cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Catalysis of an oxygen exchange reaction between long-chain fatty acids and water by rat-liver mitochondria*

Summary 1. Rat-liver mitochondria catalyzed an exchange of oxygen atoms between the carboxyl group of long-chain fatty acids and H2O(RCOOH−H218O exchange activity). This exchange was not inhibited by 2,4-dinitrophenol. The amount of RCO0H−H218O exchange activity for various individual long-chain fatty acids corresponded well with their effectiveness as inhibitors of orthophosphate-adenosine 5′-triphosphate exchange activity (32Pi-ATP exchange activity.) 2. Myristic acid, as a representative of the class of long-chain fatty acids, inhibited the exchange of oxygen atoms between orthophosphate and H2O (Pi−H218O exchange activity) catalyzed by rat-liver mitochondria. 3. Aging mitochondria resulted in inhibition of RCOOH−H218O exchange activity which was comparable with the extent of inhibition of [32P]Pi-ATP and Pi−H218O exchange activities. 4. It was proposed that RCOOH−H218O exchange activity may be mediated by a mechanism analogous to that for Pi−H218O exchange activity. It was further suggested that oxygen atoms from H2O may gain access to the carboxyl group of long-chain fatty acids or orthophosphate by lactonization of hydroxycarboxylic acid-like moieties which may form a part of the mechanism by which the energy of electron transport is conserved.
I.R. studies of carbons—VII. The pyrolysis of a phenol-formaldehyde resin

Abstract Infrared spectra were recorded of the chars produced by pyrolyzing a Novolac phenol-formaldehyde resin in vacuum and in nitrogen, using photothermal beam deflection spectroscopy. The two pyrolysis techniques led to the same results. Thermal branching and cross-linking occurred near 350°C, with the formation of diphenyl ether structures. These reactions continued at higher temperatures when aryl-aryl ethers were formed. Autooxidation is not an important degradation pathway. Although some changes occur, the polymer network remains essentially intact until 500°C, the aromatic systems being held apart and stabilized by aliphatic bridges. In the 500–560°C range, however, drastic changes occur in that the network collapses, aliphatic bridges are destroyed, hydrocarbonaceous residues are eliminated and those remaining are altered, polyaromatic domains form, and the resulting char is much like other intermediate temperature chars.
An Overview Of Hiv Infection And Aids: Etiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Epidemiology, And Occupational Exposure

Thanks to a worldwide collaborative effort among health care providers, academia, governments, and industry, our knowledge base about infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has expanded exponentially. During the past 2 decades, we have learned about its pathogenesis, virology, immunology, epidemiology and treatment. In the developed world, the approach to persons with HIV disease has evolved from palliative disease care to use of a chronic disease model, where survival is measured by decades, not months or years. More and more, clinical decision-making for HIV-infected patients is driven by comorbidities, including cardiothoracic disease. Thus, our clinically stable HIV population is increasingly accessing those health care services required by any maturing population, including the usual services of cardiothoracic surgeons. In this article, we review the basic facts of HIV disease, with an emphasis on occupational risks and infection control procedures.
Towards a hierarchical design and integration of programming projects

The idea of a hierarchical design and integration of programming projects in the computer science undergraduate curriculum is proposed and discussed. Research results in software reuse and object-oriented design and development may be used in the design and the development of the set of integrated programming projects. By a hierarchical design and integration of programming projects, this approach aims to increase the effectiveness of the undergraduate learning experience. Using the approach, programming projects in computer science courses may be developed in such a way that programming projects in the lower level courses are used as components (parts) to implement programming projects in the higher level courses. In this way, a hierarchical structure of programming projects can be built and a student's programming projects in different courses can be integrated. Such an integration may lead to the development of complex software systems in the senior year.
Fluctuations in diffuse field-field correlations and the emergence of the Green's function in open systems

Recent intense interest in diffuse field correlation functions, with applications to passive imaging in underwater acoustics and seismology, has raised questions about the degree with which a retrieved waveform can be expected to conform to the Green’s function, and in particular the degree with which a ray arrival may be discerned. On considering a simple scalar wave model consisting of fields with distributed random sources, the difffuse field-field correlation function R is defined as a sum of correlation integrals, one for each of the many distinct distributed sources. It is then shown that this ensemble of fields has a correlation function with expectation 〈R〉 equal to the Green’s function. This model also lends itself to calculations of the variance of R, and thus to estimates of the degree to which an R calculated using finite amounts of data will conform to the Green’s function. The model predicts that such conformation is strongest at low frequencies. Ray arrivals are detectable if sufficient data have been collected, but the amount of data needed scales in three dimensions with the square of the source–receiver separation, and the square of the frequency. Applications to seismology are discussed.
Generalized Quivers for Locally Unipotent Rings

ABSTRACT In this article, we generalize the definition of a Gabriel quiver in order to provide an analogous combinatorial object for the study of certain locally Artinian rings. We are then able to extend Gabriel's Theorem to locally unipotent rings whose generalized left and right quivers are trees.
Links in the chain: an approach to the treatment of drug abuse on a professional football team

The authors describe the first comprehensive drug-abuse program established for a professional football team through a cooperative effort by the team's management and a psychiatrist/substance-abuse specialist. Cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol were the major drugs abused. Contributing factors included developmental immaturity, unhealthy environment, isolation, idle time, high income, overreliance on athletic talent, and minimal accountability. A total team commitment was mobilized to deal with the complex problems of the drug-involved player. This program has led to significant improvement in 75% of cases over an 18-month period. All participating players have improved their playing ability. The approach described here is offered as a model for use by professional athletic organizations and offers hope that the current epidemic of drug abuse among professional athletes can be abated. Language: en
The congressional record: “Substantially a verbatim report?”

Abstract This article explores the history of verbatim reporting in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate and reviews the reforms that have been proposed to make the Congressional Record a more accurate transcript of debates. Historical precedent supports the members' rights to revise and extend their remarks, but is this desirable? The arguments concerning the desirability of a verbatim transcript are discussed, with special attention given to the implications of the suit by Representative Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) et al. vs. The Chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing et al., which alleges personal injury due to an inaccurate Record. Although the cost of printing the extensive nonspoken material in the Record appears prohibitive, reform is unlikely to occur while members retain the privilege to send selections of the Record as franked mail.
Planning rights and their Implications

Planning rights' (PRs) implications for planning theory and practice are traced in several directions. One explores the complex planning process, where PRs can link the micro-scale to the macro-lev...
THE SOBERING UP OF OEDIPUS levinas and the trauma of responsibility

AbstractLevinas's work persistently challenges the claim that the sovereignty of the ego is the foundation for ethics, a claim he attributes to the Greek philosophical tradition. This claim emerges in dominant accounts of responsibility, in which the agent's intentions define his or her culpability. However, in Oedipus Tyrannos Sophocles also attempts to undermine this strict pairing of responsibility and deliberate choice. Oedipus undergoes a fundamentally Levinasian narrative arc by moving from self-assured sovereignty, based on his ability to comprehend the world, to an awakening to responsibility. In this essay I examine the points of intersection and divergence between the tragic narrative of Oedipus and the traumatic subject in Levinas's work.
Efficacy of Intraduodenal, Oral and Parenteral Boosting in Inducing Intestinal Mucosal Immunity to Cholera Toxin in Rats

Considerable effort has been directed toward developing effective mucosal vaccines, especially those targeted to the intestine, and appropriate delivery systems. Numerous studies have demonstrated that direct immunization of the intestinal mucosa is the most efficient route for generating an intestinal IgA reponse. The present study examined the effect of three different routes of secondary immunization (boosting), i.e. intraduodenal, oral and parenteral (subcutaneous) on the intensity of the intestinal mucosal immune response in rats subjected to primary intraduodenal immunization with cholera holotoxin. Specific antibody titers and the relative numbers of antibody-secreting cells in the peripheral blood and antibody-containing cells in the intestinal lamina propria concur that vaccination of the intestinal mucosa directly or in combination with an oral boost yields a more vigorous mucosal immune response in comparison to a parenteral boost.
Context-aware multimedia encryption in mobile platforms

Voice over IP (VoIP) is a part of multimedia content and this communication is growing rapidly in portable devices due to its attractive features. Secure communication is critical as most of such communications are routed through public channels. Establishing secure VoIP communication is computationally expensive. Modern high strength encryption algorithms such as AES, RSA, Serpent, etc. need high computational power for encryption. On the mobile platform this is a significant factor due to its constrained power resources. In this work we are presenting a novel idea of encrypting VoIP speech data while conserving resources without compromising the security of the VoIP communication. First, the algorithm detects the content of the speech data and identifies its context. Then sensitive sections of the conversation are separated. In the last step, these sections are encrypted with a high strength cryptographic algorithm while other parts are encrypted with a less strength algorithm for better performance. In this way unnecessary encryption power is spared. This will conserve computational power while ensuring the security of sensitive information. Also, we discuss some of the crucial potential attack vectors and their defense mechanisms. Finally, we implemented a prototype to test our concept and we observed an average of 39% reduction in computational time.
Mechanisms of natriuretic-peptide-induced growth inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cells

Objective: While natriuretic peptides can inhibit growth of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), controversy exists as to whether this effect is mediated via the guanylate cyclase-coupled receptors, NPR-A and NPR-B, or the clearance receptor, NPR-C. The original aim of this study was to examine the mechanism by which the NPR-C receptor regulates growth. Methods: Rat VSMC were characterized with regard to natriuretic peptide receptor expression by RT/PCR and radioligand binding studies. The effect on growth following addition of the peptides and the ligands for NPR-C was measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) levels were determined by radioimmunoassay and mitogen activating protein kinase activity was based on the phosphorylation of myelin basic protein. Results: In rat VSMC, passages 4–12, both atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) dose-dependently inhibited serum and PDGF-induced VSMC growth. In contrast, NPR-C specific ligands alone had no effect on cell growth but enhanced growth inhibition when co-administered with ANP and CNP. ANP and CNP also decreased PDGF-BB-stimulated MAP kinase activity. Once again, NPR-C specific ligands alone had no effect but enhanced the effects of ANP. Furthermore, a cGMP specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor dose-dependently inhibited VSMC growth and markedly enhanced natriuretic-peptide-induced inhibition at low peptide concentrations. To examine a potential mechanism for the controversy concerning the NPR-C, we investigated the autocrine expression of ANP and CNP by VSMC and found that mRNA encoding both peptides could be detected by RT/PCR. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the guanylyl-cyclase-linked receptors mediate the antiproliferative actions of the natriuretic peptides on vascular smooth muscle cell growth. Moreover, we hypothesize that the apparent inhibition of growth by NPR-C specific ligands reported by others may be due to stabilization of natriuretic peptides produced by the cultured VSMC and subsequent action of these peptides at guanylyl-cyclase-linked receptors.
Middle School Teachers' Assignment of Test Accommodations

Twenty middle school special education teachers from five states were interviewed in order to gain insight into their understanding of accommodation practices. Interview questions solicited information about teachers' understanding of test accommodations, the decision-making process they employed when choosing accommodations, and their reasons for assignment of specific accommodations to individual students. Interviews revealed a general lack of knowledge about the theoretical and empirical basis for making accommodation assignment decisions. Drawing on information gained from these interviews as well as previous research on teachers' and test accommodations, a list of professional development considerations is shared. Considerations are intended to provide a partial solution toward reducing the gap between research and practice in the appropriate assignment of test accommodations.
Opera, Musicology, and History

The interactions between operas and the societies in which they were composed and first heard are of interest to both historians and musicologists, especially because operas since the seventeenth century have had significant connections with political and social change. The essays in this special double issue of the journal, entitled “Opera and History”, pursue the connection in six settings: seventeenth-century Venice; Handel's London; Revolutionary Europe from 1790 to 1830; Restoration and Risorgimento Italy; Europe during the birth of Modernism from 1890 to 1930; and twentieth-century America.
Patrol Officer Perceptions of Agency Rewards and Punishments: A Research Note

The theory of operant conditioning is based on the premise that people are motivated to engage in, or refrain from, certain behaviors because of the rewards and punishments they may receive (Honig 1966; Skinner 1974). While managers within law enforcement agencies frequently use both rewards and punishments to try to guide the behavior of their officers, little information exists about how police officers perceive the rewards and punishments they utilize. This study surveyed a sample of patrol officers to determine how they ranked the value of several specific rewards, and the severity of several specific punishments. The findings suggested that a hierarchy of rewards and punishments exists in the minds of law enforcement officers, the ranking seemed to be associated with how they could impact the officer’s off-duty quality of life, and significant variation existed between officer responses. Interesting differences were also found by officer gender, tenure, and education.
BIM-based building dashboard

This video presents a set of visualization techniques for displaying real-time building behavior and usage, for the purposes of energy minimization, in the context of a semantically-rich building information model. Ambient occlusion shading is used to visualize the 3D space of the building, over which other visualizations may be layered. Specifically, occupancy, power usage, heat sources, air flow, and temperature are presented, as well as aggregated data sets such as "activity".
The intelligibility of delta modulated speech

Delta modulation is a method of simplified coding for digital coding. An experimental delta modulation system for speech processing was built and tested. These tests demonstrated that delta modulation is a useful technique for digital voice communication; in fact, delta modulated speech is of a quality suitable for many applications.
Isobutanol production from cellobiose in Escherichia coli

Converting lignocellulosics into biofuels remains a promising route for biofuel production. To facilitate strain development for specificity and productivity of cellulosic biofuel production, a user friendly Escherichia coli host was engineered to produce isobutanol, a drop-in biofuel candidate, from cellobiose. A beta-glucosidase was expressed extracellularly by either excretion into the media, or anchoring to the cell membrane. The excretion system allowed for E. coli to grow with cellobiose as a sole carbon source at rates comparable to those with glucose. The system was then combined with isobutanol production genes in three different configurations to determine whether gene arrangement affected isobutanol production. The most productive strain converted cellobiose to isobutanol in titers of 7.64 ± 0.19 g/L with a productivity of 0.16 g/L/h. These results demonstrate that efficient cellobiose degradation and isobutanol production can be achieved by a single organism, and provide insight for optimization of strains for future use in a consolidated bioprocessing system for renewable production of isobutanol.
Long-term depletion of calcium and other nutrients in eastern US forests

Both harvest removal and leaching losses can deplete nutrient capital in forests, but their combined long-term effects have not been assessed previously. We estimated changes in total soil and biomass N, Ca, K, Mg, and P over 120 years from published data for a spruce-fir site in Maine, two northern hardwood sites in New Hampshire, central hardwood sites in Connecticut and Tennessee, and a loblolly pine site in Tennessee. For N, atmospheric inputs counterbalance the outputs, and there is little long-term change on most sites. For K, Mg, and P, the total pool may decrease by 2%–10% in 120 years depending on site and harvest intensity. For Ca, net leaching loss is 4–16 kg/ha/yr in mature forests, and whole-tree harvest removes 200–1100 kg/ha. Such leaching loss and harvest removal could reduce total soil and biomass Ca by 20%–60% in only 120 years. We estimated unmeasured Ca inputs from rock breakdown, root-zone deepening, and dry deposition; these should not be expected to make up the Ca deficit. Acid precipitation may be the cause of current high leaching of Ca. Although Ca deficiency does not generally occur now in acid forest soils, it seems likely if anthropogenic leaching and intensive harvest removal continue.
A 1.92 μs-wake-up time thick-gate-oxide power switch technique for ultra low-power single-chip mobile processors

A technique for controlling rush current and wake-up time of thick-gate-oxide power switches is described. Suppressing the variation of rush current on PVT allows shorter wake-up times, which can reduce leakage currents in a mobile processor. Wake-up takes 1.92 μs and leakage current is reduced by 96.9% in an application CPU domain. Probing the rush current indicated accurate control by the technique.
Sex and need for power as predictors of reactions to disobedience

Participants played the role of managers in a simulated leadership task that required them to deliver instructions to a subordinate (confederate). The subordinate obeyed or disobeyed the manager's orders. Males reported lower feelings of belongingness and control in response to disobedience, which in turn predicted higher levels of negative affect. Males high (compared to low) in the need for power also reported less positive affect and more anger following disobedience. We suggest that workplace disobedience reflects lack of respect for one's authority, and that for males (but not females) this signals the ineffectiveness of direct influence strategies and a reduced potential for social acceptance. Males with strong needs for power expect deference and hence react most adversely to being disobeyed. We thank Chak Wong and Chun Leung for serving as confederates in this study. This research was supported by a National Science Foundation collaborative grant (#0744972) awarded to Martin Bourgeois and Kristin ...
Effects of sample preparation on the optical properties of breast tissue

The optical properties of biological tissue should be determined in vivo whenever possible. However, for those instances when in vivo studies are impractical, too expensive or inappropriate, and when blood flow is not an issue, the ability to perform in vitro studies then becomes invaluable. Optical absorption spectroscopy shows that it may be possible to obtain meaningful information about the optical properties of human breast tissue from in vitro samples if strict preparation and measuring protocols are used. That a strict protocol for storing and handling tissue is critical can be seen from our observations of changes in the optical absorption spectra that occur in response to formalin fixation, the passage of time, application of stains and dyes, and storage in growth medium of the excised tissue. In vivo optical absorption spectroscopy measurements have been made on human breast cancer xenografts and compared with in vitro measurements on breast biopsies prepared according to precise collection and treatment protocols. There is a 'window of opportunity' before time dependent changes in the UV optical absorption spectra of the excised tissue specimens occur. This time window of opportunity widens at longer wavelengths with the least changes occurring in the optical spectra in the NIR.
Error approximation in the solution of a linear PDE initial-valued problem

This article establishes an error approximation of a semidiscretized scheme in the solution of a linear partial differential equation initial-valued problem. The error approximation relates the error to both equations and conditions in a problem and serves as a problem-oriented error bound. Two examples of a continuous and a discontinuous wave propagating with a speed varying in space have been studied. The results show that the propagating wave suffers distortion, and the numerical wave is not in synchronization with the exact one. This contributes to that a pointwise error measurement misleads. The discrete Fourier transform can be defined on a finite set of unequally spaced mesh points. Errors of various sources interact and cancel each other; therefore, a solution accuracy improvement can be achieved by utilizing error interaction.
Visual threshold changes resulting from spontaneous saccadic eye movements

Abstract Visual thresholds were measured during the 200 msec interval spanning small, spontaneous saccadic eye movements. Brightness thresholds measured foveally with a stabilized retinal image showed a maximum increase of 0.5 log units, starting 60 msec before the flick and lasting 75 msec afterwards. Another experiment measured the subject's ability to detect 15 min arc target motions. Ninety-three per cent of these step movements were visible normally, but none were perceived when they coincided with the eye movements. This effect spans the saccade by 100 msec, and is not the result of the brightness threshold change.
Racial differences in the relationship between tobacco, alcohol, and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Tobacco and alcohol use are well-known risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), but there has been little examination of disparities in SCCHN and racial patterns of tobacco and alcohol use, especially for African-Americans. The Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Study, a population-based case–control study, was utilized to determine whether relationships between tobacco and alcohol use and SCCHN differed by race. Using a rapid case ascertainment system, cases were recruited from 46 contiguous counties in North Carolina from 2002 to 2006. Controls, selected from motor vehicle records, were frequency-matched to cases on age, sex, and race. This analysis was based on 989 white and 351 African-American cases and 1,114 white and 264 African-American controls. Analyses were performed using unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, race, education, and fruit and vegetable consumption. The association between SCCHN and ever tobacco use among African-Americans (odds ratio (OR), 9.68; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 4.70, 19.9) was much greater than that observed in whites (OR, 1.94; 95 % CI, 1.51, 2.50). Smaller differences were observed when examining ever alcohol use (African-Americans: OR, 3.71; CI, 1.65, 8.30, and Whites: OR, 1.31: CI 0.96, 1.78). African-Americans consistently had greater effect measure estimates when examining common levels of duration and intensity metrics of tobacco and alcohol use, both independently and jointly. No racial differences in the effects of environmental (passive) tobacco smoke were observed. These findings suggest racial differences in SCCHN are not solely explained by differences in consumption patterns, and tobacco and alcohol may have greater impact in African-Americans.
Fatty acid-sensitive two-pore domain K+ channels

K(+) channels that are activated by free fatty acids (here called K(FA) channels) are found throughout the CNS and in some peripheral tissues. In addition to free fatty acids, membrane stretch (cell swelling), changes in intracellular pH and volatile anaesthetic agents also activate K(FA) channels. Neurotransmitters that bind to G(s)-protein-coupled receptors inhibit K(FA) current via cAMP-mediated phosphorylation. K(FA) channels are native members of the TREK-TRAAK family, which belongs to the tandem-pore class of K(+) (K(2P)) channels. The unique properties of K(FA) channels indicate that they are well suited to sensing various types of stress that occur in the cell.
Multichannel filtering for wide-band direction finding

A preprocessing stage for wide-band direction finding is formulated in the framework of multichannel filtering wherein the filter frequency response matrices are chosen to achieve signal-subspace focusing. Direction finding based on any narrow-band algorithm is then performed on the filter output. A procedure for specifying a sparse response suitable in nonstationary environments is presented. An approach to filter design that avoids explicit evaluation of the frequency response is proposed. Extensions to beam-space processing are discussed from the standpoint of simple implementation structures. Simulation studies confirm the usefulness of the various focusing multichannel filters. >
Kinetic studies on the linkage isomerization and dehydration of silver hexacyanocobaltate(III) hexadecahydrate

Heating Ag3[Co(CN)6]·16H2O results in dehydration and complete conversion of the Ag+ NC -Co3+ linkages to Ag+ -CN -Co3+. These processes have been studied kinetically. The dehydration process follows an R1, one dimensional contraction, rate law and has an activation energy of 28.7 kJ mol−1. The linkage isomerization process was studied nonisothermally by means of DSC. It follows an Avrami rate law with an index of about 1.5. These results are interpreted in terms of processes known for other solid state reactions.
Iron links river runoff and shelf width to phytoplankton biomass along the U.S. West Coast

A poleward increase in phytoplankton biomass along the West Coast of North America has been attributed to increasing river runoff towards the north. We combine streamflow and shelf width data with satellite-derived estimates of phytoplankton biomass to quantify the relationship between these variables. We find that a combination of winter streamflow and shelf width can account for over 80% of the spatial variance in summer chlorophyll within 50 km of the coast. At a given location, interannual variability in streamflow is not associated with interannual variability in chlorophyll. We attribute these relationships to the role of rivers as suppliers of the micronutrient iron, and the role of the shelf as a ‘capacitor’ for riverine iron, charging during the high-flow winter season and discharging during the upwelling season. Data from the Oregon shelf confirm that, during winter, a significant fraction of riverine iron escapes the estuary and reaches the coastal ocean.
Preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of glutathione transferase zeta 1 (GSTZ1a-1a)

Glutathione transferase zeta 1 (GSTZ1-1) is a homodimeric enzyme found in the cytosol and mitochondrial matrix of the liver and other tissues. It catalyzes the glutathione-dependent isomerization of maleylacetoacetate to fumaryl­acetoacetate in the tyrosine catabolic pathway and can metabolize small halogenated carboxylic acids. GSTZ1a-1a crystals diffracted to a resolution of 3.1 A and belonged to space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 42.0, b = 49.6, c = 54.6 A, α = 82.9, β = 69.9, γ = 73.4°, with a calculated Matthews coefficient of 2.1 A3 Da−1 assuming a dimer in the crystallographic asymmetric unit. Refinement of the structure is currently in progress.
Oral Pressure and Nasal Flow on /m/ and /p/ in 3- to 5-Year-Old Children Without Cleft Palate.

Objectives: (1) To compare oral pressure and nasal airflow in 3- to 5-year-olds versus older children and adults; (2) to describe stability of these measures in 3- to 5-year-olds at two recording times; and (3) to report participation rates of 3- to 5-year-olds for the aerodynamic protocol. Design: Prospective, nonrandomized, convenience samples in four age groups. Setting: University clinic. Participants: A total of 105 individuals without cleft palate and with normal speech for their age who were 3 to 5 (n = 45), 7 to 9 (n = 20), 11 to 13 (n = 20), or 20 to 30 years old (n = 20). All had normal nasal resonance and absence of nasally obstructive conditions on the testing day. Main Outcome Measures: Oral pressure and nasal airflow on /p/ and /m/ in syllable series and the word “hamper.” Results: Oral pressure was significantly higher on /p/ for 3- to 5-year-olds versus the two oldest groups. Nasal airflow on /p/ occurred infrequently across groups. Oral pressure on /m/ was significantly higher for...
Multiple Intelligences, the Mozart Effect, and Emotional Intelligence: A Critical Review.

This article reviews evidence for multiple intelligences theory, the Mozart effect theory, and emotional intelligence theory and argues that despite their wide currency in education these theories lack adequate empirical support and should not be the basis for educational practice. Each theory is compared to theory counterparts in cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience that have better empirical support. The article considers possible reasons for the appeal of these 3 theories and concludes with a brief rationale for examining theories of cognition in the light of cognitive neuroscience research findings.
Stable ultraviolet antirelection coatings for charge-coupled devices

In this paper we report on recent work on the development of a stable ultraviolet sensitive antireflection coating for use on charge-coupled devices. The coatings that are discussed in this paper are single layer Si3N4 and a dual layer Si3N4/MgF2 coating. Both coatings provide excellent quantum efficiencies at 300 nm (> 50 - 60%) and useful response down to 200 nm (the limit of the measurement capability). Ultraviolet (UV) flooding is shown to be effective in increasing the quantum efficiency. The films demonstrate a long time constant decay of the UV enhanced quantum efficiency which is of the order of months at room temperature. A simple model of a thermally activated process to characterize the decay in quantum efficiency has been developed.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
High-resistivity and conductive gallium arsenide for IR optical components

Infrared (IR) windows and domes for use with electro-optic (EO) systems operating in the 8- to 12-micrometer region are currently fabricated from the following limited number of materials: germanium (Ge), zinc sulfide (ZnS), and a zinc selenide (ZnSe) sandwich. A multiyear development effort at Texas Instruments (TI) has been produced another such material: gallium arsenide (GaAs). A novel crystal growth process has been developed that allows for economical growth of either high-resistivity (107 ohm-cm) or conductive [> 1 (ohm-cm)-1] GaAs crystals of various thicknesses in sizes up to 12 by 12 inches. This unique growth process permits production of GaAs, which is highly uniform or has a tailored electrical conductivity. With high IR transparency from approximately 1 to 14 micrometers, the high resistivity and conductive GaAs remain operationally useful to 400 degree(s) and 200 degree(s)C, respectively. The low resistivities allow for effective electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding of 60 dB or more in the gigahertz region in highly transmissive IR windows made of this conductive GaAs. Besides fabrication of traditional precision optical components like lenses and prisms, TI has developed precision fabrication techniques for domes, windows, and segmented windows made of GaAs. These same techniques have also been designed to lower the mean size and distribution of the traditional optical component fabrication flaws, thereby increasing the strength and Weibull modulus of GaAs to 19.1 Kpsi and 4.7, respectively. These high strengths and the corresponding survival probabilities are comparable to those of chemical vapor deposition grown ZnS. TI has also developed techniques to further toughen GaAs, specifically for window and dome applications, in terms of increased strength through increasing the critical stress intensity factor (KIC) by changing the GaAs microstructure. Toughening in terms of impact resistance to rain during aerodynamic flight has also been developed by means of a protective coating. Antireflective coatings for surface-impedance matching have also been developed. This paper describes the properties of these various GaAs technologies.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Treatment providers with a personal history of eating pathology: a qualitative examination of common experiences.

Using qualitative methodology, this study examined the experiences of treatment providers with a personal history of eating pathology. A total of 139 eating disorder treatment providers completed a questionnaire designed by the authors that (a) asked whether and how their personal history influences treatment of patients with eating disorders and (b) elicited feedback for other therapists. Results indicated that the large majority of participants (94%) believed that their eating disorder history positively influenced their treatment of patients (e.g., increased empathy, greater understanding of the disorder, more positive personal outlook). Conversely, only 8% identified ways in which it can negatively influence treatment (e.g., feeling personally triggered, over-identifying with patients). Feedback for other professionals included the importance of personally recovering before treating this population and monitoring one's experiences in session (e.g., notice countertransference). Continued discourse rega...
Evolution of Antifreeze Protein Genes in the Diatom Genus Fragilariopsis: Evidence for Horizontal Gene Transfer, Gene Duplication and Episodic Diversifying Selection

Abstract: Hypotheses about horizontal transfer of antifreeze protein genes to ice-living diatoms were addressed using two different statistical methods available in the program Prunier. The role of diversifying selection in driving the differentiation of a set of antifreeze protein genes in the diatom genus Fragilariopsis was also investigated. Four horizontal gene transfer events were identified. Two of these took place between two major eukaryote lineages, that is from the diatom Chaetoceros neogracile to the copepod Stephos longipes and from a basidiomycete clade to a monophyletic group, consisting of the diatom species Fragilariopsis curta and Fragilariopsis cylindrus. The remaining two events included transfers from an ascomycete lineage to the proteobacterium Stigmatella aurantiaca and from the proteobacterium Polaribacter irgensii to a group composed of 4 proteobacterium species. After the Fragilariopsis lineage acquired the antifreeze protein gene from the basidiomycetes, it duplicated and went through episodic evolution, characterized by strong positive selection acting on short segments of the branches in the tree. This selection pattern suggests that the paralogs differentiated functionally over relatively short time periods. Taken together, the results obtained here indicate that the group of antifreeze protein genes considered here have a complex evolutionary history.
Horizons in weyl metrics exhibiting extra symmetries

Static, axisymmetric, vacuum metrics (commonly called Weyl metrics) are classified according to the homothetic motions they admit, with all having more than two homothetic motions explicitly computed. Within the two new families of spacetimes so determined, none of the metrics is asymptotically flat. Although most of the horizons are unlike that of the Schwarzschild metric, it is shown that they nonetheless all fall within a classification scheme previously developed for two-dimensional static metrics. TheC — metric and the question of directional singularities are also briefly considered.
The effect of PPAR-α agonism on apolipoprotein metabolism in humans

Metabolic syndrome, diabetes and obesity are frequently associated with hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia and low HDL levels, a phenotype known as atherogenic dyslipidemia. Atherogenic dyslipidemia and hypertriglyceridemia are frequently treated with fibric acid derivatives which activate the nuclear receptor PPAR-alpha leading to reduce plasma triglycerides and an increase in HDL cholesterol levels. The mechanism by which activation of PPAR-alpha with fibrates improves the plasma lipid profile in patients with atherogenic dyslipidemia and hypertriglyceridemia has been examined in several small studies measuring lipoprotein kinetics. The results of these studies indicate that the changes in lipoprotein metabolism observed in response to fibrate treatment vary according to lipoprotein phenotype. In general, fibrates act to reduce VLDL apoB-100 through enhanced fractional catabolism (clearance) of VLDL apoB-100 with additional effects on reducing VLDL apoB-100 production. LDL apoB-100 levels generally decrease in response to fibrates due to increased LDL fractional catabolism except in those patients with high to very high plasma triglyceride levels (>400mg/dL). Fibrates also increase HDL apoA-I and apoA-II levels by enhancing apoA-I and apoA-II production, although this is partially counteracted by increasing fractional catabolism of these apolipoproteins. The potent and specific PPAR-alpha agonist LY518674, reduced VLDL apoB-100 levels through enhanced fractional catabolism similar to what is seen with fibrates. In contrast to fibrates, LY518674 did not change HDL apoA-I levels in response to due to an increased turnover of apoA-I where an increased fractional catabolic rate entirely counteracted the increase in apoA-I production. The changes in apoB metabolism in response to PPAR-alpha activation with fibrates and specific PPAR-alpha agonists would be expected to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the benefit of the enhanced turnover of HDL apoA-I in response to PPAR-alpha activation remains to be determined.
Adverse Health Outcomes, Perpetrator Characteristics, and Sexual Violence Victimization Among U.S. Adult Males

In the United States, an estimated three million men are victims of sexual violence each year, yet the majority of existing studies have evaluated the consequences and characteristics of victimization among women alone. The result has been a gap in the existing literature examining the physical and psychological consequences of sexual assault among men. The main objective of this study was to identify health outcomes, risk behaviors, and perpetrator/victim relationship characteristics among men who have experienced an attempted or completed sexual assault using data from the sexual violence module of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. A total of 59,511 male respondents participated in the sexual violence module, and the majority of participants were White (73.7%), between the ages of 35 to 44 years (19.8%), married (69.0%), graduated from college (34.6%), and had an annual household income of more than US$50,000 (49.9%). Stratified multivariate logistic regression models were conducted to test the associations between victimization and health outcomes and risk behaviors controlling for age, marital status, race/ethnicity, income, education, and other potential confounders. Results of these analyses suggest important associations between health and sexual violence victimization. Specifically, men who reported unwanted attempted intercourse and attempted and completed intercourse were more likely to report poor mental health, poor life satisfaction, activity limitations, and lower emotional and social support. The current study extends knowledge of consequences of male sexual violence by considering characteristics of sexual assault and by identifying associations between victimization and a broad range of health indicators.
DNA sensing - an overview of present technology and future trends

This paper is an overview of the status of the present and future techniques used in DNA sensing. The fundamental concepts and principles of DNA chemistry are presented. Utilizing these concepts in DNA sensing are explained for the different techniques.
A micro-grained VLSI signal processor

A very-fine-grain, VLSI processor is described. Very-fine-grain VLSI processors are especially suited for problems with a high degree of parallelism. However, to maintain their fine grainness (i.e., small size) most fine grain processors are relatively inflexible. Attempts to increase flexibility usually increase processor complexity and, thereby, decreases grainness. The two-dimensional, micrograined processor maintains both a high degree of flexibility and fine grainness by reducing each processing cell to a small RAM and several multiplexers. For even greater speed, arithmetic operations are based on a redundant number representation. Algorithms for single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD), mesh architectures can be easily adapted for the micrograined processor. This is particularly true for algorithms for certain two-dimensional signal and image processing problems. >
Entorhinal cortex stellate cell synchronization

Theta-frequency oscillations (8-12 Hz) of large groups of synaptically coupled cells are commonly seen throughout the mammalian brain. The theta oscillations of entorhinal cortex grid cells and hippocampal place cells have received special attention recently due to their role they apparently play in the encoding of positional information. In a previous study [1], we found that biologically realistic computational models of two or three synaptically coupled entorhinal cortex stellate cells [2] generally synchronize their oscillations much more quickly from an initially random phase configuration if their intrinsic firing frequencies are near the theta range (with the absolute minima generally at about 15-20 Hz) than at significantly either higher or lower ranges. However, our model looked only at identical neurons with the same intrinsic frequencies and lacking any channel noise. Here we present results from further studies in which realistic channel noise and frequency heterogeneity are included. We found that channel noise could either increase or decrease the time for coupled stellate cells to synchronize by a significant amount, depending on which channel the noise was applied to. We also found that the synchronization time appears to be largely independent of the underlying cell parameters that determine the intrinsic frequencies (the persistent sodium and hyperpolarization-activated cation conductances) and depend only on the frequencies themselves, potentially simplifying the process of parameter sweeps. We found evidence that synchronization is favored for a mean firing frequency of 18 Hz even when the individual intrinsic frequencies of the neurons differ by up to about 0.5 Hz (see Figure ​Figure1).1). Finally, we found evidence of a bifurcation in the stability of synchronization states of two coupled identical stellate cells, with in-phase synchronization suddenly switching to out-of-phase synchronization as the synaptic coupling strength is increased, suggesting a complex picture of entorhinal cortex synchronization patterns similar to previous studies of Hodgkin-Huxley neurons [3]. Figure 1 Long-term synchronization of two coupled entorhinal cortex stellate cell neurons with slightly different intrinsic firing frequencies. The mean of their intrinsic frequencies is plotted against a parameter (“Delta Coll 1”) relating the ...
From micro-patterns to nano-structures by controllable colloidal aggregation at air-water interface

In this paper, we discuss a method to transform traditional-lithography micro patterns into nano-structures by self-assembly of nano-beads. In our approach, the destined substrate is prepared with hydrophilic micro patterns on hydrophobic background. Colloid with nano-beads wets exclusively the hydrophilic patterns due to interfacial forces when passing through air-water interface. After evaporation of water from the colloid, three-dimensional nano-bead structures are formed. A geometric model is proposed to describe this self-assembly process and its dependence on bead size, concentration, and pattern geometry, which can provide control over the aggregation of three-dimensional nano-structures.
Prevention of experimental cancer and immunostimulation by vitamin E (immunosurveillance)

Eighty young adult male Syrian hamsters were divided into four equal groups. Group 1 animals had the right buccal pouches painted with a 0.1% solution of 7,12 dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) three times per wk for 28 wk. Group 2 animals were similarly painted with DMBA for 28 wk but were also given 140 micrograms vitamin E in 0.4 ml mineral oil three times weekly on days alternate to DMBA painting. Group 3 animals were used as DMBA-vehicle controls. Group 4 animals were vitamin E controls. Animals were killed after 28 wk, the pouches photographed and tumors counted, measured. The pouches were fixed in formalin, sectioned in paraffin and studied histologically and histochemically for tumor necrosis factors alpha and beta. All animals in Group 1 and 3 had gross tumors of the right buccal pouch. None of the animals in Group 2 had grossly visible tumors. Microscopic studies revealed that, while no gross tumors were seen in the Group 2 animals, there was histologic evidence of dysplasia and early carcinoma-in-situ undergoing degeneration. Immunohistochemical staining revealed a dense infiltrate of mononuclear cells adjacent to tumor sites with a large number of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and macrophages. Vitamin E appears to prevent tumor formation by stimulating a potent immune response to selectively destroy tumor cells as they begin to develop into recognizable microscopic foci of carcinoma.