cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Local PIP 2 signals: when, where, and how?

PIP2 is a minor phospholipid that modulates multiple cellular processes. However, its abundance by mass, like diacylglycerol, is still 20 to 100 times greater than the master phospholipid second messenger, PIP3. Therefore, it is a case-by-case question whether PIP2 is acting more like GTP, in being a cofactor in regulatory processes, or whether it is being used as a true second messenger. Analysis of signaling mechanisms in primary cells is essential to answer this question, as overexpression studies will naturally generate false positives. In connection with the possible messenger function of PIP2, a second question arises as to how and if PIP2 metabolism and signaling may be limited in space. This review summarizes succinctly the notable cases in which PIP2 is proposed to function in a localized way and the different mechanistic models that may allow it to function locally. In general, drastic restrictions of PIP2 diffusion are required. It is speculated that molecular PIP2 signaling may be possible in the absence of PIP2 gradients via ternary complexes between PIP2 and two protein partners. That PIP2 synthesis and hydrolysis might be locally dependent on protein–protein interactions, and direct lipid “hand-off” is suggested by multiple results.
Three-Year Stability of WISC-R IQs for Handicapped Children from Three Racial/Ethnic Groups

Score stability is an important psychometric quality of tests intended to measure relatively enduring characteristics such as intelligence. The purpose of the present study was to examine the long-term stability of WISC-R IQs (Full Scale, Verbal, and Performance) for a sample (N = 382) of male and female subjects from three racial or ethnic groups (Anglo, black, Mexican-American). The three-year stability coefficients for the varied sample of subjects (VIQ = .81, PIQ = .78, FSIQ = .85) compared well with those established with a three-week interval during the standardization of the WISC-R. Specific findings indicated that Anglo subjects' IQs were significantly more stable than those of blacks on all three IQ scales and also more stable than those of Mexican-Americans on the Performance and Full Scales. Sex of the subject had minimal influence on test score stability; only females' Verbal performances resulted in significantly larger stability coefficients than those of males. These and other results are d...
Impaired Insulin Biosynthetic Capacity in a Rat Model for Non-insulin-dependent Diabetes: Studies with Dexamethasone

These studies of a rat model for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) were performed to determine whether hyperglycemia occurs when capacity to synthesize insulin is exceeded. The neonatal streptozocin (STZ)-treated rat has acute hyperglycemia with marked destruction of pancreatic β-cells, followed by gradual regeneration to 50–70% normal (β-cell number. At age 4 wk, fed serum glucose concentration is only mildly elevated relative to controls. With age, the rats become progressively hyperglycemic, and by 12 wk they have marked impairment of glucose-stimulated insulin release. In these studies, dexamethasone (0.125 mg/kg/day for 4 days) was administered to control and to STZ-treated animals to produce insulin resistance. The relationship between insulin biosynthesis and serum glucose concentrations was assessed. In control rats, response to dexamethasone was similar at both 4 and 12 wk. Serum glucose levels and pancreatic insulin concentration remained unchanged. Both insulin biosynthetic rates (as measured by 3 Hleucine incorporation into proinsulin) and proinsulin mRNA levels increased twofold. STZ-treated rats at age 4 wk demonstrated mild hyperglycemia. Dexamethasone injection resulted in an increase in insulin biosynthesis and proinsulin mRNA in these animals, while serum glucose did not increase. STZ-treated rats at 12 wk showed more profound hyperglycemia (serum glucose 315 ± 38 mg/dl versus control, 187 ± 12 mg/dl). A marked rise in serum glucose (to 519 ± 42 mg/dl) was observed after4 days of dexamethasone injection. Pancreatic insulin content became severely depleted relative to salineinjected, STZ-treated animals, and there was no response of levels of proinsulin mRNA. These studies demonstrate a significant correlation between mean insulin biosynthetic rates and mean proinsulin mRNA levels in 4-wk-old rats. In these rats with mild glucose intolerance related to a decrease in insulin synthesis, the rate of biosynthesis can still increase if demand for insulin is acutely increased by induction of an insulin-resistant state. If the correlation between proinsulin mRNA and biosynthesis exists in 12-wk-old animals, the data suggest that older, more hyperglycemic animals lose the capacity to increase rates of insulin biosynthesis and secretion; severe hyperglycemia ensues when capacity to synthesize insulin is exceeded.
Surgical site infection prophylaxis strategies for cardiothoracic surgery: a decision-analytic model.

AbstractBackground: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common cause of invasive surgical site infection (SSI) in the USA. Antimicrobial prophylaxis for SSI typically includes a cephalosporin. Vancomycin is used to provide MRSA coverage, but the timing of administration is challenging. Linezolid is an attractive agent for SSI prophylaxis, particularly for the prevention of SSI due to MRSA. Methods: We developed a decision-analytic model to evaluate linezolid use for cardiothoracic SSI prophylaxis. A theoretical cohort of 10,000 cardiothoracic surgery patients was followed through 2 stages: (1) occurrence of SSI, and (2) mortality after SSI. All patients were administered cefuroxime, vancomycin, or linezolid between 1 and 180 min prior to surgical incision. SSIs were categorized into 3 pathogen categories: (1) methicillin-susceptible Gram-positive, (2) methicillin-resistant Gram-positive, and (3) other organisms. The most effective strategy resulted in the fewest SSIs. Assumptions for a...
How many raters are needed for a reliable diagnosis

If each of a sample of patients is evaluated by enough raters and is independently diagnosed as either positive or negative, we can evaluate the reliability (kappa coefficient and corresponding confidence interval) of each consensus of 2, 3, 4 … M raters. We can select the optimal consensus, and demonstrate an increase in reliability with multiple diagnoses. Results indicate that the majority rule (for example, two out of three, three out of five raters) does not always yield the highest reliability, nor does any other single rule, which leaves determination of the optimal consensus to empirical evaluation. The kappa coefficient and the confidence intervals are calculated using a jackknife technique for these cases and the optimal consensus is determined. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Design-adaptive nonparametric estimation of conditional quantile derivatives

This paper proposes a new approach to constructing nonparametric estimators of conditional quantile functions and their derivatives with respect to conditioning variables. The new approach is intended specifically to produce estimators with biases that do not depend on the design density. This is in marked contrast to more conventional nonparametric estimators based on locally polynomial quantile regressions, the biases of which are characterised by asymptotic expansions in which the design density appears, at least at some order of approximation. The specific approach taken in this paper involves the kernel smoothing of the ratio of a preliminary nonparametric estimate of the conditional quantile function to another preliminary nonparametric estimate of the design density. Monte Carlo evidence indicates that the proposed estimators compare favourably to nonparametric estimators based on local polynomials. An empirical example exploring the relationship between individual earnings and age is also included...
Spontaneous right ventricular disruption following treatment of sternal infection.

Abstract Background: Spontaneous right ventricular disruption is a rare and frequently catastrophic event that occurs during the treatment of mediastinitis complicating median sternotomy wound. Objective: The purpose of this study is to understand the pathogenesis of the spontaneous right ventricular disruption and to suggest strategies for the prevention and treatment of this rare but potentially fatal complication of cardiac surgery. Methods: We report three cases as an introduction to the review of 39 cases found in the English-language literature. Results: The majority of patients (71%) underwent coronary artery bypass grafting as the primary procedure prior to the development of a sternal infection. Staphylococcus Aureus and Staphylococcus Epidermidis were cultured most frequently from the sternal wound (31% and 24%, respectively). The mean interval between sternal debridement and the right ventricular disruption was 2.9 days. Most patients (24 of 42) required cardiopulmonary bypass for the repair of the right ventricular disruption. Biologic patches and adjuncts were used in 15 patients (36%). Eight patients (19%) died either preoperatively or on the operating-room table. Conclusions: Spontaneous right ventricular disruption is a potentially preventable complication. To prevent this complication we recommend: (1) avoidance of delay between diagnosis and operative treatment of mediastinitis; (2) complete lysis of adhesions between the posterior sternal edge and anterior surface of the right ventricle under general anesthesia with heart-lung machine stand-by; (3) repair of the right ventricular tear using biologic patches with heart–lung machine stand-by; (4) early (if possible immediate) closure of the chest with a myocutaneous flap. (J Card Surg 2004;19:74-78)
Body Mass Index Impacts Immediate and Long-Term Survival of Heart Transplant Recipients

Purpose Obesity in heart failure may be associated with improved outcomes. We sought to assess the impact of pre-transplant body mass index (BMI) on post-heart transplant survival. Methods and Materials We analyzed The United Network for Organ Sharing data registry for adult orthotopic heart transplant recipients from 1987 to 2012. Recipients with right or bi-ventricular support or total artificial hearts were excluded. Patients were stratified based on body mass index (BMI in kg/m²) at time of transplant based on conventional thresholds for transplantation into BMI 15-18.4 (UNDERWEIGHT), 18.5- 29.9 (NORMAL), 30-34.9 (OVERWEIGHT) and 35-40 (OBESE). Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to evaluate survival. Results 52,903 heart transplant recipients were identified and 45,261 were included. Of the overall cohort, 78.4% - NORMAL, 15.2% - OVERWEIGHT, 3.3% - UNDERWEIGHT and 3.1% - OBESE. Pre-transplant BMI affected survival significantly at 30 days, 1, 5, and 10 years post-transplant (p figure 1 ] In the proportional hazards model, OVERWEIGHT and UNDERWEIGHT patients had decreased survival. Factors negatively affecting survival include female donor to male recipients, African-American recipients, pulmonary hypertension, LVAD, increasing age and ischemic times. Conclusions In a population based analysis, BMI influences survival in the short and long term. Underweight recipients may not have physiologic reserves for optimum results. Hazard ratio 95% Hazard Ratio Confidence Limits OBESE 1.101 0.927–1.308 OVERWEIGHT 1.165 1.066–1.274 UNDERWEIGHT 1.367 1.117–1.672 Female donor to male recipient 1.176 1.060–1.305 African-American 1.419 1.296–1.554 PH 1.113 1.031–1.201 LVAD at transplant 1.022 0.930–1.123
A conservative control strategy for variable-speed stall-regulated wind turbines

Simulation models of a variable-speed, fixed-pitch wind turbine were investigated to evaluate the feasibility of constraining rotor speed and power output without the benefit of active aerodynamic control devices. A strategy was postulated to control rotational speed by specifying the demanded generator torque. By controlling rotor speed in relation to wind speed, the aerodynamic power extracted by the blades from the wind was manipulated. Specifically, the blades were caused to stall in high winds. In low and moderate winds, the demanded generator torque and the resulting rotor speed were controlled to cause the wind turbine to operate near maximum efficiency. Using the developed models, simulations were conducted of operation in turbulent winds. Results indicated that rotor speed and power output were well regulated. Preliminary investigations of system dynamics showed that, compared to fixed-speed operation, variable-speed operation caused cyclic loading amplitude to be reduced for the turbine blades and low-speed shaft and slightly increased for the tower loads. This result suggests a favorable impact on fatigue life from implementation of the proposed control strategy.
MEASURING THE DISTRIBUTION OF SUICIDE RATES BY AGE IN A POPULATION

Summary In the United States from 1968–1996, the mean age of the suicides was not associated with Diekstra's measure of the variation of suicide rates across ages.
Sodium increases angiotensin II receptors in neuronal cultures from brains of normotensive and hypertensive rats.

Abstract Neuronal cultures from one-day-old brains of Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats were used to determine the effect of sodium ions on angiotensin II (Ang II) receptors in order to understand the mechanism of action of sodium at the cellular level. Incubation with sodium chloride of neuronal cultures from WKY rats caused a rapid and dose-dependent increase in the specific binding of125I-Ang II to its receptors. A 260% increase in the binding was observed with 150 mM NaCl. Neuronal cultures from SH rat brains showed a similar sodium-stimulated increase in Ang II binding; however this increase was 150% greater than that observed in neuronal cultures from WKY rat brain. Kinetic studies of the effects of sodium ions on both WKY and SH neuronal cultures showed an increase in the dissociation of125I-Ang II from its receptors in the presence of sodium ions. In addition, Scatchard analysis revealed that the increase in binding caused by sodium was due to an increase in the number of Ang II receptors. These observations indicate that sodium ions increase the number of Ang II specific receptors in intact neuronal cells and that this stimulation was more pronounced in neuronal cells from SH rat brains compared with WKY controls.
Aerosols and Climate

The atmospheric burden of particles, or aerosols, has been measurably increased by human activities, especially in industrialized regions and those where slash-burn agricultural practices are followed. Some of these aerosols are directly produced when fossil fuels or other materials are burned (soot, smoke, fly ash); others are the result of photochemical reactions involving organic molecules, oxides of nitrogen, and sunlight (smog); and a third source is the oxidation of sulfur dioxide, produced when sulfur-bearing fuel is burned, to sulfuric acid thereby forming sulfate particles of droplets.
Gender Differences in Stories of Violence and Caring by Preschool Children in Post-Divorce Families: Implications for Social Competence

Themes of violence and caring in the spontaneous play of preschool-aged children in response to a revised version of the Attachment Story Completion Task (Bretherton, Ridgeway, & Cassidy, 1990) were analyzed in relation to their social behavior in child-care settings. All children (n = 66, 39 boys) lived in post-divorce families, primarily in the custody of their mothers. Some story enactments of violence predicted negative social behavior in child-care for both boys and girls. Other story enactments were strongly associated with gender and did not uniformly predict social behavior, suggesting that gender socialization plays a significant role in children's play representations of violence and caring. Implications for children's development and the interpretation of children's play behavior are discussed.
O-linked oligosaccharides of mouse egg ZP3 account for its sperm receptor activity

Previously, we reported that ZP3, one of three different glycoproteins present in the mouse egg's zona pellucida, serves as a sperm receptor. Furthermore, small glycopeptides derived from egg ZP3 retain full sperm receptor activity, suggesting a role for carbohydrate, rather than polypeptide chain in receptor function. Here, we report that removal of O-linked oligosaccharides from ZP3 destroys its sperm receptor activity, whereas removal of N-linked oligosaccharides has no effect. A specific size class of O-linked oligosaccharides, recovered following mild alkaline hydrolysis and reduction of ZP3, is shown to possess sperm receptor activity and to bind to sperm. The results presented strongly suggest that mouse sperm bind to eggs via O-linked oligosaccharides present on ZP3.
Subsea permafrost in Norton Sound, Alaska

Abstract Temperature data from five holes in Norton Sound show mean sea bed temperatures from + 1 to + 4° C and positive thermal gradients. These data show that subsea permafrost does not occur in the area of the drill holes (near Nome and on the south side of Norton Sound). Permafrost does not appear to exist on land close to the beach nor does it appear to extend offshore under Norton Sound in the area of the drill holes or where the shoreline is stable. Thermal calculations using a model based on sea level history and paleoclimate data, and assuming conditions favorable for the survival of permafrost, suggest that all of the permafrost formed under Norton Sound under emergent conditions prior to and during the last glacial period would have thawed from the bottom by geothermal heat flow and from the top by salt penetration into the sea bed. It appears that subsea permafrost exists in the central portion of Norton Sound where cold bottom waters have been found but it is not likely to be ice-bearing. Subsea permafrost may exist under Golovnin and Norton Bays, but there are no data available for analysis. Subsea permafrost may also exist in nearshore areas of Norton Sound where shoreline retreat is rapid.
On the absence of phlorizin hydrolase in renal brush border membranes

Abstract The extensively studied sugar transport inhibitor, phlorizin, is a phenolic β- d -glucoside which can be hydrolyzed to phloretin and glucose by a phlorizin hydrolase present in intestinal mucosa. A sensitive and specific method has been developed to determine the presence of this enzymatic activity in other tissues. Tritiated phlorizin, labeled specifically only in the glucose moiety, was used as substrate. In order to measure any liberated [ 3 H]glucose by conventional liquid scintillation methods in the presence of large amounts of tritiated phlorizin, unsplit substrate was irreversibly adsorbed onto a polystyrene ion-exchange resin to which free [ 3 H]glucose does not bind. Whole homogenates from hamster and rat intestinal mucosa were found to contain the anticipated high activity of phlorizin hydrolase. On the other hand, whole kidney preparations from the rat, hamster and guinea pig possessed very low levels of activity. Furthermore, the specific activity of the β-glucosidase in a membrane preparation from rat kidney, which was enriched in brush border fragments sevenfold over the crude homogenate, was even lower than whole kidney. The conclusion is drawn that renal brush borders contain no phlorizin hydrolase; the effective inhibitor of glucose transport in the kidney is phlorizin and not the aglycone, phloretin. The possibility is evaluated that this is not the case in intestine where phloretin is generated by the same cells which actively transport sugars.
Condition Assessment of Water Distribution Pipes

With average pipe replacement rates in the United States at about once in 200 years, effective assessment of pipe condition is required to plan renewal programs for distribution systems. The paper is based on a project for the American Water Works Association Research Foundation and presents findings and a management framework about utility practices in condition assessment and it validates the framework through comparisons with practices in leading utilities. The project findings indicated that utilities can utilize available information much better than they do. However, they are impeded by lack of a standard procedure for recording data on leaks, breaks, and condition indicators. Ideally, the large amount of information involved would be consolidated into a composite condition index, but this is not feasible. Advanced applications are required for the future. These might include real-time assessment, smart pigs to collect data, small chip sets, and automated pipe data registration. Research needs are indicated in nondestructive testing, leak detection and loss measurement, causes for pipe, joint, lining, and coating deterioration, and in situ methods to test condition. While condition assessment is a promising concept, it is not applied consistently. In the past, condition information was used by operations and engineering departments. The same decisions still require condition information, but organizations are more integrated, have newer methods available, and face higher standards and expectations than in the past. When utilities manage their distribution capital programs better, it can lead to organizational improvement across the board because different departments can work together to improve the entire system. By use of the proposed framework, combined with effective information systems, operations improvements, and capital improvement programs, utilities can optimize returns on their investments in distribution systems. Utilities will continue to face obstacles such as lack of records, inability to inspect pipes while in service, and not being supported for funding by boards or councils. In the end, the solutions may already be within the grasp of utilities, through better management of existing information.
A Psychosomatic Approach to Childhood Asthma

(1982). A Psychosomatic Approach to Childhood Asthma. Journal of Asthma: Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 111-121.
Asian American and Pacific Islander breast and cervical carcinoma screening rates and healthy people 2000 objectives.

BACKGROUND Breast carcinoma is the number one cause of cancer-related mortality among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women, and for certain subgroups cervical carcinoma is among the top three causes. Yet AAPI women have the lowest cancer screening and early detection rates of all ethnic groups. The practice of merging AAPI data hides significant variation among AAPI groups, and the groups at highest risk for late presentation of disease become invisible. To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first report of disaggregated national data for breast and cervical carcinoma screening in AAPI subpopulations. The authors used data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS 1993 and 1994) and evaluated major socioeconomic and access variables associated with screening practices. METHODS Healthy People 2000 (HP2000) criteria were used to evaluate the most recent NHIS screening rates for AAPIs as one group and for six distinct subgroups compared with HP2000 criteria. The sample included 2756 non-Hispanic AAPI and 64,196 non-Hispanic white women age 18 years or older in the 1993 and 1994 NHIS. The effects of socioeconomic and access-to-care indicators on screening were explored. RESULTS Breast and cervical carcinoma screening rates for AAPIs were below those for white women and well below national goals and guidelines. Lack of insurance, low income, and lack of a usual source of care had a significantly greater negative impact on AAPIs than on white women, indicating that AAPIs may be more vulnerable to structural barriers to cancer control efforts. CONCLUSIONS AAPI women have very low rates of breast and cervical screening, which increases their chances of later stage disease presentation. To reach the Healthy People 2000 objectives, targeted efforts are needed to increase cancer screening among AAPI women overall and specific subgroups in particular. Cancer 2000;89:696–705. © 2000 American Cancer Society.
Generation of human monoclonal antibody-producing cell lines by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformation of B lymphocytes and somatic cell hybridization techniques

The use of Epstein-Barr virus to immortalize human B cells and generate monoclonal antibody-producting B cell lines is described.
THE SPECIES OF THE BIRDS-OF-PARADISE (PARADISAEIDAE): APPLYING THE PHYLOGENETIC SPECIES CONCEPT TO A COMPLEX PATTERN OF DIVERSIFICATION

Abstract The phylogenetic species concept is applied for the first time to a major radiation of birds, the birds-of-paradise (Paradisaeidae) of Australasia. Using the biological species concept, previous workers have postulated approximately 40–42 species in the family. Of these, approximately 13 are monotypic and 27 are polytypic with about 100 subspecies. Phylogenetic species are irreducible (basal) clusters of organisms (terminal taxa) that are diagnosably distinct from other such clusters. Within the context of this concept, approximately 90 species of paradisaeids are postulated to have diversified within Australasia. The phylogenetic species concept more accurately describes evolutionary diversity within the family and provides a better theoretical and empirical framework for analysing speciation, historical biogeography and patterns of morphological, behavioral and ecological diversification within this group than does the biological species concept.
Mild gestational hypertension: Differences in ethnicity are associated with altered outcomes in women who undergo outpatient treatment

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of ethnicity on outcome in women with mild gestational hypertension that is remote from term. Study Design: Nulliparous women with mild gestational hypertension who participated in an outpatient monitoring program between January 1995 and December 1999 were candidates. Patients had a singleton pregnancy at t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Pearson χ 2 analyses. Results: One thousand one hundred eight-two women were included in the analysis. No clinically remarkable differences in gestational age or incidence of proteinuria at the start of observation were noted. Newborn infants of Hispanic and African American women had significantly smaller birth weights compared with those of white women. African American women had a higher incidence of abruptio placentae (n = 5), stillbirths (n = 3), and neonatal deaths (n = 2) versus the other groups (n = 0 for all). The frequency of progression to thrombocytopenia/HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome) and cesarean delivery rates were similar between groups. Conclusion: Differences in outcomes are observed between ethnic groups even when the women undergo the same intensive outpatient monitoring for mild gestational hypertension. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;186:896-8.)
Error and Temporal Patterns in Tower of Hanoi Performance: Cognitive Mechanisms and Individual Differences

Abstract Thirty-seven adult subjects were given a 15-move Tower of Hanoi (TOH) disk-transfer problem, for which accuracy, errors, and length of pause prior to a move were recorded. Subjects were also questioned as to whether and why they paused during problem solving. The majority of errors occurred at the 1st, 5th, and 9th moves and may reflect the use of maladaptive heuristics. Optimal performers increased their average pause time significantly more before these 3 moves than did poor performers, particularly at the 9th move. Optimal performers and, to a lesser degree, self-correcting performers devoted a disproportionate amount of time to the 3 problem junctures. The majority of subjects mentioned planning their moves during their pauses; however, this acknowledgment was not related to quality of performance. The nature of these planning responses suggests that working memory may be involved in performance on the TOH.
Advertising and social comparison: Consequences for female preadolescents and adolescents

The authors investigate the impact of advertising beauty images on female preadolescents and adolescents. An experiment using 4th, 8th, and 12th graders demonstrated that exposure to advertising with highly attractive models raises comparison standards for physical attractiveness, but does not affect self-perceptions of physical attractiveness. The findings also suggest that the tendency of female pre-adolescents and adolescents to compare themselves to models in ads increases with age, and this tendency is greater for those with lower self-perceptions of physical attractiveness and/or self-esteem. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Theory and mechanisms for martensitic transformations in ferroelectrics. Part I. proper transitions

Abstract A quasi-one-dimensional (QOD) model in which soft modes develop by fluctuating correlated ionic shifts is applied to proper ferroelectric transitions, including cubic→ tetragonal, tetragonal→orthorhombic, and orthorhombic→orthorhombic, where the structural change is accomplished by two lattice-variant shears and a volume change relaxation.
Reward associations and spatial probabilities produce additive effects on attentional selection

Recent studies have shown that reward history acts as a powerful attentional bias, even overcoming top-down goals. This has led to the suggestion that rewards belong to a class of attentional cues based on selection history, which are defined by past outcomes with a stimulus feature. Selection history is thought to be separate from traditional attentional cues based on physical salience and voluntary goals, but there is relatively little understanding of how selection history operates as a mechanism of attentional selection. Critically, it has yet to be understood how multiple sources of selection history interact when presented simultaneously. For example, it may be easier to find something we like if it also appears in a predictable location. We therefore pitted spatial probabilities against reward associations and found that the two sources of information had independent and additive effects. Additionally, the strength of the two sources in biasing attentional selection could be equated. In contrast, while a nonpredictive but perceptually salient cue also exhibited independent and additive effects with reward, reward associations dominated the perceptually salient cue at all levels. Our data indicate that reward associations are part of a class of particularly potent attentional cues that guide behavior through learned expectations. However, selection history should not be thought of as a unitary concept but should be understood as a collection of independent sources of information that bias attention in a similar fashion.
Quem iria votar? Conhecendo as conseqüências do voto obrigatório no Brasil

O artigo enfoca a importância do voto obrigatorio para a democracia brasileira. Atraves da analise de dados de surveys realizados antes das eleicoes presidenciais de 1994 e 1998, o artigo dimensiona as consequencias da abolicao do voto obrigatorio em termos da igualdade da participacao em grupos demograficos e politicos de eleitores.
MOLECULAR PRINCIPLE OF CORRESPONDING STATES FOR VISCOSITY AND THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF FLUID MIXTURES

Abstract Conformal solution theory is developed for the viscosity and thermal conductivity of fluid mixtures. The procedure involves expanding the transport coefficient for the mixture about the value for an ideal solution, using groupings of the potential parameters and molecular mass as expansion coefficients. The parameters for the ideal solution are chosen so as to annul the first-order term in this expansion, thus encouraging rapid convergence. This yields mixing rules (similar to those of the van der Waals 1 theory for thermodynamic properties) for the potential parameters and molecular mass of the reference fluid. Reference fluid properties are obtained from pure fluid corresponding states correlations By making calculations for dilute gas mixtures and comparing with Chapman-Enskog theory, it is found that the first-order theory works well for mixtures of quite widely different energy parameters (e) and molecular masses; it is more sensitive to the size difference of the molecular components, howev...
Preparation and properties of alkali rhenium bronzes and a WO3 ReO3 solid solution

Abstract Several new Re oxides have been prepared at 65 kbar pressure. Cubic alkali rhenium bronzes, A x ReO 3 where A is Na or K, are analogous to the cubic tungsten bronzes. A new phase in the Re-O system and a WO 3  ReO 3 solid solution are also reported. Most of these new oxides posses metallic conductivity.
Chromosomes and Systematics of American Ground Squirrels of The Subgenus Spermophilus

Chromosome counts, karyotypes and possible mechanisms of karyotype evolution are presented for seven of the eight American species comprising the subgenus Spermophilus . Within S. townsendi , the subspecies vigilis, mollis and townsendi have a 2n of 46, 38 and 36, respectively. S. washingtoni , 2n = 36, has a karyotype that differs from that of S. townsendi townsendi . The chromosomes of S. richardsoni also exhibit intraspecific variation; the subspecies elegans and nevadensis have a 2n of 34 and similar karyotypes, whereas richardsoni has 36 chromosomes. S. undulatus and S. armatus also have 34 chromosomes and autosomes that are indistinguishable from those of S. richardsoni elegans and nevadensis . However, on the basis of X and Y chromosome morphology, S. armatus can be differentiated from S. undulatus and S. richardsoni. S. columbianus and S. beldingi have diploid numbers of 32 and 30 respectively, and each has a distinctive karyotype. Karyotypes suggest a close relationship between three subspecies of S. townsendi and S. washingtoni . A second group of closely related species consists of S. undulatus, S. armatus and S. richardsoni . The first two of these three species and two subspecies of S. richardsoni, elegans and nevadensis all have identical autosomes. Evidence from this study of the chromosomes supports other lines of evidence which suggest that the subgenus Spermophilus contains two species groups, one composed of S. townsendi and S. washingtoni and the second consisting of S. richardsoni, S. undulatus, S. armatus, S. columbianus and S. beldingi . A revision of interspecific relationships within the subgenus Spermophilus is presented.
Controlling the performance of professionals through the creation of congruent environments

Abstract Many problems arise from potential incompatibilities between characteristics of professional employees and characteristics of organizational control systems. These incompatibilities may lead to dysfunctional conflict between the role expectations of the professional and organizational requirements, depending on the degree to which an incongruence exists between the two. A framework for conceptually analyzing congruence between individual, organizational, and occupational components is offered and implications for the control system are made.
Rings of Uranus: Not so thick, not so black

Regarding the optical thickness of the rings of Uranus (measured by stellar occultations), it is shown that the optical thickness so obtained is larger by an extinction efficiency factor of 2 than the fractional area physically filled by particles which is commonly used to infer both particle reflectivity and particle size. New estimates of particle reflectance are presented, which include this effect and an improved radiative transfer treatment. The ring particles, while still quite dark, are no longer mysteriously so. Particle sizes could easily lie in the macroscopic size range characteristic of other planetary rings.
Development of mediated amperometric biosensors for hypoxanthine, glucose and lactate: a new format

Abstract Electrochemical growth was used to form the organic conducting salt of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) on platinum wires inserted in a glass capillary. Glucose oxidase, lactate oxidase and xanthine oxidase were deposited and crosslinked on the salt structure to produce mediated biosensors responsive to the corresponding analytes. Reliability, stability, interference, and the effect of oxygen on the electrode's response were studied. Among three common electroactive interfering substances tested, ascorbic acid was very active at the TTF-TCNQ structure and the highest response was exhibited by the enzyme-free electrode. Acetaminophen and uric acid displayed similar behaviour at a lower magnitude. The presence of oxygen significantly decreased the current responses of all electrodes. The xanthine oxidase-bearing mediated electrodes were able to assay the hypoxanthine content of either the fish extract, fish homogenate or slurry of manually ground tissue, yielding results in good agreement with conventional enzymatic assays. The electrodes were stable more than 120 days and could be reused more than 30 times without losing their original activities.
A global perspective of regional vegetation and hydrologic sensitivities from climatic change

. A biogeographic model, MAPSS (Mapped Atmosphere-Plant-Soil System), predicts changes in vegetation leaf area index (LAI), site water balance and runoff, as well as changes in biome boundaries. Potential scenarios of global and regional equilibrium changes in LAI and terrestrial water balance under 2 x CO2 climate from five different general circulation models (GCMs) are presented. Regional patterns of vegetation change and annual runoff are surprisingly consistent among the five GCM scenarios, given the general lack of consistency in predicted changes in regional precipitation patterns. Two factors contribute to the consistency among the GCMs of the regional ecological impacts of climatic change: (1) regional, temperature-induced increases in potential evapo-transpiration (PET) tend to more than offset regional increases in precipitation; and (2) the interplay between the general circulation and the continental margins and mountain ranges produces a fairly stable pattern of regionally specific sensitivity to climatic change. Two areas exhibiting among the greatest sensitivity to drought-induced forest decline are eastern North America and eastern Europe to western Russia. Regional runoff patterns exhibit much greater spatial variation in the sign of the response than do the LAI changes, even though they are deterministically linked in the model. Uncertainties with respect to PET or vegetation water use efficiency calculations can alter the simulated sign of regional responses, but the relative responses of adjacent regions appear to be largely a function of the background climate, rather than the vagaries of the GCMs, and are intrinsic to the landscape. Thus, spatial uncertainty maps can be drawn even under the current generation of GCMs.
Polycythaemia- and anaemia-inducing strains of spleen focus-forming virus differ in post-translational processing of envelope-related glycoproteins

A virus preparation was isolated by Friend which produced a rapid erythroblastosis in certain strains of mice1. Although the original virus preparation induced a slight anaemia in the terminal stages of the disease, other variants, derived from various in vivo and in vitro passages of the original virus, were associated with polycythaemia2,3, and the different viruses were accordingly classified as FVA (Friend virus anaemia-inducing) or FVP (Friend virus polycythaemia-inducing). Another important difference between the two strains is that whereas FVP induces in infected mice cells that are capable of forming colonies in vitro in the absence of erythropoietin4,5, colonies formed by cells derived from FVA-infected mice are erythropoietin dependent6–9. Differences were also noted in the amount of haemoglobin present in erythroid bursts produced after in vitro infection of haematopoietic cells with FVP or FVA22. Both FVA and FVP virus stocks have been shown to consist of at least two different viruses: the spleen focus-forming virus (SFFVP or SFFVA), a replication defective virus; and the Friend murine leukaemia virus (F-MuLV), a replication competent virus which acts as a helper virus for replication of the defective SFFV6,23. Here, in an attempt to correlate differences in the biological effects of the SFFVs derived from FVP and FVA stocks with biochemical properties of proteins encoded by them, we have compared the post-translational processing of the envelope glycoproteins encoded by these viruses, and have found both qualitative and quantitative differences in the processing of the envelope glycoproteins of the two virus stocks.
The annihilation diagram in three-body D-meson decay

We discuss some features of three-body decays of the D meson which are puzzling from the standpoint of the annihilation diagram. As a result, we (1) provide an upper bound on the lifetime ratio of D's, τ+D/τ0D < 2.5 ± 3.4 and (2) argue that the puzzles are resolved, even if somewhat inelegantly, if final state interactions generate the annihilation diagram.
Robust structural damage identification based on multi‐objective optimization

Structural damage identification is an inverse problem, which often is formulated as an optimization problem. The design variables are degrees of damage in computational model, and the objective is the discrepancies between the computed responses and the measured responses. Conventional single-objective optimization approach defines the objective function by combining multiple error terms into a single one, which leads to a weaker constraint in solving the identification problem. An alternative approach explained in this paper is a multi-objective approach that simultaneously minimizes multiple error terms. A stronger constraint from multiple objectives promotes the solutions to converge to the correct solution. Numerical examples based on static testing are provided to illustrate the multi-objective approach. Also, conceptual explanations are given to extend the approach to include both the static testing and the dynamic testing. Expected challenges will also be explained.
A new autoradiographic approach for imaging forebrain dopamine distribution

Regional distribution of carbon 14 activity in the forebrain was studied autoradiographically following systemic administration of tracer doses of L-[14C]-dopa to rats pretreated with carbidopa. Five minutes after the injection, regional forebrain distribution of carbon 14 varied with regional cerebral blood flow. At 45 minutes, 2 hours, and 4 hours after administration of 14C-dopa, however, carbon 14 activity had accumulated selectively in forebrain regions rich in dopamine (e.g., the striatum, olfactory tubercle, and nucleus accumbens). A unilateral lesion of the substantia nigra markedly attenuated the accumulation of carbon 14 in the ipsilateral striatum, while reserpine pretreatment reduced by about 50% the accumulation of carbon 14 in the striatum bilaterally. These results outline a new autoradiographic method for mapping forebrain dopamine systems and suggest an approach to imaging brain dopaminergic neurons in humans by positron emission tomography.
Internal erosion rates of a 10-kW xenon ion thruster

A 30 cm diameter divergent magnetic field ion thruster, developed for mercury operation at 2.7 kW, was modified and operated with xenon propellant at a power level of 10 kW for 567 h to evaluate thruster performance and lifetime. The major differences between this thruster and its baseline configuration were elimination of the three mercury vaporizers, use of a main discharge cathode with a larger orifice, reduction in discharge baffle diameter, and use of an ion accelerating system with larger acceleration grid holes. Grid thickness measurement uncertainties, combined with estimates of the effects of reactive residual facility background gases gave a minimum screen grid lifetime of 7000 h. Discharge cathode orifice erosion rates were measured with three different cathodes with different initial orifice diameters. Three potential problems were identified during the wear test: the upstream side of the discharge baffle eroded at an unacceptable rate; two of the main cathode tubes experienced oxidation, deformation, and failure; and the accelerator grid impingement current was more than an order of magnitude higher than that of the baseline mercury thruster. The charge exchange ion erosion was not quantified in this test. There were no measurable changes in the accelerator grid thickness or the accelerator grid hole diameters.
Influences of Campus Recruiting on Applicant Attraction to Firms

In the context of campus recruiting for organizational positions, this study examined the influences of recruiter behaviors and characteristics and interview focus and structure on applicants’ attr...
Using composition techniques to improve classroom instruction and students' understanding of proof

This paper describes an effort to incorporate standard composition exercises into a sophomore-level discrete mathematics class. It provides an example of how peer review can be integrated with a mathematical curriculum through the writing of proofs.
Nutritional care of the geriatric patient

The special nutritional needs of the elderly are described and practical information is provided to assist the home care professional in meeting these needs and preventing nutritionally related problems.
Kinetic study of asphaltene dissolution in amphiphile/alkane solutions

The kinetics of dissolution of pentane-insoluble solid asphaltene precipitates by amphiphile/alkane solutions were investigated using a differential reactor flow system. Two amphiphiles, dodecylben...
Diagnostic system for IC manufacturing

A diagnostic system for intrawafer variability analysis which is part of the CMU (Carnegie Mellon University) diagnostic system is described. The system presented can be used to analyze parametric data for the purposes of understanding the causes of yield loss. Data from an industrial fabrication line were analyzed to show the validity of the approach. Key features of this approach are a brief learning phase and the ability to use both spatial information and electrical characteristics in the analysis. The intrawafer variability analysis system can interpret the data by comparing the features with either historical data, test structure measurements, or simulated sensitivity information. This is possible because of the flexibility built into the feature selection method. >
Sensor fusion for context understanding

To answer the challenge of context-understanding for HCI, we propose and test experimentally a top-down sensor fusion approach. We seek to systematize the sensing process in two steps. first, decompose relevant context information in such a way that it can be described in a model of discrete facts and quantitative measurements, second, we build a generalizable sensor fusion architecture to deal with highly distributed sensors in a dynamic configuration to collect, fuse and populate our context information model. This paper describes our information model, system architecture, and preliminary experimental results.
Stationarity: Wanted Dead or Alive?1

Lins, Harry F. and Timothy A. Cohn, 2011. Stationarity: Wanted Dead or Alive? Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(3):475-480. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00542.x Abstract: Aligning engineering practice with natural process behavior would appear, on its face, to be a prudent and reasonable course of action. However, if we do not understand the long-term characteristics of hydroclimatic processes, how does one find the prudent and reasonable course needed for water management? We consider this question in light of three aspects of existing and unresolved issues affecting hydroclimatic variability and statistical inference: Hurst-Kolmogorov phenomena; the complications long-term persistence introduces with respect to statistical understanding; and the dependence of process understanding on arbitrary sampling choices. These problems are not easily addressed. In such circumstances, humility may be more important than physics; a simple model with well-understood flaws may be preferable to a sophisticated model whose correspondence to reality is uncertain.