cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sociodemographic and behavioral determinants of serum concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in a community highly exposed to aqueous film-forming foam contaminants in drinking water

Abstract Background Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a chemical class widely used in industrial and commercial applications because of their unique physical and chemical properties. Between 2013 and 2016 PFAS were detected in public water systems and private wells in El Paso County, Colorado. The contamination was likely due to aqueous film forming foams used at a nearby Air Force base. Objective To cross-sectionally describe the serum concentrations of PFAS in a highly exposed community, estimate associations with drinking water source, and explore potential demographic and behavioral predictors. Methods In June 2018, serum PFAS concentrations were quantified and questionnaires administered in 213 non-smoking adult (ages 19–93) participants residing in three affected water districts. Twenty PFAS were quantified and those detected in >50% of participants were analyzed: perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorononanoate (PFNA) and perfluoroheptane sulfonate (PFHpS). Unadjusted associations were estimated between serum PFAS concentrations and several predictors, including water consumption, demographics, personal behaviors and employment. A multiple linear regression model estimated adjusted associations with smoking history. Results Study participants’ median PFHxS serum concentration (14.8 ng/mL) was approximately 12 times as high as the U.S. national average. Median serum concentrations for PFOS, PFOA, PFNA and PFHpS were 9.7 ng/mL, 3.0 ng/mL, 0.4 ng/mL and 0.2 ng/mL, respectively. Determinants of PFHxS serum concentrations were water district of residence, frequency of bottled water consumption, age, race/ethnicity, and smoking history. Determinants of serum concentrations for the other four PFAS evaluated included: water district of residence, bottled water consumption, age, sex, race/ethnicity, smoking history, and firefighter or military employment. Conclusions Determinants of serum concentrations for multiple PFAS, including PFHxS, included water district of residence and frequency of bottled water consumption. Participants’ dominant PFAS exposure route was likely consumption of PFAS-contaminated water, but certain demographic and behavioral characteristics also predicted serum concentrations.
Organizational and environmental factors associated with local multihospital systems: Precipitants for coordination?

BACKGROUND Local multihospital systems (LMSs) commonly struggle to effectively coordinate across system members. Although a recent taxonomy of LMSs found the majority of systems to display lower levels of differentiation, integration, and coordination, some categories of LMS forms exhibited higher levels of integration and coordination. PURPOSE This study examines organizational and environmental factors associated with LMS forms displaying higher levels of integration and coordination. METHODOLOGY/APPROACH Applying a multitheoretical framework and drawing from sources including the American Hospital Association Annual Survey, Intellimed databases, and primary data collected from LMS communications, descriptive and multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between LMS forms and varied organizational and environmental characteristics among LMSs in Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. RESULTS The results of analysis of variance, Games-Howell, and Fisher's exact tests identified significant relationships between each of the five LMS categories and varying market, competitive, organizational, and operational factors. A multinomial logistic regression analysis also distinguished the three most common LMS forms according to organizational and environmental factors. CONCLUSION Recognizing the varied degrees of integration and coordination across LMSs today, the results point to several factors that may explain such variation, including market size and resources, local competitors and their forms, organizational size and ownership, patient complexity, and regulatory restrictions. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS With the continued promotion and development of innovative health care reform models and with the progressing expansion of care into outpatient sites and diverse settings, LMSs will continue to face greater pressure to integrate and coordinate services throughout the continuum of care across system components and service locations. Navigating the challenges of effective coordination requires administrators and policymakers to be cognizant of the organizational and environmental factors that may hinder or fuel coordination efforts across system components in local markets.
Relapsing Bickerstaff Brainstem Encephalitis After Autologous Stem Cell Transplant.

Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis, widely considered to be associated with Miller Fisher and Guillain-Barre syndromes, is a rare disease state defined by the triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and decreased consciousness. The presence of central nervous system involvement, commonly in the form of impaired arousal, solidifies it as a unique entity. We present a case of this rare syndrome after autologous stem cell transplant.
Micromechanical measurement of adhesion of dehydrating silicone hydrogel contact lenses to corneal tissue.

Abstract Adhesion properties, which can vary with multiple factors, of silicone hydrogel contact lenses are important to their performance and comfort in the eye. In this study, we developed and used a simple, representative testing system and method to study the adhesive interactions of different silicone contact lenses (balafilcon A and senofilcon A) on polished titanium alloy and porcine whole eye cornea under dehydrating conditions. Adhesive interactions for senofilcon A varied by hydration state for both corneal and titanium adhesion, starting low, rising to a maximum and falling with dehydration time and dehydration state. Balafilcon A showed a rise and fall against titanium, but retained a relatively constant adhesive interaction with corneal tissue over dehydration time. Senofilcon A reached the highest adhesion forces (400 mN) within 5 to 10 min of testing against cornea, then dropped with time after that. Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) theory was applied to determine the surface energy of the lenses, and work of adhesion (WOA) was also determined for both lenses. Similar trends as observed with the force-hydration curves were seen with surface energy and work of adhesion as well (peak surface energy of 8 N/m and work of adhesion of 80 µJ for senofilcon A). Video imaging of the adhesive interactions showed significant corneal deformation taking place during testing, and post-test analysis shows damage to the corneal tissue. This method could be used to assess pre-clinical performance of long-lasting contact lenses and the role of hydration state. Statement of significance Adhesion properties of contact lenses play significant roles in their performance and comfort in the eye. Adhesion is influenced by polymer chemistry, counterface materials and hydration state of the contact lenses. However, no test method has been developed to directly study the adhesion properties between contact lenses and corneal tissue during the dehydration process. Our work aims to fill this gap by developing testing and analysis methods for evaluating the adhesive interactions in vitro between contact lenses of different chemistries and properties and different counter surfaces under dehydrating conditions over time. Our study shows that adhesive interactions of contact lenses are highly dependent on polymer type, surface treatment, counterface material and hydration state.
Regio-regular poly(thienylene vinylene)s (rr-PTVs) through acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization and the impact of alkyl side-chains on polymer molecular weight and solubility

Abstract Poly(thienylene vinylene) (PTV) is one of the prototypical conjugated polymers (CPs) that has received relatively little attention. The insertion of one small double bond between every pair of adjacent thiophene units in PTV structures potentially allow direct functionalization of the thienyl rings, which can fine-tune polymer electronic properties without significantly impact main-chain planarity. However, synthetic methods leading to such tailor-designed PTVs are scarce. In this paper, we report a new synthetic strategy that produces a series of regio-regular (rr) PTVs bearing bromine atoms and different alkyl side-chains on every thiophene unit. The methodology starts with synthesis of well-defined dimeric monomers that lead to rr-PTVs upon ADMET polymerization. The monomers and polymers are fully characterized by NMR and absorption spectroscopy. We found that linear and slightly branched alkyl chains led to precipitation during the polymerization process and thus low apparent molecular weight due to limited polymer solubility, while long-branched and bulky silyl-alkyl ether chains led to PTVs with greater solubility and higher molecular weights.
Indicators of Environmental Quality

Indicators of Environmental Quality: An Overview.- Why Environmental Quality Indices?.- Uses of Environmental Indices in Policy Formulation.- Urban-Environmental Indicators in Municipal and Neighborhood Policy Planning and Decision Making.- The Uncommunicative Scientist: The Obligation of Scientists to Explain Environment to the Public.- Evaluation of Natural Environments.- Indicators of Environmental Quality of Urban Life: Economic, Spatial, Social, and Political Factors.- Establishing Priorities Among Environmental Stresses.- Pollutant Burdens in Humans: A Measure of Environmental Quality.- Aquatic Communities as Indices of Pollution.- Plants as Indicators of Air Quality.- Biochemical Indicators of Environmental Pollution.- Use of Sense of Smell in Determining Environmental Quality.- Development of Environmental Indices: Outdoor Recreational Resources and Land Use Shift.- A Water Quality Index - Crashing the Psychological Barrier.- Indices of Air Quality.- Statistically Based Air-Quality Indices.- Indicators of Environmental Noise.- Developing a Soil Quality Index.- Environmental Indices for Radioactivity Releases.- Plant Indicators in Ecology.
A decidable quantified defeasible logic

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a decidable quantified defeasible logic. A formal system consists of a formal language and a proof theory. Familiar examples are sentential logic and first-order logic (FOL). A well-formed formula (wff) φ in the formal language of a formal system ∑ is derivable from a set Γ of such wffs if there is a proof of φ from Γ in the proof theory of the system. A formal system is decidable if for any finite set of wffs Γ, the set of wffs provable from Γ is recursive. A formal system is semidecidable if for any finite set of wffs Γ, the set of wffs provable from Γ is recursively enumerable. Sentential logic is decidable. FOL and Horn Clause logic (HCL) are not decidable, but they are semidecidable. Non-monotonic extensions of semidecidable theories may also be semidecidable. The system of non-monotonic logic developed in the chapter is called defeasible because it involves conditional rules that can be blocked or defeated in some way.
Role of host factors in the regulation of the enterotoxin B gene.

Abstract The levels of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) produced by various naturally occurring toxinogenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus are highly variable. The SEB gene (seb) from a high-producer strain, S6, has previously been cloned and characterized. Cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis of the upstream region of the seb gene from DU4916 and COL (medium- and low-level toxin-producer strains, respectively) showed that their sequence was identical to that of the seb gene from strain S6. Strains carrying the cloned seb gene from DU4916 and COL produced similar levels of SEB protein and mRNA to those produced by strains carrying the cloned seb gene from strain S6. An RNA encoded by the delta-lysin gene (hld) has been shown to regulate the genes for a number of extracellular proteins, including SEB. Northern (RNA) blot analysis showed that variable levels of hld RNA were present in various SEB-producer strains, with the order being S6 greater than DU4916 greater than COL. Our results suggest that differences in host factor(s), including the hld RNA, are responsible for the production of different amounts of SEB by many naturally occurring strains.
Modeling Collegial Courts (3): Judicial Objectives, Opinion Content, Voting and Adjudication Equilibria

We present a formal game theoretic model of adjudication by a collegial court. Distinctively, the model incorporates dispute resolution as well as judicial policy making and indicates the relationship between the two. It explicitly addresses joins, concurrences and dissents, and assumes judicial rather than legislative or electoral objectives by the actors. The model makes clear predictions about the plurality opinion's location in policy space; the case's disposition; and the size and composition of the disposition-coalition, the join-coalition, and the concurrence-coalition. These elements of adjudication equilibrium vary with the identity of the opinion writer and with the location of the case. In general, the opinion is not located at the ideal policy of the median judge. The model suggests new directions for empirical work on judicial politics.
Living thought and living things On Roberto Esposito's Il pensiero vivente

The essay discusses Roberto Esposito’s claim that Italian thought and the Italian tradition offer philosophy a way out of the dire situation it has fallen into as a consequence of the linguistic turn it took at the beginning of the 20th century. According to Esposito, Italian thought is animated by a genealogical vocation generating political, historical, and life paradigms that may revive philosophy’s universal ambitions against its current linguistic relativism. The essay discusses this claim in light of the tension between ontology and history that Esposito himself raises. It concludes that the opportunities opened up by Italy’s “genealogical vocation” should be supplemented by a philosophy of history that is currently lacking from Esposito’s account.
Electromechanical Behavior in Biological Systems at the Nanoscale

Hierarchical structure of connective and calcified tissues from the macro- to nanoscale level determines the mechanical and biological functionality of biological materials and has been the focus of numerous recent studies. Further progress in this field requires development of microscopic techniques capable of probing materials properties, including local composition, crystallographic orientation, and mechanical properties on the nanometer-length scale. Here, we describe a piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) approach to high-resolution imaging of biological systems, based on detection of the local piezoelectric response. Samples include human tooth, femoral cartilage, deer antler, and butterfly wing scales. PFM allows differentiation between organic and mineral components and provides additional important information on materials microstructure. We also demonstrate the PFM capability of studying the internal structure and orientation of protein microfibrils with a spatial resolution of several nanometers. Future potential of the PFM approach for biological imaging is discussed.
A rapid, reproducible, on-the-fly orthogonal array optimization method for targeted protein quantification by LC/MS and its application for accurate and sensitive quantification of carbonyl reductases in human liver

Liquid chromatography (LC)/mass spectrometry (MS) in selected-reactions-monitoring (SRM) mode provides a powerful tool for targeted protein quantification. However, efficient, high-throughput strategies for proper selection of signature peptides (SP) for protein quantification and accurate optimization of their SRM conditions remain elusive. Here we describe an on-the-fly, orthogonal array optimization (OAO) approach that enables rapid, comprehensive, and reproducible SRM optimization of a large number of candidate peptides in a single nanoflow-LC/MS run. With the optimized conditions, many peptide candidates can be evaluated in biological matrixes for selection of the final SP. The OAO strategy employs a systematic experimental design that strategically varies product ions, declustering energy, and collision energy in a cycle of 25 consecutive SRM trials, which accurately reveals the effects of these factors on the signal-to-noise ratio of a candidate peptide and optimizes each. As proof of concept, we d...
Examining chemical transport into the stratosphere

This month, NASA will launch a coordinated field campaign centered in Costa Rica that will use satellite, ground-based, balloon, and aircraft measurements to investigate how chemicals in the air move into the stratosphere and how this movement might affect cloud formation, climate, and ozone. Scheduled to run from 16 July through 8 August, the Tropical Composition, Cloud, and Climate Coupling (TC4) campaign “is an unprecedented opportunity to use NASA's complete suite of satellite and airborne Earth-observing capabilities to investigate a largely unexplored region of the atmosphere,” said Michael Kurylo, a TC4 program scientist at NASA headquarters.
Paraventricular nucleus: Changes in the medial and lateral cell groups during dehydration and rehydration in the rat

Cell area, percentage of cells with more than one nucleolus, and percentage of cells with the nucleolus apposed to the nuclear membrane (marginated) were compared in the medial and lateral magnocellular portions of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) during water deprivation and voluntary rehydration. Lateral cells were larger and had a greater percentage of cells with multiple nucleoli in all conditions of deprivation and rehydration. In addition laterals were found to have more cells with marginated nucleoli in these cells with only one nucleoli. Medial and lateral cells showed similar responses to deprivation and rehydration.
Microarray Analysis of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Transcriptional Response to the Acidic Conditions Found in Phagosomes

We used microarrays and real-time reverse transcription-PCR to analyze the global transcriptional response of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to low pH in vitro, which may mimic an environmental signal encountered by phagocytosed mycobacteria. Eighty-one genes were differentially expressed >1.5-fold, including many involved in fatty acid metabolism. The most highly induced genes showed homology with nonribosomal peptide synthetases/polyketide synthases.
Skeletal changes produced by aortic aneurysms.

The three major types of aortic aneurysms — arteriosclerotic, syphilitic, and dissectign are discussed in relation to the skeletal changes they produce. The favored location, age, and sex predilection are described for each type. Four documented cases from the Hamann-Todd osteological collection are presented with a description of the associated skeletal changes. All four cases appear to be the result of syphilitic infection. These documented cases provide forensic and physical anthropologists with a means of diagnosing aortic aneurysms in moder, historic, and prehistoric human skeletal remains.
Sibling Relationships and Parent Stress in Families of Children with and without Learning Disabilities

The present study investigated whether (a) siblings of children with (LD) and without learning disabilities (NLD) differed in terms of psychological adjustment and perceived impact of their target brother or sister, and (b) whether parents of LD and NLD children differed in terms of perceived stress and burden. Based on Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scores of target child behavior, families were divided into four groups: (a) No LD and no behavior problems (BP), (b) LD only, (c) BP only, and (d) LD and BP. Siblings (n=71) and their parents (n=67) were interviewed in their homes. Regardless of whether the target child was LD or NLD, parent reports of the internalizing and externalizing behavior scores from the CBCL differentially reflected the presence of behavior problems. The results indicated that (a) LD and NLD siblings differed in their perception of the quality of their sibling relationships and self-reports of their own behavior, and (b) the parents of children reported to have a behavior problem w...
Evaluation of oxidation and fatigue damage of retrieved crossfire polyethylene acetabular cups.

Background: Crossfire cross-linked polyethylene is produced differently from other cross-linked polyethylene materials; a below-melt-temperature annealing process is used with the goal of avoiding compromised mechanical properties. The present study was performed to evaluate retrieved Crossfire acetabular cups to determine whether they had oxidized and to what extent oxidation might have influenced their clinical performance. Methods: Eleven acetabular cups were received at retrieval and a twelfth acetabular cup was received two years post-retrieval over a period of four years. None were retrieved because of polyethylene wear or fatigue. The cups had been in vivo from 0.1 to 5.3 years. Each was examined visually, clinical fatigue damage was rated, and oxidation was measured with use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Results: The cups exhibited oxidation that varied with its location on the cup: the oxidation value was generally low on the articular surface but more than an order of magnitude higher value on the rim. Maximum rim oxidation correlated significantly with the time in vivo (Spearman rho = 0.734, p = 0.010). Oxidation was identified visually by a white band in thin sections on the rim of seven of the cups and on the articular surface of one of these seven cups. Six of the seven cups also exhibited clinical fatigue damage. Eight of the twelve cups exhibited evidence of impingement or dislocation. Conclusions: Acetabular cups made of Crossfire polyethylene oxidized to a measurable degree. The oxidation-related reduction of polyethylene mechanical properties was sufficient to allow the fatigue damage seen in these retrieved cups. Clinical Relevance: The oxidation measured in acetabular cups made of Crossfire polyethylene makes them susceptible to fatigue after as little as three years in service.
The Use of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin in the Correction of Anemia in Predialysis Patients and Its Effect on Renal Function: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Fourteen nondialyzed patients with chronic renal insufficiency (serum creatinine 265 to 972 μmol/L [3.0 to 11.0 mg/dL]) and severe anemia (hematocrit v time) or change in serum potassium was noted for either the placebo or treated group over the 12-week period. Six of seven treated patients had a significant decrease in serum ferritin and percent transferrin saturation (plasma iron/total iron-binding capacity). This resulted in functional iron deficiency and the requirement for iron supplementation. The average systolic and diastolic blood pressure did not differ significantly between the two groups of patients during the study. Quality of life was improved in all r-HuEPO-treated patients but not in those in the placebo group. This study demonstrates the safety and efficacy of r-HuEPO in the correction of anemia in predialysis patients without adverse effects on renal function over a 12-week period. Improved patient well-being as a result of the correction of anemia resulted in one patient refusing appropriate initiation of dialysis therapy.
l-Cysteine supplementation reduces high-glucose and ketone-induced adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells by inhibiting ROS

Type 1 diabetic (T1D) patients are hyperglycemic and also show elevated blood levels of ketone bodies, particularly acetoacetate (AA) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). T1D patients have a greater risk of developing endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Supplementation with cysteine-rich milk proteins has been shown to be beneficial in improving various biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and CVD. This study examines whether L-cysteine (LC) per se prevents monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells, a critical step in endothelial dysfunction. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells and THP-1 monocytes were pretreated with and without LC (500 μM) for 2 h and then exposed to ketones (AA or BHB, 0-4 mM) and/or high glucose (HG) (25 mM) for 24 h. This study shows that LC reduces HG and ketone-induced ROS production, ICAM-1 expression, and the adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells. This study provides a biochemical mechanism by which milk protein supplementation can be beneficial in preventing the excess endothelial dysfunction and CVD seen in diabetic patients.
The Reliability and Classification Stability of the Learning Style Inventory in Corporate Settings

The Revised Learning Style Inventory (LSI II) was examined for internal consistency, test-retest reliability and stability of the four classifications resulting from the scores of subjects employed...
Those Who Protest Too Much are Seen as Guilty

160 students listened to a tape recording in which a target person was or was not accused of damaging a typewriter. The target person either denied damaging the typewriter or admitted damaging it, or the tape was stopped before his response was heard. Observers rated a target person who denied having damaged the typewriter as more likely to be guilty when his denial occurred in the absence of an accusation than when his denial followed an accusation.
Evoking false beliefs about autobiographical experience

In two experiments, we demonstrate that laboratory procedures can evoke false beliefs about autobiographical experience. After shallowly processing photographs of real-world locations, participants returned 1 week (Experiments 1 and 2) or 3 weeks (Experiment 2) later to evaluate whether they had actually visited each of a series of new and old pictured locations. Mundane and unique scenes from an unfamiliar college campus (Duke or SMU) were shown zero, one, or two times in the first session. Prior exposure increased participants’ beliefs that they had visited locations that they had never actually visited. Furthermore, participants gave higher visit ratings to mundane than to unique scenes, and this did not vary with exposure frequency or delay. This laboratory procedure for inducing autobiographical false beliefs may have implications for better understanding various illusions of recognition.
Early Adolescent Peer Ecologies in Rural Communities: Bullying in Schools That Do and Do not Have a Transition During the Middle Grades

The transition to middle school is considered to be a heightened period for involvement in bullying because the lack of a defined dominance hierarchy is thought to promote jockeying for social positions among students. Accordingly, this study examined bullying in peer ecologies at the beginning of the middle grade years in rural schools that did and did not have a transition to middle school. Thirty-six schools (20 with transitions, 16 without transitions) participated in this research with a sample of 1,800 participants (52% female) who were in sixth grade during the second year of data collection. Overall, 67% were White, 19% African American, 7% Latino, 2% Native American, and 5% other (multi-racial, Asian, unknown). Compared to schools without a transition, schools with a transition had fewer bullies following the move from fifth to sixth grade and the social dynamics in schools with a transition appeared to be less supportive of bullying. Further, students in schools with a transition reported being bullied less frequently in sixth grade and they perceived the sixth grade peer ecology as being more protective against bullying than did students in schools without a transition. In addition, proportionally more youth had controversial sociometric status in schools without a transition during sixth grade than in schools with a transition. Collectively, these findings suggest that risk for involvement in bullying may be elevated in schools that do not have a transition to middle school. They also bring into question the conventional view of the small K-8 or K-12 rural school as a peaceful and supportive peer community.
OVERCOMING ENERGY GLUTTONY: A PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE

As there are food gluttons, so there are energy gluttons. One difference is that energy gluttons are typically oblivious to how much energy they consume and the source of that energy. Their energy gluttony is a side effect of insatiable desire for material goods, which themselves are often associated with social status. Nonetheless, steps taken to deal with energy gluttony parallel those taken with food gluttony. Typically these fall into three categories: educational, political, and technological. I will examine a fourth, however, best characterized as philosophical. I will show how, by following the advice of the ancient Stoics and training ourselves to care less what others think of us, we can help overcome our desire for social status, resulting in a reduction in our desire for material things and a significant reduction in our personal energy bill. The pessimistic conclusion, however, is that most people are probably unwilling to undergo the self-analysis and self-transformation that this philosophical approach requires.
Characterization of ultrasonic Rayleigh surface waves in asphaltic concrete

Abstract This research examines the application of ultrasonic Rayleigh surface waves to the non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of asphaltic concrete in the frequency range 40–100 kHz. Two ultrasonic parameters, the phase velocity and amplitude attenuation, are considered to be sensitive to local compositional and structural variations and are measured. A wedge technique is used to generate Rayleigh surface waves in an asphaltic concrete beam with uniformly distributed aggregate, and this technique is shown to be effective in launching Rayleigh waves in this highly viscoelastic (absorptive) and heterogeneous medium. Three different ultrasonic detection setups using contact and non-contact transducers as receivers are examined and their results are compared. The experimental results show that the wedge generation technique along with an air-coupled receiving transducer with a finite-size aperture is the most reliable for characterizing Rayleigh waves in asphaltic concrete. It is also experimentally demonstrated that the proposed setup may be used to detect aggregate segregation in asphaltic concrete.
Broadening the application of mixed methods in sales research

Mixed method research designs can be extremely useful in extending knowledge in the sales domain. A bevy of mixed method designs are at the disposal of sales researchers seeking to reap the benefits of this combination of research approaches. However, application of mixed methods in sales research has been rather limited, focusing primarily on exploratory sequential designs. The purpose of this article is to provide an exposition of mixed method research in the sales domain and offer avenues of extension that employ underutilized mixed methodological approaches. Accordingly, a definition of mixed methods along with its benefits and drawbacks is espoused followed by guidance in conducting mixed method research. A review of sales-related mixed method studies is then provided and articles containing both quantitative and qualitative methods are analyzed to glean insight on the state of mixed methods research in sales. Future avenues for mixed method research are then provided focusing on best practices and t...
A GIS analysis of the spatial relation between evapotranspiration and pan evaporation in the United States

Despite increases in global temperature, studies have observed a decrease in evaporation in the Northern Hemisphere. To examine whether a decrease in pan evaporation also indicates decreased evapotranspiration (ET), ET rates were modelled in a geographic information system by integrating climatic data and water-balance data from 1997 to 2007. Average monthly ET values were compared with National Climatic Data Center pan-evaporation (PE) data. PE and ET were significantly related, but the degree of significance and the direction of the relation (positive or negative) varied across eco-divisions and seasons. Thus, decreased pan evaporation does not necessarily imply that ET will decrease as well.
The importance of consonant-vowel intensity ratio in the intelligibility of voiceless consonants.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which variations in the consonant-vowel (C-V) intensity ratio could account for variations in speech intelligibility among the productions of...
Cavity structures for low loss oxide-confined VCSELs

The authors examine the threshold characteristics of selectively oxidized VCSELs as a function of the number, thickness, and placement of the buried oxide apertures. The threshold current density for small area VCSELs is shown to increase with the number of oxide apertures in the cavity due to increased optical loss, while the threshold current density for broad area VCSELs decreases with increasing number of apertures due to more uniform current injection. Reductions of the threshold gain and optical loss are achieved for small area VCSELs using thin oxide apertures which are displaced longitudinally away from te optical cavity. They show that the optical loss can be sufficiently reduced to allow lasing in VCSELs with aperture area as small as 0.25 {micro}m{sup 2}.
Characterization of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Receptors in Human and Rat Thyroid Cells and Regulation of the Receptors by Thyrotropin*

Abstract Administration of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) to rats and mice produces a model of nonthyroid illness in which there is impairment of hypothalamic- pituitary thyroid function, including reduced serum concentrations of T4 and T3, reduced thyroid radioiodine uptake, and reduced response to TSH. In this study, we tested the binding and effects of TNF on FRTL-5 cells and on four human thyroid carcinoma cell lines. The TSH-stimulated [125I]iodide uptake by FRTL-5 cells was inhibited by TNF in a dosedependent manner. The four human thyroid carcinoma cell lines (NPA, MRO, ARO, WRO) have TSH receptors but did not respond to TSH in regard to iodide uptake and thymidine incorporation. Both human thyroid carcinoma cells and FRTL-5 cells contain specific receptors for TNF. Scatchard analysis showed that the receptor numbers and dissociation constants in human thyroid carcinoma cells and FRTL-5 cells were, respectively; 2.4 × 104, 5.4 nM (WRO); 8 × 103, 3.4 nM (MRO); 4 ×lO3, 1 nM (ARO); 7 ...
Do patients associate adverse pregnancy outcomes with folkloric beliefs

Many “old wives’ tales” suggest that women can contribute to adverse outcomes through their behaviors and thoughts. Women attending a Midwestern American clinic were surveyed to determine how common such beliefs are. Two hundred women rated their agreement with a set of nine such beliefs. Women with a personal history of an adverse event had beliefs similar to those without such a history. The data suggest that such beliefs do not influence a woman’s experience of pregnancy loss or birth defect.
Health issues for women athletes: exercise-induced amenorrhea.

Exercise induced amenorrhea occurs in athletes with variable frequency, but the incidence varies from 5 to 25%, depending on the level of competition and type of sport (Table 1). These women appear to have lost normal pulsatility of LH and FSH due to environmental and metabolic stresses. Thus the sensitivity of the reproductive system to nutritional and other metabolic stresses is exemplified by the frequent suppression of cyclicity seen in athletes. This condition is interesting because of its neuroendocrine dysfunction and its reversibility (1, 2).
Model for adsorption of ligands to colloidal quantum dots with concentration-dependent surface structure.

A study of the adsorption equilibrium of solution-phase CdS quantum dots (QDs) and acid-derivatized viologen ligands (N-[1-heptyl],N′-[3-carboxypropyl]-4,4′-bipyridinium dihexafluorophosphate, V2+)...
Adaptation, compensation, and decompensation of the pharyngeal swallow

Under normal circumstances, the act of swallowing adjusts to varying demands of different bolus characteristics and different head and neck postures. When the swallowing mechanism is impaired by disease, adjustment is essential to compensate for the impairment and allow swallowing. Evidence of adjustment can be demonstrated by cineradiography which provides important clues to the presence of underlying disease. When adjustment to disease is inadequate, swallowing decompensates. In this case, gross changes in swallowing performance are evident from clinical evaluation and cineradiography.
Regional deposition and absorption of inhaled hydrogen fluoride in the rat.

The regional deposition of inhaled hydrogen fluoride (HF) was investigated by drawing known amounts of this irritant gas through the surgically isolated upper respiratory tract of anesthetized rats, while each animal respired HF-free room air through an endotracheal tube. At HF concentrations ranging from 30 to 176 mg F/m3, greater than 99.7% of the HF drawn into the upper respiratory tract was removed from the airstream during passage through that site. Plasma fluoride concentrations were significantly elevated by this upper respiratory tract exposure to HF and were highly correlated with airborne HF concentrations (r (8) = 0.98, p < 0.01). For comparative purposes, intact anesthetized rats were subjected to nose-only exposure to 63 mg F/m3 HF for 1 hr. Both pulmonary and plasma fluoride concentrations were significantly elevated over control levels by nose-only exposure; however, pulmonary fluoride concentrations in these rats were no higher than plasma fluoride concentrations, providing little evidence that airborne HF penetrates to the lungs of rats respiring normally. These results indicate that in the anesthetized rat virtually all inhaled HF deposits in the upper respiratory tract from which it may be absorbed and/or translocated to other sites, e.g., the gastrointestinal tract, where systemic absorption may occur.
Latino immigration and White, Black, and Latino violent crime: A comparison of traditional and non-traditional immigrant destinations

Despite a resurgent interest in the macro-level relationship between Latino immigration and violent crime, research has overlooked an important shift in immigrant settlement whereby Latino migrants are increasingly bypassing traditional receiving communities in favor of non-traditional ones. Additionally, how the impact of this new settlement pattern on violence is conditioned by race and ethnicity has yet to be explored. Using year 2000 race/ethnic-specific arrest data for 326 California, New York, and Texas census places, the current study explores the relationship between recent Latino immigration and White, Black, and Latino violent crime across both traditional and non-traditional immigrant destinations. Results suggest that (1) recent Latino immigration is generally unassociated with violence across all communities, (2) recent Latino immigration is associated with decreased violence in traditional destinations but slightly increased violence in non-traditional destinations, and (3) there are important race/ethnic differences in these relationships. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Nd isotopic gradients in upper crustal magma chambers: Evidence for in situ magma-wall-rock interaction

Multiple Nd isotopic analyses were obtained for one metaluminous and two peralkaline Tertiary rhyolitic ash-flow tuffs in the Great Basin to determine whether upper crustal silici magmas chemically evolve under closed- or open-system conditions. All the ash-flow tuffs analyzed show significant internal Nd isotopic variations. The largest variations occur within the peralkaline Double-H Mountains Tuff ({epsilon}{sub Nd} = +2.0 to +6.4) at the McDermitt volcanic field in north-central Nevada, and the smallest within the metaluminous Topopah Spring Tuff ({epsilon}{sub Nd} = {minus}10.6 to {minus}11.7) at the southwestern Nevada volcanic field. In all cases the isotopic variation are correlated with magmatic Nd contents, even though the Nd concentrations decreased roofward for the metaluminous rhyolite and increased for the peralkaline rhyolites. The consistent positive correlation between [Nd] and {epsilon}{sub Nd} provides strong evidence for in situ open-system addition of low {epsilon}{sub Nd} wall-rock material to the silicic magmas during their residence in the upper crust. The proportion of wall-rock Nd required to produce the isotopic zonations is small (1 to 15 mol%) for both the peralkaline and metaluminous rhyolites. All levels of the parental magmas sampled by the ash-flow tuffs, and not just magma occupying the roof zone, were open to wall-rockmore » interaction. These results suggest that upper crustal silicic magma bodies evolve under open-system conditions and the effects of such processes should be addressed in models for their chemical differentiation.« less
Hinge and Twist Rigid Body Domain Motions in Ionotropic Glutamate Receptor GluR6 and the Hydrogen Bond Interactions that Switch Them On and Off

Ionotropic glutamate receptors are tetrameric ligand-gated ion channels found in pre and postsynaptic cell membranes of the central nervous system. There are three pharmacological classes of ionotropic glutamate receptor, namely N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA); alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA); and kainate receptors. Ionotropic glutamate receptors play an important role in neuronal development and synapse plasticity as well as in higher order processes such as memory and learning. Ionotropic glutamate receptors are also implicated in several neurological and neurodegenerative disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Only the structure of the isolated ligand binding domain is known: it comprises two lobes that enclose a ligand binding cleft. Using this isolated domain it has been possible to extract a great wealth of information concerning the relationship between functional and structural states of the receptor. Here, we characterize the intrinsic conformational dynamics properties of the ligand-binding domain of GluR6, a kainate receptor, in the absence of glutamate. Notably, we identify three inter-lobe hydrogen bonds interactions that govern and regulate the opening of the binding cleft via two distinct mechanisms: an hinge-like and a twist-like rigid-body domain motion. The computational studies reveal how the interplay between these interactions promotes either one or the other form of rigid-body motion. Moreover, the pattern of evolutionary conservation of these inter-lobe interactions suggests a putative role in the differential functional properties of the distinct ionotropic receptors classes.
Decisions and perceptions of recipients in ultimatum bargaining games

Abstract In simple ultimatum bargaining games a bargainer chooses either to accept or to reject an offer. If he or she accepts the offer, payoffs to both parties are established by the offer; if he or she rejects it each receives nothing. The strategic solution to such games is for the person receiving the offer to accept anything greater than zero while the person making the offer demands virtually all the prize for himself or herself. Research has shown that offers are much closer to equality than the strategic solution suggests, and that strategic offers often are rejected. Three explanations have been offered: (1) The subjects are motivated by internalized fairness norms. (2) The subjects do not understand the situation. (3) The subjects are afraid strategic offers will be rejected. Three experiments reported in the present article offer support for the third explanation.
On the occurrence and significance of annulate lamellae in gastrodermal cells of regenerating planarians

Cytoplasmic annulate lamellae have been observed to occur only in a subset of the gastrodermal cell population of regenerating planarians. They have not been found in the gastrodermal cells of intact, non-injured worms, nor in any other somatic cell type. These observations plus the presence of numerous chromatoid bodies in the same cells are consistent with the hypothesis that these cells are altering their state of differentiation and are preparing for division. It is further suggested that these cells are the precursors to the definitive somatic stem cells, the beta cells.
Natural rewards, neuroplasticity, and non-drug addictions.

Abstract There is a high degree of overlap between brain regions involved in processing natural rewards and drugs of abuse. “Non-drug” or “behavioral” addictions have become increasingly documented in the clinic, and pathologies include compulsive activities such as shopping, eating, exercising, sexual behavior, and gambling. Like drug addiction, non-drug addictions manifest in symptoms including craving, impaired control over the behavior, tolerance, withdrawal, and high rates of relapse. These alterations in behavior suggest that plasticity may be occurring in brain regions associated with drug addiction. In this review, I summarize data demonstrating that exposure to non-drug rewards can alter neural plasticity in regions of the brain that are affected by drugs of abuse. Research suggests that there are several similarities between neuroplasticity induced by natural and drug rewards and that, depending on the reward, repeated exposure to natural rewards might induce neuroplasticity that either promotes or counteracts addictive behavior. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Synaptic Plasticity and Addiction’.
Comparison of attrition test methods: ASTM standard fluidized bed vs jet cup

Attrition resistance is one of the key design parameters for catalysts used in fluidized-bed and slurry phase types of reactors. The ASTM fluidized-bed test has been one of the most commonly used attrition resistance evaluation methods; however, it requires the use of 50 g samplesa large amount for catalyst development studies. Recently a test using the jet cup requiring only 5 g samples has been proposed. In the present study, two series of spray-dried iron catalysts were evaluated using both the ASTM fluidized-bed test and a test based on the jet cup to determine this comparability. It is shown that the two tests give comparable results. This paper, by reporting a comparison of the jet-cup test with the ASTM standard, provides a basis for utilizing the more efficient jet cup with confidence in catalyst attrition studies.
Smashing glass ceilings: Why women still find it tough to advance to the executive suite

Persistent and prickly cultural, organizational, and leadership issues still limit women's representation at the top levels of U.S. corporations, and the resulting brain drain does not bode well for companies competing for a shrinking pool of talented potential leaders. A number of companies are aggressively tackling the problem, and the author offers ways that other companies can follow their lead. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
UV cleaning of contaminated 157-nm reticles

A UV-lamp-based cleaning station, serving as a load-lock to a VUV spectrometer, has been used to evaluate the cleaning of hydrocarbon residues on 157-nm reticles. UV lamp based cleaning is found to be an effective tool to remove both nanometer scale layers of physisorbed and significantly more resilient highly conjugated 'graphitized' layers on the mask substrate. Slight changes in reflectance and surface roughness are observed on the chromium absorber indicating some degree of photo-oxidation is occurring during lamp cleaning.