cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toxicity and oxidative stress induced by semiconducting polymer dots in RAW264.7 mouse macrophages

The rapid development and acceptance of PDots for biological applications depends on an in depth understanding of their cytotoxicity. In this paper, we performed a comprehensive study of PDot cytotoxicity at both the gross cell effect level (such as cell viability, proliferation and necrosis) and more subtle effects (such as redox stress) on RAW264.7 cells, a murine macrophage cell line with high relevance to in vivo nanoparticle disposition. The redox stress measurements assessed were inner mitochondrial membrane lipid peroxidation (nonyl-acridine orange, NAO), total thiol level (monobromobimane, MBB), and pyridine nucleotide redox status (NAD(P)H autofluorescence). Because of the extensive work already performed with QDots on nanotoxicity and also because of their comparable size, QDots were chosen as a comparison/reference nanoparticle for this study. The results showed that PDots exhibit cytotoxic effects to a much lesser degree than their inorganic analogue (QDots) and are much brighter, allowing for much lower concentrations to be used in various biological applications. In addition, at lower dose levels (2.5 nM to 10 nM) PDot treatment resulted in higher total thiol level than those found with QDots. At higher dose levels (20 nM to 40 nM) QDots caused significantly higher thiol levels in RAW264.7 cells, than was seen with PDots, suggesting that QDots elicit compensation to oxidative stress by upregulating GSH synthesis. At the higher concentrations of QDots, NAD(P)H levels showed an initial depletion, then repletion to a level that was greater than vehicle controls. PDots showed a similar trend but this was not statistically significant. Because PDots elicit less oxidative stress and cytotoxicity at low concentrations than QDots, and because they exhibit superior fluorescence at these low concentrations, PDots are predicted to have enhanced utility in biomedical applications.
PrediCalc: a logical spreadsheet management system

Computerized spreadsheets are a great success. They are often touted in newspapers and magazine articles as the first "killer app" for personal computers. Over the years, they have proven their worth time and again. Today, they are used for managing enterprises of all sorts - from one-person projects to multi-institutional conglomerates.
The spatial control of ganglionic neurite growth by the substrate- associated material from conditioned medium: an experimental model of haptotaxis

Techniques are described for forming on the culture substrate a narrow pathway of material derived from medium conditioned by embryonic non- neuronal cells. There is a precise correlation between the known location of the pathway and the spatial distribution of neurites extended from whole ciliary ganglia or dissociated neurons grown on the patterned substrate. When individual growth cones moving on the pathway contact one of its edges, they turn sharply so as to remain on the pathway. This turning response is not simply due to a physical barrier to movement across the edge, since growth cones can cross onto the pathway when entering from the adjacent untreated substrate. The strong preference for neurites to maintain contact with the pathway also is not simply a result of their inability to survive or elongate outside of the pathway, since neurites from whole ganglia elongate readily on other regions of the substrate, although their growth is then undirected. Direct contact with the pathway is required for these directive effects, and there is no indication that the material bound to the substrate diffuses off and exerts its effects at a distance. The neurite-guiding activity is found in partially purified fractions of conditioned medium which also contain a substrate-bound inducer of neurite outgrowth. It is possible that both activities may be due to the same components of conditioned medium. These results suggest that ciliary ganglion growth cones are able to detect specific components of conditioned medium on the substrate and respond to their presence by changing their direction of movement so as to remain in contact with these components.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
ASSAY OF LACTOGENIC HORMONE1

The micro or local method of lactogenic hormone assay has been examined using 15 common pigeons for each assay. The hormone was injected over the symmetrically opposite side of the crop-sac in some of the assays in order to compare responses resulting from two hormone concentrations. In 4 assays, only one side was injected. The degree of proliferation of the crop-sac following injection of various levels of lactogenic hormone resulted in the establishment of a regression line, with a standard deviation of .0956, between log-dose per pigeon (X) and diameter (cm.) of proliferation obtained (Y) over a 31-fold dose range (.00072–.0224 mg. lactogenic hormone/bird). An index of precision (λ) of .11 was obtained. Responses resulting from injecting doses exceeding .0224 mg./bird or lower than .00072 mg./bird were difficult to measure.
Asking the right questions: views on genetic variation research among black and white research participants.

Background Genetic variation research (GVR) may raise concerns about misuse of information and discrimination. Seemingly contradictory positive views about GVR have also been reported.
Physiologic growth and pathologic genes in cardiac development and cardiomyopathy.

The influence of genetics in acquired adult heart disease remains incompletely defined. Genetic manipulation in mice has been widely used in combination with physiologic modeling to address this deficiency and has provided insights into the pathophysiology of myocardial signaling. However, conventional techniques of directed gene expression or ablation confound adult heart phenotypes with genetic perturbation of embryonic or postnatal cardiac development. Here, studies of Gαq and Nix, powerful signaling factors for pathologic hypertrophy and cardiomyocyte apoptosis, respectively, are reviewed in terms of their comparative effects on cardiac development and adult cardiac pathology.
Prevalence and correlates of psychotropic medication use in adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder with and without caregiver-reported attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Abstract Background: Many youths with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) benefit from psychotropic medication treatment of co-morbid symptom patterns consistent with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The lack of clear indications and algorithms to direct clinical practice has led to a very poor understanding of overall medication use for these youths. The present study examined the prevalence of psychotropic medication use compared across individuals with an ASD without a caregiver-reported ADHD diagnosis (ASD-only), ADHD without ASD (ADHD-only), and an ASD with co-morbid ADHD (ASD+ADHD). Correlates of medication use were also examined. Methods: Data on psychotropic medication from the first wave of the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2, a nationally representative study of adolescents ages 13–17 in special education, were used to compare the prevalence of medication use across the three groups, overall and by class. Separate logistic regression models were constructed for each group ...
Measuring Motivations as a Method of Mitigating Social Values Conflict

Alaska's Western Arctic Caribou Herd is an important subsistence resource for communities along its migration path and provides opportunities for sport hunting. Members of local communities have ex...
Assessing the invasiveness of NOTES perforated viscus repair: a comparative study of NOTES and laparoscopy

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) repair of perforated peptic ulcers may decrease surgical invasiveness and improve patient outcomes. Full thickness gastrotomy was created laparoscopically in swine followed by soilage time. Repair proceeded with a laparoscopic (n = 14) or the NOTES (n = 14) approach. For NOTES repair, the omentum was endoscopically pulled into the gastric lumen and clipped. Intraoperative and postoperative parameters were recorded, including arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis and serum samples for white blood cell (WBC), TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6 analysis. Twenty-four of 28 animals thrived to study completion. NOTES repair could not be accomplished in one animal. At necropsy, all repairs were intact. Blood pressure was equivalent between groups. Pulse examined during the last 30 min of each procedure revealed a slightly higher mean pulse in the animals undergoing NOTES procedures (NOTES, 102 ± 28; laparoscopy, 83 ± 24). ABG obtained at the conclusion of the procedure revealed a pH of 7.47 in NOTES animals and 7.43 in the laparoscopy animals (p = 0.06), a change from baseline in both groups. The final pCO2 was lower in the NOTES group (NOTES, 40.62; laparoscopy, 47.49, p = 0.03). WBC counts were comparable on postoperative day (POD) 1 (NOTES, 21.1; laparoscopy, 19.0; p = 0.49). Mean TNF-α serum levels were equivalent at all time points between groups; however, TNF-α varied significantly from baseline to POD 7 (p = 0.002). NOTES omental repair appears comparable to that of laparoscopy. The lower arterial pCO2 at the conclusion of the NOTES procedure may be advantageous in critically ill patients.
Phage-Mediated Intergeneric Transfer of Toxin Genes

Because bacteriophages generally parasitize only closely related bacteria, it is assumed that phage-mediated genetic exchange occurs primarily within species. Here we report that staphylococcal pathogenenicity islands, containing superantigen genes, and other mobile elements transferred to Listeria monocytogenes at the same high frequencies as they transfer within Staphylococcus aureus. Several staphylococcal phages transduced L. monocytogenes but could not form plaques. In an experiment modeling phage therapy for bovine mastitis, we observed pathogenicity island transfer between S. aureus and L. monocytogenes in raw milk. Thus, phages may participate in a far more expansive network of genetic information exchange among bacteria of different species than originally thought, with important implications for the evolution of human pathogens.
First Report of Brown Root Rot on Alfalfa Caused by Phoma sclerotioides in the Continental United States.

Phoma sclerotioides G. Preuss ex Sacc. (previously named Plenodomus meliloti Dearn. & G.B. Sanford) is associated with root rot and extensive winterkill of leguminous forage crops, such as clover (Trifolium and Melilotus spp.), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Winterkill and root rot of irrigated alfalfa were observed for the first time in a field of cv. Multiplier in western Wyoming during the spring of 1996. Dark brown to black, sunken, rotting lesions were noted on upper secondary roots and taproots of dead and living diseased plants. Superficial and embedded beaked pycnidia and pycnosclerotia were observed near root lesions. A Phoma sp. isolated from a diseased plant in Farson, WY, was maintained on potato dextrose and half-strength V8-juice agars. Beaked pycnidia, typical of P. sclerotioides, were observed in culture when grown at 10°C for 2 months. A pathogenicity test was performed on cv. Multiplier. Two barley seeds colonized by a Phoma sp. derived from a Wyoming is...
Severe blunt hepatic trauma in children

Abstract Background: Severe blunt hepatic injury in children is associated with a high mortality rate. Although nonoperative management has become the treatment of choice for mild to moderate liver trauma, there is no consensus as to the optimal treatment for the most severe hepatic injuries in children. Methods: A statewide trauma registry was reviewed to identify children (age 18 years or less) treated for a severe blunt liver injury for the period 1993 to 1998. Only children with an American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grade V (AIS code 541828.5) liver injury were included. Database records were reviewed for demographic information, associated injuries, survival rate, length of stay (LOS), intensive care days (ICUD), and treatment rendered after resuscitation in the emergency department. Results: Thirty children with a grade V liver injury were identified. The mean age was 11.2 years (range, 1 to 18), and the overall survival rate was 56%. Data for 5 patients were excluded (4 patients died in the emergency department, and 1 patient was transferred to another institution after arrival). Survivors had a trend toward a lower injury severity score (ISS) (36.1 v 44.6; P v 6.6; P v GCS > 8, 76%). In the subset of 14 patients taken directly to the operating room, there was no difference between survivors (n = 6, 43%) and nonsurvivors (n = 8, 57%) in ISS (43 v 43; P value, not significant) or GCS (8.6 v 8.0; P value, not significant). Of the 11 patients treated nonoperatively, 10 (91%) survived with an average ISS of 33 and GCS of 13.8. Nonsurvivors more often had identified associated injuries to other abdominal and retroperitoneal organs. Conclusions: Severe hepatic injury is associated with a very high overall mortality rate in children. A low GCS is associated with a significant decrease in survival rate and may be the most important factor in outcome. Patients taken directly to the operating room have a slightly greater injury severity and a decreased survival rate compared with those treated nonoperatively. Thresholds and indications for laparotomy in these patients are not clear, and the need for operative management should be guided by the child's physiologic response to resuscitation. For those patients whose physiologic response to resuscitation permitted nonoperative management, a good outcome was achieved. J Pediatr Surg 36:974-979. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Modification of fluorescent pseudomonad community and control of apple replant disease induced in a wheat cultivar-specific manner

Apple orchard soils were cropped for three successive 28-day growth cycles with a perennial ryegrass/annual ryegrass mixture or 1 of 11 wheat cultivars prior to planting with Gala apple seedlings. Prior cropping of soils with ryegrass had no significant impact on growth of apple, but cultivation with some, but not all, wheat cultivars substantially enhanced apple seedling growth. Enhanced growth of apple was associated with a reduction in root infection by the dominant fungal pathogens resident to the respective orchard soils. Wheat cultivars that enhanced growth of apple modified the genetic and species composition of the fluorescent pseudomonad population resident to orchard soil. The fluorescent pseudomonad population from soils cropped with wheat cultivars that enhanced apple seedling growth possessed a higher capacity to inhibit in vitro growth of multiple elements of the fungal complex that incites apple replant disease than did the population from non-treated orchard soil or soil cropped with a wheat cultivar that did not enhance growth of apple. Application of wheat root exudates to soil also modified the antagonistic potential and composition of the fluorescent pseudomonad population in a cultivar-specific manner. This study demonstrates the significant role of plant genotype in determining composition of the saprophytic soil microbial community. It also establishes the need to consider not only plant species but also plant genotype when evaluating the potential benefit of specific cover crops as a component within a systems approach for the management of soilborne plant diseases.
Empirical analysis of media versus environmental impacts on park attendance.

Abstract This study examined whether park attendance was affected by red tide events. The analysis found that the presence of red tide, objectively measured with four models including nearby cell counts, did not affect park attendance. However, the appearance of the search phrase “red tide” in local newspapers revealed significant reductions in average daily park attendance of 398 (21 percent) visitors, representing revenue losses of $16,955. An effective red tide impact mitigation strategy may be to educate members of the press regarding the public response resulting from red tide coverage.
Health of the nation--coverage for all Americans.

On May 10, 2008, the Journal and the Massachusetts Medical Society brought together 13 panelists — physicians, academics, and business, insurance, and political leaders — for a seminar on U.S. health policy and health coverage. In a discussion moderated by Arthur R. Miller, J.D., of the New York University School of Law, the participants identified important challenges to the U.S. health care system and debated possible solutions. The group addressed the dissatisfaction among physicians in general and primary care providers in particular and considered its relationship to a reimbursement system that rewards high-tech procedures rather than cognitive work and time . . .
The Impact of Mangrove Prop-Root Epibionts on Juvenile Reef Fishes: A Field Experiment Using Artificial Roots and Epifauna

A field experiment was established in Bocas Del Toro, Panama to examine the relationship between sessile organisms living on mangrove prop roots and fish communities. Artificial mangrove roots (AMR) with different sets of artificial (AE) or real epibionts were established in five different locations in two separate years. Fish species in each plot were identified, counted, and their size estimated by visual census for 15 days in each replicate. In the artificial mangrove plots, the treatments with the most heterogeneous structure had significantly greater abundance of most families and species richness of fish in both years of the experiment. AMR plots with AEs attracted a more abundant and diverse fish assemblage than those with live epibionts, which had lower three-dimensional structure. All of the AMR plots had significantly greater fish abundance than comparable plots of sea grass alone. The location of the replicate also made a significant difference to fish abundance. The data indicate that prop-root epibionts can enhance fish abundance and diversity in mangroves, although the relationship may depend on the specific nature of the epibionts and fishes present.
Attachment and emotional memory: Investigating the source and extent of avoidant memory impairments.

Attachment avoidance has been associated with impairments in memory for material with emotional, attachment-related themes (e.g., loss). In the present study the author investigated the source and extent of these memory deficits by examining working memory capacity for attachment-related and nonattachment-related material. Avoidance was associated with deficits in working memory for positive and negative attachment-related stimuli. However, avoidance was unrelated to working memory capacity for nonattachment-related stimuli, both emotional and nonemotional. These findings are consistent with the proposal that avoidant individuals defensively limit the processing of potentially distressing information. Attachment anxiety was unrelated to working memory capacity across word type. Implications of the findings for defensive strategies and emotional memory are discussed.
Limited liability companies (LLCs) and financial crimes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the concept of Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) and the extent to which these present money laundering and financing of terrorism (ML/FT) risks.Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines the historical origins of LLCs and compares the benefits derived from using LLCs as an instruments or vehicle for doing business as opposed to the risks and vulnerabilities attached to them. In particular, the paper examines how LLCs present risks and vulnerabilities for ML/FT risks, before assessing existing methodologies for assessing such risks and vulnerabilities and their strengths and weaknesses.Findings – It was found that existing frameworks used to assess risks attached to the use of LLCs could be strengthened. Reference is made to the manner in which the USA has strengthened its legislation in order to prevent the misuse of LLCs for criminal purposes.Originality/value – The paper's conclusions may be relevant for defining methodologies in a...
First report of turnip vein-clearing virus in garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) in the United States.

The objective of the study was to establish the identity of a tobamo-like virus occurring naturally in garlic mustard in Minnesota, and to determine its role in the etiology of the disease. This is the first report of TVCV infection in garlic mustard.
The Role of Intuition in Some Ethically Hard Cases

Among the hardest cases in the ethics of killing are those in which one innocent person poses a lethal threat to another. I argue in favour of the intuition that lethal self-defence is permissible in these cases, despite the difficulties that some philosophers (e.g., Otsuka and McMahan) have raised about it. Philosophers writing in this area—including those sympathetic to the intuition (e.g. Thomson and Kamm)—have downplayed or ignored an essential and authoritative role for intuition per se (as against discursive general principles): one based in moral sensibility and imagination rather than discursive argument or conceptual analysis. I am concerned to call attention to and rehabilitate this role for intuition.
Regulation of brown adipocyte metabolism by myostatin/follistatin signaling.

Obesity develops from perturbations of cellular bioenergetics, when energy uptake exceeds energy expenditure, and represents a major risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other conditions. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has long been known to dissipate energy as heat and contribute to energy expenditure, but its presence and physiological role in adult human physiology has been questioned for years. Recent demonstrations of metabolically active brown fat depots in adult humans have revolutionized current therapeutic approaches for obesity-related diseases. The balance between white adipose tissue (WAT) and BAT affects the systemic energy balance and is widely believed to be the key determinant in the development of obesity and related metabolic diseases. Members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) superfamily play an important role in regulating overall energy homeostasis by modulation of brown adipocyte characteristics. Inactivation of TGF-β/Smad3/myostatin (Mst) signaling promotes browning of white adipocytes, increases mitochondrial biogenesis and protects mice from diet-induced obesity, suggesting the need for development of a novel class of TGF-β/Mst antagonists for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases. We recently described an important role of follistatin (Fst), a soluble glycoprotein that is known to bind and antagonize Mst actions, during brown fat differentiation and the regulation of cellular metabolism. Here we highlight various investigations performed using different in vitro and in vivo models to support the contention that targeting TGF-β/Mst signaling enhances brown adipocyte functions and regulates energy balance, reducing insulin resistance and curbing the development of obesity and diabetes.
Insulin as a satiety hormone.

Abstract The effects on food intake of injection of small doses of insulin were investigated in swine. Eleven pigs, 1–3 months of age, weighing 5–50 kg, were fitted with intrajugular catheters. Following a 4-hour fast, insulin (0.03–1.0 U/kg) was injected, and food intake then measured for 10 min. The dose-response curve was U-shaped. The depression of intake at 0.05, 0.13 and 0.25 U/kg was significantly different from control intake, while that after 0.03, 0.5 and 1.0 U/kg was not. The possibility that the release of endogenous insulin may be part of the mechanism of rapid satiety is discussed.
Nitroxyl (HNO) Modifies Cysteine Residues in Phospholamban to Increase Myocyte Ca2+-Cycling and Contractility

HNO donors enhance cardiac inotropy by increasing SR Ca2+ re-uptake/release. Given its thiophylic nature, HNO likely modifyies critical cysteine residues in E-C coupling proteins. Phospholamban (PLN) is a potential target for HNO, and its genetic removal or mutation of PLN cysteines should abolish/blunt HNO cardiac effects. Cardiomyocytes were isolated from PLN knockout (PLN-/-) and wildtype (WT) mice, field-stimulated and assessed for Ca2+ transients and sarcomere shortening (SS). HNO effects on the SR-Ca2+ATPase (SERCA2a) were evaluated by isolating SR vesicles from PLN-/- and WT mice and measuring Ca2+ uptake by stopped-flow mixing. Dephosphorylation of SERCA2a (a measure of E2P hydrolysis) was investigated in ER microsomes from Sf21 insect cells expressing SERCA2a±PLN (WT or Cys 36-41-46->Ala mutant). PLN-/- myocytes showed enhanced myocyte contraction and a blunted response to isoproterenol. When challenged with the HNO donor Angeli's salt (AS, 0.5 mM), Ca2+ transient amplitude (-15±5 vs 17±7% in WT, p Ala PLN (0.21 vs 0.18 s-1). We conclude that PLN is essential for the HNO-mediated increase in Ca2+ uptake by SERCA2a, and that modification of PLN thiols is central to this modulation. Enhancing Ca2+ uptake by HNO may benefit heart failure patients that often display depressed SR function.
Exogenous and endogenous attention during perceptual learning differentially affect post-training target thresholds

There is conflicting evidence in the literature regarding the role played by attention in perceptual learning. To further examine this issue, we independently manipulated exogenous and endogenous attention and measured the rate of perceptual learning of oriented Gabor patches presented in different quadrants of the visual field. In this way, we could track learning at attended, divided-attended, and unattended locations. We also measured contrast thresholds of the Gabor patches before and after training. Our results showed that, for both exogenous and endogenous attention, accuracy in performing the orientation discrimination improved to a greater extent at attended than at unattended locations. Importantly, however, only exogenous attention resulted in improved contrast thresholds. These findings suggest that both exogenous and endogenous attention facilitate perceptual learning, but that these two types of attention may be mediated by different neural mechanisms.
DNA Bending and Sugar Switching

Abstract Using high frequency antiphase NMR spectroscopy and computer simulations of the antiphase spectra, we studied the equlibria in the sugar conformations in the DNA duplex 11-mer containing the AAA tract surrounded by cytosines. We demonstrate that at the 3′-end of the A-tract, the sugar switches from the common S-conformer (B-like form) to the N-conformer (A-like form) with the probability of 50–60%, thus creating a purine-pyrimidine step with heteronomous characteristics. The presence of this local B-A junction in one strand leads to compression of the interphosphate distance in this strand. We calculate the effect of this sugar switch on the helical parameters that are related to DNA bending. Finally, we suggest that the heteronomous deformation present in the AnC motif of unbound DNA duplexes might be the initial recognition site for proteins which bind to such junctions; and that in AnC stretches, DNA bending is a complicated dynamic process, i.e., locally noncanonical N conformers of the sugar...
Fat metabolism, atherosclerosis and aging in man: a review.

Abstract Aging in man is associated with a variety of changes in lipid metabolism, some of which have been closely linked to the development of atherosclerosis. Both intrinsic aging processes and environmental factors (such as diet) operative over many years apparently act in concert with unknown genetic factors to produce the very prevalent multifactoral age-related disease atherosclerosis. Although the emphasis of this review is on lipid metabolism, other as yet poorly understood age-related factors such as changes in blood pressure and perhaps changes in the metabolism of the arterial wall cells themselves also may exert an important influence on the development of the disorder.
Cyclin B1 Overexpression Induces Cell Death Independent of Mitotic Arrest

Microtubule inhibitors are widely used in cancer chemotherapy. These drugs characteristically induce mitotic arrest and cell death but the mechanisms linking the two are not firmly established. One of the problems is that cancer cells vary widely in their sensitivity to these agents, and thus comparison of data from different systems is difficult. To alleviate this problem we sought to molecularly induce mitotic death and study its mechanisms, by expressing non-degradable cyclin B (R42A) in HeLa cells. However, this approach failed to induce significant mitotic arrest, Cdk1 activation, or phosphorylation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins, all characteristics of cells treated with microtubule inhibitors. Furthermore, cyclin B1-R42A induced rapid cell death, and when expressed in synchronized cells, cell death occurred in G1 phase. Decreasing the plasmid concentration reduced transfection efficiency but restored mitotic arrest and eliminated non-specific death. These results show that inappropriate overexpression of cyclin B1 causes non-specific cell death and suggest caution in its use for the study of mitotic events.
The economics of advertising: Where's the data?

Economists accept the importance of advertising to firm rivalry and economic performance, but data limitations have frustrated empirical research. This paper addresses that frustration and compares sources of advertising data. The paper concludes that data provided by a private vendor on measured-media consumer advertising represents the best choice, but involves substantial effort to link it to the Census industrial classification system. The authors do this for 284 manufacturing industries for Census years 1967 and 1982. Comparisons of industry advertising levels and advertising-to-sales ratios are given. Relative advertising levels and intensities have remained remarkably stable over the 15 year period.
Net-Deepening of School Discipline

This study presents findings from an ethnographic content analysis of 15 chronological district-wide annual codes of student conduct from a large urban US school district. I frame policy creation and modification processes as reflections of societal shifts in perceptions of student behaviors. I looked to the policy documents to explore the possibility that school organizations have, over time, shifted toward school discipline frameworks that get students into deeper trouble today than in years past. The analysis yielded policy changes that, over time, make severe punishment increasingly likely. I refer to the change phenomena as net-deepening of school discipline. I address the pitfalls that net-deepening policy changes pose, with an emphasis on the potential for net-deepening to undermine the effectiveness of proactive and restorative forms of school discipline. The article offers to educators, policy-makers, and researchers conceptual and analytical considerations for developing proactive restorative discipline policies that meets the educational needs of all students.
Quasi-periodic dynamics of desingularized vortex models

Sufficient conditions for the existence of quasi-pe~odic solutions of two different desingularized vortex models for 2-dimensional Euler flows are derived. One of these modds is the vortex blob model for the evolution of a periodic vortex sheet and the other is a second order elliptic moment model (DEMM) for the evolution of widely separated vortex regions. The method involves the identification of the well-known point vortex Hamiltonian term in both models. A transformation to new canonical variables (the JL-coordinates) and the deSnition of special open sets in phase space (the cone sets) puts the Hamiltonians considered into nearly integrable form. KAM-theory is used to prove the desired results for arbitrary~ degrees of freedom and almost arbitrary circulations in these modets. A rigorous validification of the DEMM assumption is obtained. In view of the lack of a rigorous theory for vortex sheet roll-up paat the critical time, the dynamical system approach presented here provides an alternative method for studying the macroscopic structures formed in the post-critical period.
Relationships among Feed Intake, Feed Efficiency, and Growth in Juvenile Rainbow Trout

Abstract Improving the efficiency of aquaculture production is important for both economic and environmental sustainability. The purpose of this work was to define the relationships between feed intake, weight gain, and feed efficiency (measured as residual feed intake) in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss fed either to apparent satiation or a limited ration. The results indicated that under an apparent satiation feeding regime, a weak but significant correlation existed between weight gain and residual feed intake (RFI; r = −0.31, P < 0.04). When fed a limited ration, the correlation between weight gain and RFI was stronger (r = −0.57, P < 0.001). Genetic differences between family groups were detected only under the apparent satiation feeding regime and not under limited feeding. Although these experiments were conducted on different groups of fish, it appears that the variation in RFI was greater in satiation-fed fish than in fish fed a limited ration (coefficient of variation = 174% versus 33%). Estim...
Wage Cuts as Investment in Future Wage Growth

. Wage cuts are often presumed to reflect an adverse change in economic constraints. However, several theoretical models have shown they can be a form of investment in future wage growth. This paper provides empirical evidence of the latter by explicitly modeling the worker's job choice when the job offer consists of both a starting wage and expected future wage growth. We use our analytical model to estimate the distribution of job offers faced by workers who are searching across jobs differing in both initial wage and expected wage growth. For females, roughly one-third of job changes that result in immediate wage cuts are transitions to jobs that have a higher value function than the existing job. For males, the corresponding value is one-fifth.
Differential Effects of Incentive Motivators on Work Performance

In this field experiment, we first compared the performance effects of money systematically administered through the organizational behavior modification (O.B. Mod.) model and routine pay for perfo...
Culture in the Marketplace: Gender, Art, and Value in the American Southwest

Culture in the Marketplace: Gender, Art, and Value in the American Southwest. Molly H. Mullin. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2001.
Social Support as a Predictor of Psychological and Physical Well-Being and Lifestyle in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults Aged 50 and Over

SUMMARY Aging lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults often differ from their heterosexual counterparts in their social network. This study examined a sample of 220 LGB adults over 50-years-old; most were White, well-educated, and employed. Social networks were used to predict physical and psychological well-being and lifestyle/risk. Respondents had on average 2.5 members in their social network; 56 percent had at least one close friend. Support from friends rather than family predicted higher mental quality of life and lower depression, anxiety, and internalized homophobia. Study participants functioned within normal ranges of most psychological measures. However, they had serious health risks due to alcohol consumption and obesity (inwomen). Findings add further evidence of the importance of friends in providing social support among LGB adults.
A device for rapid recording of positioning responses in two dimensions

A device for rapid recording of positioning responses is described. It utilizes an extremely simple, low-cost position transducer and two digital voltmeters or their equivalent. The device has the advantages of rapid, accurate measurement, reliability, ease of reading, and the potential for automatic recording of positional data in two dimensions.
Factors influencing the electronic capture of patient-reported contact lens performance data.

Purpose Electronic data capture is becoming increasingly common for collecting real-time patient responses. The purpose of this study was to investigate compliance with a daily electronic questionnaire regarding night-time contact lens visual performance. Method Forty-eight subjects (34 females) were fit and dispensed two contralateral pairs of soft contact lenses (SCLs) for one week each. Subjects were sent a nightly e-mail at 8 PM containing a secure, individualized link to an electronic questionnaire asking 30 questions of varying response styles (e.g., multiple choice, short answer, etc.) about SCL visual performance. Subjects were instructed to complete the questionnaire before going to bed. Results The overall completion rate based on 676 electronic questionnaires was 95.1%. Of these, only 3.6% were completed late (<24 h). The percentage of subjects completing all questionnaires was significantly higher on weekdays (96.5%; Sunday through Thursday) than on weekends (91.1%; Friday and Saturday). Fisher exact tests indicated no significant association with gender for either weekday (p = 0.25) or weekend (p = 0.73). Although odds ratio estimates suggested that participants 23 and older were more likely to complete the questionnaire (weekday: OR = 4.39, p = 0.10; weekend: OR = 2.93, p = 0.19), these associations did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions E-mail based questionnaires provide an effective method for acquiring time specific responses, making them a viable clinical and research tool. The day(s) of the week on which assessments occur need to be strongly considered, as on-time compliance may be affected on weekend evenings, or possibly situations in which a typical schedule may not be followed.
THE EFFECTS OF CIMETIDINE (C) ON GASTRIC PGE2 AND H+ PRODUCTION

For unknown reasons, antacids are more efficacious than C in the prophylaxis of UGI bleeding. To evaluate whether C adversely effects PGE2 production & therefore cytoprotection, 3 groups of rats were studied: 5, control (Co); 8, Cimetidine (C1) 1 dose IP 60 mg/kg; 6, Cimetidine (C14) single daily dose IM 200 mg/Kg/day X 14 d. Samples for measurement of PGE2 & H+ were obtained in 6, 10' periods by luminal gastric perfusion with 0.9% NaCl & 4 mEq/1 KCl. During periods 5 & 6, Co rats were perfused with isotonic NaHCO3 to evaluate the effects of basic pH on PGE2 secretion. During periods 1-4, x H+ secretion was 2X greater in Co than C1 or C14 rats. PGE2 secretion was not significantly different. There was an exponential relationship between total PGE2 (ng/hr) & time (p < .001) & H+ (mEq/hr) & time (p<.001) for the 3 groups. Calculated values for H+ (mEq/hr) and PGE2 (ng/hr) for the entire 60' revealed that H+ and PGE2 secretion by Co rats were 2X the values for C1 & C14. After perfusion with NaHCO3, PGE2 (ng/min) increased 2X in Co rats. There was a linear correlation between H+ & PGE2 secretion in Co & C14 (p<.001) but no correlation between H+ & PGE2 in C1. In summary long term & acute therapy with C decrease luminal secretion of PGE2 & H+. The relationship between H+ & PGE2 secretion is abolished in rats given one dose of C. NaHCO3 buffers H+ and increases PGE2 secretion. The reduction in PGE2 secretion produced by C may adversely effect cytoprotection in the stomach.
“States-of-mind” analysis of the articulated thoughts of exsmokers

Clinical observation indicates that self-efficacy (SE), though generally linked with maintaining smoking cessation, can be excessive. The states-of-mind (SOM) model offers a testable means of predicting when positive thinking will be detrimental. Specifically, the “positive-monologue” SOM (ratio of positive to positive +negative thoughts ≥ .69) is seen as maladaptive. This model was tested by relating SOM ratios for SE-relevant thinking, measured in articulated thoughts shortly after smoking cessation, to later smoking status. Contrary to predictions, positive-monologue SOMs were (a) typical and (b) predictive of longer periods of abstinence than were less positive cognitive balances. Several explanations are considered for this divergence from the SOM model.
An X-linked recessive basal ganglia disorder with mental retardation

We report a previously apparently undescribed, X-linked recessive basal ganglia disorder segregating in three generations of one family. The affected patients were variably mentally retarded, although some showed strengths in oral reading and memory. Most affected males had frontal bossing and increased head circumference with large calvaria in relation to facial bones. Their height and weight did not differ from that of other relatives; testicular size was average, chromosomes were normal, and results of laboratory investigations for known metabolic disorders were normal. All patients examined had neurological impairment, including persistent frontal lobe reflexes, cogwheel rigidity, postural changes, and Parkinsonian-type tremors. Some had strabismus; several had seizures. Although carriers of the condition were not consistently abnormal, two had suggestive signs. No definitive indication of the disorder was documented in infancy in any affected male, and it is possible that this could be due to lack of careful prospective clinical evaluation rather than to the absence of symptoms in early life.
Determination of Estrogens in Dosage Forms by Fluorescence Using Dansyl Chloride

A sensitive, reproducible, fluorometric procedure for the determination of estrogens in pharmaceutical preparations is presented. The estrogens are determined fluorometrically following their reaction with dansyl chloride. The optimum conditions for the reaction such as pH, reaction solvent composition variations, and speed of reaction are discussed. In addition, a linearity study of the relationship between concentration and fluorescence intensity for estrone, estradiol, and ethinyl estradiol is reported. Solvent extraction procedures based on acid-base behavior or column chromatography are used when necessary to isolate the estrogen prior to reaction with dansyl chloride and fluorometric measurement. The recovery of estrogens from spiked samples indicated that the proposed method is efficient and reproducible. Comparison of the dansyl procedure with the official NF method in the analysis of estrone aqueous suspension showed the proposed method to be accurate and more precise than the NF assay. Estrone aqueous suspension, estradiol in sesame oil, estradiol valerate in castor oil and in sesame oil (in the latter case, in the presence of testosterone), estradiol benzoate in sesame oil, and ethinyl estradiol tablets (0.5 mg/tablet) from commercial sources were satisfactorily analyzed, with average results within compendial limits and no coefficient of variation greater than 2%.
Life history and locomotion in Cebus capucinus and Alouatta palliata.

As an individual matures from birth to adulthood, many factors may influence the positional repertoire. The biological and behavioral changes that accompany a growing individual are expected to influence foraging strategy, social status and interaction, diet, predator avoidance strategies, and ultimately positional behavior as a behavioral link between anatomy and the environment. In this work, positional behavior is considered as an important feature of life history in juvenile and adult white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) and mantled howling monkeys (Alouatta palliata) inhabiting the same tropical forest in Costa Rica. During growth and development ontogenetic changes in body size, limb proportions, and motor skills are likely to influence locomotion and posture through the arboreal canopy. I collected data on positional behavior, activity, branch size, branch angle, and crown location during a 12-month period at Estacion Biologica La Suerte in northeastern Costa Rica. Life history timing and differences in rates of growth did not predictably influence the development of adultlike positional behaviors in Cebus and Alouatta. Young Cebus resembled the adult pattern of positional behavior by 6 months of age while howlers exhibited significant differences in several positional behavior categories through 24 months of age. The positional repertoire of both species revealed similarities in the types of modes used during feed/forage and travel in juveniles and adults. Data presented here suggest that the environment exerts different pressures on growing Cebus and Alouatta that may relate to diet, energy expenditure, foraging skill, and/or social learning.
Let's play: understanding the role and meaning of digital games in the lives of older adults

Despite a marked increase in the use of digital games among older persons, there is a notable lack of research that provides insight into the gaming experiences of this population. A major demographic shift within the senior gaming market has ushered in a new perspective on the use of digital games as a tool for physical and emotional health, improved socialization, and learning via enhanced cognition. The proposed qualitative study applies a grounded theory methodology from a life course perspective among older adult participants (age 50 and above). It is proposed that to address the gaming needs and preferences of older persons, there must first be a foundational understanding of the factors that contribute to or hinder game engagement. Such research could contribute a new perspective for game design and implementation for today's older adult population and tomorrow's seniors---the Baby Boomers. A pilot study focusing on senior gamers was conducted as a means to assess the feasibility of the proposed study. Initial analysis indicates emergent themes that warrant further research among a larger and more diverse participant pool.
Clinical review 59: Uses of human insulin-like growth factor-I in clinical conditions.

C LONING of the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) gene has made it possible to express and purify large amounts of IGF-I and to carry out studies in viva to test the hypothesis that IGF-I can stimulate growth and exert insulinlike actions, such as stimulation of protein synthesis and glucose transport. The availability of IGF-I has also made it possible to determine whether this peptide can stimulate these functions in patients with growth disorders, catabolic conditions, or diabetes. The purpose of this review is to summarize findings from in viva studies of IGF-I in humans.
Monetary versions of the balanced budget multiplier

Abstract This paper examines the impact of varying the specification of the demand for money on the size of the balanced budget multiplier. The money demand may shift autonomously following a balanced budget change in government spending if private money demand is dependent on disposable rather than total income or if, due to a lag in the government spending process, a nonzero incremental governmental money demand exists. The implications of these assumptions are determined in a pure monetary model and then in an IS-LM model. In each case the balanced budget multiplier differs from the conventional result.
Electrical probe diagnostics for processing discharges

This paper is intended to provide an overview of Langmuir probe diagnostics for process plasmas. The discussion will focus on plane and cylindrical single current collecting probes. Methods will be presented for the determination of the plasma potential floating potential electron and ion densities electron temperature and electron energy distribution function. Common problems and pitfalls will also be discussed.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.