cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of fear in persuasion

Previous research on fear/threat appeals has correlated fear intensity with persuasion. However, fear might influence persuasion in at least four conceptually distinct ways: (a) the proclivity to experience fear, (b) the rise from baseline to peak, (c) peak intensity, and (d) the decline from peak to postmessage fear. A study was conducted in which 361 participants read a message that first described the dangers of influenza, then advocated obtaining a free vaccination. Significant positive correlations were observed between tonic, that is, traitlike, activation of the behavioral-inhibition system (BIS) and various indices of fear arousal. Nonsignificant correlations were observed between the behavioral-activation system (BAS) and the same indices. Both rise and peak measures of fear predicted persuasion, but decline in fear had no discernible impact on persuasion. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Energy and Temperature Dependence of Low-Energy-Electron Diffraction from Xenon Single Crystals

A complete set of intensity-energy spectra as a function of electron energy, crystal temperature, and incidence angle have been measured for the specular and the first-order nonspecular beams for the (111) xenon surface. The xenon single crystals were formed by epitaxial deposition onto a (100) iridium substrate and were of excellent order and purity. The character of the intensity-energy spectra indicated xenon to be a highly kinematic electron scattering material. Hence the formalism for kinematic scattering could be applied with confidence to the analysis of electron scattering in xenon and with specific reference to the surface dependence of the effective Debye temperature and to surface-layer thermal expansion.
Sun-induced variations in time in the global positioning system

Sun-induced effects on the measurement and transfer of time information reported by orbiting satellites are reexamined. The problem of transforming the frequency of coherent radio signals to the Geocentric Inertial Coordinate frame (as required during the transfer of time information) involves an implicit, dependence on earth-sun-clock orientation that has been omitted, except in Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) studies. This known VLBI effect leads to an important second order Doppler effect. The effect explains systematic deviations between the time reported by satellites in the Global Positioning System (GPS) relative to Universal Time (UT) and can be used to improve existing bounds for the validity of the equivalence principle.
Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return: Review of 125 Patients Treated Surgically

One hundred twenty-five patients undergoing surgical correction of total anomalous pulmonary venous return were studied. The overall mortality was 37% and was related to age at the time operation was required. Mortality was 57% during the first year of life, 29% in patients between 13 and 24 months, and 15% in those between 2 and 10 years; no deaths occurred in those over 10 years. Mortality was highest in patients with infracardiac lesions (62%), and lowest in those with cardiac defects (30%). The major cause of death was pulmonary edema, and survival was closely related to the degree of increased pulmonary vascular resistance. Surgical treatment should be delayed until at least 6 months of age, but the development of congestive heart failure may necessitate earlier operation.
Noncontact monitoring of immersed plates by means of laser-induced ultrasounds:

This article presents the results of an experimental and numerical study where guided ultrasonic waves were used for the structural health monitoring/nondestructive evaluation of an immersed aluminum plate. Leaky Lamb waves were generated by means of a pulsed laser and detected by an array of immersion transducers. The signals were then processed using continuous wavelet transform to extract few damage-sensitive features that were fed to an unsupervised learning algorithm based on outlier analysis. The experimental setup was simulated numerically using a commercial finite element software to predict the time of arrival of the propagating modes. In order to assess the capability of the monitoring system to detect damage, four defects were devised on the plate prior to the immersion in water. We found that the noncontact probing system and the signal processing enable the detection of cracks and holes.
A putative cell signal encoded by the folded gastrulation gene coordinates cell shape changes during Drosophila gastrulation.

Abstract The folded gastrulation (fog) gene is required during Drosophila gastrulation for two morphogenetic movements, formation of the ventral furrow and invagination of the posterior midgut primordium. fog coordinates cell shape changes during these invaginations by inducing apical constriction of cells in spatially and temporally defined manners. fog is expressed in the invagination primordia in a pattern that precisely precedes the pattern of constrictions. Overexpression of fog in the dorsoanterior region of the embryo induces ectopic constrictions, indicating localization of fog transcripts may define domains of cell shape changes. fog encodes a novel protein with a putative signal sequence but no potential transmembrane domains. We suggest fog functions as a secreted signal that activates the G protein α subunit encoded by concertina in neighboring cells. Our analyses indicate that cell-cell communication ensures the rapid, orderly progression of constriction initiations from the middle of invagination primordia out toward the margins.
Exploring the relationships between shopping trip type, purchases of products on promotion, and shopping basket profit

Abstract How different types of shopping trips influence consumer search and purchase behavior has long been of interest to marketing practitioners and scholars. The reliance of retailers on price specials to influence economic performance means gaining knowledge about linkages between shopping trip type and the consumer response to price specials is important. The present study examines how major shopping trips, fill-in shopping trips, and shopping primarily for price specials are associated with consumer specials search, purchases of price specials, coupon redemption, and retailer shopping basket profitability. The results show consumers visiting the store primarily to purchase price specials were more likely to read flyers and purchased more advertised price specials than consumers on other types of shopping trips. Major and fill-in shoppers were equally responsive to the retailer's promotions. The results also indicate retailer profitability was lowest for specials shoppers and highest for fill-in shoppers.
MO‐FF‐A4‐03: Testing of the High‐Resolution ROI Micro‐Angio Fluoroscope (MAF) Detector Using a Modified NEMA XR‐21 Phantom

Purpose: To test the MAF in conditions and tasks specific to minimally invasive neurovascular procedures. Materials and Methods: A high‐sensitivity, high‐resolution MAF detector was built and incorporated into a standard angiographic C‐Arm system. This detector consists of a 300μm CsI input phosphor coupled to a dual stage GEN2 micro‐channel‐plate light image intensifier, followed by minifying fiber‐optic taper coupled to a CCD chip. The detector is attached to a very stable detector‐changer onto a Flat‐Panel (FP) C‐arm angiographic unit to allow facile placement of the detector into the field‐of‐view whenever high resolution is needed. A NEMA XR21‐2000 phantom was modified to evaluate neurovascular x‐ray imaging systems. The phantom was restructured to be head‐equivalent; two aluminum plates shaped to fit into the NEMA phantom geometry were added to a 15cm thick section. Digital subtraction angiography(DSA)testing was enabled by adding a removable central section with a hollow slot which allows insertion of various angiographic test blocks. DSA and DA were tested using a standard removable insert having simulated arteries with thicknesses of 4, 2 and 1 mm and 15mg/cm3 iodine contrast and with stenoses and aneurysms (AAPM Report 15). Features on the central plates of the NEMA XR21 phantom such as bar pattern and iodine‐detail‐contrast‐targets were also imaged. The results of the evaluation of the MAF with the modified phantom were compared with the images obtained with a standard flat panel. Results: The phantom imaging results presented as (MAF‐detected‐features/Flat‐Panel‐detected‐features) are: bar pattern — (5.0/3.1) lines/mm; smallest iodine‐contrast target group detectable — (10/10) mg/cm2, details of smallest simulated vessel in DSA — (1/2) mm. Conclusions: The MAF detector performs at least as well as a standard FP in detection of low‐contrast objects, and is superior in the visualization and identification of the small details. (Support: NIH grant R01‐EB002873, R01EB0008425).
EFFECTS OF CONTINGENT REWARD AND INSTRUCTION ON ORAL READING PERFORMANCE AT DIFFERING LEVELS OF PASSAGE DIFFICULTY

This study examined the effects of reinforcement contingencies designed to increase the performance of existing reading skills as well as the effects of instruction--modeling and practice--designed to increase skill level for oral reading fluency across three levels of reading materials. Results showed that a combination of contingencies, modeling, and practice was effective in producing substantial increases in reading fluency for all participants at their assigned grade levels. These results demonstrate one strategy for experimentally determining those instructional components that are required to increase oral reading rate.
Microleakage evaluation of eight composite resins.

A n important advance in restorative dentistry in recent years has been the indication that microleakage can be minimized around a composite resin with the use of acid-etching and the placement of an unfilled resin on the walls of the cavity preparation.‘-’ Elimination or reduction of microleakage would result in a decrease in sensitivity, discoloration, and recurrent caries, thereby resulting in greater longevity of composite resin restorations.” Investigations have shown that microleakage is ‘significantly reduced or eliminated in restorations where the cavosurface angle and the enamel are etched and a layer of unfilled resin is placed before and after placement of the restoration.“-r These two studies tested four composite resins. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the marginal leakage of eight composite resins using an acid-etch technique and unfilled resin as indicated by the manufacturer.
Acceptance of dental prophylaxis by the institutionalized patient.

SUMMARY Institutionalized patients with moderate and severe handicapping conditions may have difficulty receiving routine dental treatment. One reason that prevents their access is negative practitioner expectations. Traditionally, this group has been treated in a hospital setting. This study assesses the ability of dental hygiene students in the general clinic setting to provide dental prophylaxis to patients with moderate and severe handicapping conditions. Of the 38 patients, 31 (82%) were successfully treated in the clinic or quiet room. The results suggest that greater numbers of patients can be treated in private practice situations when simple treatment adjuncts and mild physical restraint are used.
Evolution of a dispersed morphology from a co-continuous morphology in immiscible polymer blends

Abstract We observed, via transmission electron microscopy, the evolution of a dispersed morphology from a modulated co-continuous morphology in immiscible blends of two amorphous polymers, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS). Upon rapid precipitation of a homogeneous solution, which can be regarded as being equivalent to spinodal decomposition via temperature quenching, we observed a modulated co-continuous morphology for all three blend compositions, 70/30, 50/50, and 30/70 PMMA/PS blends. This observation is interpreted with the Cahn's linearized theory, which has been found to be accurate in describing phase separation in the early stage of spinodal decomposition. When a rapidly precipitated PMMA/PS blend specimen having asymmetric (70/30, 60/40, 55/45 or 30/70) blend composition was annealed under isothermal conditions at 170°C for varying periods, the modulated co-continuous morphology evolved into a dispersed morphology, in which the major component formed the continuous phase and the minor component formed the discrete phase, and into a `dual mode' of dispersed morphology in the symmetric (50/50) PMMA/PS blend. This observation is interpreted in terms of the percolation-to-cluster transition mechanism proposed by Hashimoto and co-workers. The morphology evolution, during isothermal annealing, of a rapidly precipitated blend may be regarded as being equivalent to late stages of spinodal decomposition, which is controlled by diffusion and coalescence. The rate of morphology development in PMMA/PS blend during isothermal annealing was found to depend on the zero-shear viscosity ratio of the constituent components. This observation is interpreted in terms of Siggia's theory for late stages of spinodal decomposition.
In-flight Conductivity and Temperature Measurements of Hypervelocity Projectiles

Abstract The conductivity and temperature of hypervelocity projectiles were studied using a novel magnetic diffusion analysis technique and five color radiometry. A copper shaped charge jet was fired through an electromagnetic coil to saturate the tip with a magnetic field. After leaving the coil, the tip passed through a series of sensing coils that are used to detect the magnetic field's decay rate, which depends on the geometry of the tip and its electrical conductivity. A mathematical model was then used to calculate the decay rate of the magnetic field from the tip and the signals produced by the sensing coils to determine the electrical conductivity. The resulting conductivity indicated that the tip of the shaped charge jet has a bulk temperature on the order of 1200 K. The experimental data were directly compared to temperature distributions generated by hydrocodes using both the Johnson-Cook and Steinberg-Guinan-Lund strength models. Because the magnetic diffusion technique is extremely versatile, various projectiles over a broad dynamic range can be investigated. Thus, this measurement is compared to radiometry and diffusion measurements of explosively formed penetrators.
The free recall of sets of associatively related words

Summary Two sets of 15 associatively related words were presented to 168 Ss for free recall. Ss recalled a greater number of words when they were presented in constrained rather than random arrangements. Cueing did not influence the number of words correctly recalled but did change the associative structure present at the time of free recall and thereby altered which of the words were recalled. Associative structure was found to predict the frequency with which individual words were recalled and the occurrence of intrusions.
The structure and NO binding properties of the nitrophorin-like heme-binding protein from Arabidopsis thaliana gene locus At1g79260.1.

The protein from Arabidopsis thaliana gene locus At1g79260.1 is comprised of 166-residues and is of previously unknown function. Initial structural studies by the Center for Eukaryotic Structural Genomics (CESG) suggested that this protein might bind heme, and consequently, the crystal structures of apo and heme-bound forms were solved to near atomic resolution of 1.32 {angstrom} and 1.36 {angstrom}, respectively. The rate of hemin loss from the protein was measured to be 3.6 x 10{sup -5} s{sup -1}, demonstrating that it binds heme specifically and with high affinity. The protein forms a compact 10-stranded {beta}-barrel that is structurally similar to the lipocalins and fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs). One group of lipocalins, the nitrophorins (NP), are heme proteins involved in nitric oxide (NO) transport and show both sequence and structural similarity to the protein from At1g79260.1 and two human homologues, all of which contain a proximal histidine capable of coordinating a heme iron. Rapid-mixing and laser photolysis techniques were used to determine the rate constants for carbon monoxide (CO) binding to the ferrous form of the protein (k{prime}{sub CO} = 0.23 {micro}M{sup -1} s{sup -1}, k{sub CO} = 0.050 s{sup -1}) and NO binding to the ferric form (k{prime}{sub NO} =more » 1.2 {micro}M{sup -1} s{sup -1}, k{sub NO} = 73 s{sup -1}). Based on both structural and functional similarity to the nitrophorins, we have named the protein nitrobindin and hypothesized that it plays a role in NO transport. However, one of the two human homologs of nitrobindin contains a THAP domain, implying a possible role in apoptosis.« less
A heuristic model to predict brand switching in consumer choice

Abstract In this paper, we have formulated the consumer choice problem by using a combination of deterministic and stochastic factors. By using ordinal preference data under weak assumptions, we were able to derive a propensity to purchase measure for competing brands, thereby allowing for brand-switching. The brand switching phenomenon is then interpreted as arising from the multi-dimensionality of the decision making process and the compromise nature of the optimal rank orders. This approach has the advantage that the propensities are derived from the decision variables, which are the attributes of the products. We emphasize that it is possible to consider the multiple attributes of a brand name in determining consumer choice and to remain consistent with the observed behavior of brand switching. The results of the illustration highlight the fact that we can obtain viable predictions of consumer choice with a minimal data gathering effort. These results are important in deriving methods of analysis in marketing strategy. By determining what attributes a consumer desires in a product and how they affect his behavior, a marketing manager can: 1) design products or 2) alter advertising to improve product-attribute awareness. The application of the procedure is enhanced by the fact that no special computer programs are necessary.
Retinoic acid promotes phorbol ester-initiated macrophage differentiation in HL-60 leukemia cells without disappearance of protein kinase C.

The ability of retinoic acid (RA) to promote 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-initiated macrophage differentiation was examined in human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60. One-hour exposure to 10 nM TPA and subsequent exposure for 48 h to 1 μM RA following removal of TPA rapidly induced the macrophage phenotype in 65% of the cells. This effect was comparable to continuous exposure for 48 h to TPA alone, but contrasted with the absence of macrophage-like cells after RA treatment alone or the induction of 10% of the cell population to a macrophage phenotype after 1-h exposure to TPA. The effect of TPA + RA was accompanied by increased cell adherence and increased nonspecific esterase activity but not by a change in the reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium. Protein kinase C (PK-C) activity was increased 35–40% in cells treated for 1 h with TPA alone or after subsequent exposure to RA. Cells treated for 48 h with RA exhibited a 2-fold increase in PK-C activity while cells exposed to TPA for 48 h lost all PK-C activity. The changes in PK-C activity in TPA + RA-treated cells were accompanied by Ca2+/phospholipid(PL)-dependent phosphorylation in vitro of pp38 which is characteristic of treatment with RA alone, as well as the Ca 2+/PL-independent phosphorylation in vitro of pp82 and pp130 (vinculin) which is prevalent in cells treated continuously with TPA alone and is absent in RA-treated cells. These results indicate that the macrophage phenotype induced by TPA + RA is similar to that produced by continuous exposure to TPA alone with respect to their in vitro phosphoprotein patterns, cytochemical markers, cell adherence and morphology, but that the disappearance of PK-C is not an obligatory characteristic of these cells.
MRSA breast abscesses in postpartum women.

Background Infections caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) are being increasingly observed in patients who lack traditional risk factors. While mastitis and breast abscesses are commonly encountered in post-natal women, CA-MRSA breast infections have rarely been reported. Materials and Methods We reviewed 15 postpartum women with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) breast abscesses observed in our unit from June 2005 to April 2007. Ultra-sonographic examination was performed in all cases. MRSA infection was diagnosed on microbiological analysis cultured from the abscesses of these patients. Results The median age of the patients was 31.5 years. The majority of the patients were primiparae (80%). Only one patient was immunocompromised. None of the patients had history of previous breast infection and none developed recurrence. Eleven patients (73.3%) underwent aspiration of pus and four patients (26.7%) underwent incision and drainage. All the cultures were sensitive to co-trimoxazole and vancomycin. Eight (53.3%) of the cultures were also sensitive to erythromycin. Conclusion CA-MRSA is an emerging problem in our obstetric population. CA-MRSA breast infections are clinically responsive to common oral antibiotics such as co-trimoxazole and erythromycin. A high index of suspicion is essential to avoid delay in the clinical response to empirical beta-lactams as these patients may benefit from an early change of antibiotics.
Structure and physiology of the patella-tibia joint receptors in scorpion pedipalps

Abstract 1. 1. Patella-tibia (PT) joint receptors in the pedipalp of the scorpion Centruroides vittatus are described; PT-1 consisting of 8–10 sensory units and PT-2 of 6–8 units. 2. 2. The sensory units are biaxially sensitive, being excited by either flexion or extension and by either dorsal or ventral bending of the PT joint. Within a plane, all units are unidirectionally sensitive. Tonic position-sensitive cells comprise the majority of both PT-1 and PT-2 proprioceptor populations. Phasic afferents, which are active only during actual joint movement, are present as well. 3. 3. A model is presented for central processing interneurons which could be utilized to decipher specific joint information in each plane from the non-specific, biaxially sensitive afferent input.
Conserved anterior boundaries of Hox gene expression in the central nervous system of the leech Helobdella

Molecular developmental studies of fly and mouse embryos have shown that the identity of individual body segments is controlled by a suite of homeobox-containing genes called the Hox cluster. To examine the conservation of this patterning mechanism in other segmented phyla, we here describe four Hox gene homologs isolated from glossiphoniid leeches of the genus Helobdella. Based on sequence similarity and phylogenetic analysis, the leech genes Lox7, Lox6, Lox20, and Lox5 are deemed to be orthologs of the Drosophila genes lab, Dfd, Scr, and Antp, respectively. Sequence similarities between Lox5 and Antp outside the homeodomain and phylogenetic reconstructions suggest that the Antennapedia family of Hox genes (as defined by Burglin, 1994) had already expanded to include at least two discrete Antp and Ubx/abdA precursors prior to the annelid/arthropod divergence. In situ hybridization reveals that the four Lox genes described in this study are all expressed at high levels within the segmented portion of the central nervous system (CNS), with variable levels of expression in the segmental mesoderm. Little or no expression was seen in peripheral ectoderm or endoderm, or in the unsegmented head region (prostomium). Each Lox gene has a distinct anterior expression boundary within one of the four rostral segments, and the anterior-posterior (AP) order of these expression boundaries is identical to that reported for the orthologous Hox gene products in fly and mouse. This finding supports the idea that the process of AP axis differentiation is conserved among the higher metazoan phyla with respect to the regional expression of individual Hox genes along that axis. One unusual feature of leech Hox genes is the observation that some genes are only expressed during later development -- beginning at the time of terminal cell differentiation -- whereas others begin expression at a much earlier stage, and their RNA ceases to be detectable shortly after the onset of expression of the 'late' Hox genes. The functional significance of this temporal disparity is unknown, but it is noteworthy that only the two 'early' Hox genes display high levels of mesodermal expression.
The Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS): Reliability and validity in a stroke sample

The Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS) is an 11-item screening test (maximum score=41 points) that was developed for the assessment of cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer's disease who are unwilling or unable to be examined in person. To investigate the 1-month test-retest reliablility and validity of the TICS in a stroke sample, we administered it twice by telephone to 36 stroke patients (age = 72.3 ± 8.9; education = 9.7 ± 4.7) and 36 stroke-free non-demented control subjects (age = 71.8 ± 6.8; education = 13.1 ± 4.1). Dementia was diagnosed in six stroke patients based on neuropsychological and functional examinations performed during an outpatient visit and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was also given. Multiple regression analyses determined that stroke status was significantly related to performance on the TICS (β= −0.26, p = 0.006), while adjusting for demographic variables. Among stroke patients, test-retest reliability was excellent (r = 0.90, p < 0.001) and performance was significantly correlated with MMSE score (r = 0.86, p <0.001). A TICS cutoff score <25 best distinguished between demented and non-demented patients; sensitivity (1.00) and specificity (0.83) were excellent and comparable to the sensitivity (0.83) and specificity (0.87) of the MMSE, with dementia defined as a score <24/30. We conclude that the TICS is a reliable mental status test that can provide accurate information regarding cognitive function in stroke patients who cannot be assessed in person.
Methylene blue competes with paraquat for reduction by flavo-enzymes resulting in decreased superoxide production in the presence of heme proteins

Methylene blue competes 100 to 600 times more effectively than paraquat for reduction by three different flavo-containing enzymes; xanthine oxidase, NADH cytochrome c reductase, and NADPH cytochrome c reductase. Paraquat and methylene blue both interact with deflavo xanthine oxidase, indicating that neither electron acceptor reacted at the FAD site of the enzyme where molecular oxygen is reduced to superoxide. As the paraquat radical also directly reduced acetylated cytochrome c the hemeprotein could not be utilized for measuring superoxide production in the presence of the herbicide. In the presence of cytochrome c the methylene blue caused a sharp decrease in both paraquat-induced superoxide and hydroxyl radical production.
Laboratory and clinical evaluation of a rapid slide agglutination test for phosphatidylglycerol

Abstract Amniostat-FLM is a recently developed rapid slide agglutination test for amniotic fluid phosphatidylglycerol. We compared phosphatidylglycerol quantitated by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography with phosphatidylglycerol determined by Amniostat-FLM in 180 amniotic fluid samples. If any level of phosphatidylglycerol by thin-layer chromatography, including a trace, was considered positive, then phosphatidylglycerol by thin-layer chromatography and Amniostat-FLM were concordant in 171 of 180 samples (95%). Both were positive in 123 and both negative in 48 samples. The nine amniotic fluid samples with discrepant results were as follows: Five negative Amniostat-FLM results were associated with trace phosphatidylglycerol by thin-layer chromatography (1% to 2% of total phospholipids), one negative Amniostat-FLM result was associated with 3% phosphatidylglycerol by thin-layer chromatography, and three positive Amniostat-FLM results were associated with negative phosphatidylglycerol by thin-layer chromatography results. There were 14 samples with trace phosphatidylglycerol by thin-layer chromatography; of these, there were nine positive and five negative Amniostat-FLM results. If >2% phosphatidylglycerol by thin-layer chromatography was considered positive, concordance between the two tests was 93% (167 of 180). From these samples, 119 infants were delivered within 72 hours of amniocentesis. There were 100 positive Amniostat-FLM results and all were associated with the absence of respiratory distress syndrome; of the 19 negative Amniostat-FLM results, five were associated with infants who developed respiratory distress syndrome. The present study confirms that Amniostat-FLM is a sample, rapid, and accurate test for determining the presence of phosphatidylglycerol in amniotic fluid.
Designing the optimal shutter sequences for the flutter shutter imaging method

Acquiring iris or face images of moving subjects at larger distances using a flash to prevent the motion blur quickly runs into eye safety concerns as the acquisition distance is increased. For that reason the flutter shutter method recently proposed by Raskar et al.has generated considerable interest in the biometrics community. The paper concerns the design of shutter sequences that produce the best images. The number of possible sequences grows exponentially in both the subject' s motion velocity and desired exposure value, with their majority being useless. Because the exact solution leads to an intractable mixed integer programming problem, we propose an approximate solution based on pre - screening the sequences according to the distribution of roots in their Fourier transform. A very fast algorithm utilizing the Jury' s criterion allows the testing to be done without explicitly computing the roots, making the approach practical for moderately long sequences.
Harmine treatment enhances short-term memory in old rats: Dissociation of cognition and the ability to perform the procedural requirements of maze testing.

Abstract Harmine is a naturally occurring monoamine oxidase inhibitor that has recently been shown to selectively inhibit the dual-specificity tyrosine-(Y)-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A). We investigated the cognitive effects of 1 mg (low) Harmine and 5 mg (high) Harmine using the delayed-match-to-sample (DMS) asymmetrical 3-choice water maze task to evaluate spatial working and recent memory, and the Morris water maze task (MM) to test spatial reference memory. Animals were also tested on the visible platform task, a water-escape task with the same motor, motivational, and reinforcement components as the other tasks used to evaluate cognition, but differing in its greater simplicity and that the platform was visible above the surface of the water. A subset of the Harmine-high treated animals showed clear motor impairments on all behavioral tasks, and the visible platform task confirmed a lack of competence to perform the procedural components of water maze testing. After excluding animals from the high dose group that could not perform the procedural components of a swim task, it was revealed that both high- and low-dose treatment with Harmine enhanced performance on the latter portion of DMS testing, but had no effect on MM performance. Thus, this study demonstrates the importance of confirming motor and visual competence when studying animal cognition, and verifies the one-day visible platform task as a reliable measure of ability to perform the procedural components necessary for completion of a swim task.
Development of between-limb movement synchronization in the chick embryo

Spontaneous between-limb movement synchronization is described as the amount of concurrent limb movement observed in 7--19-day chick embryos. At early stages, a wing moved as often with the ipsilateral leg as with the contralateral wing. Later, between-girdle (ipsilateral wing-leg) synchronization progressively decreased and within-girdle (wing-wing) synchronization increased, especially after 15--17 days. Bilaterally synchronized movements of the wings as in flapping and of the legs as in walking appeared at embryonic stages. Both wing and leg motility increased between 7 and 13 days and declined until hatching. The wings and legs were equally active except at 17 and 18 days when the wings moved more frequently than the legs. The left and right wings were equally active. These behavioral events reflect developmental changes in the motor outflow of the central nervous system.
Enzymatic modification of lymphocyte receptors for antigen. III. Resistance of receptors to trypsin at the peak of the immune response.

Using sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) as the antigen, two subpopulations of spleen antigen-binding lymphocytes could be distinguished by a marked difference in the susceptibility of their receptors to trypsin. In unimmunized animals, 30 % of the antigen-binding cells were trypsin-resistant, whereas at 5 days after immunization, 80–90% were trypsin-resistant, indicating an increase of about 50-fold in trypsin-resistant antigen-binding cells per spleen. In contrast, trypsinsensitive cells per spleen were only 4-fold higher on day 5 than before immunization. Therise in % trypsin sensitivity preceded the increase in rosettes per spleen, implying that immunization produced a preferential increase in trypsinresistant antigen binding cells partly by converting sensitive cells to resistant cells. After the 5th day, the trypsin sensitivity of antigen-binding cells slowly returned toward the unimmunized level, but a booster injection of SRBC restored trypsin resistance. Trypsin resistance was not lost in the presence of sodium azide or protein synthesis inhibitors. But a slightly increased trypsin susceptibility was conferred by 2-deoxyglucose, implying that glycolysis or the glycosylation of protein may be involved in maintaining trypsin resistance.
Adsorption Pre-Concentration and Analysis of Dopamine at Platinum Electrode Surfaces

Abstract Studies indicated that dopamine and other catechol-and phenol-containing amines adsorb rapidly onto platinum surfaces. Using this phenomenon to pre-concentrate these compounds at a platinum electrode prior to differential pulse voltammetric analysis, a minimum detectable dopamine concentration of 5 × 10 M can be directly determined.
Plasma thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin concentrations in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

Circulating prostaglandins, including thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin, have been implicated as possible facilitative agents in the growth and dissemination of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of plasma concentrations of these compounds to tumor stage and the effect of surgical resection on plasma prostaglandin levels. Blood samples were obtained from 40 patients with head and neck cancer. Ten treated patients were clinically disease-free (NED), and 30 patients with active disease were previously untreated at the time of this study. Plasma concentrations of thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin were measured by radioimmunoassay of their stable metabolites thromboxane B2 (TxB) and prostaglandin 6-keto-F1 (PGI). Platelet aggregation was performed with normal donor platelets (PRP) and normal control or patient plasma (PPP). TxB and TxB/PGI ratios were increased in T1N0M0 patients, compared with NED and with T4N0M0 primary lesions versus all other groups. With lymphatic and hematogenous metastases, TxB and TxB/PGI ratios fell to NED levels. ADP-induced platelet aggregation was significantly increased in head and neck cancer patients, compared with normal controls, and with T4N0M0 lesions, compared with NED. There were no significant differences in PGI levels. TxB, PGI, TxB/PGI, and platelet aggregometry did not change significantly with curative surgery. TxB and TxB/PGI interactions are involved in head and neck cancer. Changes in TxB and TxB/PGI may be related to increased platelet aggregation.
Summarizing electronic discourse

The explosion of available information on the Internet has fueled the demand for automatic methods of text summarization. Existing approaches have primarily focused on abstracting documents such as news articles or technical papers. In this article, we examine how to create summaries of on-line asynchronous communication, in particular, discussion groups. First, we provide background on the nature of discussions as informal communication, and then we give a short history of computer conferencing and discussion systems. We then explain our approach to the problem and a set of observations and experiments we have done, putting our work in the context of research on automatic text summarization. We then describe a hierarchical discourse summarization algorithm and its implementation in system called Interactive Discussion Summarizer (IDS). We close with discussion and conclusions. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optical conductivities of iron and nickel

The interband optical conductivities of ferromagnetic iron and nickel have been computed using energies and wave functions obtained from recent self-consistent band calculations. The results, with the inclusion of an empirical Drude term, are compared with experiments. Incusion of substantial lifetime broadening (0.5-0.7 eV) is necessary to obtain reasonable agreement with measurements in the range of 2-6 eV. A possible self-energy correction is also discussed.
The role of the environment in the etiology of child maltreatment

The role of the environment in the etiology of child maltreatment has long been debated. Child protection activities have typically focused on the character of alleged perpetrators to the virtual exclusion of the broad social context in which abuse and neglect occurs. Evidence of the stressful effects of environmental circumstance on adults in disadvantaged families is substantial. Overwhelming social forces that act on parents with few resources or skills with which to cope and adapt can produce violent tendencies that lead to the mistreatment of their children. There is established theory to guide the design and implementation of programs sensitive to the potentially strong environmental influence of the behavior of abusive and neglectful family members.
Distortion of gold partial denture castings

Abstract In the technique survey it is significant that three of the seventy-nine castings (3.8 per cent) were unacceptable. Of these, one was the direct result of the displacement of the wax pattern by secondary investment; one failure was due to accidental mechanical distortion during the final polish; the third failure was due to the casting being warped during the soldering operation. For the entire technique survey, thirty-six castings (45.5 per cent) showed some visible evidence of warpage, but not sufficient to prohibit their use. The majority of unexplained discrepancies occurred either after the soldering or the annealing operation. Eleven of the seventy-nine castings failed to fit properly after the initial polish and sprue cutting. Of these eleven, six misfits were the result of an over-polishing of the rest surfaces, and one was the result of the displacement of the wax pattern. The laboratory studies show that eight castings developed slight discrepancies immediately following the soldering operation. These discrepancies increased with the successive stages of softening and hardening operations. Both the technique and laboratory castings showed similar changes, with the only significant changes being in the seventy of distortion. In nearly all castings the lingual bar tended to spread at its distal ends in such a manner as to force the section of the bar below the major abutment teeth into closer contact with the cast, sometimes to the point of serious impingement. At the same time a relief space tended to develop under the center section of the bar, lingual to the incisor teeth. The major occlusal rests showed a tendency to raise off the tooth surface, frequently more on the buccal surface, due to a twisting action of the major connector. This action tended to force the lingual portion of the resin retention lug into closer contact with the edentulous ridge, and the buccal portion of the lug farther from the ridge. Some castings which showed less of the twisting tendency and more of a straight spreading of the distal ends resulted in the major occlusal rests contacting only on the lingual slope of the buccal cusps with a resulting space under the lingual side of the rest. When surveying all of the results for both the technique and laboratory studies, one factor seems to stand out from the others. The more heat treatment the castings receive, the greater are the chances of producing distortion. By heat treatment is meant any operation which consists of heating the casting to a high temperature and then cooling it. This included the casting process, together with the method of cooling, and the soldering, annealing, and hardening operations.
Density estimates for deep-sea gastropod assemblages

Abstract Extensive boxcore sampling in the Atlantic Continental Slope and Rise study permitted the first precise measurement of gastropod density in the bathyal region of the deep sea. Gastropod density decreases significantly and exponentially with depth (250–3494 m), and density-depth regression lines do not differ significantly in either slope or elevatiob over horizontal scales of approximately 1000 km. The subclasses Prosobranchia and Opisthobranchia both show significant decreases in density with depth. Predatory taxa (neogastropods and opisthobranchs) exhibit significantly steeper declines in density with depth than do taxa dominated by deposit feeders (archaeogastropods and mesogastropods). Members of upper trophic levels may be more sensitive to the reduction in nutrient input with increased depth because of the energy loss between trophic levels in the food chain. A comparison of density estimates of gastropods from boxcore, grab and anchor-dredge samples taken in the same region revealed no significant differences in density-depth relationships among the sampling methods. A synthesis of data from 777 boxcore samples collected from the Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific over a depth range of 250–7298 m indicates that the decline in gastropod density with depth is a global trend with only moderate inter-regional variation.
Tidal Channel Diatom Assemblages Reflect within Wetland Environmental Conditions and Land Use at Multiple Scales

We characterized regional patterns of the tidal channel benthic diatom community and examined the relative importance of local wetland and surrounding landscape level factors measured at multiple scales in structuring this assemblage. Surrounding land cover was characterized at the 100, 250, 1,000 m, and watershed buffer scales. Tidal channel benthic diatom communities were characterized by high species richness, abundance of rare species, and an abundance of species characterized as meso-eutraphentic and eutraphentic. The number of species per site ranged between 21 and 60 (mean ± standard deviation 43.5 ± 9.4). Abundant and frequently occurring taxa included Planothidium delicatulum, Navicula gregaria, and Amphora coffeaeformis. The tidal channel benthic diatom community was most strongly correlated with variables related to human disturbance at all scales surrounding the wetland and not with any tidal channel water quality parameter, including salinity. Furthermore, developed and impervious surface land covers within the 100 and 250 m buffers were more strongly correlated with the diatom assemblage than these covers at larger spatial scales. Species richness and Shannon diversity index were both negatively correlated with the amount of wetland and mudflat surrounding the sites. Of secondary importance in structuring the diatom assemblage were sediment nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in wetlands immediately surrounding the tidal channels. The sensitivity of the tidal creek benthic diatom assemblage to both wetland and landscape level factors indicates that it might be a useful bioindicator of human disturbance to tidal wetland ecosystems.
Hyatt Corporation v. Women’s International Bowling Congress, Inc Hotel Room Attrition Issues

Attrition clauses in hotel group sales agreements are potentially contentious issues for hotel operators and meeting planners. However, an analysis of the classic case of Hyatt Corporation v. Women’s International Bowling Congress, Inc. shows the pitfalls of a poorly drawn agreement. Based on that analysis, the most effective attrition clauses would, among other things, balance the competing needs of the hotel and its clients. Such an agreement would specify the cutoff times for cancellation of the room block and permit slippage of the block. It would also provide for liquidated damages for the loss of business to the hotel for rooms not picked up. While the agreement would allow the hotel to sell rooms not picked up, it would at the same time reduce the attrition charges by whatever profit the hotel realizes from those sales. Likewise, if the hotel shortcuts the block, damages would be reduced. Finally, the contract should address compensation to the group if the hotel must walk group members due to over...
Inheritance of Grain Dormacy in White-Kernelled Wheat

(...) We have investigated the inheritance of grain dormancy from white-kernelled wheats «Clark's Cream» and NY6432-18, in crosses with white-kernelled wheats «Geneva» and «Houser». Germination tests were performed on mature seed from several generations, with multilocation testing in advanced generations. Dormancy from each of the two sources shows largely dominant genetic effects, modification by background genotype, and a strong influence of environment. (...)
Continuity in software systems

Most engineering artifacts behave in a continuous fashion, and this property is generally believed to underlie their dependability. In contrast, software systems do not have continuous behavior, which is taken to be an underlying cause of their undependability. The theory of software reliability has been questioned because technically the sampling on which it is based applies only to continuous functions.This paper examines the role of continuity in engineering, particularly in testing and certifying artifacts, then considers the analogous software situations and the ways in which software is intrinsically unlike other engineered objects. Several definitions of software 'continuity' are proposed and related to ideas in software testing. It is shown how 'continuity' can be established in practice, and the consequences for testing and analysis of knowing that a program is 'continuous.Underlying any use of software 'continuity' is the continuity of its specification in the usual mathematical sense. However, many software applications are intrinsically discontinuous and one reason why software is so valuable is its natural ability to handle these applications, where it makes no sense to seek software 'continuity' or to blame poor dependability on its absence.