cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence on the Efficacy of Market Risk Disclosures by Commercial Banks

This paper documents evidence on the efficacy of maturity gap disclosures and interest rate risk policy disclosures of commercial bank holding companies in indicating their interest rate risk exposures. Using data from the Federal Reserve Y-9 reports over 1991-1996, we find a significant relation between maturity gap and future change in net interest income indicating that gap data are useful in assessing the loss potential of banks' interest rate risk positions. This is contrary to the claim of some banks that gap data are not useful indicators of interest rate risk. The finding mitigates concerns about the usefulness of the SEC (1997) market risk disclosure requirements and is pertinent to the SEC's scheduled review of these requirements. We also find that gap is negatively related to interest rate sensitivity of banks contrary to the nominal contracting hypothesis though this relation is significant only in three out of the six years examined. Taken together, the evidence suggests that inferences about market risks based on interest rate sensitivity alone may be misleading. Finally, we find no support for the hypothesis that qualitative policy disclosures help distinguish hedgers from speculators.
Internet user satisfaction, job satisfaction and internet background: an exploratory study

The relationships among Internet user satisfaction (IUS), job satisfaction, and user's Internet background are examined. Internet user satisfaction and job satisfaction are positively correlated. There are significant differences in IUS (but not job satisfaction) based on demographic factors (age, gender, and organizational position). Usage and general Internet experience differentiate levels of IUS and job satisfaction. Self-training is a key variable in both IUS and job satisfaction.
The Role of Cytokinin During Infection of Arabidopsis thaliana by the Cyst Nematode Heterodera schachtii

Plant-parasitic cyst nematodes induce the formation of hypermetabolic feeding sites, termed syncytia, as their sole source of nutrients. The formation of the syncytium is orchestrated by the nematode, in part, by modulation of phytohormone responses, including cytokinin. In response to infection by the nematode Heterodera schachtii, cytokinin signaling is transiently induced at the site of infection and in the developing syncytium. Arabidopsis lines with reduced cytokinin sensitivity show reduced susceptibility to nematode infection, indicating that cytokinin signaling is required for optimal nematode development. Furthermore, lines with increased cytokinin sensitivity also exhibit reduced nematode susceptibility. To ascertain why cytokinin hypersensitivity reduces nematode parasitism, we examined the transcriptomes in wild type and a cytokinin-hypersensitive type-A arr Arabidopsis mutant in response to H. schachtii infection. Genes involved in the response to biotic stress and defense response were elevated in the type-A arr mutant in the absence of nematodes and were hyperinduced following H. schachtii infection, which suggests that the Arabidopsis type-A arr mutants impede nematode development because they are primed to respond to pathogen infection. These results suggest that cytokinin signaling is required for optimal H. schachtii parasitism of Arabidopsis but that elevated cytokinin signaling triggers a heightened immune response to nematode infection.
The Effects of Emotional Expression on Vibrato

Summary Objectives/Hypothesis The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of emotional expression on several acoustic measures of vibrato, including its rate, extent, and steadiness. We hypothesized that singing a passage with emotional content would influence these variables. Study Design This study used a within-subjects, repeated-measures design. Singer performance under different conditions was analyzed. Methods Ten graduate student singers (eight women, two men) completed a series of tasks including sustained sung vowels at several pitch and loudness levels, an assigned song that was judged to have relatively neutral emotion, and a personal selection that included passages of intense emotion. Vowel tokens were extracted from the recordings and averaged for each task. Dependent measures included the mean fundamental frequency (F 0 ), mean intensity, frequency modulation (FM) rate, FM extent, and measures of FM rate and extent variability. Results The FM rate and extent were higher and the modulation variability was lower for the more emotional song than for the sustained vowels. Mean F 0 and intensity were higher for the emotional song than for the neutral song. Conclusions Singing an emotional passage influences acoustic features of vibrato when compared with isolated, sustained vowels. The wider dynamic and pitch ranges for emotional passages only partly explain vibrato differences between emotional and neutral singing.
Long-Term Effects of Calcium Supplementation on Serum Parathyroid Hormone Level, Bone Turnover, and Bone Loss in Elderly Women

We report a 4-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 236 normal postmenopausal women (mean age +/- SE, 66.3+/-0.2 years) who were randomized to a calcium (1600 mg/day as the citrate) or placebo group. The women were seen every 6 months; 177 completed the trial. Net percentage changes in each group are given relative to baseline. The differences in net percentage changes (calcium group minus placebo group) in medians were: for lumbar spine bone density, 2.0% (p < 0.001) at year 1 and 0.3% (not significant) at year 4; for proximal femur bone density, 1.3% (p = 0.003) at year 1 and 1.3% (p = 0.015) at year 4; and for total body bone mineral, 0.4% (p = 0.002) at year 1 and 0.9% (p = 0.017) at year 4. Similar differences at year 4 were: -18.9% (p = 0.002) for parathyroid hormone (PTH), -11.9% (p = 0.026) for serum osteocalcin, and -32.2% (p = 0.003) for urine free pyridinoline. We conclude that long-term administration of calcium supplements to elderly women partially reverses age-related increases in serum PTH level and bone resorption and decreases bone loss. However, the effects on bone loss were weaker than those reported for estrogen, bisphosphonates, or calcitonin therapy, indicating that calcium supplements alone cannot substitute for these in treating established osteoporosis. Nonetheless, because of their safety, high tolerance, and low expense, calcium supplements may be a useful preventive measure for elderly postmenopausal women whose bone mineral density values are normal for their age.
A perfect one‐factorization of K52

A starter derived even starter that induces a perfect one-factorization of K52 is presented. This is the smallest order for which a perfect one-factorization was not previously known and is the first new “small” order for which a perfect one-factorization has been found in nearly 20 years. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 17: 190–196, 2009
A class of algorithms for large scale nonlinear minimax optimization

Sequential linear programming and sequential quadratic programming based algorithms are often used to solve nonlinear minimax problems. In case of large scale problems, however, these algorithms can be quite tedious, since linear approximations of every nonlinear function are utilized in the mathematical program approximating the original problem (at any iteration). This paper is concerned with algorithms that require, at each iteration, approximations of only a small fraction of the functions. Such methods are thus well suited for large scale problems. Global convergence of this class of algorithms is proven.
Polybenzimidazole and polysulfone blends

Polybenzimidazole (PBI) and polysulfone (PS) do not form miscible blends; however, the tensile modulus and strength of their blend fibers are comparable to, or better than, that of PBI fibers, depending on process conditions. Fibers spun from an 80/20 PBI/PS solution blend have PBI-like LOI (limiting oxygen indices) and flame shrinkage behavior. Sulfonation and stabilization of this fiber improve its thermal properties. The process window for these blend fibers has been determined. There was no aging phenomenon on as-spun PBI/PS blend fibers, while as-spun fibers made from PBI/polyarylate (PA) and PBI/high modulus aramides (HMA) exhibited remarkable aging effects on fiber properties. This difference probably arises from the fact that (1) the former is not a miscible blend, while the latter are; and (2) the former does not have hydrolysis groups, such as ester and amide groups, as that in the PA and HMA systems.
Behavioral Medicine: A Voyage to the Future

This paper discusses trends and future directions in behavioral medicine. It is divided into three sections. The first briefly reviews key developments in the history of behavioral medicine. The second section highlights trends and future directions in pain research and practice as a way of illustrating future directions for behavioral medicine. Consistent with the biopsychosocial model of pain, this section focuses on trends and future directions in three key areas: biological, psychological, and social. The third section describes recent Society of Behavioral Medicine initiatives designed to address some of the key challenges facing our field as we prepare for the future.
Smart base‐isolated benchmark building Part III: a sample controller for bilinear isolation

This paper presents a sample control design for the base-isolated benchmark building with bilinear hysteretic bearings (e.g. lead–rubber bearings). Since there is no well-defined control strategy for nonlinear structures, and available linear strategies are well-known among the civil engineering community, a linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controller is selected for this purpose. To utilize an LQG controller, a linearized model of the nonlinear structure is required. A good linearized model, however, should be able to represent the nonlinear structure responses when both are controlled. It is shown that design problems of an equivalent linear model and an LQG controller are not, in fact, independent and require one for the other. In this study, the LQG controller is designed based on some parametric studies, and an iterative method is proposed for the development of an equivalent linear model. In the iterative method, the equivalent linear model is formed by replacing the nonlinear isolation elements that have bilinear stiffness and zero damping in the benchmark structure with a linear stiffness and a linear damping. Here, the linear stiffness is determined in the iterative method such that the RMS force of the bilinear isolation elements in the controlled (nonlinear) benchmark structure is equivalent to that of the corresponding isolation elements in the equivalent linear model. The overall approach is applied to the benchmark structure for seven historical earthquake ground acceleration data, and both an LQG controller and an equivalent linear model are obtained. The numerical simulations show that the equivalent linear model successfully replicates the nonlinear response, and the controller is able to improve the overall performance. As the final designs are not intended to be competitive, the method proposed can be improved in several ways to obtain better results. While the equivalent linear model developed herein may be used as a starting point in studying this benchmark problem, because of the strong interaction between controller and equivalent linear model, the participants of the base isolation benchmark problem are strongly encouraged to develop their own controller-specific equivalent linear models. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Kidney disease in the first-degree relatives of African-Americans with hypertensive end-stage renal disease☆

The incidence of treated end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States is four times more frequent in African-Americans (AAs) than in whites. This is explained neither by a greater prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus nor by socioeconomic issues. To investigate familial risk of renal disease in AAs, we examined the records of 472 AA dialysis patients in Jefferson County, Alabama. Applying strict criteria, we identified 85 index cases of ESRD associated only with hypertension (H-ESRD). We examined the records of 75 index cases and studied the first-degree relatives of 40 patients. The numbers of men and women with H-ESRD were similar (38 and 37, respectively). There was no statistical difference in age at the onset of dialysis (women 53.7 +/- 13.5 years [+/-SD] and men 49.2 +/- 12.2 years; P = 0.0863). We found evidence for renal disease in 26 of 40 (65%) index cases with participating families. Hypertension was present in all 40 families (100%) and diabetes mellitus was present in 24 families (60%). Eighteen of the 75 H-ESRD index patients had a first-degree relative with ESRD. In total, we found evidence for renal disease in 35 of 75 (47%) We conclude that there is a strong concordance of renal disease in the families of AAs with H-ESRD.
The effect of cholesterol content of phospholipid vesicles on the encapsulation and acid resistance of β‐galactosidase from E. coli

Summary β-Galactosidase was encapsulated in lecithin-cholesterol liposomes prepared by dehydration-rehydration (DR) and reverse-phase evaporation (RE). In both methods, the encapsulation efficiency decreased as cholesterol content increased. Enzyme activity was determined to be located both on the surface and in the interior of the vesicle. When the enzyme-loaded vesicles were exposed to acidic buffer solution, the activity on the surface of the vesicle was rapidly lost. The enzyme in the interior of the vesicle was more acid-resistant. The residual activity of enzyme depended on the molar ratio lecithin: cholesterol (L:C ratio). In both methods, the vesicles which showed the greatest acid resistance were those with an L:C molar ratio of 1:3. These vesicles retained their enzymatic activity and acid resistant character after 1 month storage at 5°C under nitrogen.
Eukaryotic Transcriptional Regulation and Chromatin-Associated Protein Phosphorylation by Cyclic AMP

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) analogs or agents that increase intracellular cyclic AMP rapidly stimulate transcription of the prolactin gene in a line of cultured rat pituitary cells. This effect is correlated with the phosphorylation of a chromatin-associated basic protein designated BPR. These data are consistent with the postulate that increased intracellular cyclic AMP concentrations induce rapid transcriptional effects on specific genes in eukaryotes, mediated by direct or indirect phosphorylation of a specific chromatin-associated protein or proteins.
Conceptualizing health disparities: panel reflections.

Overall, the excellent set of articles in this supplement to Pediatrics 1–5 defines the critical issues for exploring the life-course perspective on child health disparities and identifies many of the important relationships between social stratification, race/ethnicity, environment, biology, and “time,” that is, over the life course. The purpose of this commentary is to call attention to some of the outstanding challenges (to both science and policy) of adopting this life-course perspective that are raised by the authors. Specifically, we will focus briefly on (1) attributable risk, (2) the gradient effect, (3) biological processes, and (4) policy implications. There is a consensus among these authors that the events of early life have a strong relationship to health across the life span. Whether the independent variable is race/racism, social class, immigrant status, or some other dimension of social inequality, there seems to be an impact of these social parameters on health disparities throughout the life course. The relationships that have been documented, however, are associations between … Address correspondence to Bernard Guyer, MD, MPH, 615 N. Wolfe St., Room E4146, Baltimore, MD 21205. E-mail: bguyer{at}jhsph.edu
Subependymal veins in premature neonates: implications for hemorrhage

The germinal matrix contains a concentrated network of blood vessels. The unusual structural qualities of these vessels are implicated as a factor underlying the high incidence of hemorrhage that occurs in the germinal matrix of prematurely born neonates. The present study is a histologic analysis of an postmortem examination series of brains collected from neonates born between 23 weeks gestation and term and is designed to determine if subependymal veins can be recognized in neonates born at the limits of viability, approximately 23 weeks gestation. Alkaline phosphatase histochemistry is used to differentiate cerebral afferent from efferent vessels. The results demonstrate that precursors of the subependymal veins can be recognized as early as the twenty-third gestational week. These veins increase progressively in diameter from 23 weeks to term, but the wall of the veins, which at early stages consists of endothelial cells only, does not thicken until after postconception week 36. Thus in all premature neonates, including the youngest capable of independent existence, the subependymal veins are present and appear vulnerable to rupture. These data support our suggestion that the structural immaturity of these veins in premature neonates is causally related to the high incidence of germinal matrix hemorrhage in these patients.
p53 protein and gene alterations in pathological stage C prostate carcinoma.

AbstractPurpose: We determined the extent of p53 immunoreactivity in pathological stage C prostate cancer as well as its correlation to tumor grade, substage, recurrence and proliferation rate. To define better the temporal relationship of p53 nuclear reactivity in prostate cancer p53 immunoreactivity was evaluated in all associated prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions.Materials and Methods: Using immunohistochemistry p53 status and proliferation rate were determined in 96 tumors from patients with pathological stage C prostate cancer. Single strand conformational polymorphism in exons 5 to 8 was used in a subset of specimens to assess the association of p53 nuclear accumulation with mutations in the p53 gene.Results: p53 Nuclear reactivity was demonstrated in 10 tumors (10.4%), including 6 with high and 4 with low level nuclear reactivity. Of the tumors 86 (89.6%) had no evidence of p53 immunoreactivity. Each of the 6 tumors with high level p53 reactivity had associated areas of prostatic intraepi...
Disc and field damage in patients with unilateral visual field loss from primary open-angle glaucoma.

To assess the temporal relationship between field and disc change in early glaucoma, 24 patients with unilateral visual field loss from primary open angle glaucoma were identified for planimetric optic disc measurements. Cross-sectional analysis of disc rim area was performed and compared to 25 age-matched normal controls. The mean (±SD) disc rim area in eyes with normal visual fields (1.10 ± 0.31 mm2) was slightly larger than that of eyes with visual field loss (0.90 ± 0.33 mm2). The mean disc rim area in the control group (1.49 ± 0.19 mm2) was significantly different from both sets of eyes in the asymmetric primary open angle glaucoma patients (p = 0.000). These findings support the hypothesis that loss of the optic disc rim can be detected before perimetric abnormalities develop in patients with glaucoma.
The Effect of Race and Expertise on Source Credibility Ratings While Considering Resumes

The author investigated the impact of race and expertise on source credibility ratings. A 3 (Black, White, and no portrayal of race) × 2 (technical competence; high versus low) × 2 (practical competence; high versus low) factorial design was used, with credibility ratings as the dependent variable. Credibility ratings were analyzed with a technical competence (high vs. low) × practical competence (high vs. low) × race (White, Black, no picture) between participants' factorial analysis of variance. Measures of expertise were significantly correlated with credibility ratings. Race did not play a significant role on measurement of credibility. As credibility ratings increased, the recommendation to interview the candidate also increased. Implications and recommendations were discussed.
Fatty Acid Binding Protein as a Serum Marker for the Early Diagnosis of Stroke A Pilot Study

No biological marker is currently available for the routine diagnosis of stroke. The aim of this pilot study was to determine whether heart-fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) could be used as a valid diagnostic biomarker for stroke, as compared with neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100B proteins. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis separation of cerebrospinal fluid proteins and mass spectrometry techniques, FABP was found elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of deceased patients, used as a model of massive brain damage. Because H-FABP, a FABP form present in many organs, is also localized in the brain, an enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay was developed to detect H-FABP in stroke versus control plasma samples. However, H-FABP being also a marker of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), troponin-I and creatine kinase-MB levels were assayed at the same time in order to exclude any concomitant heart damage. NSE and S100B levels were assayed simultaneously. These assays were assessed in serial plasma samples from 22 control patients with no AMI or stroke, 20 patients with AMI but no stroke, and 22 patients with an acute stroke but no AMI. Twenty-two out of the 22 control patients and 15 out of the 22 stroke patients were correctly classified, figures much better than those obtained with NSE or S100B, in the same study's population. H-FABP appears to be a valid serum biomarker for the early diagnosis of stroke. Further studies on large cohorts of patients are warranted.
Short Range Order Strucrures in Y-Pr-Ba-Cu-O System Studied by X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) Techniques

Local structure around the constituent atoms in the compound system Y1-xPrxBa2CU3O7-y has been investigated by means of x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) techniques. By comparing the local structure in the compound x=1 with its counterpart x=0, the XAFS results provide a direct evidence that Pr has replaced Y in the material. The nearest-neighbor structure in the CuO2 planes seems to remain intact as x varies from 0 to 1, indicating that substitution of Pr for Y does not disturb the local distribution of holes in the CuO2 planes. We suggest that local disorder and distortions in the second-neighbor bonding configuration could be responsible for suppression of superconductivity with increasing Pr content in the system.
The nature of the sulfo-carbides observed in nickel-base superalloys

Abstract This paper examines the origin, chemistry, and morphology o sulfur containing phases in powder fabricated and cast nickel-base superalloys, including alloys 713LC, IN-100, and Astroloy. In P/M IN-100 compacts, a titanium sulfocarbide of approximate composition M4C2S2 has been identified. In P/M Astroloy compacts, a similar phase occurs, while, in P/M 713LC compacts, a zirconium rich phase is observed. Similar particles are observed in the equivalent cast alloys. The particles form as a result of carbon and sulfur segregation either to the interdendritic regions of cast alloys during solidification, or to the liquid grain-boundary pools of P/M compacts exposed to supersolidus grain-growth treatments. The particles are shown to act as crack initiation sites during tensile straining and they are believed to be detrimental to tensile ductility if present in large amounts.
Cardiac effects of synthetic oxytocin (Syntocinon)

Abstract The direct effect of synthetic oxytocin (Syntocinon) on cardiac tissue was studied in isolated atria and isolated papillary muscle preparations. No change in atrial rate or amplitude of contraction was noted until the oxytocin concentration was increased to 90 milliunits per milliliter. At this concentration a significant decrease in atrial rate occurred. In the papillary muscle preparation the amplitude of contraction increased significantly at a concentration of 15 milliunits per milliliter of oxytocin. The only other change produced by oxytocin was a prolongation of the refractory period without a concomitant reduction in conduction velocity. On the basis of the oxytocin effect on the ventricular refractory period, the potential antiarrhythmic activity of oxytocin was studied in hypothermia. A dose of 1 I. U. per kilogram per minute of oxytocin significantly reduced the incidence of ventricular fibrillation in hypothermic dogs from 83 to 25 per cent. The data suggest that the antiarrhythmic activity of oxytocin may be a function of its ability to prolong the refractory period of cardiac muscle without causing a concomitant reduction in conduction velocity.
Formation and stability of magnetron sputtered Al-TM-RE metallic glasses

Abstract We have investigated the formation and stability of Al 80 Fe 10 Ce 10 ,Al 80 Co 10 Ce 10 , and Al x (Fe 0.5 Gd 0.5 ) 100− x ( x = 80.0, 81.8, 83.6, 85.4, 87.2, and 89.0) metallic glasses fabricated by magnetron sputtering. It was found that the glass-forming range of the sputtered alloys was narrower than that of melt-spun material. However, the thermal stability of the purely amorphous compositions was considerably better than that reported for the melt-spun glasses. It was found that replacing cerium with gadolinium greatly enhanced the thermal stability by increasing the activation energy without affecting the pre-exponential factor, while replacing iron with cobalt changed both parameters in a way that left the crystallization temperature relatively unaffected. High temperature differential thermal analysis measurements showed that the liquidus temperature of the thee 80 at.% Al compositions was much higher than previously reported and was highly composition dependent, indicating that a eutectic may be present near the glass-forming regions of the ternary phase diagrams.
Drop City Revisited

Abstract The structural, formal, and social eccentricity of the Drop City artists' commune in Colorado defied conventional definition as architecture, but rendered it a singular motif in accounts of experimental architecture, and made it a countercultural domicile without peer. Drop City's architectural innovations included a “bricolage” interpretation of Richard Buckminster Fuller's geodesic domes, a geometric structural system known as the Zome, and passive solar devices. Before it became a spectacle of degeneration, Drop City was posited as a creative laboratory for cultural and environmental “praxis,” and it remains a case study of altered architectural parameters.
Purification and characterization of glpQ-encoded glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase from Escherichia coli K-12.

Abstract Periplasmic glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.2) of Escherichia coli was purified seven-fold to near homogeneity from the cold osmotic shock fraction of a strain harboring a multicopy plasmid carrying the glpQ gene. The enzyme had a minimum subunit molecular weight of 40,000 as assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The native size of the enzyme was 70,000 as assessed by gel filtration chromatography and 75,000 as assessed by nondenaturing gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, indicating that the native state of the enzyme is dimeric. The enzyme hydrolyzed the deacylation products of all glycerophospholipids tested including glycerophosphocholine, glycerophosphoethanolamine, glycerophosphoglycerol, glycerophosphoinositol, and glycerophosphoserine. The enzyme did not release glycerol or sn -glycerol 3-phosphate from phosphatidyl- dl -glycerol or lysophosphatidyl- dl -glycerol present in Triton X-100 micelles. The enzyme functioned optimally at pH 7.8. The enzyme was totally inactivated by dilution into 1 m m ethylenediaminetetraacetate or ethylene glycol bis(β-aminoethyl ether)- N,N -tetraacetic acid. Activity was restored by the addition of Ca 2+ or Cd 2+ , and was partially restored by the addition of Mn 2+ or Cu 2+ . Co 2+ , Mg 2+ , Zn 2+ , and Fe 2+ did not restore activity. The presence of calcium ions decreased the K m of the enzyme for the substrate, glycerophosphoglycerol, and increased the V max .
Weeping in the Psalms

AbstractThe motif of weeping in the Psalter has not been a subject of previous study. Scientific study of weeping indicates that crying is a behavior motivated by the need for relationship and care-giving and that tears generate powerful reactions in those who witness them. In the Psalms, speakers draw on the powerful non-verbal eloquence of weeping by mentioning their tears in the contexts of their prayers in order to motivate God to help. This article describes how the motif of weeping functions in the Psalms and analyzes its distribution in the Psalter.
Amplification of spin waves by phonon pumping

The recent analysis by Gurevich of the amplification of spin waves by elastic wave pumping has been examined. Amplification is not possible for the conditions proposed by Gurevich —longitudinal elastic pump waves propagating in the direction of the d.c. magnetic field, Ho, and exciting spin waves also having wave vectors along Ho. However, spin wave amplification will result if longitudinal waves are propagated in a direction perpendicular to the direction of Ho. The range of Ho. over which this process is operative is quite large—hundreds of Oe—and not very narrow as reported. The amplification of spin waves arising from the pumping of transverse phonons is also considered. Finally, the effects of including the dipolar interaction are calculated.
Enzymic assay of pyridoxal phosphate using tyrosine apodecarboxylase and tyrosine-1-14C

Abstract A new approach for determination of pyridoxal phosphate in biological material is reported. The principle of the method is based on the decarboxylation reaction of l -tyrosine catalyzed by l -tyrosine decarboxylase ( l -tyrosine carboxy-lyase, EC 4.1.1.25) in the presence of pyridoxal phosphate. l -Tyrosine-1- 14 C was used as the substrate and the rate of decarboxylation reaction was followed by a decrease of the radioactivity of the reaction mixture. Preparation of cell-free and pyridoxal phosphate free tyrosine apodecarboxylase was described. By this method, pyridoxal phosphate can be assayed for quantities of less than 5 ng. Concentrations of pyridoxal phosphate in whole blood, brains, and livers from both pyridoxine deficient and normal rats were also reported.
Upslope transport of near-bed zooplankton

Abstract Zooplankton residing just above the deep-sea floor is an important component of the benthic/benthopelagic food chain. Consuming planktonic particulates and organisms, holoplankton and meroplankton are prey for fish and large invertebrates. Mechanisms controlling their abundances have been explored over relatively long time scales (months to years). Here, zooplankton were sampled every 2 h for 2.2 d using a moored, automated, serial zooplankton pump. The physical regime (currents and temperature) 1–100 m above bottom was measured during an inclusive 24-d period. The study site was located on the upper continental slope (750 m) of the Mid-Atlantic Bight, between the productive shelf and more impoverished rise and abyss. The coupled biological and physical records indicated tidally driven, net upslope transport of the holoplankton. The copepod (74.5% of collections) time series showed marked periodicity with a peak frequency of ∼13 h, approximately the diurnal tide (Fourier analysis). Local maxima corresponded with minimal water temperatures. Moreover, tidal cross-slope flow was highly coherent and 90° out of phase with temperature. Thus, maximal copepod concentrations, originating in colder deeper water, would be transported up the slope by the tide. Estimated net displacement of ∼1 km/d would deliver the animals to continental-shelf depths within a couple weeks. Time series of the much less abundant larvaceans (urochordates) (15.3%) and polychaete larvae (8.9%) showed periodicities with peak frequencies of 8–9 h. Statistical significance of the periodic signals could not be determined due to low numbers. Revealing holoplankton dynamics on scales of hours, this study may contribute to understanding of, for example, copepod feeding and aggregation near the deep-sea floor.
Routine metabolism of the white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus: effect of population density and hypoxia

The effects of population density and dissolved oxygen tension on the routine metabolism of 2 kg, 2-year-old white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus, were investigated, using a closed respirometer. The routine metabolic rate of post-absorptive fish averaged 94.3±3.4 mg O2/kg0.66h−1 (x±SE) at 18°C, and overall metabolism increased (P 130 mm Hg) metabolic rates were not significantly different within a stocking density. Feeding and handling fish significantly increased their metabolic rate compared with starved fish (P<0.005), but this difference disappeared after 5 h. Swimming motions of the test fish were recorded on videotape, but stocking density and dissolved oxygen tension had no significant effect on the computed swimming activity index.
Achieving Linguistic Provenance via Plagiarism Detection

To go beyond what current provenance systems can capture for natural language text documents, we propose the Lincoln Laboratory Plagiarism for Provenance System (LLPla) as an approach for capturing linguistic provenance. Linguistic provenance infers the origin of text based on its linguistic structure. We take a plagiarism detection approach to this task as identifying similar sections of text is fundamental to linguistic provenance and central to LLPla I's performance. Thus, to determine the most viable plagiarism detection algorithm for use in LLPla I, we evaluate three state-of-the-art plagiarism detection algorithms. Moreover, we propose extensions to the best-performing algorithm that improve its precision with negligible effects on recall.
Effect of hyaluronidase on interstitial pressure response to edema in air-inflated rabbit lung.

Abstract The response in perivascular interstitial pressure to water accumulation waw measured in air-inflated isolated rabbit lungs. The blood vessels and trachea of isolated lungs were cannulated and the vascular cannulas were connected to a reservoir filled either with a 3% albumin in saline solution (control) or with hyaluronidase in the albumin solution (treated). The lungs were inflated to 5cmH2O transpulmonary pressure and the vascular reservoir elevated to a height of 7–10 cm above the lung base. The reservoir was suspended by a load cell which measured liquid accumulation in the lung. As the lung gained weight, intersitial pressure was measured by the micropuncture technique in the interstitium surrounding a vein near the hilum of an upper lobe. In control lungs, interstitial pressure increased monotonically with time from a value slightly below 0 cmH2O (pleural pressure) to a value of approx. 3.0 cmH2O by 5 h. In treated lungs, interstitial pressure increased more slowly to a value of approx. 1.5 cmH2O by 5 h. Interstitial compliance, the change in weight gain divided by the change in interstitial pressure, ws 1.2 g·(g lobe wt)−1·cmH2O−1 for the control lungs and 2.9 for the treated lungs. A two-compartment electrical analog model representing the perivascular interstitium and alveolar liquid space was developed to stimulate the data. The analysis indicated that in the control lungs, perivascular interstitial conductance and compliance were 5-fold and 15-fold smaller than those of the alveolar liquid space, respectively. The slower rise in interstitial pressure with water accumulation in the treated lungs was attributed to an increased compliance of the alveolar liquid space. The effect of hyaluronidase on the alveolar liquid space was to increase its compliance 2.4-fold with little change in its fluid resistance.
Marital disputes and treatment outcome in depressed women.

Abstract This study assesses the relationship between improvement of marital disputes and other treatment outcomes. The subjects are 76 women who received 8 months of individual psychotherapy as part of a controlled clinical trial testing the efficacy of various outpatient maintenance treatments for depression. The presence or absence of marital disputes was rated at the beginning of treatment, and improvement or failure to improve was noted at the end of treatment. Three marital groups (no marital disputes, marital improvement, and no marital improvement) were compared in terms of symptom status and overall social adjustment at the beginning and end of treatment. The results reveal that depressed women with marital disputes at the onset of treatment have a generally poorer treatment outcome than women who are single or in supportive relationships. Only a minority of women with marital disputes effected an improvement in the relationship during the course of treatment. Those who improved their marriages also experienced an improvement in depressive symptoms, while those whose marriages did not improve experienced less improvement or a worsening of symptoms.
Clinical recognition of cor pulmonale in cystic fibrosis

Cardiac catheterization was carried out in 34 children with cystic fibrosis; serial catheterization studies were conducted in 8. Depending on the pulmonary arterial pressure, the patients were categorized into 3 groups: 17 with no cor pulmonale, 12 with mild cor pulmonale, and 5 with severe cor pulmonale. All of the children with severe cystic fibrosis (clinical grading score of less than 40), had a Pa CO 2 greater than 45 mm. Hg, a Pa O 2 less than 50 mm. Hg, right axis deviation on the electrocardiogram (>+90 degrees), and a clockwise or figure-of-eight horizontal vector loop. The association of these parameters with severe cor pulmonale was found to be statistically significant. It would appear that the blood gases are the most reliable indicators of severe cor pulmonale. The data also confirm that severe cor pulmonale is an ominous sign; 4 of the 5 patients with this complication died shortly after it was recognized. Mild cor pulmonale does not necessarily carry the same implication; in 2 of the subjects studied, hemodynamic evidence of cor pulmonale was not present at the time of recatheterization 2 years later.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine enhances the release of acetylcholine in the prefrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus of the rat

Rationale The neurochemical effects produced by acute administration of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on the monoaminergic systems in the brain are well documented; however, there has been little consideration of the potential effects of MDMA on other neurotransmitter systems.
Canine bladder blood flow and oxygenation: changes induced by filling, contraction and outlet obstruction.

AbstractPurpose: To study changes in bladder blood flow and oxygenation associated with filling, contraction and outlet obstruction.Materials and Methods: Intravesical pressure, bladder blood flow, bladder wall oxygen tension, iliac artery blood flow and systemic blood pressure were measured simultaneously in anesthetized dogs (N = 18).Results: In the empty bladder, blood flow and oxygen tension in the bladder base were greater than at the dome with and without outlet obstruction. Bladder filling caused a significant decrease in bladder wall blood flow and oxygen tension with and without outlet obstruction. Spontaneous bladder contractions resulted in a marked decrease in bladder wall perfusion in the obstructed bladder but not in the unobstructed bladder. Pelvic nerve stimulation produced strong bladder contractions associated with a significant drop in bladder wall perfusion and bladder oxygenation in both the open and closed bladder neck models. Little change was noted after stimulation of the hypogast...
The estimated direct medical cost of sexually transmitted diseases among American youth, 2000.

Context: Each year millions of U.S.youth acquire sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Estimates of the economic burden of STDs can help to quantify the impact of STDs on the nations youth and on the payers of the cost of their medical care. Methods: We synthesized the existing literature on STD costs to estimate the lifetime medical cost per case of eight major STDs-HIV human papillomavirus (HPV) genital herpes simplex virus type 2 hepatitis B chlamydia gonorrhea trichomoniasis and syphilis. We then estimated the total burden of disease by multiplying these cost-per-case estimates by the approximate number of new cases of STDs acquired by youth aged 15-24. Results: The total estimated burden of the nine million new cases of these STDs that occurred among 15-24-year-olds in 2000 was $6.5 billion (in year 2000 dollars). Viral STDs accounted for 94% of the total burden ($6.2 billion) and nonviral STDs accounted for 6% of the total burden ($0.4 billion). HIV and HPV were by far the most costly STDs in terms of total estimated direct medical costs accounting for 90% of the total burden ($5.9 billion). Conclusions: The large number of infections acquired by persons aged 15-24 and the high cost per case of viral STDs particularly HIV create a substantial economic burden. (authors)
Separation of impurities from solution by selective co-crystal formation

The potential use of selective co-crystal formation as a means to remove an impurity from a solution is demonstrated using ibuprofen and ketoprofen as a model system. A strategy for selecting the optimal co-former, co-former concentration, and the solvent for the separation process is discussed.
B75-2 Systems Simulation

This boook deals primarily with the simulation of hardware systems such as those found in the aeronautical and aerospace industries where differential equations represent the system dynamics. Usually there are known representations of such systems, and because of the nonlinearities, or the need for system identification, simulation must he used to see how components interact and to design them to achieve a desired performance. For such systems, this book provides a distillation of the many years of valuable experience of the authors with engineering systems and provides a view of simulation not found in other books—the use of simulation for control purposes in addition to design. This should be the most, important goal of simulations, but it is rarely sought after or achieved. So the orientation here is useful and practical, and in a certain sense, novel.
Understanding the Sources of Faulty Group Decision Making: A Lesson from the Challenger Disaster

Nearly two years after the Rogers Commission investigation of the Challenger disaster revealed that the decision to launch the shuttle was made in the presence of information questioning the safety...
Obama Emphasizes Science and Innovation in State of the Union Address

[1] U.S. president Barack Obama emphasized innovation and competitiveness in his State of the Union address on 25 January. He also raised science and technology early in the hour-long speech, noting that nations like China and India are focusing on math and science education and investing in research and technology. To be competitive with those countries, “we need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world,” Obama said. “The first step in winning the future is encouraging American innovation.”
Coning instability of spacecraft during periods of thrust

An instability that has been observed in the flight of a number of spin-stabilized spacecraft is analyzed. These vehicles, all of which had solid-propellant motors, exhibited a pronounced coning during the motor burn. The analysis is based on a hydrodynamic model of liquid slag trapped in the motor and is closely related to the classic shallow fluid or tidal theory. Explicit, analytical results are derived for the case of small ratios of slag to vehicle mass and are illustrated with a numerical example that is typical of the vehicles for which the instability has been observed. Calculated are the growth rate of the instability and the theoretical gain needed for stabilizing the vehicle by a simplified control scheme.
The cytochrome system in the cecropia silkworm, with special reference to the properties of a new component.

1. In the majority of tissues in the cecropia silkworm, cytochromes b and c are apparently absent, being replaced by a hitherto undescribed component which we have tentatively termed cytochrome x . 2. Spectroscopically, the new cytochrome is characterized in the reduced state by a broad and indivisible absorption band extending from 551 to 562 mµ. 3. The enzyme can be demonstrated only in the larval stage of the insect and undergoes breakdown prior to pupation. It occurs in highest concentration in the walls of the larval midgut and resists extraction, being apparently bound to subcellular particles. 4. Evidence is presented, based on spectroscopic and manometric studies in the presence of various substrates and inhibitors, that cytochrome x is a single component which mimics certain of the properties of cytochromes b and c and of succinic dehydrogenase. 5. Detailed studies served to differentiate cytochrome x from the cytochromes b 1 and b 2 which it resembles spectroscopically. 6. On the basis of spectroscopic studies at the temperature of liquid air, it is concluded that cytochrome x closely resembles, and may be identical with, the component which Keilin has recently described as cytochrome e .
AN ORDER-THEORETIC PROPERTY OF THE COMMUTATOR

We describe a new order-theoretic property of the commutator for finite algebras. As a corollary we show that any right nilpotent congruence on a finite algebra is left nilpotent. The result is false for infinite algebras and the converse is false even for finite algebras. We show further that any solvable E-minimal algebra is left nilpotent, any finite algebra whose congruence lattice contains a 0, 1-sublattice isomorphic to M3 is left nilpotent and any homomorphic image of a finite abelian algebra is left and right nilpotent.
The Evidence for Generation Me and Against Generation We

According to the empirical evidence, today’s emerging adults (Millennials/GenY, born after 1980) are more Generation Me than Generation We when compared to previous generations. Five data sets show a generational increase in narcissism, including one that demonstrates significant increases when a confound is controlled. College and child samples increase in self-esteem over the generations. Some high school samples show no change, though high school students increasingly embrace other overly positive self-views. In nationally representative samples of high school and college students, values have shifted toward extrinsic (money, fame, and image) concerns and away from intrinsic (community, affiliation) concerns. These trends have mostly negative consequences, such as lower empathy, less concern for others, and less civic engagement (e.g., interest in social issues, government, and politics). Parents and teachers should focus on teaching children and adolescents the values of hard work and consideration fo...
Applying a stress and coping framework to research on mutual help organizations

Few studies of mutual help have been guided by coherent conceptual frameworks. We introduce a stress and coping model that can guide research on self-help groups and contribute to conceptualizing them as normative social groupings. Our model suggests that coping responses, life stressors, and social resources influence the processes by which persons become involved in mutual help organizations and, in turn, are influenced by involvement in mutual help. To provide initial empirical support for the model, we present a longitudinal study of stress and coping and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) affiliation among 439 problem drinkers. Problem drinkers who relied more on avoidant coping responses, had fewer work and partner resources, and had more partner stressors became more intensely involved in AA. The results also suggest that AA involvement affects members' coping responses and increases their friendship resources.