cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of NAFTA on Current US Economy

The current unemployment rate in US is around 10 percent and is significantly lower in Mexico. The regional trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) were intended to ease and ultimately reduce barriers to allow businesses to flourish in North America, but current economic conditions are having a negative effect on export, import, and many of the economic indices. This paper describes the relationship between NAFTA’s execution and the general health of the current economy. It is suggested that the time is ripe to review and analyze NAFTA’s effectiveness in managing the current economy, globalization trends and challenges.
A sub-pixel stereo matching algorithm and its applications in fabric imaging

In this paper, we describe a sub-pixel stereo matching algorithm where disparities are iteratively refined within a regularization framework. We choose normalized cross-correlation as the matching metric, and perform disparity refinement based on correlation gradients, which is distinguished from intensity gradient-based methods. We propose a discontinuity-preserving regularization technique which utilizes local coherence in the disparity space image, instead of estimating discontinuities in the intensity images. A concise numerical solution is derived by parameterizing the disparity space with dense bicubic B-splines. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm performs better than correlation fitting methods without regularization. The algorithm has been implemented for applications in fabric imaging. We have shown its potentials in wrinkle evaluation, drape measurement, and pilling assessment.
The Selectively Political Citizen? Modeling Attitudes, Nonattitudes, and Change in 1950s Public Opinion

Since Converse's pioneering work, social scientists have had to grapple with a perplexing phenomenon: the apparent willingness of many citizens to express an opinion to survey researchers when they in fact have no corresponding attitude. New approaches to measuring latent structures make it possible to address some of the controversies surrounding nonattitudes and to probe the empirical adequacy of Converse's account of mass political attitudes. This article extends the work of Duncan, Stenbeck, and Brody by analyzing Converse's Black-White model and alternative latent trait models when the American Panel Study data have not been recoded as dichotomies or trichotomies. The fit that Converse reported for his Black-White model is found to be the product of an invalid recoding scheme. Latent trait models provide a superior fit to the data. Although latent trait models do not allow researchers to classify respondents into logical classes of attitude (or nonattitude) holders, modeling results indirectly sugges...
Stability o f symmetric nonlinear multivariable systems

Abstract This paper considers the stability of autonomous, nonlinear, multivariable systems which exhibit symmetric loop transmission about the nonlinear elements (Fig. 1). This type of system results whenever two plants share a common facility, such as a power source; or the coordinates which decouple a multi-dimensional servomechanism differ from the instrumentation coordinates (1–3).
Loss of ATP in micromolar amounts after perchloric acid treatment

Treatment of fluid samples containing known amounts of ATP with 6.0 N perchloric acid (PCA) results in a total loss of 65–71% when the initial concentrations of ATP ranged between 0.5 to 50 μM. Half of this loss was attributed to desensitization of firefly extract (luciferin-luciferase reaction) while the remaining loss was presumably due to adsorption of ATP to perchlorate precipitate upon neutralization. Similar treatment of solutions with higher initial concentrations (100–1000 μM) resulted in apparent total losses averaging 22%. These losses were due solely to desensitization of firefly extract by neutralized PCA. Both the adsorption and desensitization phenomena must be taken into account when the ATP content is measured from tissue extracts and fluid samples subjected to this procedure.
Trauma Exposure and PTSD in Justice-Involved Youth

This special issue of Child and Youth Care Forum includes four original research reports that build on the field’s knowledge of trauma stress exposure and PTSD in justice-involved youth. Utilizing diverse methodologies, study authors report unique results investigating important questions related to screening and assessment of justice-involved populations, the potential linkage between violence exposure and violence perpetration, and the complex relationships between trauma exposure in childhood and specific problematic offending behaviors. Each article includes specific clinical implications and recommendations for future research to provide useful information to juvenile justice administrators, mental health professionals, and researchers involved in the care and management of trauma exposed youth within the juvenile justice system. This introduction provides an overview of how empirical studies of the nature and sequelae of traumatic stress exposure are currently a focus for research and services in the juvenile justice field, highlighting how the articles in the Special Issue exemplify the progress to date, and promise for the future, of several lines of research involving psychometrics, health and correctional services, and clinical epidemiology.
The Methanosarcina acetivorans thioredoxin system activates DNA binding of the redox-sensitive transcriptional regulator MsvR

The production of biogas (methane) by an anaerobic digestion is an important facet to renewable energy, but is subject to instability due to the sensitivity of strictly anaerobic methanogenic archaea (methanogens) to environmental perturbations, such as oxygen. An understanding of the oxidant-sensing mechanisms used by methanogens may lead to the development of more oxidant tolerant (i.e., stable) methanogen strains. MsvR is a redox-sensitive transcriptional regulator that is found exclusively in methanogens. We show here that oxidation of MsvR from Methanosarcina acetivorans (MaMsvR) with hydrogen peroxide oxidizes cysteine thiols, which inactivates MaMsvR binding to its own promoter (P(msvR)). Incubation of oxidized MaMsvR with the M. acetivorans thioredoxin system (NADPH, MaTrxR, and MaTrx7) results in reduction of the cysteines back to thiols and activation of P msvR binding. These data confirm that cysteines are critical for the thiol-disulfide regulation of P(msvR) binding by MaMsvR and support a role for the M. acetivorans thioredoxin system in the in vivo activation of MaMsvR. The results support the feasibility of using MaMsvR and P(msvR), along with the Methanosarcina genetic system, to design methanogen strains with oxidant-regulated gene expression systems, which may aid in stabilizing anaerobic digestion.
Predictors of Counseling Students' Decision to Pursue a Gerocounseling Specialization

The authors examined which variables predicted the likelihood of counseling students' decision to pursue a gerocounseling specialization by using logistic regression analysis. Results found that overall interest, perceived preparation, training willingness, and importance were predictive factors. Curriculum strategies on how to implement these variables into existing counselor education course work are discussed.
Dose-dependent response of gamma irradiation on mechanical properties and related biochemical composition of goat bone-patellar tendon-bone allografts

We studied the effects of gamma irradiation on the dimensions, mechanical and material properties, and mature hydroxypyridinium crosslink density of collagen in goat patellar tendon-bone specimens. Left and right patellar tendon-bone units were removed from 10 adult female goats and were bisected longitudinally. Each tendon half was frozen, and then the left halves were exposed to 4, 6, or 8 Mrad (40,000, 60,000, or 80,000 Gy) of gamma irradiation. The contralateral tendon halves served as controls (no irradiation). Each specimen then was loaded to failure in tension, and its soft-tissue midsubstance was processed to measure collagen content and hydroxypyridinium crosslink density. Dose-dependent reductions in the mechanical properties were found, including 46% (p 0.05) reductions in maximum stress and modulus, respectively, at 4 Mrad. These results are consistent with our previous report involving 2 and 3 Mrad (20,000 and 30,000 Gy) of exposure. We also found significant decreases in hydroxypyridinium crosslink density with 6 Mrad of irradiation (p < 0.05). However, since only one biomechanical parameter (modulus) correlated significantly with only one biochemical measure (hydroxypyridinium crosslink density) (p < 0.05), other possible mechanisms also are being explored to more fully explain these dose-dependent changes.
The Relationship between Prior Knowledge and Topic Interest in Second Language Reading.

The relationship between prior knowledge of and interest in a topic is complex. Although knowledge and interest may often go hand in hand, they do not necessarily correlate. The purpose of this study was to separate the effects of prior knowledge and topic interest on second language reading comprehension. Participants in the study were 104 students of English as a second language in an English-for-academic-purposes program at a large American university. On the basis of a prior-knowledge test and a topic-interest inventory, each student read passages and took multiple-choice comprehension tests on topics for which they had all four possible combinations of high and low topic interest and high and low prior knowledge. Results on the reading comprehension measure for the two main effects of prior knowledge and topic interest, although in the expected direction, did not reach significance, possibly because of a significant interaction between those two variables. There was also a significant effect for English proficiency level, as well as a significant interaction between interest and gender, with males more influenced by high topic interest than females. Our results are compared to those of other first and second language studies that have explicitly investigated the interrelationships among topic interest, prior knowledge, and gender.
The 88Sr(d, p) reaction and the structure of 89Sr

Abstract Vector analyzing power and differential cross-section angular distributions were measured for the 88 Sr( d , p) 89 Sr reaction at a deuteron energy of 12 MeV. The l -transfers and spectroscopic factors are determined for transitions to 14 levels in the first 4 MeV of excitation energy in 89 Sr by means of a standard DWBA analysis of the data. The j -dependence of the vector analysing power is used to establish spin assignments for many of these transitions. The systematics of the neutron single particle structure at the N = 50 shell closure are explored by comparing the present results with similar studies of the structure of 91 Zr. The predictions of particle-core coupling model calculations of the structure of 89 Sr are examined and found to be in good agreement with the present results.
NEUROTOXICITY OF A NON‐METABOLIZABLE AMINO ACID, 1‐AMINOCYCLOPENTANE‐l‐CARBOXYLIC ACID: REGIONAL PROTEIN LEVELS AND LIPID COMPOSITION OF NERVOUS TISSUE

— The non-metabolizable amino acid, 1-aminocyclopentane-l-carboxylic acid (ACPC), when administered to mice, induces primary degeneration of axons in the cerebellum, rostral spinal cord and peripheral nerves. One to 4 weeks after a single intraperitoneal injection of ACPC (0.5–2 mg/g body wt) in adult mice, the fresh and dry weights of brain, cerebellum and spinal cord were reduced compared with those of normal and pair-fed controls. The protein content of all CNS regions, but particularly that of the cerebellum and cervical spinal cord, was lowered in ACPC-treated mice relative to that of normal controls. Sciatic nerve protein was also decreased in mice following 2 mg/g of ACPC. Pair-fed controls exhibited protein deficits in the cerebellum and cervical spinal cord but to a significantly smaller degree. In ACPC-treated mice, the sulfatide content of spinal cord and peripheral nerve was reduced but that of brain was normal. Sphingomyelin levels in these three regions increased except in the brains of mice given 0.5 mg/g of ACPC where the levels fell. The protein and sulfatide deficits were greatest in the regions which are known to exhibit the highest proportion of degenerating nerve fibers. The correlation of ACPC treatment with protein and sulfatide loss is consistent with the reported disruptive effects of ACPC on protein metabolism and with the involvement of proteins in sulfatide. metabolism. The protein deficits in pair-fed mice are considered in relation to the exacerbating effect of reduced dietary protein intake on ACPC neurotoxicity.
C2E2: a tool for verifying annotated hybrid systems

We present Compare-Execute-Check-Engine (C2E2), a tool that implements a simulation based verification algorithm for annotated hybrid systems. The input to C2E2 is an annotated Stateflow model (or an annotated hybrid system in an xml format) with possibly nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and a temporal property, which can be either an invariant property or a temporal precedence property. For verification, C2E2 compiles the ODEs using a validated numerical solver, generates simulations, and computes an over-approximation of the set of reachable states. If the over-approximation of the reachable states satisfies (or violates) the temporal property specified, then C2E2 terminates, otherwise it computes a more precise over-approximation and repeats. We would demonstrate the following features of C2E2 (a) the graphical user interface, (b) specifying the safety and temporal precedence properties, and (c) verifying the properties and visualizing the reachable set, which helps in building intuition about the behaviors of the hybrid system.
XLIV.—Rubber bands on Mackerel and other fishes

(1929). XLIV.—Rubber bands on Mackerel and other fishes. Annals and Magazine of Natural History: Vol. 4, No. 23, pp. 405-411.
Spray-on foam insulations for launch vehicle cryogenic tanks

Spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) has been developed for use on the cryogenic tanks of space launch vehicles beginning in the 1960s with the Apollo program. The use of SOFI was further developed for the Space Shuttle program. The External Tank (ET) of the Space Shuttle, consisting of a forward liquid oxygen tank in line with an aft liquid hydrogen tank, requires thermal insulation over its outer surface to prevent ice formation and avoid in-flight damage to the ceramic tile thermal protection system on the adjacent Orbiter. The insulation also provides system control and stability with throughout the lengthy process of cooldown, loading, and replenishing the tank. There are two main types of SOFI used on the ET: acreage (with the rind) and closeout (machined surface). The thermal performance of the seemingly simple SOFI system is a complex of many variables starting with the large temperature difference of from 200 to 260 K through the typical 25-mm thickness. Environmental factors include air temperature and humidity, wind speed, solar exposure, and aging or weathering history. Additional factors include manufacturing details, launch processing operations, and number of cryogenic thermal cycles. The study of the cryogenic thermal performance of SOFI under large temperature differentials is the subject of this article. The amount of moisture taken into the foam during the cold soak phase, termed Cryogenic Moisture Uptake, must also be considered. The heat leakage rates through these foams were measured under representative conditions using laboratory standard liquid nitrogen boiloff apparatus. Test articles included baseline, aged, and weathered specimens. Testing was performed over the entire pressure range from high vacuum to ambient pressure. Values for apparent thermal conductivity and heat flux were calculated and compared with prior data. As the prior data of record was obtained for small temperature differentials on non-weathered foams, analysis of the different methods is provided. Recent advancements and applications of SOFI systems on future launch vehicles and spacecraft are also addressed.
An Integrated Slot-Ring Traveling-Wave Radiator

Electromagnetic duality is used to design a multi-port traveling-wave slot-ring antenna with on-chip driver circuitry to create a fully integrated radiator. By creating a slot version of the multi-port driven antenna, the required exclusive use area of the antenna is significantly decreased, while still being able to perform impedance matching, power combining, and power transfer off chip through electromagnetic radiation in a single step. The driver core consists of an oscillator followed by three amplification stages. A split path inductor design was utilized to reduce the radiator's dependence on process variation in the metal stack while ensuring proper isolation between the four quadrature paths. The slot radiator has a simulated antenna efficiency of 39% and a measured single-element effective isotropic radiated power of 6.0 dBm with a total radiated power of $-$ 1.3 dBm at 134.5 GHz.
Effect of β-cyclodextrin on the fluorescence, absorption and lasing of rhodamine 6G, rhodamine B and fluorescein disodium salt in aqueous solutions

Abstract The fluorescence, absorption and lasing of three xanthene dyes, rhodamine 6G, rhodamine B and the disodium salt of fluorescein were examined in aqueous solutions with and without added β-cyclodextrin. β-cyclodextrin enhances both fluorescence and lasing for all three dyes in concentrated (10−3 M) aqueous dye solutions. In dilute (10−5 to 10−8 M) aqueous dye solutions, β-cyclodextrin can induce either enhancement or quenching of fluorescence and absorption depending on the nature and concentration of the dye. Deaggregation in concentrated solutions and variable complex formation in dilute solutions are proposed to account for the β-cyclodextrin-induced effects.
Why the IOM Recommendations for Vitamin D Are Deficient

The IOM recommendations for vitamin D fail in a major way on logic, on science, and on effective public health guidance. Moreover, by failing to use a physiological referent, the IOM approach constitutes precisely the wrong model for development of nutritional policy.
Prediction of Milk Yields from Serum β-Lactoglobulin Concentrations in Pregnant Heifers

The serum concentration of beta-LG at wk 26 of pregnancy was determined in Holstein heifers of known genetic merit to evaluate use of a single blood sample as an index to predict their subsequent milk yield. Concentrations of beta-LG varied widely (16 to 1200 ng/ml) in the serum of the heifers at this stage of pregnancy. Subsequent measures of lactation performance showed that heifers with high beta-LG concentrations in pregnancy produced more milk than those with low beta-LG in serum. Previous studies have shown that the concentration of beta-LG in serum shows a log-linear increase during pregnancy, which is consistent with correlation to the growth of the mammary parenchyma. Therefore, the logarithm beta-LG concentration was used as the index in this study. The correlations of this index were .46, .54, and .48 for first lactation 305-d yields of milk, fat, and protein, respectively. The results suggest that serum concentrations of beta-LG estimated from a single blood sample at this stage of pregnancy can be used to predict milk yield. Analysis showed that an explanation of future milk yield was significantly improved by use of serum beta-LG and parent average. Serum beta-LG can be used as a physiological marker to prescreen heifers for lactation potential.
Measurements of CO and CH4 in the troposphere over Saudi Arabia, India, and the Arabian Sea during the 1979 international summer monsoon experiment (MONEX)

During the 1979 Summer MONEX, 150 air samples collected over Saudi Arabia, India, and the Arabian Sea were analyzed for CO and CH4. Near Dhahran and over the Ganges Valley there were high concentrations of CO, around 300 ppbv, in the boundary layer. Out over the Saudi Arabian desert there was no sharp increase in the boundary layer. It is suggested that these high concentrations originate from pollution sources. Low values of CO, down to 80 ppbv, are found over the Arabian Sea as the monsoon progresses, and these may originate from the Southern Hemisphere. Methane over Saudi Arabia (1.59 ppmv) is a little higher than that over the Arabian Sea (1.54 ppmv) probably because the latter region is influenced by air from the Southern Hemisphere.
NEONATAL NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS: A CAUSE OF GASTRIC METAPALASIA IN THE MID‐ILEUM

Following neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis in a premature Aboriginal baby, a stricture developed in the distal small intestine. At laparotomy a 1.0 cm stricture was found in a 25 cm thick-walled, oedematous segment of the mid-ileum. Biopsy demonstrated antropyloric-type ectopic mucosa and, therefore, the oedematous segment was removed. The resected specimen contained several distinct areas of flat antropyloric gastric mucosa as well as ileal mucosa. Although no acid-producing cells could be demonstrated, mucosal ulceration was prominent in several areas. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated gastric pits. Immunoperoxidase technique for gastrin failed to demonstrate gastrin-containing cells. It is believed that this mucosa represents a metaplasia that has been induced in response to mucosal damage, which in turn was initiated by necrotizing enterocolitis. It is believed this would represent the first reported case.
Effect of constant and fluctuating temperatures on resting and active oxygen consumption of toads, Bufo boreas.

The relations of standard and active rates of oxygen consumption to body temperature (Tb) were tested in montane Bufo b. boreas and lowland Bufo boreas halophilus acclimated to constant T b of 10, 20, or 30° C or to a fluctuating cycle of 5-30° C. Standard metabolic rates (SMR) of boreas acclimated to 30° C and halophilus acclimated to 10° C show pronounced regions of thermal independence but all other standard and active metabolic rates of groups acclimated to other thermal regimes are thermally sensitive. The SMR of both subspecies acclimated to the 5-30° C cycle are more thermally sensitive than those of similar individuals acclimated to constant T b. In cases where the relation between SMR and T b is linear for both halophilus and boreas at the same acclimation temperature, the slope and Q10 of the relation for boreas are significantly higher than those of halophilus. Acclimation had little or no effect on the active metabolic rates of either subspecies. The relation between SMR and T b of boreas maintained under field conditions (Carey, 1979) is matched only by those of individuals from the same population acclimated to 20° C.
Toxicity testing of sublethal effects of dredged materials

A series of toxicity tests were conducted on liquid and suspended solid phase fractions of sediments from the Port of Hampton Roads, Virginia. The respiration and hyporegulatory capacity of grass shrimp proved to be sensitive indices of sublethal stress associated with exposure to contaminated sediments. On the other hand, hyper-regulatory capacity was not affected by any of the experimental conditions. Experiments involving sediments from Hampton Roads Harbor and most of the mainstem of the Elizabeth River showed no indications of stress. However, sediment elutriates from the most industrialized region of the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River produced significant sublethal effects. The present study clearly defined the region of significant sediment contamination. The findings also indicated that most materials dredged during port deepening operations should be less contaminated than those routinely taken by maintenance dredging.
Early postnatal administration of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine: effects on substance P and thyrotropin-releasing hormone neurons and terminals in rat brain.

Substance P, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and serotonin are putative neurotransmitters which have been proposed to coexist in some brain neurons Our previous immunocytochemical and biochemical studies have demonstrated that 85–100% of all serotonin neurons are destroyed following neonatal 5,7-dihydroxtryptamine (5,7-DHT) treatment In this study, we have determined the effect of neonatal 5,7-DHT and desipramine (DMI) treatment on the biochemical content and immunocytochemical localization of substance P and TRH throughout the brain Interestingly, we have observed that virtually all substance P- and TRH-immunoreactive cells in the ventral pons-medulla are destroyed by the neurotoxin. However, peptide-containing neurons in other regions were not affected Additionally, we measured the peptide content and found that TRH is significantly decreased in the spinal cord (−50%) and pons-medulla (−20%), but not in other brain regions Substance P content was not significantly altered in any region, even after a greater than 90% reduction of serotonin These data indicate that the co-localized substance P and TRH forms a small proportion of the total peptide in brain
Investigating the importance of sediment resuspension in Alexandrium fundyense cyst population dynamics in the Gulf of Maine

Cysts of Alexandrium fundyense, a dinoflagellate that causes toxic algal blooms in the Gulf of Maine, spend the winter as dormant cells in the upper layer of bottom sediment or the bottom nepheloid layer and germinate in spring to initiate new blooms. Erosion measurements were made on sediment cores collected at seven stations in the Gulf of Maine in the autumn of 2011 to explore if resuspension (by waves and currents) could change the distribution of over-wintering cysts from patterns observed in the previous autumn; or if resuspension could contribute cysts to the water column during spring when cysts are viable. The mass of sediment eroded from the core surface at 0.4 Pa ranged from 0.05 kg m−2 near Grand Manan Island, to 0.35 kg m−2 in northern Wilkinson Basin. The depth of sediment eroded ranged from about 0.05 mm at a station with sandy sediment at 70 m water depth on the western Maine shelf, to about 1.2 mm in clayey–silt sediment at 250 m water depth in northern Wilkinson Basin. The sediment erodibility measurements were used in a sediment-transport model forced with modeled waves and currents for the period October 1, 2010 to May 31, 2011 to predict resuspension and bed erosion. The simulated spatial distribution and variation of bottom shear stress was controlled by the strength of the semi-diurnal tidal currents, which decrease from east to west along the Maine coast, and oscillatory wave-induced currents, which are strongest in shallow water. Simulations showed occasional sediment resuspension along the central and western Maine coast associated with storms, steady resuspension on the eastern Maine shelf and in the Bay of Fundy associated with tidal currents, no resuspension in northern Wilkinson Basin, and very small resuspension in western Jordan Basin. The sediment response in the model depended primarily on the profile of sediment erodibility, strength and time history of bottom stress, consolidation time scale, and the current in the water column. Based on analysis of wave data from offshore buoys from 1996 to 2012, the number of wave events inducing a bottom shear stress large enough to resuspend sediment at 80 m ranged from 0 to 2 in spring (April and May) and 0 to 10 in winter (October through March). Wave-induced resuspension is unlikely in water greater than about 100 m deep. The observations and model results suggest that a millimeter or so of sediment and associated cysts may be mobilized in both winter and spring, and that the frequency of resuspension will vary interannually. Depending on cyst concentration in the sediment and the vertical distribution in the water column, these events could result in a concentration in the water column of at least 104 cysts m−3. In some years, resuspension events could episodically introduce cysts into the water column in spring, where germination is likely to be facilitated at the time of bloom formation. An assessment of the quantitative effects of cyst resuspension on bloom dynamics in any particular year requires more detailed investigation.
Assessment of Adherence to the Condition of Proportionality in User Equilibrium Traffic Assignments with Uniquely Determined Route Flows

The standard formulation of the static deterministic user equilibrium (UE) traffic assignment problem based on the criterion of Wardrop provides a unique solution in terms of link flows; however, route flows are not determined uniquely. Analyses based on an arbitrary choice among the infinite number of possible route flow solutions could cause inconsistencies or even controversies in applications. In 2010, a computationally efficient algorithm named Traffic Assignment by Paired Alternative Segments (TAPAS) was successfully implemented to identify UE route flows uniquely. To date, no study has examined to what extent solutions adhere to the condition of proportionality in UE traffic assignments with uniquely determined route flows. In this paper, TAPAS is applied to obtain proportional UE route flows for the Chicago, Illinois, regional network in three highly precise solutions. Various assessments of adherence to proportionality are performed for a selected pair of alternative segments. The results show th...
GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS AND CORPORATE STRATEGY IN THE 21st CENTURY

As the new mellinum approaches, discussions of the nature and emerging rules of global competitiveness assume greater importance. These discussions are gaining more political currency because competitiveness, however measured, centers on human development, growth and improved quality of life. For a society, improved competitiveness translates into new jobs and better living conditions. For a company, competitiveness means the creation of new growth options that create value for shareholders. Wealth creation is the engine of economic growth and a mainspring of innovation.
Perceptions of Aging in Two Cultures: Korean and American Views on Old Age

The current study investigated whether beliefs about aging vary by culture, age, and gender. The Lasher and Faulkender (Int. J. Aging Hum. Dev., 37:247-259, 1993) Anxiety about Aging scale was administered to 153 American and 167 South Korean men and women divided into three age groups: young (18-39), middle-aged (40-59), and older (60-91) adults. Significant cultural differences were found for the total anxiety scale and three of the four subscales. Compared to Americans, Koreans portrayed higher overall levels of anxiety about aging, and greater fear of old people, psychological concerns, and concerns over physical appearance. For Koreans, younger adults had greater fear of old people, whereas among Americans, older adults had greater fear of old people. In both cultures, the older adults had greater psychological concerns and fear of losses than did the younger groups, and American women showed more anxiety about aging and concerns over physical appearance than their male counterparts. Results are discussed in relation to aging in different cultural contexts.
Control of airborne latex by use of powder-free latex gloves

Abstract Objective: Our objective was to assess airborne latex allergen exposure in the workplace of a hospital laboratory technician with occupational latex sensitization and repeated anaphylactic episodes from this. Her allergic manifestations had cleared only when coworkers changed to powder-free latex gloves. Therefore a laboratory still using powdered latex gloves was selected for comparative airborne latex sampling. Design: The design was a survey. Setting: We used a hospital hematology laboratory, and a biochemistry laboratory was used for comparison. Participants: The index case with latex allergy is described. An average of 10 employees worked on the day shift in the same laboratory, and 10 employees worked in the biochemistry laboratory studied. Main outcome measure: Airborne latex allergen levels obtained by high airflow area sampling were compared in the laboratory using powder-free latex gloves and in the laboratory using powdered latex gloves. Results: Levels were below the level of detection ( 3 of latex allergen) in the laboratory using powder-free latex gloves but ranged from 39 to 311 ng/m 3 in the laboratory using powdered gloves. Conclusions: Airborne latex allergen is produced with use of powdered latex gloves. Such usage by coworkers may provoke respiratory and anaphylactic response to latex in sensitized subjects. Use of powder-free gloves by coworkers may enable such patients to continue work in their trained profession and may prevent measurable airborne latex exposure. Affected patients, however, still need to avoid direct latex contact. (J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL 1994;93:985-9.)
Social Media and Experiential Ambivalence

At once fearful and dependent, hopeful and distrustful, our contemporary relationship with technology is highly ambivalent. Using experiential accounts from an ongoing Facebook-based qualitative study (N = 231), I both diagnose and articulate this ambivalence. I argue that technological ambivalence is rooted primarily in the deeply embedded moral prescription to lead a meaningful life, and a related uncertainty about the role of new technologies in the accomplishment of this task. On the one hand, technology offers the potential to augment or even enhance personal and public life. On the other hand, technology looms with the potential to supplant or replace real experience. I examine these polemic potentialities in the context of personal experiences, interpersonal relationships, and political activism. I conclude by arguing that the pervasive integration and non-optionality of technical systems amplifies utopian hopes, dystopian fears, and ambivalent concerns in the contemporary era.
Two Ternary Phases Containing Sb4−2 Ions: Na2M3Sb4, M=Sr, Ba. Synthesis, Structure, and Properties

Abstract The isotypic compounds Na 2 Ba 3 Sb 4 and Na 2 Sr 3 Sb 4 were prepared by the direct fusion of elements at 750°C followed by slow cooling to, and annealing at, 300°C. These crystallize in the orthorhombic system, space group Pnma (No. 62), with respective lattice dimensions of a =8.220(1), 7.919(2) A; b =17.136(3), 16.526(5) A; c =9.140(2), 8.801(2) A; V =1287.5(2), 1151.7(4) A 3 ; and Z =4. The structure of Na 2 Ba 3 Sb 4 was refined from single-crystal X-ray data. All antimony atoms are dimerized as two independent Sb 4− 2 units which, together with a Na atom, center quadrilateral prisms of Ba or Sr and Na. The structure can be directly related to that of β -Ba 5 Sb 4 (Eu 5 As 4 , Cmca ) by an oxidative distortion on cation substitution that allows the dimerization of the isolated Sb 3− anions therein. The barium compound is a Zintl phase, being established as diamagnetic and semiconducting ( ρ 294 ≃570 μΩ cm)
Ontogeny of beta-adrenergic receptors in rat cerebral cortex.

Abstract The ontogeny of β-adrenergic receptors in rat cerebral cortex has been studied using [125I]iodohydroxyzylpindolol as a ligand in an in vitro binding assay. The concentration of β-adrenergic receptors was very low during the first week after birth. Between days 7 and 14 there was a rapid increase in the density of receptors. Adult levels were reached by the end of the second week. The affinities of 1-isoproterenol and iodohydroxybenzylpindolol for β-adrenergic receptors did not vary with the age of the animal. Fluoride stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in the cerebral cortex was 40% of the adult level at birth and gradually increased to maximal levels over the next two weeks. On the other hand, catecholamine stimulated cyclic-3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate accumulation was barely detectable during the first week after birth, but increased rapidly to adult levels bwetween days 7 and 14. The results suggest that is the development of β-adrenorgic receptors that permits the expression of catecholamine sensitive adenylate cyclase activity. Norepinephrine stores in the cerebral cortex developed slowly reaching adult levels approximately two months after birth. There is therefore little correlation between the ontogeny of presynaptic adrenergic nerve terminals and the postsynaptic development of β-adrenergic receptors.
Formation of a triply bridged µ-oxo diiron(III) core stabilized by two deprotonated carboxamide groups upon photorelease of NO from a {Fe–NO}6 iron nitrosyl

The iron nitrosyl [(PaPy2Q)Fe(NO)](ClO4)2 (2), derived from the quinoline-based ligand PaPy2QH (N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine-N-ethyl-2-quinoline-2-carboxamide, where H is dissociable proton) has been characterized by spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. The 1H NMR spectrum (S = 0 ground state) and νNO value of 1885 cm−1 indicate that 2 is a {Fe–NO}6 nitrosyl. Although 2 is stable in the dark, exposure of an acetonitrile solution of 2 (λmax = 510 nm) to light in the visible range causes rapid release of NO and formation of the solvato species [(PaPy2Q)Fe(MeCN)](ClO4)2 (6). Quantum yield (Φ) measurements indicate that 2 is a more efficient NO donor (Φ = 0.258) than [(PaPy3)Fe(NO)](ClO4)2 (1, Φ = 0.185), a complex derived from a similar but pyridine-based ligand. Interestingly, when the photoproduct 6 is exposed to water or a small amount of base, the triply bridged diiron(III) species [(PaPy2Q)FeOFe(PaPy2Q)](ClO4)2 (3) forms in good yield. This species can be independently synthesized from aerobic oxidation of the Fe(II) species [(PaPy2Q)Fe(MeCN)](ClO4) in acetonitrile. The structure of 3 reveals a unique Fe(III)–O–Fe(III) link supported by two (η2,µ2)µ-NCO bridges derived from the carboxamido groups of the two (PaPy2Q)Fe(III) moieties.
A knowledge-based system for cash management with management science expertise

A PC based system called CASH MANAGER is presented. It is a knowledge-based decision support system designed for financial managers. The system contains financial manager knowledge and management science expertise. It is designed to support decisions made by financial managers, who are not management science experts, yet desire to employ the capabilities of management science tools. CASH MANAGER can formulate a cash management problem as an embedded network problem, solve the problem, ensure its feasibility, interpret the output of the solution and recommend alternative courses of action.
Performance characterization and optimization of high-speed ON-OFF optical-signal reflectors in a folded-path time-delay buffer

Various optical-delay buffer architectures and delay media that are suitable for use in optical packet switches are discussed in this paper. In particular, a novel type of folded-path buffer architecture that can provide a large range of variable delays will be described in detail. This buffer is able to dynamically reconfigure itself within nanoseconds due to the use of high-speed ON-OFF optical-signal reflectors. Three different types of such reflectors are proposed, and their performances are measured and compared against one another with the aid of a simulation model. In addition, the optimal operating conditions for the reflectors will be determined so that the optical buffer can provide the maximum range of delay values, while incurring the least power penalty. An example of a performance-optimized optical buffer with multiple sections will also be provided to illustrate how variable delays, ranging from a few nanoseconds to tens of microseconds, can be achieved.
Application of the non-uniform FDTD algorithm on an auto-adjustable mesh to the analysis of scattering parameters of a sandwiched-type coplanar waveguide with adjacent vias in PCBs

In this paper, we analyse scattering parameters for a sandwiched-type coplanar waveguide (SCPW) with three pairs of vias that are adjacent to each other. The above structure is frequently encountered in printed circuit board (PCB) designs, and is analysed by using a non-uniform finite difference time domain (FDTD) algorithm on an auto-adjustable mesh. The mesh generator developed for this algorithm can efficiently generate the files for the geometry—as well as for the material parameters—that serve as the inputs to the non-uniform FDTD solver. In addition, the generator has numerous graphical functions that not only ensure accuracy of generated data files but also make them convenient for the user. We carry out an extensive parametric study and show that the S -parameters are very dependent on the geometrical parameters of the vias, especially at high frequencies.
Sites other than nucleotide 234 determine cardiovirulence in natural isolates of coxsackievirus B3

The genetic site(s) that naturally determine the cardiovirulence phenotype of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) have yet to be mapped. Using two closely related CVB3 strains that differed in terms of cardiovirulence phenotype in mice, we previously reported the difference in phenotype mapped to a single site, nucleotide 234 (nt234) in the 5' non-translated region (NTR) of the CVB3 genome. When nt234 was C, the virus was attenuated and when U, the virus was cardiovirulent. To determine whether this finding was applicable to other strains of CVB3, we examined 13 different naturally occurring CVB3 strains isolated in different years in the United States. We determined that only two isolates induced severe inflammatory heart muscle disease in C3H/ HeJ male mice. Using PCR products as sequencing templates, we determined the 5' NTR sequence from each viral genome. Alignment of these sequences and other published CVB3 5' NTR sequences suggests as many as four separate lineages, with commonly used laboratory strains clustering closely in one branch. An examination of the sequences showed that regardless of cardiovirulence phenotype, nt234 was invariably uridine. Thus, the previously reported cytidine at nt234 is most likely the result of a rare mutation and is not a naturally occurring variation and other sites must account for the variance in virulence seen in natural isolates of CVB3.
Morphisms and Partitions of V-sets

The set theoretic connection between functions and partitions is not worthy of further remark. Nevertheless, this connection turns out to have deep consequences for the theory of the Ershov numbering of lambda terms and thus for the connection between lambda calculus and classical recursion theory. Under the traditional understanding of lambda terms as function definitions, there are morphisms of the Ershov numbering of lambda terms which are not definable. This appears to be a serious incompleteness in the lambda calculus. However, we believe, instead, that this indefinability is a defect in our understanding of the functional nature of lambda terms. Below, for a different notion of lambda definition, we shall prove a representation theorem (completeness theorem) for morphisms. This theorem is based on a construction which realizes certain partitions as collections of fibers of morphisms defined by lambda terms in the classical sense of definition.
Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) mission

The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) mission is a scientific spaceflight investigation that measures the direction, energy and arrival time of celestial gamma rays. It is planned for launch in September 2005. The scientific applications include determining the structure of high-energy astrophysical processes such as those found in active galactic nuclei, black holes, and supernovae. Several other natural phenomena in the universe will be investigated. One of the most exciting aspects of the GLAST mission is its potential for new discovery. There are two instruments on the GLAST Observatory: the Large Area Telescope (LAT), a joint development of NASA and DOE, and the GLAST Burst Monitor (GBM). Both instruments have international collaborators. The spacecraft will be a modified version of an existing design. Challenging aspects will be handling the large mass and the tight pointing knowledge requirements. The launch vehicle, ground system elements, and data flow are also described.
Module assignment and interconnect sharing in register-transfer synthesis of pipelined data paths

The authors present a novel approach to the problem of register-transfer (RT) design optimization of pipelined data paths. They perform module assignment with the goal of maximizing the interconnect sharing between RT-level components. The interconnect sharing task is modeled as a constrained clique partitioning problem. They have developed a fast and efficient polynomial time heuristic procedure to solve this problem. This procedure is 30-50 times faster than other existing heuristics while still producing better results for the authors' purposes. >
Hemodynamics at rest and during exercise after oral hydralazine in patients with cor pulmonale.

Abstract Oral hydralazine has been shown to be effective in decreasing pulmonary arteriolar resistance and increasing cardiac output in some patients with primary pulmonary hypertension. To determine whether a similar response could be observed in patients with chronic cor pulmonale, the hemodynamic status before and after the oral administration of hydralazine (25 mg, then 50 mg every 6 hours for 48 hours) were evaluated in 12 patients at rest and in 8 during upright exercise. After hydralazine, there was an increase in cardiac output at rest, from 4.3 to 6.3 liters/min (p
Mechanisms of indole alkaloid biosynthesis. Recognition of intermediacy and sequence by short-term incubation

Abstract Autoradiography and radiochemical analysis of two-dimensional chromatograms of the alkaloids of Vinca rosea seedlings have been used to determine the activity of various postulated intermediates after administration of 2- 14 C- dl -tryptophan. The technique holds promise as a method for (a) distinction between “dynamic” and “static” metabolites, (b) determination of the sequence of occurrence of alkaloids from 5 min to 8 days, (c) the discovery of hitherto unknown intermediates, and (d) the attainment of specific incorporations of up to 30%.
Streptococcus milleri An important but unappreciated pathogen

Abstract S. milleri is a commensal organism of the oropharynx and intestinal tract. It is the streptococcal pathogen most often found in pyogenic lesions in internal organs and clearly has a tendency to produce abscesses. It also can produce purulent diseases in the oral cavity, CNS, lung and pleural space, abdomen, and subcutaneous tissue; it is a potential cause of endocarditis. Therefore, when S. milleri is isolated from blood, a thorough evaluation must be undertaken to rule out an occult visceral organ or endocarditis abscess and to establish a source of infection. When S. milleri has been isolated from an aspirate or blood, it is imperative that appropriate antibiotic therapy be started promptly and surfical intervention performed if warranted. S. milleri is an important but unappreciated pathogen.
Adolescent With Weight Loss and Abdominal Pain

A 13-year-old African American female presented to our emergency department with weight loss, acute on chronic abdominal pain, and a palpable pelvic mass on physical examination. A hemorrhagic ovarian cyst was noted on transvaginal ultrasonography, whereas laboratory evaluation confirmed a final diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1. This article briefly reviews the emergency department approach to the differential diagnosis of weight loss, pelvic pain, and adnexal masses in adolescent girls with a concise summary of the clinical manifestations and laboratory testing for human immunodeficiency virus among adolescents.