cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional consequences of A1 adenosine-receptor phosphorylation by the β-adrenergic receptor kinase

Abstract Treatment of smooth-muscle cells with R -phenylisopropyladenosine ( R -PIA) leads to a loss of A 1 adenosine receptor (A 1 AR)-mediated inhibition of adenylate cyclase, a decrease in receptor number and an increase in receptor phosphorylation. In this study, the role of the β-adrenergic receptor kinase (βARK) in the phosphorylation and inactivation of the A 1 AR was examined. A 1 ARs were purified from bovine brain and reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles, with or without a 10-fold excess of G i /G o (a 50:50 mixture). The reconstituted receptor preparations were phosphorylated with βARK in the absence (control) or presence (treated) of R -PIA. R -PIA stimulated A 1 AR phosphorylation by 2–3-fold over control. Phosphorylation of the A 1 AR was blocked by XAC, an A 1 AR antagonist, underscoring its agonist dependence. The stoichiometry of phosphorylation obtained was approx. 1.3 mol of phosphate per mol of A 1 AR. Phosphorylation of the A 1 AR by βARK was enhanced by an additional 42% when G βγ (30 nM) was included in the phosphorylation mixture. In order to test the role of phosphorylation on receptor function, the purified A 1 AR was reconstituted with a mixture of G i /G o , phosphorylated with βARK and used to determine high-affinity [ 125 I]APNEA (A 1 AR agonist) binding. Agonist binding was reduced by about 50% in the treated preparations compared to control. In contrast, antagonist ([ 3 H]XAC) binding was increased by about 50%. These data are consistent with an uncoupling of the A 1 AR from G proteins following receptor phosphorylation. In control preparations, R -PIA stimulated GTPase activity from 0.08 to 0.164 pmol P i released/pmol G i /G o per min. Phosphorylation of receptor by βARK reduced R -PIA-stimulated GTPase activity by 35%. In addition, phosphorylation of the A 1 AR by βARK decreased R -PIA-stimulated GTPγS binding by 62%. These data provide evidence that A 1 AR phosphorylation by βARK results in a diminished receptor-G-protein interaction.
Hierarchical advancement in Korean chaebols: A model and research agenda

Abstract Because of the increasingly prominent role South Korea's workforce plays in the world's economy, it is important to understand Korean organizational practices and employee attitudes. This is particularly true for promotion, a highly sought after reward in not only Korea, but also other countries such as the United States and Japan. This article investigates three aspects of promotion systems in Korea: cultural and social factors are examined to illustrate the context for hierarchical advancement in organizations; models of promotion aspiration and promotion criteria based on cultural, social, organizational, and individual factors are proposed; and emerging economic and population demographic trends which are likely to impact future employee opportunities for promotions are discussed. Comparisons to U.S. corporations and Japanese zaibatsus are utilized to further explain the unique nature of promotion systems in Korea and to predict future trends. Testable propositions are proposed to guide future research on promotion systems.
Static Stability Comparison of a Conical and Biconic Configuration

T trend in strategic re-entry vehicles has been toward higher velocities (less deceleration) during atmospheric re-entry. Re-entry vehicle configurations have thus evolved into slender, low-drag configurations; with a slender cone and small nose tip bluntness being one logical choice. A slender cone, however, may present stability, structural, and storage problems due to its long length and internal volume limitations. A biconic configuration, that is, replacing the front portion of a cone with a larger angle cone, is a possible alternate configuration. This synoptic contains the results of a brief wind-tunnel study which examined the aerodynamic changes that resulted when the front half of a 5-deg half-angle cone was replaced with a 10-deg half-angle cone. Also, these experimental results provided an opportunity to make a comparison between experimental data and numerical results obtained by a shock capturing computer code recently developed by Solomon.
Adopting HRM practices and their effectiveness in small firms facing product‐market competition

Small firms face many challenges in creating a productive workforce given often severe resource constraints and informal organizational structures. This may be particularly problematic in industries with intense product-market competition. In this study, we focus on the relationship between product-market competition and labor productivity, particularly as influenced by both adopting human resource management (HRM) practices and having a group culture within the organization. We examine our model using data from 145 UK-based small- and medium-sized enterprises. Our findings suggest that having a group culture is a key factor in the extent to which HRM practices are adopted, as well as how effective adopting these practices is for increasing labor productivity. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Bacteriology of Swiss Cheese: IV. Effect of Temperature upon Bacterial Activity and Drainage in the Press

Summary Temperature, pH, and bacterial counts were determined in Swiss cheese in the press at regular time intervals from dipping to 21 hours in samples taken at definite distances from the outer edge of the cheese. Results were obtained from studies of 55-pound laboratory cheeses and also from large factory cheeses. Moisture determinations were made on samples from the laboratory cheeses. The following conclusions were drawn from the results: 1.The area just beneath the rind cools more rapidly than the interior. 2.Bacterial growth and acid production correspond in general with the decrease in temperature of each part of the cheese. 3.While all the starter bacteria begin to increase in numbers in the area 1 inch beneath the rind during the first few hours after dipping, the initiation of growth in the interior was shown to occur at the following intervals of time from dipping: S. thermophilus (C 3 ), within 2 or 3 hours; L. bulgaricus (Ga and 39aH), after 5 or 6 hours; and L. helveticus (39a), after 9 or 10 hours. 4.Essential functions of S. thermophilus in Swiss cheese in the press are the production of acid and the consequent facilitation of drainage from the interior of the cheese during the first 4 to 6 hours after dipping. 5.Large differences in pH between the interior and the area just beneath the rind result in insufficient drainage and high moisture content, and may tend to cause such defects as checking near the rind or a splitting of the curd known as "glass." 6.Bacterial content of cheese cloths was found not to influence the rate of acid production near the surface of the cheese. 7.Samples from the interior of the cheese, in order to yield results representative of the interior of the cheese, should be obtained at points at least 3 or 4 inches from the hoop edge. 8.A judicious use of starters promotes sufficient acid production throughout the cheese and thereby aids in uniform drainage.
Living and Learning in Community: Blending Intentional and Learning Community on Campus

This paper examines the social construction of community within a blended intentional and learning community, anchored in an exploration of three questions (who am I, whose am I, and who am I called to be).
Household and individual risk factors for anemia in children in East Africa

obtaining an appropriate interpreter. Many of the adult participants preferred an internet-based video interpreting service over in-person interpreters because of increased dialect options, as well as shorter wait times. Although traditional medicines and healing techniques were used in refugee camps and occasionally in Indianapolis, most Burmese place trust with western medicine and report valuing and complying with physician recommendations. Many have a basic understanding of good health practices and the causes of illness. This is seen most consistently in the adolescent groups. Interpretation: Overall, Burmese Chin have adapted to their new home. Although they experience common frustrations with the healthcare system, these frustrations were exacerbated by long waits for an interpreter. Resources, such as a phone or video-based interpreter, are available in most health care facilities and preferred by the Burmese. More research is needed to better understand the challenges of the Burmese population residing in the United States. Funding: AAP Resident CATCH Grant: McHenry Abstract #: 02SEDH025
Analysis of vesicle fluid following the sting of the lionfish Pterois volitans

Fluid aspirated from blisters following a lionfish (Pterois volitans) sting was analyzed utilizing combined capillary column gas chromatography and negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Analysis for prostaglandin F2 alpha demonstrated 16.91 ng/ml, for prostaglandin E2 0.143 ng/ml, for 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha less than 0.1 ng/ml (nondetectable) and for thromboxane B2 1.65 ng/ml. Platelet aggregation studies showed that blister fluid caused aggregation of isolated platelets only, which was inhibited by heat treatment or by the presence of normal donor plasma.
Memories of Punishment for Cursing

Researchers do not know how parents respond to children’s cursing or what effect parents’ responses have on children later in life. We conducted two studies with college students: a content analysis of 47 personal narratives of childhood cursing and an item analysis of a 70-item questionnaire administered to 211 students. Contrary to gender differences found in previous narrative and cursing research, men’s narratives were as emotional as women’s narratives, and women used as many curse words as men. The two studies confirm that cursing is a common childhood problem and that mothers play a more prominent disciplinary role than fathers do. Parents respond with physical forms of punishment (e.g., spanking) but not as frequently as verbal reprimands. Our data are the first to document the prevalence of washing children’s mouths with soap. College students have vivid memories of punishment; however 94% reported that they continue to curse.
Influence of monuron on photosystem II and light-dependent 14CO2 fixation in isolated cells of C3 and C4 plants

Abstract Cells were isolated from the developing leaves of Ipomoea aquatica (water spinach), a C3 plant, and three kinds of C4 plants, namely, Digitaria sanguinalis (NADP+-specific malate dehydrogenase type), Panicum miliaceum (NAD+-specific malic enzyme type), and Panicum texanum (phosphoenopyruvate carboxy kinase type), to study the effect of monuron on light-dependent 14CO2 fixation and oxygen evolution. Bundle sheath cells, except for those of D. sanguinalis, and mesophyll cells of all plants fixed approximately the same amount of 14CO2. Monuron, at the range used (2 to 10 × 10−7 M), showed strong inhibition in the mesophyll cells of water spinach and in bundle sheath cells of P. miliaceum and P. texanum and moderate inhibition in the mesophyll cells of all C4 plants. In the bundle sheath cells of D. sanguinalis the low rate of 14CO2 fixation was stimulated to some extent by the addition of malate and ribose 5-phosphate. The I50 value was 6 × 10−7 M for the sensitive cells. Monuron inhibited the oxygen evolution of all seven cell types and their I50 values varied between 3 × 10−7 to 6 × 10−7 M. The differential response of isolated plant cells from different species to light-dependent CO2 fixation in the presence of monuron may also be involved in urea herbicide selectivity and undoubtedly is due to the differential photosynthetic pathways present nn them.
Existence for large times of strict solutions of nonlinear wave equations in three space dimensions for small initial data

On considere le probleme aux valeurs initiales pour certaines equations hyperboliques non lineaires d'ordre 2
Insulin and antidiabetic agents -- the old and the new.

U P 7 ACHIEVING normal glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is important for minimizing the risk of complications. The approach to glycemic control, however, usually depends on the disease type and may change over time. In patients with type 1 DM, pancreatic beta cells have been destroyed, resulting in an insulin deficiency. Insulin must be provided exogenously to these patients. On the other hand, patients with type 2 DM may have genetically defective beta cell activity, insulin resistance, or an increase in glucose production. In the early stages, insulin secretion increases to overcome insulin resistance. Over time (about 6 years), pancreatic beta cells fail and insulin secretion returns to baseline. Thus, patients with type 2 DM may be managed with insulin, one or two oral antidiabetic agents, and, possibly, one of two new antidiabetic agents with unique mechanism of action (exenatide and pramlintide).
Implications of 2,457 consecutive surgical infections entering year 2000.

Objective To assess the demographics and characteristics of infections in surgical patients to define areas that deserve emphasis in surgical education. Background Data As a result of evolving technology and diseases, the complexity of diagnosing and treating infections has increased during the past three decades for all patients, including those treated primarily by surgeons. No comprehensive analysis of these conditions in a single surgical cohort has been recently published. Methods The authors conducted a prospective, observational study of all infections occurring on the general and trauma surgery services at a single university hospital during a 3.5-year period. Results The authors identified 2,457 infections: 608 community-acquired, 1,053 occurring on the wards, and 796 occurring in the intensive care unit. Although dependent on patient location, the most common sites were abdomen, lung, and wound; the most common isolates were Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans; and the most commonly used antibiotics were cipro-floxacin, vancomycin, and metronidazole. The overall death rate was 13%, ranging from 5% after community-acquired infections to 25% after infections acquired in the intensive care unit. Conclusions Most infections treated by surgeons are hospital-acquired. Infections with gram-positive cocci and fungi are common, with pulmonary infections becoming more common. Fluoro-quinolones have become important therapeutic agents. Depending on the type of practice, these data should be helpful to direct educational efforts so that surgeons can remain knowledgeable and active in the nonsurgical care of their patients.
Age differences in the learning of a conditioned visual avoidance task in male hooded rats

Young rats have been shown to perform better on a conditioned avoidance task than do older rats. The present study examined how development in rats affected their rate of acquisition of the avoidance task. Male hooded rats, taken 10 days apart in age ranging from 80 days to 200 days, were treated on a visually conditioned avoidance task where the total number of avoidance responses were recorded. The results revealed that rats between 80 and 90 days performed significantly better than did rats between 100 and 150 days, which in turn did better on the avoidance task than did rats between 160 and 200 days of age.
Time dependent changes in aortic tissue during cold storage in physiological solution.

Abstract Background Stored vascular tissues are employed in biomedical research for studies in imaging, in biomechanics, and/or in assessing vessel diseases. In the present study, the stability of aortic tissue in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) at 4 °C was monitored over a course of 10 days as determined by the rate of glucose permeation measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and validated by histology. Methods and results The initial mean permeability through fresh porcine aorta was (2.32 ± 0.46) × 10 − 5 cm/s ( n = 5); after maintaining the tissue at 4 °C for 10 days, the mean rate was (7.37 ± 0.41) × 10 − 5 cm/s ( n = 4), an increase of nearly 300%. A z -test verified that a significant change in the permeability rate ( p Conclusions These results suggest that (1) the structural integrity of aortic tissue at 4 °C is retained for at least the first three days after resection and (2) OCT is a powerful technology well suited for evaluating tissue structural integrity over time. General significance Functional OCT imaging provides for a noninvasive and quantitative technique in determining the structural integrity of aortic tissue stored at 4 °C. This modality may be used for assessing the efficacy of other preservation techniques.
Dimensionality of Women's Career Orientation.

Two factor analytic studies were conducted in order to determine the dimensionality of women's career orientation defined by various extant measures. In Study I, 86 women employed by an insurance company responded to nine different measures of career orientation. A principal axis analysis produced two oblique factors, which were tentatively named “Career Centeredness” and “Career Commitment,” respectively. Study II sought to validate the factors found in Study I in a sample of 335 university women in various disciplines and at various class levels. Using the factor pattern from Study I as the target matrix, a restricted maximum likelihood factor analysis showed that two factors similar to those in Study I accounted for all the significant common variance. Based on both statistical criteria and psychological meaningfulness, the two oblique (r=.43) factors were again named Career Centeredness (lifestyle in which one's career is regarded as more important, time consuming, and satisfying than other aspects of life, particularly family) and Career Commitment (lifestyle involving continued employment throughout life stages regardless of financial need or competing obligations). These findings are discussed in the context of changing societal support for women's roles in business.
On the barrier to internal rotation in phosphineborane

Abstract An ab initio STO-3G calculation is carried out on PH 3 BH 3 . The electronic structure of the molecule is considered, and special attention is paid to the barrier to internal rotation.
Formalin-induced spinal cord calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIα expression is modulated by heme oxygenase in mice

The injection of formalin into the hindpaws of rats and mice is widely used as a model of inflammatory pain. The allodynia observed in this model is due in part to sensitization of spinal cord dorsal horn neurons, a form of neuroplasticity similar to long-term potentiation in the hippocampus. Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase type IIalpha (CaMKIIalpha) is a key component of long-term potentiation. Here we report alterations in CaMKIIalpha mRNA and protein expression in spinal cord tissue from wild-type and heme oxygenase type 2 (HO-2) null mutant mice after formalin injection. Behavioral experiments demonstrated a long lived allodynia in wild-type C57Bl/6J mice after hindpaw formalin injection, but less in null mutant mice. Both CaMKIIalpha mRNA and protein expression were increased in a time-dependent manner in the spinal cords of wild-type mice after formalin injection. Confocal microscopy localized the increased expression to the superficial laminae of the spinal cord dorsal horn. In the HO-2 null mutant mice no significant change in CaMKIIalpha mRNA expression and only a small increase in protein were noted. These findings suggest that time-dependent CaMKIIalpha expression may underlie central sensitization and allodynia induced by hindpaw formalin injection, and that this process is modulated by HO-2.
Enhanced network flow algorithm for yield optimization

A novel constraint-graph algorithm for the optimization of yield is presented. This algorithm improves the yield of a layout by carefully spacing objects to reduce the probability of faults due to spot defects. White space between objects is removed and spacing in tightly packed areas of the layout is increased. The computationally expensive problem of optimizing yield is transformed into a network flow problem, which can be solved via known efficient algorithms. Yield can be improved either without changing the layout area, or if necessary by increasing the layout area to maximize the number of good chips per wafer. Our method can in theory provide the best possible yield achievable without modifying the layout topology. The method is able to handle a general class of convex objective functions, and can therefore optimize not only yield, but other circuit performance functions such as wire-length, cross-talk and power.
Periosteum and the Healing of Partial Ulnar Osteotomy in Radius Curvus of Dogs

A 2 cm partial ulnectomy was performed in twelve 4-month-old mongrel dogs with experimentally induced radius curvus. In four dogs, the periosteum was left intact; in four dogs, all of the periosteum was excised from the ulnectomy site; and in the remaining four dogs, the periosteum was sewn over the ends of the ostectomized bone. The unoperated limbs of all 12 dogs served as controls. Progress was determined monthly from radiographs until the dogs were 9 months of age. The ulnectomies performed when the periosteum was left in situ at the ulnectomy site healed quickly, resulting in progressive deformity of the foreleg. When the periosteum was excised or sewn over the ends of the bone, the ulnectomy sites did not heal and correction of the radius curvus resulted. Histopathologic examination confirmed the absence of bony healing.
Comparison of Predisposition, Insult/Infection, Response, and Organ dysfunction, Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation II, and Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis in patients meeting criteria for early goal-directed therapy and the severe sepsis resuscitation bundle☆

Abstract Purpose The aim of the study was to examine the performance of the Predisposition, Insult/Infection, Response, and Organ dysfunction (PIRO) model compared with the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis (MEDS) scoring systems in predicting in-hospital mortality for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with severe sepsis or septic shock. Materials and Methods This study was an analysis of a prospectively maintained registry including adult patients with severe sepsis or septic shock meeting criteria for early goal-directed therapy and the severe sepsis resuscitation bundle over a 6-year period. The registry contains data on patient demographics, sepsis category, vital signs, laboratory values, ED length of stay, hospital length of stay, physiologic scores, and outcome status. The discrimination and calibration characteristics of PIRO, APACHE II, and MEDS were analyzed. Results Five-hundred forty-one patients with age 63.5 ± 18.5 years were enrolled, 61.9% in septic shock, 46.9% blood-culture positive, and 31.8% in-hospital mortality. Median (25th and 75th percentile) PIRO, APACHE II, and MEDS scores were 6 (5 and 8), 28 (22 and 34), and 12 (9 and 15), with predicted mortalities of 48.5% (40.1 and 63.9), 66.0% (42.0 and 83.0), and 16.0% (9.0 and 39.0), respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves for PIRO was 0.71 (95% confidence interval, 0.66-0.75); APACHE II, 0.71 (0.66-0.76); and MEDS, 0.63 (0.60-0.70). The standardized mortality ratio was 0.70 (0.08-1.41), 0.70 (−0.46 to 1.80), and 4.00 (−8.53 to 16.62), respectively. Actual mortality significantly increased with increasing PIRO score in patients with APACHE II 25 or more ( P Conclusions The PIRO, APACHE II, and MEDS have variable abilities to early discriminate and estimate in-hospital mortality of patients presenting to the ED meeting criteria for early goal-directed therapy and the severe sepsis resuscitation bundle. The PIRO may provide additional risk stratification in patients with APACHE II 25 or more. More studies are required to evaluate the clinical applicability of PIRO in high-risk patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.
Sensory Experience Shapes the Development of the Visual System's First Synapse

Specific connectivity patterns among neurons create the basic architecture underlying parallel processing in our nervous system. Here we focus on the visual system's first synapse to examine the structural and functional consequences of sensory deprivation on the establishment of parallel circuits. Dark rearing reduces synaptic strength between cones and cone bipolar cells, a previously unappreciated effect of sensory deprivation. In contrast, rod bipolar cells, which utilize the same glutamate receptor to contact rods, are unaffected by dark rearing. Underlying the physiological changes, we find the localization of metabotropic glutamate receptors within cone bipolar, but not rod bipolar, cell dendrites is a light-dependent process. Furthermore, although cone bipolar cells share common cone partners, each bipolar cell type that we examined depends differentially on sensory input to achieve mature connectivity. Thus, visual experience differentially affects maturation of rod versus cone pathways and of cell types within the cone pathway.
Upper Paleolithic rabbit exploitation and landscape patchiness: The Dordogne vs. Mediterranean Spain

Abstract In inland France, diets dominated by the wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) enter the archaeological record around the Pleistocene–Holocene transition, whereas zooarchaeological faunas from Mediterranean Spain typically contain rabbit in abundance much earlier in the Upper Paleolithic. This paper compares data from these two times and places, drawing particularly on faunal data from the Soultrean site of Cueva de Ambrosio (Almeria Province, Spain) and the Magdalenian site of Moulin du Roc (Dordogne, France), to consider biogeographic, environmental, and cultural factors that might contribute to the development of rabbit-dominated diets in southwestern Europe.
Rcho-1 trophoblast cell placental lactogens: complementary deoxyribonucleic acids, heterologous expression, and biological activities

In this report, we have investigated placental lactogens (placental lactogen-I, PL-I; PL-I variant, PL-Iv; PL-II) expressed by differentiated Rcho-1 trophoblast cells. A complementary DNA (cDNA) library to differentiated Rcho-1 trophoblast cells was constructed and screened with probes to detect PL-I and PL-II. Sequence analysis of three independent Rcho-1 PL-I cDNAs indicated that they significantly differed from the previously reported PL-I sequence but more closelv resembled a related cDNA referred to as PL-I mosaic (PL-Im). Upon”further analysis, Rcho-1 PL-I/PL-Im transcripts could be detected in Rcho-1 trophoblast cells and normal developing placental tissue; however, the previously reported PL-I transcript could not be identified from the same sources. Given these results, we reexamined the original PL-I cDNA by PCR and nucleotide sequence analyses. The sequence differed from the original report and was found to be identical to the Rcho-1 PL-I and PL-Im cDNA clones. Thus, PL-I, Rcho-1 PL-I, and PL-Im are equivalent and should be referred to as PL-I. The PL-I gene was localized to chromosome 17 ofthe rat genome, similar to other PRL family members. Rcho-1 PL-II cDNAs were identical to the published PC-11 sequence. PL-Iv cDNAs were isolated from differentiated Rcho-1 cells via an RT-PCR stratem and found to be identical to previously isolated PL-Iv cDNAs. R&o-l PL-I and PL-II cDNAs were subcloned into the pcDNA3 expression vector and recombinant protein produced in HRP-1 cells. Both recombinant Rcho-1 PL-I and PL-II proteins significantly stimulated the proliferation of lactogen-dependent rat Nb2 lymphoma cells and mouse mammary epithelial cells. In summary, we show that the Rcho-1 PL-I corresponds to PL-Im and Rcho-1 PL-Iv and PL-II are identical to their previously described placental counterparts. Additionally, both recombinant Rcho-1 PL-I and PL-II proteins are biologically active.
Design, Modeling, and Characterization of a Miniature Robotic Fish for Research and Education in Biomimetics and Bioinspiration

In this paper, we present the design of a biomimetic robotic fish with a modular caudal fin and analyze its performance. The robot's propulsion system is experimentally characterized for different caudal fin geometries by using an ad hoc thrust-measurement system. The static thrust produced by the vibrating tail is expressed in terms of the oscillatory Reynolds number and compared with similar findings in the literature. Nonlinear vibrations of the propulsive tail are modeled using modal analysis and classical results from the study of large vibrations of slender cylinders in fluids. This analysis allows for computing the oscillatory Reynolds number in terms of the input parameters to the tail vibration. Free-swimming experiments are performed to investigate the performance and maneuverability of the robot and correlate static thrust with terminal speed. This robotic platform is currently being used in ethorobotics research for investigating collective behavior of gregarious fish species and in educational fun-science activities for K-12 students.
Parafoveal identification during a fixation in reading.

Abstract This paper deals with the extent to which the perceptual span in reading differs as a function of grammatical categories. Subjects read short passages of text and their eye movements were monitored as they did. Irregularities were entered into the text in the subject, verb, or object location of active sentences. Eye movement data were analyzed to determine how far from these various locations the readers were aware of the irregularities. Although there were no differences due to the different parts of speech employed, there was evidence that the perceptual span varied at different locations in text. It was found that readers seldom fixated between sentences and when they did, they were obtaining little information from parafoveal vision.
Evaluation of a Diabetes Education Call Center intervention.

Patients require education and information as they engage in self-help, self-care, and disease management activities. The purpose of this study was to determine how effective voice technologies are in diabetes patient education. A pretest–posttest study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of prerecorded educational messages delivered via the telephone to participants with diabetes. The intervention consisted of 24 four-minute messages on the topics of knowledge and prevention, glucose level, diet and activity, and management and coping. Eighteen persons with diabetes participated in the pretest–posttest trial. A total of 324 educational messages were listened to over a 12-week intervention period. The pretest–posttest trial demonstrated that a brief telephone-based diabetes education intervention can have a significant impact on increasing frequency of checking blood for glucose (p = 0.017), improving general diabetes knowledge (p = 0.048), and improving insulin-specific knowledge (p = 0.020). Aut...
Roletaking and reflection: Promoting the conceptual and moral development of teachers

Abstract A growth intervention model for adults is described. The intervention model employs cognitive developmental theory with complex new role taking and guided reflection serving as keystones. A series of studies that span 15 years are summarized along with implications for teacher education and teacher development.
Oxygen binding in cyanmet hybrid and normal hemoglobins: applicability of sequential and two-state concerted models.

The cyanmet hybrid hemoglobins α 2 β +CN 2 and α +CN 2 β 2 are widely held to be similar or equivalent in structure and subunit interactions to the partially oxygen-liganded species α 2 (β • O 2 ) 2 and (α • O 2 ) 2 β 2 , respectively. An analysis of precise data on oxygen binding to the cyanmet hybrids and normal hemoglobin shows that if this is the case, then cooperative ligand binding in hemoglobin is more properly described by some model of the sequential type than by any twostate concerted model.
Viagra: now mending hearts.

Viagra operates by increasing the levels of cGMP in target cells. This same mechanism underlies a newly discovered action of the drug in mouse hearts: counteracting hypertrophy ( pages 214–222 ).
2013 Special Issue: A spiking neuron model of the cortico-basal ganglia circuits for goal-directed and habitual action learning

Dual-system theories postulate that actions are supported either by a goal-directed or by a habit-driven response system. Neuroimaging and anatomo-functional studies have provided evidence that the prefrontal cortex plays a fundamental role in the first type of action control, while internal brain areas such as the basal ganglia are more active during habitual and overtrained responses. Additionally, it has been shown that areas of the cortex and the basal ganglia are connected through multiple parallel ''channels'', which are thought to function as an action selection mechanism resolving competitions between alternative options available in a given context. In this paper we propose a multi-layer network of spiking neurons that implements in detail the thalamo-cortical circuits that are believed to be involved in action learning and execution. A key feature of this model is that neurons are organized in small pools in the motor cortex and form independent loops with specific pools of the basal ganglia where inhibitory circuits implement a multistep selection mechanism. The described model has been validated utilizing it to control the actions of a virtual monkey that has to learn to turn on briefly flashing lights by pressing corresponding buttons on a board. When the animal is able to fluently execute the task the button-light associations are remapped so that it has to suppress its habitual behavior in order to execute goal-directed actions. The model nicely shows how sensory-motor associations for action sequences are formed at the cortico-basal ganglia level and how goal-directed decisions may override automatic motor responses.
Development of cleaning process for immersion lithography

In immersion lithography, DI water fills the space between the resist surface and the last lens element. However water is also a good solvent for most of the leaching compounds from resists. The leaching materials from the resist and the original impurities in the water from pipelines pose a significant risk on bottom lens deterioration, wafer surface particles, and facility contamination. If the bottom lens surface deteriorates, it can cause flare and reduce transparency. Particles on the wafer surface can degrade image formation. In addition to contaminating the facility, the impurity inside the water can cause stains or defects after the water is evaporated from the wafer surface. In order to reduce the impact of such contamination, we have evaluated many chemicals for removing organic contamination as well as particles. We have collected and characterized immersion-induced particles from cleaning studies on bare silicon wafers. We have also used oxide wafers to simulate the lens damage caused by the cleaning chemicals. In case, a mega sonic power is not suitable for scanners last lens element in production FABs, the emulsion concept has also been adopted to remove the lens organic contaminants. We have studied many chemical and mechanical methods for tool cleaning, and identified those that possess good organic solubility and particle removal efficiency. These cleaning methods will be used in periodic maintenance procedures to ensure freedom from defects in immersion lithography.
Community Pharmacists’ Work Environments: Evidence from the 2004 National Pharmacist Workforce Study

ABSTRACT Objectives To describe characteristics of community pharmacists' current practice environments and pharmacists perceptions' about aspects of their work environments. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Community pharmacies (independent, chain, mass merchandiser, and supermarket pharmacies) in the United States. Participants 1,564 actively practicing pharmacists. Intervention Mailed survey from the 2004 National Pharmacist Workforce Survey, which included core content questions for all sampled pharmacists and supplemental surveys that included workplace questions for a selected subsample of pharmacists. Main Outcome Measures Hours the pharmacy was open; staffing; workload, perceptions of workload, and impact of the current workload on them and their work; equipment and technology available and used; and impact of equipment and technology at the practice site. Responses were compared with those from the 2000 National Pharmacist Workforce Survey. Results Hours of operation varied across practice settings in 2004 and were similar to those reported in 2000. Pharmacist and technician staffing varied somewhat across settings, but overall pharmacists were working with more technicians in 2004 compared with 2000. The number of prescriptions personally dispensed daily (personal workload) increased for pharmacists in all practice settings from 2000 to 2004. When pharmacists reported the impact of their current workload, motivation to work at the pharmacy and job satisfaction were rated most positive, and opportunity to take adequate breaks were rated most negative. Equipment used for facilitating the dispensing process was more common in pharmacies than equipment related to patient care activities. More than one half of pharmacists reported that equipment and technology increased their level of productivity, quality of care, financial performance, and job satisfaction in the pharmacy. Conclusion Pharmacists' work environments tend to be oriented toward traditional dispensing roles and activities. Staff, equipment, and information technology resources are available to facilitate both dispensing and patient care activities, and these resources have increased productivity, quality of care, and pharmacists' satisfaction.
Diplacusis associated with bilateral high frequency hearing loss.

Seven normal-hearing subjects and seven subjects with mild bilateral high-frequency sensorineural hearing losses were studied to explore the presence of diplacusis. A tracking procedure of psychoph...
WHY ARE QUANTITATIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND FISH POPULATIONS SO ELUSIVE

Despite the ecological and economic importance of fish, fisheries manage- ment has generally failed to achieve its principal goal of sustainability. Management is hindered because most exploited fish are long-lived species that utilize a variety of habitats and exhibit high interannual fluctuations in abundance. Effective management requires that we understand how natural and anthropogenic sources of variability in abiotic variables (termed environmental quality (EQ)) affect fish population dynamics. Quantifying the ef- fects of anthropogenic changes in EQ on fish populations has remained elusive and con- troversial. I illustrate, with examples, six issues related to quantifying EQ effects on fish populations. These examples also serve as demonstrations of how modeling can be used to address these issues. The six issues are: (1) detectability-high interannual variation and interaction effects among climatic variables that affect population dynamics make isolating effects of individual stressors difficult; (2) complex habitat and nonintuitive responses- spatial heterogeneity in habitat can result in population responses that are disproportionate to the changes in EQ; (3) regional predictions-biological realism is often sacrificed un- necessarily when broad spatial scale predictions are needed; (4) community interactions- too little attention is paid to how community-level interactions can affect population-based analyses; (5) sublethal effects-sublethal effects are often ignored but can have large effects on population dynamics; and (6) cumulative effects-the combined effect of multiple stress- ors can be much different than expected from the sum of their individual effects. Examples include a variety of freshwater and marine species. Quantifying EQ effects on fish popu- lations can be improved by considering these issues in analyses, and by taking a true multidisciplinary approach that combines individual-based modeling and life history theory.
Hoop Conjecture, Minimal Length and Black Hole Formation in the Asymptotically Safe Scenario of Quantum Gravity

Black hole dominance, assumed to be a fairly ubiquitous feature of any theory of quantum gravity, amounts to that any observer trying to perform a localized experiment on ever smaller length scales will ultimately be thwarted by the formation of a trapped surface within the spatial domain of the experiment. The argument based on Thorne's hoop conjecture, conjointly leads to a fundamental length scale in physics. Black hole dominance also suggests that ordinary field theory cannot be used to describe quantum gravity in the extreme UV, contrary to implications of asymptotic safety. We re-examine black hole dominance in an asymptotically safe scenario, in the presence of higher curvature terms an with running couplings, by modifying a proof of Thorne's hoop conjecture. We find that the proof falls apart, and along with it, so does the argument for a mandatory formation of a trapped surface inside the domain of the experiment. However, neither is there a contrary proof that local trapped surfaces do not form. Instead in this approach whether an observer can perform local measurements in arbitrary small regions of spacetime depends on the specific values of the couplings near the UV fixed point. In this sense there is no all pervasive local version of the minimal length argument. However, we argue that one trapped surface must still form outside an experiment, when the domain of this experiment is localized to scales much smaller than the Planck length. This enshrouding horizon then prevents any information from reaching observers at infinity, thus retaining a vestige of "asymptotic darkness" for them.
Scale-up of sediment microbial fuel cells

Abstract Sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) are used as renewable power sources to operate remote sensors. However, increasing the electrode surface area results in decreased power density, which demonstrates that SMFCs do not scale up with size. As an alternative to the physical scale-up of SMFCs, we proposed that it is possible to scale up power by using smaller-sized individually operated SMFCs connected to a power management system that electrically isolates the anodes and cathodes. To demonstrate our electronic scale-up approach, we operated one 0.36-m 2 SMFC (called a single-equivalent SMFC) and four independent SMFCs of 0.09 m 2 each (called scaled-up SMFCs) and managed the power using an innovative custom-developed power management system. We found that the single-equivalent SMFC and the scaled-up SMFCs produced similar power for the first 155 days. However, in the long term (>155 days) our scaled-up SMFCs generated significantly more power than the single-equivalent SMFC (2.33 mW vs. 0.64 mW). Microbial community analysis of the single-equivalent SMFC and the scaled-up SMFCs showed very similar results, demonstrating that the difference in operation mode had no significant effect on the microbial community. When we compared scaled-up SMFCs with parallel SMFCs, we found that the scaled-up SMFCs generated more power. Our novel approach demonstrates that SMFCs can be scaled up electronically.
Effective treatment of gonorrhoea.

Effective therapy of gonorrhoea has changed drastically over the years, reflecting the progressive acquisition of relative antibiotic resistance by the causative organism. Although in the US, the 1974 USPHS recommendations are the best guidelines for management at present, recent epidemio logical trends may obviate some of these provisions. The most important of these trends is the emergence of R-factor carrying strains capable of producing penicillinase, thereby making these strains absolutely resistant to clinically achievable levels of penicillin. This review analyses this problem in the context of reasonable therapeutic goals and also discusses optimum management of patients with such complications as pharyngeal infection, pelvic inflammatory disease and disseminated gonococcal infection.
A geometrically-resilient surf-based image fingerprinting scheme

Traitor-tracing (aka fingerprinting) has received much attention as a possible solution for protecting media copyrights. However, all the current schemes for image and video lack robustness against geometric attacks. We propose a novel semi-blind algorithm that can cope with such attacks. The algorithm uses compressed SURF features as side information in order to estimate and invert the geometric attack. Moreover the algorithm is highly robust against cropping and additive white noise.
Optimizing Bacillus subtilis spore isolation and quantifying spore harvest purity

Abstract Investigating the biochemistry, resilience and environmental interactions of bacterial endospores often requires a pure endospore biomass free of vegetative cells. Numerous endospore isolation methods, however, neglect to quantify the purity of the final endospore biomass. To ensure low vegetative cell contamination we developed a quality control technique that enables rapid quantification of endospore harvest purity. This method quantifies spore purity using bright-field and fluorescence microscopy imaging in conjunction with automated cell counting software. We applied this method to Bacillus subtilis endospore harvests isolated using a two-phase separation method that utilizes mild chemicals. The average spore purity of twenty-two harvests was 88 ± 11% (error is 1σ) with a median value of 93%. A spearman coefficient of 0.97 correlating automated and manual bacterial counts confirms the accuracy of software generated data.
Plant aspartic proteinases: enzymes on the way to a function

Plant aspartic proteinases have been characterized from seeds, flowers and leaves of a number of different species. The enzymes are generally either monomeric or heterodimeric, containing two peptides processed from the same precursor protein. The plant enzymes, like their mammalian and microbial counterparts, are active at acidic pH and inhibited by a class specific inhibitor pepstatin A. Plant aspartic proteinases are generally either secreted or targeted to the vacuolar/ protein storage body compartment. The primary sequences of many of these enzymes have been determined and are very homologous with each other as well as with enzymes from mammalian and microbial origins. Plant aspartic proteinases, however, have a very unique plant specific region, which is not found in mammalian, microbial, or viral aspartic proteinases. The function of this region has not been elucidated. A role for these plant enzymes in protein processing or degradation has been proposed, however, more studies are required to confirm their in vivo functions. Recent intriguing results suggest possible roles for these enzymes in programmed cell-death of tissues and in pathogen resistance.
Fast statistical timing analysis handling arbitrary delay correlations

An efficient statistical timing analysis algorithm that can handle arbitrary (spatial and structural) causes of delay correlation is described. The algorithm derives the entire cumulative distribution function of the circuit delay using a new mathematical formulation. Spatial as well as structural correlations between gate and wire delays can be taken into account. The algorithm can handle node delays described by non-Gaussian distributions. Because the analytical computation of an exact cumulative distribution function for a probabilistic graph with arbitrary distributions is infeasible, we find tight upper and lower bounds on the true cumulative distribution. An efficient algorithm to compute the bounds is based on a PERT-like single traversal of the sub-graph containing the set of N deterministically longest paths. The efficiency and accuracy of the algorithm is demonstrated on a set of ISCAS'85 benchmarks. Across all the benchmarks, the average rms error between the exact distribution and lower bound is 0.7%, and the average maximum error at 95th percentile is 0.6%. The computation of bounds for the largest benchmark takes 39 seconds.