cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement Invariance of the Self-Concept Clarity Scale across Race and Sex

Self-concept clarity refers to the extent to which one holds a coherent, consistent, and stable view of one’s attributes and conceptualization of the self. Self-concept clarity is related to a number of constructs including psychopathology, adaptive development, cultural identity, coping style, and leadership. The most commonly used measure is the Self-Concept Clarity Scale (SCCS; Campbell et al. 1996). The SCCS has been used in diverse groups and provides evidence that self-concept clarity varies among ethnicities and between sexes. This study tested the measurement invariance of SCCS scores across large samples of White (n = 696), East Asian (n = 794), Southeast Asian (n = 489), Pacific Islander (n = 238), and Multiracial (n = 490) participants, and between sexes. Findings indicate that the SCCS has configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance among races and between sexes. The latent factor variance and means were also equal across groups. These results suggest that the SCCS measures the same construct among groups and that scores represent the same level of self-concept clarity among groups. The current study found small but statistically significant differences among races in SCCS scores, which likely represent actual differences in self-concept clarity rather than different psychometric properties among groups.
Controlled formation of femtosecond laser-induced filaments in water

Controlled formation of femtosecond laser-induced filaments in water was introduced and demonstrated experimentally, based on the transverse spatial phase change in the initial femtosecond laser pulse. Single or multi-filament formations were controlled and organized by switching on and off through a computer-controlled transverse spatial phase mask on a liquid crystal Spatial Light Modulator (SLM). We introduced a π phase step on SLM, which distributed laser intensity non-uniformly and in certain locations peak intensity exceeded the critical threshold, and filaments were formed in the peaks of the intensity. The setup with controllable phase shift on SLM may have great flexibility and convenience in controls of filament formation.
6 – Fuel Properties

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on fuel properties of biodiesel. Generally, Cetane Number (CN) is a dimensionless descriptor of the ignition quality of a Diesel Fuel (DF). As such, it is a prime indicator of DF quality. In addition to CN, gross Heat of Combustion (HG) is a property proving the suitability of using fatty compounds as DF. The cetane scale clarifies why triacylglycerols as found in vegetable oils, animal fats, and derivatives, thereof, are suitable as alternative DF. The chapter presents that the performance of biodiesel during cold weather may restrict its commercial viability during cold weather in moderate climates. It examines the effects of cold temperatures on biodiesel in neat form (B100) and in blends with diesel fuel made from petroleum middle distillates (petrodiesel), discusses fuel properties for assessing performance of diesel fuels as well as effects of blending with biodiesel, reviews effects of cold temperatures during storage on fuel quality and performance, summarizes approaches based on available technology for improving the performance of biodiesel, and examines promising research and development efforts to enhance the cold flow properties to improve the performance of biodiesel. The chapter discusses viscosity and oxidative stability of biodiesel, explains two issues: (i) lubricity of neat biodiesel as well as its components and how this plays a role for petrodiesel fuels and (ii) the interaction of biodiesel with lubricants in the crankcase of a diesel engine. It further presents a summary of the University of Idaho research related to biodegradability, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and toxicity of biodiesel.
Employing Technology Industry Methods to Facilitate Transformative Learning Experiences in the Classroom: Insights From a Pilot

High-impact, transformative educational practices change the way students see themselves and others, as well as impart knowledge. Practices from the technology industry may offer innovative strateg...
Photoacoustic Spatial Coherence Theory and Applications to Coherence-Based Image Contrast and Resolution

The photoacoustic effect relies on optical transmission, which causes thermal expansion and generates acoustic signals. Coherence-based photoacoustic signal processing is often preferred over more traditional signal processing methods due to improved signal-to-noise ratios, imaging depth, and resolution in applications such as cell tracking, blood flow estimation, and imaging. However, these applications lack a theoretical spatial coherence model to support their implementation. In this article, the photoacoustic spatial coherence theory is derived to generate theoretical spatial coherence functions. These theoretical spatial coherence functions are compared with k-Wave simulated data and experimental data from point and circular targets (0.1–12 mm in diameter) with generally good agreement, particularly in the shorter spatial lag region. The derived theory was used to hypothesize and test previously unexplored principles for optimizing photoacoustic short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) images, including the influence of the incident light profile on photoacoustic spatial coherence functions and associated SLSC image contrast and resolution. Results also confirm previous trends from experimental observations, including changes in SLSC image resolution and contrast as a function of the first ${M}$ lags summed to create SLSC images. For example, small targets (e.g., ${M}$ values to boost target contrast and resolution, and contrast can be further improved by reducing the illuminating beam to a size that is smaller than the target size. Overall, the presented theory provides a promising foundation to support a variety of coherence-based photoacoustic signal processing methods, and the associated theory-based simulation methods are more straightforward than the existing k-Wave simulation methods for SLSC images.
Percussion Pedagogy: A Practical Guide for Studio Teachers: by Michael Udow, New York, Oxford University Press, 2019, 471 pp., $59.95 (paper), ISBN 978-0-19-090295-7

As an educator, performer, composer, publisher, and instrument inventor, Michael Udow has been at the forefront of percussion performance and teaching for over 50 years. In addition to playing symp...
A pore-scale experimental investigation of process-dependent capillary desaturation

Abstract A series of micro-scale core-flooding experiments were conducted in a miniature water-wet Berea sandstone sample to examine how changes in the desaturation (water-displacing-oil) protocol impact the non-wetting phase recovery and to provide, to the best of our knowledge, the first pore-scale evidences of the associated displacement subtleties. We studied (i) the continuous displacement mode (CDM), which consisted of a series of imbibition tests with increasing capillary numbers and similar initially connected oil, and (ii) the discontinuous displacement mode (DDM), which included a drainage followed by a multi-rate imbibition test. During all experiments, a cutting-edge imaging platform was employed to visualize the fluid occupancies in the pore space. The in-situ saturation measurements showed that, at a given capillary number, the non-wetting phase recovery was more efficient under the continuous mode during which the oil phase was connected prior to each imbibition. This is attributed to the changes in the order by which the pore-scale displacement events take place before entrapment. For the DDM, however, the entrainment of oil clusters is the governing recovery mechanism, and the desaturation process was observed only when a threshold capillary number was reached. These findings are supported by pore-scale fluid occupancy maps demonstrating piston-like and snap-off events during the capillary-driven flow processes as well as trapped cluster entrainment during the viscous-dominated flow tests. Moreover, this investigation presents previously unidentified pore-scale displacement events in natural porous media, such as fragmentation and coalescence of trapped non-wetting phase globules prior to entrainment.These mechanisms took place at intermediate capillary numbers and mostly under the discontinuous displacement mode before the threshold of mobilization was reached. The capillary desaturation process under CDM was found to be gradual and more pronounced compared to that under the DDM mode. It is also demonstrated that even though the pore-scale displacement mechanisms responsible for oil recovery are different for CDM and DDM, the viscous-dominated imbibition tests produce similar distributions of trapped oil clusters under both cases.
Blunting of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in brown adipose tissue induces systemic metabolic dysregulation in female mice

The role of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in thermogenesis is widely appreciated, whereas its more recently described role in whole-body metabolism is not as well understood. Here we demonstrate that deletion of Rab10 from brown adipocytes reduces insulin-stimulated glucose transport by inhibiting translocation of the GLUT4 glucose transporter to the plasma membrane. This blunting of glucose uptake into brown adipocytes induces glucose intolerance and insulin-resistance in female but not male mice. The defect in glucose uptake does not affect the thermogenic function of BAT, and the dysregulation of whole-body metabolism is independent of the thermogenic function of BAT, thereby revealing a metabolism-specific role for BAT in female mice. The reduced glucose uptake induced by RAB10 deletion disrupts ChREBP regulation of the expression of de novo lipogenesis-related (DNL) genes, providing a link between DNL in BAT and whole-body metabolic regulation that is independent of thermogenesis.
Interview with Peter Galison: On Method

Interview Date: August 19, 2020Editorial Note: Peter Galison is a University Professor in Physics and the History of Science at Harvard University. His publications, including Image and Logic (1997...
The Sound Systems of Languages Adapt, But to What Extent?: Considerations of Typological, Diachronic and Mercurial Data

The sound systems of the world’s languages adapt to biomechanical, aerodynamic and cognitive pressures associated with sound production and discrimination. Such pressures help to yield the greater frequency of some sound types and the reduced frequency of others. In this paper I explore such adaptation, pointing out that sound systems not only adapt to such pressures in ways that are clear from a typological perspective, but that they adapt in more subtle ways that are only now becoming apparent. Furthermore, I survey a host of recent studies suggesting that sound systems likely adapt to some pressures that vary across populations and environments. While the extent of adaptation to such variable pressures is certainly debatable, the mere existence of phonetic/phonological adaptation to pressures that differ across populations is increasingly well supported. The evidence in support of such adaptation ranges from large-scale quantitative data, to biomechanical modeling, to the speech of Freddie Mercury.
Comparing the performance of different extruders in the Robocasting of biopolymer-nanoparticle composites towards the fabrication of complex geometries of porous Tungsten Carbide

Abstract Porous tungsten carbide (WC) is a material that combines a high strength to weight ratio and electroconductivity, which makes it a candidate for the creation of lightweight structures with the application as structural energy components, or SECs. However, machining complex geometries out of porous WC can be challenging and can lead to a significant waste of material. Here we present the use of robocasting to print geometries using paste featuring a biopolymer and tungsten oxide nanoparticles. Once printed, these geometries can be heat treated in an inert environment to derive porous WC. The benefit of using an additive manufacturing approach towards the production of porous WC is the possibility of producing complex geometric samples for industrial applications that cannot be created through traditional machining techniques. While the robocasting approach we reported before succeeded in producing WC samples, such a process led to the poor print quality of the desired geometries due to inconsistent extrusion flow rate throughout the printing process. The consistent flow generated by the new robocasting system proposed here has resulted in reduced layer irregularities, leading to the improved print quality of the WC precursor when compared to our previous approach. The production of consistent geometries will now allow for conclusive experimentation on the drying and carbonization processes and serves as a robust step forward to unlocking the potential of manufacturing porous WC SECs using robocasting.
Simulations of Back and Arms

Equilibrium is an essential concept in undergraduate physics curriculum as it integrates Newton’s laws and torque. The importance also comes from its wide applications in mechanics and biomechanics. Simulations of Back and Arms are developed mainly for the undergraduates who major in physical therapy and health sciences. They are implemented as open-ended inquiry learning on the subject of key concepts in equilibrium. Students practice and apply the knowledge to calculate the forces on the erector spinae muscle and lumbar vertebrae, then conclude the optimal posture for lifting a heavy object. Besides enhancing understanding of the lecture materials, students can practice lab skills such as image analysis and control variables.
Measurement of color preference in goldfish using a negative reinforcement Y-maze avoidance procedure

Using a Y-maze procedure involving shock reinforcement, goldfish were forced to choose between a red or a green cued arm of the maze. Although the 18 animals tested showed, as a group, an average green preference, equal numbers of animals showed individual green (6), red (6), and no-color (6) preferences. Differences between conclusions based on group means against individual performances are noted. In goldfish, at least, the shock-reinforced Y-maze procedure may represent a very useful technique for further color preference assessment.
Designing the bioproduction of Martian rocket propellant via a biotechnology-enabled in situ resource utilization strategy

Mars colonization demands technological advances to enable the return of humans to Earth. Shipping the propellant and oxygen for a return journey is not viable. Considering the gravitational and atmospheric differences between Mars and Earth, we propose bioproduction of a Mars-specific rocket propellant, 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO), from CO2, sunlight and water on Mars via a biotechnology-enabled in situ resource utilization (bio-ISRU) strategy. Photosynthetic cyanobacteria convert Martian CO2 into sugars that are upgraded by engineered Escherichia coli into 2,3-BDO. A state-of-the-art bio-ISRU for 2,3-BDO production uses 32% less power and requires a 2.8-fold higher payload mass than proposed chemical ISRU strategies, and generates 44 tons of excess oxygen to support colonization. Attainable, model-guided biological and materials optimizations result in an optimized bio-ISRU that uses 59% less power and has a 13% lower payload mass, while still generating 20 tons excess oxygen. Addressing the identified challenges will advance prospects for interplanetary space travel. Returning from Mars to Earth requires propellant. The authors propose a biotechnology-enabled in situ resource utilization (bioISRU) process to produce a Mars specific rocket propellant, 2,3-butanediol, using cyanobacteria and engineered E. coli, with lower payload mass and energy usage compared to chemical ISRU strategies.
Chaos and Fractals: The Mathematics Behind the Computer Graphics

Overview: Dynamics of simple maps by R. L. Devaney Nonlinear oscillations and the Smale horseshoe map by P. J. Holmes Fractal basin boundaries and chaotic attractors by K. T. Alligood and J. A. Yorke Julia sets by L. Keen The Mandelbrot set by B. Branner Introduction to fractals by J. Harrison Iterated function systems by M. F. Barnsley.
Beauty, Brains and Connections: Which Characteristics Predict Success in the Economics Ph.D. Junior Job Market?

The article of record as published may be located at http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2153936
The Differential Diagnosis of Restrictive Myocardiopathy and Chronic Constrictive Pericarditis Without Calcification Value of Coronary Arteriography

Abstract The coronary arteriograms of 106 patients were analyzed to determine the angiographic relation of the coronary vessels to the ventricular epicardium. Six of these 106 patients had hemodynamic findings suggesting restriction. One of these 6 patients had documented calcific constrictive pericarditis. It was determined that (1) the ventricular epicardium can easily be delineated by the coronary arteries in patients without pericardial thickening or effusion; (2) extension of the heart shadow beyond the defined epicardium under these circumstances represents pericardial thickening; and (3) patients with primary myocardial restriction can be distinguished from those with chronic constrictive pericarditis without calcification by utilizing coronary arteriography to define the ventricular epicardium.
Who Owns the Copyright to Faculty-Created Web Sites?: The Work-For-Hire Doctrine's Applicability to Internet Resources Created for Distance Learning and Traditional Classroom Courses

The Internet has spawned an increased interest in distance education and in using technology to enhance traditional classroom courses. It has also created new markets for faculty-created works. This Article explores who owns these materials. The Article addresses the competing interests of faculty and universities. Educators are concerned about academic freedom and control of their work product. Universities are concerned about competition from their own faculty and the continued right to use faculty-created material in which they have invested considerable resources. Both sides are interested in who gets paid when others seek to use these materials. The Article suggests that courts recognize a teachers' exception to the work-for-hire doctrine, vesting ownership in faculty-creators. It also offers proposals for written agreements which allocate rights between faculty and universities.
Ethical Lawyering and the Possibility of Integrity

The dominant model of ethical lawyering views lawyers as zealous advocates, who do whatever possible within the bounds of the law to serve their client's interests, regardless of what the lawyers themselves think of their client's ends. More recently, however, legal ethics scholars have begun to challenge the hegemony of this model, arguing that ethical lawyering involves not the suspension of moral judgment but the exercise of it. On this alternative "contextual view," lawyers must, as Deborah Rhode puts it, take "personal moral responsibility for the consequences of their professional acts." In developing this alternative model, Rhode and others have focused on the obligations of ethical lawyers. But any complete account of ethical lawyering also needs a theory of moral character. That is, we must ask not only what ethical lawyers do, but what traits of character ethical lawyers possess which make them able to fulfill their moral responsibilities. In this article, I focus on this latter question, and argue that the character traits on which Rhode's contextual model implicitly relies are those commonly associated with people of integrity. Part I explores both the standard "zealous advocacy" conception of the lawyer's role and the alternative contextual account Rhode develops in her book In the Interests of Justice: Reforming the Legal Profession. Part II provides a brief philosophical exploration into the moral quality of integrity, then returns to Rhode's account to demonstrate the extent to which Rhode's vision of the ethical lawyer depends on lawyers possessing the character traits that comprise integrity. Finally, Part III explores some implications of this dependence for the legal profession itself. It argues that although basic moral character is to some extent shaped long before lawyers enter practice, the institutional structures and practices of the profession can nonetheless have a significant influence on whether a lawyer's integrity is nurtured or undermined. Part III closes by identifying an incompatibility between ethical lawyering and an undue concern with maximizing profit, and argues that engaging in this latter pursuit may undermine the very qualities of integrity on which ethical lawyering on the contextual model depends for its success.This article was originally published in 2002 in the Fordham Law Review, as part of a symposium in honor of the publication of Deborah Rhode's book, In the Interests of Justice: Reforming the Legal Profession. A lightly edited version of the piece will be reprinted in Professional Ethics and Personal Integrity, Tim Dare and Brad Wendel, eds. (forthcoming, Cambridge Scholars Publishing).
Initiation of Coronal Mass Ejections

This paper is a synopsis of the initiation of the strong-field magnetic explosions that produce large, fast coronal mass ejections. Cartoons based on observations are used to describe the inferred basic physical processes and sequences that trigger and drive the explosion. The magnetic field that explodes is a sheared-core bipole that may or may not be embedded in surrounding strong magnetic field, and may or may not contain a flux rope before it starts to explode. We describe three different mechanisms that singly or in combination trigger the explosion: (1) runaway internal tether-cutting reconnection, (2) runaway external tether-cutting reconnection, and (3) ideal MHD instability or loss or equilibrium. For most eruptions, high-resolution, high-cadence magnetograms and chromospheric and coronal movies (such as from TRACE and/or Solar-B) of the pre-eruption region and of the onset of the eruption and flare are needed to tell which one or which combination of these mechanisms is the trigger. Whatever the trigger, it leads to the production of an erupting flux rope. Using a simple model flux rope, we demonstrate that the explosion can be driven by the magnetic pressure of the expanding flux rope, provided the shape of the expansion is "fat" enough.
Steerable filter cascades

In this paper, we present the notion of cascading steerable filters to improve their angular resolution. Additionally, we illustrate that the results of such cascades can be steered themselves. An advantage of this approach is that only a single, relatively small set of steerable filters can be employed to achieve various angular resolutions. Improving angular resolution has previously required an entirely different, larger set of filters.
A tale of two courts: Judicial transformation and the rise of a corporate Islamic governmentality in Malaysia

Malaysia's Islamic judiciary has undergone noteworthy transformations in recent decades, especially in the new millennium. Two distinct periods of ethnographic observation in Malaysia, separated by a quarter of a century, afford comparative-historical perspectives on the same (but ultimately very different) Islamic court and on an illustrative case heard there in 2012. Building on Pierre Bourdieu's work on juridical fields, these perspectives allow us to contextualize and thus better understand various discourses concerning Islamic law (syariah), Islamization, bureaucratization, and corporatization encountered today in different quarters of Malaysian society and globally. They also allow for a clear view of how these discourses and the social forces relevant to them play out on the ground, in the context of an increasingly corporate Islamic governmentality.
Aging effects in multifrequency tympanometry

Objective : The objective of this investigation was to determine the effect of the aging process on various measures derived from multifrequency tympanograms. Design : Tympanograms were recorded at 226 Hz and at one-sixth octave intervals from 250 through 2000 Hz from 136 adult male subjects ; 20 in each decade of life from age 20 through age 79 and 16 older than 79 yr of age. Analyses were performed on two measures of resonant frequency of the middle ear, two measures of static admittance at 226 Hz, and tympanometric width at 226 Hz. Results : No systematic effect of age on any of these measures was evident in this population except for a small, but significant, correlation between tympanometric width and age. Analyses of variance indicated no significant difference among mean values on any measure when subjects were grouped by decade of life. Values of these tympanometric variables are reported to add to the growing base of data from normal low-frequency and multifrequency tympanograms. Conclusions : The main finding of this investigation indicates that normative values of middle ear resonance, admittance, and tympanometric width obtained from groups of adults of various ages can be applied to elderly men.
Vibration Mitigation Using Passive Active Tunable (PAT) System: Experimental Aspects

The objective of this paper is to test and model a single-degree-of-freedom vibration isolation system with a magnetorheological (MR) foam damper under harmonic and random excitations. The results of this research are valuable for understanding the characteristics of the MR foam damper and include the experimental design and results of vibration mitigations for frequency ranges up to 2000 Hz. Transmissibility and acceleration hysteresis experiments of the MR foam damper system with different levels of input current are discussed. A simple damper design that eliminates many of the constraints normally associated with fluid filled devices is presented. Constitutive equations of the Bouc-Wen model are used to validate and characterize the MR foam damper. The motion characteristics of the MR foam damper are studied. Experimental results reveal that the mechanical behavior of the MR foam damper is nonlinear and that the field-dependent behavior of MR foam damper is associated with the applied frequency and acceleration amplitude. Experiments demonstrate MR foam damper works well in controlling vibrations and can be controlled and tuned for specific applications.
Why the Unskilled Are Unaware: Further Explorations of (Absent) Self-Insight Among the Incompetent

People are typically overly optimistic when evaluating the quality of their performance on social and intellectual tasks. In particular, poor performers grossly overestimate their performances because their incompetence deprives them of the skills needed to recognize their deficits. Five studies demonstrated that poor performers lack insight into their shortcomings even in real world settings and when given incentives to be accurate. An additional meta-analysis showed that it was lack of insight into their own errors (and not mistaken assessments of their peers) that led to overly optimistic estimates among poor performers. Along the way, these studies ruled out recent alternative accounts that have been proposed to explain why poor performers hold such positive impressions of their performance.
ENHANCED BONDING IN THE HIGH RISK NEONATE

An intervention program designed to enhance maternal infant bonding in high risk dyads significantly improved maternal child behavior and interaction. The preterm neonate, whose appearance, behavior and prognosis violate maternal expectations, has disrupted mother-infant relationship because of diminished contact, erratic responsivity and stressed maternal emotions. Thirty four mothers of high risk infants (BW 1630±330g, GA 32+2 wks, Parmalee risk factor 77.5±12.3) comprised the study group, and were exposed to videotapes designed to reduce emotional crises, increase confidence, and enhance ability to interact with the infant. Mother infant contact, discussion, and demonstrations followed each session. Controls consisted of mothers of 35 infants (BW 1590±380g, GA 32±2, Parmalee risk factor 72.5±15.3), exposed to conventional communication. Evaluation with a behavioral rating scale was performed one month post discharge (GA 40±lwk). The results demonstrated increased maternal attention (P 0.01), maternal responsivity (P 0.05) and maternal infant mutuality (P 0.05) in the study group. Repeat examination at 8 months post discharge showed increased smiling behavior (P 0.01) in study infants. Significant inverse correlations were noted between the effects of intervention and socioeconomic status. In these mother-infant dyads improved relationships were achieved by a specifically designed program.
Rhetoric, civility, and community: Political debate on computer bulletin boards

Does political debate on the Internet contribute to the development of civility, a democratic community, and the public sphere? Examination of debate on Usenet/Netnews bulletin boards on the Internet provides a mixed reply. On the one hand, debates are often characterized by aggressiveness, certainty, angry assertion, insult, ideological abstraction, and the attempt to humiliate opponents. On the other hand, the debates might, even admitting these faults, be characterized as displaying a high degree of formal regularity, as robust exercises in free speech, as closely attentive (if unsympathetic) to opposing arguments, as performing virtuosity in argument and language, and as a rare opportunity for free participation in a political forum where one may meet widely divergent views.
Discussion of ‘Parametric versus nonparametrics: two alternative methdologies’

We would like to thank Professor Lehmann for providing a very useful review of comparing several parametric and nonparametric tests in the two-sample problem. Such a review is timely, as many class...
Human T lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy. A report of 10 patients born in the United States.

• Human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)—associated myelopathy (HAM) (tropical spastic paraparesis/HAM) has rarely been reported in the United States. We present 10 well-documented cases with positive Western immunoblot test results and polymerase chain reactions for HTLV-I. The clinical and laboratory features of these American-born patients resemble those previously reported series of tropical spastic paraparesis and HAM from the Caribbean and japan, but important differences were observed. In our study there were equal numbers of whites and blacks and of men and women. Age at onset was younger than that reported from the Caribbean and Japan. Rate of progression to paraparesis varied but was more rapid than previously reported. Half were transfusion recipients but six had multiple sexual partners, with one regularly interacting with prostitutes and reporting a history of drug abuse. Although more rapid progression was seen in the transfusion recipients, this did not explain the earlier age of onset in this group of patients. The HTLV-I, and the associated myelopathy, are endemic in Florida, suggesting that immigration from, and proximity, to the Caribbean basin are contributing risk factors.
Effect of human Angiostatin protein on human angiogenesis in vitro.

Angiostatin®, a 38-kD fragment of plasminogen, inhibits angiogenesis in both animal tumor models and in vitro endothelial cell models. However, human Angiostatin® has not been tested in vitro against an intact human tissue target to determine its ability to inhibit the initiation or subsequent promotion of the human angiogenic response. We hypothesized that high doses of human Angiostatin® would inhibit the development of an angiogenic response in an intact human vessel target, and would suppress the subsequent growth of blood vessels following the initiation of an angiogenic response. To test these hypotheses, full-thickness human placental vein disks were cultured for 15 days in an in vitro fibrin–thrombin clot assay. This assay system had been used to evaluate the efficacy of a wide variety of compounds. Vessels were obtained from three placentas. Treatments included a control medium plus fetal bovine serum (FBS), heparin–steroid (300 μg/ml heparin and 350 μg/ml hydrocortisone; a treatment known to inhibit angiogenesis) and Angiostatin® at doses from 1 × 10−4 to 1 × 10−9 M. In the control groups, 81% of vessels initiated an angiogenic response compared to 53% of the vessels treated with heparin–steroid. Angiostatin®(10−4–10−9 M) decreased the initiation of an angiogenic response, but this was not statistically significant. Of the disks that initiated an angiogenic response, the mean (± standard error of the mean (SEM)) semi-quantitative visual angiogenic index (AI) of the control vessels was 9 ± 1.7 on day 15. In comparison, the mean AI of heparin–steroid treated vessels was 3.7 ± 0.4. Angiostatin® at doses of 10−4–10−9 M also failed to inhibit blood vessel growth after initiation of the angiogenic response. Based on these observations, we cannot demonstrate significant activity of human Angiostatin®(10−4–10−9 M) against the initiation or promotion of a human angiogenic response in this in vitro model of angiogenesis using an intact human vessel target.
Proteolytic enzymes in normal and transformed cells

Abstract Virally transformed cells show an increased production of proteolytic enzymes. These might be involved in transformation-dependent alterations of cell surface glycoproteins. The possibility arises that some of these proteases might be membrane-bound. To investigate this possibility, we have undertaken a comparative study of the reactivity of intact normal and transformed cells with the tritium labelled protease inhibitor diisopropylfluorophosphate, in parallel with fibrinolytic assays. Using these two approaches in concert, it was possible to identify and localize in the transformed cells several proteases which were present in the particulate cell fraction and were probably membrane bound. In particular, a diisopropylfluorophosphate-reactive polypeptide of 62 000 was increased 5–8-fold on transformation. It comigrated with a fibrinolytic activity. Other particle-bound activities were also detected. While diisopropylfluorophosphate-labelling can be useful for detecting proteases inside cells, it does not appear to be specific for surface proteases.
Effects of simulated clay gouges on the sliding behavior of Tennessee sandston

Abstract The effects of simulated fault gouge on the sliding behavior of Tennessee sandstone are studied experimentally with special reference to the stabilizing effect of clay minerals mixed into the gouge. About 30 specimens with gouge composed of pure clays, of homogeneously mixed clay and anhydrite, or of layered clay and anhydrite, along a 35° precut are deformed dry in a triaxial apparatus at a confining pressure of 100 MPa, with a shortening rate of about 5 · 10−4/sec, and at room temperature. Pure clay gouges exhibit only stable sliding, and the ultimate frictional strength is very low for bentonite (mont-morillonite), intermediate for chlorite and illite, and considerably higher for kaolinite. Anhydrite gouge shows violent stick-slip at 100 MPa confining pressure. When this mineral is mixed homogeneously with clays, the frictional coefficient of the mixed gouge, determined at its ultimate frictional strength, decreases monotonically with an increase in the clay content. The sliding mode changes from stick-slip to stable sliding when the frictional coefficient of the mixed clay-anhydrite gouge is lowered down below 90–95% of the coefficient of anhydrite gouge. The stabilizing effect of clay in mixed gouge is closely related to the ultimate frictional strength of pure clays; that is, the effect is conspicuous only for a mineral with low frictional strength. Only 15–20% of bentonite suppresses the violent stick-slip of anhydrite gouge. In contrast, violent stick-slip occurs even if the gouge contains as much as 75% of kaolinite. The behavior of illite and chlorite is intermediate between that of kaolinite and bentonite. Bentonite—anhydrite two-layer gouge exhibits stable sliding even when the bentonite content is only 5%. Thus, the presence of a thin, clay-rich layer in a fault zone stabilizes the behavior much more effectively than do the clay minerals mixed homogeneously with the gouge. This result brings out the mechanical significance of internal structures of a fault zone in understanding the effects of intrafault materials on the fault motion. Based on the present experimental results incorporated with some other experimental data, it is argued that although the stabilizing effect of montmorillonite and vermiculite is indeed remarkable at room temperature, the effect should be much less pronounced at elevated temperatures, due perhaps to the dewatering of the clays. In most geological environments where shallow earthquakes occur, the stabilizing effect of clays is probably not so conspicuous as to completely suppress the unstable motion of a fault.
Treating Kaposi’s Lesions in HIV-Infected Patient

Kaposi's sarcoma is the most frequent malignant neoplasm in AIDS, occurring in about 10 percent of all risk groups. This study evaluates the effect of intralesional vinblastine on intraoral Kaposi's sarcoma in 24 HIV-positive, homosexual males with 82 lesions. Complete resolution occurred in nearly 70 percent of the cases.
Airway Cytokine Pattern Predicts Severity of Asthma Symptoms During Colds

FEBRUARY 2011 AB60 Abstracts S A T U R D A Y 221 Tranglutaminase 2 Gene Deficiency Results In Decrease Of Airway Resistance And Eosinophilic Inflammation In Murine Asthma Model H. Lee, E. Shim, J. Jung, H. Kang, H. Park, S. Kim, S. Cho, S. Chang, K. Min, Y. Kim; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, KOREA, REPUBLIC OF, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, KOREA, REPUBLIC OF, Department of Internal Medicine, Sung-Ae General Hospital, Bucheon, KOREA, REPUBLIC OF, Eulji Medical Center, Seoul, KOREA, REPUBLIC OF. RATIONALE:Transglutaminase 2(TG2) is amultifunctional calcium-dependent acyltransferase and ubiquitously expressed in mammalian tissue existing both extracellularly and intracellulary. Recent investigation reported TG2 was highly expressed in the asthmatic airways and augmented the enzymatic activity of phospholipase A2 group 3 which hydrolyzed phospholipid and release arachidonic acids. We hypothesized that TG2 would have some roles in pathogenesis of asthma. METHODS:To evaluate expression of TG2 in asthma patients, we stained lung tissue with anti-TG2 antibody and detected TG2mRNA expression in induced sputum samples of asthmatic patients. To see the effect of TG2 deficiency, wemade a murine ovalbumin (OVA) asthmamodel with TG2 null mice and compared with wild type mice. Airway hyperresponsivenss (AHR) to methacholine, airway inflammatory cells, and cytokines in homogenate of lung tissue were evaluated. RESULTS: TG2 expression in bronchial epithelium and TG2mRNA level in induced sputum samples were increased in asthmatics compared with normal controls. TG2 null mice showed significant reduction in eosinophilic airway inflammation, AHR, serum OVA-specific IgG1/G2a ratio and Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-13) in lung homogenates compared with WT mice after OVA challenge. CONCLUSIONS: In human asthmatics, TG2 is highly expressed in airway epithelium and induced sputum. In murine asthma model, TG2 deficiency effectively reverses airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic airway inflammation, Th2 immune responses. These findings suggest that TG2 play important roles in the pathogenesis of asthma.
Growth attenuation: good intentions, bad decision.

Ashley's parents and doctors decided to proceed with her growth attenuation with good intentions in circumstances of uncertainty about how Ashley experiences herself and the world. Our objection to...
Predictors of rehabilitation outcomes in frail patients treated in a geriatric hospital

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of medical indicators of health status on functional gain during rehabilitation of frail older patients. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: A hospital geriatric rehabilitation department (Catholic University of Rome). PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred forty-four older patients admitted consecutively for rehabilitation after acute illnesses between March 1999 and June 2000. MEASUREMENTS: Patients were evaluated with the Minimum Data Set for Post-Acute Care (MDS-PAC) assessment form soon after the admission and every 2 weeks thereafter. Two summary scales based on MDS-PAC items are designed to describe the performance in personal activities of daily living (ADLs) and the level of cognitive function (Cognitive Performance Scale). To identify predictors of functional recovery, we constructed a multiple logistic regression model having as a dependent variable the improvement of one or more points in the ADL scale. RESULTS: Patients aged 85 and older with cognitive or sensory impairment were less likely to significantly improve physical functioning after an intensive rehabilitation program. However, the cognitive impairment was the only “negative” factor that remained significant in a multivariable model (odds ratio = 0.36, 95% confidence interval = 0.14–0.92) after adjusting for several potential negative predictors. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study document that severe cognitive impairment may be considered a negative predictor of functional recovery after a period of intensive rehabilitation. However, the effectiveness of such a rehabilitation program in patients with dementia is controversial. Additional studies are necessary to better clarify the effect of cognitive impairment on the potential recovery of the older subjects after a period of rehabilitation and whether this is influenced by different pathologies.
THE EFFECTS OF PATIENT VOLUME AND LEVEL OF CARE ON NEONATAL MORTALITY: IS COMPETITION KILLING BABIES? • 1413

There was a rapid increase in the number of neonatal intensive care units(NICUs) in California in the 1980s. Most of this expansion occurred among intermediate, or level II NICUs and Community NICUs (a California classification for expanded level Ils that can provide prolonged assisted ventilation). Most of these new units and many of the existing level II units were quite small. We used the 1990 California birth/infant death cohort file(N=594,104), linked to the hospital discharge abstracts for mothers and infants. Logistic regression was used to examine the effects of patient volume and level of NICU care at the hospital of birth on neonatal mortality, controlling for sex and race of the infant, type of insurance coverage, birth weight, and maternal and neonatal diagnoses associated with increased neonatal mortality. The results indicate that level of care and patient volume both have strong effects on risk-adjusted mortality. Compared to level I hospitals, infants born in regional centers with an average patient census >15 had much lower risk-adjusted mortality (Odds Ratio=0.70, p=0.002). Smaller level Ills and both types of level Ils, regardless of patient volume, had mortality rates that were not significantly different from those at level I units. Infants insured by HMOs had mortality rates that were 30% (p=0.01) higher than those of other private insurers. Medicaid mortality was 32% (p=0.003) higher than those with private insurance. When costs or length of stay are used as the dependent variable, the larger level III units are in the middle of the range across the different types of NICUs, controlling for the other factors in the model. Further, 80% of the births in level Ils or community NICUs occur in hospitals located within 25 miles of a level III. These findings suggest that the recent competitive trends in California have had a significant adverse effect on neonatal mortality without achieving any cost savings.
The ionization balance of the atmosphere

Abstract Two methods were developed for determining the residual ionization in brass chambers and the absolute ionization of the hard and the soft component of cosmic radiation in the atmosphere at sea level, without secondaries from the walls of the chambers. The portable Gish-Sherman ionization meter in connection with four geometrically similar cylindrical vessels of widely different size was used. One method is based on the use of all four chambers, the other requires only one large chamber in which the pressure is varied between about 0·1 and 1·0 atm. These measurements were carried out on the campus of Fordham University in a garden. It was found that, on the average, the hard component (filtered through 10 em of iron) produces an ionization of 1·51 I while the total intensity (hard+soft component) amounts to 1·88 I . The effect of the gamma rays from the radioactive substances floating in the atmosphere was determined by a new method, described in this paper. This “ air radiation ” amounts to about 0·15 I , varying considerably from day to day. Another set of experiments was carried out to find the ionization produced by the alpha rays from radon, thoron, and their subsequent products. Samples of air from outdoors were filled into a large ionization chamber and the variation of ionization was observed for several days. In this way it was possible to determine the ionizing effect of the radon and thoron products separately. It was found that radon and its subsequent products give 0·93 I , while thoron and its products give 0·83 I . The latter, therefore, contribute 47% of the total ionization by alpha rays. The radon content itself was 46 × 10 − 18 curie per cm 3 (average of November and December). The ionization by gamma rays from the ground, at Fordham. amounted to 3·0 I . The contribution by beta rays from radium, thorium and their decay products in the ground and in the atmosphere was estimated as 0·4 I . The total ionization. on the point of observation, 1 m above ground, consisted therefore of the following four components: Alpha rays 1·76 I Beta rays 0·40 I Gamma rays 3·15 I Total: 7·21 I Cosmic rays 1·90 I Using the linear law of recombination of small ions ( E. Schweidler, J. J. Nolan and others) which holds for air polluted with a great number of nuclei, one can compute the mean number of small ions per cm 3 if one knows the average lifetime of such ions. Taking this lifetime as 10·6 sec (from a recent determination at the same location), one would get less than 100 small ions per cm 3 present in the stationary state. This is to be expected in the vicinity of a big city, where the number of nuclei of condensation ordinarily exceeds 40000 per cm 3 .
Nerve growth factor‐induced stimulation of α‐aminoisobutyric acid uptake in PC 12 cells: Evaluation of its biological significance

In the clonal PC12 pheochromocytoma cell line, the observed effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) on the uptake rates of α-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) depend upon the assay conditions employed. In orthodox uptake assays calling for serum removal prior to the addition of AIB, 50 ng/ml NGF causes a stimulation of uptake of 62% after 40 minutes and 46% after 24-hours exposure. However, serum stimulates AIB uptake to a similar extent and the effects of serum and NGF are not additive. An uptake assay which directly measures the AIB uptake experienced by PC12 cells undergoing NGF-induced morphological differentiation was therefore employed. When compared with control cells growing in serum-containing medium, NGF-induced differentiating PC12 calls experience (1) only a transient and modest increase in AIB uptake, and (2) a significant long-term decrease in AIB uptake under conditions optimal for differentiation. It is concluded that NGF-directed neurite outgrowth is not mediated by NGF effects on amino acid uptake via the A-system.