cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tell the Teacher or Tell the Bully Off: Children's Strategy Production for Bystanders to Bullying.

Although children's reticence to intervene as bystanders to bullying is well established, the reasons for their inaction remain unclear. One possibility is that they are incapable of generating appropriate response strategies in these situations. This study examined the number and type of strategies children (N = 104, 6–11 years) could generate for bystanders to a variety of bullying situations. Across bullying situations, older children generated more strategies than did younger children. Children most often suggested that the bystander confront the bully directly, followed by the suggestion that the bystander find a teacher for help or comfort the victim. An exclusion incident prompted more frequent proposals that the bystander help by comforting the victim while a pushing incident prompted more frequent appeals to a teacher. A priming story about a peer bystander intervening successfully in a bullying incident boosted strategy production in girls but did not affect boys.
Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in U.S. retail shell oysters: A national survey from June 1998 to July 1999

From June 1998 to July 1999, 370 lots of oysters in the shell were sampled at 275 different establishments (71%, restaurants or oyster bars; 27%, retail seafood markets: and 2%, wholesale seafood markets) in coastal and inland markets throughout the United States. The oysters were harvested from the Gulf (49%). Pacific (14%), Mid-Atlantic (18%), and North Atlantic (11%) Coasts of the United States and from Canada (8%). Densities of Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were determined using a modification of the most probable number (MPN) techniques described in the Food and Drug Administration's Bacteriological Analytical Manual. DNA probes and enzyme immunoassay were used to identify suspect isolates and to determine the presence of the thermostable direct hemolysin gene associated with pathogenicity of V. parahaemolyticus. Densities of both V. vulnifcus and V. parahaemolyticus in market oysters from all harvest regions followed a seasonal distribution, with highest densities in the summer. Highest densities of both organisms were observed in oysters harvested from the Gulf Coast, where densities often exceeded 10,000 MPN/g. The majority (78%) of lots harvested in the North Atlantic, Pacific, and Canadian Coasts had V. vulnificus densities below the detectable level of 0.2 MPN/g; none exceeded 100 MPN/g. V. parahaemolyticus densities were greater than those of V. vulnificus in lots from these same areas, with some lots exceeding 1,000 MPN/g for V. parahaemolyticus. Some lots from the Mid-Atlantic states exceeded 10,000 MPN/g for both V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyicus. Overall, there was a significant correlation between V. vulificus and V. parahaemolyticus densities (r = 0.72, n = 202, P < 0.0001), but neither density correlated with salinity. Storage time significantly affected the V. vulnificus (10% decrease per day) and V. parahaemolyticus (7% decrease per day) densities in market oysters. The thermostable direct hemolysin gene associated with V parahaemolyticus virulence was detected in 9 of 3,429 (0.3%) V. parahaemolyticus cultures and in 8 of 198 (4.0%) lots of oysters. These data can be used to estimate the exposure of raw oyster consumers to V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus.
Parallel Processing for Geometric Applications

A framework is presented for the parallelization of a set of commonly encountered geometric problems. It combines the use of the uniform grid technique, parallel sorting, and data partitioning for parallelization. For many problems, the use of these techniques leads to algorithms whose complexity is linear in the sizes of the input, output, and intermediate results. In average cases, the sizes of the intermediate results are linear in some metric of the input and output. The data structures used by these techniques are simple to build, regularize memory access patterns, and promote locality of memory references in the parallel machine. The framework is used to develop parallel algorithms for determining the convex hull of a set of points in the plane, the intersections between a set of segments in the plane, and the boundaries of the Boolean combinations of polygons and polyhedra. Approximate complexity analyses for the convex hull and Boolean combination algorithms are provided and compared with experimental results. The implementation on a shared-memory Sequent Balance 21000 shows speedups ranging from 9 to 12 with 15 processors. Close to linear speedups have been achieved in most phases of our algorithms. Implementation on the Intel iPSC Hypercube also shows respectable performance.
The Number of Mitochondrial Deoxyribonucleic Acid Genomes in Mouse L and Human HeLa Cells: QUANTITATIVE ISOLATION OF MITOCHONDRIAL DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID

Abstract Mitochondrial DNA can be isotopically labeled to the virtual exclusion of nuclear DNA labeling in cell lines lacking the major soluble thymidine kinase (EC 2.7.1.21) but retaining a mitochondrial thymidine kinase. This characteristic provides a means for the selective assay of mitochondrial DNA during isolation and a determination of the cellular content of mitochondrial DNA. The simplest of the three isolation procedures compared in this study is shown to yield approximately two-thirds of the total mitochondrial DNA in the tissue culture cells examined. Mouse L cells containing predominantly a 107 dalton closed circular mitochondrial DNA species have 1100 ± 250 molecules per cell. A second line of mouse L cells which has mitochondrial DNA of molecular weight 2 x 107 contains approximately 900 molecules per cell. HeLa cells have at least four times the mitochondrial DNA mass per mitochondrial volume as L cells.
Towards mechanical solution of the Kahan Ellipse Problem 1

Tarski (1948) gave a quantifier elimination procedure for elementary algebra and geometry which, when implemented, was found to be impractical. Collins (1975) gave a different and far more efficient algorithm, which has revived interest in the feasibility of quantifier elimination as a means of solving nontrivial problems in elementary algebra and geometry. Collins' algorithm has recently been implemented (1981). Experience so far obtained with the software indicates that, while some worthwhile problems can now be solved, it is desirable to find methods for improving performance. In this paper we report on several such methods, that we have developed in the course of applying the Collins algorithm to the Kahan ellipse problem. These methods have yielded substantial performance improvements; in fact, they have made feasible computations relating to the Kahan problem that initially could not be carried out at all in our computing environment. We are pursuing the further development of these techniques, with the goal of eventually producing a solution to the Kahan problem using the Collins algorithm.
Lessons learned from porting vector computer applications onto non-uniform memory access scalar machines

Although recent large-scale scalar multiprocessor systems have good potential to overwhelm vector machines even in vector-specific application areas, the applicability has not been systematically studied. We ported 2 typical vector applications onto 2 different scalar NUMA platforms. We found that trivial array dimension reordering drastically affect performance. We also show that vector-specific programming methods could hinder scalar/NUMA system's performance. A general workaround we developed is described along with a discussion for platforms' memory systems characteristics.
Forced activity alters sleep cycle periodicity and dorsal raphe discharge rhythm

Single-cell activity recorded from the brain stem dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) of cats showed a regular firing pattern during wakefulness (2–3 spikes/s), decreased activity during slow-wave or synchr...
Real Bodies: Video in the 1990s

This article discusses the recent work of three artists, Gary Hill, Mona Hatoum and Maureen Connor, to address the meaning of the aesthetic shift in video art of the 1990s and its implications for thinking about the body as a site of identification and identity. Engaging (and reformulating) the Lacanian notion of the Real, it explores the effects of the new kind of corpo-reality proposed by these video installations on the ways in which we imagine our relation to our own bodies as mediated by visual culture. In so far as it raises the spectre of flesh as a culturally inassimilable remnant, the aesthetic concern with the Real may be seen as a response to a certain conceptual impasse in thinking about identity as an effect of cultural construction. This is not, however, a matter of retreating into essentialist positions, strategically useful as such positions may be. To imagine the ‘lived body’ as Real – as the work of these artists suggests – is to explore the idea of unfinishedness of the self as a specific body, and to envision the instability of the internal psychic boundaries as a concrete embodied experience. Video as a medium is particularly well suited to address such issues as one of the technologies that have contributed to the transformation of contemporary reality into, predominantly, visuality. Focusing on each artist's different mode of involvement with the Real as a body, the article examines the attempts of these video installations to construct a new aesthetic of the subject in the era of screen.
Out in the Field: Reflections of Lesbian and Gay Anthropologists

Out in the Field: Reflections of Lesbian and Gay Anthropologists. Ellen Lewin and William L. Leap. eds. Urbana University of Illinois Press, 1996.315 pp.
Memantine for late-life depression and apathy after a disabling medical event: a 12-week, double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study.

Objective Preclinical data suggests that memantine, a noncompetitive glutamate N-methyl- D-aspartate-receptor blocker used for the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease, could reduce depressive and amotivated behavior occurring in the context of psychosocial stress. Therefore, we examined whether memantine could reduce depressive symptoms and amotivation manifesting in older adults after a disabling medical event, thereby improving their functional recovery. Method We recruited subjects aged 60 years and older who had recently suffered a disabling medical event and were admitted to a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation. Participants with significant depressive symptoms, defined as a Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score of 10 or greater, and/or significant apathy symptoms, defined as an Apathy Evaluation Scale score of 40 or greater, were randomized to memantine (10 mg/d for 1 week, then 10 mg twice daily) or placebo, for 12 weeks. We also recruited participants without depressive or apathy symptoms for naturalistic follow-up as a non-depressed comparison group. Depressive and apathy symptoms were main outcomes; functional recovery, and self-report rating of helplessness, and onset of new depressive disorders were secondary outcomes. Results Thirty-five older adults with significant depressive and/or apathy symptoms were randomized, of whom 27 (77.1%) completed the 12 week randomized controlled trial. Both groups showed reduction in depressive symptoms (but no significant reduction in apathy symptoms) and improved function. However, there were no group differences between the memantine-randomized and placebo randomized participants on any outcome. Conclusion Memantine was not associated with superior affective or functional outcome compared with placebo in medically rehabilitating older adults with depressive and apathy symptoms. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Are devaluations contractionary in emerging economies of Eastern Europe

In most developing countries currency depreciation is said to be contractionary. This is because depreciation reduces the aggregate supply more than it increases the aggregate demand. However, emerging European economies have received no attention so far, mostly due to unavailability of data. Now that enough time-series data are available, we try to fill the gap by investigating the impact of real depreciation in effective exchange rates of Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Slovak Republic on their domestic output. We find that in the short run real depreciation is expansionary in Belarus, Latvia, Poland, and Slovak Republic; contractionary in Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, and Russia; and has no effect in Lithuania. In almost none of the countries, the short-run effects last into the long run.
Measured unsteady transonic aerodynamic characteristics of an elastic supercritical wing with an oscillating control surface

Transonic steady and unsteady aerodynamic data were measured on a large elastic wing in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. The wing had a supercritical airfoil shape and a leading-edge sweepback of 28.8 deg. The wing was heavily instrumented to measure both static and dynamic pressures and deflections. A hydraulically driven outboard control surface was oscillated to generate unsteady airloads on the wing. Representative results from the wind tunnel tests are presented and discussed, and the unexpected occurrence of an unusual dynamic wing instability, which was sensitive to angle of attack, is reported.
Predictors of physical functioning among geriatric patients with small cell or non-small cell lung cancer 3 months after diagnosis.

This study investigated how treatment options, symptom severity, prediagnosis levels of physical functioning, comorbidity, gender, and age predicted current physical functioning in geriatric patients with small-cell or non-small-cell lung cancer, 12 weeks after their diagnosis. The study involved 146 patients aged 65 years and over with an incident diagnosis of lung cancer. Analysis of covariance revealed no significant differences in physical functioning according to treatment type, small-cell versus non-small-cell classification or gender. Significant predictors of current physical functioning were symptom severity and prior physical functioning. The characteristics of a high-risk profile for disruption in physical functioning of elderly lung cancer patients 12 weeks after their diagnosis would include pre-existing physical impairment and high levels of symptomatology.
Use of Four-Dimensional Data Assimilation in a Limited-Area Mesoscale Model. Part I: Experiments with Synoptic-Scale Data

Abstract A four-dimensional data assimilation (FDDA) scheme based on Newtonian relaxation or “nudging” is tested using standard rawinsonde data in the Penn State/NCAR limited-area mesoscale model. It is imperative that we better understand these FDDA-generated datasets, which are widely used for model initialization and diagnostic analysis. The main hypothesis to be tested is that use of coarse-resolution rawinsonde observations throughout a model integration, rather than at only the initial time, can limit large-scale model error growth (amplitude and phase errors) while the model generates realistic mesoscale structures not resolved by the data. The main objective of this study is to determine what assimilation strategies and what meteorological fields (mass, wind or both) have the greatest positive impact via FDDA on the numerical simulators for two midlatitude, real-data cases using the full-physics version of a limited-area model. Seven experiments are performed for each case: one control experiment ...
Deformations of Whitehead Products, Symplectomorphism Groups, and Gromov-Witten Invariants

We provide a new way of understanding the multiplicative structure of the rational homotopy groups π * (X λ ) ⊗ ℚ for a family of topological spaces, once we know enough about their additive structure. This allows us to interpret the condition of realizing as an A k map a multiple of a map f : S 1 →G between two topological groups in terms of the existence of a rational Whitehead product of order k. Our main example will be when the X λ are classifying spaces of symplectomorphism groups where ω λ is a symplectic deformation on the trivial ruled surface . Our method of detecting nontriviality is based on computations of equivariant Gromov-Witten invariants. One application gives a homotopy-theoretic counterpart to a geometric result obtained by Karshon. Another application concerns the ring structure of H * (BSymp(S 2 ×S 2 ,ω λ )).
Genetic Allelism of Nodulation Response Genes Rj1, Rj2, and Rj4 in Soybean

Allelism tests established that the Rj1, Rj2 and Rj4 alleles were distinct in their segregation and must be located at three distinct genetic loci. The Rj1 gene has been located 40±2 centimorgans from the F gene. Both Rj2 and Rj4 were found to segregate independently of the F locus, confirming that they are not at the Rj1 locus. Therefore, soybean breeders have the option of constructing soybean genotypes containing all or any combination of these alleles if desired
Production with land and nonland factors: Which functional form?

Abstract Recent literature has investigated alternative CES and VES specifications for the production of building services with land and nonland inputs. The evidence presented here is consistent with a wide range of functional forms; the Cobb-Douglas form cannot be rejected but neither is it strongly supported. These findings are not inconsistent with previous estimates which are likely to be biased by errors-in-variables. Furthermore, the results reported here parallel findings from the literature on the substitution of labor for capital. Since data are not as readily available as in the labor-capital context, one must be pessimistic about the prospects for definitive empirical work.
Me' winik: Discovery of the biomedical equivalence for a Maya ethnomedical syndrome

Abstract Investigation of the correspondence of ethnomedical illness syndromes and biomedical disease classification has led to the identification of a high prevalence of gallbaldder disease among the Tzeltal and Tzotzil Maya populations of Highland Chiapas. This condition, known to demonstrate exceptionally high rates among North American Indians, has not previously been described among the Highland Maya. The failure to recognize this serious health problem has been due primarily to gultural differences in understanding the anatomy and difficulties arising from communication of symptomatology. A focus on the interface of ethnomedicine and biomedicine is shown to have significance from both theoretical and applied perspectives.
Agricultural Trade between the United States and Mexico: The Impacts of Mexico's Foreign Debt

The potential for enhancing agricultural trade between the United States and Mexico is attested to by the large historic share of agricultural trade between the two countries. In 1988, Mexico was the second largest source of U.S. agricultural imports with $1.9 billion of commodities and the sixth largest recipient country of U.S. agricultural exports with commodities valued at $1.7 billion (table 1). Two related macroeconomic and international phenomena-Mexico's foreign debt burden and Mexico's "apertura" (literally "opening") or liberalization of foreign trade policies-make this a particularly appropriate time for examining issues of agricultural trade between the United States and Mexico. Mexico's foreign and domestic debt clearly constrain the range and magnitude of policy options regarding agricultural development and trade. Yet, Mexico's recent proposals to liberalize trade (it agreed in 1986 to enter the GATT) may provide new opportunities for agricultural commodity and factor trade between the two countries. With one of the largest foreign debts of any Latin American country, two presidential administrations in Mexico have been saddled
A new look at compartment fires, part I

This is the second part of a two-part paper in which the author has endeavored to present all available information on compartment fires in a consistent theoretical framework. This well-documented review of the state of the art should serve as a valuable reference for researchers for some time to come.
The cannabinoid agonist HU-210: pseudo-irreversible discriminative stimulus effects in rhesus monkeys

Synthetic cannabinoid abuse and case reports of adverse effects have raised concerns about the pharmacologic mechanisms underlying in vivo effects. Here, a synthetic cannabinoid identified in abused products (HU-210) was compared to the effects of Δ(9)-THC and two other synthetic cannabinoid agonists used extensively in pre-clinical studies (CP 55,940 and WIN 55,212-2). One group of monkeys discriminated ∆(9)-THC (0.1mg/kg i.v.); a separate group received chronic ∆(9)-THC (1mg/kg/12h s.c.) and discriminated rimonabant (1mg/kg i.v.). CP 55,940, HU-210, ∆(9)-THC, and WIN 55,212-2 produced ∆(9)-THC lever responding. HU-210 had a long duration (i.e., 1-2 days), whereas that of the other cannabinoids was 5h or less. Rimonabant (1mg/kg) produced surmountable antagonism; single dose-apparent affinity estimates determined in the presence of ∆(9)-THC, CP 55,940, and WIN 55,212-2 did not differ from each other. In contrast, rimonabant (1mg/kg) produced a smaller rightward shift in the HU-210 dose-effect function. In ∆(9)-THC treated monkeys, the relative potency of CP 55,940, ∆(9)-THC, and WIN 55,212-2 to attenuate the discriminative stimulus effects of rimonabant was the same as that evidenced in the ∆(9)-THC discrimination, whereas HU-210 was unexpectedly more potent in attenuating the effects of rimonabant. In conclusion, the same receptor subtype mediates the discriminative stimulus effects of ∆(9)-THC, CP 55,940 and WIN 55,212-2. The limited effectiveness of rimonabant to either prevent or reverse the effects of HU-210 appears to be due to very slow dissociation or pseudo-irreversible binding of HU-210 at cannabinoid receptors.
Ecological Studies of Japanese Raccoon Dogs, Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus

Two populations of wild raccoon dogs ( Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus ) in Japan were studied during fall 1984 to obtain information on the ecology of this secretive and nocturnal Asian species whose habits are not well known. Field sites on Kyushu and Honshu are separated by more than 1,200 km and differ in topography, climate, food sources and availability, and use by people. Fourteen animals were captured; morphometric and other biological and behavioral data were recorded, and nine were radiotracked for periods that ranged from 5 to 20 days. Home ranges at the two field sites were small, 49 ± 14 ha ( n = 4) and 59 ± 16 ha ( n = 5), compared with those of most canids. Similarity in home-range sizes between sites suggested that the animals were not disturbed greatly by human activity and that the home-range size was a reasonably precise estimate for that season. Overlapping home ranges indicated raccoon dogs were not territorial. Differential-use patterns showed that animals at one site exploited alternative food sources, namely refuse, whereas animals at the second site foraged for diffusely distributed natural foods. In contrast to earlier reports raccoon dogs were frequently active diurnally. Raccoon dogs were relatively undisturbed by human activity and appear to be exceedingly adaptable to a wide variety of environments and living conditions.
Maternal methyl supplemented diets and effects on offspring health.

Women seeking to become pregnant and pregnant women are currently advised to consume high amounts of folic acid and other methyl donors to prevent neural tube defects in their offspring. These diets can alter methylation patterns of several biomolecules, including nucleic acids and histone proteins. Limited animal model data suggests that developmental exposure to these maternal methyl supplemented (MS) diets leads to beneficial epimutations. However, other rodent and humans studies have yielded opposing findings with such diets leading to promiscuous epimutations that are likely associated with negative health outcomes. Conflict exists to whether these maternal diets are preventative or exacerbate the risk for ASD in children. This review will discuss the findings to date on the potential beneficial and aversive effects of maternal MS diets. We will also consider how other factors might influence the effects of MS diets. Current data suggest that there is cause for concern as maternal MS diets may lead to epimutations that underpin various diseases, including neurobehavioral disorders. Further studies are needed to explore the comprehensive effects maternal MS diets have on the offspring epigenome and subsequent overall health.
Methodological considerations for heat shock of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Stress response pathways share commonalities across many species, including humans, making heat shock experiments valuable tools for many biologists. The study of stress response in Caenorhabditis elegans has provided great insight into many complex pathways and diseases. Nevertheless, the heat shock/heat stress field does not have consensus as to the timing, temperature, or duration of the exposure and protocols differ extensively between laboratories. The lack of cohesiveness makes it difficult to compare results between groups or to know where to start when preparing your own protocol. We present a discussion of some of the major hurdles to reproducibility in heat shock experiments as well as detailed protocols for heat shock and hormesis experiments.
Technology Adoption and Its Impact on Production Performance of Dairy Operations

Data from the 1993 Agricultural Resource Management Study were used to examine the impact of technology adoption on production performance of a sample of dairy farms. Findings showed that the adoption of a capital- or a management-intense technology would measurably lower the likelihood of a farmer being in the lowest quartile of production performance. The economic costs of milk production by the top-performance group were estimated to be 53% lower than those by the low-performance group, providing evidence of the importance of improved production practices to the viability of many dairy operations.
Employer Sanctions Against Immigrant Workers

The employer-sanctions law has neither helped reduce undocumented immigration nor improved wages and working conditions of U.S. workers, but has become a tool to suppress workers' rights to organize.
Optical immunosensors for detection of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Enteritidis from food

Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella are two major foodborne pathogens of significant concern. Two optical evanescent wave immunosensors were evaluated for detection: Antibody-coupled fiber-optic biosensor and a surface plasmon resonant (SPR) immunosensor. In the fiber-optic sensor, polyclonal antibodies for the test organisms were immobilized on polystyrene fiber wave -guides using streptavidin - biotin chemistry. Cyanine 5 -labeled monoclonal antibodies C11E9 (for L. monocytogenes) and SF-11 (for Salmonella Enteritidis) were used to generate a specific fluorescent signal. Signal acquisition was performed by launching a laser-light (635 nm) from an Analyte-2000. This immunosensor was able to detect 103 - 109 cfu/ml of L. monocytogenes or 106-109 cfu/ml of Salmonella Enteritidis and the assays were conducted at near real-time with results obtained within one hour of sampling. The assays were specific and showed signal even in the presence of other microorganisms such as E. coli, Enterococcus faecalis or Salmonella Typhimurium. In the SPR system, IAsys instrument (resonant mirror sensor) was used. Monoclonal antibody-C11E9 was directly immobilized onto a carboxylate cuvette. Whole Listeria cells at various concentrations did not yield any signal while surface protein extracts did. Crude protein extracts from L. monocytogenes and L. innocua had average binding responses of around 150 arc sec (0.25 ng/mm2), which was significantly different from L. grayi, L. ivanovii, or L. welshimeri with average responses of <48 arc sec. Both fiber-optic and SPR sensors show promise in near real-time detection of foodborne L. monocytogenes and Salmonella Enteritidis.
A miniature shape memory alloy pinch valve

Abstract A normally closed miniature pinch valve employing a Nitinol shape memory alloy actuator to control flow in silicone microbore tubing has been designed, fabricated, and tested. The valve can withstand long term exposure to fluids because only the tubing interior is contacted by the regulated fluid. The valve has application to microflow chemistry and has the advantage of compact and simple construction. At a differential pressure of 3 psi the valve permits a maximum flow rate of about 0.28 ml/s and has a 398 mW power dissipation. The maximum differential pressure the valve can withstand is greater than 30 psi.
Relationship between antisperm antibodies and testicular histologic changes in humans after vasectomy

Abstract Objective. To determine whether or not there is an association between testicular histologic changes and antisperm antibodies in vasectomized men. Methods. Morphometry was performed on testicular biopsy specimens obtained from 19 vasectomized men and 21 fertile control subjects. Antisperm antibody status was determined on the serum of each patient and control subject using the indirect immunobead assay. Results. Significant increases in seminiferous tubule wall thickness (p Conclusions. Vasectomized men exhibit significant testicular histologic changes and increased autoimmune activity as compared with fertile control subjects. These histologic changes are not directly associated with antisperm antibody status, suggesting that some other pathophysiologic process must be responsible.
Peculiar spin dynamics of the photoexcited triplet state of pentacene in a benzoic acid crystal: an ESE study

The spin dynamics of the photoexcited triplet state of pentacene in three host crystals: benzoic acid, naphthalene andp-terphenyl, were measured from 5 to 300 K by the electron spin echo technique following N2 laser excitation. The triplet kinetics (population, spinlattice relaxation and decay rates) of pentacene in the benzoic acid (BA) hosts differ from those observed in the other two host systems. A model which includes a strong guest-host interaction and proton tunneling in the tautomerization of BA hosts is used to explain the observations.
From forest to fen: Microarthropod abundance and litter decomposition in a southern Appalachian floodplain/fen complex

Summary Our study compared decomposition and litter microarthropod abundance among five plant communities in a mountain floodplain/fen complex located in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA. We found that the least disturbed plant communities, red maple in particular, have the quickest decomposition, the greatest number of litter microarthropods, the highest soil organic carbon, and the lowest soil pH. Positive correlations were shown between soil organic carbon and total microarthropods; negative correlations were found between soil pH and total microarthropods. No correlations were found between soil moisture and decomposition or total microarthropod numbers. We conclude that soil characteristics related to disturbance, rather than to the presence of a closed canopy, are the main influences on decomposition and litter microarthropods.
Metabolism of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) in mice.

The metabolism of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]-pyridine (PhIP), a heterocyclic amine carcinogen detected in cooked meats, was investigated in mice. In 3-methylcholanthrene-induced mice administered 0.1, 1.0 and 10 mg/kg [14C]PhIP (i.p.), urinary and fecal excretion over 24 h accounted for 16% and 42-56% of the dose respectively. Urinary excretion of unchanged parent compound accounted for only 0.5-0.8% of the administered dose. At all doses, the major urinary metabolite was identified as 4'-(2-amino-1-methylimidazo[4,5-b]pyrid-6-yl)phenyl sulfate and this metabolite comprised approximately 5% of the dose. Uninduced mice excreted greater than 13% of a 10 mg/kg dose as the sulfate conjugate. Urinary excretion of both 2-amino-1-methyl-6-(4'-hydroxy)-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (4'-hydroxy-PhIP) and a glucuronide conjugate of 2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenyl-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (N-hydroxy-PhIP) was also higher (4-fold) in uninduced versus induced mice. The decreased urinary excretion of P450-derived metabolites via induction contrasted with increased metabolite formation by hepatic microsomal preparations. 4'-Hydroxy-PhIP and N-hydroxy-PhIP were produced in amounts nearly 7- and 3-fold higher respectively by induced versus uninduced microsomal incubations at 50 microM [3H]PhIP. At concentrations less than 10 microM, PhIP was almost exclusively converted by the induced preparations to an unidentified metabolite that was not retained by the C18 column. This metabolite, which also was formed in incubations with either 4'-hydroxy-PhIP or N-hydroxy-PhIP, was produced by microsomes from uninduced animals at a much slower rate. Covalent binding to microsomal protein in incubations with [3H]PhIP was concentration-dependent and 2- to 4-fold higher in induced than uninduced preparations. Covalent binding in liver and kidney of induced mice administered [14C]PhIP was dose dependent. At 10 mg/kg PhIP, adducts were produced at 1.7-fold higher levels in livers of induced versus uninduced mice, but renal binding was higher in uninduced animals. These studies indicate the importance of cytochrome P450 and other xenobiotic enzymes in the metabolism, disposition and activation of PhIP.
Particle impact and impact distribution within a fluidized bed combustor environment

Abstract A principal cause of wear of in-bed heat exchanger tubes in bubbling fluidized bed combustors (BFBCs) arises from the collapse of bubble wakes and “teardrop” voids against the tubes. This collapse results in a hammering effect wherein very dense aggregates of bed particles are periodically driven upward, slamming against tube undersides with great force. This effect is simulated in a specially designed wear rig by quickly driving a specimen rod downward within a bed of fluidized particles. Through the use of this rig, many aspects of BFBC metal wastage have been reproduced, including wear rates, circumferential wear distributions and wear microstructure. In this study, acrylic and aluminum specimens coated with a thin gold layer were exposed in the wear rig for very short times in order to obtain information on the nature and distribution of impacts. Variations in impact size, shape, density, and type were observed around the circumference of the rod. There were similarities in appearance between these impacts and those found in impingement erosion and in two-body abrasion although the scale of damage was much less than that typically seen. Only one-quarter of the particle contacts with the surface were truly damaging. The mean time between damaging impacts at a specific location in the region of maximum wear was approximately 4 min. The principal mechanism of metal removal was probably low cycle fatigue resulting from three-body abrasion.
Redox regulation of cell migration and adhesion

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), particularly hydrogen peroxide, and the proteins that regulate them play important roles in the migration and adhesion of cells. Stimulation of cell surface receptors with growth factors and chemoattractants generates ROS, which relay signals from the cell surface to key signaling proteins inside the cell. ROS act within cells to promote migration and also in nonmigrating cells to influence the behavior of migrating cells. Hydrogen peroxide has also been suggested to act as a chemoattractant in its own right, drawing immune cells to wounds. We discuss recent progress made towards understanding how organisms use ROS, and to what degree they depend on them, during the related processes of cell migration and adhesion.
Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations: effect on medical record research.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of impending HIPAA regulations on Applications for Exemptions from Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.Summary Background Data:HIPAA was implemented to reduce potential for misuse of personal information and restricts access to medical records by insurers, empl
A characterization of von Neumann games in terms of memory

An information completion of an extensive game is obtained by extending the information partition of every player from the set of her decision nodes to the set of all nodes. The extended partition satisfies Memory of Past Knowledge (MPK) if at any node a player remembers what she knew at earlier nodes. It is shown that MPK can be satisfied in a game if and only if the game is von Neumann (vN) and satisfies memory at decision nodes (the restriction of MPK to a player’s own decision nodes). A game is vN if any two decision nodes that belong to the same information set of a player have the same number of predecessors. By providing an axiom for MPK we also obtain a syntactic characterization of the said class of vN games.
The Journal of Morphology as window and mirror: reflections and glimpses on the birth of American biology.

The centennial of the Journal of Morphology provides a fitting occasion to reflect upon the condition of American biology surrounding the founding years of the Journal. The Journal was started by C.O. Whitman in 1887. At this same time, the American biological community experienced a gradual change from a community of amateurs based within the natural history tradition to a professional community based within universities with specialized research programs. Many of the changes associated with this maturation process are exhibited in the pages of the first ten volumes of the Journal. They show that the Journal played a central role in communicating research methods and questions to the growing community of professional biologists. Moreover, these same volumes provide an accurate record of the character of the morphological sciences at the end of the 19th century.
Induction of T Cell Anergy by High Concentrations of Immunodominant Native Peptide Is Accompanied by IL-10 Production and a Block in JNK Activity

Abstract The ability to induce anergy in antigen-specific T cells has potential therapeutic value for altering pathologic immune responses. This study was undertaken to further analyze changes in cytokine production and intracellular signaling during anergy induction using high concentrations of native peptide ligand of tetanus toxoid (TT)- and myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific human T cell lines. The TT-selected T cell line could be rendered unresponsive to its dominant epitope in a dose-dependent manner (IC 50 = 0.03 μg/ml). The TT-selected line, as well as three T cell clones established from this line, continued to produce IFN-γ and significantly increased IL-4 and IL-10 production when anergy was induced with high concentrations of the immunodominant epitope. JNK enzymatic activity was blocked in anergized T cells. The MBP-selected line could likewise be rendered unresponsive by incubation with supraoptimal concentrations of immunodominant peptide and anergy induction was accompanied by IL-10 release. Both T cell lines could be anergized by the autopresentation of native peptide since anergy was induced in cultures lacking fresh antigen-presenting cells. This study shows that the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade is blocked when anergy is induced to high concentrations of soluble peptide.
Recent Irends in Substance Abuse Glue-Sniffing

A prophetic trance resulted when a priestess of the Oracle at Delphi inhaled the divine vapors. A contemporary example of the attainment of intoxication using an inhaled substance is found in the phenomenon of glue-sniffing. Historically, man has used many substances in a similar manner: snuff, cocaine, and heroin may be “snorted” directly; tobacco, opium, and marijuana may be smoked; and vapors from the etherials such as gasoline, paint, and cleaning fluid may be inhaled. Since 1960 the use of plastic and cement glues for this purpose seems to have become widespread, particularly among youth.
Vertically oriented TiO2 nanotube arrays grown on Ti meshes for flexible dye-sensitized solar cells

We describe here the growth of vertically oriented TiO2 nanotube arrays on Ti meshes by electrochemical anodization and their application as flexible electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSC). The dependence of physical features (i.e., diameter, wall thickness, and length) of TiO2 nanotube arrays on the anodization duration is systematically studied. Our results indicate that this type of flexible electrodes features transparency and high bend ability when subjected to external force. Varying the length of nanotube arrays has been demonstrated to critically influence the solar-to-electric conversion efficiency of DSCs. In combination with a low-volatility organic electrolyte and a rigid platinized conductive glass counter electrode, TiO2 nanotube arrays with an optimized length of 40 μm on a 50-mesh substrate achieve a conversion efficiency of 1.47% (calculated from the geometric area of Ti mesh) at 97.4 mW/cm2 AM 1.5 simulated full light. A lightweight flexible DSC is also fabricated using the same...
A laminar flamelet approach to subgrid-scale chemistry in turbulent flows

Abstract A method is presented whereby filtered chemical species may be modeled in large eddy simulations (LES) of nonpremixed, turbulent combustion. The model is based on the concept of laminar flamelets, and assumes that a filtered mixture-fraction, as well as its subgrid-scale variance and filtered dissipation rate, are known at each grid cell of an LES. The model makes use of the subgrid-scale or “large-eddy” probability density function of the mixture-fraction, which is assumed to follow a beta-distribution. Also, an assumed functional form for the scalar dissipation rate is employed. The model is evaluated by filtering data from direct numerical simulations (DNS) of homogeneous, isotropic, decaying turbulence. Results show that the model, termed the large-eddy, laminar flamelet model (LELFM), is reasonably accurate and that the accuracy improves with increasing Damkohler number.
Scalable Transaction Management with Snapshot Isolation on Cloud Data Management Systems

We address the problem of building scalable transaction management mechanisms for multi-row transactions on key-value storage systems. We develop scalable techniques for transaction management utilizing the snapshot isolation (SI)model. Because the SI model can lead to non-serializable transaction executions, we investigate two conflict detection techniques for ensuring serializability under SI. To support scalability, we investigate system models and mechanisms in which the transaction management functions are decoupled from the storage system and integrated with the application-level processes. We present two system models and demonstrate their scalability under the scale-out paradigm of Cloud computing platforms. In the first system model, all transaction management functions are executed in a fully decentralized manner by the application processes. The second model is based on a hybrid approach in which the conflict detection techniques are implemented by a dedicated service. We performa comparative evaluation of these models using the TPC-Cbenchmark and demonstrate their scalability.
Pharmacological and psychological treatments for depressed older patients: a meta-analysis and overview of recent findings.

A meta-analysis was carried out to evaluate data published between January 1974 and February 1998 comparing rates of treatment response and tolerability of pharmacological and psychological treatments for depression in persons over age 55. Drugs (tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, and a mixed group of other drugs) were significantly better than placebo, with an average reduction in symptom severity of 48.0% versus 31.3% (analysis weighted by sample size; 50.6% vs. 21.4% unweighted). No single drug or group of drugs was superior in terms of efficacy, and no statistically significant differences in tolerability emerged between tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, whether measured by total dropouts or by dropouts due to side effects. Compared to the data on pharmacological treatments, those for outcomes of psychological treatments are very limited. Existing data indicate that cognitive-behavioral, behavioral, and psychodynamic therapies are s...
Full regularity of a free boundary problem with two phases

Let Ω be a bounded domain in \({\mathbb{R}^{n}, n\geq2}\) . We use \({\mathcal{M}_{\Omega}}\) to denote the collection of all pairs of (A, u) such that \({A\subset\Omega}\) is a set of finite perimeter and \({u\in H^{1}\left( \Omega\right)}\) satisfies $$u\left( x\right) =0\quad\text{a.e.}x\in A.$$ We consider the energy functional $$E_{\Omega}\left( A,u\right) =\int\limits_{\Omega}\left\vert\triangledown u\right\vert ^{2}+P_{\Omega}\left( A\right)$$ defined on \({\mathcal{M}_{\Omega}}\) , where PΩ(A) denotes the perimeter of A inside Ω. Let \({\left( A,u\right)\in\mathcal{M}_{\Omega}}\) be a minimizer with volume constraint. Our main result is that when n ≤ 7, u is locally Lipschitz and the free boundary ∂A is analytic in Ω.
A probabilistic method to determine the minimum leakage vector for combinational designs in the presence of random PVT variations

The control of leakage power consumption is a growing design challenge for current and future CMOS circuits. Among existing techniques, 'parking' a circuit in a minimum leakage state during its standby mode of operation requires minimal circuit modification and results in significant leakage reduction. In this paper we present a heuristic approach (referred to as MLVC) to determine the input vector which minimizes leakage for a combinational design. This approach utilizes approximate signal probabilities of internal nodes to aid in finding the minimum leakage vector. We utilize a probabilistic heuristic to select the next gate to be processed as well as to select the best state of the selected gate. A fast SAT solver is employed to ensure the consistency of the assignments that are made in this process. A variant of MLVC, referred to as MLVC-VAR, is also presented. MLVC-VAR includes the effect of random variations in leakage values due to process, voltage and temperature (PVT) variations. Including the effect of PVT variations for determining minimum leakage vector is crucial because leakage currents have an exponential dependence on power supply, threshold voltage and temperature. To the best of the authors' knowledge, no other minimum leakage vector determination work has to date included the effect of PVT variations. Experimental results indicate that our MLVC method has very low runtimes, with excellent accuracy compared to existing approaches. Further, the comparison of the mean and standard deviation of the circuit leakage values for MLVC with MLVC-VAR and an existing random vector generating approach proves the need for considering these variations while determining the minimum leakage vector. MLVC-VAR reports, on average, about 9.69% improvement over MLVC with similar runtimes and 5.98% improvement over the random vector generation approach with significantly lower runtimes.
Astronomy: A new spin on the first stars.

Understanding the nature of the first stars, whose formation marked a pivotal epoch in the Universe's history, is at the frontier of astronomy. An analysis of stellar data indicates that they were fast-rotating objects. See Letter p.454 NGC 6522, the oldest globular cluster in our Galaxy, probably witnessed the earliest phases of the chemical enrichment of the Universe, when massive stars formed soon after the Big Bang generated the 'metals' (elements heavier than helium) that were incorporated into the low-mass stars that have survived to the present. However, reported element abundances in stars from NGC 6522 provided contradictory evidence about the nature of the gas from which they were formed. A reanalysis of the earlier spectra, adding yttrium and strontium abundances and upper limits for carbon, points to a pattern of abundances best explained by the early presence of metal-poor fast-rotating massive stars. These 'spinstars' are prime candidates for recognition as the 'first stars' in the Universe.