cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical composition and biological effects of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa): In vitro studies with implications for efficacy and drug interactions

The safety and efficacy of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) for treatment of pain is highly controversial. Kratom produces more than 40 structurally related alkaloids, but most studies have focused on just two of these, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. Here, we profiled 53 commercial kratom products using untargeted LC-MS metabolomics, revealing two distinct chemotypes that contain different levels of the alkaloid speciofoline. Both chemotypes were confirmed with DNA barcoding to be M. speciosa. To evaluate the biological relevance of variable speciofoline levels in kratom, we compared the opioid receptor binding activity of speciofoline, mitragynine, and 7-hydroxymitragynine. Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine function as partial agonists of the human µ-opioid receptor, while speciofoline does not exhibit measurable binding affinity at the µ-, δ- or ƙ-opioid receptors. Importantly, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine demonstrate functional selectivity for G-protein signaling, with no measurable recruitment of β-arrestin. Overall, the study demonstrates the unique binding and functional profiles of the kratom alkaloids, suggesting potential utility for managing pain, but further studies are needed to follow up on these in vitro findings. All three kratom alkaloids tested inhibited select cytochrome P450 enzymes, suggesting a potential risk for adverse interactions when kratom is co-consumed with drugs metabolized by these enzymes.
Ultra-broadband Nonlinear Optics at Telecom Wavelengths in PPLN Nanowaveguides

We use a dispersion-engineered PPLN nanowaveguide to demonstrate broad- band second-harmonic generation of femtosecond pulses at telecom wavelengths. We ob- serve efficiencies approaching 35% with <1 pJ, and both supercontinuum generation and CEO detection with <150 pJ.
A Chromosome 13 locus is associated with male-specific mortality in mice

Mortality is a highly complex trait influenced by a wide array of genetic factors. We examined a population of 1200 mice that were F2 generation offspring of a 4-way reciprocal cross between C57BL6/J and DBA2/J strains. Animals were sacrificed at age 200, 500, or 800 days and genotyped at 96 markers. The 800 days old cohort, which were the survivors of a much larger breeding group, were examined for enriched frequency of alleles that benefit survival and depletion of alleles that reduce survival. Loci on Chr 13 in males and on Chr X in females were significantly distorted from Mendelian expectations, even after conservative correction for multiple testing. DBA2/J alleles between 35 and 80 Mb on Chr 13 were underrepresented in the age 800 male animals. D2 genotypes in this region were also associated with premature death during behavioral testing. Furthermore, confirmatory analysis showed BXD recombinant inbred strains carrying the D2 alleles in this region had shorter median survival. Exploration of available pathology data indicated that a syndrome involving dental malocclusions, pancreatic islet hypertrophy, and kidney lipidosis may have mediated the effects of DBA alleles on mortality specifically in male mice. The heterozygote advantage locus on the X Chr was not found to be associated with any pathology. These results suggest a novel locus influencing survival in the B6/D2 genetic background, perhaps via a metabolic disorder that emerges by 200 days of age in male animals.
Evolution of Periodic Complexes in Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

ABSTRACT.This paper illustrates the evolution of periodic sharp-wave complexes in a patient with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. It underscores how sequential EEG studies reveal characteristic features that aid in reaching a confident clinical diagnosis premortem.
Disinfectant and By‐Product Analysis in Water Treatment by Membrane Introduction Mass Spectrometry

593 Membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS) is a state-of-the-art technique that combines the quick separation of volatile analytes from complex matrices using selective membranes with the precision offered by mass spectrometry (MS) on chemical identification and quantification [1]. Compared with gas or liquid chromatography (GC or LC) traditionally used in front of MS, the membrane separation technique has the advantages of being both simple, which minimizes sample preparation, and rapid, which makes real-time monitoring possible [2]. The use of a mass spectrometer as the detector also makes MIMS less subject to analytical interference, a frequent limitation of non-MS-based techniques such as calorimetry [3,4]. In comparison to the long history of MIMS development [5], its application to understanding drinking water disinfection has been a fairly recent endeavor (cf. Table 27.1). Disinfection is an important process in drinking water treatment that controls waterborne diseases by killing or inactivating pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoa [6]. In addition to inactivating pathogens, disinfectants can also react with trace-level organic matter, which is always present in water, to produce a variety of organic and inorganic disinfection by-products (DBPs), many of which have potential adverse, chronic health effects as a result of long-term exposure [7]. Understanding disinfectant speciation and DBP formation is an area of intensive research. Many common disinfectants and DBPs are either gaseous or volatile; therefore, they can be readily measured by MIMS. Although MIMS has attracted much attention because of the aforementioned advantages over traditional analytical techniques for both disinfectants and DBPs [8], its use has so far been restricted to the cognoscenti of the research field. In this chapter, we present the protocols for implementing MIMS with the intention of expanding its access to a greater community of interested users. We focus our discussion on MIMS instruments using capillary membrane introduction probes [9], which have been the choice for water disinfection applications. More comprehensive reviews of MIMS development and applications are available in the literature [1,10].
Detecting Non-Adversarial Collusion in Crowdsourcing

A group of agents are said to collude if they share information or make joint decisions in a manner contrary to explicit or implicit social rules that results in an unfair advantage over non-colluding agents or other interested parties. For instance, collusion manifests as sharing answers in exams, as colluding bidders in auctions, or as colluding participants (e.g., Turkers) in crowd sourcing. This paper studies the latter, where the goal of the colluding participants is to "earn" money without doing the actual work, for instance by copying product ratings of another colluding participant, adding limited noise as attempted obfuscation. Such collusion not only yields fewer independent ratings, but may also introduce strong biases in aggregate results if undetected. Our proposed unsupervised collusion detection algorithm identifies colluding groups in crowd sourcing with fairly high accuracy both in synthetic and real data, and results in significant bias reduction, such as minimizing shifts from the true mean in rating tasks and recovering the true variance among raters.
Power measurements and cooling of the DOME 28nm 1.8GHz 24-thread ppc64 μServer compute node

Within the IBM/ASTRON DOME μServer project, we are finishing two types of memory DIMM-like sized compute nodes. The first is based on the 4-core/4-thread 2.2 GHz P5040 45nm SoC and the second on a 12-core/24-thread 1.8 GHz T4240 28nm SoC. Both SoCs employ the 64-bit Power instruction set. We show T4240 Specbench performance results, power consumption, describe the packaging of our first P5040 based 8-way hot-water cooled cluster and privide an outlook.
Forensic Implications and Medical-Legal Dilemmas of Maternal Versus Fetal Rights

The purpose of this paper is to review the issue of fetal rights from primarily a legal perspective, with consideration of morals and professional ethics. The practice of medicine is fraught with numerous bioethical dilemmas. These dilemmas often leave the physician wondering if he has made the correct decision. A physician's morals and professional ethics may influence his or her decision in resolving bioethical dilemmas. The case example is a 34-year-old female with a 41-week intra-uterine pregnancy. The mother was refusing induction of labor. Without the labor induction, the fetus may die. Despite this risk, the mother desired to pursue a vaginal delivery. The AMA's ethics state that a competent, pregnant mother's wishes should prevail and the court should not be involved unless there are unusual circumstances. The mother in the case example was competent and informed consent was provided. Case law does not specifically address the dilemma of the case example. However, there is case law regarding court-ordered cesarean sections which reveals different opinions. The difference in court opinion encompasses the relative degree of weight given to the fetus's right to be born healthy and alive versus the mother's privacy rights. Some courts describe this "balancing test," whereas others state that the mother's privacy rights prevail unless there are exceptional circumstances, which will be extremely rare. The fetus has acquired rights in other areas of the law; for example, abolishment of the intra-family immunity doctrine and the definition of murder in most states. In considering the legal arena of fetal versus maternal rights, a decision tree is presented to assist physicians in assessing cases of a pregnant mother refusing medical treatment. There is no precise demarcation in assessing fetal and maternal rights. The greater the degree of fetal viability, the greater degree of fetal rights. Consideration must also be given to the relative degree of invasiveness to the mother for the proposed procedure; the more invasive, the greater degree of maternal rights. Each case must be evaluated on an individual basis and the decision tree can assist a clinician with this process.
A Review of the Analysis of Cement Hydration Kinetics via 1 H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

To date, the lack of experimental data concerning entrained water transport through a cementitious microstructure during self-desiccation has limited the understanding of the mechanisms of internal curing. To improve the current knowledge state regarding the moisture transport kinetics of internal curing, novel in situ nanoscale characterization techniques, primarily 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), are being applied to elucidate changes in the early age hydration effects in the porous cementitious matrix due to internal curing. Relaxation time analyses can indicate the relative intensities and percentages of free water, C-S-H interlayer (physically bound) water, and C-S-H gel (chemically bound) water. Many developments have taken place both with NMR equipment and testing technique. Consequently, this is making NMR a very useful tool in the studying permeability and moisture movement in the concrete matrix. This paper will review the current state-of-the-art regarding the application of NMR to the analysis of cementitious materials at early ages.
Optimal Portfolio Problem for Stochastic-Volatility, Jump-Diffusion Models with Jump-Bankruptcy Condition: Practical Theory

This paper treats the risk-averse optimal portfolio problem with consumption in continuous time with a stochastic-volatility, jump-diffusion (SVJD) model of the underlying risky asset and the volatility. The new developments are the use of the SVJD model with double-uniform jump-amplitude distributions and time-varying market parameters for the optimal portfolio problem. Although unlimited borrowing and short-selling play an important role in pure diffusion models, it is shown that borrowing and short selling are constrained for jump-diffusions. Finite range jump-amplitude models can allow constraints to be very large in contrast to infinite range models which severely restrict the optimal instantaneous stock-fraction to [0,1]. The reasonable constraints in the optimal stock-fraction due to jumps in the wealth argument for stochastic dynamic programming jump integrals remove a singularity in the stock-fraction due to vanishing volatility. Main modifications for the usual constant relative risk aversion (CRRA) power utility model are for handling the partial integro-differential equation (PIDE) resulting from the additional variance independent variable, instead of the ordinary integro-differential equation (OIDE) found for the pure jump-diffusion model of the wealth process. In addition to natural constraints due to jumps when enforcing the positivity of wealth condition, other constraints are considered for all practical purposes under finite market conditions. Also, a computationally practical solution of Heston's (1993) square-root-diffusion model for the underlying asset variance is derived. This shows that the non-negativity of the variance is preserved through the proper singular limit of a simple perfect-square form. An exact, non\-singular solution is found for a special combination of the Heston stochastic volatility parameters.
Appearance and concurrent validity of an instrument for assessing disability in people with chronic spinal cord injury, based on the ICF Core Set.

Objetivo. Determinar la validez de apariencia y concurrente de un instrumento de evaluacion de la discapacidad en personas con lesion medular cronica (SCI-DAS), basado en el core set abreviadode la CIF. Metodologia. Participaron 100 personas con lesion medular de mas de seis meses de evolucion de cuatro ciudades colombianas, asi como ocho fisioterapeutas con una experiencia profesional promedio de 6,75 anos. La validez de apariencia se evaluo a traves de un grupo focal y una encuesta a los observadores, se calcularon los coeficientes de variacion de los items y los indices de pertinencia y adecuacion. Mediante el coeficiente de correlacion de Spearman se analizo la validez concurrente con la escala de deficiencia AIS (American SpinalInjury Association[ASIA] Impairment Scale), y la escala de discapacidad WHO-DASII. Resultados. La pertinencia y adecuacion global del instrumento arrojaron una media de 4,83/5 y 4,48/5 con un coeficiente de variacion de 0,03. El indice de acuerdo entre observadores para las calificaciones de buena y excelente fue de 0,96 para pertinencia y 0,86 para adecuacion. La discapacidad medida con el SCI-DAS mostro correlacion significativa moderada con el nivel neurologico, los indice motor y sensitivo AIS, y alta con la discapacidad medida con el WHO-DAS II (p<0,001). Se encontro correlacion baja estadisticamente marginal con la escala de compromiso funcional AIS (p=0,052). Conclusiones. Se encontro en general buena validez de apariencia del instrumento SCI-DAS, asi mismo se evidencio la validez concurrente del instrumento SCI-DAS con la escala de deficiencia AIS y con la Escala de Discapacidad de la OMS-WHO-DAS II.
Antimicrobials therapy of anaerobic infections

Anaerobes predominant in the normal human skin and mucous membranes bacterial flora are often a cause of endogenous infections. Anaerobic bacteria are difficult to isolate from infectious sites, and are often overlooked. Anaerobic infections caused by anaerobes can occur in all body sites, including the central nervous system (CNS), oral cavity, head and neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, skin and soft tissues. The treatment of these infections is complicated by the slow growth of these organisms, their polymicrobial nature and the growing resistance of anaerobes to antimicrobials agents. Antimicrobials are frequently the only form of therapy needed, but in others, they are an important adjunct to surgical drainage and correction of pathology. Because anaerobes are often recovered with aerobic and facultative bacteria, the chosen antimicrobials should cover all pathogens. The antimicrobials effective against anaerobic organisms are metronidazole, carbapenems, combinations of a beta-lactam and a beta-lactamase inhibitor, chloramphenicol, tigecycline and clindamycin.
Opportunities and Options for Treatment Research in Resource-Constrained Settings

HIV clinical research faces limitations even in research-rich settings. Even though important questions remain unanswered, clinical trials will probably never be conducted that address, prospectively, when treatment is optimally indicated, for example. In resource-constrained settings, large, prospective clinical trials are also unlikely. On the other hand, ones with a more observational design or that compare cohort experiences may well be feasible and able to provide information important in those settings, as well as in regions with abundant financial resources.
Accesibility measures of U.S. metropolitan areas

Abstract This paper constructs an accessibility index that captures the overall transportation access level of an area. This index is formulated as a natural extension of the existing relative and integral accessibility measures. Theoretical modelling and empirical tests demonstrate that the index has a convergence property and can be calculated accurately without incurring very high costs. Regression analyses show that the index captures the overall accessibility levels of areas very well. Using this index, the overall access levels of the sixty largest U.S. metropolitan areas are calculated.
Epistemic uncertainty in predicting shorebird biogeography affected by sea-level rise

Accurate spatio-temporal predictions of land-cover are fundamentally important for assessing geomorphological and ecological patterns and processes. This study quantifies the epistemic uncertainty in the species distribution modeling, which is generated by spatio-temporal gaps between the biogeographical data, model selection and model complexity. Epistemic uncertainty is generally given by the sum of subjective and objective uncertainty. The subjective uncertainty generated by the modeler-choice in the manipulation of the environmental variables was analyzed. The Snowy Plover in Florida (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus, SP), a residential shorebird whose geographic range is extended along the Panhandle-Big Bend-Peninsula Gulf coast was considered as case-study. The first fundamental step for studying the species distribution and how it will be affected by climate change is to obtain an accurate description of the shorebird coastal habitat. The land-cover was translated into ecosystem classes using a land-cover model that predicts the evolution of coastal ecosystems affected by sea-level rise scenarios. The best land-cover map decreased the objective uncertainty (intrinsically present in data or models) in representing the spatial structure of the coastal ecosystem, reduced the temporal gaps with the occurrence data, and diminished the subjective uncertainty due to the conversion from land-cover to model-classes. Multimodeling was performed to reduce the uncertainty in the prediction of the species distribution related to model uncertainty. The best representation of the species distribution was performed by MaxEnt. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), the omission/commission test, the similarity index of the response curves, and the jackknife test were used simultaneously as indicators of the predictability of each species distribution model. The availability of updated high-resolution biogeoclimatological data was proven to be necessary in order to properly predict the species ranges for conservation purposes.
GAMS: a stylistic approach to economic modelling

GAMS (General Algebraic Modelling System) is a software package which will make numerical optimization a much simpler endeavor for specialists from a wide range of disciplines. The need for writing personal fortran codes for optimizers and unfriendly fixed-formatfortran type input files is no longer necessary. This review gives an overall view of GAMS' capabilities and uses in the field of numerical optimization.
ELECTROPHORETIC ANALYSIS OF ENZYMES FROM THREE SPECIES OF CHLAMYDOMONAS

A B S T R A C T Isoenzyme patterns of acetone-extracted proteins revealed a close similarity between Chlamydomonas eugametos and C. moewusii but a distant relationship between the two and C. reinhardtii. Chlamydomonas eugametos and C. moewusii had identical banding patterns of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) in starch gels. These two species exhibited the same MDH distribution spectrum in analytical disc polyacrylamide gels but neither species showed definitive LAP or glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity. There were differences in the starch gel alpha esterase (a-EST) patterns of C. eugametos and C. moewusii due to an additional weak band at Rf 0.75 in the latter species and a slight variation in the position of another band at Rf 0.80-0.82. Some variations between the two species also occurred in the a-EST banding in disc gels at Rf 0.70-0.85 and at Rf 0.06-0.14 with C. moewusii exhibiting the greatest number of bands. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii displayed patterns of all four enzymes but the band characteristics were distinctively different from those of C. eugametos and C. moewusii. There appeared to be no obvious isoenzyme difference between mating types of either species. It is concluded that C. eugametos and C. moewusii are not identical species but are closely related in regard to the enzymes assayed. Isoenzyme analysis is considered to be a useful approach to algal systematics. DURING THE PAST few years, the cell behavior and phylogenetic relationships of Chlamydomonas eugametos, C. moewusii, and C. reinhardtii have been the object of a number of investigations. Gowans (1963) reviewed the historical background of C. eugametos and C. moewusii and discussed immunological and genetic relationships between the two species. He concluded they were conspecific and exhibited a closer serological similarity than either did to C. reinhardtii. He recommended that C. moewusii be treated as a variety of C. eugametos. A study by Brown and Walne (1967), using refined immunological techniques of double diffusion, absorption, and immunoelectrophoresis, detected distinct differences between C. reinhardtii and the two other species. Chlamydomonas eugametos and C. moewusii were similar in intensity and pattern of precipitin bands, although some subtle but clear differences were observed. Brown and Walne therefore concluded that the similarity of reactions of the latter two species supported the proposal of conspecificity suggested by Gowans (1963) based upon sexual compatibility and serological similarity. No morphological differences were observed in the strains of C. eugametos and C. moewusii studied by Gowans (1963). Nybom (1953) found no obvious differences in the morphology or physiology of the strains of C. eugametos and C. moewusii investigated. In response to certain environmental factors, physiological distinctions between the two species were observed (Bernstein and Jahn, 1955).
Role of the hypothalamus in mediating protective effects of dietary restriction during aging

Dietary restriction (DR) can extend lifespan and reduce disease burden across a wide range of animals and yeast but the mechanisms mediating these remarkably protective effects remain to be elucidated despite extensive efforts. Although it has generally been assumed that protective effects of DR are cell-autonomous, there is considerable evidence that many whole-body responses to nutritional state, including DR, are regulated by nutrient-sensing neurons. In this review, we explore the hypothesis that nutrient sensing neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus hierarchically regulate the protective responses of dietary restriction. We describe multiple peripheral responses that are hierarchically regulated by the hypothalamus and we present evidence for non-cell autonomous signaling of dietary restriction gathered from a diverse range of models including invertebrates, mammalian cell culture, and rodent studies.
A Smart Assembly Undergraduate Laboratory

Smart assembly is a term that is being used to describe the concept of integration of virtual and real time tools and methods to achieve gains in productivity, lead time, quality, and agility in the manufacturing arena. This paper describes efforts and successes in planning and implementing a laboratory to teach undergraduate engineering students these tools and allow for applied research. Between 1973 and 2004 the percentage of goods consumed in the US that are produced in the US has dropped from 83% to 24%. Much of this decrease has been driven by globalization. Goods can be manufactured for 30 to 50% less in China, for example, than in the US. This poses a very real threat to the manufacturing base of the US. An alternative business model that places the production closer to the customer is gaining favor as at least partial solution to this problem. This model is driven by automation and systems engineering to decrease cost and increase flexibility. The lab at Oregon Institute of Technology will use a collection of small robots and standard material handling devices to model physical systems. Discrete event simulation programs will be developed that allow engineers to quickly and easily model changes. This project is a collaboration of the Manufacturing and the Computer Software Engineering Technology programs. It is being driven by a series of faculty and student projects.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
DISCRETE CIRCULAR BETA ENSEMBLES

Let μ be a measure with support on the unit circle and n ≥ 1, β > 0. The associated circular β ensemble involves a probability distribution of the form where C is a normalization constant, and We explicitly evaluate the m-point correlation functions when μ is replaced by a discrete measure on the unit circle, generated by paraorthogonal orthogonal polynomials associated with μ, and use this to investigate universality limits for sequences of such measures. We also consider ratios of products of random characteristic polynomials.
Motivational interviewing with cocaine-dependent patients: A pilot study.

A brief motivational interviewing (MI) intervention was evaluated within the context of an outpatient, cocaine-detoxification program. MI was hypothesized to assist patients in completing the detoxification program and to improve outcomes during subsequent treatment. Participants (N = 105) were randomly assigned to MI or to detox-only conditions. Results indicated that although participants completed the detoxification program at equal rates, completers who received MI increased use of behavioral coping strategies and had fewer cocaine-positive urine samples on beginning the primary treatment. MI patients with lower initial motivation were more likely to complete detoxification. Language: en
Tryptophan Substitution of a Putative D4S6 Gating Hinge Alters Slow Inactivation in Cardiac Sodium Channels

Voltage-gated Na+ channels display rapid activation gating (opening) as well as fast and slow inactivation gating (closing) during depolarization. We substituted residue S1759 (serine), a putative D4S6 gating hinge of human cardiac hNav1.5 Na+ channels with A (alanine), D (aspartate), K (lysine), L (leucine), P (proline), and W (tryptophan). Significant shifts in gating parameters for activation and steady-state fast inactivation were observed in A-, D-, K-, and W-substituted mutant Na+ channels. No gating shifts occurred in the L-substituted mutant, whereas the P-substituted mutant did not yield sufficient Na+ currents. Wild-type, A-, D-, and L-substituted mutant Na+ channels showed little or no slow inactivation with a 10-s conditioning pulse ranging from −180 to 0 mV. Unexpectedly, W- and K-substituted mutant Na+ channels displayed profound maximal slow inactivation around −100 mV (∼85% and ∼70%, respectively). However, slow inactivation was progressively reversed in magnitude from −70 to 0 mV. This regression was minimized in inactivation-deficient hNav1.5-S1759W/L409C/A410W Na+ channels, indicating that the intracellular fast-inactivation gate caused such a reversal. Our data suggest that the hNav1.5-S1759 residue plays a critical role in slow inactivation. Possible mechanisms for S1759 involvement in slow inactivation and for antagonism between fast and slow inactivation are discussed.
An industrial example using one-way analysis of circular-linear data

An industrial example from the automotive industry is examined using the methodology of fitting C-linear curves to circular-linear data to determine the effect of factors from a factorial experiment. The goal of the analysis is to gain understanding about the inter-relationship between a directional component, the angle of imbalance from a brake rotor, and a corresponding linear measurement, the magnitude of correction needed to balance the part at that location on the rotor. A variety of inputs create eight different groups, each with a potentially different relationship between the angular and linear components. The two strategies considered are simplifying the relationship across the existing groups, and reducing the number of groups while preserving the general form of the relationship.
Observations on rumen fluid, blood serum, and milk lipids of cows fed methionine hydroxy analog.

Abstract Twelve dairy cows were assigned to each of three groups which received either 0, 40, or 80 g of methionine hydroxy analog per day in their grain. Milk and fat yields were increased by supplementation. Milk fat of supplemented cows compared to that of the controls contained more of the 18-carbon fatty acids and less of the short-chain fatty acids. Cows receiving methionine hydroxy analog had more blood serum lipids (P Feeding of methionine hydroxy analog decreased the free fatty acids in rumen fluid and apparently promoted the formation of an unidentified polar lipid. The relative proportion of stearic acid was lower in the rumen fluid of those cows fed methionine hydroxy analog (P
Sources of bias in the prediction of future events

The pattern of results of three studies indicates possible qualifications on the availability heuristic for probability estimation proposed by Tversky and Kahneman (Cognitive Psychology, 1973, 5, 207–232). Several lists of possible events were prepared which were either personal or external (national/ international) in nature and which had either positive or negative outcomes. Subjects were asked to estimate the probability of each event occurring during each of four decades in the future. The results indicated a highly significant interaction (p < .001) between type of outcome (positive or negative) and time. Negative events were seen initially as more likely than positive events, but as decreasingly likely further in the future; conversely, positive events were predicted as increasingly likely over time, being seen as more likely than negative events at the final time period. This finding was replicated with a different group of subjects rating a different set of items, also at the (p < .001) level. Socioeconomic background appeared to make no difference in the pattern of results. A third experiment asking for only a single estimate for each event failed to produce the “optimism” effect and confirmed the original prediction made from the availability heuristic. The implications of this “optimism” effect for policy planners should be considered.
A Business Education Resource for Ethics Sites on the Web

Abstract This article identifies and analyzes excellent resource materials that educators can use to integrate ethics content into the curricula. It includes a discussion of specific pedagogical approaches for using these resources to help students understand business and professional ethics. Advantages associated with Internet-based pedagogical approaches include improved timeliness of information, enhanced realism, and simultaneous integration of ethical and technological perspectives within the business curricula.
Particle size distribution and lipid composition of skim milk lipid material

Abstract Skim milk lipid material was characterized in terms of particle size distribution and lipid composition, and compared with other milk fat particle distributions. Whole milk, skim milk, large fat globules, small fat particles and skim milk lipid material were prepared using centrifugation and/or filtration, and the particle size distributions measured by laser diffraction. The lipid composition was determined using a combination of thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. There were significant compositional differences between each fraction for both particle size distribution and fatty acid composition. The most distinguishing feature of the skim milk lipid material was the increased percentage of long chain sphingomyelin species compared with the other milk fat fractions.
Age-Related Differences in Immediate Serial Recall: Dissociating Chunk Formation and Capacity

We assessed the contribution of two hypothesized mechanisms to impaired memory performance of older adults in an immediate serial recall task: decreased temporary information storage in a capacity-limited mechanism, such as the focus of attention, and a deficit in binding together different components into cohesive chunks. Using a method in which paired associations between words were taught at varying levels to allow an identification of multiword chunks (Cowan, Chen, & Rouder, 2004), we found that older adults recalled considerably fewer chunks and, on average, smaller chunks than did young adults. Their performance was fairly well simulated by dividing attention in younger adults, unlike what has been found for long-term associative learning. Paired-associate knowledge may be used in an implicit manner in serial recall, given that younger adults under divided attention and older adults use it well despite the relatively small chunk capacities displayed by these groups.
SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LUMINESCENT MIXED LIGAND ZINC(II) COMPLEXES CONTAINING A NOVEL DITHIOL LIGAND

A series of mixed ligand zinc(II) complexes containing the uncommon dithiol ligand dithiosquarate (dtsq) and having the formula Zn(dtsq)(N-N), where N-N is 2,2′-biquinoline (biq), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) and 1,4-diphenyl-2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (bathocuproine or batho), have been synthesized. The crystal structure of Zn(dtsq)(batho) has been determined by X-ray crystallography. This complex crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n with a = 10.840(4), b = 17.630(7), c = 15.826(6) A, β = 101.23(2)°, V = 2967(2) A3 and Z = 4. The final refinement of all non-hydrogen atoms converged at R = 0.052 and Rw = 0.075 for the 3406 observed reflections. The crystal structure indicates a mononuclear complex with a distorted tetrahedral geometry around the zinc atom and having one ethanol of solvation hydrogen bonded to one of the oxygens on the dtsq ligand. The complexes Zn(dtsq)(phen) and Zn(dtsq)(batho) are emissive in the solid state at room temperature and both complexes exhibit multiple emissions at lower temperature. The two emissions observed are believed to be metal assisted ligand to ligand charge transfer (LLCT) and an intraligand ππ∗ transitions.
A direct spectropolarimetric determination of magnesium(II), calcium(II), strontium(II), and barium(II) with d-(—)-trans-1,2-cyclohexanediaminete

Abstract A rapid titrimetric method was developed for magnesium(II), calcium(II), strontium(II), and barium(II), with the stereospecific ligand, D-(—)- trans -1,2-cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid (D(—)CDTA), as titrant. A photoelectric polarimeter was used to monitor continuously the optical rotation of the solution during titration; the titrant and metal complexes formed are optically active and serve as self-indicators. The observed rotation is linear with respect to concentration of the metal complexes and D(—)CDTA, hence the end-point can be established by straight-line extrapolation. The most sensitive wavelength for spectropolarimetric analysis (365 nm) was determined from the optical rotatory dispersion curves. The range of average deviation from visual chelometry for the four metals titrated was 0.00–0.17%.
An interview with George O. May, 1955

Abstract The discovery of a 50-year-old reel–reel magnetic audio tape in the AICPA Collection at the University of Mississippi Library turned into a lengthy recovery project of the contents, an interview with George O. May by John Lawler, editor of the Journal of Accountancy . The hour-long content had been digested in a June l955 article celebrating May’s 80th birthday but never before published in full. The content of the interview contains insights into May’s perspective about and vision for the profession after six decades of involvement.
Reduction of Dehydroascorbate to Ascorbate by the Selenoenzyme Thioredoxin Reductase

Recycling of ascorbate from its oxidized forms is essential to maintain stores of the vitamin in human cells. Whereas reduction of dehydroascorbate to ascorbate is thought to be largely GSH-dependent, we reconsidered the possibility that the selenium-dependent thioredoxin system might contribute to ascorbate regeneration. We found that purified rat liver thioredoxin reductase functions as an NADPH-dependent dehydroascorbate reductase, with an apparent Km of 2. 5 mM for dehydroascorbate, and a kcat of 90 min-1. Addition of 2.8 microM purified rat liver thioredoxin lowered the apparent Km to 0.7 mM, without affecting the turnover (kcat of 71 min-1). Since thioredoxin reductase requires selenium, we tested the physiologic importance of this enzyme for dehydroascorbate reduction in livers from control and selenium-deficient rats. Selenium deficiency lowered liver thioredoxin reductase activity by 88%, glutathione peroxidase activity by 99%, and ascorbate content by 33%, but did not affect GSH content. NADPH-dependent dehydroascorbate reductase activity due to thioredoxin reductase, on the basis of inhibition by aurothioglucose, was decreased 88% in dialyzed liver cytosolic fractions from selenium-deficient rats. GSH-dependent dehydroascorbate reductase activity in liver cytosol was variable, but typically 2-3-fold that of NADPH-dependent activity. These results show that the thioredoxin system can reduce dehydroascorbate, and that this function is required for maintenance of liver ascorbate content.
An Extended Kalman Filter for Collision Detection During Manipulator Contact Tasks

The development of control strategies that allow stiff industrial robots to operate safely in unstructured environments is a significant challenge. This paper integrates two strategies that improve safety for industrial manipulators in uncertain conditions. First, software compliance in the task space is implemented using force feedback. End-effector compliance is vital for many tasks, such as interacting with humans or manipulating uncertain payloads. Beyond compliance, a collision detection algorithm detects collisions based on joint torque deviation from a dynamic model. Collisions can be detected at any point along the manipulator via loading or impulse anomalies. Joint torque data is typically noisy, and the accuracy of the robot dynamic model is limited, so an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) was developed to improve the torque estimates. Experiments and demonstrations were performed using a commercially available 7DOF industrial robot. The EKF improved collision detection during unplanned contact tasks, and the method described here is hardware agnostic and extensible.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Spending more of the school day in math class: Evidence from a regression discontinuity in middle school

Abstract For students whose math skills lag expectations, public schools often increase the fraction of the school day spent on math instruction. Studying middle-school students and using regression discontinuity methods, I estimate the causal effect of requiring two math classes—one remedial, one regular—instead of just one class. Math achievement grows much faster under the requirement, 0.16–0.18 student standard deviations. Yet, one year after returning to a regular one-class schedule, the initial gains decay by as much as half, and two years later just one-third of the initial treatment effect remains. This pattern of decaying effects over time mirrors other educational interventions—assignment to a more skilled teacher, reducing class size, retaining students—but spending more time on math carries different costs. One cost is notable, more time in math crowds out instruction in other subjects.
Creating Safe Places: A Collaborative Autoethnography on LGBT Social Activism

This essay examines the process of developing Safe Zones, an interactive workshop designed to educate students about issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. As co-facilitators of the workshop, we engage in a collaborative autoethnography, reflecting upon some of the challenges of program development. We identify and explore three dialectical tensions in the process of collaboration: (1) independence and mutual dependence, (2) similarity and difference, and (3) openness and closedness. Finally, we examine the ways in which personal narrative can be a tool for campus dialogue, empowerment, and social change.
The Mechanisms of Cell Membrane Resealing in Rabbit Corneal Epithelial Cells

Purpose: To examine membrane repair mechanisms in rabbit corneal epithelial (RCE) cells. Methods: Microneedle puncture and fluorescent dye loss were used to wound membranes and assay resealing, res...
Using an indirect method of attitude measurement to detect prejudicial attitudes of men toward women

An indirect method of attitude measurement was used to detect prejudicial attitudes towards women. Previous research revealed that a regression equation for each subject revealed that 20% of the raters exhibited prejudicial attitudes toward women. This study reports almost identical findings when all possible combinations of stimuli were used.
Electropolymerization of 9-vinylanthracene: kinetic study using thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry

An in situ spectroelectrochemical technique has been employed to investigate the electropolymerization of 9-vinylanthracene. The propagation reaction as monitored from excimer emission of poly(9-vinylanthracene) followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. The dependence of the polymer yield and the propagation reaction rate constant on the monomer and initiator concentrations has been studied to elucidate the kinetics of the electropolymerization process. The energy of activation of the propagation reaction was 7.85 kcal mol−1.
Descartes's sceptical theism

In the first part of the article I show how Descartes employs the sceptical theist strategy as part of his response to the problem of evil in Meditation Four. However, Descartes's use of this strategy seems to raise a serious challenge to his whole project: if Descartes is ignorant of God's purposes, then how can he be sure that God doesn't have some morally sufficient reason for creating him with unreliable clear and distinct perceptions? Drawing on related objections from Mersenne and Hobbes, I show in the second half of the article how Descartes can sidestep this objection.
Quick-release cages and repetitive censusing of sessile epifauna

Abstract Quick-release cages of Vexar (plastic) are attached by Velcro to frames (anchored with Rawl-studs and sealed with epoxy) and placed over in situ populations on rock of any orientation. These cages are strong, economical, and easily removed for cleaning and repeated censusing of the same quadrats with minimal disturbance to the biota. Rawl-studs and quick-release cages permit in situ studies in water depths approaching the limits of SCUBA. The projecting studs provide repeatable registration of the grid used for close-up photocensusing. Similar cages are used for transplanted epibenthos.
Centrifugal Deposition of Microgels for the Rapid Assembly of Nonfouling Thin Films

Thin films assembled from microgel building blocks have been constructed using a simple, high-throughput, and reproducible centrifugation (or “active”) deposition technique. When compared to a common passive adsorption method (e.g., dip coating), microgels that are actively deposited onto a surface have smaller footprints and are more closely packed. Under both active and passive deposition conditions, the microgel footprint areas decrease during deposition. However, under active deposition, the microgel footprint appears to decrease continually and to a greater degree over the course of the deposition, forming a tightly packed, homogeneous film. Taking advantage of the rapid and uniform assembly of these films, we demonstrate the use of active deposition toward the fabrication of polyelectrolyte multilayers containing anionic microgels and a cationic linear polymer. Microgel multilayers successfully demonstrated effective blocking of the underlying substrate toward macrophage adhesion, which is a highly ...
Dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase from seminal fluid resembles the pulmonary rather than the testicular isoenzyme

Summary The specific activity, molecular weight and immunological behavior of pure dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase from rabbit seminal fluid were found to resemble the corresponding properties of the pulmonary rather than the testicular isozyme.
The structure of the chloroplast

The chloroplast occupies a peculiar position in botanical research. The first structure recognized within the plant cell (30), it has remained the most obscure; this in spite of the fact that about 95 per cent of the earth's supply of energy is the direct result of its activity. Previous to the recognition of the importance of the nucleus, numerous studies were reported on the structure of the chloroplast. From 1900 until the present decade only scattered investigations have been undertaken in this field. Recently, the importance of the chloroplast has been emphasized anew in the plant physiological laboratories at the Universities of Leyden, Graz, and Berlin-Dahlem, and at the Carnegie Institution's laboratory at Palo Alto. While numerous new observations have been reported from these and other institutions, a certain amount of repetition of the older work has been necessary. Unfortunately, some of these newer researches have been of an inferior quality to those undertaken by the German investigators in 1880. This particular situation, together with the absence of any comprehensive review of chloroplast structure since that of Bredow in 1891 (20), makes it necessary to consider the older literature in some detail. Of purely historical interest is the fact that Aristotle (16) attempted to account for the green coloring of plants and apparently appreciated the importance of light in the production of the pigment, although one may be reading present day knowledge into his words. He states that yellow is derived from fire, white from air, water and the earth. Black develops when the elements are transformed from one to another. Green is a compound color and develops from a mixture of yellow (light) and black (the transformation of one element into another; air and water into earth). All plants developed a green color when they grew in the earth. They became white when the fire within them did not mix with the sun's rays. As far as I am aware, Anton van Leeuwenhoek was the first to observe and to describe the granules we know as chloroplasts. 497
Effect of quintic nonlinearity on soliton collisions in optical fibers

Abstract We investigate the effect of quintic nonlinearity on collisions between solitons in different frequency channels in optical fibers. We calculate the intensity and dynamics of the collision-induced emitted radiation and changes in the soliton parameters due to the collision. This is done by means of a perturbation theory with two small parameters: the quintic nonlinearity coefficient ϵ q , and the reciprocal of the inter-channel frequency difference 1/ β . We find that the amplitude of the collision-induced emitted radiation is proportional to ϵ q / β . This radiation can be described as originating from a variation in the Kerr nonlinearity coefficient with respect to distance along the fiber. We also find that the only other effect of quintic nonlinearity on the collision up to second order in the perturbation theory is an additional phase shift proportional to ϵ q / β . The results obtained by our numerical simulations of the perturbed nonlinear Schrodinger equation are in very good agreement with theory.