cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parents of children with asthma: An examination of family hardiness, family stressors, and family functioning

Abstract As the incidence, severity, and mortality associated with asthma has risen, the numbers of families caring for children has grown. This study used a descriptive correlational design to examine relationships among family hardiness, family stressors, and family functioning in families of children with asthma using the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment, and Adaptation. The Family Hardiness Index, Family Stress Index, and Faces II instruments were completed by 27 parents of children with asthma. Correlations were found to be significant. Family type was also determined.
An automated tool for detecting medication overuse based on the electronic health records.

Purpose Medication overuse is a serious concern in healthcare as it leads to increased expenditures, side effects and morbidities. Identifying overuse is only possible through excluding appropriate indications that are primarily mentioned in unstructured notes. We developed a framework for automatic identification of medication overuse and applied it to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).
Future Studies of the Local Interstellar Medium with Space Telescope and Columbus

The spectrographs aboard Space Telescope and Columbus which will provide important new information about the interstellar medium in the immediate vicinity of the sun are described. The space telescope's highest resolution is adequate to define the multicomponent nature of interstellar absorption lines and to measure thermal line widths exceeding 3 km/s. The Columbus spacecraft will contain spectrographs capable of resolutions of 3 x 10 to the 4th power between 912 and 1200 A and 500 between 100 and 900 A. In the short wavelength region, lines of He I and II, are observable. If the 3 x 10 to the 4th power resolution spectrograph provides extended wavelength coverage to 770 A, lines of Ne VIII which are expected from 8 x 10 to the 5th power K gas are accessible. The ST HRS and Columbus spectrographs enable the study of a wide range of problems relating to cold, warm, and hot gas in the local ISM.
ICR-induced frameshift mutations in the histidine operon of Salmonella.

Both the acridine half-mustard, ICR191, and the nonalkylating azaacridine derivative, ICR364-OH, induce three classes of frameshift mutations in the histidine operon of Salmonella typhimurium. (i) One class is completely stable in reversion tests and is presumed to represent deletion of one or a few critical nucleotide pairs or two nearby frameshifts. One extended deletion was found out of 11 stable mutations. (ii) Of two spontaneously reverting classes which also are considered to predominantly involve base deletions, one is unaffected in reversion with ICR191, nitrosoguanidine, and diethylsulfate, and the other is induced to revert with ICR191. (iii) A third class, considered to predominantly involve base additions, responds in reversion tests with ICR191 as well as with nitrosoguanidine and diethylsulfate. Other investigators have shown that one mutant of this class is a “plus” frameshift and that nitrosoguanidine acts in reversion to delete a guanine plus cytosine base pair. Although such plus frameshifts are found with high frequency among mutations selected from acridine-treated bacteria or when strong selection pressure is applied for their detection in reversion tests, data from this laboratory indicate that this class of plus frameshifts is rare among mutations derived spontaneously or after treatment with a variety of other mutagens. Finally, we demonstrate that the alkylating ICR191 and the nonalkylating ICR364-OH preferentially cause mutations in different chromosome regions and that their spectra of activity only partially overlap that found for spontaneous frameshift mutations.
Viral, Nonviral and Peptide-Mediated Intra-Articular Transfer of Genes and Proteins

We have been examining the ability of different vectors to transfer therapeutic genes directly to joints following intra-articular injection. To date, we have examined the efficiency of intra-articular gene transfer to the rabbit knee mediated by adenoviral, adenoassociated virus (AAV), retrovirus and herpes simplex virus vectors as well as by over 100 different nonviral formulations. Moreover, we have examined the ability to repeat dose with the different types of viral vectors. A summary of our experiments to identify a clinically useful vector for intra-articular gene transfer will be presented. In an attempt to improve intra-articular gene transfer, we also have screened an M13 peptide phage display library for peptides able to facilitate internalization into synovial cells. We have identified a class of cationic peptides (PTD), similar to the cationic protein transduction domains found in Antennapedia (Antp) and HIV TAT peptide, as well as a class of more neutral and hydrophobic peptides (HAP). To determine the ability of the PTD and HAP peptides to facilitate internalization, the peptides were biotinylated and coupled to avidin-β-gal or streptavidin-Cy3. Although internalization mediated by the HAP peptides in culture and in vivo was not as efficient as the cationic peptides, they appeared to be more cell type specific. Several of the HAP and PTD peptides were fused to an antimicrobial peptide, KLAK, generating novel apoptotic peptides. These fusion peptides were able to impair rabbit and human synovial cell viability through disruption of mitochondria and induction of apoptosis. Intra-articular injection of these apoptotic peptides into arthritic rabbit joints resulted in extensive synovial cell apoptosis as well as reduction in leukocytic infiltration. An update of our progress using the different internalizing peptides for delivery of therapeutic proteins and genes will be presented.
Transient elastography may identify Fontan patients with unfavorable hemodynamics and advanced hepatic fibrosis.

Background Transient elastography (TE) offers a noninvasive correlate with the degree of hepatic fibrosis. However, factors other than fibrosis affect liver stiffness. We sought to determine whether hepatic congestion related to hemodynamics in Fontan circulation influences liver stiffness measurement (LSM) assessed by TE. Methods We studied 45 subjects with Fontan circulation undergoing cardiac catheterization with or without simultaneous liver biopsy. Subjects underwent TE within 5 days before catheterization. Clinical history, hemodynamic and biopsy data, and hepatic biomarkers were collected. Five subjects who had previously undergone liver biopsy and TE were also included. Results Median age was 13.1 years (range 2.4–57.8); median time since Fontan was 9.9 years (range 0.1–32.5). No subject had known hepatitis C. Mean LSM for the entire cohort was 21.4 ± 10.8 kPa. Univariate regression analysis using LSM as a continuous outcome variable shows significant correlations with age (R = 0.35, P = .01), time since Fontan (R = 0.41, P = .003), Fontan pressure (R = 0.31, P = .04), cardiac index (R = 0.33, P = .03), pulmonary vascular resistance (R = 0.34, P = .03), systemic arterial oxygen saturation (R = 0.31, P = .04), and platelet count (R = 0.29, P = .05). On multiple regression analysis, Fontan pressure (β = 0.901, P = .03) and cardiac index (β = 2.703, P = .02) were significant predictors of LSM with overall model R2 = 0.206. Univariate analysis shows LSM to be associated with more severe centrilobular fibrosis (P = .05). Conclusions Higher LSM is associated with unfavorable Fontan hemodynamics and advanced centrilobular hepatic fibrosis. TE may be a useful tool for identifying Fontan patients who warrant invasive testing.
A Novel Labeling Approach Supports the Five-transmembrane Model of Subunit a of the Escherichia coli ATP Synthase

Cysteine mutagenesis and surface labeling has been used to define more precisely the transmembrane spans of subunita of the Escherichia coli ATP synthase. Regions of subunit a that are exposed to the periplasmic space have been identified by a new procedure, in which cells are incubated with polymyxin B nonapeptide (PMBN), an antibiotic derivative that partially permeabilizes the outer membrane of E. coli, along with a sulfhydryl reagent, 3-(N-maleimidylpropionyl) biocytin (MPB). This procedure permits reaction of sulfhydryl groups in the periplasmic space with MPB, but residues in the cytoplasm are not labeled. Using this procedure, residues 8, 27, 37, 127, 131, 230, 231, and 232 were labeled and so are thought to be exposed in the periplasm. Using inside-out membrane vesicles, residues near the end of transmembrane spans 1, 64, 67, 68, 69, and 70 and residues near the end of transmembrane spans 5, 260, 263, and 265 were labeled. Residues 62 and 257 were not labeled. None of these residues were labeled in PMBN-permeabilized cells. These results provide a more detailed view of the transmembrane spans of subunit a and also provide a simple and reliable technique for detection of periplasmic regions of inner membrane proteins in E. coli.
Surgical Management of Esophageal Strictures

The cases of 50 consecutive patients requiring operative treatment for esophageal strictures were reviewed to evaluate results and develop principles of management. Forty-eight had gastroesophageal reflux disease and 2 had chronic lye strictures. Of the patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, 21 had a Barrett's esophagus. Esophageal dilations had been performed in 29 patients, 12 of whom also had undergone previous surgical procedures. Preoperative dilations by our group were used to determine further intervention. Patients with dilatable strictures were randomized to either a Nissen or a Belsey operation. In this group, there were no operative deaths, and excellent or good clinical results were obtained in 28 of 34 (82%) patients, with no significant differences noted in the outcomes between the two operations. Patients with undilatable strictures, Barrett's ulcer, or mucosal dysplasia underwent resection plus colon interposition (N = 12) or resection plus gastric interposition (N = 4). Two of the patients in the Nissen operation group later required resection and colon interposition, bringing that total to 14. Resection plus colon interposition resulted in excellent or good results in 71% of patients, with a 7% operative mortality. These results suggest that a standard transthoracic antireflux procedure can be performed with a low risk when strictures are dilatable. Excellent or good results were obtained in 82% of patients, which is equivalent to results for more complex operations. There was no significant difference in the outcome for the transthoracic Nissen procedure compared with the Belsey procedure. In addition, when required, resection plus colon interposition provided excellent or good results in 71% of the patients.
Quasibound state determination of arbitrary-geometry quantum heterostructures

The operation and performance of semiconductor electronic and optoelectronic quantum-heterostructures devices are critically dependent on the quasibound states of these structures. In this paper a unified set of four numerical methods is presented that are capable of determining the quasibound-state eigen-energies and their lifetimes in quantum heterostructures having arbitrary potential profiles. The methods are applicable to symmetric, asymmetric, unbiased or biased devices. All the numerical approaches solve the single-band effective-mass Schrodinger equation. The numerical methods are shown to be both numerically efficient and accurate.
Cleon's hidden appeals (Thucydides 3.37–40)1

πƤΟƩ ΗΔΟΝΗΝ ΛEƮEΙΝAt 2.65 Thucydides says of Pericles that he did not speak to please (πρoς ήδoνν λέγeιν): he had no need of such means for acquiring influence, since he already enjoyed it because of his recognized merits. But his successors were on the same plane as one another, each one striving to establish himself as the man first in influence with the demos. And in this drive for ascendancy, they began to allow the people's pleasures to shape the advice they gave (༐τράπoντo καθ’ ήςoνaς τŵ δήμω καi τa πράγματα ༐νδιδoναι).
Three-dimensional vibrations of inflatable dams

Abstract Inflatable dams are used for various purposes, such as controlling flood-waters, diverting water for irrigation, impounding water for recreation, raising the height of existing spillways, and preventing beach erosion. They are flexible, cylindrical structures attached to a rigid, horizontal base. The vibrations of such dams are investigated in this paper. The dam is modelled as an elastic shell inflated with air and anchored along two of its generators. Both infinitely—long dams and dams of finite length are considered. Previous analyses have only considered two-dimensional vibrations and have assumed that the dam is an inextensible membrane. The finite element method is applied, first to determine the equilibrium shape of the dam and then to analyze small vibrations about that configuration. For the numerical examples, the lowest six vibration frequencies and corresponding mode shapes are obtained. The results are compared to those when no external water is present.
Adolescent sexual activity and pregnancy: socioenvironmental problems, physical health, and mental health.

This paper examines the association between adolescent pregnancy and socioenvironmental, physical, and mental health problems in 1590 inner-city females aged 13–18 who use health clinics. Adolescents who have become pregnant, those who are sexually active but never have been pregnant, and those who are sexually inactive are compared. The sexually active youngsters come from more psychosocially disadvantaged backgrounds than their sexually inactive peers; the sexually active girls who become pregnant come from more psychosocially disadvantaged backgrounds than those who have never been pregnant. Despite this, the youths who have become pregnant do not have more current relationship problems, more stressful life events, or worse physical health than the never-pregnant sexually active youths. Although sexually inactive youths have the lowest rates of mental health problems, adolescents who have been pregnant have lower rates of anxiety and conduct disorder symptoms than those who are sexually active but never pregnant.
The bandwidth problem for distributive lattices of breadth 3

Gierz, G. and F. Hergert, The bandwidth problem for distributive lattices of breadth 3, Discrete Mathematics 88 (1991) 157-177.
An Accurate and Systematic Surface-Wave Pole Location Method for Multilayered Media

Finding the surface-wave modes in multilayered media is a problem that is of great importance in many full-wave numerical electromagnetic solvers. In this communication, an efficient and systematic method is proposed to locate all of the surface-wave poles for general multilayered structures. It is observed that the characteristic equations can be cast into a function composed of eri, kz,i, and Ti = tan(kz,i di), where the Ti occur for the substrates that have finite thicknesses. The pole location method is carried out in the complex kzM -plane, where kzM represents the wave number, along the z-axis, for the substrate with the maximum permittivity. Two sets of critical points are determined in the kzM-plane according to the parameters of the structure. Since there is at most one pole between two consecutive critical points, these critical points establish proper limits for the zero search algorithm. Muller's method can thus be applied to find the pole between the two consecutive critical points if it exists. The proposed method is validated by means of several numerical examples.
Russia's Declining Oil Production: Managing Price Risk and Rent Addiction

Two prominent American specialists on the Russian economy re-examine two key political explanations commonly advanced for the slowdown in Russian oil production after 2007, namely the high tax regime and increasing state control. The authors' objective is not to question the validity of these explanations, but rather to argue that the outcome (i.e., the slowing rate of oil output and revenues derived from it) was an intentional response to rising world prices rather than an undesired, negative consequence of Russian policies. More specifically, the authors outline the elements of a Russian strategy designed to avoid: (a) the launching of long-term investment programs in a high-oil-price environment, in which future world oil prices and the costs of lifting "new" East Siberian crude cannot be reliably predicted (thereby reducing price risk) and (b) expenditure of windfall profits to support noncompetitive enterprises in other sectors of the economy (curbing rent addiction). Journal of Economic Literature, ...
Electromagnetism as an inertial force

Iner t ia l motion. I t is possible to describe electromagnetism as well as gravitation as an inertial force? This should mean that the trajectory of a test particle of any charge q and mass m, subject only to gravitational and e.m. (electromagnetic) forces, should be universal independent of q and m a n d invariant ly defined in a basic geometry for space-time. We shall show here that this is indeed possible. Inertial mass equals gravitational mass; hence all test bodies fall at the same rate in a gravitational field. This well-known inertial character of the gravitational force culminated in Einstein 's geodesic motion equation
Role of Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) and Microtubules in Directional Cell Migration and Neuronal Polarization

In response to extracellular signals during embryonic development, cells undergo directional movements to specific sites and establish proper connections to other cells to form organs and tissues. Cell extension and migration in the direction of extracellular cues is mediated by the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, and recent results have shed new light on how these pathways are activated by neurotrophins, Wnt or extracellular matrix. These signals lead to modifications of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) and point to glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3beta as a key regulator of microtubule function during directional migration. This review will summarize these results and then focus on the role of microtubule-binding protein adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) in neuronal polarization and directed migration, and on its regulation by GSK3beta.
Adsorption of H2O on Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 and graphite studied with HREELS

Abstract We report vibrational spectra of H2O adsorbed on the (001) surface of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (Bi 2:2:1:2) single crystals at 88 K. Spectra were measured with high-resolution electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (HREELS) for exposures from 0.5 to 1.5 langmuir, and similar data were measured using a graphite substrate for comparison. On both substrates, the adsorbed H2O exhibited molecular adsorption and formed hydrogen-bonded clusters over the range of exposures studied. These observations confirm that H2O binds weakly to the (001) surface of Bi 2:2:1:2, in agreement with photoemission results for the same system.
Cobalt-rich, nickel-poor metal (wairauite) in the Ningqiang carbonaceous chondrite

A structurally ordered cubic metal grain containing approximately 39 wt% Co, 61 wt% Fe, and less than 0.6 wt% Ni (approximately Fe3Co2) was found associated with troilite and pentlandite in the matrix of the Ningqiang carbonaceous chondrite. This mineral is similar to terrestrial wairauite. Experimental data in the Fe-Co system indicate that this CsCl-type Co-rich metal is stable below 700 C. Phase relations in the Fe-Co-Ni system show that Co cannot fractionate from Ni above 500 C. The dominant opaque minerals of awaruite, magnetite, and pentlandite in Ningqiang suggest relatively oxidizing conditions.
A parallel plate 10B neutron detector

Abstract Parallel plate ionization chambers with vacuum deposited 10 B electrodes have been constructed and tested for 10 B plating thicknesses from 24 μg/cm 2 to 61 μg/cm 2 . Pulse-height resolutions of the alpha particle and of the 7 Li fragment from the 10 B(n, α) reaction were measured using low-energy neutrons. The pulse-height resolutions of the chambers were found to be better than a theoretical analysis had indicated.
A dynamic model for anaerobic filter.

Abstract Anaerobic filters are frequently used to treat medium to high strength wastewater (2000–20000 mg/L COD), but have fewer applications to low strength wastewater (<1000 mg/L COD). In order to understand the applicability of anaerobic treatment for low strength wastewater, such as domestic sewage, a dynamic mathematical model was developed. This Monod-type kinetic model, which predicts treatment efficiency and gas production, was used to describe literature observations and is offered as a predictive tool.
The Equilibrium Geometry, Harmonic Vibrational Frequencies, and Estimated ab Initio Limit for the Barrier to Planarity of the Ethylene Radical Cation

The equilibrium geometry, barrier to planarity, and harmonic vibrational frequencies were determined theoretically for the ground state of the ethylene radical cation using several quantum mechanical methods and basis sets. The minimum-energy structure is a nonplanar D2 conformer separated from its symmetry equivalent by a planar transition state. The CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ level of theory obtained an equilibrium C−C bond length and torsion angle of 1.4004 A and 21.0°, respectively, which are 0.005 A and 4.0° less than the experimentally derived values of Koppel et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 1978, 69, 4252]. The documented reliability of CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ equilibrium geometries might call into question the experimentally derived geometry. In addition, the barrier to planarity was determined using a series of basis sets and methods aimed at reaching the complete-basis-set limit. The final vibrationless barrier was determined to be 116 ± 35 cm-1. Also, to aid in the interpretation of a recent infrared cavity-ring-down expe...
Nephrotic syndrome: molecular and genetic basis.

Nephrotic syndrome results from varying injuries to the capillary wall of the glomerulus. The components of the capillary wall, including the endothelial cell, glomerular basement membrane and glomerular visceral epithelial cell all may be targets of injury and contribute to proteinuria. These mechanisms of injury include immune complexes, cytotoxins, abnormal protein deposition, metabolic abnormalities, reactive oxygen species, growth factors, hemodynamic stress, and genetic abnormalities. We review mechanisms of glomerular permselectivity, with focus on emerging new understanding of the functions of the glomerular visceral epithelial cell. The significance and consequences of proteinuria and possible pathogenic mechanisms and the effect of interventions in clinical renal disease on these factors are considered.
Effects of inorganic sedimentation and riparian clearing on benthic community metabolism in an agriculturally-disturbed stream

An in situ chamber technique was used to obtain seasonal estimates of benthic community metabolism at three stations in an agriculturally disturbed stream. Two stations with open canopies were examined. Sand was the dominant substrate at one site, cobble at the other. The third station was shaded by riparian vegetation and had a sand substrate. Seasonal estimates of net community productivity (NCP) and community respiration (CR) at the cobble section were significantly higher than those calculated for the sand sections (p>0.05). Ratios of gross community productivity (GCP) to 24 h respiration indicated autotrophic conditions in the cobble and extreme heterotrophy in the sand. NCP was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the open canopy sand than in the riparian shaded sand only when turbidity and discharge were low. Measurements of periphyton ash-free dry mass (AFDM) and chlorophyll a support metabolism estimates. Measurements of loose detrital AFDM were very low and variable compared to others reported in the literature. Therefore, allochthonously derived detritus may not be an important energy source for the benthic community.
Online Reflections About Relationships at School: Implications for School Violence

This article presents a qualitative study of the Succeeding in School program, an Internet-based intervention designed to help students reflect on key elements of academic success. The 139 students (10–12 years old) who participated in this study were largely of American Indian heritage and attended an elementary school (K–6) in southeastern North Carolina. A phenomenological examination of the data found that students used the Succeeding in School program to identify relationship with peers, relationship with teachers, and finally the relationship with self. The relationships with peers, with teachers, and with themselves may lead to success, or may lead to violence.
Enzymatic Reconstitution of Brain Membrane and Membrane Opiate Receptors

A new method using lysophosphatide and acyl-CoA as detergents has been used to solubilize the rat brain opiate receptor. After solubilization, lysophosphatide and acyl-CoA can be almost completely removed by an enzymatic reaction that uses an acyltransferase from rat liver microsomes and reconstitutes the solubilized receptor in membranous vesicles. Morphological studies performed with negative staining and freeze-fracture electron microscopy revealed that the general appearance and intramembrane particle distribution of fracture faces in the reconstituted membrane are similar to those of the native membrane; this indicates that hydrophobic protein components of the original membrane were incorporated during reconstitution. Reconstituted membrane, however, contained higher levels of phosphatidylcholine and lower levels of cholesterol. The activities of the membrane-bound enzymes Na+, K+-ATPase and Ca2+, Mg2+-ATPase in the reconstituted system were 24 and 3%, respectively, those of the native membrane. Although binding of opiate ligands to the reconstituted membrane was stereospecific and saturable, higher concentrations of some of the unlabeled ligands were required to inhibit binding of the radiolabeled ligands. These changes in receptor characteristics are likely due to changes in lipid composition, physical state, and/or distribution of the lipids in the reconstituted membrane bilayer. This conclusion is supported by an increase in the affinity of opiate ligands for reconstituted membrane after adjustment of the latter's lipid composition to match more closely that of the original membrane. This was accomplished by treatment with phospholipid exchange protein to remove the excess phosphatidylcholine and by incorporation of cholesterol into the reconstituted membrane.
Effect of (±) dihydroxy ephedrine and (±) dihydroxy pseudoephedrine on adrenergic transmission in mesenteric arteries

Abstract 1. The effect of (±) dihydroxy ephedrine (DHE), (±) dihydroxy pseudoephedrine (DHPE) and isoprenaline on the vasoconstrictor responses of the perfused mesenteric arteries of the rat produced by stimulation of their periarterial sympathetic fibres, and in the responses to injected noradrenaline, has been studied. 2. DHE and DHPE inhibited the responses to nerve stimulation and increased the responses to injected noradrenaline. 3. Isoprenaline slightly decreased the basal perfusion pressure and reduced the responses to both nerve stimulation and injected noradrenaline. Since these effects of isoprenaline were abolished by propranolol, they are presumably mediated by β-receptors. 4. The inhibitory effect of DHE and DHPE on the responses to nerve stimulation was not abolished by propranolol. 5. The results suggest that DHE and DHPE impair adrenergic transmission by partially replacing the adrenergic neurotransmitter, thereby acting as a false neurotransmitter.
Residual toxicity of cyfluthrin wettable powder against Tribolium confusum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) exposed for short time intervals on concrete

Abstract Adults of Tribolium confusum du Val, the confused flour beetle, were exposed to concrete treated with 100, 150, and 200 mg cyfluthrin 20% WP (20, 30, and 40 mg[a.i.]) per m2 for 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 h at tri-weekly intervals for 24 weeks after the concrete was treated. Exposure temperature was approximately 22 °C and relative humidity was approximately 60%. At the lowest application rate of 100 mg, the percentage of beetles that were still active after 0.5 h of exposure ranged from 78 to 100% during the study. Except for week 1, knockdown at 24 and 48 h post-exposure was at least 82%, and recovery at 168 h post-exposure was 23 to 53%. As exposure interval and application rate increased there was a corresponding decrease in both the percentage of beetles that were upright and running when they were removed from the panel and the percentage that had recovered from knockdown at 168 h post-exposure. All beetles exposed for 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 h on concrete treated at 200 mg per m2 were inactive at 168 h post-exposure. Of the 48 treatment combinations (four exposure times, four post-exposure observations, three application rates), only seven were significant (P
Phase transitions in flexible polymeric surfaces.

The statistical mechanics of polymerized surfaces with a finite bending rigidity \ensuremath{\kappa}' is studied via the Monte Carlo method. The model system consists of a hexagon, L atoms across, excised from a triangular lattice embedded in three-dimensional space. Nearest-neighbor atoms interact via an infinite-square-well potential, while the bending energy is proportional to the (negative) scalar product of unit normals to adjacent triangles. Self-avoiding interactions are not included. The largest hexagon considered (L=19) consists of 271 atoms. Unlike linear polymers or liquid membranes, these surfaces undergo a remarkable finite-temperature crumpling transition, with a diverging specific heat. For small \ensuremath{\kappa}=\ensuremath{\kappa}'/${k}_{B}$T, the surface is crumpled, and the radius of gyration ${R}_{g}$ grows as \ensuremath{\surd}lnL . For large \ensuremath{\kappa} we find that the surface remains flat, i.e., ${R}_{g}$\ensuremath{\sim}L. Our results demonstrate the presence of a finite-temperature (second-order) crumpling transition, and provide a lower bound on a related transition in real self-avoiding membranes.
Particle Dynamics of a Phase Space Distribution Function

A hydrodynamic analogy for quantum mechanics is used to develop a phase-space representation in terms of a quasi-probability distribution function. Averages over phase space using this approach agree with the usual expectation values of quantum mechanics for a certain class of observables. We also derive the equations of motion that particles in an ensemble would have in phase space in order to mimic the time development of this probability distribution, thus giving the position and momentum of particles in the ensemble as a function of time. The equations of motion separate into position and momentum components. The position component reproduces the de Broglie-Bohm equation of motion. As a simple example, we calculate the phase space trajectories and entropy of a free particle wave packet.
Optimal state-determination by mutually unbiased measurements

For quantum systems having a finite number N of orthogonal states, we investigate a particular relation among different measurements, called “mutual unbiasedness,” which we show plays a special role in the problem of state determination. We define two bases {|vi〉} and {|wj〉} to be mutually unbiased if all inner products across their elements have the same magnitude: |〈ν1|wj|=1√N for all i, j. Two non-degenerate measurements are defined to be mutually unbiased if the bases comprising their eigenstates are mutually unbiased. We show that if one can find N + 1 mutually unbiased bases for a complex vector space of N dimensions, then the measurements corresponding to these bases provide an optimal means of determining the density matrix of an ensemble of systems having N orthogonal states, in the sense that the effects of statistical error are minimized. We show further that the number of mutually unbiased bases one may find for a given N is at most N + 1. Finally, we show that N + 1 mutually unbiased bases do exist whenever N is a power of a prime, and we construct such bases explicitly.
Relationship marketing on the Internet: the case of top- and lower-ranked US universities and colleges

This study uses Kotler's “five-level model” of relationship marketing (P. Kotler and G. Armstrong, Principles of Marketing. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1996) to assess the web sites of top- and lower-ranked US universities and colleges. The data suggest that few web sites of both top- and lower-ranked institutions have yet attained the highest level (“partnership”) of relationship marketing. However, the results also suggest that the web sites of top-ranked schools vs. lower-ranked institutions are better suited to build relationships with students.
Neuropharmacological treatments for alcoholism: scientific basis and clinical findings

Preclinical studies have exploded our knowledge about the behavioral and biological underpinnings of alcoholism. These studies suggest that certain neurotransmitters, particularly those interacting with the opioid, N-methyl-d-aspartate, and monoamine systems, may play a critical role in the expression of alcohol-drinking and other behaviors associated with its abuse liability. Built upon this foundation, important advances have been made in the development of therapeutic medications for the treatment of alcoholism. Of the medications reviewed, acamprosate’s potential appears to be the most widely established. In the USA, naltrexone was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1995 for the treatment of alcoholism; however, the results of some studies have been less encouraging. Naltrexone’s reliance on high compliance rates for efficacy may, eventually, limit its potential in clinical settings offering generic treatment for alcoholism. The relative paucity of dose-response studies on naltrexone’s effects in treating alcoholics is an important gap in the literature. Recent data from a large clinical trial suggests that ondansetron, a serotonin3 antagonist, offers new hope for the treatment of early onset alcoholics; a type of alcoholism most difficult to manage with psychosocial measures alone. Different subtypes of alcoholic may, therefore, have varying treatment responses to serotonergic agents. Matching subtypes of alcoholic to effective treatment medications based upon their different biologies remains an important therapeutic goal. Combinations of effective pharmacological agents need exploration as they may prove to be synergistic, and could shepherd in a new era of treatments aimed at multiple neurotransmitter targets associated with the alcoholism disease. The coming decade promises more powerful tools for characterizing drug effects on alcohol drinking, thereby closing the gap between animal models of addiction and the human condition.
Limitations of Animal Models in Predicting β-Lactam Efficacy for Endocarditis and Meningitis

Animal models are important in predicting the efficacy in humans of antimicrobial agents for various disease conditions, including endocarditis and meningitis. Screening models are useful in assessing antibiotic effectiveness and toxicity; their advantages include simplicity, a reproducible course of infection, a well-defined therapeutic end point, and low cost. However, the inoculum size, the virulence of the organism, and the production of beta-lactamases can have important effects on outcome and must be considered in the interpretation of data obtained from such models. Discriminative models are those designed to mimic human disease as closely as possible with respect to infectious inoculum, host response, and course of disease. Each drug's pharmacokinetics must be carefully documented before being extrapolated to humans. Rigid criteria must be established to minimize misinterpretation of results from animal studies before conclusions from in vivo animal models are applied to human disease.
Pathologic and virologic characterization of neuroinvasion by HSV-2 in a mouse encephalitis model.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), a ubiquitous human pathogenassociated with genital infections, is neurotropic. It establishes latent infections in local dorsal root ganglia from which it reactivates causing recurrent lesions and frequent episodes of viral shedding. Herpes simplex virus type 2 can also be transmitted from mother to child during birth, causing major neonatal complications including encephalitis. Animal models of HSV-2 genital infection are well described and used for testing of therapies; little is known about animal models of HSV-2-induced encephalitis. We analyzed the pathologic and immunohistochemical features of the nasal rostrum and brain tissueand correlated them with viral distribution in a mouse model of HSV-2 encephalitis induced by intranasal infection and examined viral replication in the brain tissue using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and traditional plaque assay. Our results suggest that the primary route for HSV-2 neuroinvasion after intranasal infection is via thetrigeminal pathway, ultimately leading to infection of the brainstem and meningoencephalitis.
Prospect Theory Predictions When Escalation Is Not the Only Chance to Recover Sunk Costs

Abstract Two experiments tested the effect of risk of alternative investment opportunities on decision behavior in an escalation context. In the first experiment (n = 170), the risk of the reinvestment option, which had been unsuccessful and incurred a sunk cost, was held equal to that of an alternative investment project. Responsibility for the previous decision was manipulated between these subjects. Subjects were required to choose between the reinvestment option and the alternative. Responsible subjects demonstrated classic reinvestment (escalation) tendencies, and nonresponsible subjects exhibited a significant tendency to avoid reinvestment. Subjects in the second experiment (n = 195) completed the same decision task and were also assigned to high and low responsibility conditions. In this experiment the risk of investing further in a previously chosen project, relative to the risk of the alternative project, was manipulated. Those subjects who were responsible for the first decision (a) demonstrated no preference for or against continued pursuit of the initial project (i.e., there was no escalation tendency) and (b) preferred the less risky of the second investments, regardless of whether it was or was not the initially chosen project. Nonresponsible subjects showed no risk preference or proclivity for reinvestment. The results of these experiments suggest that salient information concerning relative risk dominates the effect of prior performance information when alternative investments are considered. We discuss the implications of these findings for decision theory and for methodology in commitment escalation research.
Do perception and motor production share common timing mechanisms: A correlational analysis

Abstract The two experiments of this study exploited individual variation in timing ability to ask whether the production of time intervals by different motor effectors and the judgement of perceptually based time intervals all share common timing mechanisms. In one task subjects produced a series of taps, attempting to maintain constant intervals between them. Individual differences in variability of the produced intervals correlated across the effectors of finger and foot. That is, people that were ‘good timers’ with one effector tended to be ‘good timers’ with another. Besides timing motor production, the subjects also judged durations of brief perceptual events. The acuity of perceptual judgements correlate substantially with regularity of motor production. Further results involving maximum speed of motor production suggested that variability of motor timing comes from two sources, one source in common with perception, and hence called clock variability, and the other source in common with motor speed, and hence called motor implementation variability. The second experiment showed that people high in skill on the piano were better at both types of timing on the average than control subjects with no expertise.
High Levels of Behavioral Compliance in a Realistic Product Assembly Task

This study examined the effects of message framing on behavioral compliance in the context of a believable lab-based scenario designed to disguise the true purpose of the research. Participants were led to believe that the study's purpose was to improve the instructions that accompany consumer products requiring full or partial assembly and that they would perform a carpentry task that involved the use of several types of manual and power tools (e.g., a circular saw). The assembly instructions provided to them either did or did not contain a framing message. When it was present, the message was either framed positively (gain-frame) or negatively (loss-frame), or it merely instructed them to use personal protective equipment (PPEs) as directed by the on-product warning. An important outcome was the relatively high level of behavioral compliance observed. The message framing manipulation was not successful, but slightly higher levels of compliance were observed among participants in the loss-frame condition...
Reduced densities of sodium-dependent [3H] hemicholinium-3 binding sites in hippocampus of developmental rats following perinatal low-level lead exposure

Abstract We investigated the effect of perinatal, low-level lead exposure on [3H]hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) binding in the hippocampus of postnatal rat. Rat pups were maternally lead-exposed from gestational day 16 through postnatal day 28 (PN28). In control animals, the [3H]HC-3 binding sites increased from 7 fmol/mg protein at postnatal day 1 (PN1) to 14 and 35 fmol/mg protein at PN7 and PN14, respectively, and reached adult values of 50 fmol/mg protein, at PN21 and PN28. In lead-exposed litters, the [3H]HC-3 binding was reduced by 30–40% throughout the early postnatal development and remained 40% below control values in PN60 animals, one month after termination of lead exposure. The Pb-induced reduction in HC-3 binding was associated with a similar decrease in ChAT activity and was comparable to the effect of localized lesion of medial septum. Septal cell counts in the lead-exposed PN21 rats indicated a 22% reduction in the number of ChAT-immunoreactive cells in the medial septum/vertical diagonal band (MS/vDB) complex although cell numbers in the horizontal limb of the diagonal band (hDB) were not altered. These results suggest that perinatal, low-level lead exposure results in a reduced density of cholinergic nerve terminals in the hippocampus, either due to impaired development or degeneration of the cholinergic projection neurons in the MS/vDB complex.
Thyroid hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone regulate Müllerian-inhibiting substance messenger ribonucleic acid expression in cultured neonatal rat Sertoli cells.

Thyroid hormone is a major regulator of Sertoli cell development, and the present study sought to determine the role of T3 in Mullerian-inhibiting substance (MIS) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. MIS, a Sertoli cell secretory protein that induces Mullerian duct regression and also may be critical for germ and Leydig cell development, is maximal perinatally, then decreases as Sertoli cells mature. The fall in MIS mRNA expression is delayed by hypothyroidism in vivo, indicating that T3 could regulate MIS mRNA. However, understanding of the hormonal regulation of MIS has been limited due partly to the lack of a primary Sertoli cell culture system in which sustained expression of MIS or its mRNA can be obtained. We have developed a Sertoli cell culture system for examining hormonal regulation of MIS mRNA. We then tested the effects of T3 and/or FSH treatment on MIS mRNA levels in this new system. Initial studies indicated that MIS mRNA production by 5-day-old rat Sertoli cells was minimal in vitro. Therefore, Sertoli cells from 2-day-old rats were cultured for 2 or 4 days. After 2 days in vitro, steady state MIS mRNA levels were decreased to 36% of the levels seen in freshly isolated Sertoli cells from 2-day-old rats. However, by day 4 of culture, steady state MIS mRNA production had recovered to 67% of that seen in freshly isolated 2-day-old Sertoli cells, which closely paralleled the decrease seen in MIS production in vivo from days 2-6. MIS mRNA levels were decreased 53%, 64%, and 86% in cultures treated with 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 nM T3 (P < 0.05), respectively. This decrease in Sertoli cell MIS mRNA did not reflect a nonspecific effect on cell viability and/or activity, as shown by a dose-responsive increase in inhibin-alpha mRNA in these same cultures. FSH (2.5-100 ng/ml) also produced a dose-responsive decrease in MIS mRNA levels, and FSH and T3 together had an additive inhibitory effect on MIS mRNA levels, indicating that these hormones may act through distinct mechanisms. In summary, this is the first primary culture system in which sustained MIS mRNA production can be demonstrated, and it should prove useful for understanding the regulation of MIS in developing Sertoli cells. In addition, T3 and FSH are major regulators of the postnatal decrease in MIS production by the rat Sertoli cell, and these hormones may act through separate pathways.
Informatics for the Law: LEXIS—A legal expert system on Italian family law

Abstract This paper describes the LEXIS project, a research endeavor in building a legal expert system on Italian family law. An expert system shell, Xi Plus, was used to help construct this expert system. This paper will describe some of the development steps of this project and also cite some research issues in building legal expert systems.
Victimization Within Mutually Antipathetic Peer Relationships

Children's victimization experiences within relationships characterized by mutual animosity were examined among 210 6th- and 7th-grade boys and girls. Participants reported that a greater proportion of mutual antipathies, relative to other peers, victimized them. Moreover, the receipt of victimization within antipathetic relationships was greater when the partner in the relationship was aggressive, physically strong, non-victimized and had low levels of internalizing problems. Perceptions of victimization and levels of maladjustment were also found to be more strongly associated with victimization from mutual antipathies than with victimization from other peers. Together, these findings highlight the importance of studying victimization in the context of antipathetic relationships and contribute to an emerging literature on the developmental significance of these relationships.
Adipogenic signaling in rat white adipose tissue: modulation by aging and calorie restriction.

Abstract Alterations in adipogenesis could have significant impact on several aging processes. We previously reported that calorie restriction (CR) in rats significantly increases the level of circulating adiponectin, a distinctive marker of differentiated adipocytes, leading to a concerted modulation in the expression of key transcription target genes and, as a result, to increased fatty acid oxidation and reduced deleterious lipid accumulation in other tissues. These findings led us to investigate further the effects of aging on adipocytes and to determine how CR modulates adipogenic signaling in vivo. CR for 2 and 25 months, significantly increased the expression of PPARγ, C/EBPβ and Cdk-4, and partially attenuated age-related decline in C/EBPα expression relative to rats fed ad libitum (AL). As a result, adiponectin was upregulated at both mRNA and protein levels, resulting in activation of target genes involved in fatty acid oxidation and fatty acid synthesis, and greater responsiveness of adipose tissue to insulin. Moreover, CR significantly decreased the ratio of C/EBPβ isoforms LAP/LIP, suggesting the suppression of gene transcription associated with terminal differentiation while facilitating preadipocytes proliferation. Morphometric analysis revealed a greater number of small adipocytes in CR relative to AL feeding. Immunostaining confirmed that small adipocytes were more strongly positive for adiponectin than the large ones. Overall these results suggest that CR increased the expression of adipogenic factors, and maintained the differentiated state of adipocytes, which is critically important for adiponectin biosynthesis and insulin sensitivity.