cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
POLITICAL ATTITUDES AMONG AMERICAN WHITE ETHNICS

Data from a variety of sources are brought to bear on the "proposition" that white American ethnic groups are composed of bigots and hawks. The data fail to conform with the model, raising some interesting questions about the origins of the stereotype and the functions-and dysfunctions-it serves in contemporary society. The author is director of the Center for American Pluralism of National Opinion Research Center of the University of Chicago. This article is based on a paper presented to the American Political Science Association Meetings, September lo, 1971. HE TERM "white ethnic" is used frequently, and generally loosely, in contemporary writing as a synonym for "hard hat" or u racist." Obviously, not all members of American ethnic groups are hard hats, and the extent of their racism is, we assume, a question for research rather than for a priori definition. In most instances, one can legitimately suppose that subsumed under the label "white ethnic" are the children and the grandchildren of the eastern and southern European immigrant groups who managed to get into American society before nativism was at last successful in slowing down appreciably, if not completely stopping, the flow of immigrants. To be more blunt about it, "white ethnic" usually means "Polish and Italian." Whether the Irish are a white ethnic group in this usage of the phrase is open to question, but it is worth noting that Joe, in the movie of the same name, representing as he did the quintessence of what the American elite defines as white ethnic, was Irish. It is generally assumed in much of the popular and serious writing on the "resurgence of ethnicity" that the American ethnic-that is to say, Polish Catholics, Italian Catholics, and Irish Catholics-are both racist and hawkish. It is also assumed that even though they are nominally members of the Democratic party, the ethnics are strongly attracted to George Wallace-despite the fact that there is considerable evidence that the "ethnics" were no more likely to vote for Wallace than any other northern white group. A number of explanations are given for this "conservatism" of the white ethnic. They are more recent recruits to American society, they are thought to be still insecure and threatened by social change,
The future of scientific research in Eastern Europe

Abstract Economic difficulties will continue to inhibit the development of scientific research laboratories in Eastern Europe for the indefinite future as much of the science and engineering potential of the region languishes in the backwaters of technical obsolescence. At the same time, the countries are attempting to link research more closely with higher educational activities, to develop competitive research grants programs that stimulate creativity among young researchers, and to establish new bridges from research laboratories to production activities. The response of the United States and other western countries to the East European outreach for foreign assistance is providing limited relief to the pressures of foreign debt and inflation with only modest western efforts directed to supporting the modernization of industry and the supporting technical infrastructure. The United States is in a very strong position to focus new, relatively inexpensive efforts on strengthening a few applied research institutions that are financially integrated into the industrial sector and are in a position to help raise the technological competitiveness of the region.
Performance Evaluation of 3D Polystyrene 96-Well Plates with Human Neural Stem Cells in a Calcium Assay

In this study, we have generated a high-throughput screening (HTS)–compatible 3D cell culture platform by chemically “welding” polystyrene scaffolds into standard 2D polystyrene 96-well plates. The variability of scaffolds was minimized by introducing automation into the fabrication process. The fabricated 3D cell culture plates were compared with several commercially available 3D cell culture platforms with light and scanning electron microscopy. Voltage-gated calcium channel functionality was used to access the Z′ factors of all plates, including a 2D standard plate control. It was found that with the No-Wash Fluo-4 calcium assay and neural progenitor cells, all plates display acceptable Z′ factors for use in HTS. The plates with “welded” polystyrene scaffolds have several advantages, such as being versatile and economical, and are ready to use off the shelf. These characteristics are especially desired in HTS preclinical drug discovery applications.
Displacement chromatography of chemotactic peptides

Abstract Displacement chromatography was successfully used to separate a binary peptide mixture, n -formyl-Met–Phe and n -formyl-Met–Trp, on a reversed-phase column. Displacement parameters such as choice of displacer, displacer concentration, mobile phase organic level, and flow-rate were critically examined in the context of maximizing productivity. Since the feed composition was limited by solubility, optimal productivity was sought as a function of feed volume. The impurities contained in the commercial displacers used in this study did not seem to affect the overall separation quality. In most cases the final pattern of contiguous rectangular bands was not attained; nevertheless, separations of high productivity were achieved using benzethonium chloride and tris[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl]amine as displacers. In some cases further increase in productivity was not possible only because of solubility constraints. Loading of feed at low initial organic modulator level coupled with displacements at higher modulator level was found to give efficient separations.
Myocardial Infarction After Hip Fracture Repair:: A Population-Based Study

Objectives: To quantify the occurrence of myocardial infarction (MI) occurring in the early postoperative period after surgical hip fracture repair and estimate the effect on 1-year mortality. Design: A population-based, historical cohort study of individuals who underwent surgical repair of a hip fracture that used the computerized medical record linkage system of the Rochester Epidemiology Project. Setting: Academic and community hospitals, outpatient offices, and nursing homes in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Participants: Over the 15-year study period (1988�2002), 1,116 elderly adults underwent surgical repair of a hip fracture. Measurements: At the end of the first 7 days after hip fracture repair, participants were classified into one of three groups: clinically verified MI (cv-MI), subclinical myocardial ischemia, and no myocardial ischemia. One-year mortality was compared between these groups. Multivariate models assessed risk factors for early postoperative cv-MI and 1-year mortality. Results: Within the first 7 days after hip fracture repair, 116 (10.4%) participants experienced cv-MI and 41 (3.7%) subclinical myocardial ischemia. Overall 1-year mortality was 22%, with no difference between those with subclinical myocardial ischemia and those with no myocardial ischemia. One-year mortality for those with cv-MI (35.8%) was significantly higher than for the other two groups. Occurrence of early postoperative cv-MI, male sex, and history of heart failure or dementia were independently associated with greater 1-year mortality, whereas prefracture home residence and preoperative higher hemoglobin were protective. Conclusion: Rates of early postoperative, cv-MI after hip fracture repair exceed rates after other major orthopedic surgeries and are independently associated with greater 1-year mortality.
Supercrystalline Colloidal Particles from Artificial Atoms

In this paper, we report an approach for using solvophobic interactions to synthesize well-defined colloidal superparticles from nonpolar-solvent-dispersible Fe3O4 nanoparticle artificial atoms. These colloidal superparticles possess a “single-supercrystal” structure, of which Fe3O4 artificial atoms occupy the lattice points of a face-centered cubic superlattice. In addition, these superparticles exhibit superlattice fringes under a low-resolution TEM, providing an interesting analogue to the lattice fringes of colloidal nanocrystals under a high-resolution TEM. Moreover, these superparticles can be further assembled into close-packed solid structures, demonstrating their role as a new type of building block in nanoscience.
Activation and Characterization of Inactive Big Renin in Plasma of Patients with Diabetic Nephropathy and Unusual Active Renin

Human plasma contains inactive renin, which is converted to an active enzyme closely resembling renin upon dialysis to pH 3.3 and then to pH 7.5 or by exposure to trypsin or pepsin. Characterization of inactive renin has been hindered by incomplete activation in diluted plasma. We have compared methods of renin activation in whole and diluted plasma and in eluates from gel filtration. Plasma of diabetic patients with nephropathy and nonuremic hyperkalemia (DN) was used because it contains large amounts of inactive renin and less than normal amounts of active renin. In whole plasma, the same amount of inactive renin was activated by dialysis (pH 3.3 → 7.5), with or without added pepsin (50 μg/ml) at pH 3.3 or by incubation with trypsin (0.2– 1.0 mg/ml) at pH 7.5. When plasma was diluted, dialysis (pH 3.3 → 7.5) activated only 15%, but incubation with pepsin (50 μg/ml) at pH 3.3 and 32 C converted all inactive renin to active enzyme; slightly less activation occurred when diluted plasma was incubated with t...
Pavlovian conditioning of fear based upon hormonal mediation of prior aversive experience

A series of three experiments was conducted to determine if epinephrine administered to animals given prior shock might support learning to new environmental cues paired with the epinephrine injection. Experiment 1, utilizing nonnaive rats, provided results snowing that such learning is possible. The effect, while dose-dependent, did not appear to be based on either epinephrine-induced place aversion or on sensitization. The results of Experiment 2 confirmed the basic finding when naive animals were utilized. Experiment 3 examined more carefully the potential contribution of generalized fear, impairment of extinction of fear, and nonspecific sensitization to the phenomenon. Since the findings did not support these alternative interpretations, it appears that epinephrine administration to previously stressed rats does indeed support new learning. The epinephrine-cue association may be mediated by either of two mechanisms: (1) higher order conditioning or (2) memory reactivation. The redintegrative function of epinephrine injections, in terms of modulating memory processing, is also discussed.
An elastic-plastic buckling solution using the incremental theory

Abstract A finite difference numerical procedure is used in considering the elastic-plastic buckling of rectangular plates which can be classified as being either statically determinate or indeterminate depending upon the loading condition along the boundary. The incremental theory of Prandtl-Reuss is used with assumed material properties expressed by a Ramberg-Osgood stress-strain relationship. Previous solutions have not attempted to investigate the indeterminate stress effects upon the plastic buckling of rectangular plates. In this paper, the author has dealt with this problem. In addition, the effect of Poisson's ratio upon plastic buckling is considered. Furthermore, for certain loading cases a comparison is made between the buckling values found using the deformation and incremental theory.
Type 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AND EXERCISE

Several epidemiologic and clinical studies have clearly shown that regular physical activity and exercise are important therapeutic modalities for patients with, or at risk for, diabetes. Despite our lack of understanding of the mechanisms by which exercise exerts its effects, potential benefits of a physically active lifestyle include better glycemic control via improved glucose disposal and insulin sensitivity, which leads to reduced hyperinsulinemia, and lowered need for pharmacological treatment. Exercise may also result in the prevention or control of cardiovascular disease through its effects on some of the factors associated with the metabolic syndrome, including central obesity, hypertension, low HDL, high LDL, hypertriglyceridemia and elevated free-fatty acids, and fibrinogen levels. Regular exercise will also improve functional capacity and quality of life among this patient population. Most people with diabetes, like their counterparts without diabetes, fail to meet national physical activity goals. Sedentary lifestyles have been linked to 23% of deaths from the leading chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. Given the epidemic nature of diabetes in the world during the 21st century, diabetes management through physical activity should be a major therapeutic goal and public health priority. Understanding the beneficial effects of exercise, as well as the mechanisms for adopting a physically active lifestyle, is important for the management of diabetes mellitus. Despite the well-known benefits of exercise, patient education, paired with the implementation and promotion of safe habits of physical activity for individuals with diabetes, is still inadequate.
Cholinergic modulation of spontaneous activity in rat dorsal cochlear nucleus

Extracellular recordings were made from brain stem slices to test the effects of bath application of cholinergic agonists and antagonists on the firing rates of spontaneously active dorsal cochlear nucleus neurons. About 90% of neurons responded to carbachol. A higher proportion responded to muscarine than to nicotine. Muscarine elicited larger responses at lower concentrations than nicotine. Responses to either carbachol or muscarine were always blocked by atropine or scopolamine. The nicotinic antagonists d-tubocurarine, hexamethonium, and mecamylamine blocked the responses to nicotine, but did not decrease the responses to carbachol. Regularly firing neurons showed only increases of firing rate during exposure to cholinergic agonists. About half of responsive bursting neurons showed increased firing; half showed increased followed by decreased firing to 10 microM carbachol or muscarine. All phases of the responses of most bursting neurons were greatly decreased or abolished in low calcium, high magnesium medium, while responses of regular neurons were not detectably affected. Thus, cholinergic agonists appear to act directly on regularly firing neurons, while their actions on bursting neurons may require synaptic activity. The data suggest that cholinergic transmission in the dorsal cochlear nucleus is predominantly muscarinic, and that most regularly firing spontaneously active neurons have muscarinic receptors.
A target-induced fluorescent nanoparticle for in situ monitoring of Zn(II)

A target-induced fluorescent silica nanoparticle has been developed for the identification, enrichment and in situ determination of trace amounts of zinc(II). The nanoparticle combines the advantages of target-induced fluorescent compounds and the small size of the nanomaterial to produce a new, smarter nanosignaling material that is capable of selectively enriching a target and detecting a specific binding process in one step. As the target analyte, Zn(II), changes the fluorescence characteristics of the nanoparticle and effectively ‘turns on’ the fluorescence signal, no separation step is needed to confirm or quantify the binding process. The designed nanoparticle was characterized by several aspects prior to monitoring of Zn(II) in situ. The interferences from common metal ions were studied in detail. The photostability and reversibility of the sensing materials were investigated as well. The ability of this nanoparticle to detect the target Zn(II) provides a great advantage for in situ monitoring targets in biological samples under the fluorescence microscope.
The development of scotopic retinal function in human infants.

Scotopic retinal function undergoes age-related changes early in human infancy. Electroretinographic, psychophysical, and pupillographic responses have been used in the study of normal development. Various components of the electroretinographic responses index distal and proximal retinal function. Changes in pupillary diameter, measurable in infants under carefully selected conditions, represent rhodopsin regeneration in the photoreceptor outer segment. From psychophysical data, inferences can be drawn about scotopic retinal control of visual performance. These data constrain theories about the determinants of sensitivity, about the flow of signals from the distal, rhodopsin-bearing, outer segments to the proximal retina, and about modulations of straight-through flow by feedback or inhibitory circuits. The results indicate that the post natal development of human scotopic function is due mainly to reorganization of processes central to the photoreceptors.
The Effect of Geographic Moves on Mental Healthcare Utilization in Children

Abstract Purpose Geographic moves have been reported to have a negative impact on the mental health of children, but it is often difficult to separate the effect of the move from the circumstances that impelled it. Military populations may offer a way to examine this issue. Moves are common in military families, but parental employment and healthcare coverage remain constant. Methods Children of military parents with geographic moves in 2008 were compared with those without geographic moves with regard to the odds of mental health service use in 2009. Results This study included 548,336 children aged 6–17 years, and 179,486 (25%) children moved in 2008. Children aged 6–11 years with a geographic move had higher odds of mental health and outpatient visits (odds ratio [OR] 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.06). Children aged 12–17 years with a geographic move had higher odds of mental outpatient visits (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01–1.07), psychiatric hospitalizations (OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.07–1.32), and emergency psychiatric visits (OR 1.20; 95% CI 1.07–1.32). Conclusion Children with a geographic move in the previous year have increased odds of mental health encounters. Among adolescents, this increase extends to psychiatric hospitalizations and emergency visits.
Living (not learning) ethics

Much has been written recently about both the urgency and efficacy of teaching business ethics. The results of our survey of AACSB member schools confirm prior reports of similar surveys: The teaching of business ethics is indiscriminate, unorganized, and undisciplined in most North American schools of business. If universities are to be taken seriously in their efforts to create more ethical awareness and better moral decision-making skills among their graduates, they must provide a rigorous and well-developed system in which students can “live ethics” instead of merely learn ethics. A system must be devised to allow students to discover and refine their own values rather than simply learning ethical theories from an intellectual point of view. After reviewing the literature on business ethics in undergraduate curricula, we make a series of recommendations to deliver experiential ethical education for business students. The recommendations include student and faculty written codes of ethics, emphasis on ethical theory within the existing required legal environment course, applied ethics in the functional area capstones using alternative learning, a discussion of employee (and employer) rights and responsibilities during the curriculum capstone course, and a public service requirement for graduation. These recommendations may be implemented without substantive additional cost or programming requirements.
Three-dimensional modeling of amplitude-object imaging in scanning near-field optical microscopy.

The imaging properties of the transmission-illumination mode of a scanning near-field optical microscope are investigated. Three-dimensional calculations of the power transmitted into classically allowed and forbidden regions for a nonsymmetrically positioned amplitude object are implemented by use of the finite-difference time-domain solution of Maxwell’s equations. The evolution of the images with the distance from the object as well as the effect of the polarization of the illumination is shown. The computations show that for applications involving the imaging of an amplitude object, the use of the allowed light is preferred. Collection of light from both the allowed and the forbidden zones leads to degraded contrast and resolution.
Telecommunications Regulations and policy

Many feel that we are in a period of fundamental social and economic change made possible by advanced computer and telecommunications technology; I believe this, but there are many details that need to be worked out before these changes will be realized.
Pituitary and testicular response to LH-RH and to a long-acting analogue (D-leu-6-LH-RH-ethylamide).

Zusammenfassung Hypophysen- und Hoden-Reaktion auf LH-RH und auf ein Analogon (D-Leu-6-LH-RH-Ethylamid) Die LH-, FSH- und Testosteron-Reaktion auf 50 μg i.v. LH-RH und auf 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 und 20.0 μg i.m. D-Leu-6-LH-RH-ethylamid wurde bei 6 Personen untersucht mit normogonadotroper, idiopathischer Oligozoospermie. Alle Injektionen wurden zwischen 8.00 und 9.00 Uhr vormittags in wochentlichen Abstanden gegeben. Vor, sowie 30 und 45 Minuten nach der Injektion von LH-RH, und vor 2, 4, 6, 12 und 24 Stunden nach der D-Leu-6-LH-RH-ethylamid-Injektion wurden Blutproben entnommen. Die Serumspiegel von LH, FSH und Testosterone wurden dreifach durch R.i.A. gemessen. Die LH- und FSH-Reaktionen auf LH-RH zeigten Hochstwerte nach 30 Minuten, hingegen wurden Hochstwerte der folgenden Injektionen von D-Leu-6-LH-RH-ethylamid zwischen 4 und 6 Stunden aufgezeichnet, und sie waren hoher als die Werte, die mit LH-RH erreicht wurden. Ein signifikanter Anstieg der Serum-Testosteron-Spiegel wurde nach alien Stimuli beobachtet, mit Spitzenwerten von 45 Minuten nach LH-RH und 4 bis 6 Stunden nach D-Leu-6-LH-RH ethylamid Injektionen. Die Testosterone-Spiegel, die durch die folgenden LH-RH und unterschiedliche Dosen des Analogon erreicht wurden, wichen nicht wesentlich voneinander ab. Die gleiche Folge von LH- und FSH-Hochst-werten wurde erreicht nach Injektionen von LH-RH und D-Leu-6-LH-RH-ethylamid, besonders bei Dosen von 10.0 und 20.0 μg. Dieses deutet an, das die Gonatropin-Reak-tion auf diese Wirkstoffe eine echte Reflexion der individuellen Art der Hypophysen-Reaktion sein wurde.
Dataflow architecture for EEG patient monitor

Much work is currently directed towards dataflow architectures. Most of the proposed architectures attempt to exploit fine grained parallelism. This paper describes an application specific dataflow architecture which exploits coarse grained parallelism. The application is that of a real-time patient monitor used to display patient data.
The use of self-expanding silicone stents in esophagectomy strictures: less cost and more efficiency.

Background Benign and postoperative anastomotic esophageal strictures remain a common problem in the management of esophageal diseases and cancer. Repeated dilation remains the most common treatment algorithm. Esophageal stenting with a removable plastic stent is another option. This study evaluated the dysphagia effects and cost of removable silicone stents in the management of benign and postoperative anastomotic strictures compared with standard repeat dilation. Methods A matched case-control study was done of benign esophageal stricture treatments from July 2004 to August 2006 in all patients treated for benign esophageal strictures identified in a prospectively maintained esophageal database. Eighteen patients had a retrievable silicone-covered stent placed, and 24 were treated with standard repeated dilations without stents. Early esophageal stenting vs repeated dilation in esophagectomy strictures and other benign strictures was compared. Results The median number of dilatations was two (range, 1 to 3) for the 18 stent patients, with all stents placed for 3 months' duration, and four dilations (range, 2 to 12) in 24 patients treated solely with dilatation. An evaluation of median, high, and low total charges, net revenue, and direct margin demonstrated that the use of a removable stent after one failed dilation was more cost-efficient than repeated dilations. Conclusions In patients who do not respond to initial dilation, placement of removable esophageal stent at the second dilation leads to improved quality of life and dysphagia relief. Early use of a removable esophageal stent is significantly more cost-efficient when two or more esophageal dilations are avoided.
Electron-Spin-Resonance Linewidth Variation with Temperature in Some Rare-Earth Salts: T 1 T 2 Ratios

We have measured the temperature dependence of the electron-spin-resonance linewidth of Ce, Nd, and Sm in lanthanum magnesium nitrate from below 4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K to as high as 26\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Both Ce and Nd displayed a linewidth which was essentially Lorentzian at the lowest temperature and which broadened with increasing temperature in accordance with an Orbach relaxation mechanism. A comparison of the strength of this broadening with standard relaxation measurements below 4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K indicated that $\frac{{T}_{1}}{{T}_{2}}$ was 8.6 for the Nd sample and was estimated to be 13 for the Ce crystal. Sm displayed a temperature-dependent broadening which could be interpreted as due either to a Raman or an Orbach mechanism.
Wavelength dependence on the elemental analysis of glass by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Abstract Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is presented as a tool for the elemental analysis of glass in forensic applications. Two harmonics of the Nd:YAG laser at 266 nm and 532 nm were used as the irradiation source for the analysis of several glass standards and soda–lime glass samples of interest to forensic scientists. Both lasers were kept at a constant energy of 20 mJ and focused using a 150 mm focal length lens. A series of experiments were also conducted to determine the importance of wavelength on lens-to-sample distance (LTSD) at each wavelength. It was determined that the optimal LTSD was found at ~ 1–2 mm focused into the surface for both wavelengths yet the crater depth resulting from the irradiation at 266 nm was significantly deeper (112 µm) than that from the 532 nm laser (41 µm). In addition, the analytical performance of LIBS on 5 NIST glasses and 6 automobile glasses at both wavelengths is reported. Good correlation for the quantitative analysis results for the trace and minor elements Sr, Ba and Al are reported along with the calibration curves, in most cases R2 > 0.95, using absolute intensities at various emission lines. Although 266 nm resulted in more mass removal, the 532 nm produced greater emission intensities. A slightly higher plasma density was determined for irradiation by 532 nm using the Stark broadening technique in comparison to the 266 nm irradiation.
Quantitative measurements of Ge surface segregation during SiGe alloy growth

Abstract Ge segregation during the growth of Si1 − xGex alloys (x = 5, 10, 20, and 40%) was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The alloys were grown in thicknesses up to 20.0 nm at 500°C to measure quantitatively the amount of segregated surface Ge. The length of alloy needed to reach steady-state growth edge was found to decrease with increasing alloy concentration (4.8, 2.8, 2.4, and 2.0 nm, respectively). It was found that each alloy had a complete monolayer of Ge on the surface and an increasing amount of segregated Ge in the second layer (20, 55, 80, and 95%, respectively) during steady-state growth. An increase in the temperature of alloy growth (400–750°C) resulted in an increase in the leading edge of alloy growth but did not change the amount of segregated Ge during steady-state growth. We propose that film stress is responsible for the amount of Ge segregation.
Experience report: using hackage to inform language design

Hackage, an online repository of Haskell applications and libraries, provides a hub for programmers to both release code to and use code from the larger Haskell community. We suggest that Hackage can also serve as a valuable resource for language designers: by providing a large collection of code written by different programmers and in different styles, it allows language designers to see not just how features could be used theoretically, but how they are (and are not) used in practice.We were able to make such a use of Hackage during the design of the class system for a new Haskell-like programming language. In this paper, we sketch our language design problem, and how we used Hackage to help answer it. We describe our methodology in some detail, including both ways that it was and was not effective, and summarize our results.
New Directions in India's Foreign Policy

India and the World Bank: The Politics of Aid and Influence. By Jason A. Kirk. New York: Anthem Press, 2011. 256 Pages. Paperback, $40.00. India as an Asia Pacific Power. By David Brewster. New Yor...
Some applications of excited-state-excited-state transition densities

We derive an approximation for transition moments between excited states consistent with the approximations and assumptions normally used to obtain transition moments betwen the ground and excited states in the random-phase approximation and its higher-order approximations. We apply the result to the calculation of the photoionization cross sections of the 23S and 21S metastable states of helium by a numerical analytical continuation of the frequency-dependent polarizability. The procedure completely avoids the need for continuum basis functions. The cross sections agree well with the results of other calculations. We also predict an accurate two-photon decay rate for the 21S metastable state of helium. The entire procedure is immediately applicable to several problems involving photoionization of metastable states of molecules.
Using the implicit association test to investigate attitude-behaviour consistency for stigmatised behaviour

To consciously bolster behaviour that is disapproved by others (i.e., stigmatised behaviour) people may hold and report a favourable attitude toward the behaviour. However, achieving such bolstering outside awareness may be more difficult. Explicit attitudes were measured with self-report measures, and the Implicit Association Test was used to assess implicit attitudes toward behaviour held by stigmatised actors (smokers) and nonstigmatised actors (vegetarians and omnivores). Smokers' showed greater attitude-behaviour consistency in their explicit attitudes toward smoking that in their implicit attitudes. By contrast, vegetarians and omnivores showed attitude-behaviour-consistency at both implicit and explicit levels. Smokers' implicit negative attitudes toward smoking may reflect its status as a stigmatised behaviour, or its addictive nature.
Radiated emissions testing of space wireless electric power transfer systems

Lately there has been a growing interest in the wireless power transfer systems (WPT) research. However, little (if any) has been researched on the effects of these systems into other sub-systems or devices. Since the principle of operation is by inducing a magnetic field to transfer power wirelessly, electromagnetic emissions could damage or induce a monetary error in other systems. This study was performed to enhance the understanding of how WPT systems should be tested to determine if they are electromagnetically compatible with other systems operating in close proximity. Since the primary focus of this study is to evaluate the possibility of using wireless power transfer systems for space applications, a WPT prototype was tested following military standard guidelines (used for NASA space applications). A WPT prototype (∼4W) was tested to demonstrate the described approach. Results showed that the system radiated magnetic and electric fields that where within the limits established by the Mil-Std-461E. A similar approach can be taken to determine household WPT systems EMC compliance by applying the Federal Communications Commission and the Comite Europeen standards.
Review of Assessment of Career Decision Making

The Assessment of Career Decision Making (ACDM) was designed to measure decision-making styles and progress in coping with three developmental tasks of young people: adjusting to school, choosing a career, and choosing a major. It is the result of 20 years of research begun by Vincent A. Harren and carried on by his successors after his death in 1980 (Buck & Daniels, 1985). During this time, the ACDM has been revised six times. It is now a shorter instrument, with fewer subscales than previously. In its present form (Form F), the ACDM contains 94 items, all of which are answered “true” or “false.” It is most appropriate for use with high school or college students engaged in career planning.
Work in Progress: Assessing Student Acquisition of Knowledge of Learning Objectives for an Interprofessional Projects Program

The Interprofessional Projects Program (IPROreg) at our university provides a multi-disciplinary, project team based course required of all undergraduates which helps develop in these students various knowledge and skills deemed essential by ABET and future employers. This knowledge and skill, defined from our course learning objectives [LO], are competency in teamwork, communications, project management and ethical behavior, developed in the context of addressing a real world problem. Through this research, we are assessing whether or not students that participate in an IPRO course gain a more thorough understanding of the declarative knowledge supporting comprehension of the Learning Objectives by administering a knowledge test to each IPRO student both at the beginning and at the end of each semester. It is beneficial to evaluate methods to measure the knowledge acquisition related to specific skills and behavior as described by learning objectives and defined competencies related to those Learning Objectives
Striatal organization of feeding behavior in the decorticate rat

Abstract Varying degrees of decortication were performed on rats in order to determine the level at which feeding behavior would first appear. The largest lesion left the hypothalamus and thalamus intact, with all structures rostral, lateral, and dorsal removed. These animals remained permanently aphagic throughout long survival times and were extremely hyperactive. Their hyperactivity could be attributed to released diencephalic appetitive mechanisms. When portions of the posterior region of the corpus striatum were added to the above preparation, feeding behavior appeared and increased in complexity as more tissue remained intact. Hyperactivity was markedly attenuated in these animals. Thus, there is a close correlation in the decorticate rat between the appearance of complex behaviors, such as feeding, and of caudate inhibition of the excitatory mechanisms of the diencephalon.
Dependence of Linewidth Enhancement Factor on Duty Cycle in InGaAs–GaAs Quantum-Dot Lasers

The linewidth enhancement factor (alpha-factor) of InGaAs-GaAs quantum-dot (QD) lasers is studied as a function of the current pulse duty cycle. In this letter, we demonstrate the impact that current pulse duty cycle has on measured -factor in QD lasers due to increased thermal effects. Below threshold, while comparable quantum-well lasers blue-shift under all conditions, the QD lasers demonstrate an unusual sensitivity of chirp to duty cycle of the current, with a blue-shift at low duty cycles, and a red-shift at high duty cycles and dc current, which may lead to negative -factor. The assumption of Gaussian gain distribution and linear gain shift with temperature is used to analyze the -factor at different duty cycle currents. The result agrees well with the positive, zero, and negative alpha-factors reported for QD lasers. The effect of duty cycle is quite significant and can shift the alpha-factor substantially going from pulse to dc. This is due to the low thermal conductivity of QD regions and increased thermal effects in those devices.
Effect of hydrostatic pressure on the incommensurate phase of K 2 SeO 4

A neutron scattering study of the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the incommensurate phase transformation in K/sub 2/SeO/sub 4/ was performed in order to obtain information concerning the nature of the competing forces that give rise to a structural instability at a general wave vector. It was found that an increase in pressure lowers the transition temperature (dT/sub i//dP/sub i/=-6.5 K/kbar) and results in a smaller value of the initial incommensurate wave vector. The pressure dependence of the incommensurate to ferroelectric phase transition was also investigated (dT/sub c//dP/sub c/ approx. = -9 K/kbar). The latter transition displays a distinct pressure hysteresis.
Is analysis of vaginal secretions for volatile organic acids to detect bacterial vaginosis of any diagnostic value

A study was undertaken to determine which fermentation products in vaginal secretions serve as the best markers for bacterial vaginosis. Three categories of markers had been previously identified, but due to cost considerations it was necessary to accurately determine if analysis for all three were necessary. With the use of vaginal secretions from well-defined patient populations, we applied gas-liquid chromatography to test for both volatile and nonvolatile acid fermentation products. It was found that only the detection of nonvolatile acids was necessary, because no additional patients with bacterial vaginosis were identified by subsequent analysis of volatile acids. Routine analysis of volatile acids to identify patients with bacterial vaginosis is labor intensive and costly and had no clinical diagnostic value.
Intermolecular direct arylation of five-membered ring heterocycles by non-activated aryl chlorides

The use of non-activated aryl chloride electrophiles in the direct arylation of carbon–hydrogen bonds in five-membered ring heterocycles is described. Specifically, palladium-, ruthenium-, and nickel-catalyzed transformations, as well as reactions proceeding via benzyne intermediates, are discussed.
Effects of temperature on brain contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine and related indoles in a lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis

Abstract 1. 1. The concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin, 5-HT), 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) in three brain subdivisions (cerebrum, diencephalon+mesencephalon, pons+ medulla) of western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) were determined by fluorometry following differential extractions. 2. 2. Comparison of brain 5-HT concentrations in animals in an outdoor cage with those maintained either at 16° or 35° demonstrated increases associated with higher temperatures, detectable in cerebrum after 5 days and in all areas after 15 days. 3. 3. Daily injection of 5-HTP raised the brain concentrations of the three hydroxyindoles both in animals at 35° and those at 16°, but the per cent increases depended upon temperature as well as compound. 4. 4. Daily injection of the monoamine oxidase inhibitor, β-phenylisopropyl-hydrazine, along with 5-HTP raised brain concentrations of 5-HT and 5-HTP still more, but levels of 5-HIAA were decreased, especially at the higher temperature. 5. 5. In contrast with 5-HT, 5-HTP occurred in greater concentrations at 16° than at 35°. This and other evidence suggests that the decarboxylation of 5-HTP to 5-HT may be rate-limiting at normal ambient temperatures for these animals. This as well as the significant brain levels of 5-HTP stand in contrast with results from mammals. 6. 6. Our results concerning brain levels of 5-HT in lizards are discussed in relation to possible mechanisms of the temperature effect, to correlation of 5-HT levels with behavioral sedation and to temperature effects on 5-HT of mammalian brains.
Nanoplasmonic biosensing platform for multiple pathogen detection

In this study, we present for the first time a reliable, fast, accurate and sensitive multiple pathogen detection platforms that can be adapted to the point-of-care (POC) in resource-constrained settings. Here, nanoplasmonic properties of metal nanoparticles are utilized to detect the captured viruses on the biosensing surface, and the platform also allows to report a quantitative viral load for HIV-infected anonymous discarded patient whole blood samples. The limit of detection covers the definition of treatment failure indicated by World Health Organization (WHO) (viral load (VL)>5,000 copies/mL) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) (VL>200 copies/mL).
Accumulation rates of volcaniclastic deposits on Loihi Seamount, Hawaii

AMS radiocarbon age dating of planktonic foraminifera in volcaniclastic deposits on Loihi Seamount yields ages ranging from 590 years before present (y BP) at 10 cm depth to 5,880 y BP at 1,007 cm depth in an 11-m-thick section exposed along inward facing, caldera-bounding faults on the eastern side of Loihi’s summit. The accumulation rate of the deposit was about 0.37 cm/y from 5,880 to 3,300 y BP and it consisted of subequal amounts of alkalic and tholeiitic fragments. The rate slowed dramatically at about 3,300 y BP to an average 0.04 cm/y and the particles that have accumulated since consist mostly of alkalic glass fragments. The decrease in accumulation rate could indicate a decrease in volcanic activity at Loihi beginning about 3,300 y BP. This lower level of activity appears to be continuing today.
Revising the indexing hypothesis: Officials, media, and the Libya crisis

This study revises the indexing hypothesis by specifying its predictions and testing them on a single event, the U.S.‐Libya crisis of 1985–1986. We consider not only whether journalists use “official debate” to guide their coverage of important policy issues, but also how they might construct and interpret this debate. Detailed content analysis of the New York Times demonstrates that, while indexing is a valuable theory in assessing media treatment of foreign policy, it needs further refinement. Different interpretations of indexing, particularly a proportional versus a parametric standard, predict very different results. Journalism norms such as objectivity and event‐centered reporting may support or counteract indexing. Journalists appear to seek out foreign sources to provide opinions contrary to the dominant policy position, and they marginalize some U.S. elite voices while overemphasizing others. This may be a sign of media autonomy, or of the relative power of sources over both policy outcomes and p...
RELIABILITY AND STATISTICAL EFFICIENCY OF A BLOWFLY MOVEMENT-SENSITIVE NEURON

We develop model-independent methods for characterizing the reliability of neural spike trains in response to brief stimuli. Through this approach we measure the discriminability of similar stimuli based on the real-time response of a single neuron in much the same way that modern psychophysical techniques measure the discrimination performance of the whole animal. Extending these techniques, we quantify discriminability as a function of time after stimulus presentation, so that it is possible to compare the measured reliability of the neuron to its theoretical limit predicted from signal transduction and noise levels in the sensory periphery. The methods are applied to a wide-field movement-sensitive neuron (H1) in the visual system of the blowfly Calliphora vicina, where we also record from the photoreceptor cells that provide the sensory input to H1. From an analysis of neural responses to wide-field stepwise movements of various step sizes we find the following. (1) One or two spikes are sufficient to encode just noticeable differences of approximately one-tenth the angular spacing between photoreceptors, comparable to the hyperacuity regime observed in humans. (2) Discriminability improves upon observation of successive spikes as if the interspike intervals carried independent information. Coding seems orderly and analogue in the sense that we find no indication of information being transmitted in complex combinations of spike intervals. (3) As a result of neural refractoriness the real neuron's performance is significantly better than that of a neuron generating spikes according to a Poisson process at the same firing rate. (4) Over behaviourally relevant time intervals following the movement step, that is up to about 30-40 ms, the discrimination performance of the neuron is close to that of an ideal observer who extracts movement information from all the photoreceptor cells in the field of stimulation. Beyond this time the neuron's performance relative to the ideal observer decreases significantly.
Third-harmonic generation at a silver/vacuum interface using surface plasmon polaritons

We present an analytical study of a third-harmonic generation process by surface plasmon polaritons at a Kerr-nonlinear-metal/dielectric interface. Using a planar silver/vacuum interface, we obtain a solution to the frequency-tripling process, showing a semibound third-harmonic surface wave. Unlike the fundamental surface-bound mode, the nonlinear signal radiates into the metal, while remaining bound at the dielectric side of the interface. The propagation of the tripled frequency wave into the metal is generally lossy, except within a narrow range of ultraviolet frequencies, where it is minimally attenuated. The latter is enabled by a transparency window that is unique to the permittivity of silver.
So, You Want to go to Medical School?

Editor's Note: Spinal Column is a commentary about controversial topics in pediatrics. Readers are encouraged to submit Letters to the Editor or columns of their own for possible publication.
A comparison of telemetry signals in the presence and absence of a subcarrier

The performance of deep-space telemetry signals that employ a residual carrier modulation technique is compared in the presence and absence of a subcarrier. When the subcarrier is present, the performance for the resulting pulse-coded modulation/phase-shift keyed/phase-modulated (PCM/PSK/PM) scheme is evaluated for both sine-wave and square-wave subcarriers and non-return-to zero (NRZ) data. When the subcarrier is absent, the performance for the resulting PCM/PM technique is evaluated for both the NRZ and the bi-phase data format. The comparison is based on telemetry performance as well as bandwidth efficiency. The first criterion is characterized in terms of the symbol error rate (SER) as a function of symbol SNR, loop bandwidth-to-data rate ratio, and modulation index. The bandwidth efficiency is characterized by the occupancy factor. The results of both the analysis and measurements show that when the interference-to-carrier ratio (ICR) is less than /spl minus/20 dB, the performance degradation in the absence of a subcarrier is negligible. Various combinations of loop bandwidth-to-data rate ratios and modulation indices that achieve this performance are derived and listed. Bandwidth occupancy comparison indicates that PCM/PM/NRZ is the most efficient in this regard. Therefore, by eliminating the subcarrier and using the PCM/PM/NRZ scheme, many advantages can be realized without any sacrifice in performance. >
Effect of Different Catalysts on the DMDHEU-Cotton Cellulose Reaction

The utility of alkaline hydrolysis as a method for removal of DMDHEU crosslinks from cotton is illustrated in this paper. The method was applied to fabric treated with DMDHEU/MgCl 2 and DMDHEU/MgCl...