cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Views, reactions and impact of digitally-signed mail in e-commerce

We surveyed 470 Amazon.com merchants regarding their experience, knowledge and perceptions of digitally-signed email. Some of these merchants (93) had been receiving digitally-signed VAT invoices from Amazon for more than a year. Respondents attitudes were measured as to the role of signed and/or sealed mail in e-commerce. Among our findings: 25.2% of merchants thought that receipts sent by online merchants should be digitally-signed, 13.2% thought they should be sealed with encryption, and 33.6% thought that they should be both signed and sealed. Statistically-significant differences between merchants who had received the signed mail and those who had not are noted. We conclude that Internet-based merchants should send digitally-signed email as a “best practice,” even if they think that their customers will not understand the signatures, on the grounds that today’s email systems handle such signatures automatically and the passive exposure to signatures appears to increase acceptance and trust.
Ab initio structural energetics of β − Si 3 N 4 surfaces

Motivated by recent electron microscopy studies on the Si3N4/rare-earth oxide interfaces, the atomic and electronic structures of bare beta-Si3N4 surfaces are investigated from first principles. The equilibrium shape of a Si3N4 crystal is found to have a hexagonal cross section and a faceted dome-like base in agreement with experimental observations. The large atomic relaxations on the prismatic planes are driven by the tendency of Si to saturate its dangling bonds, which gives rise to resonant-bond configurations or planar sp^2-type bonding. We predict three bare surfaces with lower energies than the open-ring (10-10) surface observed at the interface, which indicate that non-stoichiometry and the presence of the rare-earth oxide play crucial roles in determining the termination of the Si3N4 matrix grains.
Mechanical Support for the Failing Right Ventricle in Patients With Precapillary Pulmonary Hypertension

Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is the principal predictor of adverse outcome in pulmonary hypertension (PH).1,2 For those PH patients requiring inpatient intensive care because of acutely decompensated heart failure, mortality estimates can range as high as 30% to 48%.3–5 Hyponatremia, renal insufficiency, systemic hypotension, and severe tricuspid regurgitation are worrisome clinical characteristics that prognosticate poor outcome in this PH patient subpopulation.3,5,6 Effective strategies to optimize cardiopulmonary hemodynamics and support RV function are paramount; clinical responsiveness to pulmonary vascular/RV-specific treatment is likely to decrease the probability of requiring surgical intervention and, ultimately, improve outcome. This review will discuss existing evidence pertaining to the timing and utility of mechanical support in patients with RV failure attributable to pulmonary vascular disease. Constrictive pericardial disease, selected forms of congenital heart disease, inflow obstruction, primary myocardial disease, and pressure or volume overload are each well-described causes of adverse RV remodeling, RV systolic dysfunction, and cor pulmonale.7 Among patients with RV dysfunction as a result of pressure overload, precapillary PH and left-sided heart failure are the most common etiologies. The first adaptive response of the RV to pressure overload is hypertrophy. If untreated, the RV dilates to compensate for increased RV preload and, according to the Frank-Starling principle, to maintain stroke volume. When further increases in RV end-diastolic filling volume do not offset progressive RV contractile dysfunction, clinically evident RV failure ensues. In advanced stages, RV cavitary dilation may also impair left ventricular (LV) diastolic filling kinetics and contribute further to global pump dysfunction and, consequently, to the congestive heart failure syndrome. Mechanical support in the setting of RV dysfunction aims to stabilize and therapeutically improve several key mechanisms underpinning RV decompensation and heart failure by reducing RV preload and afterload, and by improving …
CEREBRAL INTERVASCULAR STRANDS OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE AS ROUTES OF TRANSPORTATION.

In the facial nucleus of the rabbit, fixed by a procedure of perfusion with delayed autopsy, intervascular strands of connective tissue contain on rare occasions either minute red PAS-stained granules or clear vacuoles. With increasing age, the strands are transformed into homogeneous connective tissue bands. On the basis of these microscopic observations, it is inferred that, in younger animals, soluble and insoluble products can be channeled via the intervascular strands to adjacent blood vessels.
Dual-Purpose Desalting in Pacific Southwest

There is an urgent need for additional fresh water supply in the rapidly developing Southwest portion of the United States. Several studies which have been made with the cooperation of state, federal, and local agencies show that there will be an estimated deficit of millions of acre-feet per year in this area by the year 2020. Desalting is likely to play an important role in meeting part of this deficit. Other measures such as the transfer of freshwater from the Pacific Northwest or Canada may be necessary as well. As the operation of combined electric power and desalting plants is more economical than plants producing just water, studies included consideration of the projected market for large quantities of power in this area. It is clear from these studies that the power that would be generated at stations serving dual-purpose desalting plants could be easily absorbed in the same area.
Full Disclosure of the ‘Raw Data’ of Research on Humans: Citizens’ Rights, Product Manufacturers’ Obligations and the Quality of the Scientific Database

As advances in medicine continue to develop, questions of how medical research impacts human rights continue to be raised. Research on medical products depends on study participants’ who are willing to donate their time, effort, and willingly take on the inherent risk of trial research. Testing of new products (prescription medicine and medical devices) is always unpredictable. Even higher degrees of unpredictability are always associated with those products having new mechanisms of action. ‘Unpredictability’ refers to: • The inability to estimate four aspects of risk related to a newly designed product with a new mechanism of action: ○ The chance (probability) that an adverse outcome will materialize in a study participant upon whom a new drug with a new mechanism of action is being tested ○ The range of adverse outcomes that can occur to a participant ○ The levels of severity of those adverse outcomes as they occur to a participant ○ The degree of uncertainty in making estimates of chance (probability), range of adverse outcomes, and level of adverse outcome severity. More work needs to be done across academic boundaries concerning citizens’ rights to receive full information about new medical products. The important tasks of clarifying and communicating the levels of unpredictability of a medical product lie in three areas: (i) consent and informed consent in patient care; (ii) consent and informed consent in research on humans; and (iii) information provided to consumers, physicians, and researchers by product manufacturers. The right to full and open disclosure of risk information regarding medical products affects citizens in three different positions: (i) as study participants bearing the risks of new medical products; (ii) as patients who are asked to consider these products as treatment in their medical care; and (iii) as consumers who may receive less than full disclosures about medical products from product manufacturers. To achieve this goal of full and open disclosure of product risks, society must focus on the obligations of product manufacturers to provide this type of disclosure about their medical products. I will argue that citizens are owed these rights because citizens are the study participants who bear the risks related to medical product testing.
SNPs of metabolism, not stones

dicarboxylates are the substrates for oxidative phosphorylation, aka the Krebs cycle or citric acid cycle. Some of these substrates are synthesized within cells. However, epithelia with high metabolic needs (e.g., the small intestine and kidney) bring these substrates directly into cells. The plasma
The Heme and Sickle Cell Hemoglobin Polymerization

In search of novel control parameters for the polymerization of sickle cell hemoglobin (HbS), the primary pathogenic event of sickle cell anemia, we explore the role of free heme, which may be excessively released in sickle erythrocytes. We show that concentration of free heme in HbS solutions typically used in studies of polymerization kinetics is ∼0.04 - 0.05 mole heme/mole HbS. We show that dialysis of small-molecules out of HbS solutions completely prevents HbS polymerization. We show that that after dialysis, no apo-globin forms and HbS is largely intact. The addition of 100 - 300 μM of free heme to dialyzed HbS solutions leads to nucleation rates and delay times and polymer fiber growth rates faster by two orders of magnitude than prior to dialysis. Towards an understanding of the mechanism of nucleation enhancement by heme, we show that free heme at concentration 66 μM increases by two orders of magnitude the volume of the metastable clusters of dense HbS liquid, the locations where HbS polymer nuclei form. These results suggest that variation of the free heme concentration in the erythrocytes of sickle cell anemia patients may be a major factor for the puzzling complexity of the clinical manifestations of sickle cell anemia. The prevention of free heme accumulation in the erythrocyte cytosol may be a novel avenue to sickle cell disease therapy.
Overview Of Mount St. Helens Volcanic Eruption

Dormant since 1857, Mount St. Helens Volcano in southwestern Washington stirred from its repose to erupt on March 27, 1980, following a week of premonitory earthquake activity. The eruption was the first in the conterminous United States since the 1914-1921 activity of Lassen Peak, California. The eruptive activity through May 17 was intermittent and relatively mild, but the accompanying seismic activity remained intense. On May 18, a catastrophic eruption, triggered by a magnitude 5.0 earthquake, produced a massive landslide/debris avalanche, a devastating lateral "blast," pyroclastic flows, mudflows, and an ash column that rose more than 20 km into the stratosphere. Winds carried the ash easterly, and more than 7 cm of ash was deposited locally in parts of eastern Washington. The landslide/debris avalanche and associated mudflows caused flooding of the Toutle and Cowlitz River valleys, which carried sediment as far as the confluence with the Columbia, where it choked off the channel to navigation. Smaller but significant explosive eruptions followed in May, June, July, August, and October, 1980, with lava domes being extruded in the crater following the June, August, and October eruptions. Subsequently in December 1980 and February 1981, lava domes were extruded without significant preceding explosive activity. Except for the latter two, each dome was partly or wholly destroyed by succeeding explosive events. Scientists expect similar activity to continue for months or years--possibly even decades. The Mount St. Helens eruptions severely tested the ability of scientists to respond swiftly and effectively in assisting public officials during a geologic disaster. At the same time, they shall continue to provide an unprecedented opportunity for the systematic investigation of volcanic phenomena, and hopefully, the insight to meet possible future eruptions there and elsewhere in the Cascade Range with equal success.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A study of the activity of chemotherapeutic agents on infections of Syphacia oblevata and Aspiculuris tetraptera

Abstract Syphacia obvelata and Aspiculuris tetraptera, the pinworms of mice, respond to the anthelmintics commonly used against the pinworm in man. Although Aspiculuris appears to be more resistant to several of the anthelmintics than Syphacia, both worms appear to be useful in chemotherapeutic tests. Our data indicate that the reduction in the worm burden of infected mice is more sensitive than tests relying on the complete elimination of all worms from the mice.
Nanolasers directly grown on Si

We report a completely new growth mode with which single crystalline InGaAs/GaAs nanopillars can be grown directly on silicon substrates at CMOS compatible temperature. Light emitting diodes, photovoltaic device and optically pumped lasers are achieved.
Treatment Engagement in a Weight Loss Intervention for African American Adolescents and Their Families

African American adolescents are disproportionately affected by obesity. Few interventions target this group, produce sustainable results, and retain participants. Phenomenology was used to compare the treatment experiences of African American families in multisystemic therapy for weight loss. Families that discontinued treatment described life problems and negative experiences with interventions as barriers. Therapeutic time was spent building confidence and motivation for treatment. Although successful families struggled with intrafamilial relationships, they were more engaged in treatment and experienced greater weight loss. Instilling hope is one strategy proposed to increase treatment engagement in families dealing with serious life problems.
Trace-fossil model for reconstructing oxygenation histories of ancient marine bottom waters: Application to upper cretaceous niobrara formation, Colorado

Abstract Trends of decreasing trace-fossil diversity, burrow size, and penetration depth with diminishing oxygen availability in contemporary marine settings have been incorporated with the concept of trace-fossil tiering to develop a model for reconstructing the oxygenation history of ancient basin bottom waters. More sensitive than traditionally-employed criteria, the model permits detailed evaluation of relative degree of oxygenation through the recognition of oxygen-related ichnocoenosis (ORI) units, or units of strata deposited under similar levels of bottom-water oxygenation. When employed in detailed vertical sequence analyses, the model may also be used to construct interpreted oxygenation curves that reflect rates and magnitudes of temporal change in redox conditions. The utility of the model is demonstrated by its application to rhythmically-bedded, calcareous strata of the Niobrara Formation (Upper Cretaceous) exposed in Colorado. Non-laminated strata of the Niobrara are characterized by four recurring trace-fossil suites referred to as the (1) Chondrites , (2) Zoophycos/Teichichnus , (3) Planolites , and (4) Thalassinoides assemblages. On the basis of trends in trace-fossil diversity, burrow diameter and penetration depth, these assemblages are recognized as oxygen-related ichnocoenoses. Interpreted oxygenation curves for the basal Fort Hays Member reflect high-magnitude redox cycles characterized by rapid deoxygenation events followed by gradual reoxygenation phases. Curves for the overlying Smoky Hill Member reflect an overall lower degree of oxygenation with more irregular, lower magnitude redox fluctuations. Significant correlation between interpreted levels of paleooxygenation and organic-carbon content illustrate the model's potential for evaluating the distribution of organic-rich fine-grained strata. Co-interpretation of these variables with carbonate content supports the premise that deposition was controlled by paleoceanographic perturbations modulated by Milankovitch-like climatic cycles. Comparison with traditionally-emphasized macroinvertebrate body-fossil criteria clearly demonstrates the greater utility of the trace-fossil approach for evaluating paleo-oxygenation.
Experimental study of systm peaks and elution profiles for large concentration bands in the case of a binary eluent containing a strongly sorbed additive

Abstract The profile of system peaks when using high concentrations and a binary mobile phase was studied using the semi-ideal model of chromatography. The profile of the sample band depends on the concentration of the strong solvent and on the sample size. It is very strongly influenced by the relative adsorption strength of the strong solvent and the sample. This relative strength is measured by the ratio of (a) the origin slope of the equilibrium isotherm of the strong solvent between the stationary phase and the pure weak solvent to (b) the origin slope of the isotherm of the sample (i.e., the ratio between their respective column capacity factors in the pure weak solvent). When this ratio is smaller than 0.2, the sample band profile depends only on the equilibrium isotherm of the sample in the binary mixture. If the ratio becomes larger, the competition between the strong solvent and the sample molecules for interaction with the stationary phase becomes more intense. For Langmuir-competitive isotherms of the strong solvent and the sample, if the concentration of the strong solvent and/or its strength are progressively increased at constant sample size, the retention time of the band decreases (as expected), whereas its typical Langmuirian asymmetry decreases and, past a narrow transition range, reverses. Bands traditionally associated with an anti-Langmuir isotherm are then obtained. Extremely unusual, broad, characteristic profiles, with a sharp front and a sharp rear, which sometimes exhibit two maxima, are obtained in the transition region. When the origin slope ratio is large, the profile of a high-concentration-sample band in the transition region has two shock layers. The occurrence of such band profiles, under experimental conditions similar to those predicted here, have been reported previously, but their origin has remained unexplained until now.
Determination of Age-Related Changes in Structure and Function of Skin, Adipose Tissue, and Skeletal Muscle With Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Positron Emission Tomography

In this article, we report quantitative preliminary data obtained from retrospective analysis of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and combined PET–computed tomography (PET/CT) examinations in subjects ages 3 to 84 years pertaining to changes in the metabolism of skin, subcutaneous adipose tissue, visceral adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle with age, as well as age-related changes in skeletal muscle attenuation. We also propose a new method for identifying hypermetabolic brown fat on FDG-PET. Finally, we present a review of the literature regarding reported age-related structural and functional changes that occur in skin, fat, and skeletal muscle. Using FDG-PET, We evaluated 213 subjects for changes in the metabolism of skin, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle with aging. Thirty-two separate subjects were chosen to measure maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) of hypermetabolic brown fat on dual-time point PET imaging. Finally, 15 subjects evaluated by PET/CT were selected to measure changes in metabolism and attenuation of skeletal muscle, and changes in metabolism of adipose tissue with aging. We found that skin, fat, and skeletal muscle all demonstrate significant ( P P > 0.05) decreases in SUV of adipose tissue with aging and the opposite trend in skeletal muscles ( P > 0.05). Skeletal muscle attenuation in the various regions studied was found to significantly decrease with age ( P
ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDIES OF THE MICROVILLI OF HELA CELLS

Microvilli of HeLa cells cultured in vitro were preserved for electron microscopic examination at different stages of routine cultivation procedures. By a double-embedding technique, vertical sectioning for electron microscopy was possible. It revealed that, although the microvilli were present on all sides of the cell in the dispersed stage and in the attached stage, they were not present on the bottom of the cell when it was stretched on the surface of the dish. When the cells were grown in dense colonies, they were found on top of each other, and microvilli were present on all sides, except on the bottom surface of those cells in contact with the dish. We achieved a more dramatic demonstration of the microvilli by developing a surface-replica technique which retains their spatial arrangement and permits characterization of the distribution of their number, length, and diameter.
Calcium channel blockade in dialysis patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and well-preserved systolic function.

Echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy with well-preserved systolic function was established in 4 chronic hemodialysis patients with a history of refractory pulmonary congestion. In each patient a trial of treatment with verapamil (40 mg t.i.d.) resulted in symptomatic improvement, an increase in nadir intradialysis blood pressure, and a marked reduction in intradialytic symptomatic hypertensive episodes and the need for intravenous saline administration. These data suggest that (a) a subset of chronic hemodialysis patients with refractory congestive heart failure and dialysis-related hypotension have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with well-preserved systolic function, and (b) such patients may derive greater benefit from verapamil treatment than from the more conventional approach to drug therapy with digoxin and nitrates.
Bone frequencies: differential transport, in situ destruction, and the MGUI

Abstract Human transport of bones with high food values, and destruction of bones with low density values are the traditionally invoked explanations of the frequencies of bones in archeological contexts. The manner in which these two explanations have been used suggests archaeologists assume the explanations to be independent of one another. The transport explanation is operationalized as the modified general utility index (MGUI) of Binford, and the destruction explanation is operationalized with measures of bone density. Statistical correlation of the MGUI with bone density, while weak, indicates that many high utility bones have low density values while many low utility bones have high density values. Because low density bones tend to be destroyed more readily than high density bones, inferences of human utility strategies derived from bone frequencies and based on the MGUI may be inaccurate. The utility strategies suggested by three archaeofaunas are compared to bone density, and two of these faunas are shown to potentially be the result of differential destruction and not human transport as measured by the MGUI.
PAX8 immunostaining of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: A reliable means of discerning thyroid origin for undifferentiated tumors of the head and neck

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma can be difficult to diagnose because it does not show thyroid differentiation morphologically or immunohistochemically. Depending on the histologic variant, anaplastic thyroid carcinoma may be confused with sarcoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. PAX8 is a transcription factor expressed in normal and neoplastic thyroid follicular epithelium and only a few other tissues. This restricted expression suggests that PAX8 staining could be useful when dealing with spindled or squamoid tumors of the neck. The purposes of this study were to determine the frequency of PAX8 staining in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and to evaluate PAX8 immunohistochemistry as a means of distinguishing its squamoid variant from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. PAX8 immunohistochemical staining was performed on 34 anaplastic thyroid carcinomas and 118 head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. PAX8 staining was present in 26 (76%) anaplastic thyroid carcinomas including 16 (100%) of 16 squamoid variants, 7 (58%) of 12 giant cell/pleomorphic variants, and 3 (50%) of 6 spindled variants. All head and neck squamous cell carcinomas were negative for PAX8. PAX8 expression is often retained in anaplastic thyroid carcinomas including the squamoid variant, but it is not expressed in head and neck squamous cancers. PAX8 staining is an excellent marker for carcinomas of follicular epithelial origin, including those carcinomas that are undifferentiated in other respects. The tissue specificity of PAX8 expression may be useful in resolving the differential diagnosis of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma such as the distinction between its squamoid variant and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Reversible ischemia in severe stress technetium 99m-labeled sestamibi perfusion defects assessed from gated single-photon emission computed tomographic polar map fourier analysis

Abstract Background. Detection of reversible ischemia and regional viability by inference from the presence of preserved resting myocardial thickening on dynamic electrocardiographic-gated tomographic (GSPECT) images obtained after stress injection could potentially obviate the need for a separate resting injection. This would decrease the cost, effort, duration, and radiation exposure of diagnostic myocardial perfusion imaging. The aim of this study was to determine whether functional images derived from GSPECT stress myocardial perfusion images, which represent indices of regional wall thickening, could predict the pattern of reversibility of perfusion defects in myocardial segments with severe perfusion defects on stress 99mTc-labeled sestamibi (99mTc-sestamibi) images. Methods and Results. Reversible ischemia in myocardial segments with severe hypoperfusion (≤50% of normal activity) on stress 99mTc-sestamibi images was assessed with GSPECT indexes of myocardial thickening, as reflected by an increase in regional count density during systole. GSPECT bullseye plots were generated for each of eight frames acquired after stress 99mTc-sestamibi injection in 44 patients with coronary artery disease and at least one severe perfusion defect on summed (ungated) SPECT images. With first harmonic Fourier amplitude (AMP) and AMP/perfusion ratio (APR) images, regional myocardial systolic thickening was assessed according to a nine-segment model as absent, markedly reduced, mildly reduced, or normal thickening. These data were compared on a regional basis with defect reversibility determined with resting sestamibi images. Of 124 severe stress defects, 32 showed absent, 53 minimal, 35 partial, and four complete reversibility on resting images. AMP and APR scores had 75% and 82% agreement on the presence or absence of reversibility on resting images, respectively (both p≤0.00005), and both had significant agreement (p=0.0072 and p≤0.00005, respectively) with resting reversibility grades by kappa analysis. AMP correctly identified 83% of the defects that were reversible on resting images, whereas the APR identified 96% (p=0.0014 for sensitivity of APR vs AMP). On analysis of the triad of segment scores, the AMP slightly underestimated the degree of resting reversibility (p=0.002), whereas APR images indicated more reversibility than did resting images (p≤0.00005). AMP and APR indicated a greater degree of reversibility than did resting images in at least one myocardial segment in 13 (30%) and 27 (61%) of the 44 patients, respectively. Conclusions. The presence and degree of reversible ischemia in severe stress sestamibi perfusion defects seen on resting images can be detected reliably by the pattern of regional myocardial thickening demonstrated by Fourier analysis of GSPECT polar maps. When indexed for degree of perfusion, the APR images predict a greater degree of reversibility than do resting images.
Toward More Holistic Explanations: Cross-Cultural Research and Cross-Level Analysis

Arguably, anthropologists and others can achieve a better sense of sociocultural process (how institutions interact with one another) by attending to mediating variables at the psychological level. A concern with lower level processes not only improves our understanding of higher level phenomena, but can also lead us to perceive important interrelationships that might otherwise be overlooked. This is particularly true in the arena of cross-cultural research where this approach has often, and sometimes unknowingly, been employed. Examples in support of this argument are taken from a variety of cross-cultural studies including works by D. McClelland, J. Whiting, R. Bolton, and the author. Finally, a simple set of procedures that accomplishes this objective, yet avoids the pitfalls of both reductionism and reification, is suggested
Elliptic and parabolic systems for neutron fission and diffusion

This paper considers multigroup diffusion equations, describing neutronflux reaction-diffusion inside a nuclear fission reactor. Both steady states and large-time dynamic behavior are studied. The reactor core is represented by a bounded domain 9 in Rd, d3 2. The functions ui(x) or iii(x, t), i= 1 ,...> n, x = (x I,..., x,)E~ are the neutron flux of the ith energy group (decreasing energy for increasing i). T(x) is the core temperature above average coolant temperature. The following system of nonlinear temperature feedback multigroup elliptic diffusion equations will be considered in Section 2: Au,+ 2 H&x, T)rq=O, i = l,..., n, ,=I (1.1) AT-c(x)T+ i G,(x, T)u,=O in 9.
Response of Layer Breeders to Dietary Acetylsalicylic Acid. 2. Effects on Circulating Concentrations of Prostaglandin F2α

Abstract White Leghorn breeder hens were fed 0, .05, or .40% acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) for either 1 wk or 1 mo. Blood samples were collected 4 h postentrance of an egg into the uterus (baseline) and at oviposition of a hard-shelled (HS) egg. Plasma samples were analyzed for prostaglandin (PG) F2α by radioimmunoassay. Peripheral PGF2α concentrations peaked upon oviposition of a HS egg in both ASA-fed hens as well as the controls (0% ASA). The levels of dietary ASA and the duration of time the ASA was administered did not affect baseline or peak PGF2α concentrations. It was concluded that either the timing or route of administration of ASA resulted in the failure of ASA to effectively reduce peak peripheral PGF2α concentrations.
Bistability driven by weakly colored Gaussian noise: The Fokker-Planck boundary layer and mean first-passage times.

We develop a singular perturbation approach to the problem of first-passage times for non-Markovian processes driven by Gaussian colored noise near the white-noise limit. In particular we treat the problem of overdamped tunneling in a bistable quartic potential in the presence of Gaussian noise of short correlation time tau. The correct treatment of the absorbing boundary yields a lowest-order correction proportional to tau/sup 1/2/ with a proportionality constant involving the Milne extrapolation length for the Fokker-Planck equation, given in terms of the Riemann zeta function.
Judicial Consensus and Public Opinion: Conditional Response to Supreme Court Majority Size

Do judicial dissents affect mass politics? The conventional wisdom is that unanimous rulings boost support for Supreme Court decisions, while division fuels popular opposition. However, empirical analysis of public reaction to unanimity and dissent is sparse, incomplete, and inconsistent. Through a series of survey experiments, I expand upon existing research on public opinion of judicial unity. I find that reaction to judicial consensus is dependent on the ideological salience of the issue involved and that, contrary to conventional wisdom and recent findings, dissent can foster acceptance of rulings among the Court’s opponents by suggesting evidence of procedural justice.
Ethical Considerations for Psychologists Screening Applicants for the Priesthood in the Catholic Church: Implications of the Vatican Instruction on Homosexuality

The release of the Vatican instruction on homosexuality in the priesthood and Catholic seminaries poses several challenging ethical issues for the psychologists who conduct psychological screening evaluations for those men interested in religious life as Catholic priests. This brief article reviews some of the key ethical issues associated with these evaluations in light of the new Vatican instruction on homosexuality. The RRICC model based on the American Psychological Association's Code of Ethics (i.e., responsibility, respect, integrity, competence, and concern) is used to highlight some of the ethical challenges for psychologist evaluators.
Remapping China's Regional Inequalities, 1990-2006: A New Assessment of de Facto and de Jure Population Data

Two U.S.-based geographers use the most recent data to explain the complexity of China's provincial de jure and de facto population statistics and their relationship to computed inequality indices of per capita GDP. After reviewing the literature, the paper focuses on trends in regional inequality in China during the 1990s, and contends that the consensus view about the increase of inequality during the late 1990s is based on erroneous interpretation and faulty application of de jure provincial population series, which has resulted in significant overstatement of interprovincial inequality in 2000. The analysis presented in this paper shows that, after a significant rise in the first half of the 1990s, China's regional economic disparities began to level off in the second half of the 1990s and have persisted at about the same level since then. The authors proffer explanations for the stability in regional inequality since 1995, especially stressing the role of long-distance migration. Journal of Economic ...
Projectile n distributions following charge transfer of Ar+ and Na+ in a Na Rydberg target.

The n distributions produced by charge transfer of ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{Na}}^{+}$ ions in a target of Na(nl) Rydberg atoms were extensively measured at intermediate velocities. The 60--2100-eV ions bombarded a laser-excited atomic-beam target. The projectiles were neutralized by capture into Rydberg states of Ar and Na and were analyzed by field ionization in an inhomogeneous-field detector whose response over states and energies was carefully mapped. The choice of initially prepared Na states, 24d, 25s, 28d, 29s, 33d, and 34s, allowed a comparison of l=0 and \ensuremath{\ge}2 targets at nearly equal binding energies over a range of reduced velocity v\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}=0.187 to 1.95. Capture populates m sublevels broadly, not merely m\ensuremath{\approxeq}0. Overlapping contributions from adiabatic and diabatic modes of field ionization were accommodated in the analysis, which used a maximum-entropy-principle parametric form to fit the observed final-state distributions. The peak of the distributions, ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathrm{max}}$, shifts upward from a value less than the initial state ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{i}}$ to a value one to three units higher than ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{i}}$ at v\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{} between 0.7 and 0.9 and ultimately shifts downward below ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{i}}$ as v\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{} is further increased. The distributions become significantly sharper where the maximum upward shift occurs. Two ratios were defined to express the widths of final-state distributions in relative terms, one measuring the spread of orbital kinetic energy and the other the spread of Bohr-orbit velocity. By these ratios a universal behavior over energies, states, and projectile species is observed, and small differences between l=0 and \ensuremath{\ge}2 targets may be seen. A theoretical understanding of the present results, which span velocities where both molecular and perturbative theories are normally used, will require a quantal formulation that models the free-ranging response that is a hallmark of the high-quantum-number limit.
Temporal characterization of growth of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) larvae during sublethal hydrogen cyanide exposure.

Abstract 1. 1. Growth of fathead minnow yolk sac larvae was characterized from changes in dry weight and total content and concentrations of RNA, DNA and protein in fish exposed to a sublethal level of HCN (58 μg/l) and in age matched controls. 2. 2. Cyanide toxicosis occurred within 24 hr of exposure as evidenced by significant reductions in protein and RNA content and RNA/DNA ratio of larvae. 3. 3. After 96 hr exposure to HCN, larvae exhibited the same growth rate and protein synthetic rate (RNA/DNA) as control fish. 4. 4. HCN toxicosis and recovery is rapid and at least partial tolerance to HCN develops within 96 hr of exposure in larval fathead minnows.
Characterization of 17 new cases of X-linked chronic granulomatous disease with seven novel mutations in the CYBB gene

Objective Molecular identification and clinical characterization of genetic mutations in patients with X-linked chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). Patients and Methods Genomic DNA from 17 male patients with proven X-linked CGD based on clinical history, clinical examination, and specific granulocyte function tests were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for sequences of the CYBB gene encoding gp91-phox. Mutations in the resulting PCR products were identified by DNA sequencing. Results Sequence analysis revealed four deletions (453_454delAG; 802delC; 962delG; 993delG), one combined deletion/insertion/duplication [156_173delTCAGCACTGGCACTGGCC/174_175insT/175_176insCCTGCCTGAATTTCT(dupl187_200)]; one insertion (574_575insCCTCAT), four nonsense mutations (332G>A; 402C>T; 690C>T; 1340C>G), two missense mutations (933A>C; 1041A>C) and four potential splice-site mutations (5'intron1 gt→at; 3'intron1ag→at; 5'intron3 gtaag→gtaaa; 5'intron4 gtaa→ctaa). Seven of these mutations were indeed novel, whereas four mutations not previously reported to the X-CGDbase were found to be of the same type as database reports of unrelated families. The six remaining mutations have been reported previously to the X-CGDbase but have as yet not been described in detail. Conclusion Our findings underline the great heterogeneity of mutations involving the CYBB gene. Neither a mutational hot spot in the gp91-phox gene nor a clear correlation between molecular defect and clinical manifestation in unrelated families could be demonstrated. Remarkable is a splice-site mutation (5'intron3 gtaag→gtaaa) identified in a 40-year-old patient with late onset "adult" CGD and residual nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate reduced oxidase activity. The enormous delay of clinical symptoms of this particular mutation could be explained by an age-related variable sensitivity of the splicing machinery to the present splice-site mutation.
Sensitive radioimmunoassay for digoxin in plasma and urine

A reproducible and sensitive radioimmunoassay for digoxin in either serum, plasma or urine is described. Using 0.5 ml of serum or plasma, the assay sensitivity is 0.05 ng of digoxin/ml. The antiserum and tracer solutions employed are available in a kit sold in the United States. All other reagents were prepared in the laboratory. The assay allows measurement of digoxin in plasma or serum for 96 hours after single 0.5 mg doses of digoxin; this is necessary in human bioavailability studies to accurately estimate the total area under the digoxin concentration, time curve from zero to infinite time. In contrast, with the kit assay, employing 0.2 ml of plasma or serum, it has been reported that the 12 hr serum digoxin levels, after single 0.5 mg doses, are, in most subjects, below the sensitivity limit (about 0.5 ng/ml) of the assay.
Tailored sequence design for third-order Volterra model identification

In this work, the problem of identifying third-order Volterra models from process input-output data is considered. As a metric of model fidelity, the prediction error variance expression is employed. Tailored input sequences are designed to estimate the linear, nonlinear diagonal, and subdiagonal kernels for the third-order Volterra model. Random binary signals (RBS) are used to estimate the second- and third-order off-diagonal kernels. These input sequences are plant-friendly, and they are designed to take advantage of the Volterra model structure. For comparison, Volterra kernels are identified using a cross-correlation approach. A mildly nonlinear system, which has been previously employed, serves as the simulation case study (Congalidis et al. AIChE J. 1989, 35, 891; and Parker et al. J. Process Control 2001, 11, 237). On the basis of both static and dynamic analyses, the tailored identification algorithm estimates kernels that capture the nonlinear system behavior. Furthermore, the estimates from this algorithm are superior to, and require less data than, estimates using the cross-correlation technique.
Assessing the Child's Cognitive Home Environment Through Parental Report; Reliability and Validity

In a series of investigations with poor minority families, we examined the reliability and validity of the StimQ, an office-based interview of children's cognitive home environment. Researchers and practitioners alike recognize the importance of assessing meaningful dimensions of children's early experiences, particularly in families where children may be at risk for later cognitive delay. To date, methodological approaches to the study of parenting have most often relied on home visits and/or labour-intensive observations and coding. Our findings suggest that valid and reliable data about the cognitive environments of poor children can be obtained through maternal report, thereby offering applied scientists a useful alternative to assessing children's early experiences. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Schizophrenia and epilepsy: Is there a shared susceptibility?

Individuals with epilepsy are at increased risk of having psychotic symptoms that resemble those of schizophrenia. More controversial and less searched is if schizophrenia is a risk factor for epilepsy. Here we review overlapping epidemiological, clinical, neuropathological and neuroimaging features of these two diseases. We discuss the role of temporal and other brain areas in the development of schizophrenia-like psychosis of epilepsy. We underline the importance of ventricular enlargement in both conditions as a phenotypic manifestation of a shared biologic liability that might relate to abnormalities in neurodevelopment. We suggest that genes implicated in neurodevelopment may play a common role in both conditions and speculate that recently identified causative genes for partial complex seizures with auditory features might help explain the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. These particularly include the leucine-rich glioma inactivated (LGI) family gene loci overlap with genes of interest for psychiatric diseases like schizophrenia. Finally, we conclude that LGI genes associated with partial epilepsy with auditory features might also represent genes of interest for schizophrenia, especially among patients with prominent auditory hallucinations and formal thought disorder.
RNA structure: Riboswitch strikes a chord

Purine riboswitches have served as models for riboswitch structure, dynamics, evolution and engineering. New crystallographic models reveal the adaptability of a purine riboswitch evolved to bind 2′-deoxyguanosine and highlight challenges inherent to riboswitch engineering.
A globally convergent algorithm for facility location on a sphere

Abstract In this paper, we study the problem of facility location on a sphere. This is a generalization of the planar Euclidean facility location problem. This problem was first studied by Katz and Cooper and by Drezner and Wesolowsky where Weiszfeld-like algorithms were proposed. However, convergence has never been proved. In this paper, we first prove a hull property of the problem, i.e., every global minimizer is in the spherical convex hull of the existing facilities. We then study the relationship between the spherical facility location problem and a planar Euclidean facility location problem corresponding to each approximate solution to the spherical facility location problem. Optimality conditions for the spherical facility location problem are established in terms of optimality conditions for the corresponding planar Euclidean facility location problem and a gradient algorithm is proposed to solve the spherical facility location problem. We prove that our algorithm always converges to a global minimizer of the spherical facility location problem. Computational results are also given.
Responsive Polymer‐Protein Bioconjugates Prepared by RAFT Polymerization and Copper‐Catalyzed Azide‐Alkyne Click Chemistry

Responsive polymer-protein conjugates were synthesized by combination of reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and a grafting-to approach by a highly efficient “click chemistry” strategy. A model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), was functionalized with an alkyne moiety by reaction of its free cysteine residue with propargyl maleimide. Azido-terminated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM-N3) was prepared via RAFT, and polymer-protein coupling was accomplished by copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition. In aqueous solution, the conjugates were observed by dynamic light scattering to be larger than the free polymer or the unmodified protein. Upon heating above the PNIPAM lower critical solution temperature (LCST), the PNIPAM-BSA bioconjugates formed stable nanoparticles composed of dehydrated polymer and hydrophilic protein.
Enzymatic degradation of poly(ether urethane) and poly(carbonate urethane) by cholesterol esterase

Abstract This study examined the effect of cholesterol esterase (CE) on the degradation of commercial poly(ether urethane) (PEU) and poly(carbonate urethane) (PCU). Unstrained PEU and PCU films were incubated in 400 U/mL CE solution or a buffer control for 36 days. The study used a concentration of cholesterol esterase that was considerably higher than the estimated physiological level in order to accelerate degradation. However, characterization of treated polyurethane films with SEM, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and GPC analysis revealed only a small loss in surface soft segment content. Comparison with implanted PEU and PCU films led to the conclusion that any effect of enzymatic hydrolysis was confined to the immediate surface, and the magnitude of the effect was too small to contribute significantly to in vivo degradation. The study confirmed that oxidation, rather than enzymatic hydrolysis, is the primary mechanism responsible for the observed biodegradation of PEU and PCU. The oxidative H 2 O 2 /CoCl 2 treatment continues to accurately predict the long-term biostability of polyurethanes.
Funding opportunities in computer science education at the national science foundation

We are actively seeking to increase both the number and competitiveness of proposals to NSF's Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) program. Funding for computer science education programs at NSF responds directly to the total proposal pressure, so increasing both the number of proposals and the competitiveness of those proposals increases the amount of funding NSF targets for computer science education.
Direct action of d-lysergic acid diethylamide on dispersed mucosal cells from guinea pig stomach☆

In dispersed mucosal cells from guinea pig stomach, D-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) was a partial agonist with respect to histamine. LSD, like histamine, inhibited [3H]histamine binding and increased both cellular cyclic AMP and [14C]aminopyrine uptake by interacting with histamine H2-receptors on parietal cells. These processes were blocked by both histamine H1- and H2-antagonists and, thus, provide evidence that histamine H2-receptors on guinea pig parietal cells resemble those in brain tissue in that they interact with LSD as well as with both classes of histamine antagonists.