cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Hundred Ways of Beginning: The Politics of Everyday Life

Everyday life is political in that it takes place within the context of human-made conditions that are shaped by collective normative judgments. However, everyday life may seem apolitical since its characteristic activities tend to be performed routinely and aim in part at meeting physical needs, generating feelings of naturalness. This tendency is exacerbated by a late modern, capitalist pattern of the persons, practices, products, and spaces of everyday life appearing in isolation from one another, as if they had lives of their own and occurred spontaneously. This fragmentation or alienation exacerbates thoughtlessness and autonomism or nonresponsiveness to events in everyday life—a pattern that is particularly troubling in a U.S. political context marked by citizen apathy and fatalism. This article shares the concern with thoughtlessness and autonomism with Hannah Arendt, but applies that concern in ways Arendt herself did not.
Rapid sensitization of vibrational energy levels of N2O in collisions with SF6 excited by a CO2 laser

Abstract Experimental investigations of mixtures containing predominantly N2O and small amounts of SF6 demonstrate that rapid interspecies pooling of vibrational energy can occur to produce a pulse of excess vibrational energy in the ν3 mode of N2O following excitation of SF6 by a Q-switch CO2 laser. This increased population in the ν3 mode of N2O can occur on a time scale shorter than that on which collision-induced VV processes redistribute vibrational energy among the modes of SF6. The equilibration takes place in three discernible stages: (1) a rapid pooling of energy between a limited number of levels of the SF6 and N2O, then (2) a slower collision-dependent VV process that equilibrates all the vibrational modes in the system, with (3) a subsequent VT,R process that returns the system to its initial state. Argon is shown to accelerate selectively process (2) with an efficiency consistent with the previously measured ability of argon to accelerate the VV process in pure SF6. The experimental evidence indicates that other modes in N2O do not become involved on the time scale on which direct crossing to ν3 occurs. Additionally, on the time scale preceding the SF6 VV equilibration, a fast collision-dependent process competes with the transfer of excitation to N2O. The production of a pulse of excitation in N2O is eliminated when isotopically substituted N2O (14N15NO) is used instead under the same conditions because the crossing rate to the ν3 mode of N2O is decreased sufficiently when 15N is substituted for 14N that it no longer can compete with the VV equilibration among the modes in SF6.
Mutations Causing Early Cataract Development In Mice Destabilize Human gammaD-crystallin

The human eye lens is composed of layers of elongated fiber cells packed with crystallin proteins at concentrations up to 400 mg/ml. Human γD-crystallin (HγD-Crys), one of the three major γ-crystallins, is a monomeric, two-domain protein found in the lens nucleus, the central region of the lens formed earliest during development. Genetic screens for mutations resulting in cataract in mice identified three mutations affecting mouse γ-crystallins. These amino acid substitutions were introduced into HγD-Crys by site-specific mutation of the cloned gene. The three mutant proteins L5S, V75D, and I90F were expressed and purified from E. coli. Equilibrium unfolding/refolding experiments were performed to measure the thermodynamic stability of the mutant proteins compared to wild type. Wild-type HγD-Crys was previously shown to exhibit a three-state unfolding/refolding pathway. This pathway is sequential with the N-terminal domain unfolding first, followed by the C-terminal domain. L5S and V75D also displayed three-state unfolding/refolding transitions with populated intermediates. In both cases, the first transition midpoint was shifted to lower denaturant concentrations, 0.7 M GdnHCl for L5S and 0.8 M for V75D compared to 2.2 M for the wild type. I90F exhibited a two-state unfolding/refolding transition with a single midpoint at 1.7 M. The mutant proteins all exhibited decreased thermal stability compared with wild type. Kinetic unfolding experiments confirmed that wild type unfolded through a three-state mechanism. The N-terminal domains of L5S and V75D unfolded extremely fast (t1/2@2 s) at lower denaturant concentrations than those required for wild type. I90F was globally destabilized and unfolded through a two-state mechanism faster than wild type. These results support models of cataract formation in which generation of partially unfolded intermediates - whether due to mutation or to covalent damage - are precursors to the aggregated cataractous states responsible for light scattering.
DIAGNOSIS OF AORTIC THROMBOEMBOLISM IN TWO DOGS WITH RADIONUCLIDE ANGIOGRAPHY

Radionuclide angiography was used to document occlusion of the distal aorta by thromboemboli in two dogs. Findings were confirmed by necropsy. The location of the thrombus corresponded with the scintigraphic lesion. Information obtained by the radionuclide angiogram was instrumental in patient management. We suggest the use of radionuclide angiography as a quick, non-invasive alternative to contrast angiography in animals suspected of having aortic thromboembolism.
In vivo regulation of ?-opioid receptor density and gene expression in CXBK and outbred Swiss Webster mice

Chronic in vivo treatment with the opioid agonist etorphine downregulates μ-opioid receptor density, produces tolerance, and regulates gene expression in the mouse. After cessation of treatment, there is an increase in μ-opioid receptor mRNA level associated with the recovery of μ-opioid receptors. However, the effect of etorphine on the regulation of mRNA during treatment is currently not known. In this study, etorphine-induced changes in μ-opioid receptor density, mRNA, and opioid analgesic potency were determined in two mouse strains that differ in basal μ-opioid receptor density in brain. CXBK mice (μ-opioid receptor deficient) and outbred Swiss Webster mice were implanted s.c. with placebo pellets (controls) or etorphine minipumps (250 μg/kg/day) for 1–7 days and μ-opioid receptor density or mRNA levels in whole brain were assessed or mice were tested for etorphine analgesia following 7 days of treatment. In control CXBK mice, μ-receptor density was ≈40% less than that for the Swiss Webster, although mRNA abundance was similar in both strains. Etorphine's potency was 4-fold greater in control Swiss Webster compared to CXBK mice. Etorphine treatment decreased (≈25–40%) μ-receptor density similarly in both strains throughout treatment. The magnitude of analgesic tolerance to etorphine was 8-fold in both mouse strains. Etorphine produced a biphasic effect on receptor mRNA in both strains with levels decreased (25%) by 3 days and increased (30–40%) at 7 days. mRNA levels remained elevated (55%) 16 h following the end of the 7 day etorphine treatment. Taken together, these data suggest that in vivo etorphine treatment that produces μ-opioid receptor downregulation and tolerance, can regulate μ-opioid receptor mRNA abundance. Receptor downregulation may initially induce decreases in mRNA levels since downregulation preceded a decrease in gene expression. Prolonged (>3 days) receptor downregulation may be responsible for increasing message levels and may be important in recovery of receptors following treatment. In addition, the magnitude of changes in receptor density, mRNA, and tolerance were similar in both CXBK and Swiss Webster mice, indicating that the mechanisms required for receptor regulation and its functional consequences are independent of basal μ-opioid receptor density. Synapse 37:118–124, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Cigarette Smoking and Mortality Among HIV-Infected Individuals in Seattle, Washington (1996–2008)

HIV-infected individuals with access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) are living longer and the causes of excess morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are becoming comparable to individuals without HIV infection. However, many PLWHA smoke cigarettes—a well known contributor to excess morbidity and mortality. To investigate the association between smoking and mortality among PLWHA during the HAART era (1996+), we conducted a retrospective cohort study of 2,108 PLWHA enrolled in Seattle and King County’s Adult and Adolescent Spectrum of HIV Disease Study. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for all-cause and cause-specific mortality were obtained using Cox proportional hazards regression. Compared to never smokers, current smokers (aHR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.3, 2.3) and individuals with an increased dose and/or duration of smoking were at greater risk of all-cause mortality. Although additional research is needed to evaluate the full effect of smoking on cause-specific mortality, smoking cessation programs should target PLWHA to further increase their life expectancy.
Five Debates on International Development: The US Perspective

Andrew S. Natsios was Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development until January 2006. The US has the largest aid programme in the world but labours under certain constraints, notably a proliferation of Congressionally-imposed budget earmarks. Mr Natsios has been an articulate advocate as well as an outspoken reformer of the US approach to aid. It was appropriate, then, for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Overseas Development of the Westminster parliament, together with ODI, to invite him to speak in Parliament on 12 October 2005.1 The present article, a version of that APGOOD speech revised by Mr Natsios since his November resignation, has been judged by DPR Editors to be an important development policy statement worthy of publication. Adrian Hewitt
Apparent screening breakdown mechanism in ultrasonic attenuation

Robinson and Levy have suggested that the mechanism of “apparent screening breakdown” may be responsible for an anomalous peak observed in the attenuation of transverse ultrasonic waves in metals. We show that this mechanism is consistent with Pippard's “real metal theory” despite a recent claim of Almond and Rayne to the contrary. Numerical calculations within a two-band model suggest that “apparent screening breakdown” effects may be important in compensated metals. This is in agreement with experimental data.
Holographic Stokesmeter utilizing the polarization dependency of thick holographic substrates

Thick holographic gratings can be designed to have a strong polarization dependence of the diffraction efficiency. Such gratings can be used in a holographic Stokesmeter that can determine all four Stokes parameters in parallel. We demonstrate the theory of this holographic Stokesmeter and show preliminary results.
Organic- and carbonate-rich soil formation ̃2.6 billion years ago at Schagen, East Transvaal district, South Africa

Abstract A ∼17-m paleosol sequence at Schagen, South Africa, which developed on a serpentinized dunite intrusion in a granite-gneiss terrain ∼2.6 Ga ago, is characterized by an alternating succession of thick (∼1–3 m) carbonate-rich (dolomite and calcite) zones and silicate-rich (serpentines, talc, and quartz) zones; the upper ∼8 m section is especially rich in organic C (up to ∼1.4 wt.%). Petrologic and geochemical data suggest the upper ∼8 m section is composed of at least three soil profiles that developed on: (i) silicate-rich rock fragments (and minerals) that were transported from local sources (serpentinite and granite) by fluvial and/or eolian processes; and (ii) dolomite and calcite zones that formed by locally discharged groundwater. The Mg and Fe in the paleosol sequence were largely supplied from local sources (mostly serpentinite), but the Ca, Sr, and HCO3− were supplied by groundwater that originated from a surrounding granite-gneiss terrain. In the uppermost soil profile, the (Fe is retained, the Fe3+/Fe2+ ratio increases, and ferri-stilpnomelane is abundant. These data suggest the atmospheric pO2 was much greater than ∼10−3.7 atm (>0.1% present atmospheric level [PAL]). The carbonaceous matter in the soils is intimately associated with clays (talc, chlorite, and ferri-stilpnomelane) and occurs mostly as seams (20 μm to 1 mm thick) that parallel the soil horizons. These occurrences, crystallographic structures, H/C ratios, and δ13Corg values (−17.4 to −14.4‰ PDB) suggest that the carbonaceous matter is a remnant of in situ microbial mats, originally ∼1 to ∼20 mm thick. The microbial mats developed: (a) mostly on soil surfaces during the formation of silicate-rich soils, and (b) at the bottom of an evaporating, anoxic, alkaline pond during the precipitation of the Fe-rich dolomite. These δ13Corg values are difficult to be explained by a current popular idea of a methane- and organic haze-rich Archean atmosphere (Pavlov et al., 2001) ; these values, however, can be easily explained if the microbial mats were composed of cyanobacteria and heterotrophs that utilized the remnants of cyanobacteria in a strongly evaporating environment.
A Model for Time-Resolved Photothermal Spectroscopy of Reactions in Condensed Media:

A theory for time-resolved photothermal spectroscopy is proposed for in situ determination of reaction and phase transformation kinetics and mechanisms in condensed media. The theory is developed from the thermal diffusion equation for thin slabs of materials with a finite optical absorption coefficient undergoing a first-order process. The ratio of the photo-response to the total thermal response is evaluated for various reaction kinetics, and a series of time-resolved spectra is constructed.
Drama as an Integral Part of the Early Childhood Curriculum

(1990). Drama as an Integral Part of the Early Childhood Curriculum. Design For Arts in Education: Vol. 91, No. 6, pp. 26-33.
Detecting redundancy among production rules using term rewrite semantics

We present a general method for detecting wide classes of redundant production rules (PRs) based on the term rewrite semantics. We present the semantic account, define rule execution over both ground memories and memory schemas, and define redundancy for the PRs. From those definitions, an algorithm is developed that detects wide classes of redundant rules, and which improves upon the previously published methods.
A Robust Model Predictive Control Algorithm with a Reactive Safety Mode

Abstract A reactive safety mode is built into a robust model predictive control algorithm for uncertain nonlinear systems. The algorithm is designed to obey all state and control constraints and blend two operational modes: (I) standard mode guarantees re-solvability and asymptotic convergence to the origin in a robust receding-horizon manner; (II) safety mode, if activated, guarantees containment within an invariant set about a safety reference for all time. The research is motivated by vehicle control-algorithm design (e.g., spacecraft and hovercraft) in which operation mode changes must be considered. Incorporating the reactive safety mode provides robustness to unexpected state-constraint changes; e.g., other vehicles crossing/stopping in the feasible path, or unexpected ground proximity in landing scenarios. The safety -mode control is provided by an offline designed control policy that can be activated at any arbitrary time during standard mode. The standard -mode control consists of separate feedforward and feedback components; feedforward comes from online solution of a FHC (Finite-Horizon optimal Control problem), while feedback is designed offline to generate an invariant tube about the feedforward trajectory. The tube provides robustness (to uncertainties and disturbances in the dynamics) and guarantees FHC re-solvability. The algorithm design is demonstrated for a class of systems with uncertain nonlinear terms that have norm-bounded Jacobians.
Transient supply clamp with a variable RC time constant

This paper summarizes several basic supply clamping techniques and presents an innovative transient clamp circuit that makes use of some properties of a variable voltage clamp. This circuit varies its RC time constant dependent upon whether or not the integrated circuit (IC) is mounted on a printed circuit (PC) board. If the IC is mounted the time constant of the transient clamp is set very short so it will not interfere in the normal operation of the device. However, if the IC is free standing the RC time constant is set much longer to ensure the clamp will stay on long enough to discharge the entire ESD pulse should the need arise. This clamp circuit was used as a component in the electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection network for an analog intermediate frequency (IF) limiter IC. Human Body Model (HBM) ESD levels increased from less then 300 volts to greater then 2000 volts due to the addition of this protection network.
Protides of the Mustelidae--II. Immunologic relatedness.

Abstract 1. 1. Immunoelectrophoretic (IE) analyses of serum proteins of fourteen species of the family Mustelidae and two species of the family Viverridae were performed with extensive reciprocal testing. 2. 2. Immunologic relatedness was assessed using the criteria of IE pattern complexity and precipitin arc definition. 3. 3. Using the above criteria, members of the subfamilies Mustelinae, Malinae and Lutrinae showed similar degrees of immunologic relatedness. 4. 4. The Mephitinae showed less immunologic cross-reactivity when tested against species of the other three subfamilies. 5. 5. An interpretation of data suggest that the Mustelinae, Melinae and Lutrinae probably shared a common ancestor for some time after the divergence of the line leading to the modern Mephitinae.
Nonlinear effects in coherently coupled laser resonators

A procedure is described to accurately measure the self phase-tuning in a coupled fiber laser. A fiber is designed and fabricated to eliminate the effects of self-tuning from wavelength shifting, thermal expansion, and thermally induced index change, allowing us to study the phase effects produced by Kramers-Kronig phase shifting as a function of various cavity parameters. For sufficient pump power, we observe that the Kramers-Kronig effect is capable of compensating for all path length errors introduced into the cavity, resulting in efficient lasing under all path length conditions. We have directly measured the Kramers-Kronig-induced phase shift and present experimental evidence that this additional phase compensates for the applied phase error and promotes efficient lasing.
Control of breathing at high altitude.

Ventilatory acclimatization to high altitude has been discussed in a chronologic fashion, i.e. the acute, prolonged, and chronic or lifelong phases, and the integration of exercise ventilation as it relates to each of these phases has been outlined. Unanswered questions in each of these areas have been posed as fertile grounds for future investigation.
Comparison of the activation of somatostatin- and neuropeptide Y-containing neuronal populations of the rat amygdala following two different anxiogenic stressors.

Abstract Rats exposed to the odor of a predator or to the elevated plus maze express fear behaviors without a prior exposure to either stimulus. The expression of innate fear provides for an ideal model of anxiety which can aid in the elucidation of brain circuits involved in anxiety-related behaviors. The current experiments compared activation of neuropeptide-containing neuronal populations in the amygdala of rats exposed to either the elevated plus maze (EPM; 5 min) versus home cage controls, or predator ferret odor versus butyric acid, or no odor (30 min). Sections of the brains were prepared for dual-labeled immunohistochemistry and counts of c-Fos co-localized with somatostatin (SOM) or neuropeptide Y (NPY) were made in the basolateral (BLA), central (CEA), medial (MEA) nuclei of the amygdala. Ferret odor and butyric acid exposure significantly decreased the percentage of SOM‐positive neurons also immunoreactive for c-Fos in the anterior BLA compared to controls, whereas EPM exposure yielded a significant increase in the activation of SOM-positive neurons versus home cage controls. In the CEA, ferret odor and butyric exposure significantly decreased the percentage of SOM-positive neurons also immunoreactive for c-Fos compared to no-odor controls whereas EPM exposure yielded no change versus controls. In the MEA, both ferret odor exposure and EPM exposure resulted in increased SOM co-localized with c-Fos compared to control groups whereas NPY co-localized with c-Fos occurred following ferret odor exposure, but not EPM exposure. These results indicate that phenotypically distinct neuronal populations of the amygdala are differentially activated following exposure to different anxiogenic stimuli. These studies further elucidate the fundamental neurocircuitry of anxiety and could possibly explain the differential behavioral effects of predator versus novelty-induced stress.
Use of intraoperative botulinum toxin in facial reconstruction.

BACKGROUND Botulinum toxin is a potent neuromodulator that temporarily relaxes muscles and can improve wound healing. OBJECTIVE This retrospective analysis assessed the use of intraoperative botulinum toxin type A or B in patients undergoing surgical reconstruction after Mohs micrographic surgery for treatment of skin cancer. The primary effect of intradermal botulinum toxin on wound healing was also studied. METHODS & MATERIALS Charts of patients who received intraoperative botulinum toxin type A (n=9) or B (n=9) in conjunction with reconstructive surgery after Mohs micrographic surgery were reviewed. Three volunteers also underwent dermal injections of botulinum toxin type A followed by erbium laser resurfacing. RESULTS Outcomes did not differ in patients treated with botulinum toxin type A and type B. Patients had excellent apposition of wound edges and smooth skin overlying soft tissue; no significant complications were noted. Healing of erbium laser ablation did not differ between botulinum toxin type A—treated skin and control skin. CONCLUSIONS Administration of botulinum toxin type A or B after reconstruction after Mohs micrographic surgery aided wound healing; botulinum toxin type A and botulinum toxin type B were equally effective. Intradermal botulinum toxin type A demonstrated no primary effect on healing of erbium laser—resurfaced skin.
CORRELATES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL MINDEDNESS

Levels of psychological mindedness, mental well-being, and self-consciousness of 89 students of a small liberal arts college were examined. Psychological mindedness, the awareness of one's and others' thoughts, feelings, and motives, is a recently studied phenomenon. The main hypothesis was that there is a positive linear correlation between psychological mindedness, as measured by the Psychological Mindedness Scale (Conte, Plutchik, Jung & Picard, Comprehensive Psychiatry, 31, 426–431, 1990), and mental well-being, as measured by the Happy Scale (Ryff, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 1069–1081, 1989). This hypothesis was supported (P < 0.01). As expected, there was also a positive linear correlation between self-consciousness, as measured by the Private Self-Consciousness Scale (Fenigstein, Scheier & Buss, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 43, 522–527, 1975), and psychological mindedness (P < 0.01). A multiple regression indicated that as psychological mindedness increases, the level of mental well-being increases, and the level of self-consciousness decreases. In addition, psychology students were found to be significantly more psychologically minded than other social science students (P = 0.05) and more self-conscious than humanities students and science students (P < 0.01). Though psychological mindedness varied with major, it was found to transcend both class year and gender.
UNIFORM MESSAGES AND HABITUAL VIEWING: UNNECESSARY ASSUMPTIONS IN SOCIAL REALITY EFFECTS

Gerbner and his co-authors argue that commercial television content is essentially uniform in its symbolic messages about societal values and that television viewing is essentially habitual (ritual) rather than selective. Their claim that these two assumptions are essential to cultivation analysis is challenged here. Viewing crime-adventure, cartoon, and game programs is related to two violence-related social reality beliefs, while viewing of other content types is not. And based on the intercorrelations of viewing various content types, it seems that some types of content are viewed more or less habitually. Finally, an indicator of selecting to view or not view a given content type—watching more or less of that type than predicted based on the individual's total viewing—is quite differently related to social reality beliefs than is viewing itself. This provides support for considering cultivation effects as actual effects rather than the product of third variables or of reverse causation. Overall, then, the uniform message and ritual viewing assumptions are found flawed, but discarding them serves to strengthen rather than weaken the cultivation hypothesis.
Gastric emptying in rats with chronic gastric fistulas

A technic for studying gastric emptying using phenol red test meals in rats with chronic gastric fistulas was shown to yield valid and reproducible data. This method has the advantage of utilizing a chronic, unanesthetized, unrestrained animal, which may also be used to study gastric secretion. The test meal technic described here is a more sensitive detector of anticholinergic inhibition of gastric motor activity than either intragastric balloon recordings or gastric emptying methods using pellets rather than a liquid meal.
A Snap Shot of E-Commerce by General Line Industrial Distributors

Abstract Industrial distributors and manufacturers are constantly in search of methods to increase sales and market share. While e-commerce is not new, its adoption is growing and gaining a foothold in American business. Most attention in the e-commerce realm has been on business-to-consumer-type ventures (Amazon, eBay, etc.); however it is the purpose of this paper to examine how e-commerce is effecting business-to-business transactions, specifically in fields relating to industrial distributors and industrial manufacturers.
Marjolin's Ulcer in a Patient With Chronic Venous Stasis

Marjolin's ulcer is an aggressive form of squamous cell carcinoma that develops over time from chronic wounds and scars, including burns and chronic venous stasis ulcers. The incidence of malignant transformation is low, resulting in a delay in diagnosis and increased morbidity and mortality in these patients. We report a case of Marjolin's ulcer that was incidentally found after limb amputation for chronic venous stasis ulcer along with a comprehensive literature review on the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease.
Fissure-in-ano

Abstract Most acute anal fissures respond to conservative therapy. Historically, surgery has been the mainstay of treatment for chronic anal fissures with relatively simple procedures resulting in excellent cure rates. However, surgical treatments may be associated with permanent disruptions in continence, sparking interest in pharmacologic manipulation. Despite the conceptual appeal of these approaches, their ability to reliably effect healing of chronic fissures is highly suspect. As such, a more prompt decision for surgery may be warranted. © 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Exploring antecedents of attitude toward co-producing a retail checkout service utilizing a self-service technology

Previous research commonly focuses on consumers’ attitudes toward adopting self-service technologies (SSTs) but overlooks their attitudes toward changes in the service delivery system created by having to co-produce their retail service. Thus, the purpose of this research is to address several gaps in the literature by investigating consumers’ attitude toward co-producing a retail service via a SST and its antecedents. Employing a model adapted from innovation adoption and technology acceptance research, the study examines interrelationships among consumers’ attitude toward co-producing a retail service, their individual characteristics (i.e. extrinsic motivation, preparedness to use the SST, previous scanning experience, technology anxiety, need for interaction, belief about retailers’ service-producing responsibilities, perceived risks), and their perceptions of the SST's characteristics. Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire conducted on a convenience sample of experienced grocery s...
Raman and photon scanning tunnelling microscopy of optical waveguides

Recent results from our laboratories on the design and characterization of optical waveguides are reviewed. Modelling of the design of channel optical waveguides is discussed and two means of experimental characterization that provide spatially local information are presented. Raman microprobe spectroscopy is used to explore the role of stress induced by a thin dielectric overlayer used to form channel waveguides in GaAlAs, and thus the role of photoelastic effects on waveguide behaviour. Photon scanning tunnelling microscopy is used to investigate local surface and index variations by probing the evanescent waveguide field.
Carotid intima-media thickness testing: technical considerations

Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) refers to the combined thickness of the intimal and medial layers of the carotid arterial wall. High-resolution (7.5 MHz) B-mode ultrasound permits visualization of the blood-intima and media-adventitia boundaries in the carotid arteries, allowing CIMT to be measured. 1 CIMT measurements have been used both in clinical and research settings to assess risk for cardiovascular disease and response to pharmacologic intervention.
Human resource strategy : The ten commandments perspective

Proposes to highlight the centrality of human resources in the Ten Commandments (TCs), providing a perspective regarding their application for business organizations. Focuses on the TCs in the Abrahamic religions (Jews, Christians, Muslims) and explains how loyalty, networking and minimizing conflict aims to ensure survival and continuity. Concludes TCs are general moral principles that reflect the general orientations and directions of their respective religions and that companies should give attention to universal aspects of TCs and their qualities.
Anticoincidence INAA capabilities for analysis of FDA Total Diet Study seafoods

Anticoincidence instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to analyze three portions each of five fresh-weight FDA Total Diet Study seafoods from 3 Market Basket collections for fiscal years 2006–2008. Portions were treated with l-cysteine solutions to enhance retention of Hg during irradiation then dried at room temperature over magnesium perchlorate. Results or limits of detection were obtained for 33 elements. In general, results agreed with those available from FDA’s Kansas city field laboratory (KAN-DO). Of three shrimp composites analyzed, one showed mass fractions of Ag, Fe, rare earths, U, Th, and Mo significantly higher (up to a factor of 10) than the other two shrimp composites. The same shrimp composite showed a lower Hg result (about 50 % after accounting for any irradiation loss) compared to the KAN-DO value. This may represent a drying loss. There were other indications of Hg loss during the drying process. SRM 1947 Lake Michigan Fish Tissue, run as a control, yielded an INAA Hg mass fraction 20 % lower (corrected for irradiation losses) than the certified value, similar to the difference between the INAA (0.171 mg/kg Hg) and KAN-DO (0.211 mg/kg Hg) results for a TDS canned tuna composite. Because previous studies showed that l-cysteine effectively sequesters inorganic Hg, these discrepancies likely represent methyl mercury loss. INAA results for As, Fe, Rb, and Se were in good agreement with SRM 1947 certified values.
Effects of prior exposure to animate objects on approach tendency in chicks

Earlier research has shown that brief amounts of social stimulation prior to testing results in an increased tendency in chicks to approach and follow a novel object. Those studies could not, however, distinguish between the effects of viewing animate objects and the effects of simple activation due to disturbances in the subjects' rearing situations. The current study manipulated the effects of environmental novelty and exposure to objects independently. It was found that exposure to a novel environment prior to testing produced evidence for activation. Exposure to objects during pronounced changes in the rearing condition reduced latency to approach a novel object in a later test, but exposure to a novel environment without exposure to objects, or exposure to objects under conditions of low environmental novelty, did not produce such a reduction.
Cobaloxime(II)-initiated coupling of α,α,α-trihalomethylbenzenes

Abstract Bis(dimethylglyoximato) complexes of cobalt(II), cobaloxime(II), under mild conditions initiate coupling of α,α,α-trihalomethylbenzenes to form PhCX2CX2Ph (X  Cl), PhCXCXPh (X  Cl, Br) and mixtures of halocobaloxime products. Stoichiometry, product distribution, and control experiments suggest that coupling may result from the decomposition of a highly unstable haloalkylcobaloxime intermediate, Co(dmgH)2(PhCX2)(S(CH3)2). A general mechanism for the formation of this intermediate and its decomposition to the observed products is presented.
Degradation of pyridines in the environment

Pyridine and pyridine derivatives occur in the environment as a result of industrial and agricultural activities. The fate of pyridines in the environment is a function of both abiotic and biotic processes, including photochemical transformations, complexation, surface attenuation, transport, and biological degradation. Pyridine is readily degraded in soil, and numerous bacteria isolated from soils or sludges are capable of growing on pyridines as sole sources of carbon and/or nitrogen. Numerous substituted pyridines are also susceptible to biodegradation, although major changes in biodegrada‐bility of the pyridine ring result from slight modification of the nature orposition of ring substituents. Bacteria apparently degrade most simple pyridine derivatives, particularly hydroxypyridines and pyridinecarboxylic acids, via pathways involving hydroxylated intermediates. The initial hydroxylation step in biodegradation of many pyridines is unusual in the incorporation of oxygen derived from water. Data sugges...
Design and optimization of pressure swing adsorption systems with parallel implementation

Abstract Over the past three decades, pressure swing adsorption (PSA) processes have gained increasing commercial acceptance as an energy efficient separation technique. These processes are distributed in nature, with spatial and temporal variations and are mathematically represented by partial differential equations (PDEs). After a start-up time, the system reaches cyclic steady state (CSS), at which the conditions in each bed at the start and end of each cycle are identical, revealing normal production. We implement a Newton-based approach with accurate sensitivities to directly determine cyclic steady states with design constraints. We also design optimal PSA processes by means of state-of-the-art SQP-based optimization algorithms. The simultaneous tailored approach can incorporate large-scale and detailed adsorption models and is more robust and efficient than competing optimization methodologies. In order to improve the computational efficiency, we parallelize sensitivity calculation and achieve a close-to-linear speed up rate. Applications of several non-isothermal industrial O2 VSA and H2 PSA processes are presented.
Effects of Brønsted-acid site proximity on the oligomerization of propene in H-MFI

Abstract The oligomerization of propene was investigated over H-MFI zeolites with varying Si/Al ratios. For a constant space time per active site, the conversion of propene as well as the selectivity to products of different carbon number was affected by the density of the sites within the zeolite. In particular, as the Si/Al ratio decreased, corresponding to an increase in site proximity, the rate of oligomerization per site decreased but the selectivity to dimers relative to cracking products increased. These effects were shown to arise from the effects of molecular crowding on the rate coefficient for propene trimer formation and were confirmed by quantum chemical analysis of the energetics of propene oligomerization. It was found that the activation for propene dimerization is unaffected by the presence of oligomers on nearby sites, but the activation energy for propene trimerization relative to desorption of hexene increases by 19 kcal mol−1 when two next nearest neighbor sites are occupied by oligomers. In situ IR spectroscopy observations showed the buildup of aromatic species with time-on-stream. The accumulation of these species increases with decreasing Si/Al ratio, suggesting that increasing proximity of Bronsted-acid sites enhances the formation of aromatic species.
Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity in Cerebellar Stellate Cells

Inhibitory transmission controls the action potential firing rate and pattern of Purkinje cell activity in the cerebellum. A long-term change in inhibitory transmission is likely to have a profound effect on the activity of cerebellar neuronal circuits. However, little is known about how neuronal activity regulates synaptic transmission in GABAergic inhibitory interneurons (stellate/basket cells) in the cerebellar cortex. We have examined how glutamate released from parallel fibers (the axons of granule cells) influences postsynaptic alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptors in stellate cells and modulates γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) release from these neurons. First, we found that burst stimulation of presynaptic parallel fibers changes the subunit composition of post-synaptic AMPA receptors from GluR2-lacking to GluR2-containing receptors. This switch reduces the Ca2+ permeability of AMPA receptors and the excitatory postsynaptic potential amplitude and prolongs the duration of the synaptic current, producing a qualitative change in synaptic transmission. This switch in AMPA receptor phenotype can be induced by activation of extrasynaptic N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and involves PICK1 and the activation of protein kinase C. Second, activation of presynaptic NMDA receptors triggers a lasting increase in GABA release from stellate cells. These changes may provide a cellular mechanism underlying associative learning involving the cerebellum.
The Effect of a Model's HIV Status on Self-Perceptions: A Self-Protective Similarity Bias

This study examines how information about another person's HIV status influences self-erceptions and behavioral intentions. Individuals perceived their own personalities and behaviors as more dissimilar to another person's if that person's HIV status was believed positive compared with negative or unknown. This similarity bias may be viewed as self-protective in that it occurred specifically in response to potentially threatening information and on threat-relevant dimensions. There was also evidence that the similarity bias may enable individuals to reduce perceptions of personal susceptibility. Mediational analyses further suggest that the similarity bias is likely a function more of inflated ratings of the individual's own safety characteristics than of deflated ratings of the model's safety characteristics. Finally, exposure to the HIV-positive model produced greater intentions to get tested for HIV. Theoretical implications for conceptions of similarity in social comparison theory and practical consid...
The Appropriateness of Confidence Ratings in Clinical Judgment.

Studies are reviewed in which clinicians made judgments (e.g., diagnoses) and then rated the degree of confidence that they had in each of their judgments. Clinicians are generally thought to be overconfident and unable to specify correctly which of their judgments are most likely to be valid. However, a comprehensive review of the confidence literature reveals little support for the hypothesis that clinicians are overconfident. Also, confidence ratings were related positively to the validity of judgments in a number of studies. Finally, experienced clinicians tended to make more appropriate confidence ratings than did inexperienced judges.
Low-temperature heat capacity of α-uranium and its relation to the pressure dependence of T c

The heat capacities of five samples of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-uranium, including one single crystal, have been measured between approximately 0.1 and 2 K, at zero pressure. The four polycrystalline samples showed broad bulk superconducting transitions. The single crystal, for which susceptibility measurements showed a transition near 0.3 K, was not completely superconducting at the lowest temperature of our measurements, and we estimate ${\overline{T}}_{c}\ensuremath{\le}0.1$ K. The shapes of the heat-capacity anomalies associated with the transitions to the superconducting state were those of broadened BCS transitions, thus showing that local moments and pair-breaking mechanisms are not involved in limiting the values of ${T}_{c}$. The values of $\ensuremath{\gamma}$, the coefficient of the electronic heat capacity, were significantly higher for the polycrystalline samples than for the single crystal, and there is evidence from other work of a similar trend in the lattice heat capacity. It is suggested that these trends are related to the pressure dependence of the same parameters, and that these pressure dependences and that of ${T}_{c}$ are all produced by an unusual and strong pressure dependence of the phonon spectrum.
Kinome-Wide Spectroscopic Study of Drug Binding Site Electrostatics

Small molecule kinase inhibitors have recently demonstrated dramatic potential for treating cancers caused by dysregulated protein kinases. The efficacy of these compounds is due to their ability to selectively target particular protein kinases, and this selectivity is remarkable given the fact that they bind to the ATP-binding site of the kinase domain, which is highly conserved in sequence across this large protein family. The origin of this selectivity is unknown, but must relate to differences in physical properties of the ATP-binding site among members of this protein family. The goal of this project is to assess how the evolutionary divergence of sequence and structure in the human kinome translates into variation in ATP-binding site electrostatics, and how this variation can be exploited to design highly selective inhibitors. I am using a clinically important class of kinase inhibitors, the 4-anilinoquinazolines/4-anilinoquinolines, to introduce vibrational probes of electric field, which measure electrostatics via the vibrational Stark effect, into the ATP-binding sites of different kinases. The results yield direct insight into how chemical changes within this inhibitor class influence the selectivity for particular kinases, potentially yielding a method for rationally designing selective inhibitors.
Understanding the copper–phenoxyl radical array in galactose oxidase: contributions from synthetic modeling studies

Abstract The two-electron oxidation of primary alcohols with dioxygen to yield aldehyde and hydrogen peroxide that is catalyzed by galactose oxidase (GAO) occurs at an intriguing active site comprising of a copper ion ligated by an unusual cysteine-modified tyrosine group. Both the metal ion and the tyrosinate undergo 1-electron redox interconversions during catalysis, the Cu(II)–tyrosyl radical form being a critical species. Due to the novelty of this coupled metal–radical cofactor unit in chemistry and biology and its importance within the more general context of radical–enzyme biochemistry, chemists have attempted to prepare model complexes for this and other redox-related states of GAO. The primary goals of such research are to better understand the enzyme active site spectral properties, structural attributes, and reactivity. In this review article, progress toward these goals is surveyed, beginning with a discussion of the synthesis and structural and spectroscopic characterization of model complexes of the GAO active site and ending with a description of more recent discoveries of catalytic reactivity by Cu(II)–phenoxyl radical species that replicate and provide insights into GAO function.
Stem-cell transplantation for the treatment of advanced solid tumors

Over the past two decades, high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) has been explored for a variety of solid tumors in adults, particularly breast cancer, ovarian cancer and non-seminomatous germ-cell tumors. The results of prospective phase II studies seemed superior in many cases to the outcome expected with standard-dose chemotherapy (SDC). The value of HDC for adult solid tumors remains, in most instances, a controversial issue, currently under the scrutiny of randomized phase III trial evaluation. ASCT pursuing an immune graft-versus-tumor effect has been evaluated in recent years for patients with advanced and refractory solid malignancies. This article reviews the results of the main phase II and III studies of HDC with ASCT, as well as the preliminary experience using allogeneic transplantation for solid tumors.
CONSISTENT SPARSE FACTORIZATION

Abstract Efficient numerical solution of large elliptic systems is often facilitated with an approximate space factorization as a preconditioner for some base iteration. A new procedure for generating sparse factors is described. This preconditioner captures low modes of the actual system by maintaining the same order local truncation error. Numerical results supporting theoretical expectations are given.
Situational reaction and planning

One problem faced in designing an autonomous mobile robot system is that there are many parameters of the system to define and optimize. While these parameters can be obtained for any given situation determining what the parameters should be in all situations is difficult. The usual solution is to give the system general parameters that work in all situations, but this does not help the robot to perform its best in a dynamic environment. Our approach is to develop a higher level situation analysis module that adjusts the parameters by analyzing the goals and history of sensor readings. By allowing the robot to change the system parameters based on its judgement of the situation, the robot will be able to better adapt to a wider set of possible situations. We use fuzzy logic in our implementation to reduce the number of basic situations the controller has to recognize. For example, a situation may be 60 percent open and 40 percent corridor, causing the optimal parameters to be somewhere between the optimal settings for the two extreme situations.
A churn-resistant peer-to-peer web caching system

Denial of service attacks on peer-to-peer (p2p) systems can arise from sources otherwise considered non-malicious. We focus on one such commonly prevalent source, called "churn". Churn arises from continued and rapid arrival and failure (or departure) of a large number of participants in the system, and traces from deployments have shown that it can lead to extremely stressful networking conditions. It has the potential to increase host loads and block a large fraction of normal insert and lookup operations in the peer-to-peer system. This paper studies a cooperative web caching system that is resistant to churn attacks. Based on the Kelips peer-to-peer routing substrate, it imposes a constant load on participants and is able to reorganize itself continuously under churn. Peer pointers are automatically established among more available participants, thus ensuring high cache hit rates even when the system is stressed under churn. In addition, the system improves on the network locality of cache accesses in previous web caching schemes. The paper presents experimental results from a real implementation running over a commodity PC cluster, as well as trace-based simulations that use real host availability traces obtained from another deployed p2p system.