cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Direct synchronous luminescence detection of co-eluting solutes in pseudophase liquid chromatography

Abstract Synchronous luminescence (SL) was used as the detection method for liquid chromatography (LC) to identify polynuclear aromatic (PNA) components that co-elute in the course of an LC separation. As many as five compounds could be identified from a single chromatographic peak. Several scans can be made easily for every eluting peak, however a single scan is sufficient to produce a complete SL spectrum of a complex mixture. No significant loss of chromatographic efficiency due to SL detection was observed. Optimum wavelength intervals (Δλ) varied between 10 and 50 nm. The micellar matrix served as the mobile phase and produced an enhancement effect on the luminescence signals.
General intelligence predicts reasoning ability even for evolutionarily familiar content

Abstract The existence of general-purpose cognitive mechanisms related to intelligence, which appear to facilitate all forms of problem solving, conflicts with the strong modularity view of the mind espoused by some evolutionary psychologists. The current study assessed the contribution of general intelligence (g) to explaining variation in contextualized deductive reasoning. One hundred and twelve participants solved 70 contextualized reasoning problems in a computerized version of the Wason Card Selection Task that recorded both accuracy and reaction time. Consistent with prior research, in the sample as a whole, precautionary and social exchange reasoning problems were solved more frequently and more quickly than reasoning problems about arbitrary rules. At the individual-differences level of analysis, however, performance on all reasoning tests was significantly correlated and loaded on a single deductive-reasoning accuracy factor. Further, this factor was significantly correlated with g. There was no relation, however, between g and the speed of arriving at the correct answer for any form of deductive reasoning. We discuss the implications of these findings for evolutionary psychology, intelligence, and reasoning.
Characterization of a spectrally segmented photodiode-array spectrometer for inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

Abstract The utility of a spectrally segmented photodiode array (PDA) spectrometer (Plasmarray, The Leco Corporation) was examined in its application to inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The spectrometer employed in this study utilizes a unique optical design, which incorporates a series of dispersion gratings and an optical mask to block undesired portions of the emission spectrum. The final multiplexed spectrum observed at the PDA is highly dispersed (reciprocal linear dispersion of approximately 0.09 nm mm at 300 nm) yet covers a wide spectral range (190–415 nm). Detection limits for several elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, P, Pb, Se, Sn, Ti, V, W and Zn) were determined and found to be better, on average, than those from typical photomultiplier-based instruments. However, as has previously been noted with PDA-based systems, sensitivity was reduced at shorter wavelengths (
Interpreting an English Competency Examination: The Frustrations of an ESL Science Student.

In this article, interviews with a Vietnamese-speaking science student who has repeatedly failed a required English competency examination are presented. Topics relating to this examination include prompt type, essay content, rhetorical organization, student preparation for writing, and audience. Questions are raised regarding the purposes, development, and evaluation of writing competency tests.
The Association Between Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Recurrence and Survival

Recreational physical activity improves the prognosis of women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Numerous studies reveal that the level of prediagnostic recreational physical activity has a linear relationship with survival after diagnosis. Risk of recurrence of cancer also drops in women who exercised prediagnosis. Women who continue or start exercising after diagnosis also receive a significant protective benefit from mortality and recurrence. However, the physiological mechanisms of and the influence of menopause on these prognostic benefits have yet to be clearly defined.
Femoral mechanics in the lesser bushbaby (Galago senegalensis): Structural adaptations to leaping in primates

One method used to examine the relationship between behavioral strategies and anatomical adaptation is to study the results of mechanical stress associated with a given behavior and compare this with skeletal adaptations to other behaviors. This comparative approach is appropriate for highlighting combinations of features that are specializations to specific types of behavior. The purpose of this paper is to compare femoral mechanics in Galago senegalensis with previously collected data for macaques and humans as a basis for discussing structural adaptations in the primate hindlimb to leaping. The stiffness and load carrying capabilities of the femoral diaphyses of 27 G. senegalensis were analyzed using the SCADS computer program. The data suggest that the galago femur is well adapted to sustain large sagittal plane compressive loads rather than large bending loads. The straightness of the femoral shaft and large midshaft area moments of inertia prevent buckling from these large compressive loads. Calculations indicate that the ratio of critical buckling load to body weight in galago is 31 times that in macaques and 55 times that in humans. The femur of this saltatory primate is morphologically adapted to resist buckling when subjected to large compressive loads, while those of macaques and humans are better adapted to resist bending moments caused by ground reaction forces acting on the extended limb. The differences between galago on the one hand and macaques and humans on the other suggest that relatively smaller moments about the hip and relatively larger moments about the knee accompany more quadrupedal and bipedal walking, while habitual leaping is associated with relatively larger moments about the hip. These data reinforce the apparent similarity of the mechanical effects of quadrupedal and bipedal locomotion on the femur and dissimilarity with femoral mechanics in habitually saltatory primates.
In vitro pituitary hormone releasing activity of 40 residue human pancreatic tumor growth hormone releasing factor.

Abstract The hypophysiotropic activities of a synthetic human pancreatic growth hormone releasing factor (hpGRF) with 40 residues was examined in vitro using rat pituitary halves. At concentrations from 10−10 M to 10−7 M the peptide stimulated GH release in a dose-dependent manner with the ED50 being 1.2×10−9 M. The concentration of 10−10 M hpGRF is comparable to the basal hypophyseal portal blood levels of other known hypothalamic hypophysiotropic hormones. However, GH release was enhanced three-fold by concentration as low as 10−12 M, though no dose-response relationship was observed up to 10−10 M. Thus, this peptide not only stimulates the release of GH in a dose-dependent manner, but at lower concentrations also maintains elevated GH levels. The release of ACTH, β-endorphin, LH, and FSH was not affected by hpGRF at any of the concentrations tested. At hpGRF concentrations less than 10−7 M, the release of TSH and PRL were unaffected. However, at 10−6 M, TSH release was enhanced about 2.5 fold and prolactin release was elevated slightly.
Questions I now ask: Spirituality in the liminal environment of assisted living☆

Abstract This article analyzes, through two case studies, how elders in a secular, urban, assisted living facility (ALF), use their spirituality to manage change and loss, and to answer questions concerning the meaning of life and death. This article asks: how does personal spirituality help elders deal with the liminal environment of assisted living in the latter stage of life? This article is based on research that explored the cultural construction of dying and death in long-term care facilities. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 residents living in an ALF. We offer case studies concerning elders' lived experience of spirituality in order to demonstrate the significance of individual and cohort history and the elder's embeddedness in the culture of assisted living. A key finding of this paper is that elders' spirituality becomes both miniaturized and expanded in the assisted living environment. The miniaturization mirrors the diminishment of their physical world. The expansion reflects the need for a belief system expanded enough to contain the questions asked in this place, at this time of life.
Semiactive field-controllable magneto-rheological fluid dampers for mountain bicycles

This paper presents the development and evaluation of field- controllable, semi-active magneto-rheological fluid (MRF) shock absorbers for a mountain bicycle. Recent trends in the bicycle industry show a movement towards semi-active suspension systems. Two new MRF dampers are designed and tested with the intent of being used on the front and rear suspension of a modern mountain bicycle. The MRF shock absorbers are designed to emulate the performance of the original equipment manufacturer shock absorbers in passive mode. Application of an input electric current to the MRF shock absorber causes a dramatic increase in the damping capacity. Procedures and results are presented for the design and experimental characterization of these MRF dampers.
Lateral electron transport in monolayers of short chains at interfaces: A Monte Carlo study

Using Monte Carlo simulations, we study lateral electronic diffusion in dense monolayers composed of a mixture of redox-active and redox-passive chains tethered to a surface. Two charge transport mechanisms are considered: the physical diffusion of electroactive chains and electron hopping between redox-active sites. Results indicate that by varying the monolayer density, the mole fraction of electroactive chains, and the electron hopping range, the dominant charge transport mechanism can be changed. For high density monolayers in a semi-crystalline phase, electron diffusion proceeds via electron hopping almost exclusively, leading to static percolation behavior. In fluid monolayers, the diffusion of chains may contribute more to the overall electronic diffusion, reducing the observed static percolation effects.
Involvement of PTEN in TPA-mediated p53-activation in mouse skin epidermal JB6 cells

Our recent studies suggest a unique role of p53 during the early stage of cancer development. However, how p53 activation is regulated during TPA treatment remains elusive. We used murine skin epidermal JB6 promotion-sensitive (P+) and promotion resistant (P-) cells to observe differential expression of PTEN during TPA-induced p53 activation. Total PTEN expression was decreased in only P+ cells. Nuclear expression of PTEN increased and complex formation between PTEN and p53 occurred in P+ cells treated with TPA. Knocking down PTEN expression via siRNA inhibited TPA-induced Bax expression. Similar effects were seen with the p53 inhibitor, pifithrin-alpha. Cells that were transfected with siRNA to PTEN exhibited enhanced tumorigenicity. Our findings suggest PTEN mediates TPA-induced p53 activation.
Retention of lipid asymmetry in membranes on polylysine-coated polyacrylamide beads.

Abstract Phosphatidylcholine-specific exchange protein from calf liver was used to study the asymmetry and transmembrane movement of phosphatidylcholine in rat erythrocyte membranes isolated on polylysine-coated beads. While confirming previously published results for sealed ghosts, we found that for membranes attached to beads, where the cytoplasmic surface is exposed, about 36% of the total phosphatidylcholine is readily available for exchange, while the remaining 64% is exchangeable at a much slower rate. This indicates that the relative transbilayer asymmetry of phosphatidylcholine is largely maintained when red cell membranes are isolated on beads. On the other hand, transmembrane movement of phosphatidylcholine is decreased in membranes attached to cationized beads: the half-time for equilibration of phosphatidylcholine between the two monolayers of the membrane is 8 h for membranes on beads, compared to 1.5 h for sealed ghosts. Our results indicate that polylysinederivatized beads are a useful tool for studying asymmetric properties of biological membranes.
Using Interdisciplinary Examples in Nanotechnology to Teach Concepts of Materials Science and Engineering

The National Science Foundation-supported Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) on Nanostructured Materials and Interfaces at the University of Wisconsin – Madison has an extensive education and outreach effort. One theme of this effort is the development of instructional materials based on cutting-edge research in nanoscale science and engineering. The Nanoworld Cineplex contains movies and demonstrations that can be brought into classes, and the Nanotechnology Lab Manual contains numerous experiments that can be used for virtual or actual laboratories. Also available are kits, software, teaching modules and articles. A hands-on kit for nontechnical audiences, “Exploring the Nanoworld,” has been produced in collaboration with the Institute for Chemical Education. In this paper, novel hands-on demonstrations and innovative laboratory experiments aimed at the college level will be highlighted. High-tech devices and materials such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), shape memory alloys, amorphous metal, and ferrofluids are discussed in the classroom and studied in the laboratory as illustrations of nanotechnology and its impact on energy, the environment and our quality of life. These examples illustrate interdisciplinary research that provides connections among materials science, chemistry, physics, engineering, and the life sciences. They also highlight the tools of nanotechnology, such as scanning probe microscopy, electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and chemical vapor deposition, which are associated with the preparation and characterization of nanostructured materials. Demonstrations of the incorporation of nanotechnology to teach fundamental materials science principles presented are summarized at http://www.mrsec.wisc.edu/edetc .
Structure-Activity Studies of Antitumor Agent Irofulven (Hydroxymethylacylfulvene) and Analogues

Many analogues of the antitumor agent irofulven have been readily prepared by replacing the allylic hydroxyl with a variety of nucleophiles. Analogues of acylfulvene (the precursor to irofulven) were also prepared by Michael reaction with acrolein. The toxicity of the analogues was determined, as well as preclinical antitumor activity. Several analogues exhibited good activity in mouse xenografts. Structural requirements for activity are discussed.
Stark effect of nonhydrogenic Rydberg spectra

Rydberg states of an atom in an electric field are represented in terms of hydrogen eigenfunctions for the same field but scattered by the ionic core of the actual atom. The effect of the Stark field on photoabsorption is expressed in terms of scattering and frame-transformation parameters.
Predictive value of urethroscopy in genuine stress incontinence and vesical instability

One hundred and eighty-four patients who underwent dynamic urethroscopy, multichannel urodynamics and physical assessment were prospectively evaluated. Urethroscopy was compared to urodynamics in genuine stress incontinence and detrusor instability. Patients were diagnosed as having genuine stress incontinence if they had loss of urine with a positive cough profile or a positive cough stress test in the absence of vesical contractions, and as having detrusor instability if they exhibited uninhibited detrusor contractions in excess of 15 cmH2O during multichannel urethrocystometry in the erect position. The positive and negative predictive values, false-positive and false-negative rates, and sensitivity and specificity were calculated, comparing urethroscopy to multichannel urodynamics. Urodynamic cough profiles were both highly sensitive (94.3%) and specific (100%) for genuine stress incontinence compared to dynamic urethroscopy, with a sensitivity and a specificity of 60.3% and 78.9% respectively. In diagnosing vesical instability, supine dynamic urethroscopy yielded a sensitivity and specificity of 60% and 96% respectively, compared to multichannel urethrocystometry which was used as a standard. Dynamic urethroscopy is therefore a relatively insensitive predictor of genuine stress incontinence and vesical instability.
Equation of state of detonation product gases

We have measured the Chapman-Jouguet adiabat for PETN at ρ0=1.77 g/cc and have combined our results with published data on the dependence of detonation velocity on density to determine the value of the Gruneisen ratio G as a function of volume for detonation product gases. We find G(V) exhibiting a broad maximum, value 0.6, at a gas density of 2.0 and decreasing to values between 0.2 and 0.3 at gas densities below 1.0. We have generated an equation of state for PETN using G(V) and our measured adiabat and have calculated CJ parameters including temperature and adiabatic expansions at various loading densities. Pressures are somewhat higher than those measured by Dremin,1 and somewhat lower than measured by the Los Alamos group. 2
Matching commercial hearing aids to prescriptive gain and maximum output requirements.

Insertion gain and saturation sound pressure level (SSPL) characteristics of 71 behind-the-ear hearing aids were evaluated in a computer-assisted analysis as acceptable matches to prescriptive inse...
Comment of Liying Luo's article, "assessing validity and application scope of the intrinsic estimator approach to the age-period-cohort problem".

Liying Luo’s article (this issue) addresses three important properties of the intrinsic estimator (IE). First, the constraint used to produce the IE (bie ⋅ b0 = 0) constrains the linear trends of the age coefficients, period coefficients, and cohort coefficients. Second, the IE is a biased estimate of the age, period, and cohort coefficients that generated the outcome data, unless the constraint on the linear trends imposed by the IE is the same as the linear trends for the parameter values that generated the outcome data. Third, the IE is not a consistent estimator of the parameters that generated the outcome data unless its constraint corresponds to those generating parameters. She is successful in showing the form of the linear constraint (for some models) and that the IE is a biased and inconsistent estimate unless its constraint is consistent with the parameters that generated the outcome data. I will return to these issues, but first I provide modest extension of her work. Luo’s approach in the body of her article assumes that the effects of age groups, periods, and cohorts are linear: the age coefficients all lie on a single line, the period coefficients all lie on a single line, and the cohort coefficients all lie on a single line. Although her work implies that the IE constrains linear trends in the age, period, and cohort coefficient estimates for all forms of APC data, she does not show the explicit constraint for the general case in which the coefficients can take on any form; for example, with seven periods, the coefficients might be −.6, .6, −.8, .5, .2, .5, and −.4. Because these period coefficients do not lie on a line, they are not linear. The constraint that the IE imposes on the linear trends in estimating these age, period, and cohort coefficients in the general case is crucial to the APC identification problem because the differences between various constrained estimators involve the linear trends of their coefficients (O’Brien 2011b, 2012). With the linear trends determined, the deviations of the age, period, and cohort coefficients from their linear trends are identical across the different constrained solutions (O’Brien 2012). Demography (2013) 50:1973–1975 DOI 10.1007/s13524-013-0250-0
Simulation of electronic and geometric degrees of freedom using a kink-based path integral formulation: application to molecular systems.

A kink-based path integral method, previously applied to atomic systems, is modified and used to study molecular systems. The method allows the simultaneous evolution of atomic and electronic degrees of freedom. The results for CH4, NH3, and H2O demonstrate this method to be accurate for both geometries and energies. A comparison with density functional theory (DFT) and second-order Moller–Plesset (MP2) level calculations show the path integral approach to produce energies in close agreement with MP2 energies and geometries in close agreement with both DFT and MP2 results.
Additional Primary Malignancies in Patients with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST): A Clinicopathologic Study of 260 Patients with Molecular Analysis and Review of the Literature

Background The incidence of other primary neoplasms in gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients is relatively high. Our aim was to better characterize the clinicopathologic and molecular relationships in a cohort of GIST patients.
Abstract C51: Anticancer peptides PNC‐27/‐28: Cancer cell killers by binding to HDM2 and pore formation in cancer cell membranes

Studies in vitro and in vivo have clearly demonstrated the efficiency of the novel anti‐cancer peptides PNC‐27 and PNC‐28 in inducing the death of a variety of cancer cells by necrosis without any effect on normal cells. The peptides were derived from the HDM2‐binding domain of p53 (PNC‐27: AA12‐26; PNC‐28: AA17‐26) that were linked to membrane resident peptide (MRP) AA sequence from the homeodomain protein antennapedia of the fruit fly. Recently we have shown that in contrast to the necrotic cell death of cancer cells by external application of PNC‐28, the intracellular over‐expression of AAs17‐26 results in the cancer cells9 apoptosis while normal cells showed no response. We now provide evidence for the critical role for the expression of HDM2 in the plasma membrane of cancer cells and its absence in the plasma membrane of normal cells as a target molecule for PNC‐27. In direct competition experiments anti‐HDM2 antibodies (Ab) blocked PNC‐27 induced cell killing by >80% while control incubations with non‐specific Ab at identical protein concentrations did not hinder PNC‐27 from efficiently killing cancer cells. Immunofluorescence staining of HDM2 showed the presence of HDM2 on the plasma membrane of cancer cells (MIA‐PaCa‐2, BMRPA1.TUC3, A2058) which was absent in normal cell plasma membrane. Furthermore, co‐localization of HDM2 and PNC‐27 was observed on the plasma membrane of the cancer cells, suggesting their neighborliness. The findings were further confirmed by HDM2‐positive immunoblots (IB) of purified plasma membrane from several cancer cells while plasma membrane isolated from healthy normal cells only delivered negative IB results. Real‐time imaging using spinning disc confocal microscopy show that exposure to PNC‐27 of MIA PaCa‐2 cells preloaded with mitotracker dye in presence of propidium iodide (PI) results in the expansion within Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(23 Suppl):C51.
Odors in traps : does most recent occupant influence capture rates for house mice ?

Responses of house mice (Mus domesticus) to odors in live traps were studied in a series of eight 0.1-ha outdoor field enclosures. It was assumed that the most recent mouse capture would provide the predominant odor in a trap for at least one week. Three different populations were tested, one in 1989 and two in 1992, involving over 800 different mice. Similar response patterns were recorded from all three groups. Two types of questions were tested: (1) Were there any biases contingent upon what had been previously caught? (2) Were there consistent responses of mice of particular age, sex, or reproductive classes to trap odors? Traps soiled by juvenile females caught adult females significantly less often than expected, but there were no consistent relationships in terms of the effects of specific residual odors on the subsequent capture at a particular trap. For various age, sex, and reproductive classes, (1) adult males preferred odors from juvenile and estrous females and avoided odors of other males significantly more than expected, (2) juvenile females selected traps with odors of other juvenile females and avoided all other types of female odors significantly more than expected, (3) nonestrous females exhibited a significant preference for adult male odor, and (4) estrous females selected traps containing odors from adult males but avoided those that had previously contained either nonestrous or pregnant/lactating females significantly more than expected. These findings have potential implications with regard to both the methods used for trapping small rodents and the social biology of house mice.
Practical functional assessment of elderly persons: a primary-care approach.

Objective To describe simple, practical measures of physical and psychosocial function to detect problems and enhance the care of elderly patients. Design We reviewed pertinent articles and current standard textbooks of geriatrics; the most useful findings are summarized, and tools that can be used for functional assessment of the geriatric population are presented. Results Care of elderly patients necessitates a comprehensive review of key areas of function. Using only clinical judgment, physicians may overlook important clinical deficits common in older patients. Because of their length and complexity, many of the standard geriatric assessment tools are impractical for use by primary-care physicians. Certain simplified or condensed versions—such as the Functional Reach Test and the "Get Up and Go" Test—are efficient substitutes. In this article, we describe methods for practical identification of functional impairments, assessment of cognition and mood, evaluation of hearing and vision, and detection of problems with continence, nutrition, and social needs. Instruments for assessment of caregiver burden are also outlined. Conclusion Use of the assessment tools presented herein can assist primary-care physicians in comprehensive evaluation of function in older patients.
Inverse Semigroups with Isomorphic Bundles ofi-Correspondences

Abstract Ani-correspondence of an inverse semigroupSis any inverse subsemigroup ofS×S, and the set of alli-correspondences ofS, with the operations of composition and involution and the relation of set-theoretic inclusion, forms the bundle ofi-correspondences ofS, denoted byCi(S). For inverse semigroupsSandT, any isomorphism ofCi(S) ontoCi(T) is called aCi-isomorphism ofSuponT. An inverse semigroup is said to beCi-determined if it is isomorphic to any inverse semigroupCi-isomorphic to it. In this paper we develop a method for studyingCi-isomorphisms of arbitrary (nonperiodic) inverse semigroups and, using it, prove that any fundamental inverse semigroup isCi-determined. Furthermore, we establish a connection betweenCi-isomorphisms of inverse semigroups and theirC-isomorphisms and deduce as a corollary the main result of [S. M. Goberstein,J. Algebra125(1989), 474–488].
Review of recent development: A compact hash function for paths in PERT networks

This paper presents a method of identifying all directed paths from the source to the sink (called 'paths' in this paper) in a directed acyclic network with one source and one sink. Let L be the set of all the paths in this network and N = |L|. A hash function H:L -> {0, 1, ..., N - 1} is constructed having the following properties: it is one-to-one and onto, the algorithms to compute H and its inverse are linea in the number of arcs in the network, it has the smallest possible range and produces no collisions. All these properties make it a very useful hash function in writing computer programs which involve storing information about all paths in the network. The techniques described in this paper can be used to construct hash functions for walks in cyclic graphs. An application to simulation of stochastic networks is described and an illustrative example is included.
Free radical reduction by thioredoxin reductase at the surface of normal and vitiliginous human keratinocytes.

Abstract Cell cultures of human keratinocytes contain membraneassociated thioredoxin reductase that is extremely active in reducing radicals on the outer plasma membrane. This enzyme activity was confirmed by its purification from cultures of stratified human keratinocytes by affinity column chromatography. The enzyme was assayed both in vivo and in vitro using a spin-labeled quaternary ammonium compound as the substrate, under saturating conditions in free radical substrate. Specific activities were determined by monitoring the sequential decrease in the amplitude of the electron spin resonance signal per unit of cell protein. The following properties were found: (1) Cultures of adult stratified cells have approximately twice the thioredoxin reductase activity of neonatal cells. (2) The enzyme is inhibited by thioprotein inhibitors (i.e., parachloromecuribenzoate and dinitrochlorobenzene). (3) The activity is regulated by calcium concentrations of the cell culture medium. Stratified keratinocytes are half as active in medium containing 2 mm Ca ++ compared with 0.1 mm Ca ++ concentration. (4) Product inhibition of the enzyme occurs with oxidized coenzyme NADP + (i.e., 87% inhibition of enzyme activity over 30 min). The enzyme is heat stable at temperatures of 70°C for 10 min. It is inactivated at 75°C. A comparative study of thioredoxin reductase activity on stratified differentiated and undifferentiated rapidly growing cells was performed. Also, enzyme activity was quantitated for cultured keratinocytes isolated from vitiliginous and normal skin of the same donor. The results of this study, and the connection between this enzyme activity and UV-generated free radicals are reconciled in terms of the mechanism of action and metabolic activity of thioredoxin reductase.
Moral Motivation Across Ethical Theories: What Can We Learn for Designing Corporate Ethics Programs?

In this article Werhane and Simone de Colle discuss the implications of focussing on the moral motivation accounts offered by main ethical theories for improving the design of corporate ethics programs. Virtue ethics, deontological ethics and utilitarianism offer different criteria of judgment to face moral dilemmas: Aristotle’s virtues of character, Kant’s categorical imperative, and Mill’s greatest happiness principle each provide criteria to answer the question “What is the right thing to do?” The paper then deals with the problem of moral motivation, and points out the relation between moral motivation and the concept of rationality in the different approaches in addressing the question whether acting morally is seen as an expression of rational behavior. This analysis of moral motivation provides a useful framework to improve the understanding of the relationships between formal and informal elements of corporate ethics programs. The authors suggest that the concept of moral imagination can provide a unifying approach to enhance the effectiveness of corporate ethics programs, by providing an intangible asset that supports the implementation of their formal components into management decision making.
Effect of α-ketobutyrate on palmitic acid and pyruvate metabolism in isolated rat hepatocytes

alpha-Ketobutyrate, an intermediate in the catabolism of threonine and methionine, is metabolized to CO2 and propionyl-CoA. Recent studies have suggested that propionyl-CoA may interfere with normal hepatic oxidative metabolism. Based on these observations, the present study examined the effect of alpha-ketobutyrate on palmitic acid and pyruvate metabolism in hepatocytes isolated from fed rats. alpha-Ketobutyrate (10 mM) inhibited the oxidation of palmitic acid by 34%. In the presence of 10 mM carnitine, the inhibition of palmitic acid oxidation by alpha-ketobutyrate was reduced to 21%. These observations are similar to those previously reported using propionate as an inhibitor of fatty acid oxidation, suggesting that propionyl-CoA may be responsible for the inhibition. alpha-Ketobutyrate (10 mM) inhibited 14CO2 generation from [14C]pyruvate by more than 75%. This inhibition was quantitatively larger than seen with equal concentrations of propionate. Carnitine (10 mM) had no effect on the inhibition of pyruvate oxidation by alpha-ketobutyrate despite the generation of large amounts of propionylcarnitine during the incubation. alpha-Ketobutyrate inhibited [14C]glucose formation from [14C]pyruvate by more than 60%. This contrasted to a 30% inhibition caused by propionate. These results suggest that alpha-ketobutyrate inhibits hepatic pyruvate metabolism by a mechanism independent of propionyl-CoA formation. The present study demonstrates that tissue accumulation of alpha-ketobutyrate may lead to disruption of normal cellular metabolism. Additionally, the production of propionyl-CoA from alpha-ketobutyrate is associated with increased generation of propionylcarnitine. These observations provide further evidence that organic acid accumulation associated with a number of disease states may result in interference with normal hepatic metabolism and increased carnitine requirements.
A complex pattern of H2A phosphorylation in the mouse testis.

Phosphorylation of H2A histones in mouse testis was examined using testis tubule cultures labeled with 32PO4. Histones were analyzed by two systems of two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, followed by autoradiography of the gels. Of the 32PO4 detected in histones, 95% was incorporated by certain modified forms of the H2A variants H2A.1 and H2A.X. Phosphorylation sites were mapped to N- and C-terminal regions of the modified variants by SDS gel electrophoresis and autoradiography of peptides generated by cleavage of in vitro-labeled proteins with N-bromosuccinimide. Incorporation rates differed for N- and C-terminal regions from different modified forms, demonstrating a complex pattern of H2A phosphorylation in the mouse testis.
Ring Size, Substituent, and Anion Effects on the Kinetic and Equilibrium Properties of Copper(II) Complexes with Water-Soluble Macrocyclic Tetrathia Ethers

The complete series of alcoholic derivatives for the 13- through 16-membered macrocyclic tetrathia ethers, in which a single −OH group is attached to the central carbon of a trimethylene bridge, ha...
Relation Between Digital Peripheral Arterial Tonometry and Brachial Artery Ultrasound Measures of Vascular Function in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease and in Healthy Volunteers

Digital peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) is an emerging, noninvasive method to assess vascular function. The physiology underlying this phenotype, however, remains unclear. Therefore, we evaluated the relation between digital PAT and established brachial artery ultrasound measures of vascular function under basal conditions and after reactive hyperemia. Using a cross-sectional study design, digital PAT and brachial artery ultrasonography with pulsed wave Doppler were simultaneously completed at baseline and after reactive hyperemia in both those with established coronary artery disease (n = 99) and healthy volunteers with low cardiovascular disease risk (n = 40). Under basal conditions, the digital pulse volume amplitude demonstrated a significant positive correlation with the brachial artery velocity-time integral that was independent of the arterial diameter, in both the healthy volunteer (r s = 0.64, p s = 0.63, p
Application of adaptive control theory to on-line GTA weld geometry regulation

This study addresses the uses of adaptive schemes for on-line control of backbead width in the Gas Tungsten Arc (GTA) welding process. Open-loop tests using a step input current confirm the validity of a nominal first order process model. However, the time constant and gain prove highly dependent upon welding conditions including torch speed, arc length, material thickness, and other material properties. Accordingly, a need exists for adaptive controllers that can compensate for these process nonlinearities. The performance of two adaptive controllers is evaluated: Narendra and Lin’s Model-Referenced Adaptive Control (MRAC/NL), and Self-Tuning Control with Pole Placement (STC/PP). The addition of a quadratic term to the adaption mechanisms of MRAC/NL is proposed and preliminary simulations and experiments clearly demonstrate the stabilizing effect of this added term. The main experiments compare the performance of the modified MRAC/NL controller and the STC/PP controller with each other and with linear PI controller and the STC/PP controller with each other and with linear PI controller under four experimental conditions: first, where welding conditions are nominal; second, when conditions are disturbed by a step-wise increase in the torch velocity, and third, when conditions are disturbed by a step-wise increase in material thickness. In each case the experimental demonstrates the superiority of the adaptive controllers over the linear PI controller. However, the STC/PP controller exhibits high frequency control action in response to severe disturbances of material thickness and the parameter estimates it generates drift during steady-state operations. The MRAC/NL controller proves more robust under these circumstances. Analysis demonstrates that the superior performance of the MRAC/NL is due both to the inherent normalizing effect of the quadratic feedback terms and to the noise filtering properties of the adaptive mechanism.
Effects of Menopause on Seizures in Women with Epilepsy

Summary: Purpose: Although important associations between epilepsy and women's hormonal phases are described, the relation of menopause to epilepsy has received little attention. Methods: By using a structured interview, we studied menopausal women with epilepsy seen at the University of Maryland Epilepsy Center over a 1-year period from 1994 to 1995. We analyzed the characteristics and temporal relation of the seizures to menopause and compared the frequency and severity of the seizures with those in a similar group of premenopausal women. Results: We identified 61 menopausal women (46 who were postmenopausal and 15 perimenopausal) and compared them with 46 premenopausal women. No statistically significant differences were noted in either the frequency or the severity of seizures comparing all menopausal or only postmenopausal with premenopausal women. However, 12 (20%) of the 61 menopausal women noted that their seizures first began during or after menopause, with eight having no proven cause for their seizures. Many individual women described changes in their seizures with menopause. Among the 61 menopausal women, 49 had established epilepsy before the onset of menopause, and 20 (41%) reported worsening of their seizures with menopause, 13 (27%) noted improvement, and 16 (33%) described no changes. These observations were similar for peri- and post-menopausal women. Of the 15 menopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy, the six taking progestin were significantly less likely to report worsening of their seizures. Conclusions: These findings support the view that hormonal influences are important in women with seizures. Although, in aggregate, menopausal (combined perimenopausal and post-menopausal) and postmenopausal women's seizures were similar in frequency and severity to those of other women, menopause was associated with changes in seizures for some women. Moreover, menopause may be a previously unrecognized factor for some new-onset seizures. The relations between menopause and epilepsy deserve to be more fully investigated.
Uncertainties Generated By Computed Tomography (CT) Beam-Hardening Corrections

Since the X-ray tubes used in CT scanners produce a polychromatic spectrum, the beam quality changes as the X-ray beam penetrates the scanned object, giving rise to differential beam hardening. Because of this effect, one cannot interpret CT numbers directly in terms of material densities or X-ray attenuation coefficients. Various schemes to correct for the beam hardening effect have been published and are used in commercial scanners. Although computer simulations have demonstrated the potential effectiveness of these schemes, uncertainties in the correction data limit the precision of the results, totally aside from limitations of photon counting statistics. In this work, the most basic beam hardening correction scheme, the water-equivalent correction, is analyzed. A formula is derived which relates uncertainties in the correction data to uncertainties in the reconstructed coefficients. Numerical estimates are given, showing that the uncertainties in the CT numbers can be on the order of 2½% to 10% even with the best correction data available. More sophisticated correction schemes are discussed from the point of reference developed for the water-equivalent correction. The analysis allows one to set requirements on the precision and stability of machine parameters and correction data.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Spectral and Physical Properties of Some Desert Soils: Implications for Remote Spectroscopic Terrain Analysis in Arid Regions

Spectral structure between 2.5 and 13.5 μm of a variety of soils collected from the U.S. Southwest and Saudi Arabia is shown to provide qualitative information about composition and texture. Calcite and gypsum, soil components playing significant roles in determining surface hardness, exhibit diagnostic features between 3 and 5 μm which may permit their identification via remote sensing. Gypsum also exhibits high surface reflectance at 8.7 μm; however this feature would be unreliable in a natural setting because it falls in the same spectral region in which quartz displays its strong fundamental. Silicate reflectance between 8 and 12 μm decreases with particle size; thus inferences of soil particle size and texture can potentially be made from spectral data in this region. Such information can be of military importance for forecasting regional vehicle trafficability and dust potential, often crucial concerns in the planning and conduction of tactical field operations.
Cross-coupling estimation for optical beam stabilization

This paper presents a real-time algorithm for estimating the cross-coupling coefficients in a fast-steering mirror that serves as the actuator for an optical beam stabilization system. The algorithm computes the cross-coupling coefficients estimates by comparing the measured beam position with the predicted beam position from the uncoupled system model. This algorithm provides a means for estimating the relative orientation between the beam source platform and target platform as well. The algorithm is verified using experimental data from the United States Naval Academy Directed Energy Laboratory.
Emergent health risks and audience information engagement on social media

Social media can effectively reach large audiences and serve as an indicator for the public's sentiment and engagement in situations of disease outbreaks. This study used Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Facebook posts between March 18 and October 31, 2014, surrounding the 2014 Ebola outbreak, to look at the audience engagement with online health information. The CDC submitted fewer posts about Ebola than about non-Ebola topics, but audience engagement with Ebola posts was significantly higher, and men were more interested in Ebola posts and submitted more comments per user.
Accounting for Cognitive Costs in On-Line Auction Design

Many auction mechanisms, including first and second price ascendingand sealed bid auctions, have been proposed and analyzed in the economics literature. We compare the usefulness of different mechanisms for on-line auctions, focusing on the cognitive costs placed on users (e.g. the cost of determining the value of a good), the possibilities for agent mediation, and the trust properties of the auction. Different auction formats prove to be attractive for agent mediated on-line auctions than for traditional off-line auctions. For example, second price sealed bid auctions are attractive in traditional auctions because they avoid the communication cost of multiple bids in first price ascending auctions, and the "gaming" required to estimate the second highest bid in first price sealed bid auctions. However, when biddingag ents are cheap, communication costs cease to be important, and a progressive auction mechanism is preferred over a closed bid auction mechanism, since users with semi-autonomous agents can avoid the cognitive cost of placing an accurate value on a good. As another example, when an on-line auction is beingconducted by an untrusted auctioneer (e.g. the auctioneer is selling-its own items), rational participants will build biddingag ents that transform second price auctions into first price auctions.
DNA conformation-induced activation of an enediyne for site-specific cleavage

Neocarzinostatin chromophore (NCS chrom) was found to induce site-specific cleavage at the 3' side of a bulge in single-stranded DNA in the absence of thiol. This reaction involved the oxidative formation of a DNA fragment with a nucleoside 5'-aldehyde at its 5' terminus and generated an ultraviolet light-absorbing and fluorescent species of post-activated drug containing tritium abstracted from the carbon at the 5' position of the target nucleotide. The DNAs containing point mutations that disrupt the bulge were not cleavage substrates and did not generate this drug product. Thus, DNA is an active participant in its own destruction, and NCS chrom may be useful as a probe for bulged structures in nucleic acids.
20V-high speed low cost arbitrary waveform generator for ICs immunity test

A >;30V high speed, low resolution and low cost arbitrary waveform generator has been prototyped. It uses FPGA transceivers and resistive weighting networks and broadband power amplification. The sampling rate of this arbitrary waveform generator is 6.25 Gsps, allowing rise times down to 130 ps. As 4 transceiver channels are used a 4 bit resolution is achieved. The generator is combined with a wide band (20MHz - 6 GHz) power amplifier allowing >; 20V at 50-Ohm load. The intended application is IC immunity testing. Here different waveforms and exact timing is needed. Using different FPGAs the concept can be extended to higher resolution and faster sampling rates. The project was completed in a 400 level RF design class during only one semester.
Obtaining Employment After Spinal Cord Injury: Relationship With Pre- and Postinjury Education:

The authors identify the association of educational milestones obtained before and after spinal cord injury (SCI) with postinjury employment (PIE). Survey data were collected from 1,362 adults younger than 65, with traumatic SCI of at least 1 year duration who were not currently attending school. The sole outcome was obtaining PIE—whether the individual had worked at any time since SCI onset. Approximately 54% of eligible participants worked post-SCI. Logistic regression was used to identify the odds of employment as a function of the educational milestones while controlling for other characteristics.With the exception of a high school certificate, completing educational milestones after injury was associated with substantially higher odds of employment than when they were completed prior to injury. The results underscore the need for postinjury education, even among individuals who have extensive training and education at the time of injury.