cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changing patterns in the response to humorous sexual stimuli: Sex roles and expression of sexuality

Considering the relaxation of sex role restraints and the convergence of male/female reactions to erotica, the study examined the impact of humorous sexual stimuli on adult males and females. Results showed the importance of personal sexual experience and enjoyment with sexual expression on the reactions to sexual humor. Sexist ideas within sexual humor was a significant factor in influencing female appreciation of sexual jokes. Yet some females, depending on life experiences, evidenced cross-sex attitudes in humor preferences.
Transduction Efficiency of Pantropic Retroviral Vectors Is Controlled by the Envelope Plasmid to Vector Plasmid Ratio

Pantropic retroviral vectors pseudotyped with vesicular stomatitis virus envelope G protein (VSV-G) are typically produced by transient transfection of the VSV-G expression plasmid because constitutive expression of VSV-G is cytotoxic. To produce pantropic vectors, the VSV-G expression plasmid and the vector plasmid are cotransfected into a packaging cell line, such as 293-gag-pol. Typically, the ratio of VSV-G plasmid to the vector plasmid ranges from 0.33 to 1.0. However, it is not clear that this range is optimal for vector production. In this study we have systematically examined the effect of the ratio of VSV-G plasmid (pVSV-G) to vector plasmid on vector production. For this, 293-gag-pol stable packaging cells were cotransfected with pVSV-G and an enhanced green fluorescent protein- (EGFP-) expressing retroviral vector plasmid (pLTR-EGFP) by use of lipofectamine. Vector was collected following transfection and used to transduce three target cell lines, namely, 3T3 fibroblasts, telomerase-immortalized human diploid fibroblasts (HDF), and the human hepatoma cell line HuH7. Transduction efficiency was evaluated for vectors produced at different pVSV-G:pLTR-EGFP ratios such that the total amount of plasmid transfected into 293-gag-pol cells was kept constant. Our results indicate that transduction efficiency is greatest when the pVSV-G:pLTR-EGFP ratio is substantially below 1.0. For 3T3 and HDF cells, the maximum transduction efficiency was obtained when a ratio of pVSV-G:pLTR-EGFP ranging from 0.053 to 0.2 was used for transfection. The relative magnitude of this effect was greater for lower transduction efficiencies in control cultures. For HuH7 cells, the beneficial effects were smaller than those observed when HDF or 3T3 cells were used. The difference in transduction efficiency for vector produced under various pVSV-G:pLTR-EGFP ratios was not due to differences in the proliferation of packaging cells or target cells. Further characterization showed that the amount of vector RNA relative to p30gag decreased as the ratio of pVSV-G:pLTR-EGFP increased. These results indicate that transduction efficiency increases with increasing levels of vector RNA as long as a minimally sufficient level of pantropic envelope protein is expressed.
A system theoretic approach to the management of complex organizations: Management by consensus level and its interaction with other management strategies

This article deals with decision making at the organization level of living systems. It develops concepts presented in a previous article (Walker & Gelfand, 1979), which discusses a modeling technique for control systems that attempts to accommodate a manager's limited scope of rational action in the face of organizational and control system complexity. The modeling context used also provides a setting in which some management strategies may be formalized as equivalence relations. In particular, the previous article interprets the formal concepts of internal homogeneity, forcibility, and input span as managerial control strategies: management by exception, management by priority, and management by input span, respectively. This present article introduces a further equivalence relation, extended threshold, and suggests that this may be interpreted as management by consensus level. This notion of extended threshold is examined in detail, together with its interactions with internal homogeneity and forcibility. It is shown that systemwide control may be effected by manipulating levels of each of the three managerial strategies.
Temperature regulation in normothermic black-tailed prairie dogs, Cynomys ludovicianus

Abstract 1. 1. The relationship between body mass (g) and metabolism in the Family Sciuridae is described by the equation ml O2/hr = 3.9W0.69 which is not statistically different from the standard mammalian relationship (3.8 W0.73). 2. 2. Normothermic black-tailed prairie dogs have a narrow thermal neutral zone. Minimal .VO2 was recorded at TA of 30.2°C (.VO2 = 2.6ml O2/g0.73.hr. TB = 38.1°C) and was 67% of that predicted based on body mass. 3. 3. A circadian cycle in TB exists with peak mid-day and low nocturnal values. 4. 4. Between TA of 20 and 30°C, TB rises yet .VO2 decreases. Changes in conductance may account for hyperthermia during decreased heat output. Above thermal neutrality conductance increases sharply. 5. 5. Heat storage is discussed in terms of its contribution to water balance.
Teachers' Concerns About Biotechnology Education

The impacts of biotechnology are found in nearly all sectors of society from health care and food products to environmental issues and energy sources. Despite the significance of biotechnology within the sciences, it has not become a prominent trend in science education. In this study, we seek to more fully identify biology teachers’ concerns about biotechnology instruction and their reported practices. Consistent with the Stages of Concern framework as modified by Hord et al., we investigated teachers’ awareness, informational, personal, management, consequences, collaboration, and refocusing concerns about biotechnology teaching by employing a qualitative design that allowed for the emergence of teachers’ ideas. Twenty high school life science teachers attending a biotechnology institute were interviewed using an interview protocol specifically designed to target various Stages of Concern. Although the Stages of Concern framework guided the development of interview questions in order to target a wide range of concerns, data analysis employed a grounded theory approach wherein patterns emerged from teachers’ own words and were constantly compared with each other to generate larger themes. Our results have potential to provide guidance for professional development providers and curriculum developers committed to supporting initial implementation of biotechnology education. Recommendations include supporting teacher development of biotechnology content knowledge; promoting strategies for obtaining, storing and managing biotechnology equipment and materials; providing opportunities for peer teaching as a means of building teacher confidence; and highlighting career opportunities in biotechnology and the intersections of biotechnology and everyday life.
Cohomology and reducibility of monotone mappings

Abstract Sufficient conditions involving the Cech cohomology of point-inverses are given to insure that a monotone map between compact metric spaces admit a restriction which remains a monotone map with the same image as the original map.
The Search Game: Organizational Conflicts and the Use of Headhunters

This article examines why companies use contingency headhunters (that is, headhunters who compete with one another to make placements and are paid only if they produce the successful job candidate) to find new employees. We find that headhunters provide economic and political advantages to hiring managers. The economic advantages consist of the techniques headhunters have devised for locating good candidates, especially those who are happily employed and not necessarily looking to change jobs. The political advantages consist of the ways in which headhunters' service to hiring managers enables the latter to strengthen their control over hiring and to ward off two challenges to their prerogatives: one from their own human resource departments and the other from clients and competitors from whom they recruit new employees. These findings are used to propose a modification of Glaser and Strauss's theory of “awareness contexts.”
Pathways of fibrin turnover of human pleural mesothelial cells in vitro

The mesothelium contains both procoagulant and fibrinolytic activities. An imbalance between these activities could account for the abnormal fibrin turnover and pleural fibrin deposition that is characteristic of pleural inflammation. Procoagulant activity of human pleural mesothelial cells (HPMC) is in part due to tissue factor, and the prothrombinase complex can also assemble at the HPMC surface. HPMC express tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) but no detectable fibrinolytic activity in a fibrin plate assay. Inhibition of HPMC fibrinolytic activity is due, in part, to elaboration of plasminogen activator inhibitors-1 and -2 (PAI-1 and PAI-2) as well as antiplasmins. Synthesis of PAI-1 and PAI-2 is inhibited by actinomycin D and cyclohexamide. HPMC PAI-1 is increased by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), as is tPA release, while PAI-1 mRNA is unchanged and tPA mRNA is increased. PAI-2 release is induced by TNF-alpha and TGF-beta. Because they are a rich source of PAI-1 and PAI-2, HPMC may contribute to the high levels of these inhibitors in pleural exudates. Stimulation of HPMC by TNF-alpha or TGF-beta in vitro did not alter HPMC procoagulant activity nor the balance of elevated PAI and antiplasmins relative to PA, changes that collectively favor formation and persistence of pericellular fibrin.
Mercury and selenium content and chemical form in fish muscle

Data on the content, chemical form, and distribution of mercury and selenium in edible muscle are presented for several species of marine and freshwater fish. For most species, 60 to 95% of the total mercury content is present as methylmercury. For all species, 15 to 35% of the total selenium content is in the form of selenate (Se VI). Muscle selenium content does not correlate with the corresponding mercury content. For freshwater and processed (canned) marine samples, 60 to 90% of the total mercury content is water-extractable. On a percentage basis, methylmercury is slightly more extractable than inorganic mercury. For nonprocessed marine samples, only 25 to 45% of the total mercury is water-extractable, inorganic mercury being more extractable than methylmercury. For all species, 55 to 80% of the total selenium content is water-extractable, Se VI is more extractable on a percentage basis than selenite (Se IV) and selenide (Se-II).
From compliance to control: off-roadmap metrology for low-k 1 lithography

The need for high-resolution metrology to verify lithography compliance with shrinking CD and overlay specifications has resulted in a variety of roadmap sanctioned approaches; notably, SEM, AFM and scatterometry. The application of optical microscopy has been relegated to overlay metrology. While high-resolution metrology is essential to the setup and qualification of lithographic processes, it is often ill suited to the demands of dynamic lithography control. The path to improved CD compliance is through improved on- produce dose and focus control. In control applications, enhanced sensitivity to what we are trying to control becomes a new handle on precision-to-tolerance. Sensitivity must be accompanied by ease of setup, speed and sampling. Modeling for correctable components of variation becomes an integral part of the metrology function. We show that the old dog optical microscopy can learn new tricks to encompass the control of dose and focus. In doing so it becomes the lead candidate for an integrated metrology solution.
Shear strength and micro-descriptors of bidisperse ellipsoids under different loading paths

The paper examines the macroscopic and microscopic behaviors of a granular material, systems of bidisperse ellipsoids. The larger ellipsoids of these systems have an axial length ratio (major axial length to minor axial length) of 1.5 and the shorter ellipsoids have an axial length ratio of 1.2. The weights of these two kinds are identical in each sample. Samples are subjected to various confining pressures ranging from 30 to 3000 kPa. Then they are loaded following three stress paths including axial extension condition, triaxial extension condition, and axial compression condition. These drained tests are stopped till the critical state is reached. A linear critical state line in the void ratio and mean stress space was observed for each stress path. The slopes of these critical state lines are different. The critical state lines for the axial extension and triaxial extension tests are above that of the axial compression tests. We also examined different microscopic descriptors at peak and critical states. They are based on the micro-structural tensor of contact normals or normal contact forces. Excellent relationship was found between these descriptors and the peak shear strength in the compression tests. Good relationship was observed for the extension tests. The relationships between these descriptors and the critical shear strength are fair for the compression tests. However, these descriptors do not capture the trends of axial extension tests in critical state.
Signal propagation in lattice models of quantum many-body systems

Upper and lower bounds are proven for the speed of propagation of general classes of physical signals in particle lattice models.
Molecular weights and empirical formulas of the xanthophylls of Vaucheria

Abstract The xanthophylls of Vaucheria were heteroxanthin, C40H56O4; a partial ester or esters of vaucheriaxanthin, C40H56O5; a dihydroxy carotenoid, C40H54O2; and diadinoxanthin or a similar isomer, C40H54O3.
On moments of ladder height variables

On utilise l'approche d'Erickson (1973) et celle de Robbins (1948) pour obtenir une condition necessaire et suffisante
Deaf adults: retrospective narratives of school experiences and teacher expectations

Seventeen Deaf adults were interviewed about their perceptions of teacher expectations during childhood. Using a six-phase thematic analysis methodology, five themes emerged: helpful and challenging teachers, preference for Deaf teachers, the experience of lowered expectations, the worst teachers, and self-advocacy. The worst teachers were the ones who did not meet communication needs rather than those with the lowest expectations. Participants often advocated for their needs and demanded more challenging schoolwork. Implications of this study are noted for self-advocacy and resistance theories of disability, and introducing cultural perspectives and understandings of disability and Deaf experiences into teacher preparation.
The impact of recipient list size and priority signs on electronic helping behavior

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of recipient list size and priority signs on electronic helping behavior. Participants were sent an e-mailed request to complete a Web-based survey in one of the following conditions: alone, with 1 other person, with 14 others, or with 49 others. A high priority symbol (!) was attached to the e-mail message sent to half of the participants in each of the preceding conditions. We predicted that as the number of the people in the recipient list increased, (a) the number of individuals who completed the surveys would decrease and (b) the time that elapsed between the participant reading the e-mail request and completing the survey would increase. We also predicted that people who were sent the high priority request for help would (a) be particularly inclined to respond and (b) respond more quickly than those in the normal priority condition. Although no statistically significant results were obtained, the data did reveal notable concerns with the commonly used read receipt function. This research has important implications regarding the utility of read receipts, priority symbols, and personalized e-mail messages.
P-waveform analysis for local subduction geometry south of Puget Sound, Washington

The local subduction geometry at a site south of Puget Sound in western Washington is investigated using teleseismicP-waveforms recorded on a three-component event triggered seismograph. The data are processed using source equalization deconvolution in order to isolate locally convertedP-to-S arrivals and stacked to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Stable arrivals in the radial component indicate an oceanic Moho within the subducted slab at a depth of about 53 km beneath the station. Observed amplitude variations with azimuth in the radial data, as well as qualitative aspects of the tangential data, are used to establish a slab dip of 16° to the southeast. Our results are compatible with previous results from a site 60 km to the west, and further confirm a substantial warp in the regional geometry of the subducted Juan de Fuca plate.
Electrochemical monitoring of individual exocytotic events from the varicosities of differentiated PC12 cells

Rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells have been used as a model of developing neurons to study exocytosis during differentiation. Upon treatment with nerve growth factor, PC12 cells become more neuronal-like. Using amperometric detection at carbon fiber microelectrodes, time-resolved exocytosis of electroactive catecholamines can be observed. The site of exocytosis has been compared for differentiated and undifferentiated cells. Upon differentiation, cells release catecholamines primarily from varicosities along their neurites with no release from the cell body. In addition, the mean vesicular content is not significantly altered upon differentiation although it appears that the distribution of vesicle content becomes more narrow. The number of release events observed also decreases as the cells become more neuronal in character. It is possible that the smaller range of vesicle dopamine content and the decreased number of release events observed after differentiation are a result of the relocation of the site of exocytosis.
Physical and biological significance of peptide sequences mediating the interaction between high molecular weight kininogen and plasma prekallikrein.

Abstract HK31 (S565–K595) has previously been shown to encompass the binding domain for plasma prekallikrein (PK) within domain 6 of high molecular weight kininogen (HK). The complementary binding domain for HK within PK is mapped to PK56 (F56–G86), in the Apple 1 domain and to PK266 (K266–C295) in the Apple 4 domain. Isothermal titration calorimetry demonstrated that either PK peptide binds to HK31 in 1:1 stoichiometry. Binding of the alternate PK peptide into a ternary complex is facilitated nearly 2-fold. Fluorescence emission spectroscopy revealed that only the binding of PK56 caused a limited decrease in intrinsic tryptophane fluorescence emission intensity of HK31. We conclude that the two PK peptides bind to the HK peptide at different sites. To map the minimal sequence within HK31, truncated new peptides were tested for their ability to compete with HK for binding PK in a cell-free system. D567–T591, a 25-residue peptide which contains sufficient structural information for binding kallikrein in solution, blocked the binding of kallikrein to HK bound to endothelial cells and inhibited PK activation to kallikrein and the generation of kallikrein-activated urokinase on endothelial cell surfaces. HK-derived peptides could modulate excessive fibrinolysis and hypotension in sepsis and multiple trauma.
Inhibition of TNF-α induced ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin expression by selenium

The initiation of an atherosclerotic lesion involves an endothelial cell pro-inflammatory state that recruits leukocytes and promotes their movement across the endothelium. These processes require endothelial expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (E-selectin). Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a powerful inducer of these adhesion molecules. Selenium status is known to affect the rate of atherosclerosis. These experiments tested whether selenium alters cytokine-induced expression of these adhesion molecules. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were pretreated for 24 h with sodium selenite (0-2 microM) and then treated with 0 or 50 U/ml TNF-alpha in the presence of 0-2 microM selenite. ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin were detected by ELISA and their mRNAs were evaluated by Northern blots. Selenite significantly inhibited TNF-alpha-induced expression of each adhesion molecule in a dose-dependent manner and reduced the level of the respective mRNAs. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) is required for transcription of these adhesion molecule genes. Western blot analysis revealed that selenite did not inhibit the translocation of the p65 subunit of NF-kappa B to the nucleus. In conclusion, these data indicate selenium can modulate cytokine-induced expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin in HUVECs without interfering with translocation of NF-kappa B.
The crystal structure of (η5-C5H5)Mn(CO)2(η2-norbornadiene): the absence of a postulated CHmetal interaction in an 18-electron complex

Abstract The crystal and molecular structure of (η5-C5H5)Mn(CO)2(η2-C7H8) has been determined at 170 K using single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma with lattice parameters of a = 11.986(5), b = 11.171(5), c = 8.837(5) » and Z = 4. The crystal consists of discrete molecules of (η5-C5H5)Mn(CO)2(η2-C7H8) with a distorted tetrahedral geometry around the central Mn atom. The molecule also possesses a mirror plane which bisects the η5-C5H5 ligand, the norbornadiene, and the OCMnCO angle. The Mn atom is coordinated to the norbornadiene moiety in in an exo configuration with one olefin bond not participating in metal bonding. The metal coordinated olefinic bond is significantly longer than a corresponding non-coordinated double bond. The distance between the Mn atom and one of the bridgehead methylene hydrogen atoms on the norbornadiene ligand is 2.97-(5) », which is indicative of the lack of a CH ⋯ metal interaction.
Microconstituent development and coarsening in certain three-phase systems

Abstract We report on a three-phase coarsening phenomenon in which an initially random dispersion of two phases in a matrix of a third phase evolves into two “microconstituents”. The matrices of the microconstituents differ, as do the phase volume fractions within them. Once developed, the dispersed “microconstituent” coarsens, just as a dispersed phase in a two-phase system does. We describe the conditions that we believe lead to microconstituent development. We also provide an approximate description of microconstituent morphology and other microconstituent features. Experimental illustrations are given.
Ten years of the arcade game maker pedagogical product line

A software product line (SPL) is a set of products that is produced by an organization or organizations using shared assets. My position in the context of this workshop is that students cannot fully grasp the concepts of SPL until they see the interplay between the technical aspects of product design and implementation with the business aspects of planning a set of products as a unit instead of a single product at a time. We developed the Arcade Game Maker Pedagogical Product Line (PPL) as support for software product line education. The PPL has been used by several organizations and in various instructional and research contexts. I will relate several experiences in the construction and use of the PPL. The PPL has served its purpose well and continues to be used.
A decomposition algorithm for multi-terminal networks flows

Abstract For any large network N with n vertices and O(n2) edges, the direct approach treats the network as a whole and takes O(n4) time to find the maximum flow values between all pairs of vertices. A large network can sometimes be divided into tri-connected component. In this paper, a decomposition algorithm is introduced to take advantage of the situation. For any network N which has n vertices, O(n2) edges and p tri-connected components, with approximately equal numbers of vertices in each component, the decomposition algorithm required O(n4/p3+n2) time to compute the (2n) maximum flow values, an improvement over the O(n4) time direct approach.
Spin trapping of superoxide and hydroxyl radical: Practical aspects

Reports are regularly appearing in the literature describing spin trapping of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals from various sources. Careful scrutiny of these reports will often reveal that insufficient controls have been run to properly validate the results. Nitrones are highly reactive compounds which can form nitroxides by mechanisms other than radical trapping. Thus, investigators using spin trapping should be cognizant of the many artifacts which accompany this technique, and take care to validate their results with satisfactory controls. We have described straightforward procedures to determine whether superoxide or hydroxyl radical trapping have occurred, and which can help verify the assignment of the radical adduct. Nitrones are the only spin traps currently suitable for detection of hydroxyl and superoxide radicals. The various nitrone spin traps in current use each have advantages and disadvantages. In general, the cyclic nitrone traps such as DMPO have greater reactivity with superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, are less readily hydrolyzed, but are more susceptible to oxygen and light, and thus have lesser shelf lives. Aryl nitrones such as 4-POBN or PBN have lesser reactivity with superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, are more readily hydrolyzed, but have greater shelf lives. The stability of DMPO-OH is also greater than that of 4-POBN-OH. Thus in general, DMPO appears to be the most versatile spin trap currently available. Spin trapping is an inefficient means of detecting superoxide, due to the low rate constants for spin trapping. Spin traps possessing a β-hydrogen will also form unstable superoxide adducts. Spin trapping will, however, undoubtedly prove useful in detecting superoxide under conditions where more conventional methods, such as cytochrome c reduction, cannot be used.
A static universe with magnetic field in Einstein-Cartan’s theory

A static universe, with constant cosmic pressure, rest-energy density, and magnetic field, is shown to be a possible solution in Einstein-Cartan’s theory. Its scale factor cannot be arbitrarily large, but has a maximum possible value.
Intrapair associations in verbal discrimination learning

The frequency theory of verbal discrimination (VD) learning predicts that intrapair associative relationships should have a detrimental effect on the learning of a VD list. Although prior tests have been mixed in outcome, the present study fails to support the prediction with respect to three types of associative relation: synonymic associates, antonymic associates, and free associates of neither semantic class.
Relationship of bone turnover to bone density and fractures

To assess the influence of bone turnover on bone density and fracture risk, we measured serum levels of osteocalcin (OC), bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), and carboxy-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), as well as 24-h urine levels of cross-linked N-telopeptides of type I collagen (NTx) and the free pyridinium cross-links, pyridinoline (Pyd) and deoxypyridinoline (Dpd), among 351 subjects recruited from an age-stratified random sample of Rochester, Minnesota women. PICP, NTx, and Dpd were negatively associated with age among the 138 premenopausal women. All of the biochemical markers were positively associated with age among the 213 postmenopausal women, and the prevalence of elevated turnover (>1 standard deviation [SD] above the premenopausal mean) varied from 9% (PICP) to 42% (Pyd). After adjusting for age, most of the markers were negatively correlated with bone mineral density (BMD) of the hip, spine, or forearm as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and women with osteoporosis were more likely to have high bone turnover. A history of osteoporotic fractures of the hip, spine, or distal forearm was associated with reduced hip BMD and with elevated Pyd. After adjusting for lower BMD and increased bone resorption, reduced bone formation as assessed by OC was also associated with prior osteoporotic fractures. These data indicate that a substantial subset of elderly women has elevated bone turnover, which appears to adversely influence BMD and fracture risk. Combined biochemical and BMD screening may provide better prediction of future fracture risk than BMD alone.
A New Device Phenomenon in Cryogenically-Operated SiGe HBTs

A new negative differential resistance (NDR) effect is reported for the first time in cryogenically-operated SiGe HBTs. A physical explanation based on heterojunction barrier effect (HBE) is presented, and confirmed using calibrated 2-D TCAD simulations. The ac consequences of this NDR effect and the impact of technology scaling on the phenomenon are also addressed.
Comments on “Sampling techniques for the evaluation of treatment plans” [Med. Phys. 20, 151–161 (1993)]

We believe that, for the purpose of evaluation and optimization of treatment plans, quasirandom sampling is superior to grid sampling and should be the method of choice. We believe it to be on average more efficient than grid sampling (i.e., more accurate for any given number of dose estimates) and, even more importantly, more reliable in that it is subject to less variability due to shape and orientation of the particular VOI--as demonstrated in Fig. 2. As a rule of thumb we recommend using about 400 quasirandom samples per volume of interest. For many situations this number is a conservative estimate; for a few situations more samples might be necessary. Optimal sampling for the purpose of calculation and presentation of the dose distribution is a different story which we have addressed elsewhere.
Peak Experience Tendencies: Scale Development and Theory Testing

The research reported here involved the creation of a measure of the tendency to have peak experiences called the Peak Scale, and the testing of several hypotheses drawn from Maslow's theory of peak experiences. It was found that although individuals who report having peak experiences are also likely to report having experiences involving intense happiness, they are even more prone to report having cognitive experiences of a transcendent and mystical nature. This suggests that although the peak experience involves positive affect, it is primarily a transcendent and mystical cognitive event. Individuals who report having peak experiences are more likely to report living in terms of Being-values, such as truth, beauty, and justice, than individuals who report not having peak experiences. Finally, self-actualizing individuals are more likely to report having peak experiences than less self-actualizing individuals, though the relationship is not a very strong one. In general, these results are consistent with...
Real-time two-dimensional and three-dimensional echocardiographic imaging of the thoracic spinal cord: a possible new window into the central neuraxis

Transesophageal echocardiography of the spine has been difficult to perform, and high-quality images have been difficult to obtain with earlier available technology. New capabilities in hardware and software reconstruction may allow more reliable clinical data to be obtained. We describe an initial successful attempt to image the adult spinal canal, its contents, and in situ instrumentation. This report is a retrospective review of two patients in whom transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was used to image the thoracic spine. The thoracic spine was identified and imaged with real-time 2-D and 3-D technology with location of the thoracic aorta and slight insertion and withdrawal of the TEE probe until the intervertebral discs alignment was optimized. Images of the spinal cord anatomy and its vascular supply, as well as indwelling epidural catheters were easily identified. 2-D and 3-D imaging was performed and images were recorded in digital imaging and communications in medicine format. 3-D reconstruction of images was possible with instantaneous 3-D imaging from multiple 2-D electrocardiogram-gated image acquisitions using the Phillips TEE IE-33 imaging platform. The central neuraxial cavity, including the spinal cord and the spinal nerve roots, was easily visualized, and motion of the cord was seen in a phasic pattern (with respiratory variation); cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the spinal cord was documented. The epidural space and local anesthetic drug administration through the epidural catheter were visualized, with the epidural catheter seen lying adjacent to the epidural tissue as a bright hyperechoic line. Pulsed-wave Doppler determined a biphasic pattern of blood flow in the anterior spinal artery through pulse mapping of the anatomic area. New, advanced imaging hardware and software generate clinically useful imaging of the thoracic spine in 2-D and 3-D using TEE. We believe this technology holds promise for future diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in the operating room that were previously unavailable.
Survey of toxicants and nutrients in composted waste materials

Currently, there is much activity in composting yard wastes (leaves, twigs, grass), sewage sludge and portions of municipal solid wastes (MSW) in the United States. The resultant compost is typically applied to agricultural or recreational land. A nationwide analytical survey was therefore conducted of 21 toxic and nutrient elements, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and gamma emission in 26 composts sampled nationwide in 1991. Those composts produced solely from sludge or MSW tended to be higher in metals such as Cd, Cu, Hg, and Zn as compared to totally yard waste compost. Molybdenum, P and Se were higher in composted sewage sludge and Na and Pb in composted MSW than in yard waste compost. PCBs and gamma emission were low or not detectable in most compost samples. Shards of metal and glass found particularly in MSW-containing composts would detract from its application especially in recreational areas. References dealing with the reactions of metals in composts and environmental effects of compost application to land are cited.
Entropy—enthalpy compensation: Fact or artifact?

The phenomenon of entropy–enthalpy (S-H) compensation is widely invoked as an explanatory principle in thermodynamic analyses of proteins, ligands, and nucleic acids. It has been suggested that this compensation is an intrinsic property of either complex, fluctuating, or aqueous systems. The questions examined here are whether the observed compensation is extra-thermodynamic (i.e., reflects anything more than the well-known laws of statistical thermodynamics) and if so, what does it reveal about the system? Compensation is rather variably defined in the literature and different usages are discussed. The most precise and interesting one, which is considered here, is a linear relationship between ΔH and ΔS for some series of perturbations or changes in experimental variable. Some recent thermodynamic data on proteins purporting to show compensation is analyzed and shown to be better explained by other causes. A general statistical mechanical model of a complex system is analyzed to explore whether and under what conditions extra-thermodynamic compensation can occur and what it reveals about the system. This model shows that the most likely behavior to be seen is linear S-H compensation over a rather limited range of perturbations with a compensation temperature Tc = dΔH/dΔS within 20% of the experimental temperature. This behavior is insensitive to the details of the model, thus revealing little extra-thermodynamic or causal information about the system. In addition, it will likely be difficult to distinguish this from more trivial forms of compensation in real experimental systems.
Beyond Capitation: How New Payment Experiments Seek To Find The ‘Sweet Spot’ In Amount Of Risk Providers And Payers Bear

A key issue in the decades-long struggle over US health care spending is how to distribute liability for expenses across all market participants, from insurers to providers. The rise and abandonment in the 1990s of capitation payments-lump-sum, per person payments to health care providers to provide all care for a specified individual or group-offers a stark example of how difficult it is for providers to assume meaningful financial responsibility for patient care. This article chronicles the expansion and decline of the capitation model in the 1990s. We offer lessons learned and assess the extent to which these lessons have been applied in the development of contemporary forms of provider cost sharing, particularly accountable care organizations, which in effect constitute a search for the "sweet spot," or appropriate place on a spectrum, between providers and payers with respect to the degree of risk they absorb.
Digital sinusoidal fringe pattern generation: Defocusing binary patterns VS focusing sinusoidal patterns

There are two approaches to generate sinusoidal fringe patterns with a digital-light-processing (DLP) projector: defocusing binary patterns (DBP), and focusing sinusoidal patterns (FSP). This paper will compare the potential errors for both methods induced by the following factors: (1) degree of defocusing, (2) exposure time, (3) synchronization, and (4) projector's nonlinear gamma. Experiments show that in most scenarios, the error for the DBP method is smaller than that of the FSP method. Therefore, generating a sinusoidal fringe image using a DBP method seems to be appealing.
Algorithms for static and dynamic multiplicative plasticity that preserve the classical return mapping schemes of the infinitesimal theory

Abstract A formulation and algorithmic treatment of static and dynamic plasticity at finite strains based on the multiplicative decomposition is presented which inherits all the features of the classical models of infinitesimal plasticity. The key computational implication is this: the closest-point-projection algorithm of any classical simple-surface or multi-surface model of infinitesimal plasticity carries over to the present finite deformation context without modification. In particular, the algorithmic elastoplastic tangent moduli of the infinitesimal theory remain unchanged. For the static problem, the proposed class of algorithms preserve exactly plastic volume changes if the yield criterion is pressure insensitive. For the dynamic problem, a class of time-stepping algorithms is presented which inherits exactly the conservation laws of total linear and angular momentum. The actual performance of the methodology is illustrated in a number of representative large scale static and dynamic simulations.
A new perspective on Earth

A NASA-funded scientist has produced the first detailed image of Earth radiating gamma rays, the agency announced on 24 March. Dirk Petry of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, assembled the image from seven years worth of data from NASA's Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, which was active from 1991 to 2000.
Diorganotin oxide/carboxylic ester reactions

Abstract Di-n-butylin oxide dimer and phenyl benzoate react to give 1 1 as well as the reported 2 1 adducts. The reaction of equimolar amounts of each reactant yields phenoxydi-n-butyltin benzoate and is believed to proceed by cleavage followed by insertion of the organotin oxide into the carboxylic group of the ester. Butyl thiobenzoate and di-n-butyltin oxide react similarly to form (butylthio)di-n-butyltin benzoate.
Comparison of the peripheral and central effects of the opioid agonists loperamide and morphine in the formalin test in rats

The effects of the peripherally restricted opioid agonist loperamide were compared to those of morphine in the formalin test in rats. Both loperamide and morphine were efficacious in producing antihyperalgesia after both subcutaneous and intracisternal administration. The antihyperalgesic effects of peripherally administered loperamide and morphine were antagonized by both naloxone and its quaternary derivative naloxone methiodide. The effects of intracisternally administered loperamide and morphine were antagonized by naloxone SC. However, quaternary naloxone SC did not block the effects of intracisternally administered loperamide, and, quaternary naloxone blocked intracisternally morphine only at a dose approximately 10-fold higher than that required to block peripherally administered morphine. In addition, approximately 10-fold higher doses of naloxone administered SC were required to antagonize loperamide compared to doses required to antagonize morphine when the agonists were administered subcutaneously, suggesting that the effects of loperamide might be mediated by opioid receptors different from those which mediated the effects of morphine. However, neither the kappa-receptor selective antagonist nor-binaltorphimine nor the delta-receptor selective antagonist naltrindole blocked the effects of either opioid agonist. The present results are consistent with the interpretation that the antihyperalgesic effects of opioid agonists can have both a peripheral and a central component of action, and that the peripheral component of action is sufficient to produce antihyperalgesia in the formalin test after peripheral administration. The present results provide further evidence that peripherally restricted opioid agonists might provide clinically useful treatment of some pain states, in particular pain states that might involve sensitization of peripheral nociceptors.
Temporal coding in conditioned inhibition: Retardation tests

Two lick suppression experiments with rats were conducted in order to determine the nature of the temporal information that is encoded as a result of Pavlovian conditioned inhibition training (conditioned stimulus {CS} A→unconditioned stimulus {US}/AX→noUS). After inhibition training, the conditioned inhibitor (X) was paired with the US in order to measure inhibition, as assessed through retarded behavioral control by CS X. Three temporal relationships were manipulated: the A-US interval, the X-A interval of inhibition training, and the X-US interval of the retardation test pairings. Retardation was greatest when the X-US temporal relationship matched the time at which the US was expected (but not delivered) on the X-A inhibition training trials. Thus, the present experiments provide evidence with retardation tests that, during conditioned inhibition training, subjects encode the temporal location of the omitted US relative to the inhibitory CS. These findings complement those of previous studies using summation tests of conditioned inhibition (Barnet & Miller, 1996; Denniston, Blaisdell, a Miller, 1998; Denniston, Cole, & Miller, 1998).
Tolerancing of Wide-Field/Planetary Camera-II

The second generation Wide-Field/Planetary Camera (WF/PC-II) for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was modeled to access the impact of manufacturing, alignment, and environmental tolerances on performance. This analysis showed that the lateral registration of the image of the Optical Telescope Assembly (OTA) pupil to the surface providing the spherical correction must be aligned and maintained through launch to 50 microns; WF/PC-I was an order of magnitude less sensitive. Inherited WF/PC-I hardware was subjected to new WF/PC-II environmental tests. As a result WF/PC-II was reconfigured to ensure on-orbit performance: the focus mechanism was removed to increase stability through launch and on- orbit, and four formerly fixed mirrors were actuated, to provide capability for on-orbit pupil alignment. This paper traces the evolution of the WF/PC-II error budget from its WF/PC-I beginnings to the current configuration.
The object-oriented team: Lessons for virtual teams from global software development

We investigated coordination and communication processes in global virtual software development teams in three Indian multinational technology firms. While some of the teams in our study experienced many of the same things observed in prior research, some operated in strikingly different ways, so different, in fact, that they led us to propose a new type of organization for global virtual teams: the object-oriented team. In contrast to the traditional virtual team approach which strives to tightly couple team members through information rich media such as face-to-face and telephone communication, the object-oriented team strives to decouple team members through the use of well defined processes and semantically rich media that clarify, extend and constrain meaning. The set of principles embodied ire the object-oriented team we believe may be applicable to many types of virtual teams, especially larger teams facing complex problems.
Enhanced secure dynamic DNS update with indirect route

In this paper, we present the design and implementation of the enhanced secure dynamic DNS update with indirect route (the IR DNS update). The existing DNS update may experience serious performance problem when the normal Internet route is unstable or unavailable due to DDoS attacks. By setting up indirect route via a set of proxy servers from the target side DNS server to the client side DNS server, the DNS zone data can be transported over Internet via the indirect routes to foil the DDoS attack. After the IR DNS update, the end users can get the indirect routing information by querying the DNS server, and set up indirect route to the target server accordingly. The IR DNS update is an essential part of the Secure Collective Defense (SCOLD) system, and it can be utilized independently as an extension to the existing DNS update utility. This technique can also be utilized to protect the root DNS servers from DDoS attacks. The implementation of the IR DNS update on BIND 9 is presented. The experimental results show that the IR DNS update can be used to improve the network security, availability and performance.
Sleep Disordered Breathing in Patients with Heart Failure: Pathophysiology and Management

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is common in heart failure patients across the range of ejection fractions and is associated with adverse prognosis. Although effective pharmacologic and device-based treatment of heart failure may reduce the frequency or severity of SDB, heart failure treatment alone may not be adequate to restore normal breathing during sleep. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the major treatment for SDB in heart failure, especially if obstructive rather than central sleep apnea (CSA) predominates. Adequate suppression of CSA by PAP is associated with a heart transplant-free survival benefit, although randomized trials are ongoing. Bilevel PAP (BPAP) may be as effective as CPAP in treating SDB and may be preferable over CPAP in patients who experience expiratory pressure discomfort. Adaptive (or auto) servo-ventilation (ASV), which adjusts the PAP depending on the patient’s airflow or tidal volume, may be useful in congestive heart failure patients if CPAP is ineffective. Other therapies that have been proposed for SDB in congestive heart failure include nocturnal oxygen, CO2 administration (by adding dead space), theophylline, and acetazolamide; most of which have not been systematically studied in outcome-based prospective randomized trials.