cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Standing, Injury in Fact, and Private Rights

Under current law, a plaintiff has standing to bring suit only if he alleges that he suffered an injury in fact. The Supreme Court has said that this factual injury requirement is necessary to preserve the separation of powers by limiting courts to their historical function of resolving only the rights of individuals. But, despite this stated purpose, the Court has required a showing of injury in fact in actions where a plaintiff alleges the violation of a private right. This Article argues that the injury in fact requirement is superfluous in such actions. Yet the Court has not distinguished such cases, and has in fact denied standing in cases alleging the violation of private rights. As the Article shows, requiring a showing of factual injury in private rights cases is ahistorical and actually undermines the separation of powers by preventing the courts from guarding rights and by limiting Congress's power to create rights.
Monetary Transmission and the Search for Liquidity

This paper evaluates the implications of search and matching frictions in the financial market for the transmission of monetary policy. Borrowers and lenders participate in a decentralized loan market for the purpose of establishing long-term credit relationships and the provision of loanable funds to productive firms. Locating credit relationships is costly in terms of time and real resources and the interest rate is negotiated via a bargaining mechanism. This structure is incorporated into an otherwise standard monetary business cycle framework and used to study how such frictions in the credit market contribute to explaining the contemporaneous impact and propagation of monetary growth shocks and inflation. It is found that while anticipated inflation negatively impacts real activity it can also increase loan market participation and the inflow of newly established credit relationships. It is shown that while bargaining and costly search mitigate the traditional inflation tax effect of monetary injections, the existence of long term lending relations tend to dampen the immediate liquidity effects. The model also indicates that there may not necessarily exist a negative correlation between credit market tightness and aggregate activity. Furthermore, search frictions provide a potentially important mechanism for explaining the persistence of monetary shocks, an issue that has been problematic in limited participation models of the transmission mechanism.
Multiple purpose forests and the national forest system

The history of the legislative basis for managing National Forests in the USA has led to forests managed for multiple uses for a wide diversity of users and interests. Evolution of emphasis on National Forests from mandates to “preserve and protect” and provide “a continuous supply of timber” to concerns about owls, ecosystem management and contemporary rural development have included changes in on-the-ground forest management. All of these phases include needs for planted forests established and maintained for multiple purposes and benefits.
REM and NREM sleep mentation.

Abstract We review the literature on the neurobiology of rapid eye movement (REM) and non–rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep states and associated dreams. REM is associated with enhanced activation of limbic and amygdalar networks and decreased activation in dorsal prefrontal regions while stage II NREM is associated with greater cortical activation than REM. Not surprisingly, these disparate brain activation patterns tend to be associated with dramatically different dream phenomenologies and dream content. We present two recent studies which content-analyzed hundreds of dream reports from REM and NREM sleep states. These studies demonstrated that dreamer-initiated aggressive social interactions were more characteristic of REM than NREM, and dreamer-initiated friendliness was more characteristic of NREM than REM reports. Both REM and NREM dreams therefore may function to simulate opposing types of social interactions, with the REM state specializing in simulation of aggressive interactions and the NREM state specializing in simulation of friendly interactions. We close our review with a summary of evidence that dream content variables significantly predict daytime mood and social interactions.
Capacitive coupling through a hydrodynamic journal bearing to power rotating electrical loads without contact

A capacitive power coupler has been devised using a hydrodynamic journal bearing assembly that facilitates sufficient coupling for kilowatt-scale non-contact power transfer to a rotating load. The capacitive coupler, combined with associated driving circuitry, is an efficient low maintenance solution for powering a variety of rotating or pivoting electrical loads in machines and automation. A hydrodynamic journal bearing capacitor assembly utilizing an ultra-thin cushion of lubricant as dielectric between concentric capacitor electrodes is presented. Hydrodynamic operation ensures high coupling capacitance, ease of manufacturability and eliminates brush and slip ring maintenance. The system's small size, weight, and simplicity are competitive with contemporary inductive wireless power transfer methods in this small gap application. Experimental results for a ~5nF prototype coupler operating at 840 kHz are presented.
Theory of Rayleigh Wave Scattering by Mass Defects and Surface Roughness

In the presence of a mass defect situated at the point \({\vec X_0}\) = (0,0,x03) in a semi-infinite, isotropic, elastic medium occupying the half-space x3 > 0, the equations of motion of the medium can be written in the form $$\rho \sum\limits_\mu {{L_{\alpha \mu }}\left( {\vec X, t} \right){u_\mu }} = \Delta m\delta \left( {\vec X - {{\vec X}_0}} \right) \left( {{\partial ^2}/\partial {t^2}} \right){\mu _\alpha }$$ (1) where u α ( \(\vec X\), t) is the α Cartesian component of the displacement field at the point \(\vec X\) at the time t, ρ is the mass density of the medium, Δ m is the increase in the mass of the medium due to the introduction of the defect, and L α μ (\(\vec X\), t) is a second-order dif-ferential operator involving the estic moduli which have a step-function behavior at the surface.
RNA Distribution During Flock House Virus Infection

The mechanisms involved in the specific packaging of multipartite genomes by (+) RNA viruses remain poorly understood. In order to gain insight into the location of genomic RNA encapsidation, we employed fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to visualize the sub-cellular distribution of (+) vRNA in cells infected with the model nodavirus, Flock House virus (FHV). During FHV assembly, genomic RNAs 1 and 2 are encapsidated into a T = 3 icosahedral capsid. Previously it has been shown that while vRNA replication and CP synthesis are initially targeted to different cellular locations (mitochondria and ER, respectively), these regions converge into perinuclear clusters late in infection. Our analysis of the cellular distribution of FHV RNA during infection, however, suggests that the vast majority of (+) RNA is trafficked towards the periphery of the cell relatively early during the infectious cycle (within 3 hours post infection) and does not relocate to the perinuclear region during mitochondrial condens...
Abstract Computer Models: Towards a New Method for Theorizing About Adaptive Agents

After a brief flourish in the decade 1979-1989, the study of learning has once again stalled. The main method for theorizing about learning-symbolic computer simulation-is plagued by serious difficulties. Abstract computer models, i. e., models that capture the structural features of cognitive processes while ignoring their content, overcome those difficulties. An example of abstract modeling is discussed and a research agenda outlined.
Segmented filamentous bacteria induce systemic IgA responses to commensal bacteria (MUC4P.854)

IgA is a component of the mucosal barrier surface and plays an important part in maintaining separation between the host and the commensal microbiota. Mucosal IgA responses are considered short-lived and restricted to mucosal sites with no systemic dissemination. However, there is little known about the regulation and maintenance of IgA secreting plasma cells (PCs) and how they compare to bone marrow PCs. Interestingly, we find that IgA secreting PCs make up a large proportion of the bone marrow PC pool in mice colonized with segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB), but not in germ-free or conventional SFB free mice. The increase in IgA PCs in the bone marrow correlates with a large increase in serum IgA. The co-housing of SFB free mice with SFB colonized mice results in significantly increased levels of IgA in the serum and higher numbers of IgA+ PCs in the bone marrow. This process is dependent upon T cells, because SFB colonized TCRβ -/- δ -/- mice have similar levels of IgA bone marrow PCs as wild-type SFB free mice. The SFB associated increase of IgA antibody titers coincides with the ability to detect commensal bacteria specific IgA in the serum. These data suggest that the induction of systemic IgA is influenced by the composition of the commensal microbiota. These results highlight the need for greater understanding of the role commensal bacteria play in systemic immunity, which could impact oral vaccine development and autoimmunity.
On the unimpairable resistance of the guinea pig to dietary amino azo dye hepatocarcinogenesis.

The resistance of the guinea pig to carcinogenesis by 3′-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene fed at the level of 0.12% for a total of 8 months is not overcome by the potent cocarcinogenic influence of partial hepatectomy performed at 4 weeks.
A semiconducting liquid crystalline block copolymer containing regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) and nematic poly(n-hexyl isocyanate) and its application in bulk heterojunction solar cells

A liquid crystalline diblock copolymer containing regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and poly(n-hexyl isocyanate) (PHIC) was synthesized by the combination of Grignard metathesis polymerization (GRIM) and titanium mediated coordination polymerization methods. The poly(3-hexylthiophene)-b-poly(n-hexyl isocyanate) (P3HT-b-PHIC) diblock copolymer used in this study contained ∼10 mol% of P3HT and ∼90 mol% of PHIC. The diblock copolymer displayed solvatochromism in THF–water and THF–methanol mixtures. The field-effect mobilities of the synthesized block copolymer were measured in bottom gate-bottom contact organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). The surface morphology of the polymer thin film was investigated in the channel region of the OFET devices by tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TMAFM). The diblock copolymer displayed nanostructured morphology in thin film and had good mobility despite the low content of the semiconducting P3HT block. The diblock copolymer was also used as an additive to improve the performance of P3HT/PCBM bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. Liquid crystalline characteristics of the diblock copolymer were examined by cross-polarizing microscopy and X-ray diffraction.
pHMA, a pH‐sensitive GFP reporter for cell engulfment, in Drosophila embryos, tissues, and cells

Engulfment of apoptotic cells by phagocytosis ensures the removal of unwanted and defective cells. We developed a genetically encoded marker for cell engulfment, pHMA, which consists of the pH-Sensitive derivative of GFP, pHluorin, fused to the actin-binding domain of Moesin. In healthy cells of Drosophila embryos and cultured cells, pHMA resides at the cell cortex. In dying cells, pHMA loses its cortical localization and reports a modest decrease in pH. In embryos, the dying cells lose their apical contacts, then move basally and are ultimately engulfed by neighboring cells or macrophages. The cell corpse material is strongly acidified soon after engulfment and persists in the phagocytic cell for several hours. Changes in the pHMA signal correlate well with increases or decreases in apoptosis. These data show that pHMA is a useful reporter for cell engulfment and can be used in screening for mutations that affect cell engulfment.
Learner Perceptions of Scaffolding in Supporting Critical Thinking

Scaffolding has proven an especially interesting and promising area for postsecondary teaching and learning practices. Particular interest has emerged in scaffolding student learning in technology-enhanced environments—especially those designed to promote critical thinking. This study examined participant perceptions and use of scaffolding in an online course focused on facilitating the development of critical thinking in instructional design. Findings indicated that use of scaffolding evolved from externally directed to internally relevant assimilation. The realization of personal utility emerged as the most prominent trigger for both improved learner perceptions and scaffolding use. Research and practical implications for the design of scaffolding are provided.
Changing trends in phthalate exposures: Zota and Woodruff respond.

We appreciate Lioy et al.’s interest in our recent article (Zota et al. 2014) documenting temporal trends in phthalate exposures in the U.S. general population. Lioy et al. raise important points about the future implications of our findings. We agree that the downward trend in exposures to phthalates such as di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is encouraging, but the rising trend in other phthalates, such as diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP) and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP), is worrisome. Lioy et al. note that DiNP is less potent as an antiandrogen than the other phthalates. However, its increasing presence in the U.S. general population warrants public health concern: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has expressed concern about DiNP’s use [Phthalates Action Plan (U.S. EPA 2012)]; DiNP was added to California’s Proposition 65 List of Potential Carcinogens in 2013 (California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment 2014); and it can act cumulatively with other phthalates to affect male reproductive end points (National Research Council 2008). Given the toxicological evidence of potential harm, further study on its adverse health effects in epidemiologic studies is warranted. Lioy et al. also comment on the importance of studying phthalate substitutes. We agree that it is important for NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) and other large environmental health studies to evaluate the presence of potential “substitute” chemicals not only of phthalates but also of other environmental chemicals to provide the best human exposure information. In fact, for the most recent NHANES survey (2011–2012), scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are beginning to release population-level data for the urinary metabolite of 1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester (DINCH), a nonphthalate plasticizer that is used as a replacement for some of the high-molecular-weight phthalates (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2013). Indeed, biomonitoring data are extremely valuable for understanding population exposures to high production volume chemicals and helping to prioritize chemicals of concern. However, NHANES records only the actions of the past. To fully characterize public health risks of chemicals and develop effective exposure-reduction strategies, we need greater disclosure from manufacturers on chemical ingredients in consumer and other products; more complete data from the U.S. EPA on chemical production and use; and data to evaluate potential health hazards from these chemicals. With this information, we can make informed decisions about the use of chemicals in the market place, limit those that pose a risk to the population, and improve the public’s health.
A Completely Digital On-Chip Circuit for Local-Random-Variability Measurement

This paper presents a completely on-chip digital circuit to measure local threshold-voltage variation using an array of identical devices under test (DUTs) stacked with a single reference device. This technique detects on-chip variation of single devices, rather than matched device pairs or SRAM cells. The variation in Vt of the DUTs is detected as variation in frequency, measured by on-chip counters, resulting in a simple digital measurement. The circuit is implemented in NMOS and PMOS versions. The standard deviation of local threshold variation measured on a chip-to-chip basis on a full wafer. The results indicate that the test-structure estimates local random mismatch in MOS current (and threshold voltage) with a small time and complexity, and thus enable technology optimization and yield improvement.
Common, Specific, and Treatment Fit Variables in Psychotherapy Outcome

The relative effects of and the relationship among specific interventions and nonspecific/relationship factors to improving treatment outcome have long been a source of debate among psychotherapists and outcome researchers. This study, the third in a series of analyses on a large, combined data set, tests the relative importance of two sets of “common factors” and two sets of “specific factors” that previous analyses have determined to be related to good treatment outcomes. Common factors included the therapeutic alliance and four patient factors. Specific factors included four dimensions of psychotherapy and four estimates of the fit between the characteristics of the patient and treatment factors. Patient, treatment, and treatment fit variables were assessed for their relative impact on both distal outcomes and proximal/ alliance factors to obtain an estimate of the causal chain that exists among relationship and treatment factors. The results indicated that patient, therapy, and matching patterns were significantly associated both with the
Comparisons of RNA populations from the breast muscle of normal and dystrophic chickens.

Abstract RNA isolated from 3 day old normal and dystrophic chickens showed no qualitative or relative quantitative differences, when compared by oligo-dT-cellulose chromatography and sedimentation analysis. These two RNA populations were similar even though the RNase activity was double normal values in muscle homogenates from dystrophic animals. Measurements of the Mn 2+ and Mg 2+ RNA polymerase activities were made in isolated nuclei from both normal and dystrophic chickens. Measurements made at short time periods showed no difference in the activity between diseased and control animals, while measurements at incubation times of 5 min or greater showed a preferential decrease of approximately 55% in the Mn 2+ RNA polymerase activity of the nuclei from dystrophic chickens. These results explain differences in previous experiments; we now conclude that there are no significant differences in the RNA polymerase activities of normal and dystrophic chicken muscle.
The Likelihood of Higher-Education Reform

Allan Bloom’s The Closing of the American Mind (1987) and Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa’s Academically Adrift (2011) stand as bookends. Between them rests a generation of college graduates. Together, they chronicle the crisis in higher education. This paper argues: (1) Adrift’s employment of the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) may serve in part to corroborate Bloom’s contention that popularized moral and cultural relativism have devitalized the love of learning. Students stripped in such fashion might be expected to show little increase in the general collegiate skills that the CLA measures and on which basis Adrift critiques higher education. (2) Adrift may be taken to support Bloom’s case that the higher-education reform that matters most is restoring a required core curriculum consisting of common courses in the sciences and liberal arts. The paper concludes with some reflections on the limits and possibilities of the reforms pointed to by the two books.
Postcards from the Borderlands: Building a Career from the Outside/Within

Our role in this special edition is not to discuss each of the papers. Instead we have been asked to write a self-reflective article about our own academic careers. Kecia Thomas and Karen Proudford asked us to share our experiences as foremothers. As the editors of this special issue, they represent the second significant cohort of Black women to enter the field of organization studies. We are two Black women along with a handful of others who represent the first cohort to break into the exceptionally White male dominated world of the managerial sciences. Until we sat down to write this article, we had not thought of ourselves as foremothers for several reasons. We consider ourselves to be relatively young scholars, although this may be our denial related to growing older. Stella completed her doctoral degree 15 years ago, and Ella completed her degree 11 years ago. In our minds, we are just reaching the middle stage of our academic careers. Looking ahead we see ourselves being active for at least another decade or so in academic life. Perhaps another underlying reason for not seeing ourselves as foremothers is the feeling we are still in the midst of building our careers. We continue to struggle. Thriving in the academy has not been a simple endeavor. We were two Black women concentrating our research in the area of women in management, a speciality area of the managerial sciences not considered by many of our White male colleagues to be mainstream. Within this marginal speciality, we were determined to carve out a niche and
Investigation of the gas-transport properties of polyaniline

Investigations of the rate and selectivity of gas transport in the electronically conductive polymer polyaniline are described. Both rate and selectivity were found to be dependent on the doping level. Permeability coefficients for all gases studied decreased with increasing doping level, and selectivity coefficients, in general, increased with doping level. The effects of other variables, including the nature of the counterion, temperature and duration of thermal processing of the film, were also explored. Both free-standing polyaniline films (≈25-μm thick) and thin film composite membranes based on polyaniline were studied. The thin film composites were prepared by coating the polyaniline film (≈3-μm thick) onto the surface of a microporous alumina support membrane. The free-standing and thin film composite membranes showed identical rates and selectivities of gas transport. The highest O2/N2 and CO2/CH4 selectivity coefficients obtained were αO2/N2=15 and αCO2/CH4=55, respectively.
Advanced engineering tools for protective relay engineers

Power industry deregulation trends and the proliferation of digital electronic devices are deeply affecting operations of power utility companies. Engineering departments, in particular, must deal with increasing complexity of existing applications as well as with emergence of new applications. Such an environment creates many new challenges for protection system engineers. The use of new business model, deployment of microprocessor relays, proliferation of intelligent devices, higher emphasis on power quality and shortage of personnel are among the main ones. As a result, engineers increasingly must rely on use of advanced engineering tools to perform their daily tasks. This paper describes several such tools developed at Texas A&M University's Power System Control and Protection Laboratory.
Platelet Dysfunction in Intraparenchymal Hemorrhage

To the Editor: The Cerebral Hematoma And NXY Treatment (CHANT) investigators found no association between the use of antiplatelet therapy (APT) and intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IPH) volume, growth, or outcome. In the paper and accompanying editorial, authors concluded that acute reversal of antiplatelet medications was not justified.1,2⇓ The literature on the topic yields conflicting results with some papers3–6⇓⇓⇓ supporting an association between APT and outcome from IPH and others not.1,7–9⇓ …
Psychosocial resources, threat, and the perception of distance and height: Support for the resources and perception model.

Threatening things are often perceptually exaggerated, such that they appear higher, closer, of greater duration, or more intense than they actually are. According to the Resources and Perception Model (RPM) psychosocial resources can prevent this exaggeration, leading to more accurate perception. Two studies tested RPM. Study 1 showed that the perceived closeness of a threatening object (a live tarantula) but not an innocuous object (a cat toy) was moderated by induced self-worth. Further, the more self-worth that participants experienced, the less close the tarantula appeared to them. Study 2 showed that greater levels of self-esteem reduced perceived height, but only among participants prevented from holding a protective handrail while looking down. Together, these studies confirm that resources moderate the physical perception of both distance and height, that resources moderate perception of threats but not nonthreats, that different resources have similar moderating effects, and that psychosocial resources can supplant physical resources.
The activities of NADP transhydrogenase and cytochrome c reductases in developing chick embryos, especially at hatching.

Dans les muscles pectoraux et cardiaque de l'embryon de poulet, une relation reciproque persiste entre transhydrogenase NADP et cytochrome c reductase NADPH2, surtout a la periode qui precede immediatement l'eclosion. Cette relation exprime vraisemblablement l'accomplissement d'une plus grande demande d'energie.
Hash-based labeling techniques for storage scaling

Scalable storage architectures allow for the addition or removal of storage devices to increase storage capacity and bandwidth or retire older devices. Assuming random placement of data objects across multiple storage devices of a storage pool, our optimization objective is to redistribute a minimum number of objects after scaling the pool. In addition, a uniform distribution, and hence a balanced load, should be ensured after redistribution. Moreover, the redistributed objects should be retrieved efficiently during the normal mode of operation: in one I/O access and with low complexity computation. To achieve this, we propose an algorithm called random disk labeling (RDL), based on double hashing, where storage can be added or removed without any increase in complexity. We compare RDL with other proposed techniques and demonstrate its effectiveness through experimentation.
Mental contamination and scrupulosity: Evidence of unique associations among Catholics and Protestants

Abstract Mental contamination refers to an internal sense of dirtiness and research supports its relevance to obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Scrupulosity is a moral/religious subtype of OCD and yet no known published study has examined an association between mental contamination and scrupulosity. The present study sought to fill this gap in the literature using a sample of self-identifying Catholic ( n =102) and Protestant ( n =128) community adults. Mental contamination shared a strong association with scrupulosity in the present study and this association was unaccounted for by overestimation of threat, responsibility, importance/control of thoughts, perfection/certainty, thought-action fusion, contact contamination, religiosity, or negative affect. In fact, mental contamination was the only targeted variable that shared a unique association with scrupulosity across all analyses. A nearly identical pattern of results emerged among Catholic and Protestant respondents. Implications of incorporating mental contamination into existing conceptualizations and treatments of scrupulosity are discussed.
Geomorphic processes and remote sensing signatures of alluvial fans in the Kun Lun Mountains, China

The timing of alluvial deposition in arid and semiarid areas is tied to land-surface instability caused by regional climate changes. The distribution pattern of dated deposits provides maps of regional land-surface response to past climate change. Sensitivity to differences in surface roughness and composition makes remote sensing techniques useful for regional mapping of alluvial deposits. Radar images from the Spaceborne Radar Laboratory and visible wavelength images from the French SPOT satellite were used to determine remote sensing signatures of alluvial fan units for an area in the Kun Lun Mountains of northwestern China. These data were combined with field observations to compare surface processes and their effects on remote sensing signatures in northwestern China and the southwestern United States. Geomorphic processes affecting alluvial fans in the two areas include aeolian deposition, desert varnish, and fluvial dissection. However, salt weathering is a much more important process in the Kun Lun than in the southwestern United States. This slows the formation of desert varnish and prevents desert pavement from forming. Thus the Kun Lun signatures are characteristic of the dominance of salt weathering, while signatures from the southwestern United States are characteristic of the dominance of desert varnish and pavement processes. Remote sensing signatures are consistent enough in these two regions to be used for mapping fan units over large areas.
X-Ray Lithography: Fabrication Of Masks And Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) Devices

Recent advances in x-ray lithography show that accurate, low defect replication of submicron features is becoming a reality. However, before x-ray lithography can be implemented in production several difficult issues must be resolved. In particular, x-ray masks must be fabricated on thin membranes with low defect density and high dimensional stability. The Intel Magnetics one megabit bubble memory is an ideal initial evaluation device because of the high resolution required (1.2 μm minimum feature size) together with its defect and alignment tolerance. Data is presented on one megabit bubble memories fabricated with the trilevel resist scheme using the commercially available resist Sel-N, Type A (exposure time is typically 2 minutes with the Perkin-Elmer 10kW tungsten x-ray exposure system). Distortion and defect data is presented showing our learning experience in fabricating x-ray masks with MEBES. Masks with sufficient stability to start LSI silicon device evaluation have been available for more than a year, masks with sufficiently low defect density to start evaluation of such devices are projected to be available in 1982. Radiation sensitive LSI devices have been exposed to lithographic levels of x-ray flux while undergoing otherwise conventional fabrication. Test data showing no performance degradation in these devices is reviewed.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
THE RHESUS GENE AND THE EFFECT OF CONSANGUINITY

It is pointed out that consanguinity among the parents of children affected by erythroblastosis foetalis should be less than in the general population, unless other loci than the R locus are involved in the disease.
Enhancement of Dimensional Stability of Rigid PVC Foams Using E-Glass Fibers

Short cut E-glass fibers of two different lengths were used to determine the effect of glass fiber length on the dimensional stability of rigid Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) foam in this study. Glass fibers measuring, 1/16" and 1/32" at different concentrations (0 wt% - 20 wt%) were used to reinforce rigid PVC foams; the PVC foam-glass fiber (PVC-GF) composites were extruded using a single screw profile extruder. The extruded PVC-GF composites were characterized for their dimensional stability, structural, thermal, and mechanical properties. Experimental results show that the dimensional stability, heat resistance, and storage modulus were enhanced without compromising the tensile and flexural strengths of the composites. Thermal shrinkage decreased by almost 55% in composites reinforced with 1/32" GF and by 60% in composites reinforced with 1/16" GFs, with visible improvements to the shape distortion. Overall, foam composites which were prepared with longer (1/16") glass fibers exhibited better mechanical and thermal properties than those prepared with shorter (1/32") glass fibers. Microstructural observations suggest that this is due to better interlocking between the long fibers and the foam cells, which result in better load distribution in the matrix.
Prevention of Alcoholism — A Teaching Strategy:

Reports of teenage drinking patterns and incidence of alcoholism generally could lead to the conclusion that school and community education programs have not been successful. A part of that apparen...
Continuous-infusion fluorodeoxyuridine with leucovorin and high-dose interferon: a phase II study in metastatic renal-cell cancer.

A total of 25 patients with metastatic renal cancer were treated on a phase II protocol with 5 days of continuous-infusion fluorodeoxyuridine (FUDR), (0.1 mg/kg daily) together with high-dose oral leucovorin (100 mg 4 h) and daily x 6 high-dose interferon-α2b (30×106 IU/m2). Despite the good performance status of the patients and the inclusion of 14 previously untreated patients in the cohort, no response was observed among the 20 evaluable patients. Toxicities included high fever, moderate anemia, transient leukopenia, transient and mild elevations of transaminases, and moderate to severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and mucositis. There were also two episodes each of confusion, fluid retention, and pancreatitis and one episode of increased creatinine levels. During the study three deaths occurred, two of which were possibly therapy-related. Despite previous reports of activity of FUDR in metastatic renal cancer, the present regimen cannot be recommended.
Investigating the biological and clinical significance of human dysbioses

Culture-independent microbiological technologies that interrogate complex microbial populations without prior axenic culture, coupled with high-throughput DNA sequencing, have revolutionized the scale, speed and economics of microbial ecological studies. Their application to the medical realm has led to a highly productive merger of clinical, experimental and environmental microbiology. The functional roles played by members of the human microbiota are being actively explored through experimental manipulation of animal model systems and studies of human populations. In concert, these studies have appreciably expanded our understanding of the composition and dynamics of human-associated microbial communities (microbiota). Of note, several human diseases have been linked to alterations in the composition of resident microbial communities, so-called dysbiosis. However, how changes in microbial communities contribute to disease etiology remains poorly defined. Correlation of microbial composition represents integration of only two datasets (phenotype and microbial composition). This article explores strategies for merging the human microbiome data with multiple additional datasets (e.g. host single nucleotide polymorphisms and host gene expression) and for integrating patient-based data with results from experimental animal models to gain deeper understanding of how host–microbe interactions impact disease.
Structural adjustment and family policy in Africa: Lessons from Sudan

The economic strategy pursued by a country profoundly influences the well-being of families. This article uses a social accounting model of the Sudanese economy to compare the effects of two alternative development strategies on growth, employment, and income distribution. The first strategy considered is a conventional growth-oriented strategy emphasizing irrigated, export-oriented agriculture and modern, capital-intensive industry; the second one is a traditional agriculture-led development (TALD) strategy focused on enhancing equity and improving family nutrition by expanding food production. The study's findings for Sudan demonstrate that there is no necessary trade-off between growth and equity. The TALD strategy fosters income growth for the most vulnerable families while simultaneously maximizing aggregate growth. It also holds the prospect of enhancing family equity and increasing access to traditional institutions that provide support to families.
Social organization of captive black howler monkeys ( Alouatta caraya ): “Social competition” and the use of non-damaging behavior

This paper assesses non-damaging social behaviors as tactics of interindividual competition by a descriptive analysis of dominance, copulation, grooming and play in a captive group of black howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya). The social behavior of this species has not previously been documented in the literature, and it is reported that rank is negatively related to age for adult females, similar to other species ofAlouatta. The significance of non-damaging social behavior to howler monkeys may relate to their folivorous habits and consequently high metabolic costs which increase chances for “aggressive neglect.” With respect to the form of motor patterns, low probabilities of escalation from less aggressive to more aggressive behavior (e.g., from grooming to pairwise supplantation) are associated with “ritualization” of signals, and, apparently, with greater reliability of these signals. It is suggested that non-damaging social behaviors may be costly to reproduction through the depletion of limited time resources, may function generally in the resolution of interindividual conflicts of interest and may be particularly important to the behavioral repertoires of social subordinates.
Concepts of freedoms and rights in a traditional, hierarchically organized society

This study examined whether and how members of a non-Western traditional culture hold concepts of rights and liberties. Ninety Druze adolescents and adults (mean ages 13:3, 17:6, and 43:11) were posed with general questions about freedoms of speech, religion and reproduction, as well as with situations in which the exercise of those freedoms was in conflict with weak and strong versions of each of the following social goals: avoiding harm to persons, community interests and directives from family authority. The findings indicate that Druze adolescents and adults endorse each of the freedoms in the abstract as rights independent of existing laws. Further, they judge these rights not as absolute or inviolate, but as freedoms that in certain contexts can be subordinated to conflicting social concerns. No age differences were obtained in the general endorsement of freedoms, but older participants were more likely than younger participants to affirm freedoms in conflict situations.
Cross-Sector Information and Communications Technology Funding for Development: What Works, What Does Not, and Why

The Internet and related technologies are inherently collaborative in nature. It is possible to leverage information and communications technology (ICT) for development more effectively when a variety of sectors collaborate to implement these technology solutions to meet civil society objectives. Unfortunately, the relevant sectors involved in ICT for development often do not work together either effectively or efficiently. This article outlines the primary roadblocks that limit useful cross-sector collaborations and offers solutions to promote more effective partnerships.
The Kinesin-1 tail conformationally restricts the nucleotide pocket.

We have used electron paramagnetic resonance and fluorescence spectroscopy to study the interaction between the kinesin-1 head and its regulatory tail domain. The interaction between the tails and the enzymatically active heads has been shown to inhibit intrinsic and microtubule-stimulated ADP release. Here, we demonstrate that the probe mobility of two different spin-labeled nucleotide analogs in the kinesin-1 nucleotide pocket is restricted upon binding of the tail domain to kinesin-1 heads. This conformational restriction is distinct from the microtubule-induced changes in the nucleotide pocket. Unlike myosin V, this tail-induced restriction occurs independent of nucleotide state. We find that the head-tail interaction that causes the restriction only weakly stabilizes Mg2+ in the nucleotide pocket. The conformational restriction also occurs when a tail construct containing a K922A point mutation is used. This mutation eliminates the tail's ability to inhibit ADP release, indicating that the tail does not inhibit nucleotide ejection from the pocket by simple steric hindrance. Together, our data suggest that the observed head-tail interaction serves as a scaffold to position K922 to exert its inhibitory effect, possibly by interacting with the nucleotide α/β-phosphates in a manner analogous to the arginine finger regulators of some G proteins.
Astrocytes exhibit regional specificity in gap-junction coupling.

Astrocytes are coupled to each other via gap-junctions both in vivo and in vitro. Gap-junction coupling is essential to a number of astrocyte functions including the spatial buffering of extracellular K+ and the propagation of Ca2+ waves. Using fluorescence recovery after photo-bleach, we quantitatively assayed and compared the coupling of astrocytes cultured from six different central nervous system (CNS) regions in the rat: spinal cord, cortex, hypothalamus, hippocampus, optic nerve, and cerebellum. The degree of fluorescence recovery (% recovery) and time constant of recovery (tau) served as quantitative indicators of coupling strength. Gap-junction coupling differed markedly between CNS regions. Coupling was weakest in astrocytes derived from spinal cord (43% recovery, tau approximately 400 s) and strongest in astrocytes from optic nerve (91% recovery, tau approximately 226 s) and cerebellum (95% recovery, tau approximately 100 s). As indicated by the degree of recovery, coupling strength among CNS regions could be ranked as follows: spinal cord cerebellum > optic nerve > hippocampus. The observed differences in coupling indicate differences in the number of gap-junction connections in astrocytes cultured from the six CNS regions. These differences may reflect the adaptation of astrocytes to varying functional requirements in different CNS regions.
Gene expression analyses reveal molecular relationships among 20 regions of the human CNS

Transcriptional profiling was performed to survey the global expression patterns of 20 anatomically distinct sites of the human central nervous system (CNS). Forty-five non-CNS tissues were also profiled to allow for comparative analyses. Using principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering, we were able to show that the expression patterns of the 20 CNS sites profiled were significantly different from all non-CNS tissues and were also similar to one another, indicating an underlying common expression signature. By focusing our analyses on the 20 sites of the CNS, we were able to show that these 20 sites could be segregated into discrete groups with underlying similarities in anatomical structure and, in many cases, functional activity. These findings suggest that gene expression data can help define CNS function at the molecular level. We have identified subsets of genes with the following patterns of expression: (1) across the CNS, suggesting homeostatic/housekeeping function; (2) in subsets of functionally related sites of the CNS identified by our unsupervised learning analyses; and (3) in single sites within the CNS, indicating their participation in distinct site-specific functions. By performing network analyses on these gene sets, we identified many pathways that are upregulated in particular sites of the CNS, some of which were previously described in the literature, validating both our dataset and approach. In summary, we have generated a database of gene expression that can be used to gain valuable insight into the molecular characterization of functions carried out by different sites of the human CNS.
IT and Business Alignment: The Effect on Productivity and Profitability

Surveying business and IT executives from the pharmaceutical industry provides empirical data that offers new insight into how IT and business strategic-alignment maturity affects firm-level productivity and profitability.
Helping families understand and communicate with family members who suffer from dementia

Abstract Most clients suffering from dementia are cared for in their homes by family members or significant others. These caregivers anguish about their family members' mental deterioration. As one caregiver said, “How do we keep our hearts open in hell? And why should we try?” Caregiving is as much about the emotional impact on family caregivers as it the physical.
Chronocoulometry of a system with deposition of the product on the electrode

Abstract The charge-time relation for double potential-step large-amplitude chronocoulometry was developed for a system with electrodeposition of the product. The model assumes that the concentration of the product near the electrode cannot be larger than the solubility of the product. This model indicates that the Qr(t>τ) vs. θ plot has a constant slope which is smaller than that of the Q(t τ) vs. θ plot increase linearly with √τ.
Prognosis of esophageal cancers preoperatively staged to be locally invasive (T4) by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS): a multicenter retrospective cohort study

Abstract Background: Endosonography is a significant advance in the preoperative staging (TNM classification) of esophageal cancer. Its accuracy for evaluating depth of tumor invasion is over 80%. Methods: A multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients with esophageal carcinomas defined to be invasive (T4) by endosonography was performed to compare the survival of surgically and nonsurgically treated patients. Median survival time, overall mortality, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were compared by treatment group. Univariate and Cox regression analysis were used to evaluate the effects of various prognostic factors and treatment on the risk of death. Results: A total of 79 patients were studied. The surgical group (Group I, n=42) was significantly younger and had more distal tumors (adenocarcinomas) than the nonsurgical group (Group II, n=37). Endosonography was significantly more accurate than CT scanning in identifying tumor invasion (87.5% versus 43.8%, respectively, p = .0002). Overall mortality rate was not significantly different between treatment groups; 59.5% of the surgical group and 64.9% of the nonsurgical group were dead at follow-up ( p = 0.65). Similarly, the median survival times of Group I and Group II patients were similar (5.2 and 7.0 months, respectively, p = 0.50). Survival curves for the two groups were almost overlapping (log rank test, p = 0.84). Even after adjusting for age, histologic diagnosis, tumor location, and regional lymph node status, surgical treatment did not significantly influence survival ( p = 0.24). Conclusions: Endosonography accurately identifies patients with invasive T4 tumors who have a poor prognosis. This prognosis is independent of mode of therapy. (Gastrointest Endosc 1995;42:501-6.)