cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract C204: GTPase/GAP/GEF-Glo™: A bioluminescent system to measure GTPase, GAP, and GEF activities.

It is well known that GTPases play major roles in cell functions such as GPCR signaling, cell proliferation, cell differentiation, cytoskeleton modulation, and cell motility. Deregulation or mutation of these proteins has considerable consequences resulting in multiple pathological conditions. Targeting GTPases and its regulators have been challenging due to lack of convenient assays. GTPases act as molecular switches cycling between an activated GTP-bound state (“ON”-state) and an inactive GDP-bound state (“OFF”-state). They have very high affinity for guanine nucleotides GDP or GTP and are extremely slow acting GTP-hydrolases. To mediate the process of shuttling between the active and inactive forms, GTPases are modulated by two groups of enzymes, guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEF) and guanine nucleotide activating proteins (GAPs). The GEFs proteins substitute GTP for the bound GDP and thus activating them while the GAP family activates the hydrolysis of GTP and terminating their effector function. We have developed a homogenous bioluminescent assay for monitoring the enzyme activity of GTPase, GAP, and GEF proteins. Mg2+ plays a critical role in influencing affinity of GTPases with GTP/GDP, and manipulating Mg2+ concentrations in the reaction buffer allows continuous progression of the GTPase cycle and hydrolysis of GTP. The assay relies on the conversion of remaining GTP to ATP and detection of the latter using luciferin/luciferase combination. The assay system for measuring GTPase/GAP/GEF-Glo™ is enabling to monitoring the intrinsic GTPase-, GAP-stimulated GTPase-, GAP-, and GEF- activities. The assay system has a high dynamic range and signal-to-background ratio; it is in a convenient “add-mix-read” format and applicable to high throughput screening. Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):C204. Citation Format: Subhanjan Mondal, Said Goueli, Kevin Hsiao. GTPase/GAP/GEF-Glo™: A bioluminescent system to measure GTPase, GAP, and GEF activities. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2013 Oct 19-23; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):Abstract nr C204.
The mechanism of saccharide osotriazole formation

Abstract The first step in the proposed mechanism is the formation of an osazone–Cu(II) complex that undergoes a one-electron shift from the nitrogen of the ligand to the metal in the complex which is reduced to Cu(I). This complex decomposes with the liberation of Cu(I) + , a ligand radical which undergoes a set of one-electron shifts to form a phenylimine radical (Ph–NH) and the triazole. The Cu(I) + produced is converted to Cu(II) 2+ and Cu 0 by disproportionation.
Technical Aids in Performing Transhiatal Esophagectomy without Thoracotomy

Transhiatal esophagectomy without thoracotomy has been utilized in 200 patients: 57 with benign disease and 143 with carcinomas at various levels of the esophagus (35 pharyngeal or cervicothoracic, 7 upper third, 47 middle third, and 54 distal third). Stomach has been used to replace the esophagus in 93% of patients undergoing single-stage esophagectomy and reconstruction, and colon has been used in 7%. Among patients with intrathoracic esophageal carcinomas, intraoperative blood loss averaged 1,000 ml, and the hospital mortality was 6%. No patient in the entire series has required a thoracotomy for control of bleeding, either during the esophagectomy or postoperatively. This report reviews the technical maneuvers that my collegues and I have found useful in performing transhiatal esophagectomy without thoracotomy.
False-positive elevation of CA-125 in papillary serous carcinoma of the endometrium treated with postoperative whole abdominal radiation

Two patients with Stage I papillary serous carcinoma of the endometrium treated with postoperative whole abdominal radiation developed elevated CA-125 levels. In neither patient was evidence of recurrent disease identified. Hepatic veno-occlusive disease, a known complication of whole abdominal radiation and certain chemotherapy regimens, was confirmed by liver biopsy in both cases. CA-125 levels may not be reflective of disease status in this setting.
Determinants of Responsible Hiking Behavior: Results from a Stated Choice Experiment

This research examined the determinants of responsible hiking behavior through a lab-based experiment in which two managerial factors believed to influence individuals’ behavior (the presentation of an educational message and the method of displaying degraded trail conditions) were varied across four experimental treatments in a 2 × 2 between subjects factorial design. The effect of trail degradation type (muddiness and erosion) and severity (moderate or severe) of trail degradation were also examined within each of the 4 treatment groups. Analyses revealed neither the educational message nor the method of displaying the image had a consistent and expected impact on individuals’ behavioral intentions. In fact, participants who viewed the educational message were more likely to indicate they would hike off the trail. The effects of both trail degradation type and severity were consistent and significant with muddiness and more severe levels of degradation having a greater influence on individuals’ intent to hike on the edge of or off the trail. The analyses also revealed both gender and hiking frequency had significant effects on behavioral intentions. Female participants were more likely to indicate they would turn around than males when they encountered degraded trail sections. Women were also less likely to indicate they would hike off the trail than men. Collectively, these findings highlight a variety of ways recreation resource managers can more efficiently inform recreationists about the impacts of off-trail hiking and prioritize trail management needs.
Constraint and the square snail: life at the limits of a covariance set. The normal teratology of Cerion disforme

Two major developmental constraints, identified and assessed by the covariance structure of ontogenetic measures, strongly influence the form and variation of Cerion in every study I have ever undertaken on this protean genus: the jigsaw constraint of large-and few vs small-and-many whorls for shells reaching a similar final size; and the compensatory constraint of later heights balancing juvenile widths to bring adult shells into a limited range of final proportions. This study explores a set of taxa (the Cerion dimidiatum complex of eastern Cuba) growing at one extreme of the compensatory constraint–maximally flat juvenile shells followed by abrupt allometric transition to orthogonal adult whorls. I show that the most curious of all Cerion taxa, the teratologously uncoiling C. disforme, owes its unique and distinctive form to growth at an extreme of the compensatory constraint: the juvenile cross-section goes beyond mere flatness to actual concavity; and the adult shell, after maximally abrupt allometric transition to downward growth, loses contact with the juvenile whorls and begins to unwind in teratologic fashion. I present several categories of evidence to demonstrate that C. disforme is the extreme in a morphocline of taxa, whose correlated features express increasing discordance (and correlated sequelae of size and shape) under the compensatory constraint: C. geophilus–C. dimidiatum–C. alberli–C.disforme. I provide data for clines in morphology, in amount and character of variation, and in mode of growth. This genre of constraint–Darwin's old “correlations of growth”–must be given equal weight with immediate adaptation in a unified explanation of growth and form.
Early stages of synaptogenesis in the cervical spinal cord of the chick embryo.

Synaptogenesis was studied in 3, 4, 5 and 8 day embryos. A small number of synapses were located in the marginal zone near the motor region in 3–4 day embryos. At 5 days the number of synapses increased and synapses were also found within the motor region. At 8 days there was a large increase in the total number of synapses and most were found within the motor region. At this stage, for the first time, many knobs contained flattened synaptic vesicles. Synapses on the perikarya were rarely but occasionally observed both at the 5 and 8 day stages. A few synapses were located in the marginal zone near dorsal root entry at the 5 day stage and the number increased by the 8 day stage. Although this sequence of synaptic development resembles that found in the monkey fetus, differences in behavioral development between these two species indicate that descriptive relationships between synaptic and behavioral development must be made cautiously. Furthermore, evidence is presented which indicates that the junctional specialization is the first sign of a developing synapse and that coated vesicles, possibly derived from the Golgi apparatus, which are fused to the neural plasmalemma may be related to the initial formation of the junctional specialization.
Effects of anterior, posterior, medial, lateral, and total septal lesions upon fixed ratio performance in the rat

Abstract Animals with partial lesions of the septal area and control animals were evaluated behaviorally on an increasing FR paradigm. Lesions that bilaterally destroyed the lateral septal nuclei enhanced FR performance in proportion to the amount of lateral tissue destroyed. The greatest facilitation of FR performance was observed in animals with lesions that completely destroyed the lateral septal nuclei. A moderate enhancement of FR performance was seen in animals with lesions that destroyed the medial and lateral septal nuclei. There was no difference in FR performance between animals with lesions of the medial septal nucleus and control animals.
Against Substituting Technical Writing for Freshman English

W. Earl Britton's proposal to substitute technical writing for freshman English is not convincing. The proposal rests on questionable beliefs about the two courses. Freshman English is not neglecting to emphasize the development of communications skills, and technical writing cannot be broadened enough to replace freshman English without becoming a course in freshman English. Both courses have important roles to play in the university. Freshman English should continue to concern itself with general communications skills, and technical writing should continue to involve the application of these skills to special kinds of communication.
Finding Congruence, Finding Meaning: Value Intersections and Transforming Relationships among Faculty and Staff at a Religious College

This case study explored how faculty and staff derived meaning from their work within a religious college environment. The findings suggest that the meaning-making process was fostered by connection. Many staff and faculty found meaning in their work as they experienced correspondence between work and personal values, the mission and values of the institution, and/or global democratic values. Furthermore, transforming relationships that were personally affirming and enabled faculty and staff to make a difference and observe transformation in others’ lives were instrumental in providing a conduit for meaningful connection.
Minimum qualifications for clinical pharmacy practice faculty

The American College of Clinical Pharmacy 2013 Educational Affairs Committee was charged with developing recommendations for the minimum qualifications required for clinical pharmacy practice faculty in United States colleges and schools of pharmacy with respect to education, postgraduate training, board certification, and other experiences. From a review of the literature, the committee recommends that clinical pharmacy practice faculty possess the following minimum qualifications, noting that, for some positions, additional qualifications may be necessary. Clinical pharmacy practice faculty should possess the Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education–accredited institution. In addition, faculty should have completed a postgraduate year one (PGY1) residency or possess at least 3 years of direct patient care experience. Faculty who practice in identified areas of pharmacotherapy specialization, as identified by American Society of Health-System Pharmacists postgraduate year two (PGY2) residency guidelines, should have completed a PGY2 residency in that area of specialty practice. Alternatively, faculty should have completed a minimum of a PGY1 residency and 1 additional year of practice, with at least 50% of time spent in their area of specialization, which is documented in a portfolio, or 4 years of direct patient care in their area of specialization, which is documented in a portfolio. Fellowship training or a graduate degree (e.g., Ph.D.) should be required for research-intensive clinical faculty positions. All faculty should obtain structured teaching experience during or after postgraduate training, preferably through a formal teaching certificate program or through activities documented in a teaching portfolio. A baseline record of scholarship should be obtained before hire as clinical pharmacy practice faculty through exposure in postgraduate programs or previous employment. Faculty should be board certified before hire or attain board certification within 2 years of hire through the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) or, if appropriate for the practice area, through a nonBPS-certifying agency. If no certification exists in the area of specialty, the faculty member should develop a portfolio with evidence of excellence in clinical practice, teaching, and scholarship.
Plasma membrane biogenesis in the avian salt gland: a biochemical and quantitative electron microscopic autoradiographic study.

The avian salt gland provides an ideal system for the study of plasma membrane (PM) biogenesis. Feeding ducklings 1% sodium chloride (salt stress) induces the secretory cells of the gland to synthesize large amounts of PM, which forms an extensive basolateral PM domain after 7–9 days of treatment. In the present study, the initial biosynthetic events following salt stress were investigated. In vivo studies using 3H-uridine indicated that increased rates of RNA synthesis could be detected by 2 hr after the beginning of salt stress and continued through at least 12 hr. Under in vitro conditions, increased rates of protein and glycoprotein synthesis (as monitored by 3H-leucine and 3H-fucose incorporation, respectively) were also detected after 2 hr and continued through 7–9 days. Increased levels of Na, K-ATPase, a specific secretory cell PM marker, were detected after 8 hr of treatment as monitored by specific activity and 3H-ouabain binding. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacryl-amide slab gel electrophoresis coupled with fluorography indicated that both 3H-leucine and 3H-fucose were incorporated into partially purified preparations of Na, K-ATPase isolated after 12 hr. Light microscopic autoradiographic analysis of pulse-chase experiments indicated that in secretory cells of 12-hr salt-stressed glands, 3H-leucine- and 3H-fucose-labelled products reached the cell periphery by 1–2 hr after the initial pulse. The incorporation of both tritiated precursors was predominately associated with the secretory cells. Quantitative electron microscopic autoradiography indicated that 3H-leucine is initially taken up by elements of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and cytoplasm (5 min postpulse), subsequently transported to and concentrated within components of the Golgi apparatus (10 min of chase), and ultimately incorporated into all domains of the plasma membrane of secretory cells by 1–2 hr of chase. The data is consistent with a flow of newly synthesized membrane components from RER to Golgi to plasma membrane and is analogous to the pattern previously found for the synthesis and processing of PM proteins in a wide variety of cell types.
Identification of critical location on a microstructural bone network

Identification of a critical location in complex structures is one of the most important issues that affects the quality of safety in human life. Specifically, finding high fracture spots of a bone microstructure in our body is a very important research topic; however, it is still not well understood. In this paper, we study on identifying critical locations in a bone microstructure with our bone network model. In fact, about 25 million people in the United States suffer from osteoporosis, which is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to enhanced bone fragility and a consequent increase in fracture risk. However, currently available techniques for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and the identification of critical locations of bone microstructure are limited. We create a bone network model based on properties of a bone microstructure and we develop a method, called information propagation, to identify critical locations in a bone network. Our paper focuses on detecting important edges as critical locations for the strength of bone microstructure when there are external forces applied to the bone network. Then, we evaluate results of the method in comparison with existing methods including the weighted betweenness centrality and the weighted bridge coefficient. We conclude with the discussion on advantages and disadvantages among those methods.
Towards visual-search model observers for mass detection in breast tomosynthesis

We are investigating human-observer models that perform clinically realistic detection and localization tasks as a means of making reliable assessments of digital breast tomosynthesis images. The channelized non-prewhitening (CNPW) observer uses the background known exactly task for localization and detection. Visual-search observer models attempt to replicate the search patterns of trained radiologists. The visual-search observer described in this paper utilizes a two-phase approach, with an initial holistic search followed by directed analysis and decision making. Gradient template matching is used for the holistic search, and the CNPW observer is used for analysis and decision making. Spherical masses were embedded into anthropomorphic breast phantoms, and simulated projections were made using ray-tracing and a serial cascade model. A localization ROC study was performed on these images using the visual-search model observer and the CNPW observer. Observer performance from the two computer observers was compared to human observer performance. The visual-search observer was able to produce area under the LROC curve values similar to those from human observers; however, more research is needed to increase the robustness of the algorithm.
New approach to array processing

A qualitative and quantitative theory is developed which simultaneously unifies and extends MUSIC, MIN-NORM, ESPRIT, and PISARENKO type techniques. These techniques can be used for both spatial and temporal spectral decomposition of signals. In particular, the usual assumptions on the problem formulation are reduced. Our approach is a realization theoretic approach and substantially extends the previous results on multidimensional arrays of sensors. A theory is provided for analysis and design of (not necessarily linear and equally spaced) array structures to estimate the temporal frequency and the directions for coherent sources, such as in the case of multipath. Techniques are also developed to null signals in certain directions with certain frequencies, such as for multipath cancellation.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A longitudinal study of low-back pain as associated with occupational weight lifting factors.

A review of the biomechanics of weight lifting as it relates to low-back stresses is presented first. This serves as the basis for the development of a Lifting Strength Rating (LSR) methodology. Then a study is reported wherein the LSR methodology is used to evaluate 103 jobs having various amounts of required two-handed load lifting. The 411 people populating these jobs were also evaluated. For a period of one year following their evaluation, any low-back pain problems in the group were noted. The primary result of the field study is that the incidence rate of low-back pain is correlated with higher lifting strength requirements as determined by assessment of both the location and magnitude of the load lifted. It is, therefore, recommended that load lifting be considered potentially hazardous, and that the LSR methodology be used to guide corrective actions.
An approach to formulating cold-water laundry products

Trilinear plots showing the performance of linear alkylbenzene (LAS), alcohol ether sulfate (ES) and alcohol sulfate (AS) mixtures are used to optimize surfactant active composition for maximum cold-water detergency. Superimposition of cost lines allows for estimating cost/performance. Results show that the composition of the optimally performing LAS/ES/AS mixture depends strongly on temperature, water hardness and cloth type. Under most conditions at low water hardness levels, optimum cost/performance is obtained by an all-LAS active composition. When water hardness exceeds the hardness removal capability of the builder, an LAS/ES blend is best.
Fascination with Death as a Function of Need for Novel Stimulation

Optimal stimulation theory suggests that when an organism's level of stimulus input falls below its optimal range, the organism is then motivated to return its neurological excitation to its optima...
Phobis, a photon beam ion source for production of highly-charged ions

Abstract An ion source based on successive photoionization of trapped ions is now possible using high-brightness X rays from a modern synchrotron storage ring. Calculations based on the design parameters for the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven indicate that degrees of ionization and beam intensities should be comparable to those achieved with existing EBIS, ECRIS, or recoil-ion sources.
A comparison of three gastric lavage methods using the radionuclide gastric emptying study

To determine the percentage of liquid gastric contents experimentally removable by available orogastric lavage systems, five healthy young volunteers were asked to ingest 1 mCi of liquid technicium-99m diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Tc99m-DTPA) mixed with 50 ml tap water. Five minutes afterwards, the radionuclide was lavaged using one of three different techniques-a single syringe method, a closed gravity drainage system, and a closed double syringe method--while continuous radioisotope camera images were taken. Control images, with no lavage performed, were also taken. All of the orogastric lavage methods removed a mean of between 80% and 85% of the stomach contents. The double syringe method was the quickest, while the single syringe method was least tolerated. When compared with control, none of the lavage techniques pushed gastric contents into the duodenum. Thus, in terms of amount of liquid gastric contents removed, there was no one method that removed more than the others. Caution should be exercised in assuming that 80-85% of a liquid gastric ingestion can be removed by lavage in the uncontrolled clinical setting. The use of any orogastric lavage for ingestion evacuation should be undertaken knowing that it is a morbid procedure and usually not necessary.
Temperature dependence of elongation in Zircaloy-4

Abstract In this letter a simple equation which can predict the temperature dependence of elongation for Zircaloy-4 is derived. The elongation minimum results from the concentration of deformation in the necked region in the temperature range of the flow stress plateau. Oxygen atoms actually strengthen the alloy. However, the strengthening of the alloy due to dynamic strain aging decreases the strain rate sensitivity in the temperature range of the flow stress plateau. The decrease in the strain rate sensitivity results in a low ductility. Above the temperature range of the flow stress plateau the elongation of the alloy increases rapidly with temperature. In the temperature range of the flow stress plateau, dynamic strain aging causes microscopically the clustering of dislocations and macroscopically the concentration of deformation in the neck. Above the temperature range of the plateau, dynamic strain aging causes microscopically the homogeneous distribution of dislocations and macroscopically the spreadout of deformation over the entire gauge section.
Laparoscopic vs open appendectomy in obese patients: outcomes using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database.

Background Although open and laparoscopic appendectomies are comparable operations in terms of outcomes, it is unknown whether this is true in the obese patient. Our objective was to compare short-term outcomes in obese patients after laparoscopic vs open appendectomy. Study Design Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (2005−2009), 13,330 obese patients (body mass index ≥30) who underwent an appendectomy were identified (78% laparoscopic, 22% open). The association between surgical approach (laparoscopic vs open) and outcomes was first evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Next, to minimize the influence of treatment selection bias, we created a 1:1 matched cohort using all 41 of the preoperative covariates in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Reanalysis was then performed with the unmatched patients excluded. Main outcomes measures included patient morbidity and mortality, operating room return, operative times, and hospital length of stay. Results Laparoscopic appendectomy was associated with a 57% reduction in overall morbidity in all the obese patients after the multivariable risk-adjusted analysis (odds ratio=0.43; 95% CI, 0.36−0.52; p Conclusions In obese patients, laparoscopic appendectomy had superior clinical outcomes compared with open appendectomy after accounting for preoperative risk factors.
Are we really dressed to kill

On a recent visit to the UK, a local physician told me that the National Health Service (NHS) has banned the use of ties (and other unnecessary items of clothing) by doctors. But a reading of the actual directive was fuzzier;1 the NHS asserted that it wanted to ban the long sleeves as part of the battle against MRSA and Clostridium dificile, although also stating that there is no evidence that white coats transmit the bacteria. Amusingly, the title of the report implies that it is evidence-based, though worded in a somewhat coy manner. However, all newspapers trumpeted the story that it was the white coat that was to be jettisoned. What next? Ban the stethoscope? In 1992 we started at Columbia a widely copied ceremony in which entering medical students are given a white coat in the presence of their professors and often their parents; this is followed by lectures ostensibly to inculcate in them the humanistic aspects of medicine. But you don't have to be an anthropologist to recognize that investing them (literally) with a white coat is a ritual of induction into a guild. Uniforms have always been a way of separating Us from Them and have a long history going at least as far back as 2550 BC, when the celebrated Stele of the Vultures (now in the Louvre) shows a platoon of soldiers wearing identical helmets and other items of dress. In this victory stele, the foot soldiers are shown marching on the backs of their defeated enemies, who are shown naked. Thus clothes have always been used as an instrument of power and differentiation.
Finite gyroradius theory of drift compressional modes

[1] A dispersion relation for ultralow frequency drift compressional modes in high pressure plasmas with finite gyroradius is derived from the linearized gyrokinetic-Maxwell equations with cold electrons and narrow eigenmode localization width along the field line. The dispersion relation demonstrates instability under two different conditions: 1) when the density gradient and proton temperature gradient are in opposite directions, or 2) when the magnetic guiding center drift is reversed with respect to the proton diamagnetic drift, i.e., drift reversal, which could occur during periods of strong magnetospheric disturbance. Furthermore, it is found that the most unstable modes have short azimuthal wavelengths comparable to the proton gyroradius.
The case for evidence-based rulemaking in human subjects research.

Here I inquire into the status of the rules promulgated in the canonical pronouncements on human subjects research, such as the Declaration of Helsinki and the Belmont Report. The question is whether they are ethical rules or rules of policy. An ethical rule is supposed to accurately reflect the ethical fact (the fact that the action the rule prescribes is ethically obligatory), whereas rules of policy are implemented to achieve a goal. We should be skeptical, I argue, that the actions prescribed by the rules are ethically obligatory, and consequently we should focus our attention on how to craft the rules so as to promote the legitimate goals of human subjects research. Unfortunately, this cannot be done without evidence about the likely effects of various candidate policies—evidence we currently lack. Therefore, we should take the rules as mere starting points, subject to revision as the evidence comes in.
Synthesis of poly(phenylquinoxaline)s via self-polymerizable quinoxaline monomers

The development of three new self-polymerizable quinoxaline monomers was pursued in an attempt to increase the susceptibility of the monomers toward aromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions. The polymerizations were carried out in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone in the presence of potassium carbonate, to yield high molecular weight poly(phenylquinoxaline)s (PPQs). Replacement of the 1,4-phenylene group of the phenol in the isomeric monomer mixture of 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-phenyl-6-fluoroquinoxaline and 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-phenyl-6-fluoroquinoxaline with the 2,6-naphthylene, 4,4‘-biphenylene, and 4,4‘-oxydiphenylene groups resulted in more reactive monomers as evidenced by shorter polymerization times and lower polymerization temperatures needed to obtain PPQs with high intrinsic viscosities. Polymerizations of the 1,4-phenylene-, 2,6-naphthylene-, 4,4‘-biphenylene-, and 4,4‘-oxydiphenylene-containing monomers led to PPQs with intrinsic viscosities ranging from 1.4 to 2.5 dL/g and glass transition temperatu...
The Surface Charge of KCl as Influenced by Crystal Lattice Defects

Abstract Recently, nonequilibrium electrokinetic measurements using laser-Doppler electrophoresis were reported for alkali halides and the sign of their surface charge was thus determined (13). These results are generally as expected from simplified lattice ion hydration theory with KCl, under normal circumstances, being the most significant exception. In this regard, lattice defects (F centers and oxygen imperfections) have been found to influence the surface charge of KCl and its electrophoretic mobility. In particular, the presence of oxygen defect states in the crystal lattice has been found to be responsible for KCl's unexpected behavior. The concentration of oxygen defect states in KCl, as characterized by UV/Vis absorption, was varied in order to study their influence on the electrokinetic behavior and subsequently on the flotation response of KCl. At low oxygen contents ( 300 ppm), sufficient to impart a negative surface charge and this accounts for the selective flotation of KCl from NaCl by heterocoagulation with oppositely charged alkyl amine hydrochloride collector colloids.
A new approach to filtering and adaptive control: stability results

A new approach to adaptive control is proposed. The principal distinguishing feature is the direct estimation and updating of the criterion function by means of a filtering operation on a vector of transitional pseudo-return functions. The data storage and computational problems often associated with explicit probability distribution updating via Bayes' rule are thus avoided. Convergence properties are established for a simple linear criterion function filter designed for a class of adaptive control problems typified by a well-known two-armed bandit problem. Optimality properties are established for the filter in a companion paper.
Electronic spectra and photophysics of the two stable conformers of anthracene dimer: evaluation of an ab initio structure prediction

Abstract It is shown that the spectral features and excited-state dynamics of the two Van der Waals dimers of anthracene, generated by supersonic free expansion, can be accounted for if the dimers have the crossed (D 2d ) and the parallel-displaced (C 2h ) structures predicted by an ab initio calculation with MP2 correlation.
Coarse-grained molecular dynamics modeling of the kinetics of lamellar BCP defect annealing

Directed self-assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) is a process that has received great interest in the field of nanomanufacturing in the past decade, and great strides towards forming high quality aligned patterns have been made. But state of the art methods still yield defectivities orders of magnitude higher than is necessary in semi-conductor fabrication even though free energy calculations suggest that equilibrium defectivities are much lower than is necessary for economic semi-conductor fabrication. This disparity suggests that the main problem may lie in the kinetics of defect removal. This work uses a coarse-grained model to study the rates, pathways, and dependencies of healing a common defect to give insight into the fundamental processes that control defect healing and give guidance on optimal process conditions for BCP-DSA. It is found that infinitely thick films yield an exponential drop in defect heal rate above χN ~ 30. Below χN ~ 30, the rate of transport was similar to the rate at which the transition state was reached so that the overall rate changed only slightly. The energy barrier in periodic simulations increased with 0.31 χN on average. Thin film simulations show no change in rate associated with the energy barrier below χN ~ 50, and then show an increase in energy barrier scaling with 0.16χN. Thin film simulations always begin to heal at either the free interface or the BCP-underlayer interface where the increased A-B contact area associated with the transition state will be minimized, while the infinitely thick films must start healing in the bulk where the A-B contact area is increased. It is also found that cooperative chain movement is required for the defect to start healing.
Plagiogranite and keratophyre in ophiolite on Fidalgo Island, Washington

A sequence of Jurassic rocks on Fidalgo Island, Washington, is interpreted to be ophiolite. The order of rock types, from the base upward, is serpentinite, layered gabbro, a dike complex made up mostly of plagiogranite, volcanic rocks that are dominantly keratophyre, coarse breccia with clasts of keratophyre and plagiogranite, pelagic argillite, and siltstone-sandstone turbidites. The plagiogranites and keratophyres have identical chemical compositions and are mutually gradational in field setting and textures, all of which suggests that they are cogenetic. These rocks are distinguished from calc-alkalic rock types by their very low content of K 2 O (where SiO 2 = 70%, K 2 O = 0.2% to 0.7%). Metasomatic alteration of the rocks appears to be insignificant, judging from (1) well-preserved primary igneous textures, (2) well-preserved primary intrusive and extrusive contacts, and (3) uniformity of chemical composition across igneous units. An oceanic origin of the ophiolite is suggested by the capping of pelagic sediments. Their fine grain size, abundance of radiolaria, and enrichment in Mn and other metals are virtually identical to those of modern Pacific pelagic sediments and unlike that of arc or epicontinental sediments. This interpretation conflicts with the apparent paucity of plagiogranite and keratophyre on the present-day sea floor. Field relations and chemical trends indicate that the plagiogranite-keratophyre magma is not the product of fractionation of the same melt that crystallized layered gabbro. High water content of the plagiogranite-keratophyre magma is indicated by hydrothermal alteration of the gabbro near plagiogranite intrusions and the occurrence of hornblende instead of pyroxene in mafic varieties. We suggest that this water is from the sea and that the anomalously low K 2 O content of these magmas is due to exchange with sea water.
Moral justification for Tarasoff-type warnings and breach of confidentiality: a clinician's perspective.

After brief review of the background and context of the Tarasoff case and its impact on clinicians, the author examines the "Tarasoff warning," proposed in the 1974 Tarasoff opinion, from a moral position, with brief discussion of its clinical and risk management dimensions. Moral issues considered include confidentiality itself, agency, fiduciary duty, a shift in the victim paradigm, the emergency context, a novel risk, and a proposed approach. The dilemma presented by the original Tarasoff fact situation is re-examined. The author stresses the need for individualized responses to the risks posed by patients.
A Generalization of Cowen′s Characterization of Hyponormal Toeplitz Operators

Abstract In this paper we extend an elegant result of C. C. Cowen [ Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 103 (1988), 809-812] on the hyponormality of Toeplitz operators to a class of (generalized) Toeplitz operators. In order to do this by a commutant lifting approach we study the operator equation H A = H B T C , where H A , H B are (generalized) Hankel operators and T C is an analytic Toeplitz operator. Related results about the range inclusion of Hankel and Toeplitz operators are also obtained.
Genetic influence on contrast sensitivity in middle-aged male twins

Contrast sensitivity is strongly associated with daily functioning among older adults, but the genetic and environmental contributions to this ability are unknown. Using the classical twin method, we addressed this issue by examining contrast sensitivity at five spatial frequencies (1.5-18 cycles per degree) in 718 middle-aged male twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging (VETSA). Heritability estimates were modest (14-38%), whereas individual-specific environmental influences accounted for 62-86% of the variance. Identifying the types of individual-specific events that impact contrast sensitivity may suggest interventions to modulate this ability and thereby improve overall quality of life as adults age.
Toward a Prostate Specific Antigen-Based Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Assay: Preparation of Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin -Conjugated Normal and Transformed Prostate Specific Antigen Fragments

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) molecules secreted by cancerous and normal prostate cells differ in their N-linked glycan composition, while the peptide backbone appears to be conserved. Antibodies selectively recognizing such differentially glycosylated PSA structures could form a basis for a new diagnostic assay for prostate cancer. Twenty-amino acid PSA fragments carrying di-, tri-, and tetrabranched complex-type glycans were prepared by total synthesis and conjugated to maleimide-modified keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) carrier protein through backbone Cys residues. These glycopeptide/KLH conjugates were then used for antibody generation.
Human Resource Management Implications of Terrorist Threats to Firms in the Supply Chain

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between employee sensitivity to terrorism and employee attitudes in supply chain firms located in an environment with ongoing terrorist threat. Implications for human resource management in supply chain firms and future directions for research are discussed.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on questionnaire data collected from 898 managers in Sri Lanka. Included in the paper are manufacturing and service firms that constitute integral parts of global supply chains such as garment and textile firms, software solutions firms, and import‐export trading firms. Correlation analysis is used to examine the relationship between variables.Findings – The results generally indicate a statistically significant negative relationship between employee sensitivity to terrorism and employee attitudes toward the organization, team, and job. Results vary by sector and industry, with a comparatively strong negative association between employee ...
The relationship of blood viscosity to the intensity of heart murmurs

Abstract 1. 1. A method of producing and recording a murmur is described. 2. 2. The murmur produced was found to decrease precipitously with increased blood hemoglobin levels. 3. 3. The results show that lowering of viscosity is, in itself, enough to produce a definite murmur where none was heard before. This may indicate the origin of the hemic murmur. 4. 4. With high blood viscosities, the absence of a murmur does not rule out gross structural cardiac abnormalities.
Threshold conditions for pulsed gamma ray lasers

Abstract We examine the threshold conditions for both lasing and superradiance in a pulsed γ-ray laser. We find that both threshold conditions are much more restrictive than the Schalow-Townes condition for lasing in a steady-state laser.
Childhood sexual abuse, distress, and alcohol-related problems: Moderation by drinking to cope.

Previous studies have found relationships between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and problem alcohol use. However, few studies have explored mechanisms that may explain this relationship. The present study examined whether (a) distress mediated the relationship between CSA and both heavy drinking and alcohol consequences, (b) coping motives for drinking moderated the paths between distress and both heavy drinking and alcohol consequences, and (c) these relationships remained significant after controlling for other forms of abuse/trauma. Three hundred ninety-five undergraduate women completed survey measures of childhood abuse/trauma, alcohol use/consequences, distress, and drinking motives. Data were analyzed using path analyses. RESULTS supported a moderated-mediation model in which distress mediated the relationship between CSA and alcohol consequences, but only among those who endorsed coping motives for drinking. After controlling for other forms of abuse/maltreatment, the moderated-mediated pathway was no longer significant, but there remained a direct path between CSA and alcohol consequences. The present study provides support for tension-reduction models of alcohol use among CSA-exposed women and demonstrates the moderating role of coping motives. The present study also highlights the need for future studies to control for other forms of abuse/trauma and suggests that other mechanisms and contextual variables need to be explored to explain the CSA/alcohol-use pathway. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Importance Counts: The Role of Relative Importance of Service Elements in Client Satisfaction Measures

ABSTRACT It is not uncommon for social work service providers, researchers, and evaluators to develop measures to obtain client satisfaction data relevant to their particular service settings. These measures are often constructed through a set of (usually Likert-type) satisfaction rating response items for each of the service elements relevant to their settings. Scores from these multiple items are then either summed or averaged to produce global satisfaction scores. By summing or averaging satisfaction scores across all items, one implicitly assumes that all survey items that represent various service elements carry equal weight. This assumption of equal weight is somewhat counterintuitive because individual clients may perceive certain survey items or service elements to be more important, or carry more weight, than others. Analyzing data from interviews with 112 clients of an elderly case management service agency in a large city in the Midwest region of the United States, this study examined this equa...
Getting started in library expert systems research

Abstract In the 1960s, information science researchers pioneered in the design of computer-based document storage and retrieval systems. These efforts were crowned with success, and online systems are now in common use as reference tools. Today the new information science frontier is to design, develop, and test expert systems for use in libraries and other information centers. At UCLA we are exploring the applicability of artificial intelligence and expert systems for modeling the cognitive processes involved in cataloging. Specifically, Zorana Ercegovac, a doctoral student, is designing a prototype expert system in the limited domain of map cataloging that will seek to employ the reasoning used by expert catalogers in applying AACR2 rules. It is anticipated that the research results will shed some light on the way catalogers reason and conceptualize the structure of a catalog entry. The project is still in its initial stages, and in this presentation one can only indicate the design choices that need to be made, the reasons for the decisions made, and the problems encountered.
Treatment of Stable Chronic Bronchitis with Iodinated Glycerol: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

In a double-blind trial, 29 patients were treated for stable, chronic bronchitis with iodinated glycerol (Organidin®, 60 mg four times daily; n = 16) or placebo (n = 13). The study consisted of a 2-week single-blind lead-in period, followed by a 6-week double-blind treatment period, and assessed a total of 50 response variables. In this set of patients, treatment with iodinated glycerol was associated with statistically significant (P < 0.05) and/or positive trend (P < 0.1) toward improvement in cough frequency, cough severity, difficulty in raising sputum, sputum thickness, sputum stickiness, forced expiratory flow at FVC25%–75%, cell concentration in sputum, and several measures of physician assessment of patient condition. Iodinated glycerol was well tolerated during the 6-week treatment period; no adverse effects were reported and no patient receiving iodinated glycerol withdrew from the study prematurely. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that iodinated glycerol, 60-mg tablets given in a total daily dose of 240 mg, is safe and effective therapy for reducing symptoms in patients with stable, chronic bronchitis.
Planning Robot Actions Using Multi-Sensor Input

A robot system that integrates the fusion of computer based voice recognition and computer vision, as well as artificial neural networks and knowledge is discussed. Our goal is to develop a flexible system with a broad user bandwidth that can be used in hazardous environments such as those that occur in military applications. Three major components of this system, which are voice recognition module, the real-time visual image precessing module, and the command control module, will be addressed. The system is designed to function (at least initially) in a known environment. Future studies will be made about unknown, dynamic environment.
DDT residues in robins and earthworms associated with contaminated forest soils.

Residue analysis of forest soils sprayed once at 1 lb/acre showed little breakdown of DDT through 9 years after application. In the absence of appreciable downward trend, residue persistence could not be estimated beyond stating that it appears to persist much longer than the 10 years suggested by others. Persistent residues are largely restricted to the upper soil litter. Residues pass from soils to earthworms to robins throughout the 9-year period studied. It is suggested that this relationship may persist for as long as 30 years after a single application to the forest. Biological magnification of residues in robins is demonstrated. Significance of these residue levels is discussed.