cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Mediating Effect of Daily Stress on the Sexual Arousal Function of Women With a History of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Psychopathologies such as posttraumatic stress disorder are often proposed as mediators of the sexual arousal dysfunction experienced by women with a history of childhood maltreatment. However, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms are only part of the difficulties experienced by these women. Other factors to consider include negative affectivity and perceived daily stress. To assess the mediating role of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, negative affectivity, and perceived daily stress, we collected data from 62 women with and without a history of childhood maltreatment (sexual, physical and emotional abuse). A comprehensive assessment of sexual arousal functioning and sexual responses was obtained using self-reported measures and psychophysiological measures of vaginal engorgement and subjective sexual arousal during exposure to sexual visual stimuli. The model assessed the simultaneous mediating effect of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, negative affectivity and perceived daily stress on the relation between childhood maltreatment and sexual variables. Daily stress, showed a significant and stronger mediation effect on sexual arousal functioning as compared to posttraumatic stress disorder and negative affectivity. These findings suggest that daily stress may be an important mechanism to consider when treating sexual arousal functioning in women who have a history of childhood maltreatment.
Characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in shale oil by chromatography and fluorescence densitometry

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (6-, 5-, 4- and 3-ring) were characterized in several shale oil samples. Open-column, dry-column and thin-layer chromatography were used in the separation steps. Visible fluorescence from the separated components on chromatoplates was measured directly to obtain fluorescence profiles of the distribution on the chromatoplates. The methods developed are inexpensive, reproducible, and allow rapid characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in shale oil samples.
Morphology and tectonics of the Australian-Antarctic Discordance between 123° E and 128° E

The Australian-Antarctic Discordance (AAD) is an anomalously deep and rugged zone of the Southeast Indian Ridge (SEIR) between 120° E and 128° E. The AAD contains the boundary between the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean isotopic provinces. We have analyzed SeaMarc II bathymetric and sidescan sonar data along the SEIR between 123° E and 128° E. The spreading center in the AAD, previously known to be divided into several transform-bounded sections, is further segmented by nontransform discontinuities which separate distinct spreading cells. Near the transform which bounds the AAD to the east, there is a marked change in the morphology of the spreading center, as well as in virtually every measured geochemical parameter. The spreading axis within the Discordance lies in a prominent rift valley similar to that observed along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, although the full spreading rate within the AAD is somewhat faster than that of slow-spreading centers (~ 74 mm a−1 vs. 0–40 mm a−1). The AAD rift valleys show a marked contrast with the axial high that characterizes the SEIR east of the AAD. This change in axial morphology is coincident with a large (~ 1 km) deepening of the spreading axis. The segmentation characteristics of the AAD are analogous to those of the slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge, as opposed to the SEIR east of the AAD, which exhibits segmentation characteristics typical of fast-spreading centers. Thus, the spreading center within and east of the AAD contains much of the range of global variability in accretionary processes, yet it is a region free from spreading rate variations and the volumetric and chemical influences of hotspots. We suggest that the axial morphology and segmentation characteristics of the AAD spreading centers are the result of the presence of cooler than normal mantle. The presence of a cool mantle and the subsequent diminution of magma supply at a constant spreading rate may engender the creation of anomalously thick brittle lithosphere within the AAD, a condition which favor, the creation of an axial rift valley and of thin oceanic crust, in agreement with petrologic studies. The morphologies of transform and non-transform discontinuities within the Discordance also possess characteristics consistent with the creation of anomalously thick lithosphere in the region. The upper mantle viscosity structure which results from lower mantle temperatures and melt production rates may account for the similarity in segmentation characteristics between the AAD and slow-spreading centers. The section of the AAD which overlies the isotopic boundary is associated with chaotic seafloor which may be caused by an erratic pattern of magmatism and/or complex deformation associated with mantle convergence. Finally, the pattern of abyssal hill terrain within a portion of the AAD supports previous models for the formation of abyssal hills at intermediate- and slow-spreading ridges, and provides insights into how asymmetric spreading is achieved in this region.
Is Telling Stories Good for Democracy? Rhetoric in Public Deliberation after 9/11:

This article develops a sociological perspective on the rhetorical conditions for good public deliberation, a topic of longstanding interest to scholars of the public sphere. The authors argue that the capacity of reason-giving, storytelling, and other rhetorical genres to foster deliberation depends on social conventions of the genre's use and popular beliefs about its credibility relative to other genres. Such beliefs are structured but contingently so: concerns about the generalizability of personal stories or the abstraction of logical arguments come into play on some occasions and not others. The authors appraise this argument by way of a systematic comparison of personal storytelling and reason-giving in public deliberation, the first such empirical study. Drawing upon an analysis of 1,415 claims made by 263 people in 12 discussion groups, the authors show that ordinary conventions of storytelling helped deliberators to identify their own preferences, demonstrate their appreciation of competing pref...
Paramecium sonneborni n. sp., a New Member of the Paramecium aurelia Species-Complex†

ABSTRACT. From an intermittent stream in College Station, Texas, a Paramecium was isolated that did not appear to belong to any recognized species. On the basis of nuclear and whole-body morphology, it can be assigned to the Paramecium aurelia species-complex, and it can be distinguished from other members of that complex on the basis of mating-type reactivity and isoenzyme patterns. These characteristics are felt sufficient to justify a new species assignment. The new species has been named Paramecium sonneborni n. sp. in honor of the late Dr. Tracy M. Sonneborn of Indiana University.
A Prediction Method for Planar Diffuser Flows

A method is presented for computation of performance of two-dimensional (planar) diffusers with steady turbulent inflow of an incompressible fluid. Previous methods can predict one regime of flow. The present method gives accurate predictions covering three flow regimes: unstalled flow, transitory stall, and fully developed stall. The method is a considerable extension of the procedure given by Ghose and Kline [5]; it also uses some ideas from the method for fully stalled flows given by Woolley and Kline [4]. The flow model is zonal and steady. It uses a one-dimensional flow model for the potential core. A momentum integral equation and an entrainment equation are employed for the boundary layer zone. Simultaneous solution is employed to model the different zones where the flow is separating or separated. Improved correlations of flow detachment and of the boundary layer flow state approaching detachment are presented as part of the work and employed in the computations. These will be reported more fully in a separate paper. This model is too simple for the full representation of the physics of transitory stall, which is not symmetric, steady, or one-dimensional in the core. Despite this, the main features of the mean flow, including wall pressure as a function of streamwise location, are accurately represented with very modest computation times, typically tenths of a second on an IBM 3033. The results again indicate that the key features in modeling separated flows are: • correct representation of blockage of shear layers and stalled zones, • adequate modeling of the interaction of potential and viscous zones.
The Role of Classical Conditioning in Sexual Compulsivity: A Pilot Study

While a number of hypotheses exist on the origins of sexual compulsivity, few empirical studies have examined underlying mechanisms. The current research examined if sexually compulsive individuals are more sexually conditionable. Men who have sex with men (MSM) with high or low scores on the Sexual Compulsivity Scale (Kalichman et al., 1994) were presented with an odor that was (experimental group) or was not (control group) paired with brief erotic film clips. We assessed the effects of the olfactory stimulus on genital response and on a behavioral measure of risk taking. We also assessed changes in odor preference, using explicit and implicit measures, to explore the role of evaluative conditioning. There was a trend for high compulsive men to show greater conditioned genital arousal and for conditioned cues to increase sexual motivation in high but not low compulsive men. The strongest support for sexual learning was found with our behavioral measure: High compulsive men showed greater intent to engag...
Care and Justice Orientations in Workplace Ethical Dilemmas of Women Business Owners

In this study, the authors examine the justice and care moral orientations that women business owners employ when resolving important workplace dilemmas and the influence of material financial consequence from these dilemmas on their ethical deliberations. The findings indicate that women business owners predominantly use an ethic of justice in addressing workplace ethical dilemmas, especially when significant financial consequence to the business is perceived to stem from the workplace dilemma. Implications of the study are drawn for extant knowledge and future research on women’s use of moral orientations.
Forces and Issues in the Revival of Interest in Self-Care: Impetus for Redirection in Health

Most health and medical care is provided by families and individuals to themselves. Self-care has become a salient public issue because of the emergence of chronic diseases as leading causes of death and disability; a new awareness of the limitations of conventional medical care; and social changes which emphasize greater personal control. Challenges arise in definition of professional roles in relation to organized self-care efforts, economic implications, and de velopment of appropriate social policies. A negative potential exists for exploitation by interests which would limit move ments for more equitable and higher quality health services, but should not obscure the positive potential for a strengthened partnership in health between the lay and pro fessional worlds.
Phase-amplitude soliton lattice and the lock-in transition

Abstract The concept of a ‘soliton lattice’ and the role it plays in the incommensurate-commensurate or ‘lock-in’ transition are briefly reviewed. The effect of phase-amplitude coupling on the lock-in transition is investigated with particular reference to two models of recent interest concerned with two-fold commensurability in the context of charge density waves. It is inferred that for small phase-amplitude coupling the lock-in transition is continuous, while for large coupling strengths the transition is discontinuous, indicating an overall long range attraction between solitons in the latter case.
Strain induced ε-martensite in a Co-Cr-Mo alloy : grain size effects

Abstract In this work, compressive plastic straining was applied to a fine and a coarse grain sized ( d =10 and 117 μm, respectively) cobalt alloy. Although a strain induced (SIT) martensitic transformation occurred at both grain sizes, volume fractions of SIT e-martensite reached values of 0.5 in the fine grained alloy in contrast with only 0.05 in the alloy with a d =117 μm. In addition, the alloy strength and ductility were influenced by grain size. In particular, the alloy compressive strength increased from 2141 to 2424 MPa whereas the alloy ductility increased from 0.295 to 0.41. It was found that the exhibited increase in alloy ductility was directly related to the alloy ability to remove the build-up of stress incompatibilities through the SIT martensitic transformation.
Cartilage transplants into the periodontium of rhesus monkeys

Abstract Three autotransplants and three homeotransplants of cartilage, from the ears to surgical periodontal pockets, were completed in four Rhesus monkeys. At first the cartilage was surrounded by new connective tissue; then it was invaded by fibroblasts and by endothelial cells that formed capillaries. Later, presumably after differentiation from mesenchymal cells, osteoblasts formed new bone. The new bone formed on the outer surface of the cartilage and extended outward from it into the surrounding tissues. By continuous apposition on the bone that first formed on the surface of the cartilage, new bone formed inward toward the middle of the cartilage. The bone formed in the areas in which the cartilage matrix was removed and around spicules of cartilage including both matrix and chondrocytes. Whenever lacunae adjacent to fibroblasts were opened, new bone was deposited in the place of the chondrocyte. New bony trabeculae were formed in the tissues distant to the cartilage. This might indicate that the cartilage acted as an inductor to the new periodontium by activating its osteogenetic potency. The fresh cartilage was nonviable, and it did not grow. The cartilage preserved in alcohol was nonvital and exhibited varying degrees of degeneration. Nevertheless, the replacement ossification appeared to be more rapid than in fresh cartilage. The histologic differences between the replacement ossification in this study and normal endochondral bone formation during growth and development were discussed. A new periodontal membrane was formed with the fibers embedded in new cementum matrix of the teeth on one side, and in new bone matrix or cartilage on the other side. The periodontal membrane appeared to be functionally arranged, regardless of whether the fibers were embedded in bone or in the perichondrium of the cartilage. The functional arrangement was observed in all the transplants from the twenty-four-day specimen on. However, new cementum was formed on the root of the fourteen-day transplant, and collageneous fibers were embedded in it. A new epithelial attachment was formed.
A quantitative assay for IGF-I and IGF binding protein mRNAs: expression in malignant melanoma cells

The quantification of messenger RNA is central in studies of gene expression. We describe a quantitative assay for specific mRNAs (QASM) that measures mRNAs for insulin-like growth factor-I, IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) -2, -3, -4, and -5, and beta-actin. The assay utilizes reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction, followed by an ELISA based DNA assay technique. The use of internal (competitive) quantification standards gave poorly linear results, while external standards gave linear and reproducible results. QASM results correlated with IGFBP protein concentrations in conditioned medium and with mRNA levels determined by Northern blotting. QASM was used to study IGFBP expression in human malignant melanoma cells. Messenger RNA for IGFBP-2, -3, and -5 were present, while IGF-I and IGFBP-4 mRNAs were not detected. IGFBP-2 and -3 expression was increased in a dose dependent manner by treatment with IGF-I. Protein concentrations in conditioned media paralleled mRNA levels. QASM is a sensitive, specific, and reproducible approach to determining mRNA levels.
Thermochemical Properties and Vapor Growth of Hg1-xCdx Te on CdTe

Based on a thermodynamic analysis, the vapor phase of the Hg1-xCdxTe—HgI2—CdTe epitaxy system consists predominantly of Hg(g) and HgI2(g) through which nutrient species migrate from the source to the CdTe substrate. Growth experiments in the 590° 535°C temperature gradient showed that Hg1-xCdxTe layers can be grown on CdTe substrates using a preannealed, ternary source material in the presence of HgI2. Thermochemische Eigenschaften und Aufwachsen von Hg1-xCdxTe auf CdTe Nach thermodynamischen Rechnungen enthalt die Gasphase des epitaktischen Hg1-xCdxTe—HgI2—CdTe Systems vorwiegend Hg(g) und HgI2(g) durch die andere Molekule vom Ausgangsstoff zum CdTe Substrat wandern. Transportversuche im Temperaturgradienten 590° 535°C zeigten, das man dunne Schichten von Hg1-xCdxTe auf CdTe von einem ternaren Ausgangsmaterial in Gegenwart von HgI2 erhalt.
Algebraic algorithm descriptions as programs

We propose methods for writing algebraic programs in an algebraic notation. We discuss the advantages of this approach and a specific example.
Morphological and histochemical study of the endometrial effects of Ovral in the baboon

In an effort to better understand changes induced by hormonal contraceptives, a group of female baboons were administered Ovral for a period of 9 months. During this time the endometrium was sampled by transcervical uterine biopsy from both the treated animals and from a control group. The biopsies were all obtained between 10 and 14 days of the treatment cycle or the normal menstrual cycle. The endometrial glandular cells from the treated animals exhibited an accelerated maturation compared with the controls. Ultrastructurally this was reflected by increased cell size, numerous long, slender microvilli on the apical membranes, and increased development of the Golgi complex. Differences were also observed in the predominant type of granule seen in the apical cytoplasm. After 3 and 6 months of treatment with Ovral, no significant differences were noted between groups or between animals within a group. However, after 9 months of treatment, the endometrium displayed differences from the earlier experimental groups as well as individual variations. The functional correlates of these observations are discussed and compared to human endometrium.
Mitogen-activated protein kinase in the amygdala plays a critical role in lithium chloride-induced taste aversion learning.

Abstract The intracellular mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in the brain is necessary for the formation of a variety of memories including conditioned taste aversion (CTA) learning. However, the functional role of MAPK activation in the amygdala during lithium chloride (LiCl)-induced CTA learning has not been established. In the present study, we investigated if local microinjection of SL327, a MAPK kinase inhibitor, into the rat amygdala could alleviate LiCl-induced CTA learning. Our results revealed that acute administration of a high dose of LiCl (0.15 M, 12 ml/kg, i.p.) rapidly increased the level of phosphorylated MAPK (pMAPK)-positive cells in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) and nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) of rats as measured by immunohistochemistry. Local microinjection of SL327 (1 μg/0.5 μl/hemisphere) into the CeA 10 min before LiCl administration decreased both the strength of LiCl-induced CTA paired with 0.125% saccharin and the level of LiCl-induced pMAPK-positive cells in the CeA, but not in the NTS. Our data suggest that the intracellular signaling cascade of the MAPK pathway in the CeA plays a critical role in the processing of visceral information induced by LiCl for CTA learning.
Perceived Social Competency in Children With Brain Tumors: Comparison Between Children on and off Therapy

Children with brain tumors are at risk for a number of cognitive, academic, and social difficulties as a consequence of their illness and its treatment. Of these, the least is known about social functioning, particularly over the course of the illness. Thirty children with brain tumors were evaluated using neurocognitive and psychological measures, including a measure of perceived competency. Results indicated that off-therapy brain tumor patients reported more concerns about their social competence than both a normative sample and children on treatment. Findings highlight the need for more research aimed at helping survivors cope with long-term stressors associated with their illness.
Black-White Differences in Consumption: An Update and Some Policy Implications

Marcus Alexis, in his Ph. D. dissertation and in later published work, conducted pioneering work in the area of black-white differences in consumption behavior and thereby influenced our understanding of household behavior and significantly impacted the field of marketing. This paper recapitulates his findings and reviews some contemporary work on black-white differences in consumption and some implications for future work on differences in consumption behavior.
An Empirical Evaluation of Alternative Spatial Models of Elections

In Enelow and Hinich (1982, 1984a), the spatial theory of elections is augmented to incorporate nonspatial candidate characteristics in the voter's candidate evaluations. In this extension, nonpolicy characteristics are represented by an additive term independent of the policy portion of the voter's evaluation. In Grofman (1985), an interactive voting model is introduced, in which nonpolicy characteristics affect the voter's evaluation of the candidate only through the candidate's policy positions. An empirical question is raised by these two contrasting approaches: do nonpolicy candidate qualities affect voter choice independently of candidate policies, interactively with candidate policies, or through both means? This paper is designed to answer that question. An extended form of the Enelow-Hinich model is specified with both main and interaction terms. The model is then used to predict voter choice in the 1972, 1976, and 1980 presidential elections. Statistical evidence for the existence of interaction...
Maskin Is a CPEB-Associated Factor that Transiently Interacts with eIF-4E

Abstract In Xenopus , the CPE is a bifunctional 3′ UTR sequence that maintains maternal mRNA in a dormant state in oocytes and activates polyadenylation-induced translation during oocyte maturation. Here, we report that CPEB, which binds the CPE and stimulates polyadenylation, interacts with a new factor we term maskin. Maskin contains a peptide sequence that is conserved among eIF-4E-binding proteins. Affinity chromatography demonstrates that CPEB, maskin, and eIF-4E reside in a complex in oocytes, and yeast two-hybrid analyses indicate that CPEB and maskin bind directly, as do maskin and eIF-4E. While CPEB and maskin remain together during oocyte maturation, the maskin-eIF-4E interaction is substantially reduced. The dissolution of this complex may result in the binding of eIF-4E to eIF-4G and the translational activation of CPE-containing mRNAs.
The psycholinguistics of metaphor

Can lawyers be sharks, can jobs literally be jails, and can dogs fly across lawns? Such metaphors create novel categories that enable us to characterize the topic of interest. These novel metaphorical categories are special in that they are based on outstanding exemplars of those categories, and they borrow the exemplar's name for use as the category names. Thus 'shark' can be taken as a metaphor for any vicious and predatory being. Contemporary research reveals how people can create and understand such metaphors in ordinary conversation, and suggests that we understand metaphorical meanings as quickly and automatically as we understand literal meanings.
Evaluation of HIF-1 inhibitors as anticancer agents.

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) regulates the transcription of many genes involved in key aspects of cancer biology, including immortalization, maintenance of stem cell pools, cellular dedifferentiation, genetic instability, vascularization, metabolic reprogramming, autocrine growth factor signaling, invasion/metastasis, and treatment failure. In animal models, HIF-1 overexpression is associated with increased tumor growth, vascularization, and metastasis, whereas HIF-1 loss-of-function has the opposite effect, thus validating HIF-1 as a target. In further support of this conclusion, immunohistochemical detection of HIF-1α overexpression in biopsy sections is a prognostic factor in many cancers. A growing number of novel anticancer agents have been shown to inhibit HIF-1 through a variety of molecular mechanisms. Determining which combination of drugs to administer to any given patient remains a major obstacle to improving cancer treatment outcomes.
Higher knowledge for higher aspirations

With escalating expectations and opportunities for HR professionals to add greater value comes the mandate for greater knowledge about the fundamental driving forces of business. Business leaders and employees increasingly assume that HR professionals have foundational knowledge of HR concepts and practices. But to create competitive advantage from that knowledge, HR professionals must be fully versant about external business realities that directly or indirectly influence how to apply that knowledge. We examine four of the most central categories of external business knowledge: advancements in technology, the causes and effects of economic and regulatory turbulence, the dynamics of business globalization, and changes in population demographics. With knowledge about these fundamental business drivers and their supporting data, HR professionals will be more able to make credible and accurate strategic contributions to business discussions and to proactively build more centrally relevant HR practices. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Scholastic Aptitude Test: Participation and Performance.

Abstract In the past two decades high school educational achievement, as measured by the Scholastic Aptitude Test, has declined significantly. This paper proposes an empirical model of achievement that will allow us to examine more closely the reasons for this decline. The model posits average SAT scores as a function of various input levels, demographic characteristics of students, and the test-taking proportion itself. The empirical results indicate a strong relationship between test scores and participation rates. As a rule of thumb scores drop about 1.8 points for every one point increase in the participation rate. Adjusting reported SAT scores for participation causes a significant realignment of the cross-sectional state ranking. For a given state over time changes in participation are found to mask true increases or decreases in achievement, making the unadjusted SAT score a misleading indicator for policy analysis. Significantly, after controlling for participation and other input and demographic factors a mild upward trend is found in scores. Factors that may be responsible for the trend are discussed briefly.
Controls on the seasonal deformation of slow-moving landslides

Article history: Precipitation drives seasonal velocity changes in slow-moving landslides by increasing pore-water pressure and reducing the effective normal stress along basal shear zones. This pressure change is often modeled as a pore-water pressure wave that diffuses through the landslide body, such that the minimum time required for landslides to respond to rainfall should vary as the square of landslide depth (which often approximates the saturated thickness) and inversely with hydraulic diffusivity. Here, we assess this model with new observations from the landslide-prone Eel River catchment, Northern California. Using satellite radar interferometry (InSAR) time series, precipitation data, and high-resolution topographic data from airborne lidar, we quantify the seasonal dynamics of 10 slow-moving landslides, which share the same lithologic, tectonic, and Mediterranean climate conditions. These slope failures have areas ranging from 0.16 to 3.1 km 2
REACTION LIST FOR CHARGED-PARTICLE-INDUCED NUCLEAR REACTIONS Z = 1 TO Z = 99 (H TO Es), JULY 1971--JUNE 1972.

Abstract This Reaction List for charged-particle-induced nuclear reactions has been prepared from the journal literature for the period from July 1973 through September 1974. Each published experimental paper is listed under the target nucleus in the nuclear reaction with a brief statement of the type of data in the paper. The nuclear reaction is denoted by A( a , b )B, where M a ≥ (one nucleon mass). There is no restriction on energy. Nuclear reactions involving mesons in the outgoing channel are not included. Theoretical papers which treat directly with the analysis of nuclear reaction data and results are included in the Reaction List. The cutoff date for literature was September 30, 1974.
A comparison of the low temperature transcriptomes and CBF regulons of three plant species that differ in freezing tolerance: Solanum commersonii, Solanum tuberosum, and Arabidopsis thaliana

Solanum commersonii and Solanum tuberosum are closely related plant species that differ in their abilities to cold acclimate; whereas S. commersonii increases in freezing tolerance in response to low temperature, S. tuberosum does not. In Arabidopsis thaliana, cold-regulated genes have been shown to contribute to freezing tolerance, including those that comprise the CBF regulon, genes that are controlled by the CBF transcription factors. The low temperature transcriptomes and CBF regulons of S. commersonii and S. tuberosum were therefore compared to determine whether there might be differences that contribute to their differences in ability to cold acclimate. The results indicated that both plants alter gene expression in response to low temperature to similar degrees with similar kinetics and that both plants have CBF regulons composed of hundreds of genes. However, there were considerable differences in the sets of genes that comprised the low temperature transcriptomes and CBF regulons of the two species. Thus differences in cold regulatory programmes may contribute to the differences in freezing tolerance of these two species. However, 53 groups of putative orthologous genes that are cold-regulated in S. commersonii, S. tuberosum, and A. thaliana were identified. Given that the evolutionary distance between the two Solanum species and A. thaliana is 112–156 million years, it seems likely that these conserved cold-regulated genes—many of which encode transcription factors and proteins of unknown function—have fundamental roles in plant growth and development at low temperature.
THE PATTERN OF PROPERTY-TAX EXEMPTIONS IN A METROPOLITAN FISCAL SETTING

The fiscal-disparities approach to understanding the fiscal problems of many older American central cities neglects the role of property-tax exemptions. This paper, grounded in the metropolitan fiscal setting of Onondaga County and Syracuse, New York, outlines an argument that emphasizes the link between property-tax exemptions, city age, and regional centrality. Central cities are seen as suffering from fiscal burdens imposed partly by their growth as regional centers. It is concluded that, when the financial problems of central cities are being examined, these cities should not be treated as fiscal equivalents to other metropolitan political units but that due regard should be given to their particular historical development.
Optimality of Projection Synthetic Discriminant Functions

Firm analytical foundations are laid in this paper for quantifying the performance of a class of synthetic discriminant functions (SDFs) known as the equal correlation peak (ECP) filters. It is shown that while the conventional ECP filters are optimum for white input noise, they are not optimal for colored input noise. A modified ECP filter is proposed to optimize the performance for colored input noise. General expressions are also derived to quantify the loss of optimality of the conventional ECP filters.
Differential regulation of cell adhesive functions by integrin α subunit cytoplasmic tails in vivo

Cell adhesion to fibronectin (FN) is crucial for early vertebrate morphogenesis. In Xenopus gastrulae, several distinct integrin-dependent adhesive behaviors can be identified: adhesion of cells to FN, assembly of FN fibrils, and initiation of cell spreading and migration in response to mesoderm inducing signals. We have taken a chimeric integrin approach to investigate the role of the integrin alpha cytoplasmic tail in the specification of these developmentally significant adhesive functions. Cytoplasmic tail-deleted alpha4 constructs and alpha4-ectodomain/alpha-cytoplasmic tail chimeras were generated and expressed in whole embryos. Normal gastrula cells lack integrin alpha4 and, correspondingly, are unable to adhere to the alpha4 ligand, the V-region of FN. The ability of alpha4 constructs to promote adhesive behaviors was established by placing tissue explants or dissociated cells on an FN V-region fusion protein that lacks the RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp)/synergy sites or treating whole embryos with antibodies that block endogenous integrin-FN interactions. We found that each alpha4 cytoplasmic domain deletion mutant and alpha-tail chimera examined could support cell attachment; however, activin induction-dependent cell spreading, mesoderm cell and explant motility, and the ability to assemble FN matrix on the blastocoel roof varied with specific alpha subunit tail sequences. These data suggest that alpha cytoplasmic tail signaling and changes in integrin activation state can regulate a variety of developmentally significant adhesive behaviors in both space and time.
Nonpharmacologic Treatment of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains one of the more serious and common postoperative complications in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. An incidence of 10-50% has been reported in numerous studies over the last two decades [1-8, see also chapter 3]. Efforts to prevent postoperative AF have included refinements in intraoperative surgical technique, use of pre-, infra- and postoperative beta-blockers, prophylactic antiarrhythmic drugs, and multiple temporary cardiac pacing strategies.
Learning dextrous manipulation skills using multisensory information

We present a method for autonomous learning of dextrous manipulation skills with multifingered robot hands. We use heuristics derived from observations made on human hands to reduce the degrees of freedom of the task and make learning tractable. Our approach consists of learning and storing a few basic manipulation primitives for a few prototypical objects and then using an associative memory to obtain the required parameters for new objects and/or manipulations. During learning, sensory information from tactile sensors and a position measuring device is used to evaluate the quality of a candidate manipulation. The parameter space of the robot is searched using a modified version of the evolution strategy, which is robust to the noise normally present in real-world complex robotic tasks. To ensure that the learned skills are applicable in the real world, our system does not rely on simulation. Experimental results show that accurate dextrous manipulation skills can be learned by the robot in a short period of time.
Angular response of a W-collimated room-temperature-operated CdZnTe Frisch collar spectrometer

The spatial resolution of a collimated CdZnTe Frisch collar detector was experimentally investigated for two different tungsten collimator designs using a 198 Au gamma-ray source at 412 keV. A two-dimensional model for the detector–collimator–source geometry was developed and applied with some simplifying assumptions. The CdZnTe detector was fabricated from a single crystal using a copper shim as the Frisch collar. The detector fabrication process is briefly described. Pulse height spectra were collected from 241 Am, 198 Au and 137 Cs using a 3.4 � 3.4 � 5.8 mm 3 CdZnTe detector utilizing an insulated Frisch collar mounted inside a tungsten collimator. The resulting energy spectra are presented. Room-temperature energy resolution of 1.72% full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) was obtained for 137 Cs at 662 keV without electronic correction. The two-dimensional model reasonably predicts the angular response of the
Formation of capillary structures with highly viscous fluids in plane microchannels

A detailed experimental study of capillary structures made with high-viscosity fluids is conducted in plane microchannels. We examine the possibility to emulsify fluids via viscous folding instabilities using continuous microflows. Non-wetting capillary threads are formed in a sheath of immiscible liquids for a wide range of viscosity and flow rate ratios using symmetric hydrodynamic focusing sections. Downstream, threads are significantly deformed in a diverging channel connected to a long plane microchannel. Adjusting the residence time of thread structures in the plane channel allows us to produce various degrees of fold coalescence. Three typical regimes are identified: thread breakup, partial fold coalescence, and complete fold coalescence. The geometrical features of evolving folds are measured and related to material properties, flow parameters, and microgeometries. This study shows that folded structures offer the opportunity to examine novel interfacial configurations and provides a set of microfluidic techniques for improved manipulation of viscous materials with thin immiscible lubricants at the small scale.
Partial-fraction expansion: Part 2

For Part 1 see ibid., vol.5, pp.42-44 (June 2002). In Part 1 of our discussion, after describing a simple procedure for obtaining the partial-fraction expansion (PFE) of a rational function having distinct poles only, we took some precursory steps toward an elegant algorithm by Chin and Steiglitz (1977) applicable to the general case in which the proper rational function contains multiple poles. In this article we develop Chin and Steiglitz' algorithm by rewriting the rational function in a nested form and derive a code for synthetic division.
Early complications in the operative treatment of ankle fractures. Influence of delay before operation

We have reviewed the early complications of 121 surgically treated closed ankle fractures; the complication rate was 30%, with 14 major and 22 minor complications. Fractures with skin blisters or abrasions had more than double the overall complication rate. Fracture-dislocations had three times as many major complications as simple fractures, and those not fixed within 24 hours had a 44% major complication rate compared to 5.3% in those operated upon as emergencies. Patients transferred from another medical facility had high complication rates, especially if they had fracture-dislocations. We conclude that operative treatment of ankle fractures must be delivered in a timely fashion, especially in severe fractures. We would caution against the practice of transferring patients with serious ankle fractures before completion of definitive care.
Interview: comparative effectiveness research and challenges to healthcare reform in the Middle East and USA

Mustafa ‘Mike’ Z Younis was a member of the Executive Committee of the International Society for Research of Healthcare Financial Management and is an Editorial Board member or manuscript reviewer for several national and international journals. As an internationally recognized scholar, Dr Younis has authored and published over 100 articles and abstracts in refereed journals, and has presented at national and international conferences. He has collaborated with faculties from the School of Medicine at Jena University (Jena, Germany), as well as those from Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. He served with the American University of Beirut (Beirut, Lebanon) and the World Bank training workshops for health sector reforms in the Middle East, which involved training health administrators from several Middle Eastern countries. His present and future research activities focus on issues related to disparities and access in healthcare, cancer centers, long-term care and nursing homes; capital structure and debt f...
Profile-based object matching for information integration

Traditional object-matching methods rely on similarities among shared attributes. Profile-based object matching builds on this approach but also correlates disjoint attributes to improve matching accuracy. To illustrate the PROM approach, we use two relational tables: one contains information about movies, the other about movie reviews.
Climatological Aspects of Eastern United States Back-Door Cold Frontal Passages1

Abstract Results of a study on back-door cold fronts for the months April through October of 1964–71 are presented. Results include information on frequency, associated air-mass duration, precipitation, temperature and dew-point temperature changes, sky cover, and rate of frontal movement. Composite 850- and 500-mb height contours are also constructed. Our findings include: (1) for the sample period, southward penetration of back-door cold fronts is a maximum in June as is frontal frequency, (2) orography plays a prominent role in funneling shallow cold air pools southward east of the Appalachians, (3) more than half of all frontal passages are associated with trace amounts or less of precipitation, (4) heaviest precipitation tends to occur in conjunction with the advancing cold fronts at the more southern and western locations and with the returning warm fronts at northern and eastern locations, (5) temperature changes following frontal passage decrease from north to south and from the coast inland (dew-...
Toward a further understanding of the intuitive personologists: Some critical evidence on the diabolical quality of subjective psychometrics

Despite significant advances over the past three decades in our understanding of the implicit dangers in ad hoc psychometric procedures, some important questions remain, particularly as regards the nature of the underlying reasoning process by which subjectively meaningful theoretical impressions are formulated and expressed. The present article seeks to address this issue, with particular attention being given to the distinction between demonstrative and dialectical reasoning. Evidence is offered to show that, at least under certain conditions, intuitive psychometricians formulate and express theoretical impressions on the basis of a reasoning process that is essentially dialectical in nature. Some major implications of this point of view for the study of personality theory are discussed. The limitations of the evidence presented, and the need for further research, are forgone.
The Internal Structure of Positive and Negative Affect: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the PANAS

This study tested five confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models of the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to provide validity evidence based on its internal structure. A sample of 223 club sport athletes indicated their emotions during the past week. Results revealed that an orthogonal two-factor CFA model, specifying error correlations according to Zevon and Tellegen’s mood content categories, provided the best fit to our data. In addition, parameter estimates for this model suggest that PANAS scores are reliable and explain large proportions of item variance. Taken together with previous research, the findings further suggest that the PANAS may be a higher-order measure of affect and includes several consistently problematic items. The authors recommend that affect researchers attempt to improve the PANAS by (a) revising consistently problematic items, (b) adding new items to better capture mood content categories, and (c) providing additional internal structure validity evidence through ...
Control of skin sympathetic nerve activity during intermittent static handgrip exercise.

Background— Exercise activates the sympathetic nervous system as a function of the type and intensity of exercise and of the target organ studied. Although central command and activity of metabolically sensitive afferents from exercising muscle are the principal determinants of sympathetic outflow directed to skeletal muscle, the mechanisms that govern sympathetic outflow directed to skin are less clear. Methods and Results— We measured skin sympathetic nerve activity (SSNA) during intermittent static handgrip (SHG; at 45% of maximal voluntary contraction; four 5-second contractions per minute for 3 minutes), during unrestricted forearm perfusion (control), during stimulation of forearm mechanoreceptors with venous congestion, and during ischemia produced by forearm circulatory arrest. Under all 3 conditions, SSNA increased within 1 to 2 seconds of the onset of handgrip. During ischemia but not during venous congestion, SSNA increased more compared with control (P<0.05) and remained elevated when forearm ...
Sources of information on postgraduate medical training programs--1998 update.

This is an update of an earlier article listing directories, journal articles, and general books that aid the librarian, resident, or medical student in finding information on residency and fellowship programs. The article also gives suggestions for building a file of program catalogs related to residencies, fellowships, and clerkships and related materials.
Chromosome Identification and Nomenclature of Sorghum bicolor

Linkage group identities and homologies were determined for metaphase chromosomes of Sorghum bicolor (2n = 20) by FISH of landed BACs. Relative lengths of chromosomes in FISH-karyotyped metaphase spreads of the elite inbred BTx623 were used to estimate the molecular size of each chromosome and to establish a size-based nomenclature for sorghum chromosomes (SBI-01–SBI-10) and linkage groups (LG-01 to LG-10). Lengths of arms were determined to orient linkage groups relative to a standard karyotypic layout (short arms at top). The size-based nomenclature for BTx623 represents a reasonable choice as the standard for a unified chromosome nomenclature for use by the sorghum research community.
A note on a problem of Gauthier

Let D denote the unit disc in the complex plane. If p and q are two complex numbers, let x ( p , q ) denote the chordal distance between p and q on the Riemann sphere. In particular, we have the formula and The following problem was posed by Paul Gauthier: if f (z) and g (z) are meromorphic functions in D such that Clunie [4] has answered this problem in the negative by constructing different meromorphic functions f (z) and g (z) with the desired property. However, the functions constructed by Clunie both have an infinity of poles in D . It is the purpose of this note to give an example of two analytic functions―which thus have no poles―which also give a negative answer to the problem of Gauthier.
A TAT–Frataxin fusion protein increases lifespan and cardiac function in a conditional Friedreich's ataxia mouse model

Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) is the most common inherited human ataxia and results from a deficiency of the mitochondrial protein, frataxin (FXN), which is encoded in the nucleus. This deficiency is associated with an iron–sulfur (Fe–S) cluster enzyme deficit leading to progressive ataxia and a frequently fatal cardiomyopathy. There is no cure. To determine whether exogenous replacement of the missing FXN protein in mitochondria would repair the defect, we used the transactivator of transcription (TAT) protein transduction domain to deliver human FXN protein to mitochondria in both cultured patient cells and a severe mouse model of FRDA. A TAT–FXN fusion protein bound iron in vitro, transduced into mitochondria of FRDA deficient fibroblasts and reduced caspase-3 activation in response to an exogenous iron-oxidant stress. Injection of TAT–FXN protein into mice with a conditional loss of FXN increased their growth velocity and mean lifespan by 53% increased their mean heart rate and cardiac output, increased activity of aconitase and reversed abnormal mitochondrial proliferation and ultrastructure in heart. These results show that a cell-penetrant peptide is capable of delivering a functional mitochondrial protein in vivo to rescue a very severe disease phenotype, and present the possibility of TAT–FXN as a protein replacement therapy.