cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Review of Factors that Influence the Diffusion of Innovation When Structuring a Faculty Training Program

The purpose of this paper is identify those characteristics of instructional technology that may influence a faculty member's willingness to integrate it in his/her teaching by drawing upon the diffusion of innovation literature. It then presents the results of a study, conducted at a small liberal arts college, on the effectiveness of a faculty training program that was designed to encourage faculty to adopt a course management system in their classroom-based, undergraduate courses. The training program was based on an approach that considers those factors that influence the adoption rate of technology, specifically the course management system, Blackboard.
Limited-supply non-Fickian diffusion in glassy polymers

Abstract Non-Fickian diffusion of a flame-retardant plasticizer, resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate) (RDP), in a glassy poly(ether imide), Ultem TM , was measured with Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). Volume fraction versus depth profiles were obtained as a function of time, temperature and externally applied stress in experiments where a limited supply of RDP was initially present on the surface of the Ultem. The profiles of the plasticizer in the glassy polymer in all samples had sharp diffusion fronts with constant volume fraction behind the front. The limited-supply boundary condition requires that the volume fraction, φ, of RDP in the plastized zone decreases as penetration depth increases. Isochronal values of φ decrease with increasing temperature. At long times, φ approaches a value such that the material in the plasticized zone has a glass transition temperature equal to the temperature of the experiment. At 140, 160 and 180°C, φ decreased in direct proportion to the logarithm of time. At 120°C, two regimes of diffusion behaviour were observed in a plot of φ approaches a value such that the material in the diffusion, and long-time low-φ behaviour corresponds to anomalous diffusion. Only the regime of anomalous diffusion was observed at the higher temperatures. Externally applied biaxial tensile or compressive stresses of order 10 to 40 MPa in the plane of the sample had no effect on diffusion normal to the plane in experiments at 120°C lasting 1 or 72h.
A biomechanical evaluation of the iliotibial tract screw tenodesis

Biomechanical testing of the iliotibial tract screw tenodesis was performed in 10 cadaveric knees under forces approximating in vivo conditions. Force versus displacement curves at various flexion angles were generated with the anterior cruciate ligament intact, with the anterior cruciate ligament sectioned, and after the iliotibial tract screw tenodesis had been performed. Displacement force was measured to 5, 10, and 15 mm. The iliotibial tract screw tenodesis was ineffective in reducing anterior translation of the tibia in the anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knee at forces approximating in vivo conditions.
Evaluation trial of trotters breeding in Poland.

The aim of this study was the trial of evaluation of trotter horses breeding (American, French and Russian) in Poland on the base of characteristic of their breeding centers, basic biometrical measurements, coat colors and ways of usability. On the base of collected information concerning 278 American Standardbred, 71 French and 29 Russian trotters it was stated that the highest value of height at withers obtained French trotter and the lowest American Standardbred; the highest girth circumference was observed for Russian and the lowest for American Standardbreds; the highest cannon circumference was observed for French and the lowest for Russian trotters. Among American and Russian trotters the bay coat color was dominating, among French - chestnut. It was stated that all American Standardbreds breeders were using these horses in sulkies, French trotters were used for sulkies and for recreation and Russian only for recreation as a saddle horses.
Paleolakes on Mars.

Observational evidence such as outflow channels and valley networks suggest that in the past there was flowing water on Mars. The images of fluvial features on Mars logically suggest that there must exist downstream locations in which the water pooled and the sediment load deposited (i.e. lakes). Sediments and morphological features associated with the martian paleolakes are believed to occur in Valles Marineris, and several large basins including Amazonis, Chryse and Elysium planitia. As Mars became progressively colder over geological time, any lakes on its surface would have become seasonally, and eventually perennially ice-covered. We know from polar lakes on Earth that ice-covered lakes can persist even when the mean annual temperature falls below freezing. Thus, the most recent lacustrine sediments on Mars were probably deposited in ice-covered lakes. While life outside of the Earth's atmosphere has yet to be observed, there is a general consensus among exobiologists that the search for extraterrestrial life should be based upon liquid water. The inference that there was liquid water on Mars during an earlier epoch is the primary motivation for considering the possibility of life during this time. It would be of enormous interest from both an exobiological and paleolimnological perspective to discover lakes or the evidence of former lakes on another planet such as Mars. Limnology would then become an interplanetary science.
Increased behavioral morbidity in school-aged children with sleep-disordered breathing.

Objective. To assess whether sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), ranging from primary snoring to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is associated with increased behavioral morbidity. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted of school-aged children in an urban, community-based cohort, stratified for term or preterm (<37 weeks' gestation) birth status. A total of 829 children, 8 to 11 years old (50% female, 46% black, 46% former preterm birth) were recruited from a cohort study. All children had unattended in-home overnight cardiorespiratory recordings of airflow, respiratory effort, oximetry, and heart rate for measurement of the apnea hypopnea index (number of obstructive apneas and hypopneas per hour). SDB was defined by either parent-reported habitual snoring or objectively measured OSA. Functional outcomes were assessed with 2 well-validated parent ratings of behavior problems: the Child Behavioral Checklist and the Conners Parent Rating Scale-Revised:Long. Results. Forty (5%) children were classified as having OSA (median apnea hypopnea index: 7.1 per hour; interquartile range: 3.1-10.5), 122 (15%) had primary snoring without OSA, and the remaining 667 (80%) had neither snoring nor OSA. Children with SDB had significantly higher odds of elevated problem scores in the following domains: externalizing, hyperactive, emotional lability, oppositional, aggressive, internalizing, somatic complaints, and social problems. Conclusions. Children with relatively mild SDB, ranging from primary snoring to OSA, have a higher prevalence of problem behaviors, with the strongest, most consistent associations for externalizing, hyperactive-type behaviors.
Chemosterilization of Dermacentor variabilis (Say): effects of metepa on embryonic and immature stages.

Eggs of the American dog tick were treated by immersion at two embryonic stages (72–84 and 168–180 h old) with metepa in acetone (1, 3, and 5 μg/μl concentrations). Hatching occurred at all metepa concentrations in both developmental groups, although percent hatch was significantly reduced in eggs exposed at 72â84 h. Immature ticks were treated topically with metepa as unfed larvae, 1-day postengorgement larvae, unfed nymphs, and nymphs 1, 7, and 14 days postengorgement. The number of treated, unfed larvae and unfed nymphs that successfully attached and engorged was significantly reduced, and those that engorged failed to ecdyse. Larvae and nymphs treated 1 day postengorgement failed to ecdyse. Nymphs treated 7 and 14 days postengorgement ecdysed to adults at all concentrations (acetone control, 1, 3, and 5 μg/μl). Testes of ticks treated as 7-day postengorgement nymphs developed normally, but testes of the 14-day postengorgement treatment group were reduced in size.
Evaluation and Society

Evaluation research requires a different paradigm than classical experimental research. It requires a paradigm in which it is possible to use the multiple objectives of different groups as the framework within which decisions about data gathering are made. It requires decision-oriented rather than conclusion-oriented research, although experiments and other forms of data generation can be used. This article discusses the unique characteristics of evaluation research and the decision theoretic (Maut-Bayesian) paradigm which fulfills these special requirements.
Insights into the use of time-lapse GPR data as observations for inverse multiphase flow simulations of DNAPL migration

Perchloroethylene (PCE) saturations determined from GPR surveys were used as observations for inversion of multiphase flow simulations of a PCE injection experiment (Borden 9 m cell), allowing for the estimation of optimal bulk intrinsic permeability values. The resulting fit statistics and analysis of residuals (observed minus simulated PCE saturations) were used to improve the conceptual model. These improvements included adjustment of the elevation of a permeability contrast, use of the van Genuchten versus Brooks-Corey capillary pressure-saturation curve, and a weighting scheme to account for greater measurement error with larger saturation values. A limitation in determining PCE saturations through one-dimensional GPR modeling is non-uniqueness when multiple GPR parameters are unknown (i.e., permittivity, depth, and gain function). Site knowledge, fixing the gain function, and multiphase flow simulations assisted in evaluating non-unique conceptual models of PCE saturation, where depth and layering were reinterpreted to provide alternate conceptual models. Remaining bias in the residuals is attributed to the violation of assumptions in the one-dimensional GPR interpretation (which assumes flat, infinite, horizontal layering) resulting from multidimensional influences that were not included in the conceptual model. While the limitations and errors in using GPR data as observations for inverse multiphase flow simulations are frustrating and difficult to quantify, simulation results indicate that the error and bias in the PCE saturation values are small enough to still provide reasonable optimal permeability values. The effort to improve model fit and reduce residual bias decreases simulation error even for an inversion based on biased observations and provides insight into alternate GPR data interpretations. Thus, this effort is warranted and provides information on bias in the observation data when this bias is otherwise difficult to assess.
The 29Si knight shift in Si:P and Si:P,B in the vicinity of the metal-insulator transition

Abstract 29Si Knight shift measurements have been carried out on samples of Si:P and Si:P,B in the vicinity of the metal-insulator transition at temperatures of 4.3 K and 1.5 K. The Knight shift appears to change in a continuous way through nc. Comparison of the results for the uncompensated and compensated samples reveals that, for a given n/nc, value, is significantly lower in Si:P,B than in Si:P. The difference in values increases as the transition is approached from the metallic side. Possible explanations for this difference in behaviour are briefly discussed.
Interest rates, income, and home improvement decisions

Abstract The demand for additional housing is modeled demonstrating that higher interest rates make home improvements more attractive relative to moving when homeowners hold fixed rate mortgages. Technological constraints on home improvements make improving less attractive relative to moving when incomes have risen. Empirical evidence using cross-sectional data is presented suggesting that the probability of making home improvements is positively related to increases in the current interest rate and negatively related to increases in income. An explanation is offered for the recent rise in home improvement expenditures in the face of slower economic growth and higher mortgage interest rates.
Cellular biochemistry of oxysterols derived from the diet or oxidation in vivo

Oxidized derivatives of cholesterol, known as oxysterols, are present in the diet as contaminants of cholesterol-containing foods. They can enter the circulation through the diet or they are generated through peroxidation of lipoproteins or enzymatic oxidation of cholesterol. Like cholesterol, oxysterols are transported in serum with lipoproteins but, unlike cholesterol, they may also be transported by serum albumin. This additional means of transport may allow for more efficient removal of cellular sterols or transfer between tissues. It has been suggested that the physiologic regulation of cholesterol metabolism may be through generation of oxysterols. In addition, oxysterols potentially play a role in aspects of various diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer, either as contributory or protective agents, most likely through their action as potent modulators of cholesterol metabolism and/or their direct effects on membrane structure and function. Thus, these compounds may represent normal physiologic processes as well as pathological ones and strategies to enhance or diminish oxysterol levels may prove useful in the future.
The RNA polymerase C-terminal domain: a new role in spliceosome assembly

Work over the last two decades has provided a wealth of data indicating that the RNA polymerase II transcriptional machinery can play an important role in facilitating the splicing of its transcripts. In particular, the C-terminal domain of the RNA polymerase II large subunit (CTD) is central in the coupling of transcription and splicing. While this has long been assumed to involve physical interactions between splicing factors and the CTD, few functional connections between the CTD and such factors have been established. We recently used a biochemical approach to identify a splicing factor that interacts directly with the CTD to activate splicing and, in doing so, may play a role in the process of spliceosome assembly.
Slow calcium current is not reduced in malignant hyperthermic porcine myotubes

Malignant hyperthermia-susceptible (MHS) pigs express a sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca 2+ -release channel mutation that results in lower than normal contractile thresholds in skeletal muscles. In adult MHS pig muscles the L-type calcium current (I s ) is also reduced. We tested the hypothesis that there is a causal relationship between I s and the lower contractile threshold by recording I s from MHS and normal porcine myotubes using the whole cell patch-clamp technique. Current voltage relationships for both MHS and normal myotubes were similar, with peak I s between +20 and +30 mV. Maximum I s amplitudes were not different (normal : 4976 ± 566 pA ; MHS : 6516 ± 1088 pA) nor was I s specific density (normal : 9.0 ± 0.8 ; MHS : 8.8 ± 1.1 pA/pF). In both MHS and normal myotubes, both the dihydropyridine antagonist PN200-110 (200 nmol/L) and holding the membrane potential at -10 mV for 5 min decreased I s significantly (by more than 50%). There was no apparent direct relationship between the mutation in the SR Ca 2+ -release channel and lowered I s . We concluded that reduced I s in adult MHS pig muscles may be a secondary effect of the SR Ca 2+ -release channel mutation on muscle development.
UAV-guided navigation for ground robot tele-operation in a military reconnaissance environment

A military reconnaissance environment was simulated to examine the performance of ground robotics operators who were instructed to utilise streaming video from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to navigate his/her ground robot to the locations of the targets. The effects of participants' spatial ability on their performance and workload were also investigated. Results showed that participants' overall performance (speed and accuracy) was better when she/he had access to images from larger UAVs with fixed orientations, compared with other UAV conditions (baseline- no UAV, micro air vehicle and UAV with orbiting views). Participants experienced the highest workload when the UAV was orbiting. Those individuals with higher spatial ability performed significantly better and reported less workload than those with lower spatial ability. The results of the current study will further understanding of ground robot operators' target search performance based on streaming video from UAVs. The results will also facilitate the implementation of ground/air robots in military environments and will be useful to the future military system design and training community.
Flow and Turbulence over an Oyster Reef

ABSTRACT Styles, R., 2015. Flow and turbulence over an oyster reef. Simultaneous measurements of near-bed flow and turbulence were collected on opposite banks of an intertidal channel in the North Inlet/Winyah Bay National Estuary Research Reserve. One bank supported an extensive cover of oysters and the other a mixture of sand and mud. The measurements allow comparisons of flow and turbulence characteristics in a similar flow regime but widely varying roughness conditions. Near-bed velocities are higher over the sandbank and occur during the maximum flood portion of the tidal cycle. In contrast, turbulence parameters are higher over the oyster reef, resulting from the presence of the larger roughness elements. Turbulent kinetic energy and Reynolds stress components increase as a function of flow speed, consistent with equilibrium boundary layer shear flows. For some bursts, the energy spectrum exhibits a −5/3 slope, indicating a defined inertial subrange. Dissipation over the oyster bank is on the order ...
Understanding the Role of the Manager in Organizational Performance and Community Engagement

We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. —Albert Einstein
Industrial robots — A strategic forecast using the technological delivery system approach

Key factors influencing robotics are identified and then used to set forth a strategic forecast of robot development and utilization, including scenarios of major societal effects.
Effectiveness of Instrumental and Traditional Methods of College Reading Instruction.

Introverted and extraverted Ss were assigned to traditional and instrumental reading groups. The performance of Ss assigned to the instrumental treatment condition was superior to those in the traditional condition. No significant main effect was found for the introversion-extraversion dimension, although the performance of instrumentally trained extroverts was superior to that of other groups.
Leo's Liturgical Topography: Contestations for Space in Fifth-Century Rome*

This paper examines the Sermons of Leo the Great (a.d. 440–461) for their liturgical topography. Leo developed an annual cycle of set places on set days — the very definition of stational liturgy — in Rome as one means to assert papal authority over the city's Christian communities and especially over the resident Roman senatorial aristocracy. Leo's Sermons indicate that the bishop found new ways to centralize the liturgy at St Peter's in the Vatican, making St Peter's — not St John the Lateran — the religious centre and the symbol of the papacy.
Forensics of soot: C5-related nanostructure as a diagnostic of in-cylinder chemistry

Abstract We report observations of nanoscale microstructural changes in soot from an experimental light-duty diesel engine, produced with varying levels of biodiesel fuel blending. Based on these observations and current information in the literature, we propose a mechanistic hypothesis to explain the effects of biodiesel blending. Our underlying assumption is that particulate nanostructure is closely coupled to the local chemistry at the time the soot is formed. In the context of in-cylinder soot formation, this implies that changes in nanostructure may aid in diagnosing important changes in fuel–air mixing.
Hydrophobic effects on adsorption of solutes onto surfaces

This paper describes the adsorption phenomena from the view of hydrophobic effects. Through systematic comparison of molecular dynamics simulation results for aqueous solutions of iodide and lithium particles (charged and uncharged), we conclude that the adsorption process is primarily governed by the size of the solute, which is an entropy effect, and the strength of the solute-solvent interaction, which reflects enthalpy variations. Because of the entropy effect, solutes have a tendency to adsorb onto electrodes. This tendency is opposed to the enthalpy effect which promotes hydrations. The adsorption is a process to minimize the free energy change. Surface polarization and external electric field affect the solvent structure and have an indirect influence on the neutral adsorbates. In all the cases studied here, the contact pair of a neutral sphere and a flat wall appears to be the most stable configuration.
Studies of cyclodextrin-enhanced room-temperature phosphorescence

Abstract The enhancement of room-temperature phosphorescence by α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins in the presence of heavy atoms is described for p -aminobenzoic acid, anthracene and six of its derivatives, dibenzofuran and some other compounds. The sensitivity can be improved by treating the filter paper substrate with the cyclodextrin (preferably β-cyclodextrin) or by mixing the analyte with β-cyclodextrin prior to sample spotting on the substrate.
Staged reverse osmosis operation: Configurations, energy efficiency, and application potential

Abstract Reverse osmosis (RO), currently the most energy efficient desalination process, is inherently more energy intensive compared to conventional fresh water treatment technologies, as it is constrained by the thermodynamics of separation of saline solutions. Therefore, pushing the energy consumption towards the thermodynamic limit of separation would lead to significant long-term savings in energy cost. In this work, we quantitatively demonstrate the potential of energy reduction for RO desalination using staged operations with both multi-stage direct pass and closed-circuit configurations. We relate the minimum specific energy of desalination (i.e., the minimum energy required to generate a unit volume of permeate water) to the number of stages in each configuration, and elucidate the fundamental difference between the two configurations. Our analysis suggests that although it is theoretically impossible to reach the thermodynamic minimum energy of separation with closed-circuit RO, this configuration is robust and much more practical to implement than the multi-stage direct pass RO.
Ticks and tick paralysis: imaging findings on cranial MR

Tick paralysis is an acute, progressive, and potentially fatal muscle paralysis secondary to a toxin secreted by a pregnant tick during a bite. Although tick bites can occur anywhere on the body, ticks are frequently overlooked on the scalp because of overlying hair. Children with acute neurologic symptoms frequently undergo MR scanning that may incidentally reveal the offending tick. Timely identification and removal of the tick leads to rapid recovery from tick paralysis. We report the MRI findings at 1.5 T of tick paralysis with an attached tick.
Recent advances in understanding endogenous fibrinolysis: implications for molecular-based treatment of vascular disorders.

The fate of a forming thrombus is determined through the delicate balance between the coagulation cascade, favouring clot formation, and the fibrinolytic system, favouring clot lysis. These processes occur simultaneously, and enhancement of fibrinolysis has been shown to reduce occlusive thrombus formation in animal models. This review examines the roles of the major fibrinolytic factors involved in clot lysis. The regulation of plasmin activity by plasminogen activators, α-2-antiplasmin, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, and thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor, and their effects on thrombus formation in vivo are discussed. Since alterations in fibrinolytic capacity appear to affect thrombus formation in animal models, there is considerable interest in the pharmacological manipulation of fibrinolysis.
Association between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and diminished dendritic cell (DC) IL-10 production during infancy☆

Abstract Rationale Diminished IL-10 production has been documented in children and adults with asthma and atopy. Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is recognized as a risk factor for the development of childhood asthma. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether there is an association between ETS and DC IL-10 production during infancy. Methods ETS was assessed by questionnaire, and blood was obtained at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 5 months of age in 37 healthy infants. DCs were cultured and stimulated, and supernatants were assayed for IL-10 by EIA. Results Sixteen infants had no history of TSE, and 21 infants had a history of TSE. The frequency of subjects with detectable IL-10 levels was similar in both groups at 2 weeks and 3 months, but significantly different at 5 months (p Conclusions These results demonstrate an association between ETS and diminished DC-IL-10 production during infancy. Future studies need to expand upon these sample sizes and explore whether diminished DC IL-10 production is the mechanism by which ETS predisposes to the development of asthma/atopy.
Verification of infection-type data for identification of genes for resistance to leaf rust in some hard red spring wheat

(…) Postulated resistance genotypes confirmed by the genetic study were: «Glenlea» contained Lr1; «Era» contained Lr10; «Alex», «James», and «Waldron» contained Lr2a and Lr10; «Guard» and «Marshall» contained Lr2a; and MN7529 contained Lr10 and Lr16. In addition, it was postulated that Guard, «Len», and Marshall also contained Lr10 and that MN7529 contained Lr1 based on the infection-type data. The accuracy of postulated resistance genotypes indicates that infection-type data can be used with confidence in selecting parents for making crosses to develop new genetic combinations for resistance
Immobilization of mercury by pyrite (FeS2).

Abstract Elemental mercury (Hg0) is a metal with a number of atypical properties, which has resulted in its use in myriad anthropogenic processes. However, these same properties have also led to severe local subsurface contamination at many places where it has been used. As such, we studied the influence of various parameters on Hg(II) sorption onto pyrite (pH, time, Hg(II) concentration), a potential subsurface reactive barrier. Batch sorption studies revealed that total Hg(II) removal increases with both pH and time. X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis showed that a transformation in the coordination environment at low pH occurred during aging over 2 weeks, to form an ordered monolayer of monodentate Hg–Cl complexes on pyrite. In column studies packed with pure quartz sand, the transport of Hg(II) was significantly retarded by the presence of a thin pyrite-sand reactive barrier, although dissolved oxygen inhibited Hg(II) sorption onto pyrite in the column.
The functional relationship between priming and releasing actions of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone.

To examine the relationship between the priming and releasing actions of LRFon LH secretion, 14 normal cycling women received 4 different rates of LRF infusion (0.005, 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1 µg/m2·min for 4 h). The releasing action of the infusion was measured as the area under the curve and the priming effect was assessed by the acute LH increment in response to a test pulse of LRF (10 µg) at the end of infusion. At the lower 2 infusion rates, there were only minor changes in releasingfunction, but it increased exponentially (r = 0.986) with higher rates of infusion. In contrast, the priming effect of the lower 2 doses of infusion increased markedly as a function of infusion rate, but no additional priming was found with the higher rates ofinfusion. Thus, over the range of infusion rates employed, the releasing and priming functions of LRF appear to be dose dependent. These results indicate that the interdependent releasing and priming actions of LRFon LK secretion are functionally dissociable and thatlarge...
On the Uric Acid Excretion of Normal Men

The purpose of the investigation was to observe the course of the excretion of uric acid in normal men living on an ordinary mixed diet. Each subject was allowed to select his own diet and then was required to ingest the diet selected during the course of six periods of four days each. Ten university students served as subjects. Quarters were provided where the men could easily be observed as to certain regulations of sleep and diet. The body weights of the subjects ranged from 53.1 kg. to 76.7 kg. and their ages varied from 19 to 29 years. There were no athletes among the subjects so that no individual took excessive or violent exercise, but all lived the life of the average, normal university student. The Folin-Shafter method for the determination of uric acid was employed.conclusions.1. The average daily excretion of uric acid for ten men ranging in age from 19 to 29 years, and fed a normal mixed diet, was 0.597 gram, a value somewhat lower than the generally accepted average of 0.7 gram for such a per...
A Survey and Evaluation of Research on the Discharge Chamber Plasma of Kaufman Thrusters

Discharge chamber plasma processes in electron bombardment ion thrustors, considering factors affecting thrustor performance
Electrospun Micro-and Nanostructured Polymer Particles

Electrospinning at relatively low polymer concentrations produces polymer particles rather than fibers. To study the relationship between solvent characteristics and particle morphologies, PMMA was electrospun from seven different solvents and PSVPh random copolymers were electrospun from solutions in MEK. High-speed photography was used to visualize the particle-formation process. Based on these studies, a qualitative relationship between the solvent properties and the electrospun particle morphologies is discussed. By tailoring the solution properties and electrospinning conditions, particles with different morphologies (porous polygonal particles, solid polygonal particles, hollow spheres, cups etc) can be produced.
Changes in attitude, changes in latitude : Nuclear receptors remodeling chromatin to regulate transcription

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are a large family of ligand-dependent transcription factors that regulate important physiological processes. To activate or repress genes assembled naturally as chromatin, NRs recruit two distinct enzymatic activities, namely histone-modifying enzymes and ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes, to alter local chromatin structure at target gene promoters. In this review, we examine the functional relationship between ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes and NRs in the context of transcriptional regulation. Using the steroid-responsive mouse mammary tumor virus promoter as a model system, we discuss in detail the molecular mechanisms underlying the recruitment of these complexes and subsequent chromatin structure changes catalyzed by this group of enzymes. In addition, we extend the discussion to other NR-regulated promoters including the pS2 promoter. Finally, we summarize specific principles governing this critical relationship, identify unanswered questions and disc...
Tratamiento endovascular de aneurismas aórticos micóticos con fistulización aortoentérica o bronquial

Evaluamos los resultados a corto y medio plazo de la reparacion endovascular de aneurismas (REVA) aorticos micoticos. Revisamos a todos los pacientes sometidos a tratamiento quirurgico en nuestro hospital. Para que la investigacion fuera concordante con los estudios publicados, se incluyeron los pacientes con aortoenterica o bronquialaortoenterica o bronquialfistula aortoenterica o bronquial asociada. Se revisaron la localizacion del aneurisma, demografia, hallazgos clinicos, eficacia de la REVA, morbilidad y mortalidad a corto ( Staphylococcus aureus meticilin resistente. La REVA excluyo satisfactoriamente el aneurisma o la fistula en los nueve pacientes; sin embargo, cinco experimentaron, como minimo, una complicacion postoperatoria. Fallecieron al cabo de 30 dias dos pacientes; despues de 30 dias, fallecieron otros cuatro pacientes; tres de estas muertes se relacionaron con el procedimiento o el aneurisma. De los tres supervivientes, durante el seguimiento medio de 257 dias (limites 60-417), una paciente ha requerido la reseccion de la endoprotesis infectada con un injerto mediante bypass extraanatomico pero, en la actualidad, sigue viva y se encuentra en buen estado general. Los tres pacientes supervivientes y dos de los cuatro que fallecieron despues de 30 dias habian recibido antibioticos postoperatorios a largo plazo. A pesar de que la mortalidad hospitalaria fue del 22,2%, la REVA puede usarse para tratar las complicaciones agudas de los aneurismas micoticos y las aortoentericas o bronquialaortoentericas o bronquialfistulas aortoentericas o bronquiales asociadas, como la hemorragia gastrointestinal, hemoptisis o inestabilidad hemodinamica. Como tratamiento definitivo, esta correccion sigue siendo problematica y ha de considerarse un procedimiento provisional mientras se espera el momento apropiado de la correccion quirurgica abierta.
Gain enhancement using DOE lens and DNG lens

The present work investigates the feasibility of enhancing gain using two types of lenses. One is the Diffractive Optical Element (DOE) lens made of polystyrene, designed for 3 GHz. The second one is a dielectric double negative (DNG) lens [2] created by a triangular lattice of holes drilled in a high dielectric permittivity material to obtain a refractive index of -1 at 3 GHz. For both lenses beam focusing has been illustrated. Each of the lenses is placed in front of a radiating antenna, a slotted waveguide, and modeled in HFSS and CST. The results for beam focusing are very encouraging and work is in progress to show gain enhancement. Both types of lenses can be easily constructed and experimental measurements will be done to validate simulation results.
WEB-BASED DATA ANALYSIS: CREATING A SOCIOLOGICAL LABORATORY

Les enseignants de la sociologie s'efforcent a enseigner a leurs etudiants comment penser sociologiquement ou comment appliquer une vision sociologique au monde. Les analyses des donnees sur l'internet representent une nouvelle option dans l'introduction aux donnees quantitatives rendant ainsi l'enseignement des statistiques plus accessible et plus interessant. Les enseignants peuvent ainsi creer un laboratoire sociologique en classe, ce qui rendra la discipline plus comprehensible
Reporting adverse drug reactions: Characteristics and procedures of three organizations

Abstract Three organizations in the U.S.A. ask health care providers to report adverse effects of drugs in their patients: The Food and Drug Administration; United States Pharmacopeia; and the National Registry of Drug Induced Ocular Side Effects and Drug Interactions. In a comprehensive Table, the characteristics and procedures of these three organizations are summarized.
Inhibition of CaT1 Channel Activity by a Noncompetitive IP3 Antagonist

Abstract A newly cloned, human epithelial Ca2+ transport protein (CaT1) was expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, and its single channel characteristics were examined. The CaT1 channel shows a strong dependence upon hyperpolarizing voltages, being activated by very negative voltages. The probability of channel opening and mean open times increase substantially at more negative voltages in the range of −90 to −160 mV. In addition, CaT1 channel activity was markedly inhibited by micromolar levels of a noncompetitive antagonist of the IP3 receptor originally isolated from a marine sponge, Xestospongin C. This inhibitory effect could be mediated indirectly via the binding of Xestospongin C to the inositol-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor or, alternatively, by a direct action on the CaT1 channel itself. Independent of its mechanism of action in inhibiting CaT1, Xestospongin C will provide a useful tool for elucidating the physiological role(s) of this novel epithelial Ca2+ channel.
Relationship of vocational maturity to work values

Abstract This study examined the relationship of vocational maturity to work values. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) Vocational maturity is positively related to differentiation of work values within subjects. (2) Vocational maturity is positively associated with intrinsic work values and negatively associated with extrinsic work values. Sixty-two subjects enrolled in remedial reading at a community college were administered the Vocational Development Inventory-Attitude Scale and the Work Values Inventory. Data analyses supported hypothesis 1 for females, but not for males, and partially supported hypothesis 2.
A comparative study evaluating the esophageal transit time of eight healthy cats when pilled with the FlavoRx pill glide versus pill delivery treats

Retention of tablets or capsules in the feline esophagus can be associated with esophagitis and esophageal stricture formation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the esophageal passage of tablets and capsules when administered with either a one-step pill gun with flavored liquid (FlavoRx pill glide) or a pill delivery treat (Pill Pockets). Four different medication administrations were evaluated on different days in eight normal cats: tablets with FlavoRx pill glide (T-FG), tablets with pill delivery treats (T-PP), capsules with FlavoRx pill glide (C-FG) and capsules with pill delivery treats (C-PP). The estimated average transit time was 36 s for T-FG, 60 s for T-PP, 16 s for C-FG, and 24 s for C-PP. The results of this study suggest that either pill delivery method is acceptable for successful passage of tablets or capsules into the stomach of cats using a single replicate.
INTERSALT study findings. Public health and medical care implications.

INTERSALT found a significant association between 24-hour urine sodium excretion and systolic blood pressure in individuals. There was also a significant association between sodium and slope (increase) of blood pressure with age across population samples. The weight of evidence from animal-experimental, clinical, intervention, and epidemiological data favors a causal relation. INTERSALT data from 52 centers in 32 countries permit an estimate of effect on average population blood pressure of lower sodium intake. Based on the sodium-blood pressure association in individuals, it was estimated that a habitual population sodium intake that was lower by 100 mmol/day (e.g., 70 vs. 170 mmol/day) would correspond to an average population systolic pressure that was lower by at least 2.2 mm Hg. This size difference in systolic blood pressure in major US and UK population studies is associated with 4% lower risk of coronary death and 6% lower risk of stroke death in middle age. If habitual diet is both lower in sodium and higher in potassium with lower alcohol intake and less obesity, INTERSALT data estimate average population systolic pressure would be lower by 5 mm Hg. This was calculated to correspond to a 9% lower risk of coronary death and a 14% lower risk of stroke death. INTERSALT cross-population data also suggest that, with a 100 mmol/day lower sodium intake over the life span, the average increase in population systolic pressure from age 25 to 55 years would be less by 9 mm Hg, corresponding at age 55 to a 16% lower risk of subsequent coronary death and 23% lower risk of stroke death.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Role of NMDA and AMPA glutamate receptors in the induction and the expression of dopamine-mediated sensitization in 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats.

Rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions exhibit behavioral sensitization following repeated treatment with dopamine agonists, a phenomenon called “priming.” Priming has two distinct phases: induction and expression. Priming induction using three injections with D1/D2 agonist apomorphine (0.5 mg/kg) or D1 agonist SKF38393 (10 mg/kg) allows priming expression, robust contralateral rotational behavior and striatal Fos expression, following a challenge with the D2 agonist quinpirole (0.25 mg/kg). We examined the roles of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate (AMPA) glutamate receptors on dopamine agonist priming. Administration of the NMDA antagonist (+)5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo(a,d)cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate (MK801) (0.5 mg/kg) blocked apomorphine-priming of quinpirole-mediated responses, while MK801 dose-dependently attenuated SKF38393-priming of quinpirole-mediated striatal Fos expression and had no effect on SKF38393-priming of quinpirole-mediated rotational behavior. In contrast, administration of the AMPA antagonist 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7sulfamoyl-benzo[f]quinoxaline (NBQX) (5 or 10 mg/kg) potentiated apomorphine- and SKF38393-priming of quinpirole-mediated striatal Fos expression, but had no effect on their priming of quinpirole-mediated rotational behavior. In SKF38393-primed 6-OHDA rats, administration of MK801 (0.5 mg/kg) blocked the expression of quinpirole-mediated responses, while administration of NBQX (10 mg/kg) or the noncompetitive AMPA antagonist 4-(8-methyl-9H-1,3-dioxolo[4,5-h][2,3]benzodiazepin-5-yl)-benzenamine dihydrochloride (GYKI52466) (5 or 15 mg/kg) had no effect. These results suggest that NMDA and AMPA glutamate receptors have differing roles in dopamine agonist priming—with NMDA receptors required for D1/D2 priming induction and D2-mediated priming expression, and AMPA receptors inhibiting priming induction of D2-mediated immediate early gene expression in the striatum, but not affecting priming induction of D2-mediated rotational behavior or the expression of D2-mediated responses. Synapse 56:45–53, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Does Gender Moderate the Effect of Online Concerns on Purchase Likelihood

This study builds on current research related to online consumer behavior and investigates how four consumer online concerns (privacy, security, credibility, and virtual experience) relate to people's likelihood of making online purchases. Survey data were used to simultaneously estimate the five hypothesized relationships by utilizing structural equation modeling techniques. Findings indicate that while concerns with security and virtual experience negatively influence purchase likelihood for all consumers, concerns about privacy and online information credibility affect purchase likelihood only for female consumers. This study extends current online marketing theory by empirically establishing the link between key consumer concerns and likelihood of making online purchases as well as establishing the role of gender as a moderator in this context. Several implications related to the online marketing of products and services are also outlined in this research.
Structuralism in Phylogenetic Systematics

Systematics based solely on structuralist principles is non-science because it is derived from first principles that are inconsistent in dealing with both synchronic and diachronic aspects of evolution, and its evolutionary models involve hidden causes, and unnameable and unobservable entities. Structuralist phylogenetics emulates axiomatic mathematics through emphasis on deduction, and “hypotheses” and “mapped trait changes” that are actually lemmas and theorems. Sister-group-only evolutionary trees have no caulistic element of scientific realism. This results in a degenerate systematics based on patterns of fact or evidence being treated as so fundamental that all other data may be mapped to the cladogram, resulting in an apparently well-supported classification that is devoid of evolutionary theory. Structuralism in systematics is based on a non-ultrametric analysis of sister-group informative data that cannot detect or model a named taxon giving rise to a named taxon, resulting in classifications that do not reflect macroevolutionary changes unless they are sister lineages. Conservation efforts are negatively affected through epistemological extinction of scientific names. Evolutionary systematics is a viable alternative, involving both deduction and induction, hypothesis and theory, developing trees with both synchronic and diachronic dimensions often inferring nameable ancestral taxa, and resulting in classifications that advance evolutionary theory and explanations for particular groups.
Barriers to Flow in Semicrystalline Ionomers: A Procedure for Preparing Melt-Processed Perfluorosulfonate Ionomer Films and Membranes

Abstract A procedure for preparing a melt-processable form of perfluorosulfonate ionomers is presented. The melt-flow properties of the melt-processable polymer are attributed to the elimination of polymer crystallinity and strong electrostatic crosslinks which act as barriers to flow in semicrystalline ionomers. The “PTFE-like” crystallinity is removed by evaporation of the ionomer solutions, and the electrostatic crosslinks are weakened by neutralizing the ionomer with large, hydrophobic tetrabutylammonium counterions. To yield the desirable melt-flow properties, the bulky counterions function as internal plasticizers and form weak ion pair dipoles which diminish the attractive forces responsible for ionic aggregation. Fabrication procedures and the results of preliminary characterization studies of melt-processed films and membranes are discussed here.
Premorbid indicators and risk for schizophrenia: A selective review and update

Prospective studies of young relatives at risk for schizophrenia (high-risk studies, HR) can shed light on premorbid precursors of schizophrenia. Early HR studies pointed to a wide prevalence of schizophrenia spectrum psychopathology among young relatives at increased genetic risk. Recent studies suggest that young HR relatives have neurobehavioral deficits and structural, physiological, and neurochemical brain abnormalities that may date back to childhood or earlier. In this paper, we provide a selected overview of the lessons and limitations of early "first generation" studies and the beginning insights from recent "second generation" studies. We also provide an interim summary of data from the ongoing studies of young relatives at risk for schizophrenia in Pittsburgh. Collectively, such data may help us to predict the eventual emergence of schizophrenia, and schizophrenia spectrum or non-spectrum psychopathology.
Pediatric common variable immunodeficiency: Immunologic and phenotypic associations with switched memory B cells

Recent studies suggest that patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and low numbers of switched memory B cells have lower IgG levels and higher rates of autoimmune disease, splenomegaly, and granulomatous disease; however, no prior literature has focused exclusively on pediatric cases. We examined the relationship between switched memory B cells and clinical and immunologic manifestations of CVID in a pediatric population. Forty-five patients were evaluated. Patients were categorized as Group I ( or =5 switched memory B cells/mL, n = 21). CD3(+) T-cell counts and CD19(+) B-cell levels were lower among Group I patients. Only those in Group I had meningitis, sepsis, bronchiectasis, granulomatous lung disease, autoimmune cytopenias, or hematologic malignancies. Segregation of pediatric patients into high risk (Group I) and average risk (Group II) may assist in targeting surveillance appropriately.