cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
College Students' Utilization of Protective Alcohol-Use Behaviors: Effects of Age, Gender, and Year in School

Background and Purpose: College drinking is a major public health concern with four out of every five college students reporting alcohol use. The authors examined the frequency with which students utilized 11 protective alcohol use behaviors from the 2011 American College Health Association – National College Health Assessment (ACHA – NCHA – II). The effects of age, gender, and year in school on each of these behaviors were also examined. Methods: A total of 1,082 randomly selected students attending a California State University institution completed a web-based version of the NCHA-II. Descriptive statistics were conducted to describe the sample and the protective behaviors. Logistic regression analysis were conducted to assess the associations between each behavior with age, gender, and year in school. Results: The most frequently utilized behavior was staying with the same friends. Compared to undergraduate students, graduate students were more likely to utilize protective behaviors, and males were more likely than females to utilize the majority of these behaviors. Conclusions: This study provides support for the implementation of alcohol-related interventions in different sectors of the university, such as dormitories and fraternities.
Enhancing Au/TiO2 Catalyst Thermostability and Coking Resistance with Alkyl Phosphonic-Acid Self-Assembled Monolayers.

Metal oxide-supported Au catalysts, particularly those with small Au nanoparticles, catalyze a variety of reactions including low-temperature CO oxidation and selective hydrogenation of alkynes. Ho...
The value of daylight in office spaces

Abstract The presence of natural light in indoor spaces improves human health, well-being, and productivity, particularly in workplace environments. Do the social benefits of daylight translate into economic value as measured by what office tenants are willing to pay? Using a sample of 5154 office spaces in Manhattan, we pair urban daylight simulation with a hedonic valuation model to determine the marginal value of daylight in offices. Holding all other factors constant, we find that occupied spaces with access to high amounts of daylight (as measured by 55% spatial daylight autonomy) have a 5–6% value premium over occupied spaces with low amounts of daylight (as measured by less than 55% spatial daylight autonomy). We simulate the distribution of daylight on each office floor individually, taking into account architectural and location-specific characteristics. Then, using the hedonic model, we determine the added value of daylight in the office spaces. The results show, for the first time, that an estimated 74% of office spaces throughout Manhattan have low daylight, and that in a dense urban environment with differentiation in daylight levels, tenants value high daylight. Daylight value is independent of other building, neighborhood, and contract characteristics. By revealing the added value of daylight in commercial office spaces, we suggest that daylight is a key design driver and thus, should be considered in design, policy, planning, and project financing.
An archaeological strontium isoscape for the prehistoric Andes: Understanding population mobility through a geostatistical meta-analysis of archaeological 87Sr/86Sr values from humans, animals, and artifacts

Abstract Biogeographical studies of migration and mobility in archaeology and bioarchaeology rely on accurately characterizing local 87Sr/86Sr ranges, either through baseline studies or by statistically parsing archaeological results at a given site. However, when baseline materials are difficult to obtain or suspected to deviate from prehistoric isotopic catchments, archaeological data may provide an accurate characterization of local ranges. Through a spatial meta-analysis of 87Sr/86Sr values from archaeological human, faunal, and artifact samples (n = 1658) from 45 publications, this study aims to quantify and compare variation in bioavailable strontium and create the first predictive isotope model (or isoscape) for 87Sr/86Sr values in the prehistoric Andes. Descriptive statistics, including the coefficient of variation, are compared between sites from different temporal categories, and between coastal, yungas, and highland sites. Regional differences in the 87Sr/86Sr values of male and female biological sex categories are compared for human enamel and bone samples, and between sequentially-forming enamel and bone samples. The study finds that the archaeological dataset trimmed of outliers provides a reliable model of local ranges. However, we caution that when migration and trade networks being investigated are within homogeneous isoscape regions, or between contiguous neighbors, multiple isotopic signatures should be incorporated into provenience estimations.
Bocado: scalar semantics and polarity sensitivity

This paper traces the developments of the noun bocado as it participates in two polarity-sensitive constructions in the history of Portuguese: the minimizer bocado ‘[not even] a bit’, a negative polarity item in Old Portuguese, and the degree adverbial um bocado ‘a bit’, which emerges in the 1700 s and is a positive polarity item. I adopt Israel’s (2011) grammar of polarity based on two lexical features, a quantitative value (q-value) and an informative value (i-value), in order to analyze the properties of these constructions as they reveal the interaction between lexical meaning and the logic of scalar reasoning. By applying this model in diachrony, I show how the logic of pragmatic scales underlies the patterns observed: a low q-value (lexical meaning) constrains the possible contexts of use of the expression in terms of the informativity of the propositions conveyed. Diachronic studies can thus shed light on the types of meaning associated with scalar terms as well as on types of scalar items.
Using Technology to Integrate Geometry and Algebra in the Study of Functions

This group discussed the potential value of using technology-supported geometric transformations to introduce and develop function concepts. This approach (referred to here as Geometric Functions) and related representations can be used to help students develop intuitive understandings, avoid and overcome misconceptions, and deepen their understanding of variables and functions.
Ocular Manifestations of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in a Tertiary Care Academic Medical Center in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: Studies have identified a wide range of ocular signs and symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients;however, these studies were often conducted outside of the United States We aim to investigate the ocular manifestations of hospitalized COVID-19 patients at a tertiary care medical center in the United States Patients and Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted on individuals aged 18 and over who were hospitalized for COVID-19 between March 10, 2020 and April 13, 2020 The electronic health record was reviewed for all patients, and a follow-up phone survey was conducted on patients who were discharged home Data on patient history, physical exam, laboratory results, and hospital disposition were collected and analyzed Results: A total of 400 patients were included The mean patient age was 61 7 years (SD 15 5) and 233 (58 3%) were males Ocular signs and symptoms were noted in 38 (9 5%) patients The most common ocular abnormality was conjunctival injection, followed by vision changes and ocular irritation Among the 38 patients, 30 (79 0%) developed ocular involvement prior to day 30 of onset of their COVID symptoms Univariate analysis showed that age, gender, ocular history, fever, mechanical ventilation, and increasing inflammatory markers were not significantly associated with the presence or development of ocular symptoms Conclusion: In this study, 9 5% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients exhibited ocular signs and symptoms Factors associated with severe systemic COVID-19 disease were not associated with developing ocular abnormalities The rate of ocular manifestations of COVID-19 should not be ignored, and thus physicians should routinely evaluate for ocular involvement in hospitalized COVID-19 patients
Light-induced reorganization of charge density wave stacking in 1T-TaS2

Light is a powerful tool in sculpting the energy landscape of strong correlations. For example, low-intensity incoherent light is sufficient to change the way charge density wave (CDW) domains stack across layers of 1T-TaS2. The change in stacking type manifests in a large change in optical properties of 1T-TaS2 at room temperature. Much remains unknown about the mechanism of this light-induced stacking reorganization. Here, we study the temperature dependent optical tunability of 1T-TaS2 to probe the mechanism of the light-induced CDW stacking reorganization. We find that the optical tunability exhibits a peak at 250 K because of two opposing features. At lower temperatures, the domains grow bigger, and hence, the optical tunability is higher. However, the stacking reorganization becomes energetically less favorable at lower temperatures. The dynamics of tunability suggest that the mechanism of switching between the two stacking types could be explained by the classical nucleation theory. These findings shed light on the mechanism of the light-induced CDW stacking reorganization in 1T-TaS2 and such other layered CDW materials.
LC-MS/MS assay of riluzole and etoricoxib in rat plasma and brain tissue with applications for sampling and evaluation in pre-clinical rat model of traumatic brain injury

Abstract A sensitive and robust liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated to simultaneously quantify the concentration levels of selective cyclo-oxygenase- 2 inhibitor, etoricoxib, and glutamate antagonist, riluzole, in rat plasma and brain tissue. Labeled internal standards (IS) etoricoxib D4 and [13C,15N2] riluzole were used for the quantifications of etoricoxib and riluzole, respectively. Analytes riluzole and etoricoxib, as well as their IS's, were separated from rat plasma and brain tissue homogenate by means of liquid – liquid extraction using organic solvent of ethyl acetate. A Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18 (1.7 µm) column was used for chromatographic separation of analytes on a SCIEX ExionLC AD using a binary solvent system. In conjunction, a SCIEX QTRAP 5500 mass spectrometer was used to quantify etoricoxib at m/z of 359 → 244 (IS of m/z 363 → 248) and riluzole at m/z 235 → 166 (IS of m/z 238 → 169) mass transitions using positive mode electrospray ionization (ESI) with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The bioanalytical method was validated over a linear concentration range of 0.25 (LLOQ at average signal to noise >10) – 600 ng/ml in plasma and 0.625 – 1500 ng/g in brain tissue for both analytes. The methods intra/inter-day accuracy and precision are well within the FDA validation recommendations range for chromatographic assays for both riluzole and etoricoxib in rat plasma. A partial validation was conducted within rat brain biomatrix, yielding an acceptable intra-day accuracy and precision for both riluzole and etoricoxib. For riluzole and etoricoxib the average matrix effect and recovery from rat plasma and brain tissue were negligible. This bioanalytical method was effectively applied to perform a pharmacokinetic study of each compound administered concurrently in healthy male Long-Evan (L.E.) rats. This method was developed as a pre-requisite for the pre-clinical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluations of co-treatment with riluzole and etoricoxib in rats with a controlled cortical impact (CCI) induced traumatic brain injury.
Modeling Diesel and Hybrid Bus Fuel Consumption with Virginia Tech Comprehensive Power-Based Fuel Consumption Model: Model Enhancements and Calibration Issues

The goal of this paper was to develop a calibration procedure and use it to estimate diesel bus fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emission levels. There are few models for estimating those values. Available models require dynamometer data to calibrate model parameters and produce a bang-bang control system (optimum control entails maximum throttle and braking input). The only diesel fuel consumption model that does not suffer from these deficiencies is the Virginia Tech comprehensive power-based fuel consumption model (VT-CPFM). VT-CPFM can be calibrated with publicly available data from the Altoona Bus Research and Testing Center. However, each bus is slightly different because it is built and tuned for the specific transit agency. Consequently, research presented in this paper enhanced the VT-CPFM for modeling diesel buses and developed a procedure for calibrating bus fuel consumption models by using in-field data. All models produced a good fit to the in-field data with a coefficient of determination...
A Role for NF-κB in the Induction of β-R1 by Interferon-β

Previous experiments have suggested that induction of the β-R1 gene by interferon (IFN)-β required transcription factor ISGF-3 (IFN-stimulated gene factor-3) and an additional component. We now provide evidence that nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) can serve as this component. Site-directed mutagenesis of an NF-κB binding site in the β-R1 promoter or over-expression of an IκBα super-repressor abrogated IFN-β-mediated induction of a β-R1 promoter-reporter. IFN-β treatment did not augment abundance of NF-κB but did lead to phosphorylation of the p65 NF-κB subunit. It is proposed that IFN-β-mediated enhancement of the transactivation competence of NF-κB components is required for inducible transcription of the β-R1 promoter. These results provide a novel insight into the role of NF-κB in the transcriptional response to IFN-β.
Project histories: managing data provenance across collection-oriented scientific workflow runs

While a number of scientific workflow systems support data provenance, they primarily focus on collecting and querying provenance for single workflow runs. Scientific research projects, however, typically involve (1) many interrelated workflows (where data from one or more workflow runs are selected and used as input to subsequent runs) and (2) tasks between workflow runs that cannot be fully automated. This paper addresses the need for recording data dependencies across multiple workflow runs and accommodating data management activities performed between runs. We define a new conceptual model for representing project-level provenance based on the notion of project histories and folders, and describe mechanisms to support this model in the collection-oriented modeling and design framework of KEPLER. Our approach allows users to conveniently organize their projects and data using the familiar folder-hierarchy metaphor, while at the same time integrating this information with detailed provenance of data products generated via automated scientific workflows.
Intelligent Compassion: Feminist Critical Methodology in the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom by Catia Cecilia Confortini

Catia Cecilia Confortini’s Intelligent Compassion: Feminist Critical Methodology in the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom traces the ideological development of the oldest Western i...
Aquatic adaptations in the nose of carnivorans: evidence from the turbinates

Inside the mammalian nose lies a labyrinth of bony plates covered in epithelium collectively known as turbinates. Respiratory turbinates lie anteriorly and aid in heat and water conservation, while more posterior olfactory turbinates function in olfaction. Previous observations on a few carnivorans revealed that aquatic species have relatively large, complex respiratory turbinates and greatly reduced olfactory turbinates compared with terrestrial species. Body heat is lost more quickly in water than air and increased respiratory surface area likely evolved to minimize heat loss. At the same time, olfactory surface area probably diminished due to a decreased reliance on olfaction when foraging under water. To explore how widespread these adaptations are, we documented scaling of respiratory and olfactory turbinate surface area with body size in a variety of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine carnivorans, including pinnipeds, mustelids, ursids, and procyonids. Surface areas were estimated from high-resolution CT scans of dry skulls, a novel approach that enabled a greater sampling of taxa than is practical with fresh heads. Total turbinate, respiratory, and olfactory surface areas correlate well with body size (r(2) ≥0.7), and are relatively smaller in larger species. Relative to body mass or skull length, aquatic species have significantly less olfactory surface area than terrestrial species. Furthermore, the ratio of olfactory to respiratory surface area is associated with habitat. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we found strong support for convergence on 1:3 proportions in aquatic taxa and near the inverse in terrestrial taxa, indicating that aquatic mustelids and pinnipeds independently acquired similar proportions of olfactory to respiratory turbinates. Constraints on turbinate surface area in the nasal chamber may result in a trade-off between respiratory and olfactory function in aquatic mammals.
Using language: Meaning and understanding

All speech, written or spoken, is a dead language, until it finds a willing and prepared hearer. Robert Louis Stevenson, Reflections and Remarks on Human Life When people take part in joint activities – business transactions, chess games, piano duets – they perform a variety of joint actions. They say things to each other, hand things to each other, nod at each other, gaze at each other, and through these advance their joint activities. Many of these joint actions, or their parts, are communicative acts through which they get others to understand what they mean. What sort of acts are these, and how do they work? The traditional view is that communicative acts are performed by a speaker autonomously. In the drugstore, when Stone said “I'll be right there,” she was making a promise on her own. Although she directed it at me, I had no real part in it. A promise expresses a commitment to do something in the future, and speakers express such commitments on their own. In that tradition, the focus is on speakers. There is no mention, no hint, that addressees have any role. Paradoxically, the traditional view carries the seeds of its own destruction. The very notion of meaning – speaker's meaning – requires addressees to join speakers in a special way, and so do other notions of speech acts. We will discover, on closer examination, that communicative acts are inherently joint acts, and that they are just one level of an entire ladder of joint actions.
Contrasting irreligious orientation: atheism and secularity in the USA and Scandinavia

Phil Zuckerman, Pitzer College Phil Zuckerman, PhD, is professor of sociology and secular studies at Pitzer College in Claremont, California. He studies contemporary secularity, and he is the author of Faith No More (Oxford, 2011), Society Without God (NYU, 2008), and the editor of Atheism and Secularity (2 volumes, Praeger, 2010).
Flow Cytometry Increases the Sensitivity of Detection of Leukemia and Lymphoma Cells in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Specimens

Background: Recent studies have definitively determined that flow cytometry (FC) is significantly more sensitive than cytomorphology (CM) in detection of hematolymphoid neoplasms (HLNs). However, its utility in paucicellular bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens has not been established. Methods: FC was performed on BAL specimens submitted from 44 patients with a prior diagnosis of HLN. Panels chosen were based upon cellularity of specimen and patient history. FC results were compared with concurrent CM evaluations. Results: All 44 BALs were deemed satisfactory for FC and yielded informative results that assisted in diagnosis. Diagnoses included 22/44 B-cell neoplasms, 16/44 T-cell neoplasms, four/44 myeloid neoplasms, and two/44 plasma cell neoplasms. Overall concordance was demonstrated between FC and CM in 77% (34/44) of cases. In nine/44 cases (20%), one technique (FC or CM) clearly detected malignant cells when the other did not. FC was more sensitive than CM in detecting a HLN in eight/nine discordant cases. In only one case (one/44, 2%) were malignant HLN cells suspected by CM, but not identified by FC (one/44, 2%). Conclusion: We demonstrate, in the largest series published to date, that FC can be performed on BAL specimens. FC is indicated in evaluation of BAL for HLN and improves sensitivity of detection of HLN over CM alone. An integrated FC and CM approach is superior to either technique alone in diagnostic evaluation of BAL. Published 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Altered cardiac annexin mRNA and protein levels in the left ventricle of patients with end-stage heart failure.

Abstract Annexins are a unique family of membrane-associated, Ca 2+ and phospholipid-binding proteins found in various tissues. Among the 12 isoforms, Annexin II, V and VI exist in heart tissue in the highest amounts. Annexin VI has been shown to affect intracellular Ca 2+ cycling and contractility in isolated cardiomyocytes. Annexin V is present in both cardiomyocytes and non-myocyte cell types in the heart and may play a role in the regulation of cellular ion fluxes, organization and secretion, while the cardiac effects of annexin II are unclear. To identify changes in annexin II, V and VI isoforms that might occur in human heart failure, we measured mRNA and protein levels of these three annexins in transplanted left ventricular tissue of 12 patients with end-stage congestive heart failure due to coronary artery disease (CAD, n =6) or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM, n =6) who underwent cardiac transplantation. Normal heart tissue (C, n =6) was used as a control. Northern blot analyses showed a significant decrease (61%) in annexin VI mRNA levels in heart failure patients compared with controls (1.08±0.16 v 2.79±0.20 A.U.C. unit, determined by laser densitometry, mean± s.e. ). In contrast, we found a 67% increase (2.32±0.27 v 3.88±0.29) in annexin II mRNA levels and a two-fold increase (1.00±0.24 v 2.21±0.29) in annexin V mRNA levels in cardiomyopathic hearts as compared to normal hearts. Western blot analyses demonstrated a corresponding decrease (46.1%) in annexin VI protein levels in the heart failure group as compared to controls (2.63±0.22 v 4.88±0.52), while annexin II protein levels showed a significant 40.7% increase in patients with heart failure compared to those in normal hearts (5.08±0.67 v 3.61±0.32). Annexin V protein levels were also significantly increased (45%) in heart failure patients compared with normal (2.14±0.19 v 1.48±0.11). No difference in either annexins II, V or VI mRNA and protein levels were found between CAD and DCM patients. We conclude that human end-stage heart failure is associated with a down regulation of annexin VI and up regulation of annexin II and V proteins. Coordinate changes were observed in steady-state mRNA levels. These results suggest that these annexin isoforms may contribute to the regulation of intracellular Ca 2+ homeostasis in the cardiomyopathic heart.
Plug-and-play macroscopes

Compose "dream tools" from continuously evolving bundles of software to make sense of complex scientific data sets.
Chemical Vapor Deposition of Polycrystalline Al2O3

Polycrystalline Al2O3 was chemically vapor-deposited onto sintered Al2O3 substrates by reaction of AlCl3 with (1) H2O, (2) CO:H2, and (3) O2 at 1000° and 1500°C and 0.5 and 5.0 torr. Although the thermodynamics of all these reactions predict the formation of solid Al2O3, the deposition rate of the first reaction was considerably greater than that of the second. The third reaction was so slow that no measurable deposit was formed in 6 h at 1500°C. Formation of dense deposits of α-Al2O3 was favored by increasing temperature and decreasing pressure. Microstructural examination of the dense deposits showed long columnar grains, the largest of which extended through the deposit from the substrate to the surface.
Illusions of competence and overestimation of associative memory for identical items: evidence from judgments of learning.

The relation between subjects’ predicted and actual memory performance is a central issue in the domain of metacognition. In the present study, we examined the influence of item similarity and associative strength on judgments of learning (JOLs) in a cued recall task. We hypothesized that encoding fluency would cause a foresight bias, so that subjects would overestimate recall of identical pairs (scale–scale), as compared with strong associates (weight–scale) or unrelated pairs (mask–scale). In Experiment 1, JOLs for identical word pairs were higher than those for related and unrelated pairs, but later recall of identical pairs was lower than recall of related pairs. In Experiment 2, the effect of encoding fluency (inferred from self-paced study time) was examined, and a similar pattern of results was obtained, with subjects spending the least amount of time studying identical pairs. We conclude that overconfidence for identical pairs reflects an assessment of item similarity when JOLs are made, despite associative strength being a better predictor of later retrieval.
Evaluating reliability in quantitative vocabulary studies: The influence of corpus design and composition

Recent methodological advances have been used to create word lists based on large corpora. The present paper explores whether these corpora — and the associated lists — are unequivocally more representative. Corpus design considerations have usually focused on issues of external representativeness (representing the target discourse domain), while disregarding issues of internal representativeness (whether the corpus permits reliable descriptions of linguistic variation). This disregard may be especially problematic for studies of lexical variation, where it is difficult to achieve stable, reliable results from corpus analysis. The present paper illustrates these challenges through experiments based on analysis of a corpus representing a highly restricted discourse domain: university-level introductory psychology textbooks. The results indicate that corpus design and composition has a much greater influence on lexical variation than previously recognized, highlighting the need to evaluate internal representativeness in quantitative corpus-based research.
Effect of carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone on the photochemical reactions of isolated chloroplasts

Abstract Carbonylcyanide m -chlorophenylhydrazone is a powerful inhibitor of both photosynthetic phosphorylation and photoreduction of O 2 in isolated spinach chloroplasts. The inhibition of phosphorylation was observed in three cyclic systems (PMS, vitamin K 3 and FMN) and in three non-cyclic systems (ferricyanide-water, TPN + -water and TPN + -ascorbate). Inhibition of O 2 evolution was also obtained in the ferricyanide-water and TPN + -water systems but only at higher concentrations of CCCP. The only photochemical activity of chloroplasts which was found to be resistant to CCCP inhibition was the photoreduction of TPN + with ascorbate-dichlorophenol-indophenol as the electron donor (TPN + -ascorbate system). In the cyclic system (PMS) but not in the non-cyclic system (ferricyanide-water) CCCP inhibition of photophosphorylation varied with light intensity. Thus, in the PMS system, at 1000 lux, 0.4 μM CCCP gave 50% inhibition of photophosphorylation, whereas at 50 000 lux, 8 μM CCCP was required to give 50% inhibition. A model is proposed to account for the differences between cyclic and non-cyclic phosphorylation. The inhibition of photophosphorylation by CCCP was completely reversed by the addition of cysteine or by washing.
Integrity constraint integration in heterogeneous databases: an enhanced methodology for schema integration

Abstract In today's technologically diverse corporate environment, it is common to find several different databases being used to accomplish the organization's operational data management functions. Providing interoperability among these databases is important to the successful operation of the organization. One approach to providing interoperability among heterogeneous database systems, is to define one or more schemas which represent a coherent view of the underlying databases. In the past, most approaches have used schematic knowledge about the underlying databases to generate integrated representations of the databases. In this paper we present a seven step methodology for utilizing integrity constraint knowledge from heterogeneous databases. Specifically, we describe how we can generate a set of integrity constraints applicable at the integrated level from constraints specified on local databases. We introduce the concept of constraint-based relationships between objects in heterogeneous databases and describe the role that these relationships play in integrity constraint integration. Finally, we describe how the integrated set of constraints generated using our methodology can be used to facilitate semantic query processing in a heterogeneous database environment.
A new prion controls fungal cell fusion incompatibility

In solving a genetic puzzle posed by George Rizet in 1952 (1), Coustou, Deleu, Saupe, and Begueret report (2) evidence for the first prion (infectious protein) that carries out a normal function. It was studies of scrapie that gave rise to the prion concept, namely, that a normal cellular protein could change to an abnormal form (the prion form) that may be unable to carry out its normal function, but has acquired the ability to convert its normal form into this same abnormal (prion) form. This altered protein, by catalyzing, not its own synthesis, but its own alteration, becomes an infectious agent (a prion) if it can get from cell to cell or from individual to individual (reviewed in refs. 3–6).
Arrhythmia risk stratification based on QT interval instability: An intracardiac electrocardiogram study

Background Experimental studies have demonstrated that unstable repolarization dynamics is a risk factor of arrhythmia. We have recently developed an algorithm to detect QT interval (QTI) instability from the clinical electrocardiogram (ECG). Objective To develop a clinical arrhythmia risk stratification index based on the detection of QTI instability. Methods Intracardiac ECGs were recorded at rest in 114 patients with implanted implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). Patients were followed up until appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy or death occurred, whichever came first. Each ECG recording was divided into 1-minute episodes (minECGs); the instability in QTI dynamics, if any, of each minECG was detected with our algorithm. An arrhythmia risk index termed QTI instability index (QTII) was defined as the number of minECGs with unstable QTI dynamics normalized by the number of minECGs with premature activations. The performance of QTII in arrhythmia risk stratification was examined with survival analysis and was compared with other risk indices, such as the mean RR interval (RRI), the standard deviation of the RRI and the QTI, and the frequency of premature activation. We hypothesized that the index QTII, which accounts for multiple risk factors and their interdependence, performs better than indices quantifying individual arrhythmia risk factors in the stratification of arrhythmia risk. Results The results of survival analysis show that QTII outperformed all other studied indices in arrhythmia risk stratification and was the only independent indicator of arrhythmia propensity in a multivariate survival model. Conclusion QTII is a promising arrhythmia risk stratification index.
Relationship of in vitro survival and eosinophil derived neurotoxin (EDN) degranulation in blood and airway eosinophils (EOS) following segmental bronchoprovocation with allergen (SBP-AG)

Abstract Rationale EOS isolated from blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) 48h post-SBP-AG of allergic asthmatic (AA) patients differ in function. Although both populations of EOS have increased in vitro survival, only airway cells have enhanced respiratory burst, adhesion and intracellular calcium flux. We hypothesized that increased EOS survival results in enhanced retention of these cells in the airways in asthma to thus promote airway inflammation. Methods To correlate functional changes based on cell compartmentalization, blood and BAL EOS were isolated from AA subjects 48h post-SBP-AG; in vitro survival (trypan blue exclusion) and EDN degranulation (RIA) were assessed in response to IL-5 or GM-CSF. Results In contrast to increased survival of both cell populations, BAL EOS had significantly reduced IL-5 and GM-CSF activated EDN degranulation compared with blood EOS. Peripheral blood EOS demonstrated a significant correlation between spontaneous, and IL-5- or GM-CSF-stimulated EDN degranulation (rs=0.7-1.0, p Conclusion These data suggest enhanced survival of circulating and airway EOS following AG challenge is not necessarily associated with increased cell function and these two processes are regulated differently.
Defining the E-Portfolio: What It Is and Why It Matters.

In ShortGiven increasing student mobility and the new culture of learning generated by the Web's information-rich, highly collaborative environment, students should learn to document and manage the...
NONLINEAR CONSTITUTIVE BEHAVIOR OF SOFT AND HARD PZT: EXPERIMENTS AND MODELING

Abstract This work characterizes and models the nonlinear inelastic behavior of lead zirconate–titanate (PZT) ceramics. A detailed investigation of the hysteresis loop of the stress–strain curve shows that the process of ferroelastic non-180° polarization switching and of switching saturation are, respectively, a smooth softening process and a gradual hardening process. The inflection point in the curve is found to be a boundary point that distinguishes the transition from a softening process to a hardening one. Based on underlying physical mechanisms, this nonlinear behavior is simulated by a mechanical model, consisting of several parallel-arranged Maxwell chains with each chain taking a main role in a different, successive stage of the switching process. Each chain includes a nonlinear spring and a frictional slider. The generalized displacement of the slider, indicating an internal variable, is introduced to describe the local process of the cooperative switching of the corresponding grain group. The hardening and softening processes are controlled by variations of stiffness of the nonlinear springs. Furthermore, the observed similarities between the hysteresis loop of the stress–strain curve and that of stress–electric displacement curve are used to develop an equivalent stress concept and to formulate constitutive laws for PZT ceramics. Comparisons between the experimental hysteresis loops and those calculated by the proposed model show satisfactory agreement for both hard PZT and C5800 and soft C5500.
Studies on surface preparation

Abstract Surfaces upon which physical measurements or devices are to be made must be very carefully prepared. The general steps in surface preparation are a) cutting, b) lapping and polishing, and c) etching. Each of these topics is briefly reviewed to point out the important places where things could go wrong. In addition, the studies of the cleanness of the oxide layer and purity of chemicals used in the processes are discussed.
Origin of vinylic CH bond activation in the combustion of alkenes on palladium: an HREELS study of propene on Pd(100)-p(2 × 2)-O

Abstract While the mechanism of many reactions with oxygen on Ag(110) can be successfully predicted according to the gas-phase acidity of the reacting molecule, recent temperature-programmed reaction spectroscopic study of propene reactions with oxygen on Pd(100) reveals that the most reactive CH bond is the vinylic rather than the most acidic, allylic, CH bond. Using vibrational spectroscopy it is found that two forms of propene species exist on the surface at 130 K: a π-bonded state and a di-σ-bonded state. The former desorbs molecularly upon heating, while the latter undergoes combustion. In the di-σ-bonded state, the sp 3 rehybridization strongly reduces the acidity from its gas-phase value, rendering the methyl hydrogens unreactive. The mechanism for the combustion of propene is proposed.
Noncontact determination of transverse isotropic elastic moduli in polyimide thin films using a laser based ultrasonic method

A transient grating laser ultrasonic method known as real‐time impulsive stimulated thermal scattering is used to excite and monitor Lamb acoustic waveguide modes in free‐standing thin polyimide films which are known to have transverse isotropic symmetry. The dispersion of these Lamb modes is used to accurately evaluate both the in and out‐of‐plane elastic moduli.
The encyclopedia of American intelligence and espionage : from the Revolutionary War to the present

Identifies important figures, organizations, techniques, and devices in American espionage, and explains intelligence terms.
Synthesis and secretion of transferrin by cultured mouse hepatoma cells

The mouse hepatoma cell (Hepa-1) in tissue culture has been shown to synthesize and secrete three electrophoretically distinct transferrins. Each of these forms of transferrin has a molecular weight of 77,000, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The concentration of each form is indicated by its staining intensity, which is highest in the form with the fastest mobility and lowest in the form with the slowest mobility. The relative rate of transferrin synthesis has been determined in log-phase and stationary-phase cells; the data indicate that the relative rate of synthesis increases twofold in stationary-phase cells. When the incorporation of [3H]leucine into transferrin reaches steady state, the rate of secretion is equal to the rate of synthesis; the rate of secretion also increases twofold in stationary-phase cells. Our studies also show that transferrin synthesis accounts for 0.98% of the total protein synthesis in log-phase cells and for 1.8% in stationary-phase cells. This is the level of synthesis that has been determined by in vivo studies. We conclude that after continuous culture for several years these hepatoma cells have maintained one of the characteristics of the differentiated liver cell, namely, the ability to synthesize and secrete transferrin.
Voice and justification: Their influence on procedural fairness judgments.

The article discusses a study which examines whether voice and justification affect unfavorable decisions in job recruitment and budget decision-making. A discussion is presented about the influenc...
In vitro reconstitution of nitrate reductase activity of the Neurospora crassa mutant nit-1: specific incorporation of molybdopterin

The reduced, metal-free pterin of the molybdenum cofactor has been termed molybdopterin. Oxidation of any molybdopterin-containing protein in the presence or absence of iodine yields oxidized molybdopterin derivatives termed Form A and Form B, respectively. Application of these procedures to whole cells and cell extracts has demonstrated the presence of molybdopterin in wild-type Neurospora crassa, and its absence in the cofactor-deficient mutant nit-1. In order to demonstrate that the reconstitution of nitrate reductase activity in nit-1 extracts results from the incorporation of molybdopterin into the apoprotein, active molybdopterin, free of contaminating amino acids or peptides, was isolated from chicken liver sulfite oxidase and used in the reconstitution system. The results show that, during reconstitution, exogenous molybdopterin is specifically incorporated into the nitrate reductase protein, confirming the role of molybdopterin as the organic moiety of the molybdenum cofactor.
AN INVESTIGATION OF PUTATIVE TRAGOPOGON MIRUS (ASTERACEAE) POPULATIONS IN OREGON, USA

ABSTRACT Tragopogon mirus is a recently formed allotetraploid species, with Tragopogon dubius and Tragopogon porrifolius as the parental species. A study was conducted on Tragopogon populations in Oregon, USA to determine if T. dubius and T. porrifolius hybridization and subsequent polyploid speciation had occurred. We examined ploidy levels as well as nucleotide data from the chloroplast trnT-trnL spacer and nuclear ribosomal ITS regions. While no hybridization or polyploid speciation was found, a seven base pair length mutation found in the chloroplast trnT-trnL spacer region should prove useful for determining parentage in populations of T. mirus.
Symmetries within domain walls

The comparison of symmetries in the interior and the exterior of a domain wall is relevant when discussing the correspondence between domain walls and branes, and also when studying the interaction of walls and magnetic monopoles. I discuss the symmetries in the context of an $\mathrm{SU}(N)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{Z}_{2}$ model (for odd N) with a single adjoint scalar field. Situations in which the wall interior has less symmetry than the vacuum are easy to construct while the reverse situation requires significant engineering of the scalar potential.
Social networking in the Columbian ground squirrel, Spermophilus columbianus

Networks are collections of units that potentially interact as a system. Electronic power grids, human societies, the Internet, food webs and metabolic pathways are examples of networks that have emergent properties that allow all vertices (viz. individuals, components, species, etc.) to be linked by a short chain of intermediate vertices. My field observations on a colony of 65 free-ranging Columbian ground squirrels suggest that their society also exhibits these characteristics via social interaction. On average, any dyad of squirrels in the colony can be connected via amicable interaction with three intermediate individuals. The connectivity of individuals (viz. the number of individuals to which an individual is directly connected) decays following a scale-free power law distribution. Individuals that have similar age, reproductive status and number of associates (viz. the number of individuals to which the individual is connected via social interaction) interact amicably with each other more than other squirrels. The network is robust to the removal of random individuals. However, simulated removal of individuals that are connected to many other squirrels increases the number of intermediates between two random individuals and fragments the network into smaller clusters when removals exceed 10% of the individuals in the colony. Thus, certain individuals appear to play more central roles than others in the cohesion of the network. My results reinforce previous studies showing that network theory can be used to determine the roles played by individuals in the cohesion of animal societies, thus providing a framework for studying sociality across species.
Nonlinear elliptic boundary value problems at resonance

nor do we assume more smoothness than mere continuity of g(x, t) in t. In particular, no assumption concerning the modulus of continuity of g(x, t) in I is made. Castro and Lazer [l] studied (0.1) under the assumptions that A, < A’ 5 g(x, tyt I A” < A/+, and ag(x, t)/& is increasing in It I. Ambrosetti and Mancini [2] consider the situation when g(x, t) = &r + J-(x, r) with f(x, f) uniformly bounded. Thews [3) assumed (1J + h,(x, f))/f 5 g(x, t)/t 5 (&+it hz(x, t))/t where the hi are bounded and satisfy
Growth depression of mycorrhizal Citrus seedlings grown at high phosphorus supply is mitigated by elevated CO2

Summary • Gas exchange and growth responses of pot-grown sour orange (Citrus aurantium) and sweet orange (C. sinensis) were studied at high soil-P where growth depression is predicted. • Seedlings were either inoculated (AM) with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices or not inoculated (NM), and grown at elevated (eCO2) or ambient CO2 (aCO2) for 11 wk. • At aCO2, growth of AM sour orange was depressed (18%) compared with NM seedlings, but at eCO2, AM sour orange plants were 15% larger than NM plants. Growth depression coincided with increased rhizosphere respiration, reduced root starch concentration, and lower relative growth rates. Net photosynthesis (Pn) of both genotypes was enhanced by eCO2. For sour orange, the stimulation was greater in AM than in NM seedlings and this may have compensated for the carbon (C) expenditure on mycorrhizas. Gas exchange and growth of sweet orange were unresponsive to colonization by G. intraradices. • Differential responses to treatments suggest that C expenditure on mycorrhizas is more tightly regulated in citrus genotypes of low mycorrhizal dependency (MD) such as sweet orange than in high MD genotypes (e.g. sour orange).
Maternal and infant complications in high and normal weight infants by method of delivery

Objective: To estimate the population risks of maternal and infant complications with the birth of macrosomic (at least 4000 g) compared with normal weight infants. Methods: Term, singleton infants were identified from the state of Washington’s birth event records database for 1990. Diagnosis codes from the Internal Classification of Diseases (9th revision) were used to identify delivery method and previously defined complications. We adjusted for maternal demographic and clinical factors using multivariable logistic regression to derive the risk of each maternal and infant complication. Results: The incidence of macrosomia was 13% (8815 of 66,086). Vaginal birth of macrosomic infants was associated with low incidence of complications except for shoulder dystocia (11%) and postpartum hemorrhage (5%). Postpartum infection was the most common complication for women who had cesarean delivery after labor (5%), and complications for women who had cesarean without labor were rare (less than 3%). Neonatal complications were rare. Among infants with shoulder dystocia, the risks of asphyxia (adjusted relative risk [RR] 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.6, 2.3), birth trauma (RR 0.6, 95% CI 0.2, 1.6), long-bone injury (RR 1.2, 95% CI 0.6, 2.4), seizures (RR 1.0, 95% CI 0.0, 25.0), and facial palsy (RR 2.2, 95% CI 0.2, 44.4) were not significantly different for macrosomic and normal weight infants; however, macrosomic infants had a significantly increased risk of Erb palsy (RR 3.5, 95% CI 1.8, 7.5). Conclusion: This population-based study showed that most macrosomic infants are delivered vaginally with low rates of maternal and neonatal complications. Macrosomic infants have higher rates of Erb palsy, but similar rates of other serious complications of shoulder dystocia when compared with normal weight infants.
Development of an Insectary Plant Mixture for New Mexico and its Effect on Pests and Beneficial Insects Associated with Pumpkins

Abstract An insectary mixture of flowering annuals suitable for use in the high desert irrigated agriculture of New Mexico was developed over 3 years using pumpkins, Cucurbita moschata L., as a model cropping system. Plant establishment, survival, and flowering phenology were assessed in both clay and sandy soils by using weekly quadrat samples. Abundance of beneficial insects and spotted cucumber beetle, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber, were monitored with yellow sticky cards (Trece Inc., Adair, OK). Abundance of squash bug, Anasa tristis (DeGeer), was monitored weekly by sampling eggs and nymphs. Establishment of the flowering mixture was significantly better in clay than sandy soils in each of the 3 years. Of the fifteen plant species tested, California bluebell (Phacelia campanularia A. Gray), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), Plains coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria Nuttall), garden cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus Cavanilles), and sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritim...
Oriented Crystal Growth of 4-Iodo-4‘-nitrobiphenyl on Polar Self-Assembled Monolayer Templates: A Case for “Chemical Epitaxy”

Self-assembled monolayers of 4-X‘-mercaptobiphenyl and 4-X-benzenethiol (X = NO2, I, and H) were used as substrates to direct the nucleation and subsequent oriented growth of 4‘-iodo-4‘-nitrobiphen...