cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reducing fears and increasing assertiveness: The role of dissonance reduction

Abstract In the research paradigm known as effort justification, people engage in an effortful activity in order to attain a goal. As a result, the goal becomes more attractive. Two experiments were conducted to test the notion that the effort justification sequence can account for the positive changes that result from psychotherapy. In the first experiment, subjects who were afraid to approach a snake underwent one of two types of effortful therapy. One was a modified form of an anxiety-producing therapy known as “implosive therapy”; the other was merely a set of physical exercises. It was reasoned, on the basis of cognitive dissonance theory, that the expenditure of effort would lead to a positive change in the ability to approach the snake but only under conditions of high decision freedom. Half of the subjects in each of the therapy conditions participated with high choice; the other half with low choice. Subjects' improvement in their approach to snakes was assessed. A main effect for decision freedom was predicted and found independently of the type of effort that subjects expended. A second experiment conceptually replicated the findings of the first experiment. Subjects who wanted to become more assertive participated in an effortful, physical exercise therapy or in a modified form of the standard treatment for fear of assertiveness. The results of the 2 × 2 factorial experiment again showed a main effect for decision freedom such that high choice subjects became more assertive. The findings were discussed in terms of dissonance and attribution theories as well as for implications for future consideration of psychotherapy.
Two color interferometry with nonlinear refractive properties

Using nonlinear refractive properties of salt-water solution at two wavelengths, numerical analysis has been performed to extract temperature and concentration from virtual interferometric fringe data. The theoretical study, using a commercially available equation solving tool, starts with critical fringe counting needs and the role of nonlinear refractive properties in such measurements. Finally, methodology of the analysis, developed codes, and fringe counting accuracy needs are described in detail.
Thyroxine stimulation of tadpole liver histone phosphorylation in vivo.

Abstract The in vivo phosphorylation of histones in the livers of Rana catesbeiana tadpoles was followed during the course of thyroxine-induced metamorphosis. Phosphorylation of histones H1 and H2a, and possibly of histone H4 at a low level, was observed in all animals. After correction for specific radioactivity of liver inorganic phosphate pools, an apparent wave of phosphorylation of histones was found to occur between 2 and 8 days of thyroxine treatment, with a peak increase of approximately 2- to 5-fold for histones H2a and H1. The increases in liver histone phosphorylation are approximately coincident with well-documented increases in the levels of various liver enzymes and occur in the absence of any change in the low basal rate of histone or DNA synthesis in this organ. This is apparently the first instance of increased phosphorylation of both H1 and H2a which is not coincident with or precedent to increases in cellular proliferation rates.
The effects of pancreatectomy on tissue taurine of the American eel under varying osmotic and nutritional conditions.

Abstract 1. 1. Long-term fasting was accompanied by a significant increase of taurine concentration in myocardium and white muscle. 2. 2. After transfer to seawater taurine concentrations in the myocardium decreased significantly in long-term fasted eels (5–6 months), whereas an opposite trend occurred in short-term fasted eels (6–8 weeks). Taurine concentrations of white muscle of both groups decreased after transfer to seawater. The same trend existed in the gills, but the decrease was not significant. 3. 3. Pancreatectomy in freshwater eels caused a highly significant fall in taurine levels in both myocardium and gills but had no effect on taurine levels in white muscle. Pancreatectomy and subsequent transfer to seawater led to decreased taurine levels in myocardium only.
Development and application of an efficient moving sectional approach for the solution of the atmospheric aerosol condensation/evaporation equations

Abstract Condensation of gases (H2SO4, NH3, HNO3, low vapor pressure organics, etc.) onto existing aerosols can account for a significant portion of fine particulate matter. Since aerosols affect human health, visibility, and climate change, it is important to be able to model condensation/evaporation accurately in order to predict how particle mass will change over time. (Atmos. Environ. 34 (2000) 2957) proposed adapting the trajectory-grid method, used for solving the transport equation, to solve the condensation/evaporation equation. Their preliminary results showed it to be fast and accurate in simple systems (one component, etc.). The approach of Chock and Winkler has been modified for implementation in both the Hybrid method (Atmos. Environ. 34 (2000) 3617) and the improved multicomponent aerosol dynamics model (MADM) (Aerosol Sci. Technol. 32 (2000) 482) The first improvement in MADM modifies the method for restricting the acidic flux, while the second reduces physically meaningless dry/wet oscillations in the aerosol phase by assuming the aerosol is metastable when these oscillations are present. Measurements in Claremont, CA in August of 1987 are used to evaluate the new method in a one-dimensional model and the October 1995 PM episode in the South Coast Air Basin in CA is used for evaluation in a three-dimensional chemical transport model (PMCAMx). The trajectory-grid method allows the use of a simple scheme for time step selection and provides at least a factor of two or three reduction in computational requirements compared to an ODE solver at the same level of accuracy. The improvements to MADM also have a significant effect on performance, providing over an order of magnitude reduction in computational requirements compared to the original MADM. In the three-dimensional chemical transport model, the Hybrid method of (Atmos. Environ. (2000) 3617) is applied which assumes the smallest particles are in equilibrium while the condensation/evaporation equation is solved for the larger ones. Combined with the improvements to MADM and trajectory-grid method, this Hybrid approach takes just three to four times the computational requirements of assuming bulk equilibrium for all particles, while providing more accurate predictions of the aerosol size distribution.
DC Arc in Emission Spectrography: I. Some Observations on the Influence of Lithium Compounds as Buffers:

The results of a series of experiments are reported in which buffers, consisting of a range of concentrations of various lithium compounds in graphite, were mixed with synthetic samples containing suitable concentrations of selected elements and the mixtures were then burned in the anode of a dc arc. Anode temperatures during the lifetime of the arc have been observed with the help of a thermistor bolometer and chart recorder. Arc-column temperatures were calculated from the relative intensities of the Mg lines 2783.6 and 3336.7 A. From these observations, and the measured intensities of spectrum lines, conclusions are drawn regarding the effect of each buffer compound on arc and electrode temperature, vaporization rates, are wandering, and general efficiency of the arc source.
A comparison of the ganglioblocking and curariform effects of 3,4-dithiahexane-1,6-bis-trimethylammonium diiodide and hexonium [hexamethonium]

The authors studied the effect of the following preparations on the sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia and on neuromuscular transmission: Hexonium, 3,4-dithiahexane-1,6-bis-trimethylammonium diiodide (Dithiahexonium) and 4,5-dithiaoctane-1,8-dis-trimethylammonium diiodide.
Practice what we preach? HIV knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors of adolescents and adolescent peer educators.

The purpose of this article is to (a) describe the knowledge, beliefs, and sexual behaviors of urban adolescents and adolescent peer educators, and (b) identify elements needed to design effective HIV/AIDS prevention programs for out-of-school youth. Thirthree predominantly African American adolescents (female=14; male=19) between the ages of 14 and 24 in a large urban city including adolescents (n=18) and adolescent peer educators (n=15) participated. Paper-and-pencil questionnaire and focus-group interviewing methods were used. Adolescents and adolescent peer educators had a moderately high level of HIV knowledge, confidence in their ability to use condoms, and beliefs that condom use would not decrease sexual pleasure or imply infidelity. Both groups reported low perceptions of susceptibility to HIV infection. Engagement in sexual risk behavior was low, but was significantly higher among males. Although adolescent male peer educators engaged in a higher frequency of risk behaviors over time, they had a lower frequency of sexual risk behaviors in the past 2 months compared with male adolescents. Study findings showed that HIV prevention interventions need to include information about specific risk behaviors, such as using condoms for oral sex, and cleaning drug paraphernalia. Community-based and church programs, visible HIV prevention messages, specifically those aimed at increasing perceptions of HIV risk, and the development of condom-use skills were identified by adolescents and adolescent peer educators as relevant approaches to reduce HIV infection among this population.
Seasonal fluctuations in zinc speciation within a contaminated wetland.

The cycling of common sorbents such as metal (hydr)oxides, carbonates, and sulfides in redox-active environments influences the partitioning of associated trace elements such as zinc. Consequently, fluctuations in redox status may in part determine the availability and mobility of Zn and other trace elements. This research examines changes in Zn speciation in a contaminated wetland soil that undergoes seasonal flooding. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was employed to identify and quantify Zn species from soil cores collected over a 1-year cycle as a function of water depth, location, and soil depth. Zinc associated with (hydr)oxide phases in dry, oxidized soils and with sulfides and carbonates in flooded systems. An increase in water level was accompanied by a reversible change in Zn fractionation toward ZnS and ZnCO3. However, a small, recalcitrant fraction of Zn associated with (hydr)oxides remained even when the soils were exposed to highly reducing conditions. Water depth and redox potential were ...
SV40 small t deletion mutants preferentially transform mononuclear phagocytes and B lymphocytes in vivo

Hamsters injected intracardiacally with wild-type SV40 developed diverse tumors, with no one type predominating. However, hamsters injected with small t deletion mutants of SV40 uniformly developed true histiocytic or B-cell lymphomas, both of which arise from rapidly dividing cell populations, with very few tumors of other types. Our results are consistent with in vitro studies which suggest a requirement for the small t function in SV40 transformation of nondividing cells.
THE REMEDIATION OF WRITTEN EXPRESSION PROBLEMS: “BEST” PRACTICES FOR TEACHING COMPOSITION SKILLS

“Best” practices currently available for teaching learning disabled students composition skills are discussed. Principles for teaching based on research and experiences with students are presented. Research with learning disabled students is reviewed with an emphasis on teaching such students the writing process. Materials for instruction that incorporate these practices are described.
Electrophysiologic and proarrhythmic effects of intravenous inotropic agents

Intravenous inotropic agents promote increased myocardial contractility via elevation of myocyte calcium concentrations, a mechanism that is also known to promote the development of cardiac arrhythmias. The purpose of this article is to review the electrophysiologic effects and relative potential for proarrhythmia associated with dobutamine, dopamine, and the phosphodiesterase inhibitors amrinone and milrinone. Dobutamine increases sinoatrial node automaticity and decreases atrial and atrioventricular (AV) node refractoriness and AV nodal conduction time. The drug also decreases ventricular refractoriness in both healthy and ischemic myocardium. Dobutamine has been shown to increase heart rate in a dose-related fashion in animals and in humans. In humans, dobutamine has been reported to induce ventricular ectopic activity (VEA) in 3% to 15% of patients, although VEAs are often asymptomatic, requiring no intervention. Ventricular tachycardia (VT) associated with dobutamine appears to occur rarely. Patients with underlying arrhythmias or heart failure or those receiving excessive doses of dobutamine are at greatest risk for proarrhythmia. Dopamine increases automaticity in Purkinje fibers and has a biphasic effect on action potential duration. Dopamine has been reported to induce atrial or ventricular arrhythmias in animals. In humans, dopamine may be associated with dose-related sinus tachycardia but has also been reported to cause VEA, which is usually asymptomatic. Dopamine-associated VT appears to occur rarely. Dopamine produces greater elevations in heart rate or frequency of ventricular premature beats at a given value of cardiac index than does dobutamine. The phosphodiesterase inhibitors amrinone and milrinone increase conduction through the AV node and decrease atrial refractoriness. Intravenous administration of these drugs may result in sinus tachycardia in some patients and has been reported to cause VEA, which is often asymptomatic, in up to 17% of patients. VT has also been reported in association with short-term use of intravenous phosphodiesterase inhibitors. In summary, intravenous inotropic agents may be associated with proarrhythmic effects in some patients. The primary arrhythmias reported are sinus tachycardia and VEA, although other supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias have been reported less commonly. However, clinically significant proarrhythmic effects associated with these agents appear to occur rarely, and, at conventional doses, intravenous inotropic agents are relatively safe with respect to proarrhythmic effects.
A level set approach for computing solutions to incompressible two-phase flow

A level set approach for computing solutions to incompressible two-phase flow is presented. The interface between the two fluids is considered to be sharp and is described as the zero level set of a smooth function. A new treatment of the level set method allows us to efficiently maintain the level set function as the signed distance from the interface. We never have to explicitly reconstruct or find the zero level set. Consequently, we are able to handle arbitrarily complex topologies, large density and viscosity ratios, and surface tension, on relatively coarse grids. We use a second order projection method along with a second order upwinded procedure for advecting the momentum and level set equations. We consider the motion of air bubbles and water drops. We also compute flows with multiple fluids such as air, oil, and water.
Intervention costs and cost-effectiveness for a multiple-risk-factor diabetes self-management trial for Latinas: economic analysis of ¡Viva Bien!

Information on cost-effectiveness of multiple-risk-factor lifestyle interventions for Latinas with diabetes is lacking. The aim of this paper is to evaluate costs and cost-effectiveness for iViva Bien!, a randomized trial targeting Latinas with type 2 diabetes. We estimated 6-month costs; calculated incremental costs per behavioral, biologic, and quality-of-life change; and performed sensitivity analyses from health plan and participant perspectives. Recruitment, intervention, and participant costs were estimated at $45,896, $432,433, and $179,697, respectively. This translates to $4,634 in intervention costs per iViva Bien! participant; $7,723 in both per unit reduction in hemoglobin A1c and per unit reduction in body mass index. Although costs may be higher than interventions that address one risk factor, potential risks for longer-term health-care costs are high for this at-risk group. Given the benefits of iViva Bien!, cost reductions are recommended to enhance its efficiency, adoption, and long-term maintenance without diluting its effectiveness.
Venus methane and water

The Pioneer Venus Large Probe Neutral Mass Spectrometer collected data that apparently, but almost surely misleadingly, indicate the presence of a large amount of methane (1000- 6000 ppm) in the atmosphere of Venus from 60 km to the surface. The measured ratio of CH3D to CH4 was about 5 x 10 -3 . The ratio for Venus methane equilibrated with water would have been 9 x 10 -2 and for terrestrial methane 6 x 10 -4. Transfer of deuterium from atmospheric HDO to poorly deuterated methane can account for the strange gradient in the water vapor mixing ratio below 10 km previously reported. Similar deuterium transfer within the mass spectrometer causes reduction in the apparent ratio of HDO to H20. A full accounting for the deuterium atoms increases the ratio from 100 to 157 times terrestrial. This, in turn, leads to a revised value of 28 ppm, constant with altitude below 25 km, for the mixing ratio of water vapor. Terrestrial methane mixed with 136Xe was introduced into the instrument for technical reasons and is the logical candidate for the source. But the methane detected, unlike
Optical Limiting Using Self-Focusing And Self-Bending Of Light By A Nematic Liquid Crystal Film

A.E. Kaplan, School of Electrical Engineering, Purdue University, West LafayetteIndiana 47907AbstractOptimal power limiting effects associated with self -focusing and self-bending oflight in nematic liquid crystal films are studied using low power cw lasers and high powernanosecond pulse lasers.IntroductionTransverse self phase modulation associated with the transverse intensity profile ofa laser beam, and the related self focusing, optical switching and bistability phenomenahave received considerable attention recently.1'-3 In conjunction with highly nonlinearmaterials, these effects have shown promises for applications in optical processings andlogic element fabrications. One possible application of transverse self phase modulationis in the fabrication of passive optical limiters, in which the devices possess hightransmission at low optical intensity, and, via the nonlinear refractive effect, switchover to a low transmission mode at high input intensity.3 The process is basically aspatial redistribution of the laser power in the transmitted observation plane.
Exact solution of a two-channel cavity QED model using coupled angular momenta

We study a cavity QED model where a single three-level atom interacts with four quantized cavity fields in a Raman-type interaction, forming two transition channels for the atom. We show that this system is equivalent to the coupling of three angular momenta, and give its exact eigenenergies and eigenvectors in terms of Clebsch-Gordan coefficients, even if the ac Stark shift is included. Some Heisenberg operators are solved exactly as well as approximately. Dynamical evolution of average photon numbers and the atomic inversion are discussed for several initial conditions and a simple example of model interference is examined.
Comparisons of several transport models in their predictions in typical space radiation environments

Abstract We have used several transport codes to calculate dose and dose equivalent values as well as the particle spectra behind a slab or inside a spherical shell shielding in typical space radiation environments. Two deterministic codes, HZETRN and UPROP, and two Monte Carlo codes, FLUKA and Geant4, are included. A soft solar particle event, a hard solar particle event, and a solar minimum galactic cosmic rays environment are considered; and the shielding material is either aluminum or polyethylene. We find that the dose values and particle spectra from HZETRN are in general rather consistent with Geant4 except for neutrons. The dose equivalent values from HZETRN and Geant4 are not far from each other, but the HZETRN values behind shielding are often lower than the Geant4 values. Results from FLUKA and Geant4 are mostly consistent for considered cases. However, results from the legacy code UPROP are often quite different from the other transport codes, partly due to its non-consideration of neutrons. Comparisons for the spherical shell geometry exhibit the same qualitative features as for the slab geometry. In addition, results from both deterministic and Monte Carlo transport codes show that the dose equivalent inside the spherical shell decreases from the center to the inner surface and this decrease is large for solar particle events; consistent with an earlier study based on deterministic radiation transport results. This study demonstrates both the consistency and inconsistency among these transport models in their typical space radiation predictions; further studies will be required to pinpoint the exact physics modules in these models that cause the differences and thus may be improved.
Effect of dodecanoic acid on the colonisation of sugar beet by aphids and the secondary spread of virus yellows

SUMMARY The effect of dodecanoic acid, a behaviour-controlling chemical which alters aphid feeding behaviour and virus transmission efficiency, was studied under field conditions. In a first experiment, dodecanoic acid reduced the level of natural colonisation of sugar beet by Aphis fabae. A second experiment revealed no significant influence of dodecanoic acid on the secondary spread of the semi-persistent beet yellows virus and the persistent beet mild yellowing virus.
Anisotropy and energy spectrum of PF ion-cluster emission

Summary form only given, as follows. The multiple sharp peaks of the D/sup +/-ion energy spectrum below 1 MeV from the Thomson (parabola) spectrometer are typical of the ion emission from plasma focus discharges at 90/spl deg//spl plusmn/45/spl deg/ [electrode axis at 0/spl deg/]. Similar peaks are less frequently observed at 0/spl deg/. This anisotropy is consistent with a greater fluence of ion clusters and superclusters [with very high mass/charge ratio, M/Z/spl ges/10/sup 6/] crossing the pinch magnetic field, as opposed to a lower fluence of single ions crossing the field at 90/spl deg/. Cluster disintegration in flight, after crossing the pinch field, is a clear cause of spectral peaks. The single-ion fluence usually dominates over the cluster population fluence at 0/spl deg/. The relative weight of different cluster-disintegration processes, as collisions with the background gas or with solid structures on the cluster trajectory is determined by other spectral characteristics of single ions and of low magic-number clusters. These are, typically, the origin of all parabolas (of different ion species) from a constant-velocity-line or, alternatively, from a constant-energy-line, on a Thomson spectrometer target exposed to a single discharge.
Controlled comparison of topical anesthetic agents in flexible upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Topical anesthetics are generally part of the premedication associated with upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Selection is not usually based on objective criteria. We performed a randomized study comparing six anesthetic agents: three sprays (Cetacaine ® , Hurricaine ® , and 10% Xylocaine ® spray) and three gargles (2% lidocaine, and two combinations of 2% lidocaine diluted 1:1 with mouthwash). Normal subjects, experienced in undergoing gastroscopy, underwent repeated upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examinations with a 34 F Pentax fiberscope. Topical anesthetic was the only premedication used. The parameters evaluated by the subjects were taste, effectiveness of anesthesia, and ease of scope passage. At the end of the trial each subject ranked the agents in order of preference. Although subjects differed in their preference for the different anesthetic agents (sometimes significantly), there was no single parameter such as taste, degree of anesthesia, or ease of passage of the endoscope that could be correlated with overall preference. All agents gave acceptable levels of local anesthesia, although there was a distinct subjective preference for spray forms. We recommend that if a local anesthetic is used, it should be one of the spray formulations. This recommendation is based on safety, the relative ease of application, and the lack of profound differences between agents.
Role of Fission Yeast Myosin I in Organization of Sterol-Rich Membrane Domains

Summary Specialized membrane domains containing lipid rafts are thought to be important for membrane processes such as signaling and trafficking [1, 2]. An unconventional type I myosin has been shown to reside in lipid rafts and function to target a disaccharidase to rafts in brush borders of intestinal mammalian cells [3]. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, distinct sterol-rich membrane domains are formed at the cell division site and sites of polarized cell growth at cell tips [4]. Here, we show that the sole S. pombe myosin I, myo1p, is required for proper organization of these membrane domains. myo1 mutants lacking the TH1 domain exhibit a uniform distribution of sterol-rich membranes all over the plasma membrane throughout the cell cycle. These effects are independent of endocytosis because myo1 mutants exhibit no endocytic defects. Conversely, overexpression of myo1p induces ectopic sterol-rich membrane domains. Myo1p localizes to nonmotile foci that cluster in sterol-rich plasma membrane domains and fractionates with detergent-resistant membranes. Because the myo1p TH1 domain may bind directly to acidic phospholipids, these findings suggest a model for how type I myosin contributes to the organization of specialized membrane domains.
Natural pH gradients formed by amino acids: Ampholyte distribution, time course, use in electrofocusing of protein, relation to pH gradients in isotachophoresis, and separator effects

Abstract Natural pH gradients can be formed from as few as seven amino acids when a polyacrylamide gel, containing a mixture of the 0.01 m amino acids, is placed in an electric field between 0.01 m anolyte and catholyte solutions of the isoelectric “leading” and “trailing” amino acids in the mixture. The amino acids seem to distribute at or near the anodic and cathodic pH gradient terminals, as well as in a position along the pH gradient approximating their isoelectric point (pI). Only the two amino acids at the terminals in contact with identical electrolytes at their pIs are isoelectric and distribute in single peaks. The electrofocusing at or near its pI of a protein in a pH gradient formed by amino acids was demonstrated. Stacking of the seven amino acids (0.015 mmol each) in a multiphasic buffer system operative at pH 10.4 gives rise to a spatially extended pH gradient within the stack suitable for “cascade stacking.” After transposition of the extended stack between isoelectric “leading” (anolyte) and “trailing” (catholyte) constituents, this pH gradient was maintained. Amino acid electrofocusing provides a tool for the comprehensive physical-chemical analysis of pH gradients and electrofocusing by measurement of the positions, peak widths, and peak shapes of defined carrier ampholytes as a function of time.
Raman Characterization of the BEDT-TTF(ClO4)2 Salt

Abstract The major Raman scattering peaks of BEDT-TTF(ClO4)2 have been assigned by comparison to the isotopically labeled 13C(4)-BEDT-TTF(ClO4)2 and 13C(6)-BEDT-TTF(ClO4)2 salts. The υ2, υ3, and υ6 A g modes are associated with the C=C vibrations and the Raman shifts are found to decrease with increasing oxidation state of the ET molecules. The υ9 and υ10 A g modes are associated with the sulfur (C-S) related vibrations and the Raman shifts are observed to increase with increasing oxidation state of the ET molecules.
Relative Risks of Deer-Vehicle Collisions Along Road Types in Southeast Michigan

Deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) are a substantial hazard throughout much of North America. Our objective was to determine relative risk for DVCs based on road characteristics and dominant land cover types, and to illustrate the use of relative risk assessment in wildlife management. Relative risk compares the probability of being in one event relative to the probability of being in another event. We determined relative risk of DVCs by comparing 1,350 DVC locations against 1,350 randomly selected non-DVC locations within three counties in southeast Michigan. Relative risk of a DVC was greater on rural roads compared to urban roads, roads with traffic volume >120 vehicles/h compared to roads with ≤120 vehicles/h, and high and medium speed roads compared to lower speed roads. Our findings provide guidance for identifying risks of DVCs related to road attributes, and prioritizing management strategies in an objective manner to mitigate risk from DVCs.
Evaluation criteria for emergency response plans in radiological transporation

Abstract This paper identifies a set of general criteria which can be used as guides for evaluating emergency response plans prepared in connection with the tra The criteria listed above should not be seen as an exhaustive list of all important factors in emergency response plans for coping with radiological tr
Power series solutions for the KPP equation

In this paper we solve the KPP equation by a non numerical method. To this end we find power series solutions where the coefficients are computed recursively. We also prove convergence of the series and illustrate the method by few examples.
Finite type submanifolds in pseudo-Euclidean spaces and applications

By applying these results, we will provethe following. (1) There exist no compact space-like hypersurfaces with constantmean curvature and constant scalar curvature in the anti-de Sitter space-time;(2) Every compact hypersurface with constant mean curvature and constantscalar curvature in a hyperbolic space is a small hypersphere and (3) If
RETINAL TRANSPLANTATION: Will Blind Patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa be Able to See Again?

Manuel del Cerro will give the Smith-Kettlewell Lecture at the Vision Science and Its Applications Topical Meeting this month. In this article based on his talk, he and his coauthors describe retinitis pigmentosa and explain how retinal transplantation might lead to better sight for those suffering from this disease.
Symmetry handling in calculations of properties of atoms in molecules

Abstract Substantial savings in computational cost are realized upon the incorporation of symmetry handling into calculations of electronic properties of the quantum-mechanically defined atoms in molecules (AIMs). These savings are achieved by explicitly computing the properties of only those topological entities (AIMs, critical points, attractor interaction lines, etc.) that are symmetry-unique. Simple transformation formulae that relate properties of the symmetry-derived AIMs to those of the symmetry-unique ones are employed. The gains in computational performance that arise from the present implementation of symmetry handling are demonstrated with sample calculations on a variety of molecular systems treated at diverse levels of theory.
Demographic Characteristics and Sexual Behaviors Associated with Methamphetamine Use among MSM and Non-MSM diagnosed with AIDS in Los Angeles County

Demographic and behavioral factors associated with methamphetamine use are presented for 455 men who have sex with men (MSM) and 228 non-MSM diagnosed with AIDS in Los Angeles County (LAC) from 2000 to 2004, as there are limited population-based data for these subgroups. Lifetime methamphetamine use was 35% for MSM, 14% for non-MSM, 50% for white MSM, and 35% for black MSM. Methamphetamine use in the previous 12 months among MSM (11%) and non-MSM (0.4%) was less than lifetime use. Compared to MSM with no history of methamphetamine use in a multivariate analysis, MSM methamphetamine users were more likely to be non-Latino (white or black) (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.6, 4.9) compared to Latino and reported ≥10 sexual partners in the previous 12 months (OR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.7, 5.6). These data indicate that methamphetamine has been widely used by both MSM and non-MSM with AIDS in LAC and that lifetime use is associated with sexual risk behaviors among MSM.
Aerosol particle absorption spectroscopy by photothermal modulation of Mie scattered light.

Absorption spectroscopy of suspended submicron-sized aqueous ammonium-sulfate aerosol droplets has been performed by employing a CO/sub 2/ laser to photothermally modulate visible Mie scattered light. (AIP)
Realizing Daisaku Ikeda's Educational Philosophy through Language Learning and Study Abroad: A Critical Instrumental Case Study.

This article focuses in two ways on Daisaku Ikeda (b. 1928) and language and culture education. First, the author excerpts Ikeda's translated and lesser-known Japanese speeches to explicate his view of world language learning and cultural exchange as curricular components of a broader educational philosophy for becoming “fully human.” Second, the author presents findings from a critical instrumental case study that used ethnographic and discourse analytic methods to examine how students realize Ikeda's philosophy through their language learning and study abroad experiences.
Ice crystal growth in water vapor at high saturation

A simple technique is presented for estimating the energy of formation of monolayer icelike clusters at ice–vapor interfaces. Under the assumptions that the ice surfaces are smooth and sparsely covered with monomers, dimers, etc., in near equilibrium with the vapor, and that the bond energies and configurational entropy dominate the energy of formation, it is found that the basal surfaces prefer triangular embryos with an orientation which reverses from layer to layer, whereas the most stable clusters on the prism surfaces are rectangular in configuration. The preferred prism clusters are determined to have a significantly lower critical energy of formation than the basal clusters due to differences in both corner free energy and configurational entropy. This phenomenon provides a mechanism for strongly anisotropic crystal growth at high saturations.
Some Dimensions of Trust in Business Practices: From Financial and Product Representation to Licensure and Voting

This paper is an examination of the role of trust in the previous seven papers in this issue of the Journal. Trust and trustworthiness are briefly characterized; their importance in business itself and in business ethics is briefly described; and each paper is discussed in relation to how trust figures in the ethical issues it raises. The overall discussion brings out the need for further work on the nature of trust and on the elements in business, such as transparency, that apparently help to sustain it.
Commutant lifting and interpolation: The time-varying case

We show how the commutant lifting theorem for nest algebras due to Paulsen and Power can be used to give a unified framework for the treatment of a variety of interpolation problems for nest algebras which have been considered recently in the literature. Applications include the treatment of robust control for time-varying systems.
Trends in energy-efficient computing: A perspective from the Green500

A recent study shows that computation per kilowatt-hour has doubled every 1.57 years, akin to Moore's Law. While this trend is encouraging, its implications to high-performance computing (HPC) are not yet clear. For instance, DARPA's target of a 20-MW exaflop system will require a 56.8-fold performance improvement with only a 2.4-fold increase in power consumption, which seems unachievable in light of the above trend. To provide a more comprehensive perspective, we analyze current trends in energy efficiency from the Green500 and project expectations for the near future. Specifically, we first provide an analysis of energy efficiency trends in HPC systems from the Green500. We then model and forecast the energy efficiency of future HPC systems. Next, we present exascalar - a holistic metric to measure the distance from the exaflop goal. Finally, we discuss our efforts to standardize power measurement methodologies in order to provide the community with reliable and accurate efficiency data.
Building Community Trust Through Cooperatives: A Case Study of a Worker-Owned Homecare Cooperative

Trusting relationships bind people together. Building community trust is increasingly being identified as a viable strategy for improving the well-being of community members. This article explores how cooperatives build trust among worker-owners as well as with their clients and other professionals. It reviews theoretical and empirical perspectives on trust and cooperatives. Data were obtained from semi-structured interviews, document review and a survey. It was observed that cooperatives provide regular contacts among members, and between members and their clients and professionals during training, conferences, task oriented committees, general membership meetings, and social events. This fosters shared understanding, empathy, openness, and confidence, which in turn promotes the building and maintenance of deeper and wider trust.
Case report 476

Observation d'un homme de 29 ans presentant une baisse de l'acuite visuelle au niveau de l'œil gauche, une ptose de la paupiere gauche. L'examen clinique met en evidence une hemianopsie temporale gauche, un œdeme papillaire gauche et une paralysie des 1er, 3eme, 5eme et 6eme nerfs crâniens gauches. Le scanner visualise une masse parasellaire gauche. La craniotomie permet le diagnostic de chondrosarcome de la base du crâne
Human genomics: in search of normality.

The first map of copy-number variation in the human genome has been created. It is now feasible to examine the role of such genome variation in disease and to explore in depth the extent of 'normal' variability.
A Systems Engineering Solution to Open-Sea Oil Spills

A systems engineering approach was used to design an open-sea oil spill containment system. The major problem was to provide surface following characteristics in the presence of waves and currents. The critical parameter in solving the problem is the tension developed in the oil barrier. Orders of magnitude reduction in barrier tension was achieved by the Texas A&M Low Tension Barrier. The system is composed of an oil retention barrier connected at frequent intervals by elastic bridle lines to a main tension cable. The barrier responds rapidly in three dimensions without absorbing wave energy. The nature of the oil spill problem was identified, the hydrodynamic characteristic of oil interacting with a barrier on the surface of water under wind and current was determined, the barrier dynamics were predicted, and studies were made of packaging requirements, air delivery, and deployment. Although the barrier can be used for temporary containment, it is recommended that the barrier be used as a pump inlet for an active system to pump the oil into storage vessels as it builds up in depth against the barrier.
Reciprocity Is Not Give and Take Asymmetric Reciprocity to Positive and Negative Acts

Unlike economic exchange, social exchange has no well-defined “value.” It is based on the norm of reciprocity, in which giving and taking are to be repaid in equivalent measure. Although giving and taking are colloquially assumed to be equivalent actions, we demonstrate that they produce different patterns of reciprocity. In five experiments utilizing a dictator game, people reciprocated in like measure to apparently prosocial acts of giving, but reciprocated more selfishly to apparently antisocial acts of taking, even when the objective outcomes of the acts of giving and taking were identical. Additional results demonstrate that acts of giving in social exchanges are perceived as more generous than objectively identical acts of taking, that taking tends to escalate, and that the asymmetry in reciprocity is not due to gaining versus losing resources. Reciprocity appears to operate on an exchange rate that assigns value to the meaning of events, in a fashion that encourages prosocial exchanges.
Molecular Mimicry versus Bystander Activation: Herpetic Stromal Keratitis

Herpes stromal keratitis (HSK) is a significant inflammatory disease of the cornea as a result of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection often progressing to vision loss if left untreated. However, even with immunosuppressive compounds and anti-viral drug treatment, HSV continues to be the leading cause of infectious corneal blindness in the industrialized world. The inflammatory nature of the disease is the root of the pathogenic process characterized by irreversible corneal scarring, neovascularization of the avascular cornea, and infiltration of activated leukocytes. Experimental evidence using mice suggest HSK is the result of either molecular mimicry or a bystander activation phenomenon. This review will revisit the basis of HSK focusing on issues that pertain to the autoimmune component versus collateral damage as a result of non-specific activation as a means to explain the pathologic manifestations of the disease.
Tumor radiosensitization through reductions in hemoglobin affinity.

Abstract Alterations in the oxygen (O 2 ) distribution in a tumor due to changes in the quantity of O 2 carried in the blood can affect the response of a tumor to radiation. For example, the blood hemoglobin (Hb) level has been shown to be an important prognostic and therapeutic factor in radiation therapy. Another factor factor affecting the delivery of O 2 to tissues in the Hb affinity for O 2 . Changes in Hb affinity for O 2 result in shifts of the Hb-O 2 dissociation curve which increase or decrease tissue oxygenation. The aim of the present studies was to determine whether reductions in Hb affinity prior to irradiation could improve the resultant tumor response. KHT sarcomas were irradiated in female C3H/HeJ mice, possessing either normal or reduced Hb affinities for O 2 at the time of treatment. Changes in Hb affinity for O 2 were induced by keeping tumor-bearing mice in a 12% O 2 environment for various periods of time. Erythrocyte 2,3 diphosphoglycerate (2,3 DPG) was measured as an indicator of Hb affinity for O 2 . After 36 hr of low O 2 exposure, 2,3 DPG levels increased 20–30%. This change in 2,3 DPG reflected a proportional decrease in Hb affinity for O 2 . Following the exposure of 12% O 2 , the animals were removed from the low 02 chamber and their tumors locally irradiated while the mice breathed air. After irradiation, tumor cell survival was determined using an in vivo to in vitro excision assay. The results indicate that the fraction of hypoxic cells in tumors of mice whose Hb affinity had been reduced prior to irradiation was ∼3%. By comparison, the hypoxic fraction in tumors irradiated in mice with normal Hb affinities was ∼15%. Thus, reductions in Hb affinitty prior to irradiation can yield significant radiation sensitization in tumors. These findngs form the basis for future investigations of the use of pharmacologic methods for the in vivo alteration of the HbO 2 dissociation curve to improve tumor oxygenation.
Testing the Assumptions Underlying Tetrachoric Correlations

A method is proposed for empirically testing the appropriateness of using tetrachoric correlations for a set of dichotomous variables. Trivariate marginal information is used to get a set of one-degree of freedom chi-square tests of the underlying normality. It is argued that such tests should preferrably preceed further modeling of tetrachorics, for example, modeling by factor analysis. The assumptions are tested in some real and simulated data.
spinCycle: a color-tracking turntable sequencer

This report presents an interface for musical performance called the spinCycle. spinCycle enables performers to make visual patterns with brightly colored objects on a spinning turntable platter that get translated into musical arrangements in real-time. I will briefly describe the hardware implementation and the sound generation logic used, as well as provide a historical background for the project.
DNA repair and cell repair: Are they related?

Abstract Evidence of damage-repair processes is reviewed in connection with 3 types of cytotoxic cell treatments: X-radiation; far-ultraviolet (UV) (254 nm) light; and fluorescent light (FL) exposure of cells that had been grown in the presence of 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR). In each case, the processes are characterized relative to cell survival and loss of DNA integrity, i.e. the presence of single-strand breaks evident under alkaline conditions and dimers containing thymine. From quantitative data of the induction of both types of end points, the number of DNA lesions are compared that are produced by a Do dose; that is, a dose that reduces survival by the factor 1e (= 0.37). The number of single-strand breaks for the treatments BUdR/FL, X-rays, and far-UV are, respectively ∼50,000, ∼1,000, and ∼100. From such data, and upper-limit estimates of the persistence of breaks in X-irradiated surviving cells, it is concluded that: (1) X-ray survivors repair a large number of DNA lesions; and (2) X-ray lethality results from damage registered in a small fraction of the genome and/or the misrepair of supernumerary DNA lesions.
Overhead-Throughput Tradeoff in Cooperative Cognitive Radio Networks

In a cognitive radio (CR) network, cooperative spectrum sensing plays an important role in ensuring the quality of service (QoS) of primary users (PUs) and improving spectral utilization efficiency. Intuitively, the more secondary users (SUs) are involved in sensing, the more sensing accuracy the CR can achieve, whereas the more sensing overhead the SUs consume, the less throughput the CR network can achieve. In this paper, we investigate overhead-throughput tradeoff over fading channels in a cooperative CR network that consists of a number of the SUs employing energy detectors and a single decision fusion center. We propose a design strategy to maximize the throughput of the SU network by choosing appropriate sensing length and the number of the SUs reporting to a decision fusion center. Moreover, we extend our analysis to a two-stage cooperative sensing mechanism where the second-stage fine sensing is triggered whenever any SU reports the presence of a PU after the first-stage detection. Our numerical results show that compared with the single stage sensing, the two-stage sensing scheme achieves higher throughput via the reduction of the probability of false alarm.