cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Please help!: patterns of personalization in an online tech support board

We analyze help-seeking strategies in two large tech support boards and observe a number of previously unreported differences between tech support boards and other types of online communities. Tech support boards are organized around technical topics and consumer products, yet the types of help people seek online are often grounded in deeply personal experiences. Family, holidays, school, and other personal contexts influence the types of help people seek online. We examine the nature of these personal contexts and offer ways of inferring need-based communities in tech support boards in order to better support users seeking technical help online.
Nonlinear turbo TCM schemes over AWGN and Rayleigh fading channels

Turbo trellis coded modulation (TTCM) has been widely used as a channel coding scheme that achieves nearcapacity rate without sacrificing bandwidth. Traditionally, linear trellis codes are used as the constituent encoders in the design of TTCM schemes. In this paper we design nonlinear trellis codes that outperform previously designed code over AWGN and fullyinterleaved Rayleigh fading channels.
Spread Coating of OPA on Mica: From Multilayers to Self-Assembled Monolayers

The process of self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formation by the spread coating of an octadecylphosphonic acid (OPA) solution onto a mica surface is investigated by atomic force microscopy. When concentrated solutions are employed, a novel mechanism of SAM formation is found: OPA multilayers, mostly bilayers, are initially deposited on the mica surface. As time passes, these large multilayers break apart and evolve into disorganized monolayers. Following a rapid evolution, such monolayers are found to transform into well-ordered OPA self-assembled monolayers.
Changes in the activity of some hydrolases of the brain after the administration of methoxyethylmercuric chloride.

Abstract The effect of the administration by methoxyethyl-mercuric chloride (Ceresan) on the activity of phosphatases and esterases of the rat brain was studied. From the observations made in this study it appears that ingestion of Ceresan, a fungicide of wide agricultural application, leads to a considerable increase of activity of many hydrolytic enzymes in the brains of rats treated with this compound. The changes of the histoenzymatic pattern resulting from the administration of this fungicide reveal a significant topographical differentiation.
Construction and characterization of a soybean bacterial artificial chromosome library and use of multiple complementary libraries for genome physical mapping

Two plant-transformation-competent large-insert binary clone bacterial artificial chromosome (hereafter BIBAC) libraries were previously constructed for soybean cv. Forrest, using BamHI or HindIII. However, they are not well suited for clone-based genomic sequencing due to their larger ratio of vector to insert size (27.6 kbp:125 kbp). Therefore, we developed a larger-insert bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library for the genotype in a smaller vector (pECBAC1), using EcoRI. The BAC library contains 38,400 clones; about 99.1% of the clones have inserts; the average insert size is 157 kbp; and the ratio of vector to insert size is much smaller (7.5 kbp:157 kbp). Colony hybridization with probes derived from several chloroplast and mitochondrial genes showed that 0.89% and 0.45% of the clones were derived from the chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes, respectively. Considering these data, the library represents 5.4 haploid genomes of soybean. The library was hybridized with six RFLP marker probes, 5S rDNA and 18S-5.8S-25S rDNA, respectively. Each RFLP marker hybridized to about six clones, and the 5S and 18S-5.8S-25S rDNA probes collectively hybridized to 402 BACs—about 1.05% of the clones in the library. The BAC library complements the existing soybean Forrest BIBAC libraries by using different restriction enzymes and vector systems. Together, the BAC and BIBAC libraries encompass 13.2 haploid genomes, providing the most comprehensive clone resource for a single soybean genotype for public genome research. We show that the BAC library has enhanced the development of the soybean whole-genome physical map and use of three complementary BAC libraries improves genome physical mapping by fingerprint analysis of most of the clones of the library. The rDNA-containing clones were also fingerprinted to evaluate the feasibility of constructing contig maps of the rDNA regions. It was found that physical maps for the rDNA regions could not be readily constructed by fingerprint analysis, using one or two restriction enzymes. Additional data to fingerprints and/or different fingerprinting methods are needed to build contig maps for such highly tandem repetitive regions and thus, the physical map of the entire soybean genome.
Attitudes of acceptability and lack of condemnation toward suicide may be predictive of post-discharge suicide attempts

Suicide attempts (SA) after psychiatric hospitalization continue to be a major cause of morbidity. Implicit measures may enhance our ability to assess suicide risk. In this context, we describe the first use of the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) to identify post-discharge suicide attempters.
On the absolute or relative basis of perception: The case for middle class identification

Previous studies of the relationship between social structural changes and individual-level perceptions have focused on perceptions of ‘well-being’. Those studies conclude that relative position in the social structure (e.g., more or less income compared to others) determines perceived ‘well-being’. In contrast to those studies, this research focuses on social structural changes and perceptions of middle class identification and concludes that absolute position in the social structure (e.g., a certain amount of income in itself) determines perceptions of middle class identification.
Synthesis, Properties and Applications of Superhard Amorphous Coatings

Low-friction/ultralow-wear coatings allow “surface engineering” for improved performance and durability, and enable use of new light weight or low cost materials. The accepted correlation of wear resistance with hardness suggests use of ceramic carbides and nitrides, with diamond being the ultimate anti-wear coating. While any of these may be deposited by chemical vapor deposition, the high cost (due to low deposition rates and high capital costs) and (usually) high deposition temperatures makes CVD coating impractical for cost-sensitive automotive applications. While rarely as hard as their crystalline counterparts, hard amorphous films exhibit similar (and occasionally superior) tribological properties and may be deposited on virtually any material at low cost. The highly nonequilibrium deposition process - conformal plasma reactive ion plating (CP-RIP) - allows tailoring of film properties and exploration of completely new compositions with no crystalline counterparts. Factors controlling the mechanical and optical properties of amorphous hard coatings, and recent progress in their application will be reviewed.
Clinical evaluation of wound healing following multiple exposures to enamel matrix protein derivative in the treatment of intrabony periodontal defects.

Background: Multiple exposures to enamel matrix protein derivative (EMD) during periodontal therapy have been shown to be safe for the patient. The purpose of this study was to clinically determine if an altered course of wound healing would occur after multiple exposures to EMD in the treatment of intrabony defects. A secondary aim was to assess the efficacy of EMD in probing depth reduction and clinical attachment level gain. Methods: Thirty-two systemically healthy patients (18 females, 14 males, 33 to 69 years old) who were being treated for moderate to advanced periodontal disease were selected for the study. Surgical procedures involving 2 sites were separated by at least 8 weeks, and wound healing comparisons were made between the first and second procedure. Patients were given a diary card the day of surgery, which consisted of questions concerning the presence and severity of headaches, root hypersensitivity, tooth pain, swelling, and itching. Patients were also examined at postoperative visits t...
On a resource based ecological competition model with interference

A resource based ecological competition model with interference is proposed. The model is based on Lotka-Volterra dynamics with two predators competing for a single, limited prey. Interference effects are considered in this article. When the interference coefficient, expressing the damage effect from its rival, is small, the mathematical analysis shows that the winner in purely exploitative competition still outcompetes its rival. However, if the interference coefficient is large enough then the competition outcome will depend on initial population of predator species.
Identifying Sykes’ monkeys’, Cercopithecus albogularis erythrarchus, axes of fear through patch use

We used experimental food patches to test how habitat factors affect predation risk for Sykes’ monkeys. We created food patches to reveal monkeys’ foraging cost of predation. We measured the monkeys’ variation in predation costs with patches stratified by height and arrayed horizontally. We expected the monkeys to harvest the most from patches with the least substrate/most food, and to harvest the least from patches with the most substrate/least food. Furthermore, we predicted that giving-up densities (GUDs) would (1) decrease with greater height (2) increase on the ground when sightlines were blocked, and (3) in a landscape grid, decrease in patches near trees and increase in patches near shrubs. Monkeys harvested the most from the richest patches and the least from the poorest patches. Along a vertical axis, GUDs decreased by 15% from 0.1 m to 2 m, and by 10% from 2 m to 5 m. Along a horizontal axis, GUDs were affected by curtain-blocked sightlines (4.7% higher with curtains), but not by distances to vegetation. We demonstrated that the vertical landscape gradient is more meaningful to Sykes’ monkeys than the terrestrial horizontal. We conclude that experiments with giving-up densities in depletable food patches provide effective means for studying primate ecology.
A Correlation Between National Institutes of Health Funding and Bibliometrics in Neurosurgery

Objective The relationship between metrics, such as the h-index, and the ability of researchers to generate funding has not been previously investigated in neurosurgery. This study was performed to determine whether a correlation exists between bibliometrics and National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding data among academic neurosurgeons. Methods The h-index, m-quotient, g-index, and contemporary h-index were determined for 1225 academic neurosurgeons from 99 (of 101) departments. Two databases were used to create the citation profiles, Google Scholar and Scopus. The NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Reports tool was accessed to obtain career grant funding amount, grant number, year of first grant award, and calendar year of grant funding. Results Of the 1225 academic neurosurgeons, 182 (15%) had at least 1 grant with a fully reported NIH award profile. Bibliometric indices were all significantly higher for those with NIH funding compared to those without NIH funding ( P P P P = .184). Conclusions Bibliometric indices are higher for those with NIH funding compared to those without, but only the contemporary h-index was shown to be predictive of NIH funding. Among neurosurgeons with NIH funding, higher bibliometric scores were associated with greater total amount of funding, number of grants, duration of grants, and earlier acquisition of their first grant.
Tight mixed-integer optimization models for the solution of linear and nonlinear systems of disjunctive equations

This paper considers the solution of systems of algebraic equations that are expressed by a global rectangular system of equations, and a set of conditional equations that are expressed as disjunctions. These disjunctions are given by equations and inequalities, where the latter define the domain of validity of the equations. The solution of such a system is defined by variable values satisfying the rectangular equations, and exactly one set of equations for each of the disjunctions This paper addresses first the solution of systems of linear disjunctive equations. Using a convex hull representation of each of the disjunctions, it is shown that these equations can be converted into an MILP problem. A sufficient condition is presented under which this model is shown to be solvable as an LP problem. An extension to nonlinear disjunctive equations is presented by incorporating the proposed MILP formulation within a Newton iterative scheme. The application of the proposed algorithms is illustrated with several examples, including piecewise linear mass balances in process networks, and pipe networks with different flow regimes and check valves.
The Macro and Micro Structure of the Foreign Language Curriculum.

AT PRESENT the majority of experts seems to be in agreement on the general nature and content of the Foreign Language Curriculum in the secondary school. Thus while the following description and discussion of the Foreign Language Curriculum is based on the bulletin French for Secondary Schools (Bureau of Secondary Curriculum Development, New York State Education Department), other state bulletins or documents1 could have been used without coming to significantly different conclusions.
Increasing children's self-initiated compliance to dental regimens *

Four children who had shown low rates of compliance to prescribed dental regimens of flossing and brushing showed dramatic increases in self-initiated compliance after home- based contingency management programs were implemented. Back-up dental measures showed that the increased daily compliance produced improved dental hygiene.
Introduction to special issue on psychosis

Psychosis is often thought of as an intrapersonal disorder. Increasingly, however, research points to psychosis as a marker for psychosocial problems that can only be understood within the social, cultural and political contexts in which they arise. In this special issue, we consider from various perspectives ways in which a psychoanalytic lens can illuminate our ideas about psychosis.
Active hybrid 80 s particles formed from subunits of rat, rabbit and protozoan (Tetrahymena pyriformis) ribosomes

Abstract Ribosomes of rat skeletal muscle and rat liver were dissociated in 880 m m -potassium chloride at 28 °C in the presence of magnesium ions (12.5 m m ); at 4 °C the subunits formed aggregates. In contrast, the subunita formed from rabbit muscle and Tetrahymena pyriformis ribosomes in the same ionic circumstances did not aggregate at 4 °C. The ability of rat muscle ribosomal subunits to combine with subunits of other 80 s ribosomes was determined by density-gradient analysis and by estimation of polyuridylic acid-directed polypeptide synthesis. Both hybrids formed and were active when rat muscle and rat liver subunits were combined. Subunits from rat and rabbit skeletal muscle ribosomes also formed active hybrids, despite a difference in the 60 s particles of the two species; the rat 60 s subunit has a far greater tendency to form 90 s dimers at low temperatures. However, only one hybrid was detected by density-gradient analysis when rat muscle and Tetrahymena subunits were mixed. The small subunits of the protozoan and the large subunits of rat formed 80 s particles, which synthesized polyphenylalanine at the same rate as re-associated Tetrahymena ribosomes. The 40 s of rat and the 60 s of the protozoan did not appear to form 80 s particles, but the mixture had some protein synthetic activity in the presence of polyuridylic acid. The ribosomal proteins contained in the subunits of rat muscle and Tetrahymena ribosomes were markedly different.
Study of astaxanthin diester extracted from Adonis aestivalis

Abstract 1. 1. Astaxanthin diester was isolated from the flower, Adonis aestivalis. The structure of the astaxanthin diester was confirmed by 1H-NMR, and MS spectrophotometric methods as well as conventional methods such as absorption spectra, chemical tests and co-chromatography with authentic standards. 2. 2. After conversion to its (—)-camphanic acid diester and HPLC separation of the diastereomers, astaxanthin from A. aestivalis was shown to consist of the (3S, 3′S) and (3R, 3′S) isomers in a ratio of 92:5. 3. 3. The CD data for the astaxanthin diester confirmed that the astaxanthin diester in A. aestivalis has mainly the (3S, 3′S)-configuration. 4. 4. Fatty acid composition of the astaxanthin diester of A. aestivalis was analyzed by means of GLC analysis of their methyl esters. Oleic (23.2%), palmitic (22.7%), myristic (17.2%), linolenic (11.2%), lauric (10.4%) and linoleic acid (7.2%) were identified in the ester. 5. 5. It was shown that astaxanthin diester contained more saturated and shorter chain fatty acids than those of the total lipid of the flower.
New clinical findings in the fragile X-associated tremor ataxia syndrome (FXTAS).

The objective of this paper was to assess the phenotypic variance in patients with the Fragile X-associated Tremor Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS) and to further elucidate genotype–phenotype correlations in the illness. A second goal was to generate hypotheses regarding symptom progression based on careful histories in our sample that can now be tested in ongoing longitudinal studies. The variability of clinical signs and symptom progression in FXTAS complicates our understanding of its phenotype and presents a series of problems in clinical trial design. Similarly, pre-motor and non-motor symptoms have not been adequately explored to answer outstanding questions regarding genotype–phenotype associations in FXTAS. This was a cross-sectional study of FMR1 premutation carriers from known fragile X syndrome pedigrees. We report on the first 50 subjects who have completed a full neurologic evaluation and a brain MRI. Subjects were selected on the basis of motor symptoms or abnormal results (>1 SD) on a quantitative instrument designed to detect mild tremor and ataxia (CATSYS 1994). A neuropsychological battery included the WAIS-III, COWA, and WCST. Statistical analysis used ANOVA and Fisher’s exact test with p < 0.05. All FMR1 premutation carriers were men of mean age 65 ± 7 years. According to the diagnostic criteria of Jacquemont et al. (Am J Hum Genet 72(4):869–878, 2003), 21 subjects met criteria for definite FXTAS, 10 for probable, 9 for possible, and 10 were indeterminate. Duration of motor symptoms was significantly longer in the definitive group (8.6 ± 6) compared to the other groups (p < 0.01). The presentations in 40 subjects, excluding the indeterminate group, included: tremor 24, ataxia 5, memory symptoms 3, parkinsonism 2, and torticollis 1. The data suggest at least two dominant phenotypic presentations: (a) a tremor-dominant subtype in which the onset of ataxia is delayed; (b) a second in which ataxia is the dominant presentation from the outset. In both subtypes, once ataxia emerges it tends to track frontal cognitive changes (p < 0.01). The data support the view that FXTAS is a late-life neurodegenerative disorder with involvement of motor, non-motor, and cognitive systems. The results suggest at least two presentations with tremor- and ataxia-predominant phenotypes. In both, global cognitive decline appears to track ataxia. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to validate this proposed evolution of FXTAS and its relevance to future clinical trials design.
Trans effects in cell membrane transport.

Abstract The efflux of a substrate from preloaded cells may be decelerated by an inhibitor in the external medium or accelerated by a compatible substrate in the external medium. The derivations of rate equations for the initial velocity of the zero-trans reaction, trans efflux inhibition, and accelerated exchange diffusion are described for steady state conditions. The rate constants making up the Michaelis constant for the trans inhibition reaction are the same as the corresponding parameters in the zero-trans reaction. The rate constants making up the Michaelis constant for the accelerated exchange reaction, however, are different from the corresponding parameters in the zero-trans reaction. The rate equation for trans inhibition shows that the velocity constant for recovery of the unloaded carrier may be determined with steady state experimental data. It is suggested that the observed recovery constant is independent of the substrates and trans inhibitors chosen for an assay of a particular carrier system. An experiment is briefly described to show a determination of a tentative value for the recovery constant of the unloaded nucleoside carrier in yeast cells and the apparent inhibition constant for a trans inhibitor.
Estimation in inverse Gaussian regression: comparison of asymptotic and bootstrap distributions

This paper presents a brief review of the asymptotic properties of the pseudo-maximum likelihood estimator in the regression model where the reciprocal of the mean of the dependent variable is considered to be a linear function of the regressor variables, and the observations on the dependent variable are assumed to have an inverse Gaussian distribution. The large sample theory for the pseudo-maximum likelihood estimator presented in Babu and Chaubey (1996) is highlighted and a simulation study is carried out to compare the approximation yielded by the bootstrap distribution to that of the asymptotic distribution.
Developmental, growth, and population biomass responses of a river-dwelling caddisfly (Brachycentrus occidentalis) to irrigation water withdrawals

Irrigation water withdrawals can alter hydrologic and thermal regimes, which are two primary drivers of biological patterns and processes in lotic ecosystems. Despite irrigated agriculture being the largest use of freshwater resources in the world, impacts to macroinvertebrate life histories remain largely unknown. We sought to determine how water withdrawals affect larval development, growth, and population biomass of Brachycentrus occidentalis. We sampled three river segments within the Umatilla River, OR representing reference conditions above all points of diversion, hydrologic alterations below a first diversion, and hydrologic and thermal alterations below a second diversion. The three river segments were sampled monthly from June to September during average and drought water years. During the average water year, B. occidentalis growth and developmental patterns were more strongly related to naturally occurring elevated winter degree day accumulations than the hydrologic and thermal effects of water withdrawals. In contrast, water withdrawals interacted with drought conditions in 2005 to increase the magnitude and duration of hydrologic and thermal alterations. During this time, lethal temperatures slowed B. occidentalis growth rates and significantly reduced the individual dry weights of fourth and fifth instars. Growth rate reductions likely resulted from an inability to meet increased metabolic demands, as opposed to faster developmental rates. We provide evidence that water withdrawals can decouple life histories from environmental optima where individual’s size and fecundity are maximized. Such effects are particularly detrimental to holometabolous insects, which can lack the plasticity of hemimetabolous insects to make tradeoffs among body size, generation times, and voltinism.
Pressure cell for time-resolved calorimetric measurements of photoinitiated reactions on the fractional millisecond and longer time scale

Photoacoustics is an excellent method to obtain enthalpy and volume changes of photochemical reactions. It is particularly useful for photobiological or other reactions in water where the thermal and inherent volume changes can be separated by measurement at the temperature of maximum density. However, its time range is limited to less than ∼10 μs because the amplitude of the observed pressure wave is proportional to the rate of volume change. We describe a closed pressure cell which perfectly complements the usual photoacoustic methodology. It has a rise time of 20 μs and a thermal decay time of several seconds. Its single pulse sensitivity [signal/noise (S/N)=1] is 10 pL or 15 μJ absorbed energy in water. The assembly and calibration of the instrument is described along with its verification by measurement of the enthalpy and volume change of the photodissociation of CO-myoglobin. The apparatus is eminently suited for the study of proton pumping in bacteriorhodopsin and oxygen formation in photosynthesis.
BREAKING THE SILENCE: Achieving a Positive Campus Climate for Diversity from the Staff Perspective

The purpose of this paper is to identify factors that create a positive climate for diversity and to demonstrate how these factors predict outcomes related to achieving a positive campus climate for diversity. Based on survey data collected from 437 staff members employed at a large, public, predominantly White university in the Midwest, results suggest that the institution’s ability to achieve a positive climate for diversity reflects not only the personal characteristics of the staff member (race, gender, education level, and age) but also their perceptions of their immediate work environment. Implications are discussed.
Orotic acid biosynthesis in arginine-deficient rats.

Arginine deficiency is associated with a mild orotic aciduria. Liver slices from rats fed a purified l-amino acid diet with (control) and without arginine supplementation were used for studies of [14C]bicarbonate incorporation into orotic acid. The nanomoles of orotic acid synthesized in isolated liver slices from both control and arginine-deficient animals increased linearly with time. Orotic acid biosynthesis was significantly greater in liver slices than slices of heart, muscle, kidney, and minced spleen. The order of orotate biosynthesis from [14C]bicarbonate was liver > spleen = kidney > muscle > heart. Arginine deficiency resulted in a significant stimulation of liver orotic acid biosynthesis. This stimulation in pyrimidine biosynthesis can account for a major portion of the orotic aciduria. Orotic acid synthesis from spleens isolated from arginine-deficient rats was also enhanced compared with controls. Although the rate of orotic acid biosynthesis is small relative to liver production, the spleen may contribute slightly to increased orotic aciduria in the arginine-deficient rat. Arginine supplementation in vitro to livers from rats fed either the control of arginine-deficient diet resulted in a significant reduction in synthesis of orotic acid. Dietary arginine may play a key role in regulating mitochondrial carbamoyl phosphate utilization into both pyrimidine and urea biosynthesis.
Electron probe surface mass spectrometry study of CO on molybdenum

Abstract The technique of electron probe surface mass spectrometry has been utilized to study the system CO on polycrystalline molybdenum in the temperature range 300 to 1500 °K. The adsorption of the α and β phases of CO has been studied and is shown to be adequately described by the Roberts-Miller theory. Electron induced surface ion desorption of O s + is correlated with adsorbed CO indicating a cross section for the α phase CO of σ α ( O s + )=3×10 −18 cm 2 and for the β phase CO of σ β ( O s + )=6×10 −21 cm 2 . Desorbed surface ions of CO and C are not observed. The electron-induced surface ionization efficiency curves for the α and β phases are very similar, both having a threshold of 20 eV. The results obtained are interpreted to indicate that the primary interaction of electrons with adsorbed CO may not be significantly different from that occurring when electrons interact with gas phase CO.
mTORC1 inhibition increases neurotensin secretion and gene expression through activation of the MEK/ERK/c-Jun pathway in the human endocrine cell line BON

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling exists in two complexes: mTORC1 and mTORC2. Neurotensin (NT), an intestinal hormone secreted by enteroendocrine (N) cells in the small bowel, has important physiological effects in the gastrointestinal tract. The human endocrine cell line BON abundantly expresses the NT gene and synthesizes and secretes NT in a manner analogous to that of N cells. Here, we demonstrate that the inhibition of mTORC1 by rapamycin (mTORC1 inhibitor), torin1 (both mTORC1 and mTORC2 inhibitor) or short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of mTOR, regulatory associated protein of mTOR (RAPTOR), and p70 S6 kinase (p70S6K) increased basal NT release via upregulating NT gene expression in BON cells. c-Jun activity was increased by rapamycin or torin1 or p70S6K knockdown. c-Jun overexpression dramatically increased NT promoter activity, which was blocked by PD98059, an mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor. Furthermore, overexpression of MEK1 or extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1) increased c-Jun expression and NT promoter activity. More importantly, PD98059 blocked rapamycin- or torin1-enhanced NT secretion. Consistently, rapamycin and torin1 also increased NT gene expression in Hep3B cells, a human hepatoma cell line that, similar to BON, expresses high levels of NT. Phosphorylation of c-Jun and ERK1/2 was also increased by rapamycin and torin1 in Hep3B cells. Finally, we showed activation of mTOR in BON cells treated with amino acids, high glucose, or serum and, concurrently, the attenuation of ERK1/2 and c-Jun phosphorylation and NT secretion. Together, mTORC1, as a nutrient sensor, negatively regulates NT secretion via the MEK/ERK/c-Jun signaling pathway. Our results identify a physiological link between mTORC1 and MEK/ERK signaling in controlling intestinal hormone gene expression and secretion.
Comparative optimism: a framework for understanding positive sexual minority experience

Comparative optimism is the belief that negative events are more likely to happen to others and positive events are more likely to happen to the self. This research considers the impact of sexual orientation on comparative optimism, specifically in relation to positive life events. Participants were 392 adult women and men (18–63 years old) who self-identified as either heterosexual (n = 332) or a sexual minority (n = 60). Participants rated 10 general positive event statements and 10 minority salient positive event statements in terms of how likely they would happen to themselves in comparison to two different comparison targets: a member of the ‘general population’ and an individual who is ‘similar to self’. For general positive event statements, sexual minority and heterosexual participants displayed similar levels of comparative optimism. This was true for both comparison targets. For minority salient positive events, sexual minorities were more optimistic than heterosexual participants when making co...
Effect of water vapor concentration on the conversion of a series of 1,4-hydroxycarbonyls to dihydrofurans

Abstract It has previously been shown that in dry air 5-hydroxy-2-pentanone cyclizes and dehydrates to form 4,5-dihydro-2-methylfuran. A series of C 5 –C 8 1,4-hydroxycarbonyls were generated in situ from the OH radical-initiated reactions of their n -alkane precursors, and their dark decays in air investigated as a function of water vapor concentration. To remove any reactive dihydrofurans formed, in some experiments O 3 was added after 120–240 min and the 1,4-hydroxycarbonyls monitored for a further time period. In general, at low water vapor concentrations the 1,4-hydroxycarbonyl decayed in the dark in the absence of added O 3 , with the concentration reaching a plateau indicating that an equilibrium between the 1,4-hydroxycarbonyl and the dihydrofuran had been attained. Addition of O 3 led to further decay of the hydroxycarbonyl. At higher water vapor concentrations, no significant decay of the 1,4-hydroxcarbonyl was observed in the absence of added O 3 , but addition of O 3 resulted in a measurable decay of the 1,4-hydroxycarbonyl. Finally, at yet higher water vapor concentrations, no decay of the 1,4-hydroxycarbonyl was observed in the absence or presence of O 3 . At >50% relative humidity at 296 K, the C 5 –C 8 1,4-hydroxycarbonyls examined here were stable against cyclization and dehydration.
Soot nucleation kinetics in premixed methane combustion

The reflected shock region of a conventional shock tube was used to study soot formation from rich methane combustion. The combustion environment, reactant partial pressures of approximately one atmosphere, and temperature exceeding 1800 °K, simulated conditions in practical systems. The simultaneous time-resolved observation of ion precursors, ions and neutral species along with the nascent soot particles in the homogeneous reflected core region provided unambiguous kinetic data about the earliest stages of soot formation. Emission spectra of CH0 (4315 ) and C2 0(5165 ) and Langmuir probe current histories of chemi-ions paralleled each other and changed radically in appearance from fuel-lean combustion to rich combustion conditions. Electric fields of moderate intensity were applied across the reaction zone to control ion-electron recombination. At equivalence ratios less than two, the soot production was extinguished while at equivalence ratios approaching three, an enhancement of soot formation was achieved. These observations confirm the presence of a previously proposed dual nucleation path. An analytical study of the gas-phase reaction mechanism prior to the nucleation of soot was undertaken using existing rate data. The effects of electric fields were modeled by eliminating the ion-electron recombination step since the electron concentration will be drastically reduced in an electric field of appreciable strength. The analytical results suggest that the dual nucleation path is a tenable concept in the combustion system studied.
‘States’ of Scarcity: Water, Space, and Identity Politics in Israel, 1948–59

Between 1948 and 1959, perceptions of Israeli water resources changed dramatically from a strong belief in water abundance in the prestate period to an equally strong and unequivocal belief in water scarcity after 1959. This paper tells the story of how the water resources of Israel came to be constructed as scarce. On the substantive level, the paper tells the story of the dismantling of a network of water abundance and the emergence, instead, of a network of water scarcity and centralization, which helped to construct all of the following: water resource scarcity as ‘fact’; centralized policy-making institutions as most ‘efficient’; centralized technologies as ‘appropriate’; the national space as the only source of identity; the national scale of water management as ‘necessary’; a strong and centralized state as ‘legitimate’; legal precedents for the use of state apparatus for surveillance, discipline, and control over water resources; and, consequently, a form of citizenship that is seen as at once her...
Simplified slurry method for direct flame emission determinations of dietary salt in processed meat

The rapid, direct slurry atomization flame emission procedure for Na and K determination is shown to give accurate results for a variety of processed meats including bologna, salami, sausage, ham, bacon, and pizza products. Wet and dry ashing methods are found to be unnecessary in this application. The sample preparation scheme for the elements Na and K has been even further simplified over our previous slurry atomization report (Ref. 1) by elimination of the sonic/cavitational homogenizer in favor of an ordinary household food processor (meat grinder). Ground meat or pizza is simply suspended by being shaken in some deionized water followed immediately by direct flame emission analysis of the suspension using a slurry nebulizer and a high-solids premixed natural-gas/air flame. A simple clinical-type filter photometer is evaluated as a substitute for the grating instrument previously used for the determination of dietary salt in processed meat by slurry atomization.
X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Sputter Depth Profile Analysis of Spatially Controlled Microstructures in Conductive Polymer Films

XPS sputter depth profiling of Ag-doped poly [Fe(4-vinyl-4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridyl) 2 -(CN) 2 ]-poly(4-vinyl-4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridyl) is described. These films are doped with Ag I via soaking, and the distribution and oxidation state of the Ag dopants are modified by electrochemical reduction. XPS is evaluated for its ability to quantitatively profile the induced concentration gradients of Ag sites in these thin films. XPS provide both chemical speciation and atomic concentration information used to monitor the surface composition of these films during each step of the modification process
Auctions with contingent payments — An overview

I survey a literature on auctions with contingent payments, that is auctions in which payments are allowed to depend on an ex-post verifiable variable, such as revenues in oil lease auctions. Based on DeMarzo et al. (2005), I describe a partial ranking of auction revenues for auctions that differ in terms of contract forms, pricing rules and seller commitment and why the revenue equivalence theorem does not apply even in an independent private values setup. I discuss models that incorporate adverse selection, moral hazard, competition between auctioneers, common values and the sale of multiple units.
Effects of cocaine hydrolase on cocaine self-administration under a PR schedule and during extended access (escalation) in rats

Rationale and objectives Previously, Albu-CocH, a cocaine hydrolase derived from human butyrylcholinesterase, blocked cocaine-induced reinstatement of drug seeking in rats. In the present study, rats were treated with Albu-CocH while self-administering cocaine under a progressive ratio (PR) schedule during 2-h sessions and under a fixed-ratio 1 (FR 1) schedule during 6-h sessions.
Cross-cultural Training: A Review

Dans cet article, nous suivons l’e´volution des concepts qui font partie de la litte´rature de ces 50 dernie`res anne´es sur la formation trans-culturelle en passant en revue quelques e´tudes qui ont fait date. Apre`s avoir de´battu des recherches et pratiques au fil des de´cennies, nous poursuivons en identifiant les grands courrants de recherche dans ce domaine et nous livrons a` quelques conjonctures suppositions sur les directions qui peuvent etre prises dans l’avenir.
In Search of Classification that Supports the Dynamics of Science: The FAO Land Cover Classification System and Proposed Modifications

Classification of geographic phenomena is often a black box to anyone outside the immediate group involved in the classification process. There is a growing need for compatibility between datasets ...
Comment on "Carrier-concentration dependence of critical superconducting current induced by the proximity effect in silicon"

It is pointed out that effect of an applied gate voltage on the critical current observed in a gate-controlled Si-coupled weak link by Nishino, Yamada, and Kawabe (Phy. Rev. B 33, 2042 (1986)) is much larger than that expected from the small change of carrier density in the link.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for T-2 toxin

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the rapid quantitation of T-2 toxin, a tricothecene mycotoxin produced by members of the genusFusarium. T-2 toxin was first converted to the T-2 hemisuccinate (T-2 HS) and then conjugated by the water-soluble carbodiimide method to either bovine serum albumin for use as an immunogen or to horseradish peroxidase for use as an enzyme marker. T-2 antiserum was air-dried onto polystyrene microtissue culture plates and the ELISA conducted by simultaneously incubating standards of T-2 toxin and the T-2 HS-peroxidase conjugate. Competition curves were prepared by determining total bound enzyme. The ELISA took about 2 hr to complete and allowed minimal detection of T-2 at levels of 2.5 pg/assay. Average recoveries from samples of wheat flour spiked with T-2 toxin in the 1.0-30 ppb range were 95 ± 25% and those for corn meal spiked in the 5.0-30 ppb range were 98 ± 19%. The results suggested the ELISA is a simple and convenient alternative for the screening of T-2 toxin in food and feeds.
PHOTOPRODUCTION OF POSITIVE PIONS FROM PROTONS

The results of the experimental determination of the differential cross sections for the reaction gamma + p yields pi /sup +/ + n at 260 and 290 Mev are given. The theoretical cross sections were calculated from dispersion relation formulas and compared to the experiinental values. It is concluded that the photoproduction cross section is a very sensitive function of the pion- nucleon scattering phase shifts. (L.T.W.)
A Practical Approach to Preparing Children for Dermatologic Surgery

This paper presents a series of stratagems designed to minimize the potential psychological problems of children who require dermatological surgery. After discussing the "normal" critical periods of childhood, the selective approaches to children at different ages are presented. General and specific suggestions are made for pre- and postoperative management for both office and hospital surgical procedures.
Airborne Electronic Ultra-Fast Scanning Spectrometer

An all-electronic scanning spectrometer is described which is capable of scanning the 0.6 to 1 μ spectral region at scan rates of up to 10,200 scans/second at a resolution of better than 15 An image dissector photoelectron multiplier tube is used as the detection device. The minimum detectable signal of the system is less than 1 x 10-6 w cm-2 2-1 at 0.8 μ. The instrument occupies a volume of less than half a cubic foot and is designed for operation in a KC-135 aircraft. Video magnetic tape recording is used, and a digital read-out method has been developed so that the data can be programmed into a computer.
Tumor-targeted delivery of 8-hydroxyquinoline

Abstract RIF-1 mouse tumors express high levels of β-glucuronidase activity relative to most normal tissues. The high activity can be exploited for targeting specific drugs preferentially to tumor tissues. In this study we examined the kinetics of 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-OHQ) accumulation in tumor and in several normal tissues resulting from the in vivo deconjugation of 8-hydroxyquinolyl-glucuronide (8-OHQ-GlcA). Tumors were acidified with D-glucose and NaHC0 3 prior to the administration of 8-OHQ-GIcA; subsequently the deconjugated aglycone, 8-OHQ, accumulated preferentially in tumors and reached peak levels between 30 and 60 min after the 8-OHQ-GIcA injection. Mild hyperthermia of 30 min at 43°C to the tumors further increased their peak 8-OHQ levels by a factor of 2–3. Some normal tissues, mostly kidney, liver, and colon, also accumulated 8-OHQ, but the aglycone appeared early in the normal tissues (near 30 min post-injection) and was significantly reduced by 60 min when 8-OHQ remained high in the tumor. Administration of 8-OHQ-GIcA alone, without prior tumor acidification, failed to produce measurable accumulations of 8-OHQ in tumors and in normal tissues. Tissue clearance of 8-OHQ is mediated primarily by the enzymatic reconjugation of 8-OHQ via UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UDGT). UDPGT activity was high in liver, kidney, and bowel, but low in the RIF tumor, spleen, muscle, and brain. Hyperthermia had only a modest effects on UDPGT activity: a heat dose of 30 min at 45°C reduced activity less than 60%. Thus, preferential accumulation and prolonged retention of 8-OHQ in RIF tumors may be caused by a combination of factors: a) high tumor β-glucuronidase activity, b) selective tumor acidification during hyperglycemia, c) low tumor UDPGT activity, and d) other factors, such as tumor blood flow.
Further Studies on a Factor Obtained from Condensed Fish Solubles Which Enhances Vitamin A Storage in Chick Livers

Abstract HARMS et al. (1956) reported that a factor in condensed fish solubles would produce an increase in the amount of vitamin A stored in the chick liver when added to a diet in which the source of vitamin A was either cod liver oil or a stabilized concentrate. The factor was found to be water soluble. The purpose of the present experiments was to determine the chemical and physical characteristics of the factor in fish solubles responsible for the increased vitamin A storage. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Straight-run New Hampshire chicks were used in these experiments and were obtained from hens fed a complete breeder diet. The chicks were vaccinated intraocularly for Newcastle disease at one day of age, wingbanded and randomly distributed into groups of 20 birds each. The treatments of the individual experiments are shown in the respective tables. The birds were maintained in electrically heated batteries with raised screen …
Connective tissue activation. IV. Regulatory effects of antirheumatic drugs

Cortisol, phenylbutazone, indomethacin, acetylsalicylic acid, meclofenamic acid, flufenamic acid and mefanamic acid were potent inhibitors of connective tissue activation, especially if introduced into synovial cultures within 2 hours of initiation of the activation process. Colchicine, chloroquine and gold thiomalate were ineffective, while hydroxychloroquine and sodium salicylate exhibited modest inhibitory capacity. Most of the active agents exhibited suppressive capacity at concentrations similar to those used clinically. The suppressive capacity of the various drugs was reduced 20 to 60% by the presence of serum. Antirheumatic drugs do not appear to alter the activity of the stimulatory connective tissue activating peptide molecule itself, but may act by interfering with the transcriptional and translational components of the connective tissue activation sequence.
The behavior of some trace elements during solidification of the Skaergaard layered series

Abstract Six rocks and twelve mineral separates from the layered series of the Skaergaard intrusion were analyzed by neutron activation for REE, Ag, As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Ga, Mn, Ni, Sb, Sc and Zn. The logarithmic model for trace element partitioning was further developed for use in describing the behavior of the elements during solidification of the layered series. Iterations were made in order to optimize within limits of uncertainty of measured values, such parameters as bulk composition, zone size, relative proportions of cumulus plus adcumulus minerals, zone mineralogy, and distribution coefficients. Values for distribution coefficients for the elements entering the cumulus minerals were obtained and have uncertainties of ~±50 per cent. The relative size of the hidden zone is limited, according to the estimates from the model, to between 20 and 50 per cent of the mass of the layered series.
A numerical investigation of wind speed effects on lake-effect storms

Observations of lake-effect storms that occur over the Great Lakes region during late autumn and winter indicate a high sensitivity to ambient wind speed and direction. In this paper, a two-dimensional version of the Penn State University/National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU/NCAR) model is used to investigate the wind speed effects on lake-effect snowstorms that occur over the Great Lakes region. Theoretical initial conditions for stability, relative humidity, wind velocity, and lake/land temperature distribution are specified. Nine different experiments are performed using wind speeds ofU=0, 2, 4,..., 16 m s−1. The perturbation wind, temperature, and moisture fields for each experiment after 36 h of simulation are compared. It is determined that moderate (4–6 m s−1) wind speeds result in maximum precipitation (snowfall) on the lee shore of the model lake. Weak wind speeds (0≤U<4 m s−1) yield significantly higher snowfall amounts over the lake along with a spatially concentrated and intense response. Strong wind speeds (6<U≤16 m s−1), yield very little, if any, significant snowfall, although significant increases in cloudiness, temperature, and perturbation wind speed occur hundreds of kilometers downwind from the lake.