cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cold-Induced Thermogenesis Increases Acetylation on the Brown Fat Proteome and Metabolome

Stimulating brown adipose tissue (BAT) energy expenditure could be a therapy for obesity and related metabolic diseases. Achieving this requires a systems-level understanding of the biochemical underpinnings of thermogenesis. To identify novel metabolic features of active BAT, we measured protein abundance, protein acetylation, and metabolite levels in BAT isolated from mice living in their thermoneutral zone or in colder environments. We find that the enzymes which synthesize lipids from cytosolic acetyl-coA are among the most robustly increased proteins after cold acclimation, consistent with recent studies highlighting the importance of anabolic de novo lipogenesis in BAT. In addition, many mitochondrial proteins are hyperacetylated by cold acclimation, including several sites on UCP1, which may have functional relevance. Metabolomics analysis further reveals cold-dependent increases to acetylated carnitine and several amino acids. This BAT multi-omics resource highlights widespread proteomic and metabolic changes linked to acetyl-CoA synthesis and utilization that may be useful in unraveling the remarkable metabolic properties of active BAT.
Promoting the dissemination of decision aids: an odyssey in a dysfunctional health care financing system.

The usefulness of patient decision aids (PtDAs) is well documented, yet they are not in widespread use. Barriers include assuring balance and fairness (auspices mat- ter), the cost of producing and maintaining them, and getting them into the hands of pa- tients at the right time. The Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making and its for-profit partner, Health Dialog, have developed a creative business model that helps over- come these barriers and has greatly expanded the reach of decision aids.
Health‐related quality of life among US adults with cancer: Potential roles of complementary and alternative medicine for health promotion and well‐being

Objectives We estimated prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by reason for use (treatment, wellness, or both) among non-institutionalized adults with cancer in the United States. We also examined health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes among adults with cancer who used CAM. Methods We used data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which represents non-institutionalized adults with cancer (n = 2967 unweighted). Using a cross-sectional design with survey sampling techniques, we estimated past year prevalence of CAM use. We ran multivariable logistic regression analyses to investigate the odds of perceived benefits of CAM. Results In the past 12 months, 35.1% of adults with cancer reported using some form of CAM. Among CAM users, 56.0% used CAM for both treatment and wellness, and 32.4% used CAM for wellness only. Only 11.6% used CAM for treatment only. Regardless of reason for use, the most commonly used CAM types in the past year were herbal therapies (56.8%), chiropractic (27.1%), and massage (24.9%). Among CAM users, those using CAM for wellness only and for a combination of treatment and wellness reported significantly higher odds of "a better sense of controlling health" and "improved overall health and feeling better" compared with treatment only users. Similar patterns were found in other HRQOL outcomes, but they were not statistically different. Conclusions CAM is widely used among adults with cancer for wellness only or a combination of treatment and wellness. Given improved HRQOL outcomes, CAM may be a promising approach for enhancing health promotion and well-being among adults with cancer.
Resilient Chatbots: Repair Strategy Preferences for Conversational Breakdowns

Text-based conversational systems, also referred to as chatbots, have grown widely popular. Current natural language understanding technologies are not yet ready to tackle the complexities in conversational interactions. Breakdowns are common, leading to negative user experiences. Guided by communication theories, we explore user preferences for eight repair strategies, including ones that are common in commercially-deployed chatbots (e.g., confirmation, providing options), as well as novel strategies that explain characteristics of the underlying machine learning algorithms. We conducted a scenario-based study to compare repair strategies with Mechanical Turk workers (N=203). We found that providing options and explanations were generally favored, as they manifest initiative from the chatbot and are actionable to recover from breakdowns. Through detailed analysis of participants' responses, we provide a nuanced understanding on the strengths and weaknesses of each repair strategy.
Demography of the land snail Tikoconus (Tikoconus) costarricanus (Stylommatophora: Euconulidae) in tropical low montane and premontane forests, Costa Rica

Abstract. Introduction: Ecology and natural history of neotropical land snails is almost unknown. Objetive: In this paper I analyse the population dynamics of Tikoconus (Tikoconus) costarricanus Barrientos, in prep., an understory endemic euconulid. Methods: I compared T. costarricanus’ demography patterns in tropical montane forests in central Costa Rica in three habitats with different restoration techniques: a mature forest, a secondary forest and a Cuppressus lusitanica plantation. I collected data in three month periods during a year. I analysed population size in relation with habitat, sampling date, leaf litter humidity, depth and quantity; and specimen size in relation with habitat and sampling date. I also kept some specimens in terraria and described part of their natural history. Results: The species is more abundant in mature forest (O = 0.174 ind/m2). The number of specimens in each habitat was constant throughout the year (Kruskall-Wallis = 2.0118, p = 0.57, NS) and hatching occurs in the middle and last months of the rainy season (Kruskall-Wallis = 17.3061, p = 0.00061, **). Number of specimens is related with leaf litter humidity (Spearman correlation, r = 0.3524, n = 232, p = 0.000, **), amount (Spearman correlation, r = 0.3922, n = 232, p = 0.000, **) and depth (Spearman correlation, r = 0.2543, n = 232, p = 0.000, **). This relationship is explained by the high and stable humid environment provided by leaf litter. During the drier months some specimens migrate from the foliage to the leaf litter. Eggs (O = 1mm) are laid on moss or soil and the young spend the first 2 or 3 weeks of their life on moss. Egg masses are small (O = 4 eggs), and shells look bubbly. Egg development time (20 days) was longer than in other tropical species. Adult pigmentation appears around two months after hatch. In the only case observed egg laying began 5 months after hatching and the specimen lived 9 months. Conclusions: Although no conclusive, these data point to a fragile species susceptible to habitat and climate change. Restorations techniques should consider leaf litter features in order to protect endemic neotropical humid dependent diversity.
Mesothelioma and Miscellaneous Disease Processes

First described over a century ago, malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare, aggressive malignancy typically presenting with diffuse peritoneal studding and/or ascites. Although usually advanced disease is found within the peritoneal cavity, spread beyond the abdomen is uncommonly encountered. Although advances in systemic chemotherapy have been made, cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) have emerged as the mainstay of treatment. Median overall survival of approximately 50 months with CRS/HIPEC has been demonstrated, with age, gender, histologic subtype, peritoneal carcinomatosis index (PCI), comorbidities, nodal and extra-abdominal metastases, and completeness of cytoreduction all playing a role in prognosis. Similarly, urachal-derived peritoneal carcinomatosis, a clinical condition involving extensive spread of intraperitoneal mucin from a urachal primary, is an exceedingly rare disease whose pathophysiologic characteristics have mainly been determined by case series. As there is no standard systemic therapy for urachal carcinomatosis, CRS/HIPEC provides a useful treatment strategy, with a median overall survival approaching 60 months. The completeness of cytoreduction during CRS/HIPEC for urachal-derived carcinomatosis significantly influences prognosis, with increasing PCI trending toward poorer overall survival. For both of these rare diseases, CRS/HIPEC offers durable, long-term survival in appropriately selected patients.
Cloud-top pressure retrieval with DSCOVR EPIC oxygen A- and B-band observations

Abstract. An analytic transfer model for Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) observation was proposed to retrieve the cloud top pressure (CTP) with considering in-cloud photon penetration. In this model, an analytic equation was developed to represent the reflection at top of atmosphere (TOA) from above cloud, in-cloud and below-cloud. The coefficients of this analytic equation can be derived from a series of EPIC simulations under different atmospheric conditions using a non-linear regression algorithm. With estimated cloud pressure thickness, the CTP can be retrieved from EPIC observation data by solving the analytic equation. To simulate the EPIC measurements, a program package using the double-k approach was developed, which can calculate high-accuracy results with a one-hundred-fold time reduction. During the retrieval processes, two kinds of retrieval results, i.e., baseline CTP and retrieved CTP, are provided. The baseline CTP is derived without considering in-cloud photon penetration, and the retrieved CTP is derived by solving the analytic equation, taking into consideration the in-cloud and below-cloud interactions. The retrieved CTP for the oxygen A and B bands are smaller than their related baseline CTP. At the same time, both baseline CTP and retrieved CTP at the oxygen B-band are obviously larger than those at the oxygen A-band. Compared to the difference of baseline CTP between the B-band and A-band, the difference of retrieved CTP between these two bands is generally reduced.
Modeling the National Energy Plan

This paper describes how the key components of the April 1977 National Energy Plan were analyzed. These components are oil and gas pricing, coal conversion and conservation. After summarizing the features of the Project Independence Evaluation System (PIES), the modeling of these components is described.
Geographic Distribution of Radiation Oncologists in the United States

Abstract Purpose The geographic distribution of radiation oncologists determines access to care for patients and job opportunities for practicing physicians, yet available data on practicing radiation oncologists are outdated or use large geographic unit definitions precluding granular analysis. We present an updated county-level analysis of the American radiation oncology workforce. Methods and Materials We used the Area Health Resource File published by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to determine the number of radiation oncologists per 100,000 people in every or equivalent area in the United States as of 2017 (the most recently published data). We then analyzed geographic distribution per U.S. Census Bureau–defined regions, subregions, and combined statistical areas. Results The Area Health Resource File reports 5338 practicing radiation oncologists for an estimated American population of 326.1 million people as of 2017, resulting in a nationwide average of 1.64 radiation oncologists per 100,000 people. Counties located outside of a metropolitan area had a lower density of radiation oncologists than those within a metropolitan area. Among combined statistical areas (representing most large cities) the variations in density of radiation oncologists are small, with the highest-density areas located in smaller communities with academic medical centers. There was no relationship between population of combined statistical areas and density of radiation oncologists. Conclusions The geographic distribution of American radiation oncologists varies widely; the primary variation exists along the urban/rural continuum, with rural areas having fewer practitioners than urban areas. This analysis informs future work in understanding how to optimize the delivery of radiation oncology services throughout the United States.
Cultural Competency in Local Government Cemetery Management

Local government cemetery management is an unexplored area of public administration, and this paper begins to tackle that gap by exploring the role of cultural competency in the role. Based on a co...
Mediators of quality of life in brain injury

This study examined the mediating role of perceived social support and mastery on quality of life (QOL) among adults with brain injury. An a priori structural model hypothesizing the relationships ...
Modeling and identification of nonlinear piezoelectric material properties for energy harvesting

Abstract Due to the complementary direct and inverse piezoelectric effects, piezoelectric materials have been proposed for various critical applications. More recently, there has been increased attention toward extending their realm to produce higher power or to detect large strains, which can potentially force them to exhibit several nonlinear phenomena. Modeling these nonlinear phenomena is still in its infancy, and universally agreed nonlinear constitutive relations are still under development. The vital step in understanding the experimental response and in proposing corresponding nonlinear constitutive relations involves identification of the nonlinear material parameters. In this chapter, we consider a unimorph subjected to (a) direct and (b) parameter excitations, and discuss several aspects of mathematical modeling of the nonlinear piezoelectric behavior and propose parameter identification schemes using the approximate solution of the governing equations obtained from the method of multiple scales.
Equilibrium Asset Pricing with Leverage and Default

We develop a general equilibrium model linking the pricing of stocks and corporate bonds to endogenous movements in corporate leverage and aggregate volatility. The model features heterogeneous firms making optimal investment and financing decisions and connects fluctuations in macroeconomic quantities and asset prices to movements in the cross section of firms. Empirically plausible movements in leverage produce realistic asset return dynamics. Countercyclical leverage drives predictable variation in risk premia, and debt‐financed growth generates a high value premium. Endogenous default produces countercyclical aggregate volatility and credit spread movements that are propagated to the real economy through their effects on investment and output.
Infant Pitch and Timbre Discrimination in the Presence of Variation in the Other Dimension

Adult listeners perceive pitch with fine precision, with many adults capable of discriminating less than a 1 % change in fundamental frequency (F0). Although there is variability across individuals, this precise pitch perception is an ability ascribed to cortical functions that are also important for speech and music perception. Infants display neural immaturity in the auditory cortex, suggesting that pitch discrimination may improve throughout infancy. In two experiments, we tested the limits of F0 (pitch) and spectral centroid (timbre) perception in 66 infants and 31 adults. Contrary to expectations, we found that infants at both 3 and 7 months were able to reliably detect small changes in F0 in the presence of random variations in spectral content, and vice versa, to the extent that their performance matched that of adults with musical training and exceeded that of adults without musical training. The results indicate high fidelity of F0 and spectral-envelope coding in infants, implying that fully mature cortical processing is not necessary for accurate discrimination of these features. The surprising difference in performance between infants and musically untrained adults may reflect a developmental trajectory for learning natural statistical covariations between pitch and timbre that improves coding efficiency but results in degraded performance in adults without musical training when expectations for such covariations are violated.
Biosynthesis of Diphosphopyridine Nucleotide THE PURIFICATION AND THE PROPERTIES OF DIPHOSPHOPYRIDINE NUCLEOTIDE SYNTHETASE FROM ESCHERICHIA COLI B

Abstract The enzyme diphosphopyridine nucleotide synthetase (deamido-DPN: ammonia amido-ligase (AMP)), was purified about 450-fold from a crude extract from Escherichia coli by protamine sulfate fractionation, ammonium sulfate precipitation, and diethylaminoethyl cellulose chromatography. The reaction catalyzed by DPN synthetase in E. coli was shown to be ATP + deamido-DPN + NH3→DPN + AMP + PPi The enzyme is specific for ATP. Mg++ or Mn++ could satisfy the metal ion requirement. Ammonia was shown to be far superior to l-glutamine as the nitrogen donor for the enzyme. The apparent Km for ammonia was 6.5 x 10-5 m while that for l-glutamine was 1.6 x 10-2 m. Azaserine, an inhibitor of the DPN synthetase (deamido-DPN:glutamine amido-ligase (AMP)) from yeast, did not inhibit the E. coli DPN synthetase. On the other hand, psicofuranine (9-d-psicofuranosyl-6-aminopurine), which was an effective inhibitor of the E. coli DPN synthetase did not inhibit the yeast DPN synthetase. The kinetics and properties of the psicofuranine inhibition were studied.
Electron Impact Dissociative Excitation of Molecular Ions

The complex Kohn variational method, which has been very successful in treating the scattering of electrons from neutral polyatomic molecules,1 can also be used to study electron collisions with molecular ions. We have modified the method to deal with Coulomb boundary conditions. We have carried out ab initio calculations of the electron impact dissociation of H3 + via excitation of the two lowest (3E’, 1E’) excited electronic states, and HeH+ via excitation of the lowest 3Σ state.2,3 These calculations employed large correlated target wave functions that accurately reproduced the energy levels and transition dipoles of the ground and excited states of the ion. All open channels were included explicitly in the scattering calculation. Closed channel effects were included via an ab initio optical potential. The fixed nuclei cross sections were found to be dominated by a series of sharp resonances, in apparent agreement with recent experimental findings 4,5 However, because the resonance states parallel their steeply repulsive ionic parent states, the final cross sections we obtained by averaging over the zero point vibrational motion of the symmetric stretch of the initial state, are structureless.
Attributional Style in Shyness and Depression: Shared and Specific Maladaptive Patterns

This research was designed to evaluate whether shyness and depression involve maladaptive attributional style (AS) patterns that are shared or specific, and whether AS mediates the shyness–depression relationship. Results showed that after controlling for overlap between general anxiety and depression, shyness was associated with a maladaptive AS for negative interpersonal events, but not for noninterpersonal events. Because measures of shyness and depression were not correlated, a test of the mediating role of AS was not possible. Regression analyses of individual causal dimensions showed that globality and controllability were uniquely related to shyness (but only for interpersonal events) and depression, while stability and locus were not.
Effect of zinc and iron ions on the electrochemistry of nickel oxide electrode: slow cyclic voltammetry

Abstract Porous nickl oxide electrodes were prepared by cathodic electroprecipitation from metal nitrate solutions on sintered substrate and characteristics by slow (0.1 m V/s) voltammetry in 6 mol/1 KOH. The presence of iron or zinc ions added to the electrolyte after formation of the electrodes resulted in a decrease of electrode charging ability. Removal of iron or zinc ions and presence of lithium ions partially restored the voltammogram to original conditions. Presence of cobalt in the electrode material diminished substantially the influence of zinc ions on the electrode properties.
Salivary α-Amylase: Role in Dental Plaque and Caries Formation

Salivary α-amylase, one of the most plentiful components in human saliva, has at least three distinct biological functions. The enzymatic activity of a-amylase undoubtedly plays a role in carbohydrate digestion. Amylase in solution binds with high affinity to a selected group of oral streptococci, a function that may contribute to bacterial clearance and nutrition. The fact that a-amylase is also found in acquired enamel pellicle suggests a role in the adhesion of a-amylase-binding bacteria. All of these biological activities seem to depend on an intact enzyme conformation. Binding of a-amylase to bacteria and teeth may have important implications for dental plaque and caries formation. a-Amylase bound to bacteria in plaque may facilitate dietary starch hydrolysis to provide additional glucose for metabolism by plaque microorganisms in close proximity to the tooth surface. The resulting lactic acid produced may be added to the pool of acid in plaque to contribute to tooth demineralization.
Suicide Among Older People: Projections for the Future

Guided by recent demographic analyses of birth cohort effects, the authors demonstrate the relationship between cohort size and longitudinal suicide rates, with reference to four particular cohorts which have entered adulthood at various periods throughout the present century. Combining this perspective with a look at projected population increases among older age groups, estimates are made of the scope of the problem of suicide among older people which is likely to be encountered during the early decades of the next century.
Studying neglected diseases in children: antiserum for Indian red scorpion envenomation

The WHO has identified 17 neglected diseases, affecting over a billion people worldwide, many of which can be effectively controlled by relatively simple measures. However, these are but a fraction of the full spectrum of neglected diseases and conditions affecting the most impoverished and marginalised populations of the world. These neglected diseases and conditions include, among many others, reproductive health issues, sexually transmitted diseases, micronutrient deficits and poisonings. Largely ignored, children comprise an important part of the voiceless victims of these diseases. Currently available treatments for neglected diseases and conditions have a number of shortcomings for children, including lack of paediatric formulations and absence of paediatric specific data. These problems force dosing decisions to be based on adult data, leading to a greater risk of toxicity, or therapeutic failure due to underdosing. Considering that toxicology is an area where sizeable clinical studies are extremely rare, it is easy to understand that clinical research in paediatric toxicology is a highly deserted area, particularly for acute poisonings and understandably (but not justifiably) worse for neglected diseases and conditions. When toxicology studies do enrol children it is usually as part of the general population, but rarely in sufficient numbers to achieve the power required for paediatric subgroup analysis. Scorpion envenomation is one of these neglected conditions for which clinical trials are uncommon, and most rare in children. However, mortality is currently concentrated in the paediatric population. To date, studies have provided strong evidence of the effectiveness of prazosin, …
Identification of Helicopter Noise Using a Neural Network

Experiments were carried out to demonstrate the ability of an artificial neural network (ANN) system to distinguish between the noise of two helicopters. The ANN is taught to identify helicopters by using two types of features: one that is associated with the ratio of the main-rotor to tail-rotor blade passage frequency (BPF), and the ohter that describes the distribution of peaks in the main-rotor spectrum, which is independent of the tail-rotor. It is shown that the ability of the ANN to identify helicopters is comparable to that of a conventional recognition system using the ratio of the main-rotor BPF to the tail-rotor BPF (when both the main- and the tail-rotor noise are present), but the performoance of ANN exceeds the conventional-method performance when the tail-rotor noise is absent. In addition, the results of ANN can be obtained as a function of propagation distance.
Cell lineage ablation in transgenic mice by cell-specific expression of a toxin gene

A method of deleting specific cell lineages has been developed that entails microinjection into fertilized eggs of a chimeric gene in which a cell-specific enhancer/promoter is used to drive the expression of a toxic gene product. We show that microinjection of a construct in which the elastase I promoter/enhancer is fused to a gene for diphtheria toxin A polypeptide results in birth of mice lacking a normal pancreas because of expression of the toxin in pancreatic acinar cells. A small pancreatic rudiment, containing islet and duct-like cells, was observed in some of the transgenic mice. This method provides a new approach for studying cell-lineage relationships and for analyzing cellular interactions during development.
Naming and locating simultaneously and sequentially presented letters

Two letters varying in level of confusability were presented either simultaneously for 75 msec or sequentially for 75 msec each in adjacent retinal locations. The retinal locus of presentation varied from trial to trial, and subjects both identified and located the presented letters. Identification accuracy was higher on nonconfusable than on confusable letter pairs in the simultaneous condition, but not in the sequential condition. This result is interpreted as support for the notion that inhibition between similar or identical features shared by confusable letters occurs only when letters are presented simultaneously. A relative position effect, with performance on the peripheral letter higher than on the central letter, was found for simultaneously and second sequentially presented letters, but not for first sequentially presented letters. This result is interpreted in terms of the assumption that feature perturbations, with foveal perturbations more likely than peripheral perturbations, affect simultaneously and secondpresented letters, but not first-presented letters. The pattern of results for relative location accuracy showed many of the same effects as identification performance. A model assuming location errors reflect feature transpositions is outlined and is able to account for the absolute and relative location results and the correlation between relative location and identification accuracy.
Gastroesophageal reflux in children: is there a place for the upper gastrointestinal study?

Objective tests for gastroesophageal reflux in children have shown only fair correlation with clinical symptoms. Thirty-four children referred to the pediatric surgery service for evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux had both 24-hour pH probe monitoring and standardized upper gastrointestinal examinations. A total of 16 children (47%) had documented significant or pathologic gastroesophageal reflux, 11 on pH monitors and 9 on contrast examinations. There were 4 in whom both tests were positive. None of the pH monitoring criteria correlated with the radiographic studies. The patient population documented by contrast study did not differ from the general testpositive population by age or associated clinical findings. The 2 studies probably measure different aspects of significant gastroesophageal reflux, are confirmatory and complementary, and must be correlated with the clinical symptoms.
Application of wire-grid silicon liquid crystal light valve in nonlinear optical pattern recognition

The nonlinearity of the wire-grid liquid crystal light valve (WG-LCLV) is used to implement the nonlinear joint transform correlator for optical pattern recognition. Experimental results and computer simulations show the nonlinear characteristic of the WG-LCLV can produce well defined correlation peak and high peak to noise energy ratio.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Changes in the spatial structure of Grand Bank yellowtail flounder: testing MacCall's basin hypothesis

MacCall's basin model postulates that the geographic range of marine fish will co-vary with population density as a function of habitat selection. Therefore the geographic range of a stock will increase with increasing abundance, while the opposite is true of declining stocks. In this paper we investigated range contraction, and expansion, in the distribution of yellowtail flounder on the Grand Banks in relation to sediment type, temperature and depth. Yellowtail flounder were mainly distributed on gravely sand, sand-shell hash, rock-sandy sediments an to a lesser extent on rocky bottoms. As well, yellowtail flounder are highly associated with shallow, warmer waters more frequently than expected based on its occurrence in the environment. Employing a generalised additive model (GAM), we modelled the spatial distribution of yellowtail flounder in association with the environmental variables. The GAM provided a reasonable fit to the spatial distribution of yellowtail (58% overall). During periods of lower abundance, the fit of the spatial model increased, demonstrating the importance of depth and temperature in influencing the distribution of this species. We concluded that the observed range contraction of yellowtail flounder at low population levels represents selection for preferred habitats, whereas during periods of stock increase, the range of yellowtail flounder expands into less favourable habitats in support of MacCall's basin hypothesis.
Effect of ethanol–water mixture as gelation medium during formation of cellulose acetate reverse osmosis membranes

By using ethanol–water mixtures in a wide range of alcohol concentrations and temperatures, cellulose acetate membranes with a wide range of surface porosities can be obtained. Two different casting solution compositions were used, involving cellulose acetate, acetone, and aqueous magnesium perchlorate (composition I) or formamide (composition II). All reverse osmosis experiments were carried out at 250 psig using a 3500 ppm NaCl–H2O feed solution at laboratory temperature. The effective area of film surface was 12 cm2 in all cases. With composition I, with pure water gelation medium at 0°C, the resulting membrane gave a solute separation of 5% and product rate of 220 g/hr, whereas with 95% alcohol as gelation medium, the resulting membrane gave a solute separation of ∼1% and product rate of 1240 g/hr under otherwise identical experimental conditions. With composition II membranes, the maximum product rate of 360 g/hr with the corresponding minimum solute separation of ∼1% was obtained with 71.2% alcohol–water gelation medium at 0°C. Increase in the temperature of the gelation medium in the range 12° −25°C tends to increase the average size of pores on the membrane surface. These results offer a basis for the development of cellulose acetate ultrafiltration membranes.
Hole Injection in a Model Fluorene–Triarylamine Copolymer

Recent developments in synthesis and purification have yielded conjugated polymers with hole mobilities exceeding 0.01 cm2 V−1 s−1. Essential to harvesting the potential of these materials in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) is the identification of suitable ohmic contacts. Using a model fluorene copolymer that shows high-mobility, non-dispersive hole transport, it is demonstrated that electrodes commonly used as anodes in OLEDs are very poor hole injectors. Injection from Au and indium tin oxide anodes is limited by energy barriers of 0.75 and 0.65 eV, respectively, and the injected current is found to be temperature independent—a prediction that was not reproduced by the leading injection model for disordered organic semiconductors. Injection from a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) anode, on the other hand, is found to become less efficient with electric field, a behavior which is currently not understood. In thinner poly[(9,9′-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-(4,4′-(N-(4-sec-butyl))diphenylamine)] films, which are of relevance to OLEDs, ohmic losses on the PEDOT:PSS layer are found to limit the flow of current. These results illustrate the opportunity to further improve the performance of OLEDs as well as the challenge posed by high mobility conjugated polymers for the design of hole injection layers.
Dependence of shear wave spectral content on acoustic radiation force excitation duration and spatial beamwidth

Shear Wave Elasticity Imaging (SWEI) has become increasingly popular to non-invasively characterize liver fibrosis. Generating adequate shear wave displacements in human liver in vivo can be challenging, especially in the high Body Mass Index (BMI) population being evaluated for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Technical approaches to improve ARF-induced displacements include (1) using more aggressive focal configurations to generate higher peak force amplitudes, and (2) increasing the duration of the acoustic radiation force excitation. Using finite element method (FEM) models of Gaussian ARF excitations of varying spatial extent and temporal duration, we have demonstrated that shear wave velocity spectra are affected by both the spatial distribution and temporal duration of acoustic radiation force shear wave excitation sources. Shear wave spectra can be affected by the ARF spatial extent in the orthogonal dimension, which can be important when lateral:elevation excitation beamwidth anisotropies exist as a function of depth. Shear wave spectral content differences in different stiffness media are minimized for tightly-focused ARF excitations when using longer excitation durations, decreasing from ∼60% for 100 µs excitations to ∼10% for 1.5 ms excitations. These absolute and relative differences are significantly reduced for broader excitations. We have demonstrated similar trends experimentally using tissue-mimicking phantoms.
TQM for business students: an experiential learning approach

Total quality management (TQM) represents a major philosophical revolution in the management of organizations. Compared with industries, academia has lagged behind in the adoption of the TQM principles. One of the most critical challenges to the business schools is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of TQM. Presents a nontraditional approach to teaching a TQM course to undergraduate business students. The most salient features of this experience are student empowerment and practising the TQM principles in‐class. This experiential learning approach was well received by the students. Discusses implications of such an approach to teaching TQM and other courses in a business school.
FingerSight: Fingertip Haptic Sensing of the Visual Environment

We present a novel device mounted on the fingertip for acquiring and transmitting visual information through haptic channels. In contrast to previous systems in which the user interrogates an intermediate representation of visual information, such as a tactile display representing a camera generated image, our device uses a fingertip-mounted camera and haptic stimulator to allow the user to feel visual features directly from the environment. Visual features ranging from simple intensity or oriented edges to more complex information identified automatically about objects in the environment may be translated in this manner into haptic stimulation of the finger. Experiments using an initial prototype to trace a continuous straight edge have quantified the user's ability to discriminate the angle of the edge, a potentially useful feature for higher levels analysis of the visual scene.
A particle-filter information potential method for tracking and monitoring maneuvering targets using a mobile sensor agent

The problem of tracking and monitoring moving targets using mobile sensor agents (MSAs) is relevant to a variety of applications, including monitoring of endangered species, civilian security, and military surveillance. This paper presents a new information potential field approach for computing the motion plans and control inputs of a MSA, based on the feedback obtained from a modified particle filter used for tracking multiple moving targets in a region of interest. A modified particle filter is presented that implements a new sampling method based on supporting intervals of normal probability density functions. The method accounts for the latest sensor measurements by adapting a mixture representation of the target probability density functions (PDFs). The target motion is modeled as a semi-Markov jump process, such that the target PDFs, or the PDFs of the Markov parameters, can be updated based on real-time sensor measurements by a centralized processing unit or MSAs supervisor. A new information pote...
Subunit composition of rat liver glutathione S-transferases

Abstract The plasmid pGTR112 contains partial coding sequences for one of the rat liver glutathione S-transferase subunits. We have used immobilized pGTR112 DNA to select for complementary and homologous liver poly(A)-RNAs under conditions of increasing stringency for hybridization. Each fraction of selected poly(A)-RNAs was assayed by in vitro translation followed by immunoprecipitation. A total of four distinct polypeptides precipitated by antiserum against rat liver glutathione S-transferases were resolved by NaDodSO4 polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. They are separated into two pairs according to the sequence homology of their poly(A)-RNAs with the pGTR112 DNA. Purified rat liver glutathione S-transferases can be resolved on gradient NaDodSO4 polyacrylamide gels into four polypeptides. There should be ten isozymes of different binary combinations from four distinct subunits for the rat liver glutathione S-transferases.
External, internal and semi-internal vibrations in molecular solids: spectroscopic criteria for identification

Abstract A new method to identify the nature of vibrations in molecular crystals as external or internal is proposed. The criterion is that in isotropic mixed crystals of protonated and corresponding perdeuterated compounds, the external motions (phonons) are in the amalgamation limit, while the internal modes, and the “semi-internal” methyl torsions, are usually in the separated band limit. This criterion is supported by experimental isotopic mixed crystal studies of many molecular crystals. Previous criteria, like temperature and isotope shifts, are shown to be less reliable. Anthracene and biphenyl Raman spectra, as well as literature data, are used as illustrations.
Unpacking the television: User practices around a changing technology

This article investigates the changing television watching practices amongst early adopters of personal hard-disk video recorders (such as Tivo) and Internet downloading of video. Through in-depth interviews with 21 video enthusiasts, we describe how the rhythms of television watching change when decoupled from broadcast TV schedules. Devices such as Tivo do not simply replace videotapes; TV watching becomes more active as programs are gathered from the schedules, played from a stored collection and fast forwarded and paused during playback. Downloads users exploit the Internet to view shows and movies not broadcast, yet this watching is not fundamentally different from recording shows using a PVR, since both involve selection of shows from a limited range and a wait before the shows can be watched.
An explanation for the localization of herpes simplex encephalitis

Herpes simplex virus encephalitis tends to localize to the temporal and orbitofrontal lobes, giving characteristic clinical and pathological findings. Since the virus remains latent in the trigeminal ganglia, we postulate that this localization may be explained by reactivated virus spreading along the fifth nerve fibers, which innervate basal meninges of the anterior and middle fossae.
AUGMENTATION OF POST-RESECTION MUCOSAL HYPERPLASIA BY LINOLEIC ACID FEEDING

Previous studies indicate long chain fats have trophic effects on post-resection intestinal mucosal adaptation. We have previously shown that short term essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency impairs normal post-resection mucosal hyperplasia, while 16, 16 dimethyl-PGE2 administration stimulates hyperplasia. The effect of increased dietary linoleic acid (LA) on promoting mucosal adaptation in resected, non-EFA deficient animals was evaluated. Ten Sprague-Dauley rats (5 w/o males) were pair-fed isocaloric diets containing 1% or 5% (LA) (w/w). After 2 weeks all animals underwent 70% proximal jejunoileal resection. Animals were then pair-fed for 14 days. Following sacrifice mucosal weight, protein, DNA, and sucrase activity were determined: Protein levels were increased in all segments in 5% LA animals (p<.05). Similar results were seen for mucosal weight, DNA, and sucrase activity. Our results indicate 5% LA has “trophic” properties on post-resection mucosal adaptation similar to the effect of 16, 16 dimethyl-PGE2. In view of reports of increased dietary LA stimulating intestinal PGE2 synthesis, LA supplementation may exhibit its stimulatory effect via this mechanism.
Our Understanding of Macrosegregation: Past and Present

Macrosegregation has long been a topic of engineering importance, with recorded publications on the subject extending back nearly half a millennium. The phenomenon has assumed new importance in recent decades with the advent of new casting processes including continuous casting. This lecture reviews our current understanding of macrosegregation, with particular reference of carbon steel ingots and continuous castings. Aspects of the problem are noted where our understanding remains weak.
The notion of nature in chemistry

Abstract If nature is by definition the object of the natural sciences, then the dichotomy ‘natural’ versus ‘chemical’, held by both chemists and nonchemists, suggests an idiosyncrasy of chemistry. The first part of the paper presents a selective historical analysis of the main notions of nature in chemistry, as developed in early Christian views of chemical crafts, alchemy, iatrochemistry, mechanical philosophy, organic chemistry, and contemporary drug research. I argue that the dichotomy as well as quasi-moral judgments of chemistry have been based on static and teleological notions of nature throughout history and that chemists, unlike physicists, have neglected the dynamic notion of nature. The second part provides a philosophical criticism of the former notions and argues for the latter as well as for an explicit discourse about values in chemistry.
Primary nocturnal enuresis: A psychodynamic clinical perspective

Recognition of enuresis, a vexing identified clinical symptom predates modern civilization, and harsh physical procedures were used as the prevalent treatment methods since the 18th and 19th centuries. The account of treatment interventions is replete with documented controversy. Today the conflicting views and approaches center on the work, research and writings of therapists classified as: learning theorists, behaviorists, psychopharmacologists, and psychodynamic, analytically oriented clinicians. The manuscript reviews theories of etiology of Primary Nocturnal Enuresis (PNE), the evaluation process, and the myriad of treatment procedures currently utilized. The reader is offered a review of the history of treatment of this symptom and an overview of the competing current paradigms. A detailed case presentation is offered to demonstrate the efficacy of psychotherapy, i.e., analytically oriented play therapy commonly utilized as the treatment of choice by psychoanalysts, clinical psychologists and clinical social workers.
The Ocean Observatories Initiative: Wiring the Ocean for Interactive Scientific Discovery

The National Science Foundation's Division of Ocean Science has established the Ocean Research Interactive Observatory Networks (ORION) Program to operate and manage existing and future ocean observing sites funded by NSF including those constructed by the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). The OOI is an integrated observatory system with three elements: 1) deep-sea buoys with capabilities appropriate to the experiments they will host with some designs capable of deployment in harsh environments such as the Southern Ocean, 2) a regional electro-optical cabled network consisting of interconnected sites on the seafloor spanning several geological and oceanographic features and processes, and 3) new construction or enhancements to existing facilities leading to an expanded network of coastal observatories. These three components are linked through a forward-looking cyberinfrastructure. This paper will provide an update on current activities related to the OOI Project and the ORION Program.
Portfolio Assessment in Student Teaching: A Reliability Study:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of portfolio assessment in student teaching. The specific problems were (a) to determine interjudge reliability for the music student te...
Moral Differentiation: Exploring Boundaries of the “Monkey See, Monkey Do” Perspective

Research in ethical decision making has consistently demonstrated a positive relationship between others’ unethical behavior and observers’ unethical behavior, providing support for the “Monkey See, Monkey Do” perspective (e.g., Robinson and O’Leary-Kelly, Acad Manage J 41:658–672, 1998). However, the boundaries of this relationship have received little research attention. Guided by theory and research in interpersonal distancing, we explore these boundaries by proposing and examining “moral differentiation,” the set of individual and situational characteristics that affect the degree to which one is willing to be influenced by others’ unethical behavior. Using data from 655 undergraduate business students in two U.S. universities, we test moderating hypotheses regarding the influence of moral differentiation characteristics on the relationship between others’ unethical behavior and observers’ unethical behavior. Results suggest that strong moral identity, low need for affiliation, and extraversion weaken the relationship between others’ unethical behavior and observers’ unethical behavior. Implications for managers and future research are discussed.
Fusional convergence in childhood intermittent exotropia.

Purpose To evaluate fusional convergence and associations with control in children with intermittent exotropia (XT). Design Retrospective case series. Methods Sixty-four children (median age 7 years) with intermittent XT were identified with measures of angle of deviation, control (using a previously reported 0-to-5-point scale), and fusional convergence at a single examination. Total convergence was defined as the sum of the angle of deviation plus additional convergence in reserve. Mean values were compared with published normals. A fusion reserve ratio was calculated as "convergence reserve divided by angle of deviation." Relationships of control score with total amplitude, reserve, recovery, and fusion reserve ratio were assessed using Spearman rank correlations. Results Convergence differed from normals in children with intermittent XT: total convergence was higher at distance (33 prism diopters [pd] vs 17 pd, P P P P P Conclusions Children with intermittent XT have subnormal convergence reserves at distance. The fusion reserve ratio correlates well with control and may be useful in grading the severity of intermittent XT.