cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age and Assessments of Disability Accommodation Request Normative Appropriateness

In the United States, the labor force continues to age. As age increases, so does the likeliness of needing disability accommodation. Prior research indicates that people with disabilities often do not request needed accommodations when they assess that others at work would perceive a request as normatively inappropriate. Little, however, is currently known about the impact of age on these assessments. In this study, we integrate prior research on age, disability, social identity, and climate to propose and then test a model of the relationship between requesters’ age and their normative assessments using survey data from 242 people who became hearing impaired prior to entering the workforce. As hypothesized, requester age was negatively associated with normative appropriateness assessment favorability. Moreover, this negative influence was stronger in for-profit organizational contexts and in workgroup contexts in which the requester lacked a coworker with a disability. Having a coworker with a similar disability also partially mediated the moderating effect of organization type on the association between age and normative appropriateness assessment favorability. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Immunohistochemical Characterization of Pancreatic Tumors Induced by Dimethylbenzanthracene in Rats

Dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) induces pancreatic adenocarcinomas in rats 9 months after carcinogen exposure, with precursor lesions (tubular complexes) developing 1 month after initiation of treatment. Because previous studies have suggested an acinar cell of origin for these tumors, we investigated the expression pattern of ductal, acinar, and islet cell markers in these cancers to gain insight into their phenotype and cell of origin. Pancreatic neoplasms were induced in rats by implantation of DMBA into the head of the pancreas. Lesions studied included 10 early tubular complexes (DMBA for 2 weeks), 8 tubular complexes (DMBA for 1 month), and 10 adenocarcinomas (DMBA for 9 months). Normal rat pancreas served as a control. For comparison, 5 human ductal adenocarcinomas were also evaluated. Immunohistochemistry with ductal (keratin, cytokeratin 19, cytokeratin 20), acinar (chymotrypsin), and islet (chromogranin A) cell markers was performed to analyze the tissues. Rat tubular complexes and adenocarcinomas revealed strong expression of keratin, cytokeratin 19, and cytokeratin 20 in the cytoplasm of all neoplastic cells, absence of chymotrypsin, and rare immunoreactivity to chromogranin A. Human adenocarcinomas showed strong expression of keratin and cytokeratin 19 in all neoplastic cells, expression of cytokeratin 20 in 5–20% of cells, and absence of chymotrypsin and chromogranin A. Pancreatic adenocarcinomas induced by DMBA in rats express markers consistent with a ductal phenotype, as observed in human tumors. Ductal marker expression in early tumor stages suggests a ductal cell of origin.
Purification and study of L-arginine decarboxylase from Escherichia coli B.

Abstract The enzyme catalyzing the decarboxylation of l -arginine has been obtained from Escherichia coli and purified. The resulting fractions had high specific activities and were freed of lysine decarboxylase for the first time. Such samples contained an appreciable fraction of the enzyme as judged by sedimentation diagrams, but there was some material not sedimenting with the heavy component (active enzyme). A method is presented making it possible to correlate biological activity with a component located on a plate taken after partial sedimentation in a separation cell. Values of S 20 = 22 svedbergs and D 20 = 2.6 × 10 −7 sq. cm./sec. suggest a molecular weight of 780,000 for the enzyme. Some information on the effects of heat, acid, freezing and p -chloromercuribenzoate is presented.
High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Agaritine in Cultivated Mushrooms

A sensitive, high performance liquid chromatographic method is described for quantification of agartine, a naturally occurring phenylhydrazine derivative isolated from Agaricus bisporus. Freeze-dried mushrooms were extracted with methanol, evaporated to dryness, and the residue resuspended in 0.005N NaH2PO4, pH 4.25 and subsequently passed through a C18 reverse-phase SepPak. A mobile phase of 0.005N NaH2PO4, pH 4.25, was pumped through a Partisil SCX (25 cm × 4.6 mm i.d.) cation-exchange column at 0.6 ml/min. Agaritine was monitored at 237 nm and linear standard curves were observed over the range 0–2 μg. Recoveries of agaritine standards averaged greater than 90% while the lower limit of detectability was 0.006 μg. Co-chromatography and UV scans indicated that agaritine from mushroom extracts is the major component absorbing at 237 nm at the retention volume of authentic agaritine.
Band structure and impurity effects on optical properties of quantum well and quantum dot infrared photodetectors

We examined theoretically band structure and discrete dopant effects in the quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) and the quantum dot infrared photodetector (QDIP). We find that in QWIPs discrete dopant effects can induce long wavelength infrared absorption through impurity assisted intra-subband optical transitions. In QDIPs, we find that a strategically placed dopant atom in a quantum dot can easily destroy the symmetry and modify the selection rule. This mechanism could be partially responsible for normal incidence absorption observed in low-aspect-ratio quantum dots.
Design and implementation of high magnification framing camera for NIF ARIANE Light

Gated X-Ray imagers have been used on many ICF experiments around the world for time resolved imaging of the target implosions. ARIANE (Active Readout In A Neutron Environment) has been developed for use in the National Ignition Facility and has been deployed in multiple phases. Phase 1 (complete) known as ARIANE Ultra Light (Alignment proof of concept), Phase 2a known as ARIANE Light (complete) (X-ray gated detector with electronic recording), Phase 2b (complete) (X-ray gated detector with film recording) and Phase 3 known as ARIANE Heavy which is currently under development. The ARIANE diagnostic is comprised of the following subsystems: pinhole imaging system, filtering, detector head, detector head electronics, control electronics, CCD, and film recording systems. The phased approach allows incremental increases in tolerance to neutron yield. Phase 2a and 2b have been fielded successfully and captured gated implosion images on CCD and film at neutron yields up to 7 x 10 14 . As the yields in the NIF increase Phase 3 will be a longer term solution incorporating an indirect optical path, hardened advanced detectors and significant (tons) of shielding. Design and Initial commissioning data for Phase 1-2b are presented here.
Neuronal signaling and the regulation of bone remodeling

An increasing number of studies suggest that nerve-derived signals play an important role in the regulation of bone remodeling. Neuropeptides and receptors/transporters of adrenergic, glutaminergic, serotoninergic, dopaminergic and sensory nature have been described in osteoblasts in vitro. Downstream signaling pathways and targets genes have been identified, but the in vivo relevance of these findings remained controversial until more recent gene gain and loss of function studies confirmed the role of CGRP and beta2-adrenergic receptor signaling in osteoblasts. Tissue and time-conditional mutant mice originally generated for studies unrelated to bone are now available tools to determine the role of neuronal signaling in bone and to dissociate the central and peripheral role of these signals. Lastly, understanding how the central nervous system integrates homeostatic signals with the regulation of bone homeostasis will be the next exciting subject of research in the field.
Factorial moment analysis of the modified negative binomial distribution

Abstract The modified negative binomial distribution has been proposed as superior to the negative binomial distribution in describing pion multiplicity data derived from e + e − annihilations at high energy. We show that in cases where both distributions produce fits with comparable values of chi-square, a factorial moment analysis can be useful in comparing the quality of the fits.
Heat of adsorption of Cu and Pb on hydroxyl-covered MgO(100)

Abstract The heat of adsorption and sticking probability are measured versus coverage for Cu and Pb adsorption on the MgO(1 0 0) surface pre-decorated with surface hydroxyl groups, and compared to prior results on OH-free MgO(1 0 0). The presence of OH increases the low-coverage heats of adsorption of both Pb and Cu, but causes these heats to increase more slowly with metal coverage as the metal particle size increases. Measurements by Auger electron spectroscopy show that the Pb island density increases and island size decreases at a given Pb coverage with OH present. This explains the slower rise in heat of adsorption with coverage when OH is present, since smaller islands of metal bind the next metal atom more weakly. The initial sticking probability of Pb is lower on the OH-dosed surface, which we attribute to a lower adsorption energy for the precursor state (isolated Pb adatoms). This contrasts with Pb atoms in tiny clusters, which bind more strongly to MgO(1 0 0) when OH is present.
Oxygen-17 hyperfine structure in the zero-field odmr spectrum of triplet state benzophenone

Second-order 17O (I = 52) hyperfine structure has been observed in the zero-field optically-detected magnetic resonance spectrum of the lowest triplet state of benzophenone. A preliminary analysis of these results suggests that the n electron is highly localized on the oxygen atom.
Visual discrimination and P300 are affected in parallel by cholinergic agents in the behaving monkey

Abstract We studied the acute effect of cholinergic agents, scopolamine alone and scopolamine pretreatment and acetyl- l -carnitine (ALC) on visual event-related potentials (ERPs) in a monkey performing in a go/no-go visual oddball discrimination task. The same monkey was studied repeatedly for a period extending over 1.5 years. Scopolamine is known to cause cognitive impairment in primates. In the concentrations used, primary evoked potentials did not change significantly whereas P300 latency increased maximally 20–40 min following scopolamine administration. Acetyl- l -carnitine on its own increased P300 amplitude and decreased its latency. When ALC administration was preceded by scopolamine, both P300 latency and amplitude maximally increased in 25–45 min. Apparently ALC's effect on the latency and amplitude of visual P300 of the monkey is largely via muscarinic mechanisms. Our results suggest that scopolamine may provide a valuable tool to separate cognitive from primary visual processes.
CO2 evasion from the Greenland Ice Sheet: A new carbon-climate feedback

Abstract Decay of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) figures prominently in climate change predictions, but direct carbon cycle feedbacks are poorly constrained. Here, we show that melting of the GIS yields a previously unknown flux of CO 2 to the atmosphere, and we use a reactive-transport model to examine if, how, and to what extent this flux will change as the ice sheet decays in a warmer world. Water emerges from beneath the Isunnguata and Russell Glaciers in West Greenland with CO 2 partial pressures (pCO 2 ) 3 - 10× supersaturated with respect to atmospheric equilibrium. During downstream transport in the Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua River, mineral weathering sequesters 75% of the excess CO 2 as HCO 3 − – a carbon sink on human timescales – and the remaining 25% evades to the atmosphere. Scaled to all rivers draining the GIS, the evasion flux of 0.11 ± 0.03 Tg C/year compares to fluxes reported for other rivers draining Precambrian shield crystalline rocks and having similar dissolved carbonate systematics. This flux is insufficient to influence modern-day atmospheric CO 2 levels, and we find that higher meltwater discharge alone will cause only moderate future increases. However, more substantial increases could occur if meltwaters intersect basal ice known to have elevated pCO 2 values. Worst-case model scenarios yield evasion fluxes of 100 ± 20–170 ± 40 Tg C/year by 2100. These atmospheric CO 2 inputs surpass those for Arctic Lakes and would augment by up to ~ 25% those predicted for permafrost thaw. Our findings suggest that positive feedbacks linking greenhouse gas emissions, Arctic climate change, and global warming may be stronger than previously realized.
Crack tip parameters and elastic-plastic fracture of metals

By using optical displacement-measuring techniques we obtain the crack tip fields in terms of crack tip strain, crack opening angle (COA) and crack tip opening angle (CTOA). Thin plates with different crack configurations made of six elastic-plastic materials with strain hardening exponent ranging from 3 to ∞ are studied. We find that the COA resistance curve assumes certain characteristics common to all the materials. The experimental results indicate that the critical value of COA may be used as a fracture toughness parameter for these materials.
Age-related modifications in rat cardiac phosphoglycerate kinase. Rejuvenation of the old enzyme by unfolding-refolding

The occurrence of age-related modifications in functional and structural properties of several enzymes has been documented; however, the molecular basis of this phenomenon is still mostly unexplained. In the present work a comparative study of phosphoglycerate kinase preparations isolated from hearts of young and old rats was undertaken. Marked age-related effects were revealed in the heat-inactivation kinetics of the enzyme, similar to the ones previously found in purified muscle phosphoglycerate kinase. In view of the previously reported failure of immunotitration to distinguish between phosphoglycerate kinase forms in crude heart extracts from young and old rats, it appears likely that the modifications in old rat heart phosphoglycerate kinase are in a domain which is not involved in antibody binding, and may be localized in the interior of the enzyme. These age-related modifications were completely relieved by extensive unfolding of the enzyme in 2 M guanidine hydrochloride, followed by enzyme reactivation upon dilution of the denaturant. The refolding products of young and old enzymes displayed identical heat-inactivation kinetics as native young phosphoglycerate kinase. It is concluded that the age-related alterations in rat cardiac phosphoglycerate kinase, like those found in the muscle enzyme, are purely conformational and hence develop postsynthetically.
Effect of Heparin in Experimental Gram-Negative Septicemia

90% 12 hr after infection and 100% 24 hr after infection. None of the animals given heat-killed organisms developed leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, or disseminated intravascular coagulation, and none died. The data show that the survival rate in septicemic rabbits was not improved with heparin, although fibrinogen consumption (disseminated intravascular coagulation) was abolished.
The effect of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate on the risk of gestational diabetes in singleton or twin pregnancies.

Objective To compare the rates of gestational diabetes among women who received serial doses of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate vs placebo. Study Design Secondary analysis of 2 double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trials of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate given to women at risk for preterm delivery. The incidence of gestational diabetes was compared between women who received 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate or placebo. Results We included 1094 women; 441 had singleton and 653 had twin gestations. Combining the 2 studies, 616 received 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate and 478 received placebo. Among singleton and twin pregnancies, rates of gestational diabetes were similar in women receiving 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate vs placebo (5.8% vs 4.7%; P = .64 and 7.4% vs 7.6%; P = .94, respectively). In the multivariable model, progesterone was not associated with gestational diabetes (adjusted odds ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.62–1.73). Conclusion Weekly administration of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate is not associated with higher rates of gestational diabetes in either singleton or twin pregnancies.
High-resolution optical coherence microscopy for high-speed, in vivo cellular imaging.

Optical coherence microscopy (OCM) is demonstrated with a high-speed, broadband, reflective-grating phase modulator and a femtosecond Ti:Al2O3 laser. The novel system design permits high-resolution OCM imaging in a new operating regime in which a short coherence gate is used to relax the requirement for high-numerical-aperture confocal axial sectioning. In vivo cellular imaging is demonstrated in the Xenopus laevis tadpole and in human skin with a 3-μm coherence gate and a 30-μm confocal gate. The ability to achieve cellular imaging with a lower numerical aperture should facilitate the development of miniaturized probes for in vivo imaging applications.
Patterned colloid assembly by grafted photochromic polymer layers.

Quartz surfaces and colloidal silica particles were derivatized with a poly(methyl methacrylate) copolymer containing spirobenzopyran (SP) photochromic molecules in the pendant groups at a concentration of 20 mol %. Two-photon near-IR excitation (∼780 nm) was then used to create chemically distinct patterns on the modified surfaces through a photochromic process of SP transformation to the zwitterionic merocyanine (MC) isomer. The derivatized colloids were approximately 10 times more likely to adsorb onto the photoswitched, MC regions. Surface coverage and adsorption kinetics have been compared to the mean-field model of irreversible monolayer adsorption.
A Pumpless Lung Assist Device Reduces Mechanical Ventilation-Induced Lung Injury in Juvenile Piglets

Respiratory failure is a major contributor to mortality and morbidity in newborn infants. The lung assist device (LAD) is a novel gas exchange device that supplements mechanical ventilation. The objective is to test the effect of the LAD on pulmonary histopathology in juvenile piglets with acute lung injury caused by saline lung lavage (SLL) followed by intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV). Three- to 4-wk-old piglets were randomized to no intervention (control group), SLL alone (SLL group), SLL + IMV (IMV group), or SLL + IMV + LAD (LAD group) (n = 6 per group). The carotid artery and jugular vein were cannulated and an arteriovenous circuit completed, and the LAD was inserted into this circuit. Gas exchange via the LAD was initiated by passage of 100% oxygen over the blood-carrying hollow fibers of the LAD. Hemodynamic variables were recorded. Mechanical ventilation was systematically weaned. Lung histology was scored by two observers masked to treatment group. There were no differences in hemodynamic variables between the study groups. There was a significant increase in the total lung injury score in the IMV group compared with the LAD group. The novel pumpless low-resistance LAD has shown feasibility and potential to decrease ventilator-induced lung injury in a juvenile animal model.
COPING WITH THE BLACK SWAN: THE UNSETTLING WORLD OF NASSIM TALEB

ABSTRACT Nassim Taleb rightly points out that although people may acknowledge in the abstract that the world is uncertain, they still behave as if a large enough sample size is all that is needed to predict, and model, the future. He also rightly notes that ever‐increasing quantities of information are relevant only in simple situations, such as in predicting the range of human height, but are misleading in more random arenas, such as financial markets. However, while Taleb decries the use of narratives for falsely forcing the facts to fit a given story, we need narratives in order to make sense of a complex world. Further, Taleb fails to take sufficient heed of the fact that human narratives themselves become objects that act on subjects in an ever‐increasing web of complexity.
Effect of mycorrhizal colonization and phosphorus on ethylene production by snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) flowers

We determined the effects of phosphorus (P) concentration and mycorrhizal colonization on ethylene production by flowers of snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus L.). Mycorrhizal colonization in a soil-less medium did not significantly affect the total number of flowers per spike or flower P concentration, but it significantly increased flower vase-life and significantly decreased flower ethylene production. This demonstrates for the first time that mycorrhizal colonization can have a non-localized effect on host ethylene production. The reduction in ethylene production caused by mycorrhizal colonization was as large as the variation in ethylene production among snapdragon cultivars. Thus, mycorrhizal colonization may be a viable alternative to toxic ethylene inhibitors such as silver thiosulfate. Increased fertilizer P concentration (15 versus 3 μg P ml–1) significantly increased plant fresh weight and the total number of flowers per spike. In contrast to mycorrhizal colonization, increased fertilizer P concentration resulted in an increase in ethylene production. There was no significant effect of fertilizer P concentration on vase-life. This suggests that factors other than ethylene have at least partial control over vase-life. Postharvest amendment of individual flowers with phosphate also significantly increased flower ethylene production. Phosphorus apparently does not mediate the mycorrhizal effect because mycorrhizal colonization decreased ethylene production without significantly influencing flower P concentration. Moreover, treatment with phosphate increased flower ethylene production. Mycorrhizal colonization did not significantly influence response to exogenous ethylene.
Terrorism in an Era of Unconventional Warfare

Academic studies of terrorism and mass political violence have developed largely independently of one another. Insurgents, in contrast, have tended to incorporate terrorism tactics along with other types of unconventional warfare in their repertoire of action. This tendency has become more apparent among insurgents engaging in armed confrontations in the twenty-first century. In order to take account of this development, scholars and others interested in contemporary warfare need to incorporate terrorism studies within the broader subject of insurgencies and “small wars”—political violence, in other words.
Accommodation of misfit across the interface between single-crystal films of various face-centred cubic metals

Abstract Specimens consisting of a pair of single-crystal films in contact and in parallel orientation were prepared by successive evaporation of the film materials in ultra-high vacuum onto the (001) surfaces of hot sodium chloride crystals. The combinations of film materials used were gold-palladium, gold-silver and platinum-gold. Examination of the specimens by transmission electron microscopy revealed that the difference between the lattice parameters of the pairs of metals was divided between elastic strain and misfit dislocations in approximately the manner predicted by van der Merwe (1963). Most of the 4·6% misfit between a 100 A gold film and its 400 A palladium substrate was accommodated by misfit dislocations. The 0·19% misfit between a gold film and its 1500 A silver substrate was entirely taken up by elastic strain until the thickness of the gold reached between 250 A and 300 A. When the thickness of the gold film exceeded 250 to 300 A some misfit was accommodated by dislocations that moved by...
Autocrine regulation of rheumatoid arthritis synovial cell growth in vitro.

Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and not osteoarthritis (OA) synovial cells proliferate in serum-free medium, a finding that suggests that, in vitro, RA synovial cells may be stimulated to grow by the continuous autocrine production of at least one polypeptide growth factor. Adding monoclonal antibody 1D11.16, or rabbit polyclonal anti-tumor growth factor β (anti-TGF-β) antibodies (both neutralizing antibodies to TGF-β1 and TGF-β2) to RA synovial cells, in culture, caused a significant reduction in cell growth, an effect not seen when other growth factor antibodies (platelet-derived growth factor [PDGF], epidermal growth factor [EGF], or EGF receptor) were added to the culture medium. Taken together, these data are consistent with the concept that RA synovial cell growth in vitro is driven endogenous TGF-β. Moreover, when EGF was added to the culture medium, this caused the numbers of RA, and not OA, synovial cells to increase significantly. This finding suggests that RA synovial cells are in G1 phase of the cell cycle; an effect that could be mediated by endogenous TGF-β.
Cutaneous lymphatics and chronic lymphedema of the head and neck

Extensive attention has been directed to lymphedema involving the extremities. However, there has been relatively limited study of the cutaneous lymphatics of the head and neck. In this review of head and neck lymphatics, we capsulize the history of the lymphatics, the anatomy of the cutaneous lymphatics, lymphatic function and physiology, and imaging modalities used to define this intricate vascular system. To appreciate the clinical challenges associated with head and neck lymphatic dysfunction, we also provide an overview of disease processes of the cutaneous lymphatics and their treatment, theories on the etiology of lymphedema, and future directions to better understand lymphatic function and disease. Knowledge of the cutaneous lymphatics of the head and neck are critical to the clinical evaluation of patients, who present with this debilitating condition and to our understanding of its pathogenesis and appropriate management.
Resurrecting Truth in Katherine Anne Porter's THE FIG TREE

When Katherine Anne Porter asked her friend Janet Lewis for an opinion on her story, “The Fig Tree,” Lewis apologetically responded that it reminded her of how she “frightened a mouse to death once...
Platelet inhibitors and hydroxyethyl starch: safe and cost-effective interventions in coronary artery surgery.

Abstract This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness and clinical safety of utilizing hetastarch in pump prime solutions and for colloid replacement postoperatively in conjunction with the platelet inhibitors, aspirin and Persantine (dipyridamole). Sixty-four adult patients undergoing a coronary artery bypass operation were divided into two groups. Group 1 (N = 32) received only Persantine (75 mg three times a day) on the day prior to operation. Group 2 (N = 32) received the same Persantine dose plus aspirin (325 mg). In both groups, aspirin and Persantine were continued postoperatively and hetastarch was used as the colloid of choice. All patients were evaluated for blood loss, coagulation profiles, cost of blood and colloid replacement, and clinical course. Group 2 patients demonstrated significantly greater blood loss ( p We conclude that preoperative administration of aspirin (325 mg) is associated with increased perioperative blood loss and higher patient costs, two variables not demonstrable with Persantine only. Use of hetastarch combined with postoperative platelet inhibition was clinically safe and was a cost-effective method of colloid replacement.
Doubly stochastic matrix equations

It is shown that for real,m x n matricesA andB the system of matrix equationsAX=B, BY=A is solvable forX andY doubly stochastic if and only ifA=BP for some permutation matrixP. This result is then used to derive other equations and to characterize the Green’s relations on the semigroup Ω n of alln x n doubly stochastic matrices. The regular matrices in Ω n are characterized in several ways by use of the Moore-Penrose generalized inverse. It is shown that a regular matrix in Ω n is orthostochastic and that it is unitarily similar to a diagnonal matrix if and only if it belongs to a subgroup of Ω n . The paper is concluded with extensions of some of these results to the convex setS n of alln x n nonnegative matrices having row and column sums at most one.
A volunteer worker placement model for business

Abstract Volunteer workers contribute significantly to the enhancement of their communities as travel destinations. The challenge to the strategic managers of tourism activities is to properly match volunteers' needs and their potential for contribution with organizational reward capabilities and task requirements. However, unique difficulties arise in achieving optimal volunteer placements because unpaid workers require opportunities for the satisfaction of personal needs which are discernably different in priority from the satisfactions sought by financially compensated workers. Thus, organizations' existing reward systems must be adaptive to the unique demands of these special work relationships. As an aid in this internal adjustment, a Volunteer Worker Placement Model is presented which is designed to provide tourism businesses with a conceptual and practical technique for understanding and diagnosing the “inducements-contributions” nature of volunteer task assignments.
Origin of slow relaxation following photoexcitation of W7 in myoglobin and the dynamics of its hydration layer.

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to calculate the time-dependent Stokes shift following photoexcitation of Trp-7 (W7) in myoglobin. In agreement with experiment, a long time (∼60 ps) component is observed. Since the long time Stokes shift component is absent when we repeat the calculation with protein frozen at the instant of photoexcitation, we firmly establish that protein flexibility is required to observe slow Stokes shift dynamics in this case. A transition between sub-states near the middle of a 30 ns ground-state trajectory gave us an opportunity to compare solvation dynamics in two different environments. While some of the superficial features are different, we find that the underlying dynamics are shared by the two isomers. It is necessary to look beyond a decomposition of the Stokes shift into protein and water contributions and probe the underlying dynamics of protein side groups, backbone, and water dynamics to obtain a full picture of the relaxation process. We analyze water residence ...
Local Acts, Global Consequences: A Dynamic Systems Perspective on Torture

The consequences of extreme forms of interrogation are considered from the perspective of dynamical systems. Because of the self-organizing tendency of systems, a change in a single element of mind or society (e.g., a new belief, course of action, or government policy) holds potential for transforming the larger mental or social system in which the element is embedded. The emergence of new mental and social states is especially likely when factors such as external threat and the necessity for unequivocal action strengthen the positive feedback loops among elements, making them highly responsive to each other. Because torture occurs under such “high-temperature” conditions, it can trigger a series of changes in other elements (thoughts, actions), thereby promoting fundamental changes in individual minds, societal values, and government policies. To halt or reverse this scenario, negative feedback loops among the elements must be introduced so that a change in 1 element is compensated rather than reinforced...
Inhibition of p53 transactivation required for transformation by adenovirus early 1B protein

THE cellular phosphoprotein p53 inhibits progression through the mammalian cell cycle1,2. Both p53 alleles are frequently mutated in human tumours3,4, indicating that p53 is a tumour suppressor. Recent studies have suggested that p53 functions as a transcrip-tional activator5–8, but the significance of this activity in cell-cycle control has not been established. The adenovirus 2 (Ad2) early IB (E1B) 55K protein binds to p53 in transformed cells9 and contributes to oncogenic transformation by Ad2 (refs 10-12). Here we report that mutants of E1B 55K and wild-type Adl2 E1B 54K proteins show a strong correlation between their ability to inhibit p53-mediated transcriptional activation and their ability to cooperate with adenovirus El A protein in the transformation of primary cells. These results indicate that p53 probably inhibits cell cycling by functioning as a transcription factor.
Properties of Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ-32 Attenuated by Spray-Drying, Freeze-Drying, or Freezing

Abstract Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ-32 was attenuated for use in accelerated ripening of Cheddar cheese. The goal was to delay acid production without reducing enzyme activity. Changes in the cellular properties of viability, enzyme activity, lactic acid production, and permeability were measured for each attenuation treatment. The viabilities were highest for frozen and freeze-dried cells. Viabilities were lower for cells spray-dried at an outlet air temperature of 82°C and lowest for 120°C. Aminopeptidase and β -galactosidase activities decreased with each treatment. Low temperature spray-dried cells had the highest residual aminopeptidase and β -galactosidase activities by a substantial margin. Acid production was similar for the frozen, freeze-dried, and low temperature spray-dried cells, and no lag time occurred; however, high temperature spray-dried cells had a 5-h lag time before producing acid. The increase in permeability was greatest for high temperature spray-dried cells. Viability did not necessarily indicate the extent of cell attenuation. Low temperature spray-dried cells had low viability, but the greatest lactic acid production and enzyme activity. High temperature spray-dried cells had the best balance between delaying acid production and maintaining enzyme activity.
Simultaneous separation and detection of actinides in acidic solutions using an extractive scintillating resin.

An extractive scintillating resin was evaluated for the simultaneous separation and detection of actinides in acidic solutions. The transuranic extractive scintillating (TRU-ES) resin is composed of an inert macroporous polystyrene core impregnated with organic fluors (diphenyloxazole and 1,4-bis-(4-methyl-5-phenyl-2-oxazolyl)benzene) and an extractant (octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide in tributyl phosphate). The TRU-ES resin was packed into FEP Teflon tubing to produce a flow cell (0.2-mL free column volume), which is placed into a scintillation detection system to obtain pulse height spectra and time series data during loading and elution of actinides onto/from the resin. The α-particle absolute detection efficiencies ranged from 77% to 96.5%, depending on the α energy and quench. In addition to the on-line analyses, off-line analyses of the effluent can be conducted using conventional detection methods. The TRU-ES resin was applied to the quantification of a mixed radionuclide...
Required Cryptographic Authentication Criteria for Electronic Funds Transfer Systems

A set of required security criteria is developed which assures that the personal verification processes at different institutions in an interchange environment are isolated from one another. It is assumed that only information stored on the bank card and information remembered by a systerm user are employed for personal verification. Under that assumption, it is shown that only through the use of a secret quantity (a personal cryptographic key) stored on the bank card will the set of required criteria be satisfied. With a personal key, the same degree of isolation can be achieved for authentication of transaction request messages sent from the entry point to the issuer. However, authentication of transaction response messages sent from the issuer to the entry point requires a system key unknoun to the user.
Capture cross-section of threading dislocations in thin films

Abstract The capture cross section for annihilation of two threads with opposite Burgers vectors moving on orthogonal slip planes in a thin film is examined using a numerical model. The initial configurations of threads that lead to annihilation are mapped out for a range of applied film stresses. The area of the region of initial configurations that lead to annihilation at a given stress and thickness is the capture cross-section. The size of the capture cross-section is shown to be highly sensitive to the applied stress relative to the critical stress for dislocation motion imposed by the film thickness.
Improving distribution of pharmaceuticals in developing countries: A case study of The Gambia project

Without sufficient sanitation, nutrition and primary health care infrastructures, developing nations must depend on pharmaceuticals as the principal defense against debilitating diseases such as malaria, schistosomiasis, river blindness, tetanus, and leprosy. Yet the distribution of pharmaceuticals within many developing countries is severely inadequate to meet the health care needs of large sectors of the population, particularly those persons living in rural areas. The result is that with 80% of the world's population, and an even greater share of the world's serious illnesses and disease, the Third World consumes only 20% of the global supply of pharmaceuticals. One of the major obstacles confronting individuals in developing countries that need pharmaceuticals is access — the drug delivery infrastructure is often inadequate. Problems exist in the entire range of drug management: Ordering, receipt, storage, distribution, and resupply. To help combat the problems, a unique collaboration began in 1981 at the initiation of several members of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PMA), and Africare, a private voluntary organization, to improve the drug distribution and management system in The Gambia in Africa. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the feasibility of transferring The Gambian model of cooperation between governments in developing countries, private voluntary organizations, and the international pharmaceutical industry to other Third World nations given different cultural, political and economic parameters. Last year, after observing how effectively The Gambia project had improved record keeping and management, the government of Sierra Leone invited Africare to help set up similar improvements in its drug distribution and inventory program. Although the multinational pharmaceutical corporations are often criticized by Third World governments for overpricing and dumping drugs, and excessive marketing schemes, The Gambia project demonstrates how the industry can work with health ministries to alleviate the problem of an inadequate supply and storage of pharmaceuticals particularly to poor, rural areas in Less Developed Countries.
Comparison of Sample Preparation Methods for the Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds in Soil Samples: Solvent Extraction vs Vapor Partitioning

Presently, both direct vapor partitioning and solvent extraction methods of sample preparation are commonly used for the characterization of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in soil. These two approaches of recovering VOCs from this matrix, and other forms of solid waste, are often used interchangeably without any recognition of how different parameters (enviromental and procedural) influence their performance. Three vapor partitioning headspace and three solvent extraction methods of preparing soil samples for the determination of VOCs were compared, without being confounded by volatilization or biodegradation losses. Soil samples were spiked with five aromatic and four chlorinated compounds using two different laboratory procedures. Recovery efficiencies for the preparation methods tested depended on soil organic carbon content, the octanol−water partition coefficients of specific analytes, and the duration of solvent extraction. Overall, methanol extraction was the most efficient and robust method for...
Estrogen synthesis in vivo in the adult zebra finch: additional evidence that circulating estrogens can originate in brain

Aromatase activity is abundant in limbic and nonlimbic neural structures in zebra finches, especially in the telencephalon near neural circuits that control singing behavior. Also, male songbirds can have high estrogen levels in blood. Because it is difficult to detect aromatase activity in other male tissues, we have postulated that the brain itself is the source of the estrogen present in the blood of males. Previously, we developed methods to measure estrogen synthesis in vivo by injecting [3H]androgen into the systemic circulation or directly into tissues and then determining the quantity of [3H]estrogen entering or leaving the brain. Our results support our hypothesis that the brain is the primary site of estrogen synthesis in males of this species. Here, we confirm that [3H]estrogen emanates from the brain after systemic [3H]androgen injection by showing that the presumptive estrogen in jugular plasma is significantly reduced by treatment with an aromatase inhibitor. In females, but not males, estro...
Analysis of stress-driven delamination in contact vias

During the development of a 0.5 micrometer plug process (0.8 micrometer contacts), high temperature operating life tests for reliability indicated a failure mechanism caused by open contacts at contacts 2 and higher. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of cross-sections of opened contacts showed that the upper surface of the metal line was delaminating from the upper TEOS oxide and the tungsten plug. Further investigation revealed that delamination occurs even prior to W deposition, indicating that the real problem is with debonding at the top metal (TiW)-TEOS interface. Other symptoms of the problem are that it depends on contact geometry (contact size and enclosure) and is zonal. The extent of bad contacts also is sensitive to the type of etch used at contact resist strip; the situation improves when NOE is replaced by the milder ST22 strip. All of these symptoms can be understood in terms of stress- driven delamination at a poorly bonded interface. In this paper we present experimental results which show the effects of TEOS stress, film thickness, TEOS chamber 'season' (interfacial chemistry), metal surface treatments and contact resist strip on contact integrity. A model based on finite element calculations is presented that relates TEOS stress and contact geometry to the observed behavior. Following these findings, process changes were put in place to improve adhesion and to prevent notching (crack initiation) at the metal-oxide interface. Since adding these steps, the problem has not recurred.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Two-color, two-photon, and excited-state absorption microscopy.

We develop a new approach in imaging nonfluorescent species with two-color two-photon and excited state absorption mi- croscopy. If one of two synchronized mode-locked pulse trains at different colors is intensity modulated, the modulation transfers to the other pulse train when nonlinear absorption takes places in the me- dium. We can easily measure 10 6 absorption changes caused by either two-photon absorption or excited-state absorption with a RF lock-in amplifier. Sepia melanin is studied in detail as a model system. Spectroscopy studies on the instantaneous two-photon absorption TPA and the relatively long-lived excited-state absorption ESA of melanin are carried out in solution, and imaging capability is demon- strated in B16 cells. It is found that sepia melanin exhibits two distinct excited states with different lifetimes one at 3p s, one lasting hun- dreds of nanoseconds when pumped at 775 nm. Its characteristic TPA/ESA enables us to image its distribution in cell samples with high resolution comparable to two-photon fluorescence microscopy TPFM. This new technique could potentially provide valuable infor- mation in diagnosing melanoma. © 2007 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation
Busyness, Expertise, and Financial Reporting Quality of Audit Committee Chairs and Financial Experts

SUMMARY: We investigate how the number of audit committee chair positions and other audit committee financial expertise positions held by the audit committee chairman and the audit committee financial experts affects their ability to oversee a company's financial reporting process. We argue that these two audit committee roles are vital to the functioning of the audit committee and that their over commitment affects audit committee oversight and the firm's financial reporting quality. We observe a significant negative association between financial reporting quality and the number of audit committee chair positions and other audit committee financial expertise positions held by the audit committee chairman. We also find a significant negative association between financial reporting quality and the number of audit committee chair positions and other audit committee financial expertise positions held by audit committee financial experts. Firms with busy audit committee chairs or busy financial experts have s...
Practice Opportunities with an Emerging Family Form: The Planned Lesbian and Gay Family

ABSTRACT Changes in reproductive technology and public attitudes are contributing to the emergence of a radically new family form–the planned lesbian and gay family. Due to the growth and visibility of these families, forensic psychologists are increasingly likely to encounter them in the family law arena. This article outlines emerging practice opportunities and provides a starting point for forensic practitioners who want to familiarize themselves with relevant issues. It summarizes contemporary scholarship regarding parenting styles, gender roles, and child outcome, outlines the legal status of sexual minority families, and alerts practitioners to issues that are frequently raised in high-conflict custody disputes involving these families.
Effects of dietary selenium and vitamin E on glutathione concentrations and glutathione S-transferase activities in chick liver and plasma

Abstract Studies were conducted to determine the effects of the antioxidant nutrients selenium (Se) and vitamin E (VE) on the concentrations of glutathione (GSH) and activities of two GSH-metabolizing enzymes, Se-dependent GSH-peroxidase (SeGSHpx) and GSH S-transferase (GSH-T), in the chick. The hepatic activity of GSH-T, assayed using 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene as substrate (GSH-T CDNB ), was greater in chicks depleted of both Se and VE than in chicks fed adequate levels of either nutrient. This effect was only observed when the Se deficiency was severe enough to result in a very substantial loss of SeGSHpx activity (e.g., 8% of control levels); it was not observed unless chicks were also deficient in VE. Chicks fed the Se-deficient diet supplemented with a low level of VE (2 IU/kg) failed to show hepatic GSH-T CDNB activities greater than controls. Chicks fed the Se-deficient diet had plasma GSH concentrations greater than those of Se-fed chicks, which difference was intensified by concomittant VE deficiency. These results show that GSH metabolism in the chick can be affected by nutritional status with respect to VE as well as Se. It is suggested that the increased hepatic activity of GSH-T CDNB that occurs in nutritional Se- and VE-deficiency may be a response to altered GSH metabolism rather than a compensation for loss of SeGSHpx.