cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On age and Machiavellianism.

A number of recent studies employing tests of Machiavellianism have established the role of the respondent's age as a moderating variable, thus modifying the results. Age and Machiavellianism are negatively correlated, as supported by our own work (4), and reported in detail in studies cited by Christie and Geis (2). Christie and Geis specifically identified this negative relationship (1) and an additional negative correlation between Machiavellianism and number of years of education (2). They further reported that "Mach scores . . . increase from the age of 10 or so through the age of 16 or 17 and that there is a gradual decrease of sorts after the age of 40" (2, p. 234). Further, a recent study (3) suggests one's Mach score may be related to whether or not one has a managerial position and one's job can perhaps modify the negative relationship between age and Machiavellianism. Perhaps as one gets older. with concomitant experience in social relationships, one accepts the social order, becomes more conservative, and finds less need to endorse a Machiavellian approach. Part of this process may be an increasing denial with age of social perceptions that ordinarily support a cynical view of man. In any case, given the empirical results of the studies cited above, researchers planning work in this area should be cognizant of this relationship between age and Machiavellianism as a possible confounding factor.
Function model of efficient support system based on improved IDEF0 method

The deficiency in practical work of traditional IDEF0 function-modeling method is discussed. And then the IFEF0 method is improved in three aspects, and a new method named Improved IDEF0 method is presented. The meaning, characteristics, and the researching idea of Efficient Support (ES) are introduced, and the function model of Efficient Support System (ESS) is given which is established by the Improved IDEF0 method.
Surgical procedures for intractable cancer pain

In the past, neurosurgical ablative therapies (NAT) were commonly used for managing cancer pain. Since the advent of intrathecal opioid and patient-controlled intravenous opioids, NAT has fallen out of favor secondary to their comparably worse risk–benefit profile. Although NAT is rarely utilized today, there is a subgroup of patients who continue to benefit from these procedures. These patients either do not receive adequate pain relief by more traditional means or are unable to tolerate the adverse effects of opioid medications. Other patients prefer to undergo a low-maintenance intervention that will allow them to spend the remainder of life with their families in a narcotic-free state at home. The neuroablative surgeries target several different areas of the CNS ranging from the peripheral nervous system (ie, dorsal rhizotomy) to the central nervous system (ie, anterior cordotomy). While these procedures have a reduced role, they remain a viable option in palliative care medicine.
Oligooxopiperazines as Nonpeptidic α-Helix Mimetics

A new class of nonpeptidic α-helix mimetics derived from α-amino acids and featuring chiral backbones is described. NMR and circular dichroism spectroscopies, in combination with molecular modeling studies, provide compelling evidence that oligooxopiperazine dimers adopt stable conformations that reproduce the arrangement of i, i+4, and i+7 residues on an α-helix.
The Effect of Topic Interest on the Reading Comprehension of Higher Ability Students

AbstractThis study investigated the relationship between topic interest and reading comprehension, focusing on higher ability students. Ninety-three fifth and sixth grade subjects were given reading passages of higher and lower interest, and tested on their comprehension of these passages. Analysis of the data revealed that higher interest materials significantly facilitated the reading comprehension of higher ability students. Lower and middle ability readers’ comprehension was not affected by the varying interest conditions. There was no effect by sex. The finding conflicts with the results of previous research and has implications for the reading education of gifted students.
Motivational limitations on the demands of justice

Do motivational limitations due to human nature constrain the demands of justice? Among those who say no, David Estlund offers perhaps the most compelling argument. Taking Estlund’s analysis of ‘ability’ as a starting point, I show that motivational deficiencies can constrain the demands of justice under at least one common circumstance – that the motivationally deficient agent makes a good faith effort to overcome her deficiency. In fact, my argument implies something stronger; namely, that the demands of justice are constrained by what people are sufficiently likely to be motivated to do. Thus, contrary to the prevailing wisdom, it is the business of ideal theory – not just nonideal theory – to work with the motivational capacities people are likely enough to have.
Teaching enterprise application development: strategies and challenges

Enterprise application development requires a skill set that is broader than that provided by traditional programming courses. Enterprise applications are distributed, networked, multi-user, and, in most instances, fairly complex. As such, competent software developers must possess more than the basic understanding of a programming language. Developers of enterprise applications must also possess an understanding of networking fundamentals, network and application security, relational database management systems, concurrency, and application deployment and scaling. They should additionally be knowledgeable with the mechanics of at least one specific application platform, for example J2EE or Microsoft's .NET. This collection of competencies tend not to be taught in the software development curriculum as a collective whole, rather they are touched upon in many different courses in the curriculum. Though this traditional approach is more or less successful in creating adaptable skills for students who are then positioned to learn application domain-specific technologies and concepts, this approach is likely to fail in providing in-depth knowledge of the principles, patterns, and techniques used for developing these types of large enterprise applications. The acquisition of this knowledge must therefore be obtained in either an on-the-job or self-taught fashion. Our department has been addressing these issues for over ten years via a software development course that uses a variety of technologies including COM/DCOM, .NET, and J2EE. Our expressed goal is to educate our students with the knowledge required to design and implement enterprise applications.In this paper, we present the goals and history of our course, the framework we have used for teaching the subject, as well as the challenges that can arise in administering the associated coursework. The observations are based on the two authors' collective experience teaching enterprise application development in a university setting.
Perturbing polynomials with all their roots on the unit circle

Given a monic real polynomial with all its roots on the unit circle, we ask to what extent one can perturb its middle coefficient and still have a polynomial with all its roots on the unit circle. We show that the set of possible perturbations forms a closed interval of length at most 4, with 4 achieved only for polynomials of the form x 2n + cx n + 1 with c in [-2,2]. The problem can also be formulated in terms of perturbing the constant coefficient of a polynomial having all its roots in [-1,1]. If we restrict to integer coefficients, then the polynomials in question are products of cyclotomics. We show that in this case there are no perturbations of length 3 that do not arise from a perturbation of length 4. We also investigate the connection between slightly perturbed products of cyclotomic polynomials and polynomials with small Mahler measure. We describe an algorithm for searching for polynomials with small Mahler measure by perturbing the middle coefficients of products of cyclotomic polynomials. We show that the complexity of this algorithm is O(C√ d ), where d is the degree, and we report on the polynomials found by this algorithm through degree 64.
Future planetary optical access links

Optical planetary access links to return information from surface assets on Mars to orbiting spacecraft for subsequent relay back to Earth will be discussed. The capabilities that can be realized using such links will be presented for a presumed concept of operations at Mars. Autonomous acquisition and tracking using low-complexity optical terminals will also be discussed.
On the Number of Generators of an Invertible Ideal

Prtifer domains, and by means of this construction we give an example which (a) shows that none of the sufficient conditions given in Sections 1 and 2 in order that an invertible ideal have a basis of two elements are necessary, and (b) answers in the negative a question raised by Matlis in [15, p. 1511. All rings considered in this paper are assumed to be commutative. 1.
Determinants of pathogenicity and avirulence in plant pathogenic bacteria

Many plant pathogenic bacteria possess a conserved protein secretion system that is thought to transfer Avr (avirulence) proteins, with potential activities in both parasitism and defense elicitation, into plant cells. avr genes may be acquired horizontally by these bacteria, and avr gene compositions are highly variable. In the past year, heterologous expression experiments have revealed that the products of avr genes can be interchanged among different genera of bacteria with retention of secretion, pathogenicity, and avirulence activities, suggesting mechanisms for rapid coevolution of these parasites with changing plant hosts.
Raman cooling of atoms in two and three dimensions.

Sodium atoms have been cooled in two and three dimensions with stimulated Raman transitions. Atoms in 2D have been cooled to ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathrm{rms}}$=1.2\ensuremath{\Elzxh}k/M, corresponding to an effective temperature of ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathrm{eff}}$=1.7 \ensuremath{\mu}K while atoms in 3D have been cooled to ${\mathit{V}}_{\mathrm{rms}}$=2.3\ensuremath{\Elzxh}k/M, or ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathrm{eff}}$=4.3 \ensuremath{\mu}K.
Considering the effects of financial incentives and professional ethics on ‘appropriate’ medical care

This manuscript presents a model of an 'ethical' physician's allocation of time and income between work and leisure activities for various remuneration types and income levels. The physician is 'ethical' because, ceteris paribus, he prefers to provide that amount of medical care which he believes to be in the patient's best interests. Remuneration systems include fixed, time-based and output-based incomes. Only output-based income provides the physician with incentives which may (if the physician density and medical care price are sufficiently high) generate more-than-'appropriate' care per patient. Fixed and time-based incomes necessarily lead the physician to provide less-than-'appropriate' care.
Chronic Ethanol Exposure Impairs Phosphorylation of CREB and CRE‐Binding Activity in Rat Striatum

This study examined influences of ethanol exposure on phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and CRE-binding activity in the striatum of rats. The phosphorylated form of CREB increased 180% during acute intoxication, compared to sham conditions. After chronic ethanol exposure, induction of CREB phosphorylation by an acute ethanol challenge was markedly attenuated (50%) compared with acute ethanol exposure in the pair-fed condition. Gel retardation assays with oligomers encoding the rat proenkephalin CRE-1 and CRE-2 were performed to determine the effects of ethanol on CRE-binding activity. Supershift experiments demonstrated that striatal nuclear protein contains CREB and CEBPβ (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein) and that both transcription factors are involved in specifically binding to the DNA sequence. Rechallenging rats that had been chronically exposed to ethanol with an acute ethanol challenge reduced the CRE/nuclear protein complexes. However, supershift analyses did not show that chronic ethanol exposure altered the dimerization patterns of CREB and CEBPβ within the complexes. Associated with these impairments in CREB binding and CREB phosphorylation was a significant reduction in two CREB-modulated factors, proenkephalin and c-fos expression. In summary, acute ethanol exposure activates the phosphorylation of CREB. Neuroadaptation to chronic ethanol exposure includes alterations in CREB physiology that may impair genes that are dependent upon CREB for transcriptional activation.
Morphine produces a multiphasic effect on the release of substance P from rat trigeminal nucleus slices by activating different opioid receptor subtypes

Morphine (MOR) produces a concentration-dependent multiphasic effect (inhibitions and facilitations) on K+-eviked substance P (SP) release from rat trigeminal nucleus slices47. In this study, we tested the action of selective opioid receptor antagonists on this multiphasic effect of MOR. 1 nM MOR produced an inhibition of K+-evoked release of SP that was affected only by the selective μ1-opioid receptor antagonist naloxonazine (1 nM). MOR at 100 nM elicited an increase in SP release which was abolished selectively by the μ-opioid receptor antagonist, β-funaltrexamine (β-FNA; 20 nM) and attenuated by the σ-opioid receptor antagonist, ICI 174,864 (0.3 μM). 3 μM MOR produced an inhibition of SP release that was reversed only by ICI 174,864 (0.3 μM). MOR at even higher concentrations (30 μM) produced an enhancement of SP release that was reversed selectively by 3 nM n-binaltorphimine (n-BNI; 3 nM), a κ-opioid receptor antagonist. In slices pretreated with 20 nM β-FNA and in the presence of 0.3 μM ICI 174,864 (μ- and σ-opioid receptor blockade), both 100 nM and 3 μM MOR elicited a strong facilitation of K+-evoked SP release which was sensitive to 3 nM n-BNI. Thus, the increase in SP release produced by 100 nM may be mediated by the simultaneous stimulation of β-FNA-sensitive μ- and excitatory σ-opioid receptors whereas the facilitation of SP release induced by 30 μM MOR could be due to the activation of κ-opioid receptors. 1 nM and 3 μM MOR may inhibit SP release by stimulating naloxonazine-sensitive μ1- and inhibitory σ-opioid receptors, respectively.
Management of complications after reverse shoulder arthroplasty

Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has become the treatment of choice for patients with rotator cuff arthropathy. Complication rate after RTSA has been reported to be three to five times that of conventional total shoulder arthroplasty. Intraoperative and postoperative complications include neurological injury, infection, dislocation or instability, acromial or scapular spine fracture, hematoma, and scapular notching. Knowledge of optimal component placement along with preoperative planning and recognition of risk factors are essential in optimizing patient outcome. The purpose of this review article is to identify the most common and serious complications associated with the RTSA and discuss the current methods of management. Complications after RTSA pose a significant challenge for healthcare providers and economic burden to society. Therefore, it is essential to make the proper diagnosis and develop and implement early management plans to improve patient outcome and satisfaction.
Hydroxylation of Methane by Non-Heme Diiron Enzymes: Molecular Orbital Analysis of C−H Bond Activation by Reactive Intermediate Q

The electronic structures of key species involved in methane hydroxylation performed by the hydroxylase component of soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO), as proposed previously on the basis of high-level density functional theory, were investigated. The reaction starts with initial approach of methane at one of the bridging oxo atoms in intermediate Q, a di(mu-oxo)diiron(IV) unit. This step is accompanied by a proton-coupled outer-sphere transfer of the first electron from a C-H sigma-bond in methane to one of the metal centers. The second electron transfer, also an outer-sphere electron transfer process, occurs along a two-component reaction pathway. Both redox reactions are strongly coupled to structural distortions of the diiron core. The electronic consequence and driving force of these distortions are intuitively explained by using the computed Kohn-Sham orbitals in the broken-symmetry framework to incorporate the experimentally observed antiferromagnetic coupling of the unpaired electrons at the metal centers. The broken-symmetry orbital scheme is essential for describing the C-H bond activation process in a consistent and complete manner, enabling derivation of both an intuitive and quantitative understanding of the most salient electronic features that govern the details of the hydroxylation.
Evacuation Movement in Photoluminescent Stairwells

An experiment was conducted in a 13-storey office building to assess the effectiveness of different installations of photoluminescent material (PLM) in stairwells. For the experiment four identical stairwells were used: three had different PLM installations and one had reduced lighting of an average of 37 lux. Video cameras and a questionnaire were used to gather data on the movement time and behavior of evacuees. Results from the study show that between 65 to 75% of the respondents felt comfortable going down the stairwells with PLM markings, with the visibility assessed as “good or excellent” in the two stairwells with PLM marking across each step. After the sound of the fire alarm, the average time taken by the first occupants to arrive at each stairwell was 1 min 7 s. Overall, the full evacuation lasted about 12 min. The results also indicate that during the busiest moment of the evacuation the mean speed of movement in the stairwells ranged between 0.40 and 0.66 m/s, while the density ranged between 1.56 and 1.60 p/m2. Occupants’ judgment of the installations showed the importance of marking across each step of the stairwell.
The effects of multiple stressors on wetland communities: pesticides, pathogens and competing amphibians

SUMMARY 1. Anthropogenic effects have propelled us into what many have described as the sixth mass extinction, and amphibians are among the most affected groups. The causes of global amphibian population declines and extinctions are varied, complex and context-dependent and may involve multiple stressors. However, experimental studies examining multiple factors contributing to amphibian population declines are rare. 2. Using outdoor mesocosms containing zooplankton, phytoplankton, periphyton and tadpoles, we conducted a 2 · 2 · 3 factorial experiment that examined the separate and combined effects of an insecticide and the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) on three different assemblages of larval pacific treefrogs (Pseudacris regilla) and Cascades frogs (Rana cascadae). 3. Larval amphibian growth and development were affected by carbaryl and the amphibian assemblage treatment, but only minimally by Bd. Carbaryl delayed metamorphosis in both amphibian species and increased the growth rate of P. regilla. Carbaryl also reduced cladoceran abundance, which, in turn, had positive effects on phytoplankton abundance but no effect on periphyton biomass. Substituting 20 intraspecific competitors with 20 interspecific competitors decreased the larval period but not the growth rate of P. regilla. In contrast, substituting 20 intraspecific competitors with 20 interspecific competitors had no effect on R. cascadae. Results of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis confirmed infection of Bd-exposed animals, but exposure to Bd had no effects on either species in univariate analyses, although it had significant or nearly significant effects in several multivariate analyses. In short, we found no interactive effects among the treatments on amphibian growth and development. 4. We encourage future research on the interactive effects of pesticides and pathogens on amphibian communities.
Olanzapine/fluoxetine combination for bipolar depression

Bipolar depression remains one of the most difficult to treat of all mental disorders. Until recently, no treatments, including antidepressants, have consistently shown to be effective in this condition. Olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the acute treatment of mania and maintenance prevention of relapse into depression or mania. A clinical trial tested the relative effectiveness of the combination of olanzapine and fluoxetine in bipolar type I depression, against olanzapine alone or placebo. The combination produced a very robust clinical effect acutely and a long-term follow-up study indicated that there was a low rate of induction of mania or mixed states. Therefore, the olanzapine/fluoxetine combination represents a viable alternative for bipolar depression. However, uptake of this combined product in practice has been modest. This is likely to be the result of several factors, including resistance to the use of fixed combination preparations and, more recently, evidence of effectiveness of the atypical quetiapine and the anticonvulsant lamotrigine. Perhaps the greatest resistance to the use of olanzapine alone or in combination has been the problem of weight gain and the attendant risk of type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. Vigorous management of this problem has been shown to mitigate the potential for weight gain and is required if this combination is to be used. However, many clinicians find management of weight gain in olanzapine treated patients a challenge. In addition, weight, waist circumference, lipids and glucose should be monitored.
Highly sampled tetranucleotide and tetraloop motifs enable evaluation of common RNA force fields.

Recent modifications and improvements to standard nucleic acid force fields have attempted to fix problems and issues that have been observed as longer timescale simulations have become routine. Although previous work has shown the ability to fold the UUCG stem–loop structure, until now no group has attempted to quantify the performance of current force fields using highly converged structural populations of the tetraloop conformational ensemble. In this study, we report the use of multiple independent sets of multidimensional replica exchange molecular dynamics (M-REMD) simulations with different initial conditions to generate well-converged conformational ensembles for the tetranucleotides r(GACC) and r(CCCC), as well as the larger UUCG tetraloop motif. By generating what is to our knowledge the most complete RNA structure ensembles reported to date for these systems, we remove the coupling between force field errors and errors due to incomplete sampling, providing a comprehensive comparison between current top-performing MD force fields for RNA. Of the RNA force fields tested in this study, none demonstrate the ability to correctly identify the most thermodynamically stable structure for all three systems. We discuss the deficiencies present in each potential function and suggest areas where improvements can be made. The results imply that although “short” (nsec-μsec timescale) simulations may stay close to their respective experimental structures and may well reproduce experimental observables, inevitably the current force fields will populate alternative incorrect structures that are more stable than those observed via experiment.
On MIMO signal processing for adaptive W-CDMA and OFDM wireless transceivers

In this paper, we consider wideband extensions of narrowband signal processing techniques for MIMO wireless transceivers. The extensions are applied and analyzed on commonly used wideband systems such as W-CDMA and OFDM. We focus on signal processing techniques for channel estimation and correction, including pilot-aided and decision-directed LMS-based adaptive estimation. Simulation study compares cases with one and two transmit/receive antennas and shows that BER of W-CDMA system consistently improves by exploiting multi-path diversity through additional antenna at the receiver, while additional transmit antenna is beneficial under specific channel conditions. BER performance in OFDM is more sensitive to the value of the channel's smallest eigen-value than to the eigen-spread. In most practical cases, therefore, the sub-channels with small eigen-values are not usable due to poor BER.
Highly oriented thin films of cubic zirconia on sapphire through grain growth seeding

A two-step process has been developed to form highly oriented thin films in material systems with dissimilar crystal structures and interatomic spacings. This processing method utilizes current polycrystalline thin film deposition techniques. In this method, a polycrystalline thin film is first deposited and heat treated to promote its breakup into isolated grains. The breakup process favors those grains that have a low substrate interfacial energy and so produces a film of highly oriented but isolated grains. In the second process step, another polycrystalline thin film is deposited. The remnant grains act as seeds for the growth of a highly oriented thin film. The process is demonstrated through the growth of highly (100) oriented thin films of cubic ZrO2 (25 mol % Y2O3) on (0001) Al2O3 single crystal substrates, a material system in which film and substrate have dissimilar structures and interatomic spacings. Implications for the growth of epitaxial films using this method are discussed.
Effect of water activity on the mechanical properties of selected legumes and nuts

Two legumes (kidney beans and chickpeas) and two nut kernels (almonds and hazelnuts) were compressed intact with a Universal testing machine at various aw levels in the range of 0·11–0·85 at an ambient temperature of 22°C. Mechanical characterisation of the four was done through four parameters; the slope of the initial part of force–displacement curve, considered a measure of stiffness, the failure force, considered a measure of strength, the deformation at failure, considered a measure of brittleness or deformability and the area under the force–displacement curve corresponding to 20% compression, considered a measure of toughness. Among these parameters only the latter could be determined and used effectively in all four seeds and along the whole water activity range. The jaggedness of the force–displacement curve was also determined in terms of its apparent fractal dimension calculated with two different algorithms for verification. There was a noticeable difference between the mechanical behaviour of the two groups. The nut kernels, apparently because of their high oil content, had a much smoother force–displacement curve, and the effect of absorbed moisture on their texture was generally more moderate than on that of the legumes. But in all the four types of seeds tested, each mechanical property had its own specific moisture dependency, an observation consistent with previous reports on cereal-based products. ©1997 SCI
Dynamics of evapotranspiration in semiarid grassland and shrubland ecosystems during the summer monsoon season, central New Mexico

higher at the grassland than at the shrubland by 20% or 70 W m � 2 because of differences in net radiation (Rn) and soil heat flux (G). At both sites, midday evaporative fraction and daily ET are strongly correlated with surface soil moisture (q0–5cm) but poorly correlated with water content at greater depths or averaged throughout the entire root zone. The sensitivity of EF to q0–5cm is 30% lower at the grassland site. The differences in Qa and EF cancel, yielding similar time series of ET at the two sites. Decreases in q0–5cm, ET, and EF following rainfall events are rapid: exponential time constants are less than 3 days. With the exception of the largest storms, infiltration following rainfall events only wets the top 10 cm of soil. Therefore the surface soil layer is the primary reservoir for water storage and source for ET during the monsoon season, suggesting that direct evaporation is a large component of ET. Given these results, predicting ET based on root zone–averaged soil moisture is inappropriate in the semiarid environments studied here. INDEX TERMS: 1818 Hydrology: Evapotranspiration; 1833 Hydrology: Hydroclimatology; 1866 Hydrology: Soil moisture; 1878 Hydrology: Water/energy interactions; KEYWORDS: Bouteloua eriopoda, Bowen ratio, evapotranspiration, grassland, Larrea tridentata, shrubland Citation: Kurc, S. A., and E. E. Small (2004), Dynamics of evapotranspiration in semiarid grassland and shrubland ecosystems during the summer monsoon season, central New Mexico, Water Resour. Res., 40, W09305, doi:10.1029/2004WR003068.
Micromeritics of granular pharmaceutical solids. I. Physical properties of particles prepared by five different granulation methods.

Granular pharmaceutical solids, prepared by 5 different granulation methods, were evaluated on the basis of repose angle, hardness, density, number of particles per gram, bulk density, shape volume factor, bulk volume, and geometrical form. Particular attention was given to the development of an accurate technique for evaluating shape volume factor as a means of characterizing the over-all shape of a particle. The findings indicated that repose angle was primarily a function of surface roughness and that geometrical form and shape on a volume basis were inversely proportional to bulk volume. The determination of these easily computed parameters is therefore of value in assessing manufacturing procedures which have as their primary objective the production of smooth, spherical particles suitable for pharmaceutical coating purposes.
Holomorphic Maps into Hyperbolic Spaces

Let X and Y be complex spaces. Let C(X, Y) denote the family of continuous maps from X into Y with compact-open topology. Let D(X, Y) be the subfamily of distance-decreasing maps from X into Y with respect to their intrinsic pseudo-distances d X and d Y . Then D(X, Y) is closed in C(X, Y). The family Hol(X, Y) of holomorphic maps from X into Y is a closed subset of D(X, Y).
Norman Perrin and the Relation of Historical Knowledge to Faith

Norman Perrin died in November 1976. In 1984 a memorial issue of the Journal of Religion in his honor was published. Among the tributes to him in this issue was an especially searching article by his friend Erich Grasser of the University of Bonn entitled, “Norman Perrin's Contribution to the Question of the Historical Jesus” (pp. 484–500). The considerations raised in this paper about the relation of history to faith, not only in Perrin's work but in our modern period generally, lead me to the following reflections on this continuing problem.
MADIT‐I and MADIT‐II

The MADIT-I study was a proof-of-principle study, and this randomized trial showed that the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) saves lives in high-risk patients with coronary heart disease. The MADIT-II study showed that prophylactic ICD therapy was associated with significantly improved survival in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, as defined by documented coronary heart disease and advanced left ventricular dysfunction, without requiring screening for ventricular arrhythmias or inducibility by electrophysiologic testing. Taken together, these two trials, as well as the results from several other randomized ICD trials, indicate that ICD therapy is indicated in coronary patients who meet MADIT-I or MADIT-II eligibility criteria and are not excluded by major noncardiac comorbidity.
Basing population genetic inferences and models of molecular evolution upon desired stationary distributions of DNA or protein sequences

Models of molecular evolution tend to be overly simplistic caricatures of biology that are prone to assigning high probabilities to biologically implausible DNA or protein sequences. Here, we explore how to construct time-reversible evolutionary models that yield stationary distributions of sequences that match given target distributions. By adopting comparatively realistic target distributions, evolutionary models can be improved. Instead of focusing on estimating parameters, we concentrate on the population genetic implications of these models. Specifically, we obtain estimates of the product of effective population size and relative fitness difference of alleles. The approach is illustrated with two applications to protein-coding DNA. In the first, a codon-based evolutionary model yields a stationary distribution of sequences, which, when the sequences are translated, matches a variable-length Markov model trained on human proteins. In the second, we introduce an insertion–deletion model that describes selectively neutral evolutionary changes to DNA. We then show how to modify the neutral model so that its stationary distribution at the amino acid level can match a profile hidden Markov model, such as the one associated with the Pfam database.
Calculating the hydrodynamic volume of poly(ethylene oxylated) single-walled carbon nanotubes and hydrophilic carbon clusters.

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is widely used to render CNTs suitable as vectors for targeted drug delivery. One recently described PEGylated version uses an oxidized single-walled carbon nanotube called a hydrophilic carbon cluster (HCC). The resulting geometric dimension of the hybrid PEG–CNT or PEG–HCC is an important factor determining its ability to permeate the cellular membrane and to maintain its blood circulation. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to estimate the maximum length and width dimensions for a PEGylated single-walled carbon nanotube in water solution as a model for the PEG–HCC. We ensured maximum PEGylation by functionalizing each carbon atom in a CNT ring with an elongated PEG molecule, avoiding overlapping between PEGs attached to different CNT rings. We suggest that maximum PEGylation is important to achieve an optimal drug delivery platform.
Deterministic solutions for a step‐growth polymerization

Chain topology, including branch node, chain link and cross-link dynamics that contribute to the number of elastically active strands and junctions, are calculated using purely deterministic derivations. Solutions are not coupled to population density distributions. An eigenzeit transformation assists in the conversion of expressions derived by chemical reaction principles from time to conversion space, yielding transport phenomena type expressions where the rate of change in the molar concentrations of branch nodes with respect to conversion is expressed as functions of the fraction of reactive sites on precursors and reactants. Analogies are hypothesized to exist in cross-linking space that effectively distribute branch nodes with i reacted moieties between cross-links having j bonds extending to the gel. To obtain solutions, reacted sites on nodes or links with finite chain extensions are examined in terms of stoichiometry associated with covalent bonding. Solutions replicate published results based on Miller and Macosko's recursive procedure and results obtained from truncated weighted sums of population density distributions as suggested by Flory.
The Risk-Return Profiles Of Global Portfolios: Some Evidence From Asia-Pacific And European Equity Markets

As world financial markets are integrated, national stock markets tend to move together. Empirical evidence on correlations among equity markets worldwide suggests an increasing interdependence between most national markets in recent years. This is disconcerting, to say the least, to investors and portfolio managers seeking risk diversification via global equity investing. The objective of this study is to investigate whether there is still room for global portfolio diversification from the U.S. perspective. Specifically, this research examines the statistical significance and magnitude of diversification benefits arising from equity investments in Asia-Pacific (Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan) and Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) over the period of November 1998 through October 2006. The study provides insights about the extent to which the U.S. investors need to allocate their equity investments in Asia/Pacific and European stock markets so as to benefit from global diversification
Treatment of Glenoid Chondral Defect Using Micronized Allogeneic Cartilage Matrix Implantation

Focal chondral lesions of the glenohumeral joint, though less common than chondral defects in the knee or ankle, can be a significant source of pain in an active population. For patients in whom nonsurgical management fails, promising results have been reported after arthroscopic microfracture surgery to treat such lesions. However, microfracture leads to growth of fibrocartilage tissue and is biomechanically less durable than native hyaline cartilage. Recently, augmentation of the microfractured defect with micronized allogeneic cartilage and platelet-rich plasma has been described to restore hyaline-like cartilage and potentially protect the subchondral bone from postsurgical fracture biology within the base of the defect. We present a simple arthroscopic technique of implanting dehydrated, micronized allogeneic cartilage scaffold to treat an isolated chondral lesion of the glenoid.
Transcription by an archaeal RNA polymerase is slowed but not blocked by an archaeal nucleosome.

Archaeal RNA polymerases (RNAPs) are closely related to eukaryotic RNAPs, and in Euryarchaea, genomic DNA is wrapped and compacted by histones into archaeal nucleosomes. In eukaryotes, transcription of DNA bound into nucleosomes is facilitated by histone tail modifications and chromatin remodeling complexes, but archaeal histones do not have histone tails and archaeal genome sequences provide no evidence for archaeal homologs of eukaryotic chromatin remodeling complexes. We have therefore investigated the ability of an archaeal RNAP, purified from Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus, to transcribe DNA bound into an archaeal nucleosome by HMtA2, an archaeal histone from M. thermautotrophicus. To do so, we constructed a template that allows transcript elongation to be separated from transcription initiation, on which archaeal nucleosome assembly is positioned downstream from the site of transcription initiation. At 58°C, in the absence of an archaeal nucleosome, M. thermautotrophicus RNAP transcribed this template DNA at a rate of ∼20 nucleotides per second. With an archaeal nucleosome present, transcript elongation was slowed but not blocked, with transcription pausing at sites before and within the archaeal nucleosome. With additional HMtA2 binding, complexes were obtained that also incorporated the upstream regulatory region. This inhibited transcription presumably by preventing archaeal TATA-box binding protein, general transcription factor TFB, and RNAP access and thus inhibiting transcription initiation.
HIV-1 Budding

HIV-1 exits infected cells by budding from the plasma membrane, which generates membranous bud necks that must be cleaved in order to yield extracellular virions. To facilitate the fission of the bud necks, HIV-1 engages the cellular endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery through so-called late assembly domains in Gag. The viral late domains serve as docking sites for upstream components of the ESCRT pathway. These components are TSG101/ESCRT-I, which binds to the primary HIV-1 late domain, and ALIX, which plays an auxiliary role in HIV-1 budding. The recruitment of upstream ESCRT components to HIV-1 budding sites ultimately leads to the transient assembly of the late-acting ESCRT-III complex. ESCRT-III constitutes the main engine for HIV-1 bud neck cleavage, and for membrane cleavage events during cytokinesis and the budding of intralumenal vesicles into multivesicular bodies. However, surprisingly few ESCRT-III components are essential for HIV-1 release, indicating that the mechanism of HIV-1 bud neck cleavage differs in crucial aspects from the manner in which ESCRT-III carries out cellular abscission events.
Large clinical databases for the study of lung cancer: Making up for the failure of randomized trials.

Although randomized controlled trials (RCT) represent the optimal study design for assessing the efficacy of clinical interventions, the practice of thoracic surgery has historically been significantly influenced by case series and single-institution observational cohort studies1 due to the well-described difficulties of performing RCTs.2 Researchers in the United States and Europe are increasingly utilizing large-scale population-based administrative databases3-5 and clinical registries6-10 to perform retrospective cohort studies to answer questions regarding the efficacy, cost and complications of interventions, to study quality improvement, to assess the treatment of rare conditions, and to evaluate national practice patterns. These studies can significantly enhance quantitative evidence regarding lung cancer treatment when performed by investigators who have clinical expertise in lung cancer with a thorough understanding of both the advantages and limitations of the database being utilized, through collaboration with experts in advanced statistical techniques.
[Analysis the relation of adults HBV vicinal failure and T cell subset, HLA-DR rang gene phenotype].

Objective To study and explore the relativity of adults HBV vicinal failure and HLA-DR,T cell subset, trace viruses infection. To accumulate date for formulating preventing adult HBV infection prophylactic-therapeutic measures. Methods Select 20 adults randomly who had vaccinated with 10 μg YDV and produced anti-HBS successfully, and another 20 hadn't produced anti-HBs to form two groups-defeated group and contral group. Blood samples from two groups were taken for detecting the level of DR range gene phenotype: T cell subset, white blood cell HLA-DR, HLA-B27, HLA DRB1 * 07, DRB1 * 04, DRB1 * 1001, DQB1 * 0401 and so on. Results The level of CD4-/CD8- is lower in the infection group than in healthy group. But the average level of HLA-DR and HLA-B27 is higher in the infection group. The differences of HLA DRB1 * 07 gene frequency between two groups were significant ( P < 0.05), but the levels of CD3, CD4, CDS, CD7, CD4/CD8 and HLA DRB1 * 04, DRB1 * 1001, DQB1 * 0401 were not significant. Conclusion The failure of HBV vaccination on adults may have relation to HLA-DR, HLA-B27, HLA DRB1 * 07, CD4-/CD8- , etc. Key words: Hepatitis B,Adult; Hepatitis B vaccines; HLA-D antigens; T-Lymphocyte subsets; DNA,recombinant; Vaccines,synthetic
Hybrid Pocket Gophers and Some Thoughts on the Relationship of Natural Hybrids to the Rules of Nomenclature and the Endangered Species Act

A population of hybrid pocket gophers of the Geomys bursarius group from central Texas is described in some detail using primarily molecular techniques. The relationship of natural hybrids to provisions of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 is discussed, and questions are raised as to how such hybrid populations should be treated under these and related regulations. There is a reasonable probability that the resolution offered by molecular data will document that hybridization such as that observed in this population will become a commonly observed phenomenon. Therefore, in these and other legal documents, there is a need to have the meaning of “hybrid” clearly defined.
Sodium salicylate inhibiting anti-Rh immunization in animals.

SummaryIn guinea pigs and in rabbits the formation of anti-Rh agglutinins following the injection of rhesus monkey blood cells appears to be diminished when sodium salicylate has been administered 3 days prior to and during the period of immunization.
SMALL DENOMINATORS : NO SMALL PROBLEM

(1998). Small Denominators: No Small Problem. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 71, No. 2, pp. 132-138.
“The Face of a Protestant, and the Heart of a Papist“: A Reexamination of Sir George Calvert's Conversion to Roman Catholicism

With the Elizabethan religious settlement of 1559 all English men were by definition members of the Ecclesia Anglicana. Because the medieval concept of religious uniformity continued its powerful hold on men's minds, and for the more practical consideration of the threat to English security posed by foreign Catholic powers, a series of penal laws attempted to force at least outward conformity to the established church. In time the English Catholic community was thoroughly disrupted. Per haps nothing demonstrated more clearly the confused impact of the Elizabethan religious settlement and its alterations on the individual than the religious life of Sir George Calvert. After March 1625 no one doubted that Calvert, who had recently resigned as secretary of state, was a Roman Catholic.2 The mystery is when Calvert had become a Roman Catholic. Most historians of early Maryland have accepted that Calvert was a Protestant and that his conversion to Roman Catholicism
How Evenly Can Approximate Density Functionals Treat the Different Multiplicities and Ionization States of 4d Transition Metal Atoms

The ability of density functional theory to predict the relative energies of different spin states, especially for systems containing transition metal atoms, is of great importance for many applications. Here, in order to sort out the key factors determining accuracy, we compare the predictions of 60 density functional approximations of 10 different types [local spin density approximation, generalized gradient approximation (GGA), nonseparable gradient approximation (NGA), global-hybrid GGA, range-separated hybrid GGA, range-separated hybrid GGA plus molecular mechanics, meta-GGA, meta-NGA, global-hybrid meta-GGA, and range-separated hybrid meta-GGA] for their ability to represent the spin-flip transitions of all 4d transition metal atoms of groups 3-10 (Y through Pd) and their singly positive cations. We consider all 16 excitation energies connecting the ground states (of the neutral atoms and the cations) to their first excited states of different multiplicities, and we also consider all eight ionization potentials. We also test the Hartree-Fock method. All density functional and Hartree-Fock calculations are converged to a stable solution, in which the spatial symmetry is allowed to be completely broken to achieve the lowest possible energy solution. By analyzing the fractional subshell occupancies and spin contaminations, we are able to sort out the effects of s orbital vs d orbital bias and high-spin vs low-spin bias. A reliable functional should have little or no bias of either type rather than succeeding for a limited subset of cases by cancellation of errors. We find that the widely used correlations of spin splittings to percentage of Hartree-Fock exchange are not borne out by the data, and the correlation functionals also play a significant role. We eventually conclude that SOGGA11-X, B1LYP, B3V5LYP, and MPW3LYP are the most consistently reliable functionals for balanced treatments of 4d transition metal atoms and their cations.
Anthropo-Scenes: Staging Climate Chaos in the Drama of Bad Ideas

The scale and complexity of climate change, as well as its often incremental and unspectacular nature, pose formidable obstacles to dramatic representation. Wallace Shawn’s recent play Grasses of a Thousand Colors subtly distorts the conventions of the thesis play, or drama of ideas, to reveal the habits of mind that are responsible for our species’ steady progress towards ecological disaster. A ‘drama of bad ideas’ for the Anthropocene, the play also uses some of Shawn’s abiding themes, especially food and sex, to propose a new understanding of the human, beyond psychological subjecthood and socio-political agency: the human as a geophysical force, with behaviours and practices that produce catastrophic ‘scale-effects’ and call for a new species-centric consciousness to cure the ecological myopia of previous group identities.