessed in terms of rms phase jitter. It is shown that the phase-locked loop in the first receiver, where the carrier arraying is performed, tracks the received carrier phase using the received carrier power from all receivers.
Personality, health and cigarette smoking

Abstract A sample of 403 adults (113 smokers and 290 nonsmokers) responded to a set of questionnaires that included the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, 48 questions concerning their health and the health of their parents, and questions about their smoking status and history. Correlations between the subject's smoking and health were small—averaging -0.02 with the subject's own health, -0.01 with the subject's mother's health, and 0.00 with the subject's father's health. For the smokers, the health questions had an average correlation of 0.06 with the age at which he/she started smoking, 0.03 with the number of years he/she had smoked, and -0.01 with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Among the personality variables, neuroticism had an average correlation with the health variables of -0.11 for the smokers and -0.12 for the nonsmokers while the lie scale had average correlations of 0.05 for the smokers and 0.06 for the nonsmokers. Psychoticism and extraversion had smaller, insignificant correlations with health. Smoking had a small, significant correlation with psychoticism (0.09) but not with neuroticism, extraversion, or the lie scale.
Are changes in integrin affinity and conformation overemphasized

The activation of integrin-type adhesion receptors might result in the increased affinity of the receptor for ligand. In addition, the activated receptor might display new epitopes, which are increasingly monitored in clinical settings. Here, we highlight examples of integrin 'activation' that is not accompanied by enhanced ligand binding. Also, we emphasize that the dominant integrin conformational changes occur not with 'activation', but after integrins have already bound ligand.
THE IMPACT OF CAMPAIGN SPOT ADVERTISING ON VOTING DEFECTIONS

This research investigates the possibility that political campaign communication is partially responsible for recent increases in the number of voters defecting from their partisan identification when making their electoral choices. Survey and contextual data from 1970, 1972, and 1974 are used to explain why some voters defect from their party identification when voting for senatorial and congressional candidates while others do not. Multiple regression and discriminant analysis indicate that exposure to political broadcast advertising is an important explanatory variable, even when holding constant a variety of other independent variables. Consequently, the availability of this form of campaign communication may have implications for the traditional functions of American political parties and for the dynamics of the public policy process.
Magnesium borohydride as a hydrogen storage material: Synthesis of unsolvated Mg(BH4)2

Different methods for preparation of unsolvated magnesium borohydride, a promising material for hydrogen storage, based on exchange reaction of MgCl2 with lithium and sodium borohydride in different solvents have been evaluated. A convenient scalable method for synthesis of pure Mg(BH4)2 by ball milling a mixture of MgCl2 and NaBH4 in diethyl ether has been developed. Crystalline stable low and high temperature phases, as well as a new metastable phase of unsolvated magnesium borohydride have been prepared.
Teaching Debugging Skills in Shader-Based Computer Graphics Programming (Abstract Only)

We present a set of online materials that teach debugging skills in college level computer graphics courses. Almost all the computer graphics textbooks use OpenGL and OpenGL Shading Language (GLSL). Most of the college level computer graphics courses are also taught using OpenGL/GLSL. Most students find OpenGL/GLSL programming very challenging. One of the reasons is that debugging is particularly difficult for computer graphics programming because many traditional debugging techniques can no longer be used. Debugging graphics programs requires a good understanding of OpenGL's error reporting mechanisms and different debugging techniques. Students also need to learn special GPU debugging tools. However, debugging is rarely covered in computer graphics textbooks and courses. Online resources on debugging OpenGL/GLSL programs are also scarce. To address this issue, we have developed online materials that teach students how to systematically debug shader-based OpenGL programs. This web site [1] provides error classification, debugging techniques, a list of common bugs, description of the OpenGL error reporting mechanisms, description of GPU debugging tools, symptom checker, code samples, and tutorials. This online resource fills an important gap in the current computer graphics curriculum. Students can use it to learn OpenGL/GLSL debugging skills. Instructors can use it as a supplement to their existing teaching materials.
APPARENT METALLIC BEHAVIOR AT B=0 OF A TWO-DIMENSIONAL ELECTRON SYSTEM IN ALAS

We report the observation of metallic-like behavior at low temperatures and zero magnetic field in two dimensional (2D) electrons in an AlAs quantum well. At high densities the resistance of the sample decreases with decreasing temperature, but as the density is reduced the behavior changes to insulating, with the resistance increasing as the temperature is decreased. The effect is similar to that observed in 2D electrons in Si-MOSFETs, and in 2D holes in SiGe and GaAs, and points to the generality of this phenomenon.
Observations on the swimming activity of two bathypelagic mysid species maintained at high hydrostatic pressures

Abstract The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the pleopod activity and general behavior of two bathypelagic mysids, Gnathophausia ingens and Gnathophausia gracilis, was observed. Although both showed transient responses to rapid pressure changes, their long-term activity was stable and unaffected by pressure when they were maintained at pressuers and temperatures characteristic of their environment for extended periods (10 to 24 days). The pleopod activity of G. ingens at 77 atm and 5.5°C averaged from 145 to 210 beats min−1. Two G. gracilis observed at 103 atm and 4.5°C averaged 49 and 66 beats min−1. The results are discussed in relation to routine metabolism and the different depth distributions of the species.
Laser flash photolysis study of triphenylimidazole.

Laser flash photolysis of the photocyclization of triphenylimidazole (TPI) in ethyl alcohol at 308 nm. indicates that the dihydrophenanthroimidazole (DHPI) intermediate is produced rapidly, has a lifetime of 0.25 ms, and returns predominantly back to triphenylimidazole. Analysis of the decay channels for this intermediate indicates two rate constants: (1) k1=3.3×103 s−1, associated with reversion back to triphenylimidazole and (2) k2=0.67×102 s−1, which is associated with the conversion of the dihydrophenanthroimidazole to the photoproduct, 2-phenyl-9,10-phenanthroimidazole. The photoproduct is readily observed as an increasing component in the biexponential fluorescence decay data. Fluorescence lifetimes for triphenylimidazole and 2-phenyl-9,10-phenanthroimidazole (PPI) in ethyl alcohol were determined to be 1.76 and 8.21 ns, respectively, with no additional components in the fluorescence decay as the photochemistry proceeds. An additional transient absorption observed in the 450 nm. region, with a lifetime of 0.7 μs, decaying faster than the dihydrophenanthroimidazole intermediate, is assigned to the triplet state of triphenylimidazole.
Structural homology of the glutamine amidotransferase subunits of the anthranilate synthetases of Eschierichia coil, Salmonella typhimurium and Serratia marcescens

ANTHRANILATE synthetase (AS), the enzyme catalysing the initial reaction unique to tryptophan biosynthesis, chorismate + glutamine → anthranilate, has been characterised from a number of bacterial genera1. In E. coli2–4, Salmonella typhimurium5–10, and Aerobacter aerogenes11, this enzyme and anthranilate-5-phosphoribosylpyrophosphate phosphoribosyl-transferase (PRT) exist in a complex that also performs the second reaction of tryptophan biosynthesis, the conversion of anthranilate + 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate → phosphoribosyl anthranilate. The AS-PRT complex of these bacterial genera is composed of two non-identical polypeptide components, each with a molecular weight of approximately 60-65,000. Component I of the complex can convert chorismate + NH3 → anthranilate but cannot use glutamine as amino donor. Component II of the complex is bifunctional; it provides the glutamine amidotransferase (GAT) and the PRT activities. In Serratia narcescens12–14, Bacillus subtilis15–16, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus17–18, and various species of Pseudomonas19–20, AS is not associated with PRT, which is a distinct protein. The AS of these bacteria consists of two non-identical subunits of different sizes. The large subunit, approximately 60–70,000 in molecular weight, functions as does component I of E. coli, S. typhimurium and A. aerogenes while the small subunit contributes the GAT activity. The molecular weights of the GAT subunit of S. marcescens12,14, Pseudomonas putida19,20, B. subtilis15, and A. calcoaceticus18 have been estimated to be 21,000, 18,000, 16,000 and 14,000 respectively. The PRT of S. marcescens has a molecular weight of 45,000, which is smaller than that of component II of E. coli and S. typhimurium by an amount equivalent to the molecular weight of a GAT subunit14.
Silicate Thermal Insulation Material from Rice Hull Ash

Silicate blocks were produced from rice hull ash (RHA) derived sodium silicate, and physical properties and thermal conductivity of the blocks were investigated. A Sodium silicate solution was produced from RHA by solublizing the silica in 1 M NaOH at 100 °C, followed by filtering to remove the carbon residue. The silicate solution was then boiled at different heating rates to evaporate the water and produce highly porous thermal insulation blocks with varying densities. X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrated the amorphous nature of silicate blocks. FTIR spectra demonstrated the presence of the silicate network in the silicate. Block density, mechanical strength (the compressive force per unit area required to break the block), and thermal conductivity decreased with increasing heating rate. The block density, mechanical strength, and thermal conductivity of silicate blocks were 0.33−0.42 g·cm-3, 145−196 N·cm-2, and 0.103−0.128 W·m-1·K-1, respectively. Data suggested that RHA could be used to produce the...
Differences in the quality of care for women with an abnormal mammogram or breast complaint

OBJECTIVE: To examine factors associated with variation in the quality of care for women with 2 common breast problems: an abnormal mammogram or a clinical breast complaint. DESIGN: Cross-sectional patient survey and medical record review. SETTING: Ten general internal medicine practices in the Greater Boston area. PARTICIPANTS: Women who had an abnormal radiographic result from a screening mammogram or underwent mammography for a clinical breast complaint (N=579). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Three measures of the quality of care were used: (1) whether or not a woman received an evaluation in compliance with a clinical guideline; (2) the number of days until the appropriate resolution of this episode of breast care if any; and (3) a woman’s overall satisfaction with her care. Sixty-nine percent of women received care consistent with the guideline. After adjustment, women over 50 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.58; 95% [CI], 1.06 to 2.36) and those with an abnormal mammogram (compared with a clinical breast complaint: OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.16 to 2.64) were more likely to receive recommended care and had a shorter time to resolution of their breast problem. Women with a managed care plan were also more likely to receive care in compliance with the guideline (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.12 to 2.64) and have a more timely resolution. There were no differences in satisfaction by age or type of breast problem, but women with a managed care plan were less likely to rate their care as excellent (43% vs 53%, P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: We found that a substantial proportion of women with a breast problem managed by generalists did not receive care consistent with a clinical guideline, particularly younger women with a clinical breast complaint and a normal or benign-appearing mammogram.
Institutional Affiliation of Authors of Contributions in Agricultural Economics, 1968–72

Holland and Redman provide a survey of the affiliation of authors contributing to this Journal (AJAE), arguing that "AJAE contributions . . . represent one of several important indicators of departmental quality" (p. 784). In a later comment, Finley pursued their approach but argued that the Holland and Redman accounting does not allow for variation in departmental size. In other words, a smaller department may publish less than a larger department but still publish more per member. In this note, two additional factors are considered in measuring departmental productivity of refereed published research.I These two considerations relate to Finley's method of computing output per member without regard to graduate student or professional status and to the agricultural economics research that is published in journals other than the Journal. In the Handbook-Directory data Finley used to measure departmental size, graduate student and extension components of membership are highly variable among departments. In other words, if a large percentage of graduate students are members of the American Agricultural Economics Association (AAEA), a small department may appear as a relatively large one. Hence, to hold the same relative rankings, graduate students would have to publish at the same rate as faculty. In effect, Finley's method penalizes those departments that are successful in generating AAEA membership interest among their students (assuming faculty is more prolific than graduate students).2 Hence, the 1972 Handbook-Directory was used to determine whether each member was a part of the department's teaching-research faculty or was primarily of graduate student status. Since those with extension appointments may not be expected to produce refereed published research, a separate accounting was also made for those primarily involved in extension.3 Nonstudent U.S. Department of Agriculture personnel are considered along with teaching-research faculty, since they likely contribute to the Journal more than graduate students. For those few members for whom the 1972
Relationships between climate, vegetation, and energy exchange across a montane gradient

We measured the evaporative fraction (EF) across a semiarid elevation gradient in the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains of southern California using the Regional Evaporative Fraction Energy Balance platform and four eddy covariance towers. We compared our measurements to precipitation estimates and satellite observations of vegetation indices to assess the seasonal and interannual controls of precipitation and vegetation on surface energy exchanges. Precipitation amount and timing had the largest effect on evaporative fraction, with vegetation having a relatively greater importance at higher elevations than lower elevations. Vegetation cover was linearly related to mean annual EF, but did not predict seasonal variation in EF in most of the study area's ecosystems. Multiyear vegetation observations show that vegetation density increases in a stepwise pattern with precipitation, probably due to shifts in dominant plant communities. Precipitation is a more important factor in controlling EF than temperature. Possible future climate change, including decreases in precipitation amount and increases in variability, could decrease vegetation cover, thus reducing EF and increasing albedo.
Self-reporting fluorescent substrates of protein tyrosine kinases.

A new mechanistic principle by which protein tyrosine kinase substrates fluorescently report the introduction of a phosphate moiety has been developed. NMR was used to establish that tyrosine phosphorylation induces the disruption of π−π stacking interactions of the tyrosine moiety with a proximal fluorophore on the peptide substrate. We have demonstrated that (1) the peptide substrates described in this study are useful for a wide variety of different tyrosine kinases, (2) physiological concentrations of ATP can be employed (unlike the standard radioactive ATP kinase assays), thus providing a more realistic assessment of inhibitor potency, and (3) protein kinase self-activation can be observed in real-time.
The structure of rotational discontinuities

This study examines the structures of a set of rotational discontinuities detected in the solar wind by the ISEE-3 spacecraft. It is found that the complexity of the structure increases as the angle theta between the propagation vector k and the magnetic field decreases. For rotational discontinuities that propagate at a large angle to the field with an ion (left-hand) sense of rotation, the magnetic hodograms tend to be flattened, in agreement with prior numerical simulations. When theta is large, angular 'overshoots' are often observed at one or both ends of the discontinuity. When the propagation is nearly parallel to the field (when theta is small), many different types of structure are seen, ranging from straight lines, to S-shaped curves, to complex, disorganized shapes.