cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Irradiation of pelvic and para-aortic nodes in carcinoma of the cervix

Extended-field irradiation offers a significant chance of cure for patients with para-aortic node metastases if pelvic disease can be controlled. Prognosis is best for patients with microscopic para-aortic disease or with a single enlarged node. Complications of extended-field irradiation can be minimized with careful radiation therapy technique that uses multiple fields and highenergy beams of 18 MV or greater and by avoiding transperitoneal surgical staging. Although the role of prophylactic para-aortic irradiation is still being defined, randomized trials suggest that extended fields do benefit some patients with locoregionally advanced disease.
A candidate gene family for the mouse t complex responder (Tcr) locus responsible for haploid effects on sperm function

Summary The mouse t complex responder (Tcr) locus plays a central haploid-specific role in the transmission ratio dii;tortion phenotype expressed during germ cell differentiation in f-carrying males. The accumulated data map Tcr to a region of less than 500 kb. Over 400 kb of this region has been cloned and consists entirely of sequences associated with a clustered family of large cross-hybridizing elements of 30 kb to 70 kb in size. We have characterized a gene family within this region that is expressed uniquely in male germ cells with a complex pattern of RNA processing. Antibodies produced against a product of the putative open reading frame recognize a testes-specific polypeptide. Genetic data support the hypothesis that this polypeptide(s) functions to effect the Tcr phenotype.
Aging as intracohort differentiation: accentuation the Matthew effect and the life course.

Recent contributions of sociologists and others have brought a new awareness and new theoretical understanding of the extent to which human aging and life-course patterns are shaped by social conditions and influenced by social change. Yet the potential of many social processes to account for individual aging patterns remains untapped, because research and theory have focused heavily upon comparisons between cohorts rather than the internal differentiation of cohorts. This paper shows that focusing upon intracohort differentiation over the life course leads to a mobilization of sociological findings whose age-related implications have not been exploited. Using the phenomenon of “aged heterogeneity” as an illustrative case, it is suggested that intracohort differentiation—operating through macro-level, organizational, and micro-level processes—can explain significant phenomena of aging previously neglected by theory, or else assumed to be psychological in origin. These processes specify Merton's “Matthew effect.” Implications for biological aging and for research are briefly discussed.
Alcohol expectancies and personality characteristics in young men

This study examines the relationship between alcohol expectancies and a variety of relevant personality factors among two different samples of young men. The results indicated that for both samples, measures of social anxiety and concern over the evaluation of other people were related to the beliefs that alcohol was a globally positive transforming agent and that alcohol increased social assertiveness. Also, hostility was related to the belief that alcohol increases power and aggression. Several potential explanations and directions for future research are discussed.
Physicians, entrepreneurism and the problem of conflict of interest.

This paper examines the ethical issues of conflict of interest raised by the burgeoning development of physician involvement in for-profit entrepreneurial activities outside their practice. After documenting the nature and extent of these activities, and their potential for conflicts of interest, the paper assesses the major arguments for and against physicians' referral of patients to facilities they own or in which they invest. The paper concludes that an outright ban on such activity seems ethically warranted.
Abundances from SMM spectroscopic observations for non-flaring coronal plasma☆

Abstract Plots of the Emission Measure vs . Temperature are used to look for deviations from the “standard” coronal abundance values for Oxygen, Neon, and Magnesium. The fluxes of three strong, relatively simple soft X-ray emission lines (O VIII at 18.97 A, Ne IX at 13.45 A, and Mg XI at 9.17 A) from spectra taken of quiescent active regions are analyzed. For four of the active regions investigated, the “standard” values of the abundances seem appropriate but, in the cases of four others variations from these values are required. The data indicate that the most likely source of these differences is a variation of the Neon abundance.
Solitary Pulmonary Nodules

150,000 solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN), defined as single rounded lung lesions not associated with any other lung lesions or lymph-adenopathy, measuring ≤3 cm in maximal diameter, are diagnosed annually in the United States. PET imaging with FDG has largely focused on characterizing “indeterminate” SPNs as malignant or benign. The incidence of malignancy exceeds 40% in the large majority of reports. Benign SPNs might represent granuloma, infections, carcinoid, adenoma, hamartoma, fibrosis, and others. Bronchogenic carcinoma represents the majority of malignant solitary pulmonary nodules. The considerable number of benign solitary pulmonary nodules implies that a large number of biopsies performed are unnecessary. For example, 20% to 40% of lung biopsies produce benign tissue but result in significant morbidity. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of PET alone for characterizing solitary pulmonary nodules is high. PET is cost-effective for characterizing solitary pulmonary nodules. Because Medicare reimburses PET/CT at the same level as PET, these cost-effectiveness data also apply to PET/CT. PET/CT can be especially helpful for characterizing small lung nodules with only mildly increased glycolytic activity. The sensitivity of PET declines significantly, however, when solitary nodules are smaller than 8 mm.
Functional mitral stenosis produced by an intra-atrial tumor.

Abstract 1. 1. A case of functional mitral stenosis produced by an intra-atrial tumor is presented. 2. 2. Examination of the tumor and the clinical background of the patient suggest that it was an organized pedunculated thrombus originating from the wall of the left atrium. 3. 3. Precise study revealed that the mitral stenosis was caused by an obstructing tumor and not rheumatic endocarditis. 4. 4. The classical evidence for an obstructing intra-atrial tumor may be absent when the mass is relatively immobile.
Interaction of exercise training and chronic ethanol ingestion on testicular antioxidant system in rat.

Recent evidence has indicated that exercise as well as ethanol exerts oxidative stress on vital organs/tissues of the body. However, the combination of both on the testicular antioxidant system is not known. This study investigates the interactive effects of exercise training and chronic ethanol ingestion on the testicular antioxidant system in rats. Male Fisher-344 rats were treated as follows: sedentary control (SC); exercise training (ET) for 6.5 weeks; ethanol (2 g kg(-1), p.o.) for 6.5 weeks; and ET plus ethanol for 6.5 weeks. Exercise training significantly decreased copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) activity and enzyme protein concentration (73% and 67% of SC), whereas manganese SOD (Mn-SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity significantly increased (157% and 141% of SC) in the testes of rat. Exercise training significantly decreased the testicular malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration (70% of SC). Chronic ethanol ingestion significantly decreased testicular CuZn-SOD activity, enzyme protein concentration and CAT activity (65, 70 and 47% of SC) in rats. Ethanol significantly increased the testicular MDA level (129% of SC). The combination of exercise training and chronic ethanol ingestion significantly decreased testicular CuZn-SOD protein, MDA and the reduced glutathione oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH/GSSG) by 62, 70 and 79%, respectively. The data suggest that exercise training provides protection whereas chronic ethanol ingestion exerts oxidative damage to the testes of rat. Exercise training seems to reduce the extent of oxidative damage caused by ethanol on the testes of rats.
The determination of cholesterol, calcium carbonate and calcium oxalate in gallstones by thermogravimetry

Abstract It has been demonstrated that thermogravimetry can be used to determine various ratios of cholesterol, calcium carbonate and calcium oxalate in synthetic mixtures. The individual mass losses occur at sufficiently different temperatures for them to be unambiguously assigned to a specific decomposition reaction. The study has been extended to investigate the composition of some 20 natural gallstones, all of which contained cholesterol as the main component. Cholesterol was found to decompose in a single well defined step. Rising temperature experiments were conducted to ascertain the Arrhenius parameters. The kinetics of degradation was unaffected by the presence of the other constituents.
Efforts to control sexually transmitted diseases as a means to limit HIV transmission: Pros and cons

A large body of literature suggests that treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) has a measurable effect on reducing HIV infectiousness and susceptibility at both the individual and general population levels. Recent research includes biological studies on genital herpes and genital shedding of HIV-1; two large-scale, community-based clinical trials in Africa; and the use of mathematical modeling to further explore data from these landmark trials. These studies suggest that a combination of improved STD services, syndromic management, and periodic mass treatment tailored to the dynamics of the HIV/AIDS/STD epidemic in a given population can help reduce overall HIV transmission.
The ODAS Italia 1 buoy: More than forty years of activity in the Ligurian Sea

Abstract The Ligurian Sea plays a relevant role in driving both the circulation of the Western Mediterranean Sea and the weather and climate of the area. In order to better understand the peculiarities of this basin, the Oceanographic Data Acquisition System (ODAS) Italia 1 buoy was developed and deployed in the early ‘70s. Throughout the years, the buoy has been fitted with updated measuring and data acquiring systems. Since 2003 the buoy has been part of the Mediterranean Moored Multi-sensor Array network of fixed open ocean observatories with the W1-M3A identifier and presently constitutes one of the Mediterranean sites of the European FixO3 network. Recently, a deep-ocean sub-surface mooring line was, and is, deployed close to it in relation to specific projects. This multidisciplinary observing system is able to perform both long-term operational and ad-hoc monitoring from the lower atmosphere to the deep ocean. It is used for analysis of air–sea interaction processes, study of the physical proprieties of the water column, bio-geo-chemical monitoring of the sea, meteorological and oceanographic model evaluation, calibration of remotely sensed measurements, and development of innovative marine monitoring technologies. After reporting some historical notes and the description of the observing system, this paper summarises and reviews the main oceanographic and atmospheric studies performed during the last 15 years using the data acquired on board.
Microwave absorption by vortex cores in the high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-x.

Direct absorption measurements of microwave energy having energy less than the superconducting gap in the granular composites of the 90-K superconductor ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$ as a function of dc magnetic-field strength between 0.1 and 1.0 T reveal a nonlinearly increasing absorption of microwave energy with increasing field strength. The absorption can be detected in regions of the T-H phase diagram in which thermally activated flux flow does not occur. The temperature and field dependences of the absorption are different from those for low-magnetic-field absorption (H0.06 T) and are shown to be consistent with the behavior expected by the absorption of microwave energy by normal carriers at the cores of vortices in type-II superconducting materials.
Increased Expression of Ribosomal Binding Protein L41 Induced by Overexpression of the dHAND Transcription Factor in NIH-3T3 Cells

Increased Expression of Ribosomal Binding Protein L41 Induced by Overexpression of the dHAND Transcription Factor in NIH-3T3 Cells
Real Reform or Change for Chumps: Earmark Policy Developments, 2006–2010

In response to widespread perceptions of problems associated with congressional earmarks, reform efforts began in late 2006 and continued through 2010. This essay summarizes those problems, explains the distribution of earmarks within Congress, and documents their rise and relative fall between 1991 and 2010 using government and public interest group databases. The author explains and critiques earmark reform policies, including congressional rules, initiatives taken by the congressional appropriations committees, and reforms pursued by the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations. Congressional rules and committee-initiated reforms have been most effective, resulting in significant improvements in earmark transparency and accountability. The number and dollar value of earmarks first dropped noticeably in fiscal year 2007 after an earmark moratorium, and then stabilized as reforms were implemented. It is premature to conclude that these levels will continue or that reforms will alter the policy content of earmarks or their distribution among members of Congress.
Stable isotope evaluation of the origins of amino acids in fossils

The racemization reactions of amino acids in Quaternary fossil materials have been exploited for absolute dating1,2, stratigraphic correlation3,4 and palaeothermometry5. Recent work has involved the isolation of amino acid constituents of proteinaceous material from fossil bones for 14C dating6 and for establishing ancient dietary preferences by determining the stable nitrogen and carbon isotopic compositions of fossil collagens7,8. Such investigations are often hindered by a lack of control over the indigeneity of these compounds, as the ubiquitous nature of amino acids generally precludes the determination of the absolute authenticity of amino acids in fossils by conventional means. However, the amino acids in organisms have been found to have distinct stable isotopic compositions9,10. Here we report experimental results which indicate that after the death of an organism, low-temperature diagenetic reactions such as racemization should not cause a significant shift in the stable carbon or nitrogen isotopic compositions of the resultant D- and L-amino acid enantiomer products. We therefore propose that a comparison of these enantiomers from individual amino acids isolated from fossils may provide, for the first time, a method for establishing the absolute indigeneity of these compounds.
Time-to-contact measures capture modulations in posture based on the precision demands of a manual task

The integration between posture and manual control while performing fitting tasks of varying difficulty was investigated. Participants fit a block into either a small (high precision) or large (low precision) opening while standing on a force plate. Postural time-to-contact was used to quantify changes in posture that occurred during the fitting movement. Results suggest that posture became more stabilized when fitting through the small opening (postural time-to-contact values were higher) compared to when fitting through the large opening. Additionally, when fitting through the small opening, individuals modulated sway based on the instantaneous demands of the task. Specifically, time-to-contact was lower towards the end of a fitting movement (as the individual prepared to fit the block through the opening) compared to the beginning of the movement. These results suggest that the dynamics of postural sway are constantly changing based on the constraints of a concurrent task.
Long-term follow-up of spinal cord injury patients with vesicoureteral reflux.

The medical records of 32 spinal cord injury patients with 43 vesicoureteral refluxes admitted to our hospital from 1970 to 1982 were retrospectively reviewed. These patients were followed yearly with pyelograms together with cystograms or cysto-urethrograms. Many of these individuals were on an indwelling Foley catheter at the time reflux was detected, indicating that free urinary drainage such as a Foley catheter did not prevent reflux formation. Further, the majority of refluxes developed 1—2 years post-injury, and some disappeared spontaneously without causing any damage to the urinary tract. However, the indwelling Foley catheter was ineffective for reflux treatment because in the long run it did not prevent progression of vesicoureteral reflux and did not protect the refluxing kidney from damage. We also noticed that the incidence of reflux was statistically higher in patients with complete spinal lesion than in those with incomplete neurological dysfunction. This incidence was also higher in individuals with an upper motor neuron lesion.
The Transformation of Teacher Education and Special Education Work in Progress

As public schools implement the national reform agenda and as educational philosophy and practice reflect the changes in culture and science, teacher educators are finding themselves needing to make more extensive changes in their programs and in themselves. what follows is a discussion of the changes in one department of special education that restructured all aspects of its program in order to respond to educational reforms in institutions of higher education and to the reforms relative to services integration. addressing the broad reform agendas that cut across and integrate fields of education, social welfare, public health, and other service systems has resulted in changes both within the university of south florida and between the university and the community. a major focus of this article is on our attempt to address the changing needs of teachers and schools. a discussion of the national and local contexts of our work, and the philosophy guiding our research and program development, is followed by...
Modeled Analysis on Requantization Error

Requantization has many applications in the processing of compressed multimedia content. However, no work has thorough analysis on its dynamics. A previous work has only numerically evaluated this process since it is found difficult to track analytically. We present a new approach in this paper to carry out an analytical study based on analysis of the intervals using number theory. This work proves some of the insights proposed before as propositions. The theoretical results also serve as a foundation in further algorithm development for requantization-related applications
The paradoxical relationship between animal dander, exposure, sensitization and asthma: is there a hierarchy of inhalant allergens?

Summary Although sensitization to allergens is undoubtedly dependent on exposure, there is now extensive evidence that high exposure to cat allergens does not consistently increase the prevalence of sensitization. Investigating this paradoxical effect of high exposure provides an opportunity to understand the mechanisms of control of allergic disease. The evidence suggests that the T cell response to specific peptides in Fel d 1 is important to the development of tolerance. In addition, it is possible that the “tolerant” response to cat allergens is sufficient to explain why the prevalence and severity of allergic disease (particularly asthma) is lower in those countries where (because of the absence of dust mites) cats are the dominant source of indoor allergens.
Divisio as em‐/de‐powering topic: A basis for argument in rhetoric and composition 1

(1990). Divisio as em‐/de‐powering topic: A basis for argument in rhetoric and composition. Rhetoric Review: Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 191-205.
NICMOS: Lessons learned for future space infrared instrumentation

Temperature variations in the NICMOS detectors arise from a variety of thermal sources. These thermal variations lead to several image artifacts which must be removed before making quantitative scientific measurements from NICMOS data. Future instruments would do well to minimize sources of thermal instabilities in their detectors. A related problem is the inability to directly measure detector temperature from bias due to the instability of the low-voltage power supply in NICMOS. Identifying ways to directly monitor detector temperatures would be an important benefit for future missions.
Evaluating the impact of water conservation on fate of outdoor water use: A study in an arid region

In this research, the impact of several water conservation policies and return flow credits on the fate of water used outdoors in an arid region is evaluated using system dynamics modeling approach. Return flow credits is a strategy where flow credits are obtained for treated wastewater returned to a water body, allowing for the withdrawal of additional water equal to the amount returned as treated wastewater. In the return credit strategy, treated wastewater becomes a resource. This strategy creates a conundrum in which conservation may lead to an apparent decrease in water supply because less wastewater is generated and returned to water body. The water system of the arid Las Vegas Valley in Nevada, USA is used as basis for the dynamic model. The model explores various conservation scenarios to attain the daily per capita demand target of 752 l by 2035: (i) status quo situation where conservation is not implemented, (ii) conserving water only on the outdoor side, (iii) conserving water 67% outdoor and 33% indoor, (iv) conserving equal water both in the indoor and outdoor use (v) conserving water only on the indoor side. The model is validated on data from 1993 to 2008 and future simulations are carried out up to 2035. The results show that a substantial portion of the water used outdoor either evapo-transpires (ET) or infiltrates to shallow groundwater (SGW). Sensitivity analysis indicated that seepage to groundwater is more susceptible to ET compared to any other variable. The all outdoor conservation scenario resulted in the highest return flow credits and the least ET and SGW. A major contribution of this paper is in addressing the water management issues that arise when wastewater is considered as a resource and developing appropriate conservation policies in this backdrop. The results obtained can be a guide in developing outdoor water conservation policies in arid regions.
Common priors under incomplete information: a unification

While the meaningfulness of the common prior assumption (CPA) under incomplete information has been established recently by various authors, its epistemic rationale has not yet been adequately clarified. To do so, we provide a characterization of the CPA in terms of a new condition called “Mutual Calibration”, and argue that it constitutes a more transparent and more primitive formalization of the Harsanyi Doctrine than the existing characterizations. Our analysis unifies the understanding of the CPA under incomplete information and clarifies the role of higher-order expectations and of the difference between situations with only two and those with at least three agents. In the concluding section, the analysis is applied to the problem of defining Bayesian consistency of the intertemporal beliefs of a single-agent with imperfect memory. The CPA yields a notion of “Bayesian updating without a prior”.
Calorimeter for picosecond laser pulses.

Calorimeters have been designed and constructed that can measure the energy content of picosecond 1.06-μm laser pulses ranging in energy from ~13 μJ to 200 J. Noise levels are approximately 55 dB below individual instruments’ upper limits. The thermopile output voltage peaks in less than 2 sec and recovers with a time constant of ~50 sec or less.
An empirical comparison: tree and lattice structures for symbolic data bases

Unidirectional trees and lattices may both be used to hold a symbolic data base consisting of lexes, lexemes or other symbol strings. This paper empirically compares placing symbolic information into both trees and lattices (a lattice may be thought of as a unidirectional network with single and initiating and terminating nodes).
Generalization of Lagrange's implicit function theorem to N-dimensions

Lagrange implicit functions generalization to n dimensions, developing inversion as power series
Safety Evaluation of Multilane Arterials in Florida

Resurfacing is one of the more common construction activities on highways. While its effect on riding quality on any type of roadway is obviously positive; its impact on safety as measured in terms of crashes is far from obvious. This study examines the safety effects of the resurfacing projects on multilane arterials with partially limited access. Empirical Bayes method, which is one of the most accepted approaches for conducting before-after evaluations, has been used to assess the safety effects of the resurfacing projects. Safety effects are estimated not only in terms of all crashes but also rear-end as well as severe crashes (crashes involving incapacitating and fatal injuries). The safety performance functions (SPFs) used in this study are negative binomial crash frequency estimation models that use the information on ADT, length of the segments, speed limit and number of lanes. These SPFs are segregated by crash groups (all, rear-end, and severe), length of the segments being evaluated, and land use (urban, suburban, and rural). The results of the analysis show that the resulting changes in safety following resurfacing projects vary widely. Evaluating additional improvements carried out with resurfacing activities showed that all (other than sidewalk improvements for total crashes) of them consistently led to improvements in safety of multilane arterial sections. It leads to the inference that it may be a good idea to take up additional improvements if it is cost effective to do them along with resurfacing. It was also found that the addition of turning lanes (left and/or right) and paving shoulders were two improvements associated with a project's relative performance in terms of reduction in rear-end crashes.
Mean Square Efficiency of Estimators of Variance Components

Abstract Various estimators of components of variance for the balanced one way layout are compared using mean squared error as a measure of performance. Several modifications of the maximum likelihood estimator and several formal Bayes estimators are compared and mean square error relationships are given. Inadmissibility is established for a large class of translation and scale invariant estimators. Numerical results are tabled and graphed to exhibit the relative efficiency of the estimators considered.
A lethal tetrad in diabetes: hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction

ABSTRACT: This paper addresses the consequences of diabetes and obesity, diseases that have become epidemic in our society, particularly in the past 20 years. Specifically, it summarizes current knowledge about some of the risk factors and mechanisms for the vascular complications of diabetes. These complications can be broadly divided into microvascular disease, such as diabetic retinopathy and diabetic nephropathy, and macrovascular disease, such as accelerated atherosclerosis, and they are the main cause for morbidity and premature mortality among diabetic patients. The roles of hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and dyslipoproteinemia, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction will be considered. Finally, the “treatment gap” will be addressed. This gap refers to our failure to achieve currently accepted goals to reduce established risk factors for complications in the clinical management of diabetic patients.
Disruption of Prefrontal Cortex Large Scale Neuronal Activity by Different Classes of Psychotomimetic Drugs

In the absence of overt cellular pathology but profound perceptual disorganization and cognitive deficits, schizophrenia is increasingly considered a disorder of neural coordination. Thus, different causal factors can similarly interrupt the dynamic function of neuronal ensembles and networks, in particular in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), leading to behavioral disorganization. The importance of establishing preclinical biomarkers for this aberrant function has prompted investigations into the nature of psychotomimetic drug effects on PFC neuronal activity. The drugs used in this context include serotonergic hallucinogens, amphetamine, and NMDA receptor antagonists. A prominent line of thinking is that these drugs create psychotomimetic states by similarly disinhibiting the activity of PFC pyramidal neurons. In the present study we did not find evidence in support of this mechanism in PFC subregions of freely moving rats. Whereas the NMDA receptor antagonist MK801 increased PFC population activity, the serotonergic hallucinogen DOI dose-dependently decreased population activity. Amphetamine did not strongly affect this measure. Despite different effects on the direction of change in activity, all three drugs caused similar net disruptions of population activity and modulated gamma oscillations. We also observed reduced correlations between spike-rate and local field potential power selectively in the gamma band suggesting that these drugs disconnect spike-discharge from PFC gamma oscillators. Gamma band oscillations support cognitive functions affected in schizophrenia. These findings provide insight into mechanisms that may lead to cortical processing deficits in schizophrenia and provide a novel electrophysiological approach for phenotypic characterization of animal models of this disease.
Modulation of protooncogene expression in rat aortic smooth muscle cells by benzo[a]pyrene.

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), such as benzo[ a ]pyrene (BaP), cause vascular lesions of atherosclerotic etiology in avian and rodent species. Because the development of these lesions is associated with aberrant proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs), the present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of BaP on DNA synthesis and protooncogene expression in rat aortic SMCs. Subcultured cells were exposed to BaP (0.3-30 μM) for various times and processed for measurements of [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation and c-Ha-ms or c-myc protooncogene expression. Sucrose density gradient analysis and gel mobility shift assays were employed to assess binding of BaP to intracellular proteins in the nuclear fraction and their interaction with a synthetic dioxin responsive element (DRE), respectively. BaP (0.3 and 3 μM) increased DNA synthetic rates in randomly cycling SMCs in a concentration- and time-dependent fashion. Increased DNA synthesis was also observed in synchronized SMCs treated with 3.0 μM BaP. Challenge of quiescent SMCs with 10% fetal bovine serum in the presence of BaP for 8 h enhanced serum-induced c-Ha-ras and c-myc protooncogene expression. Velocity sedimentation analysis of the nuclear fraction from SMCs treated with 0.3 μM [ 3 H]BaP resulted in specifically bound peaks of 4.4 S and 6.5 S. The 6.5 S peak was competitively inhibited in the presence of unlabeled 10 μM 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran, an aryl hydrocarbon ligand, while both peaks were eliminated in cells cotreated with 10 μM α-naphthoflavone (α-NF), an inhibitor of cytochrome P450 and an antagonist of PAH-protein interactions. α-NF also inhibited the induction of c-Ha-ras mRNA and DNA synthesis by BaP and the binding of BaP-Ah receptor complexes to the DRE. These results show that BaP enhances serum-induced protooncogene expression during the early part of the cell cycle in rat nortic SMCs and suggest that binding of HaP to intracellular proteins may play a role in these responses.
Two-phase model of mercury chemistry in the atmosphere

Abstract A hybrid kinetic and equilibrium model simulating the conditions in clouds is developed to assess mercury chemistry in the atmosphere. Simulation of an air parcel containing cloud droplets is used to examine the effects of a number of physical and chemical parameters on the evolution of dissolved divalent mercury [Hg(II)] concentration profiles. Sensitivity analysis on each parameter is performed and the resulting Hg(II) profiles are plotted. The modeled steady-state Hg(II) levels are then compared to the measured values in precipitation. It is found that gaseous-phase oxidation of elemental mercury by ozone contributes a significant fraction of dissolved Hg(II) in the droplets, and that aqueous phase radical (i.e. OH and HO 2 ) play an important role in mercury transformations. S(IV) is an important reductant for aqueous-phase Hg(II). However, the contribution of S(IV) in mercury chemistry is limited to the cases when aqueous phase S(IV) is present at a concentration to maximize HgSO 3 formation. After the system reaches a steady state, HO 2 is the only reductant to balance the Hg(II) production by various oxidation pathways in both phases. Based on the simulation results, it is suggested that more oxidation pathways should be identified to better describe mercury chemistry in the atmosphere.
LRS-J: instrument design and characterization

LRS-J is a 142 mm f /1 near infrared (J-Band) camera designed as a drop in replacement for the optical camera installed on the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) multi-object low resolution spectrograph (LRS). The Hawaii-1RG (H1RG) based instrument is liquid nitrogen cooled, but it mates to the warm LRS making use of the existing longslit and multi-object (MOS) units as well as the existing optical collimator. LRS-J utilizes a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) based Hawaii-1RG (H1RG) detector. The design is a fully cryogenic catadioptric Maksutov-type, with the detector at the internal focus. This configuration produces excellent images, but presents particular challenges in the mounting of the detector. This is the first time that such an arrangement has been used in an astronomical instrument with an infrared detector. By replacing the conventional optical grisms with two 170 mm diameter near-IR VPH grisms, LRS-J covers the 0.9-1.3 μm bandpass with R ~ 1750-2000. We present the opto-mechanical design of LRS-J including the thermally self-compensating corrector doublet mount, and 100 μm/turn cryogenic mirror adjusters, FEA optimized vacuum housing, and custom Dewar. We also characterize the electrical and thermal connections necessary to mount the detector head in this unusually small inverted arrangement.
Belief in stable and fleeting luck and achievement motivation

The current work seeks to understand the relationship between luck beliefs and achievement motivation. We hypothesized and found evidence that belief in stable rather than fleeting luck positively relates to achievement motivation (Study 1). Furthermore, belief in stable luck affects achievement motivation via personal agency beliefs (Study 2). These findings add to our understanding of the causal beliefs associated with a sense of mastery and preference for challenging tasks.
Significant differences in the activities of α-amylases in the absence and presence of polyethylene glycol assayed on eight starches solubilized by two methods

Starch is a reserve chemical source of the energy of the sun found in plants as a water-insoluble granule that differs in their chemical and physical properties, depending on the source. The granules can be solubilized by heating in water or by treatment with various reagents, such as 1M NaOH. alpha-Amylases are widely distributed enzymes that initiate the hydrolysis of starch into low molecular weight maltodextrins. We recently found that the activities of a single alpha-amylase on two different starches were significantly different. We then determined the activities of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and porcine pancreas alpha-amylases, using eight different starches, solubilized by two methods: autoclaving at 121 degrees C and 1M NaOH at 20 degrees C. There were significant differences in the activities of both of the amylases on all eight of the starches. Previously, it had been found that polyethylene glycol (PEG) stabilized and activated the activities of both enzymes, using a soluble amylose as the substrate. Addition of PEG to the enzymes greatly increased the activities on the eight starches, but the activities still differed significantly. The different activities with the starches were hypothesized as differences in the amounts of secondary and tertiary structures that are partially retained when the different starches are solubilized; the activities on addition of PEG is hypothesized as the formation of highly active species from a series of less active forms.
Job security, employment and wages

Abstract Job security provisions are often cited as a major factor in the high unemployment in European economies. This paper finds that such provisions do not bias labor demand toward lower average employment at given wages, nor do they bias wage determination toward higher wages. In the countries considered, medium and long run employment appears unrelated to the extent of job security legislation. In high job security countries, wages tend to be lower and more sensitive to outside unemployment. Job security provisions alone cannot be blamed for the high unemployment in European countries.
Positive psychological states and coping with severe stress.

Providing care to a spouse or partner who is dying and then losing that person are among the most stressful of human experiences. A longitudinal study of the caregiving partners of men with AIDS showed that in addition to intense negative psychological states, these men also experienced positive psychological states throughout caregiving and bereavement. The co-occurrence of positive and negative psychological states in the midst of enduring and profoundly stressful circumstances has important implications for our understanding of the coping process. Coping theory has traditionally focused on the management of distress. This article describes coping processes that are associated with positive psychological states in the context of intense distress and discusses the theoretical implications of positive psychological states in the coping process.
Groundwater potentiometric decline in the Springfield, Missouri area

The decline of the potentiometric surface of the Ozark aquifer underneath Springfield Missouri intensified during the 1980s and has been of concern since. From 1990 to the present, the shifting of population from urban to rural areas and water management changes to use more surface water created an opportunity for groundwater levels to recover. However, in 2002 private well owners reported low levels and water problems, which prompted mapping the new cone of depression. To this purpose, well data measured from private wells and data available elsewhere were mapped using GIS mapping tools. The results show a cone of depression extending towards the recently developed areas south of Springfield while the potentiometric levels of some areas within the city had recovered. The maps show that, compared to the 1987 conditions, the present cone of depression has changed significantly in extent and shape while its maximum depth has changed only slightly.
The marriage premium and compensating wage differentials.

This paper proposes and tests an alternative explanation of the marriage premium that relies upon differences in workers' tastes and compensating wage differentials. A key assumption is that marital status proxies for the consumption of family goods — such as children; and that these are costly. Workers whose greater demands for family goods are taste-generated are shown to choose jobs that offer greater wage, and lesser nonpecuniary compensation. This creates an observed wage premium that has nothing to do with differences in workers' productivities. Supporting empirical evidence for this hypothesis is presented, including a reevaluation of previous studies.
Primary dendrite spacing I. Experimental studies

Abstract Directional solidification experiments have been carried out to study primary dendrite spacing of lead dendrites in Pb-Sn alloys over a very wide range of temperature gradient, G , solidification rate, V , and alloy composition. Based on these experiments, the primary dendrite spacings, λ, is found not to obey the correlation λ = KG - a V - b over a wide range of velocity and gradient values. For a constant V , λ is found to decrease as G is increased, and only for high velocity values is a correlation of the form λ = AG - a obtained. Even in this case the exponent a is found to be a function of velocity. Furthermore, for a given G , λ appears to go through a maximum as a function of velocity.
Docetaxel and ketoconazole in advanced hormone-refractory prostate carcinoma: a phase I and pharmacokinetic study.

BACKGROUND Docetaxel has significant single-agent activity in patients with prostate carcinoma, and ketoconazole has activity as a second-line hormonal agent. In vitro, ketoconazole exhibits synergy with several chemotherapeutic agents. A potential drug interaction exists, however, because both docetaxel and ketoconazole are metabolized hepatically by the cytochrome p450 system (CYP3A4). The authors performed a Phase I study and a pharmacokinetic study evaluating the both tolerability of a docetaxel/ketoconazole combination as well as this potential drug interaction. METHODS For all initial patients, docetaxel was administered intravenously at a dose of 55 mg/m2 over 1 hour every 21 days. Starting on Day 8 after their first docetaxel dose, cohorts of at least 3–5 new patients were enrolled to receive escalating doses of ketoconazole. When the maximally tolerated dose (MTD) of ketoconazole was reached, the subsequent cohort of patients received an escalating dose of docetaxel. Pharmacokinetic studies were performed after docetaxel infusions on Day 1 (prior to ketoconazole) and Day 22 (after starting ketoconazole). RESULTS Twenty-six patients were enrolled and completed at least 2 cycles of treatment. The MTD was ketoconazole 400 mg twice daily and docetaxel 55 mg/m2. Dose-limiting toxicities included neutropenia and fatigue. Ketoconazole did not cause a consistent effect on docetaxel pharmacokinetics, although there was significant intrapatient and interpatient variability in serum levels. CONCLUSIONS The recommended Phase II dose for this combination is ketoconazole 400 mg twice daily and docetaxel 55 mg/m2 every 21 days. Cancer 2003. Published 2003 by the American Cancer Society.
DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR THEORY TESTING: The Efficient Use of Field Experimentation in Local Level Political Research

This paper identifies certain characteristics of field experimentation that if more widely appreciated could persuade more political scientists — especially behavioralists — to consider adopting a field experimental strategy in dealing with the testing of their theoretical models. Specifically, this paper identifies the greater ease of analysis provided by experiment-generated data and certain improvements in the design and execution of field experiments that ease the burden of the researcher at the most difficult phase of such research, that is, at the design and data collection stages of the research. These improvements involve the integration of more than one test design into a field experiment such that a given field experiment can be used to answer a multiplicity of questions. This can include situations where two or more researchers work their own tests into a given experimental occasion such that the magnitude of effort is reduced for all involved — and thus the final product will not only be more methodologically defensible but also more practical to accomplish.
Pharmacological analysis of 5-hydroxytryptamine actions on guinea-pig ileal mucosa.

Abstract The possibility that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is involved in the chloride secretory response evoked by electrical stimulation of submucosal neurons was investigated in guinea-pig ileum set up in Ussing flux chambers. When electrical stimulus pulses of 0.5 ms duration, amplitude of 3.2 mA and frequency of 10 Hz were applied repetitively in the plane of the tissue, a biphasic increase in short-circuit current (Isc) occurred. After tachyphylaxis to 5-HT or when the 5-HT antagonist cisapride was present in the bathing solutions, electrical stimulation of enteric nerves still evoked a biphasic change in Isc that was similar in magnitude to the response before either treatment. Cisapride (5 μM) prevented the mucosal response to exogenous 5-HT without altering the functional integrity of the tissues. Addition of 100 μM 5-HT to the submucosal side of the tissue evoked a biphasic increase in Isc that reflected primarily chloride secretion. Tetrodotoxin and atropine significantly reduced but did not abolish the change in Isc and chloride secretion. These results suggest that the mucosal response evoked by electrical field stimulation is not mediated by release of 5-HT at neuro-enterocyte junctions or from endocrine elements. 5-Hydroxytryptamine activated enteric cholinergic neurons within the submucosal plexus to stimulate chloride secretion.
Energy and rate based MAC protocol for wireless sensor networks

Sensor networks are typically unattended because of their deployment in hazardous, hostile or remote environments. This makes the problem of conserving energy at individual sensor nodes challenging. S-MAC and PAMAS are two MAC protocols which periodically put nodes (selected at random) to sleep in order to achieve energy savings. Unlike these protocols, we propose an approach in which node duty cycles (i.e sleep and wake schedules) are based on their criticality. A distributed algorithm is used to find sets of winners and losers, who are then assigned appropriate slots in our TDMA based MAC protocol. We introduce the concept of of energy-criticality of a sensor node as a function of energies and traffic rates. Our protocol makes more critical nodes sleep longer, thereby balancing the energy consumption. Simulation results show that the performance of the protocol with increase in traffic load is better than existing protocols with increase in traffic load is better than existing protocols, thereby illustrating the energy balancing nature of the approach.
Thyroplasty type I: Short- versus long-term results

OBJECTIVE After thyroplasty type I, significant improvement has been reported in objective measures of vocal function. The purpose of this investigation was to compare the short- and long-term resu...
The Columbia Guide to Digital Publishing

This is not the easiest book to read from cover to cover, but the gems of information embedded within make it well worth the time to explore pertinent chapters that answer individual questions. Tou...
Ausscheidung parenteral verabfolgten Jodes mit dem menschlichen Cervicalmucus

Intravenos verabfolgtes J131 wird bereits wenige Minuten nach Injektion mit dem menschlichen Cervicalmucus ausgeschieden. Im Verlauf der 1. Std steigt die Konzentration von J131 im Mucus um ein Vielfaches gegenuber der von Serum an; damit nimmt der Quotient J131 Mucus/Serum zu, welcher nach der 1. Std einem mehr oder weniger ausgepragten Gleichgewicht zustrebt.