cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association between Firearm Laws and Homicide in Urban Counties

Laws related to the sale, use, and carrying of firearms have been associated with differences in firearm homicide rates at the state level. Right-to-carry (RTC) and stand your ground (SYG) laws are associated with increases in firearm homicide; permit-to-purchase (PTP) laws and those prohibiting individuals convicted of violent misdemeanors (VM) have been associated with decreases in firearm homicide. Evidence for the effect of comprehensive background checks (CBC) not tied to PTP is inconclusive. Because firearm homicide tends to concentrate in urban areas, this study was designed to test the effects of firearm laws on homicide in large, urban U.S. counties. We conducted a longitudinal study using an interrupted time series design to evaluate the effect of firearm laws on homicide in large, urban U.S. counties from 1984 to 2015 (N = 136). We used mixed effects Poisson regression models with random intercepts for counties and year fixed effects to account for national trends. Models also included county and state characteristics associated with violence. Homicide was stratified by firearm versus all other methods to test for specificity of the laws’ effects. PTP laws were associated with a 14% reduction in firearm homicide in large, urban counties (IRR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.82–0.90). CBC-only, SYG, RTC, and VM laws were all associated with increases in firearm homicide. None of the laws were associated with differences in non-firearm homicide rates. These findings are consistent with prior research at the state level showing PTP laws are associated with decreased firearm homicide. Testing the effects of PTP laws specifically in large, urban counties strengthens available evidence by isolating the effects in the geographic locations in which firearm homicides concentrate.
Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Tumor Board: A Collaborative Role for the Speech-Language Pathologist

Head and neck cancer represents a heterogeneous disease that affects the multiple structures and function of the aerodigestive tract. Because of the complexity of head and neck cancer, a multidisci...
Modulation of the Epigenome (Methylome) to Improve Chemotherapeutic Efficacy

Abstract Current clinical management of cancer typically includes cytotoxic chemotherapy—in the neo-adjuvant setting prior to surgery, in the adjuvant setting following surgery, or as a first-line treatment in patients that present with advanced disease. However, cancer cells often display de novo resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs or develop resistance with treatment. Once a cancer becomes chemoresistant, progression and demise of the patient become inevitable. New strategies that combine epigenetic therapies and cytotoxic chemotherapy show promise for more effective treatments which may lead to improvements in long-term patient outcomes. Demethylating drugs can sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy, resulting in enhanced cell killing. New studies have shown that this effect is related to re-expression of genes encoding proteins of pro-apoptotic pathways, rendering cancer cells susceptible to cell killing by chemotherapeutic drugs. With further investigation of epigenetic mechanisms of chemoresistance and sensitization in cancer cells, new clinical strategies for management of cancer patients will emerge.
Cervical esophageal web caused by an inlet patch of gastric mucosa.

ABSTRACT:A 55-year-old woman had chronic, progressive dysphagia. An esophageal web in the cervical esophagus was identified by barium swallow and endoscopy. At endoscopy, an inlet patch of gastric mucosa was identified in proximity to the cervical web. It is believed that gastric acid production fro
Pilot randomized trial of a telephone-delivered physical activity and weight management intervention for individuals with lower extremity amputation.

Abstract Background Obesity and inactivity are common and burdensome for people with lower extremity amputation (LEA). The extent to which home-based physical activity/weight management programs are effective and safe for people with LEA is unknown. Translating effective interventions for understudied disability groups is needed. Objective To test the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of a weight management and physical activity intervention and obtain preliminary efficacy estimates for changes in weight, body composition, and physical functioning. Methods Eligibility criteria included: LEA ≥1 year prior, 18–69 years of age, overweight or obese and living in the Seattle area. The intervention arm received self-monitoring tools (e.g., pedometer, scale) and written materials, a single exercise counseling home visit by a physical therapist, and up to 11 telephone calls from a health coach over 20 weeks that involved motivational interviewing to set specific, attainable, and measurable goals. The self-directed control group received the same tools and materials but no home visit or coaching calls. Results Nineteen individuals consented to participate, 15 were randomized (mean age = 56, 73% male, 80% transtibial amputation) and 11 completed 20-week follow-up assessments. The intervention was acceptable and safe. Coached participants had greater decreases in waist circumference (mean difference between groups over 20 weeks, baseline values carried forward: −4.3 cm, 95% CI -8.2, −0.4, p = 0.03) and fat mass (−2.1 kg, 95% CI -3.8, −0.4, p = 0.02). Conclusions The home-based intervention was promising in terms of efficacy, safety and acceptability. Inclusion of multiple trial centers and increased use of technology may facilitate recruitment and retention.
Troubleshooting the Ventilated Patient

Patients in the emergency department are at high risk for deterioration after intubation. Using a systematic approach to assess these patients is key. The differential for the low pressure alarm includes a break in the circuity, anywhere from the ventilator to the lungs. The high pressure alarm similarly can arise from an issue anywhere from the patient to the ventilator. To quickly recall the differential diagnosis for deterioration on the ventilator, clinicians should recall the DOPES mnemonic. A separate, but related mnemonic, DOTTS, reminds clinicians of steps in assessing and treating the deterioration of an intubated patient.
An Examination of Higher Education Policy Problems Using Narrative Policy Analysis

Policy actors and coalitions use narratives to frame higher education policy problems and solutions. In this article, I illustrate how I employed narrative policy analysis (NPA) in practice to demo...
Degree bounds for Gr\"{o}bner bases of modules

Let $F$ be a non-negatively graded free module over a polynomial ring $\mathbb{K}[x_1,\dots,x_n]$ generated by $m$ basis elements. Let $M$ be a submodule of $F$ generated by elements in $F$ with degrees bounded by $D$ and dim $F/M$=$r$. We prove that if $M$ is graded, the degree of the reduced Grobner basis of $M$ for any term order is bounded by $2\left[1/2((Dm)^{n-r}m+D) \right]^{2^{r-1}}$. If $M$ is not graded, the bound is $2\left[1/2((Dm)^{(n-r)^2}m+D) \right]^{2^{r}}$. This is a generalization of Dube(1990) and Mayr-Ritscher(2013)'s bounds for ideals in a polynomial ring.
THE CANADA—BRITAIN–USA TRIAD: CANADIAN PENTECOSTAL PACIFISM IN WWI AND WWII

The story of Canadian Pentecostal pacifism was shaped by its own set of early leaders and the Christian backgrounds they brought into the fledgling movement at the turn of the twentieth century, as well as by two influential relationships: a geographical connection to the United States as a constituent part of North America and a political identity as The Dominion of Canada attached to the British Crown. As a dominion, Canada governed its own internal affairs as a country; however, in foreign affairs, Canada was subject to the decisions of Great Britain. Canada’s own brand of Pentecostal pacifism was shaped by this confluence of a porous border between Canada and the United States that encouraged ideological exchange through magazines, personal visits, joint conventions and other venues, on the one hand, and a long reach across the pond which granted Britain the right to govern the foreign relationships of Canada, on the other hand.
A Novel Splicing Factor RBM25 in Erythroid Differentiation.

Many protein factors that guide pre-mRNA modification pathways are composed of RNA recognition motif (RRM) domains. In an effort to identify splicing regulators in erythroid cells, we cloned a RRM-containing protein RBM25 and characterized its role in alternative splicing. RBM25 consists of a proline-rich region and a RRM domain at the amino-terminal end, an ER rich domain at the central region, and a PWI domain at the carboxyl terminal end. RBM25 partially co-localized with splicing factor SC35 in nuclear speckles. While both the RRM and PWI domains are diffusely distributed in the nucleoplasm, the ER domain is highly concentrated in nuclear speckles. We examined cellular mRNA targets of RBM25 in HeLa cells and demonstrated that it binds Bcl-x mRNA and affects its alternative splicing. Depletion of RBM25 by RNA interference caused accumulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-x(L), whereas its up-regulation increased the levels of pro-apoptotic Bcl-x(s). The expression level of RBM25 also correlated with the degree of cell death, further suggesting that it functions in regulating apoptotic factor(s) expression. Apoptosis plays an important role in red cell development; earlier erythroid progenitors are more sensitive to apoptosis while mature erythroblasts are resistant to apoptosis. A significant decrease in RBM25 expression occurs during erythroid differentiation and correlates with resistance to apoptosis. Our results suggest that erythroblasts may acquire resistance to apoptosis during maturation through differential expression of crucial splicing regulators of the apoptotic machinery.
Crack and Cocaine

In small quantities, cocaine has been used for local anesthesia, predominantly used for nasal and lacrimal duct surgery. Until 1903, cocaine was widely available and promoted as a “brain tonic” and “Coca-Cola” in the form of the caffeinated beverage. Otherwise, cocaine in its hydrochloride and alkaloid forms is currently an illicit recreational drug used for stimulant effects and euphoria.
Civil Rights, Labor Conflict, and Integration: New Orleans Educators’ Struggle for Collective Bargaining 1965-1974:

When American Federation of Teachers-Local 527 launched their collective bargaining campaign in 1965, they were one of five mostly segregated teachers’ locals in New Orleans and represented a minor...
Lighting the Patient Room of the Future: Evaluating Different Lighting Conditions for Performing Typical Nursing Tasks.

Purpose:This study explores how aspects of lighting in patient rooms are experienced and evaluated by nurses while performing simulated work under various lighting conditions. The lighting conditio...
Increased risk for cognitive decline in aging associated with cytomegalovirus exposure in a population-based cohort (P2.174)

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the temporal trajectory of cognitive dysfunction in relation to cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes virus (HSV 1,2) and Toxoplasma gondii, in a well characterized representative cohort of older adults. BACKGROUND: Although Alzheimer disease and cerebrovascular injury account for a significant proportion of cognitive decline in aging there remains a number of unaccounted for contributors. While numerous associations have been reported between exposure to individual infectious agents and cognitive dysfunction, participant selection bias and cross-sectional designs preclude previous studies from exploring causal inferences. DESIGN/METHODS: In a population-based cohort aged 65+ years, cognitive function was assessed annually overfive years including the domains of attention, executive functions, memory, language, and executive functions. Antibodies to CMV, HSV 1/2 and toxoplasmosis were assayed in sera at study entry (N=1024). Exposure rates using IgG antibody levels were examined in relation to slopes of cognitive decline over time using multiple linear regressions, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Evidence of CMV exposure indexed by antibody levels was associated with lower baseline composite scores in executive, memory, language, and visuospatial domains. However, these associations were not independent of demographic variables. Exposure to CMV but not other infections agents were significantly associated with greater longitudinal decline in memory, language, and executive functions and MMSE even after adjustment for demographic factors. These associations remained after accounting for levels of non-specific inflammation, C-reactive protein (CRP). CONCLUSIONS: CMV exposure is a significant, relatively specific risk factor for cognitive deterioration in older individuals over and above the effects of age and after adjusting general markers of inflammation. This work supports further investigation into the role of significant exposures, such as chronic infections, on cognitive decline and identifies a potential target for treatment in slowing cognitive decline in specific at risk populations. Study Supported by: NIA #AG023651 Disclosure: Dr. McDade has received personal compensation for activities with UpToDate. Dr. Nimgaonkar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yolken has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wang has nothing to disclose. Dr. McClain has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Snitz has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ganguli has nothing to disclose.
Разработка системы сценариев среднесрочного развития российского финансового сектора (Development of a System of Scenarios for the Medium-Term Development of the Russian Financial Sector)

Russian Abstract: Работа посвящена принципам разработки сценариев долгосрочного прогноза финансового сектора Российской Федерации. Основу для прогноза финансового сектора представляют сценарные условия социально-экономического развития Российской Федерации, подготавливаемые Министерством экономического развития и Правительством Российской Федерации. Далее, авторы предлагают в рамках правительственных сценариев и набор собственных сценариев, описывающих возможные развилки в развитии финансовой системы Российской Федерации, варианты мер денежно-кредитной политики и функционирования финансовых организаций. English Abstract: The work is devoted to the principles of developing scenarios for the long-term forecast of the financial sector of the Russian Federation. The basis for the forecast of the financial sector is represented by the scenario conditions of the socio-economic development of the Russian Federation, prepared by the Ministry of Economic Development and the Government of the Russian Federation. Further, the authors offer, within the framework of government scenarios, a set of own scenarios describing possible fork in the development of the financial system of the Russian Federation, options for measures of monetary policy and the functioning of financial organizations.
Genetic Ethics and Other Cutting-Edge Issues

Having examined foundational principles, specific issues, and practical case scenarios, we now turn to the future. In this final chapter, we will consider some vexing modern questions from the arena of genetics. We will then conclude by mentioning a few newer issues that have not yet received a thorough analysis and close with a challenge to the reader.
Perceptions of Need for Palliative Care in Recently Hospitalized Patients With Systolic Heart Failure.

Abstract Context The symptom burden associated with heart failure (HF) remains high despite improvements in therapy and calls for the integration of palliative care into traditional HF care. Little is also known about how patients with HF perceive palliative care and patient-level characteristics associated with the need for palliative care, which could influence the utilization of palliative care in HF management. Objectives To identify characteristics of HF patients associated with perceived need for palliative care. Methods We analyzed data from the Hopeful Heart Trial, which studied the efficacy of a collaborative care intervention for treating both systolic HF and depression. Palliative care preferences were collected during routine study follow-up. We assessed the association of perceived need for palliative care during study follow-up and baseline data on sociodemographics, clinical measures, and patient-centered outcomes. We then used descriptive statistics and logistic regression to analyze our data. Results Participants were on average 64 years old, male, and reported severe HF symptoms and poor to below average quality of life (. Most had unfavorable impressions of palliative care, but many still perceived a need for palliative care. Factors associated with perceived need for palliative care included depression, non-white race, more severe HF symptoms, and lower mental & physical health-related quality of life. Conclusion HF patients’ beliefs about palliative care may affect utilization of palliative care. Specific characteristics can help identify patients with HF who may benefit from palliative care involvement. Education targeted towards patients with selected attributes may help incorporate palliative care into HF management.
Enabling Robust Human-Robot Cooperation through Flexible Fully Bayesian Shared Sensing

Cooperative human-robot sensing has the potential to overcome many hurdles for networked field robotic applications, especially those with significant sensing, computational or communication constraints that make teleoperation or direct supervisory control difficult. The main idea is to augment robotic sensing horizons with the diverse and complementary capabilities of `human sensors' for solving difficult hybrid nonlinear state estimation and perception problems, although robots may still plan and control their own actions autonomously. In this work, we examine two related issues through the use of sketch-based and semantic codebook perceptual interfaces for probabilistic target search problems: (i) how should autonomous machines/robots assess the trustworthiness of human sensors?; (ii) what strategies can be used to generate human-machine `dialog' about complex uncertainties in random variables, without cognitively overburdening humans or undermining human trust in automation?
Boredom and Moderating Variables for Customers’ Novelty Seeking

This study aimed to identify possible moderators in the relationship between boredom and novelty seeking. More specifically, this study confirmed the significant influence of boredom on novelty-seeking intention based on optimal stimulation level theory, and also examined the effect of boredom with restaurant attributes on novelty seeking. Further, this study considered loyalty level, risk taking, and demographic characteristics including gender, age, and education as potential moderators and investigated how boredom differently influences novelty-seeking intention depending on those moderators. The results showed that boredom with restaurant attributes leads to novelty-seeking intention. In regards to moderating effects, risk-taking propensity and age were significant moderators in the relationship between boredom and novelty-seeking intention. Discussion and implications are provided in the conclusion.
Biosynthesis of Vitamin B6 by a Yeast Mutant

The gradient-plate technique was employed to isolate mutants of Saccharomyces marxianus (NRRL-Y-1550) which, when grown in a synthetic culture medium, excreted about 2 μg/ml of vitamin B6 as ascertained by microbiological assay. The major component that possessed vitamin B6 activity was isolated by ion-exchange column chromatography and identified as pyridoxol by ultraviolet and fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as by paper chromatography and various chemical tests. Pyridoxal was also identified as one of the excreted compounds. Two other compounds that possessed vitamin B6 activity were excreted in smaller quantities in the growth medium and have not yet been identified; they are not phosphates of vitamin B6. The amount of vitamin B6 excreted was not increased when the mutant was grown in the presence of various oxidation products of this vitamin. The methods and results reported here may be helpful in future studies on the biosynthesis of vitamin B6.
The Vices and Virtues of Sovereignty

American Indian tribal sovereignty is viewed very differently in the United States Supreme Court than it is in American Indian tribal nations. The United States Supreme Court, the progenitor of the legal doctrine of tribal sovereignty, appears skeptical of the doctrine's continuing viability. The Court is therefore veering way from any strong notion of retained inherent tribal sovereignty. American Indian tribes, the sources and perpetuators of de facto tribal sovereignty, are more committed than ever to enacting their sovereignty on the ground, as well as promoting and protecting its legal status in the courts and in Congress. There is an ironic feedback loop created by these different conceptions of tribal sovereignty, in that the more tribes exercise their sovereignty in practice, the more frequently conflicts about tribal powers end up being litigated in federal courts, where the skeptical view about the vitality of sovereignty tends to prevail. The Supreme Court is skeptical of tribal sovereignty for two predominant reasons. First, there is a formalist objection to the paradoxical nature of the legal doctrine. Second, the Court exhibits an inchoate sense that tribal sovereignty is little other than the contradictory doctrine that the Court itself has generated. The tempered sovereignty that tribes possess is therefore in need of a defense. The defense explored in this short essay has a positive and a negative aspect. The positive part of the defense consists first of describing the historical and philosophical pedigree for tempered sovereignty, and then putting forth an argument for tempered sovereignty's virtues. Those virtues include preserving the prerogative of a people to choose a form of government that protects distinct yet evolving cultures. The negative part will wade into discussions of the powers of another sovereign: the United States. As recent legal and historical events reveal, sovereignty in its absolutist formulation has considerable potential for vice. Moreover, the pedigree for absolute sovereignty is no more sanctified than that for divided sovereignty. Given the virtues of tempered sovereignty and the vices of absolute sovereignty, the Supreme Court might want to reconsider its current path.
congruences for stochastic relations

We discuss congruences for stochastic relations, stressing the equivalence of smooth equivalence relations and countably generated σ-algebras. Factor spaces are constructed for congruences and for morphisms. Semi-pullbacks are needed when investigating the interplay between congruences and bisimulations, and it is shown that semi-pullbacks exist for stochastic relations over analytic spaces, generalizing a previous result and answering an open question. Equivalent congruences are investigated, and it is shown that stochastic relations that have equivalent congruences are bisimilar. The well-known equivalence relation coming from a Hennessy-Milner logic for labelled Markov transition systems is shown to be a special case in this development.
Identification and characterization of the functional amino acids at the active center of pig liver thioltransferase by site-directed mutagenesis.

By using site-directed mutagenesis techniques, the essential amino acids at the catalytic center of porcine thioltransferase (glutaredoxin) were determined. Seven oligonucleotides were designed, synthesized, and used to construct mutants, ETT-C22S, ETT-C25S, ETT-C25A, ETT-R26V, ETT-K27Q, ETT-R26V: K27Q, and ETT-C78S:C82S, by altering their codons in pig liver thioltransferase cDNA/M13mp18 clones. Each of the thioltransferases was purified to homogeneity and its dithiol-disulfide exchange, and dehydroascorbate reductase activities were compared with those of the wild-type (ETT). Evidence was obtained that Cys22 was essential for catalytic activity, and the extremely low pKa value of its sulfhydryl group was facilitated primarily by Arg26. The role of Lys27 at the active center was different from that of Arg26 and may be important in stabilizing the E.S intermediate by electrostatic forces. The second pair of cysteines, Cys78 and Cys82, nearer the C terminus, were not directly involved in the active center, but may play a role in defining the native protein structure. The replacement of the original Cys with a Ser at position 25 increased rather than decreased the enzyme activity, suggesting that the proposed intramolecular disulfide bond between Cys22 and Cys25 is not necessary for the catalytic mechanism of the Ser25 mutant, but does not rule out such a mechanism for the wild-type enzyme.
Charge exchange effects in80Se (d, p)81Se

Abstract Excitation curves have been measured for 80 Se(d,p) leading to six states in 81 Se. Curves were measured at 160 degrees at deuteron energies between 5.6 and 8.3 MeV. Small anomalies in these excitation curves were seen at the threshold of the (d,n) reaction to the corresponding analog states in 81 Br.
Physical Unclonable Functions and Secure Processors

As computing devices become ever more pervasive, two contradictory trends are appearing. On one hand computing elements are becoming small, disseminated and unsupervised. On the other hand, the cost of security breaches is increasing as we place more responsibility on the devices that surround us. The result of these trends is that physical attacks present an increasing risk that must be dealt with. Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) are a tamper resistant way of establishing shared secrets with a physical device. They rely on the inevitable manufacturing variations between devices to produce an identity for a device. This identity is unclonable, and in some cases is even manufacturer resistant (i.e., it is impossible to produce devices that have the same identity). We describe a few applications of PUFs, including authentication of individual integrated circuits such as FPGAs and RFIDs, and the production of certificates that guarantee that a particular piece of software was executed on a trusted chip. We present the design and implementation of two PUF-enabled devices that have been built: a low-cost secure RFID that can be used in anti-counterfeiting and other authentication applications, and a secure processor capable of performing certified execution and higher-level cryptographic functions. The PUF-enabled RFID uses a simple challenge-response protocol for authentication that shifts complexity to the reader or server and therefore only requires a small number of transistors on the device side. The PUF-enabled processor generates its public/private key pair on power-up so its private key is never left exposed in (on-chip or off-chip) non-volatile storage. It is capable of a broad range of cryptographic functionality, including certified execution of programs.
Interplay Between Salt Activities and Slope Instabilities, Bryant Canyon Area, Northwest Gulf of Mexico

Numerous sediment failures have contributed to the morphology of the flanks of the intraslope basins of the northwestern continental slope of Gulf of Mexico. The main cause of slope instabilities is the oversteepening of the flanks by halokinetic processes. High-resolution seismic information (3.5 kHz profiles and side-scan sonar imageries), long sediment cores, and high-resolution bathymetric maps, acquired from the Bryant Canyon area, northwest Gulf of Mexico, are presented in this paper. They provide an excellent example, and better insight into the morphology, generation, and evolution of slope instability processes in a complex deep-water environment.
Self-Affine Time Series: II. Applications and Models

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the applications and models of self-affine time series. The chapter presents the stochastic component of time series associated with complex phenomena that can have considerable order and, in particular, exhibit self-affine behavior. One of the applications considered is the natural variability of climate. On short time scales, atmospheric temperature observations exhibit deterministic daily and yearly periodicities. The studies of the stochastic variability of climate are important in a variety of ways. They provide an important test of the validity of global circulation models (GCMs). The second application considered is porosity variations in sedimentary basins. A model developed for the growth of atomic surface layers is modified so that it is applicable to the spatial and temporal variations in deposition and erosion. The third application considered is the variability of the earth's magnetic field. The field exhibits a binormal behavior and when a fluctuation crosses the zero intensity value a reversal occurs.
Renewing the Core Curriculum.

The core curriculum accompanied the development of the academic discipline with multiple names such as Kinesiology, Exercise and Sport Science, and Health and Human Performance. It provides commonalties for undergraduate majors. It is timely to renew this curriculum. Renewal involves strategic reappraisals. It may stimulate change or reaffirm the status quo. Renewal of the core curriculum might include a retrospective analysis of conflicts and differences accompanying the academic discipline's development. These conflicts and differences remain salient today. They invite unified frameworks in substitution for the oft-divisive concepts of discipline and profession. The core curriculum can be linked to faculty identities, interests, and careers. Consequently, the preparation, career aspirations, and knowledge orientations of faculty merit consideration in the renewal process. Other renewal priorities include the curriculum's theory of learning as well as research on its outcomes and impacts.
The Development of Filial Behavior in Ducklings

1. It has been shown previously that tendency of ducklings (Anas platyyhynchos) to approach a moving object upon first exposure declines within a few days after hatching. The reasons for this decline were investigated here. 2. The stability of body temperature in resting ducklings increased in the first 5 days after hatching, but during this time the difference in temperature stability between resting and rapidly walking birds was negligible. It is concluded that changes with age in the temperature stability of resting birds do not influence approach tendencies. 3. Large injections of androgen, but not estrogen, inhibited approach-responses of ducklings. A natural increase in circulating androgen might have similar effects. 4. Ducklings exposed to auditory stimulation resembling duck calls for as long as 2 1/2 days after hatching approached a moving model in a silent test no less than ducklings reared in auditory isolation. It is concluded that the vocalizations of other ducks do not inhibit the approach of ducklings to a visual stimulus. 5. Ducklings exposed to visual stimulation from a fluorescent bulb for two days after hatching were less likely to approach an intermittent light source of low contrast than birds reared in darkness. It is concluded that the inhibition depends in part on the brightness of stimulation. 6. Ducklings exposed to each other socially, but prevented from tactile contact, approached a moving model no less than birds reared in visual isolation. The finding of previous studies that unrestricted social contact inhibits approach-responses suggests that bodily contact between ducklings may contribute to the decline of initial approach-responses. 7. It is concluded that the sensitive period for imprinting ends as a result of both imprinting itself and an unspecific effect of photic stimulation.
Excision of urethral stricture and end to end anastomosis

Thirteen patients with bulbar urethral strictures were treated by excision of the stricture and end to end anastomosis of the urethra with uniformly good results.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATION SCALES FOR APPRAISING THE PERFORMANCE OF FOREMEN

Behavioral observation scales (BOS) were developed for first line foremen. BOS are similar to behavioral expectation scales (BES) in that both are based on a job analysis procedure known as the critical incident technique. However, the BOS differ from BES in that, in developing BOS, (a) a group of individuals is observed and rated on a five-point scale as to the frequency with which they engage in the behavior described by each incident/statement, (b) a total score for each individual is determined by summing the observer's responses for each behavioral item, and (c) an item analysis (or factor analysis, depending upon the sample size) is conducted to select the most discriminating items. Those items with the highest correlations with the total score on a scale are retained to form one behavioral criterion or scale (BOS).
Characteristics of He-nucleus interactions at relativistic energy

From the peripheral collisions of28Si projectile at 14.5 A GeV in nuclear emulsion, emerged4He nuclei among the projectile fragments, are followed for their interactions. Multiplicity and pseudorapidity distributions of the produced particles emanating from 366 inelastic4He induced emulsion reactions are compared with those of28Si at 14.5A GeV,4He at 140A GeV and proton at 800 GeV beams. Standard deviation of the Gaussian fittings to the pseudorapidity distributions for different values of average shower particle multiplicities represents an approximate measure of the impact parameter. Second moments of the multiplicity distributions of the shower tracks can be parameterized in terms of a universal polynomial dependence. Results agree quite well with the predictions of the multistring model VENUS.
Correlates of sex differences in attitudes toward and involvement with computers

Abstract This study investigated sex differences in computer attitude and aptitude and the relationship of these variables, math aptitude, math anxiety, and scholastic achievement to computer involvement. The sample consisted of 599 female and 342 male students from a freshman introductory psychology class at a midwestern state university. Females held more negative attitudes toward computers, scored lower in computer aptitude, and had less prerequisite math ability and math course work. More males than females had completed computer-related courses and had knowledge of a computer language. Computer aptitude was strongly related to math ability and math experience. Computer attitude was related to math anxiety and computer experience. Sex and computer attitude consistently discriminated between groups differing in computer involvement. The results are discussed in terms of the need for further research to identify the components of computer aptitude, attitude, and behaviors and of the broader issue of equity for women in the computer age.
Tryptophan catabolism in Brevibacterium linens as a potential cheese flavor adjunct.

Attempts to develop a desirable reduced fat Cheddar cheese are impeded by a propensity for flavor defects such as meaty-brothy, putrid, fecal, and unclean off-flavors in these products. Recent studies suggest aromatic amino acid catabolism of starter, adjunct, and nonstarter lactic acid bacteria significantly impact off-flavor development. The objective of this study was to delineate pathways for catabolism of tryptophan (Trp) in Brevibacterium linens, a cheese flavor adjunct, and to determine the potential for this organism to contribute to this defect. Growth and production of aromatic compounds from Trp by B. linens BL2 were compared in two incubated conditions (laboratory and a cheese-like environment). A chemically defined medium was used to determine the cellular enzymes and metabolites involved in Trp catabolism. Trp was converted to kynurenine, anthranilic acid, and three unknown compounds in laboratory conditions. The accumulation of other unknown compounds in the culture supernatant in laboratory conditions indicated that B. linens BL2 degraded Trp by various routes. Up to 65% of Trp was converted to anthranilic acid via the anthranilic acid pathway. To assess this potential before cheese making, the cells were incubated in cheese-like conditions (15°C, pH 5.2, no sugar source, 4% NaCl). Trp was not utilized by BL2 incubated in this condition. Enzyme studies using cell-free extracts of cells incubated in laboratory conditions and assayed at optimal and nonoptimal enzyme assay conditions revealed Trp transaminase (EC 2.6.1.27) was active before enzymes of the anthranilic acid pathway were detected. The products of Trp transaminase activity were not, however, found in the culture supernatant, indicating these intermediates were not exported nor accumulated by the cells. Enzymes assayed in nonoptimal conditions had considerably lower enzyme activities than found in laboratory incubation conditions. Based on these results, we hypothesize that these enzymes are not likely to be involved in the formation of compounds associated with off-flavors in Cheddar cheese.
Dynamic calibration of a continuous organo-isocyanate monitor for hexamethylene diisocyanate

In 1978, NIOSH recommended new exposure standards for all diisocyanates. They are 5 ppb TWA for a 10-hour work shift and 20 ppb ceiling for a 10-minute period (or the equivalent μg/m3). Recently, a new continuous reading monitor, which responds immediately to both aliphatic and aromatic diisocyanates, has become commercially available. This instrument/factory calibrated for measuring toluene diisocyanate, has different responses for different diisocyanates. The monitor was dynamically calibrated to measure hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) against the recommended high pressure liquid chromatographic method. The standard atmospheres of HDI were generated using permeation and an evaporation method. The monitor reading is 50% of the true concentration up to 50 ppb. Beyond that, the monitor reading reaches a plateau and the measured concentrations could be unreliable.
A feasibility study of the determination of oxygen in liquid alkali metals by zirconium gettering

Abstract The partitioning of oxygen between zirconium and liquid potassium and sodium was studied in order to assign a lower limit to κ°, the ratio of oxygen in zirconium to that in the liquid metal at equilibrium. For both systems κ° 815°c ⪢ 1. This property was applied to the analysis of oxygen in potassium or sodium by exposing the liquid metal to zirconium and determining the amount of oxygen gettered. The technique, termed Bettering-vacuum-fusion (GVF), was tested at 815C by exposing zirconium to potassium and sodium containing known amounts of oxygen. Recoveries above 90 per cent were obtained for oxygen concentrations (in potassium or sodium) in the range 25–1000 ppm. Reasons are given for the decrease in accuracy outside this oxygen range.
Group differentiated prediction

Studies of predictive bias have frequently shown that a prediction equation based on majority group members tends to overpredict the criterion perfor mance of minority group members. Two statistical ar tifacts that may cause the overprediction finding are reviewed and evaluated using data for black and white students at 30 law schools. It is shown that (1) the de gree of overprediction decreases as the predictive ac curacy for white students increases, and (2) that ov erprediction can be caused by the effects of selection on variables not included in the regression model. Use of Heckman's (1979) procedure to adjust the estimates of the regression parameters was found to essentially eliminate overprediction.
High Resolution Observations of Copper Vacancy Ordering in Chalcocite (Cu2S) and the Transformation to Djurleite (Cu1.97 to 1.94S)

The technique of high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) permits the first real space observations of the ordering of copper in the sulfur sublattices of chalcocite (Cu2S) and djurleite (Cu1.97 to 1.94S). Copper sulfide thin films formed by the ion exchange process in CdS single crystals are shown to be composed of small domains of the two phases (≈ 10 to 100 nm in diameter), separated by abrupt coherent interfaces. Strain calculations for these interfaces agree qualitatively with experimental observations. In addition, the chalcocite in the vicinity of chalcocite/djurleite interfaces is found to contain a high density of 1/4[010] faults. Structural considerations show that these faults are likely sites for copper vacancies. Mit hochauflosender Transmissionselektronenmikroskopie (TEM) werden die ersten realen raumlichen Beobachtungen der Ordnungsvorgange von Kupfer im Schwefeluntergitter von Chalkozit (Cu2S) und Djurleitit (Cu1.97 bis 1.94S). durchgefuhrt. Dunne Kupfersulfidschichten, die durch Ionenaustauschprozesse in CdS-Einkristallen gebildet wurden, sind aus kleinen Bereichen der beiden Phasen (≈ 10 bis 100 nm im Durchmesser) zusammengesetzt. die durch abrupte koharente Grenzflachen getrennt sind. Spannungsberechnungen fur diese Grenzflachen stimmen qualitativ mit experimentellen Beobachtungen uberein. Zusatzlich wird gefunden. das Chalkozit in der Nahe der Chalkozit-Djurleitit-Grenzflache eine hohe Dichte von 1/4[010]-Stapelfehlern enthalt. Strukturbetrachtungen zeigen, das diese Fehier wahrscheinlich Platze fur Kupferleerstellen sind.
Tropomyosin is in a reduced state in rabbit psoas muscle.

Tropomyosin (Tm) purified from skeletal and cardiac muscle often contains disulfide bonds due to oxidation of cysteine groups that are in close proximity in the coiled-coil structure. Are these disulfide crosslinks present in the muscle or produced by oxidation during preparation? To answer this question we reacted one part of freshly dissected rabbit psoas muscle fibers, which was permeabilized with Triton X-100, with N-ethyl maleimide (NEM) to block cysteine groups and another part with 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitro benzoate) (DTNB) to facilitate disulfide bond formation by interchain sulfhydryl-disulfide exchange. We found, by high resolution gradient SDS polyacrylamide gels, that the NEM-treated muscle was only composed of uncrosslinked Tm and the DTNB treated muscle was composed of disulfide-crosslinked Tm. This work indicates that Tm exists in a reduced state in rabbit psoas muscle.
Further studies on the diuretic activity of antidiuretic hormone.

Infused arginine-8-vasopressin or Pitressin was found to cause diuresis in both anesthetized and trained conscious dogs. Increased chloride excretion occasionally accompanied the diuresis. Previous observations of vasopressin-induced diuresis in the alcoholized and hydrated rat are thus confirmed in another species and anesthesia is ruled out as a decisive factor in this phenomenon. The diuresis occurred with regular frequency provided that a low basal urine flow rate with high urinary chloride concentration preceded the infusion of sub-antidiuretic amounts of vasopressin. (Endocrinology 83: 199, 1968)
Blood-brain barrier genomics, proteomics, and new transporter discovery

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is an impermeable cellular interface that physically separates the blood from the interstices of the brain. The endothelial cells lining the brain blood vessels form the principle barrier, and their unique phenotype is a consequence of dynamic interactions with several perivascular cell types present in the brain parenchyma. In addition, BBB dysfunction has been observed in the large majority of neurological diseases, but the causes of aberrant vascular behavior are generally unknown. Because of its barrier phenotype, drug delivery to the brain has also proven to be a very difficult task. Global genomics and proteomics analyses are currently being used to examine BBB function in healthy and diseased brain to better characterize this dynamic interface. It is becoming increasingly evident that these approaches have the potential to clarify the unique attributes of a healthy BBB, to identify therapeutic targets in diseased brain, and to identify novel conduits for noninvasive delivery of drugs against these targets. This review will discuss the application of genomics and proteomics to blood-brain barrier research and will offer views on the prospects of such approaches.
Synthetic and biological catalysts in chemical synthesis: how to assess practical utility

Enzymes, synthetic catalysts, and catalytic antibodies can all be used to perform asymmetric reactions, but their practical utility is not always easy to evaluate. Criteria with which to compare such catalysts are proposed and illustrated for asymmetric epoxidation, a reaction to which all three approaches have been applied.
Exploratory investigations on the structure dependence of the wear resistance of polyethylene

Abstract A relatively simple hemisphere-on-flat sliding wear tester was devised for screening samples of polyethylene prior to their trial in total joint simulators and ultimately in implanted total joint replacements. Testing was done in bovine serum and wear debris was recovered quantitatively by a method previously devised. The debris, wear surfaces and wear rates were all consistent with previous work, including simulators and clinical materials. It was found that the wear rate increases by a factor of more than 30 when the molecular weight is decreased from 2 × 106 to 5 × 105, that irradiation in doses typical of sterilization procedures improves wear resistance, as does reduction in fusion defect size in ultrahigh molecular weight material, and that chemical cross-linking improves wear resistance in high density polyethylene but still not to the level of the ultrahigh molecular weight material. In material with a molecular weight typical of total joint replacements, an exponential dependence of wear rate on load was found.
Extra-articular Mimickers of Lateral Meniscal Tears.

Context:Lateral meniscus tears are a common entity seen in sports medicine. Although lateral-side knee pain is often the result of a meniscus injury, several extra-articular pathologies share signs and symptoms with a meniscus tear. It is critical for the clinician to be able to identify and understand extra-articular pathologies that can present similar to a lateral meniscus tear.Evidence Acquisition:Data were collected through a thorough review of the literature conducted through a MEDLINE search for all relevant articles between 1980 and February 2010.Study Type:Clinical review.Results:Common extra-articular pathologies that can mimic lateral meniscal tears include iliotibial band syndrome, proximal tibiofibular joint instability, snapping biceps femoris or popliteus tendons, and peroneal nerve compression syndrome or neuritis. The patient history, physical examination features, and radiographic findings can be used to separate these entities from the more common intra-articular knee pathologies.Conclu...