cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validation of a Theory of Planned Behavior-Based Questionnaire to Examine Factors Associated With Milk Expression.

Background:A proper assessment of multidimensional needs for breastfeeding mothers in various settings is crucial to facilitate and support breastfeeding and its exclusivity. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) has been used frequently to measure factors associated with breastfeeding. Full utility of the TPB requires accurate measurement of theory constructs.Research aim:This study aimed to develop and confirm the psychometric properties of an instrument, Milk Expression on Campus, based on the TPB and to establish the reliability and validity of the instrument.Methods:In spring 2015, 218 breastfeeding (current or in the recent past) employees and students at one university campus in northern New Jersey completed the online questionnaire containing demography and theory-based items. Internal consistency (α) and split-half reliability (r) tests and factor analyses established and confirmed the reliability and construct validity of this instrument.Results:Milk Expression on Campus showed strong and signifi...
Varicella-zoster virus with a lost gE epitope: evidence for immunological pressure by the human antibody response.

The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) genome contains about 70 open reading frames (ORF). ORF 68 codes for glycoprotein gE, formerly called gp1, which is the predominant VZV glycoprotein; gE is a typical type 1 transmembrane protein with 623 amino acids. Recently, a variant virus was discovered which has a mutation in gE codon 150; this mutation converts an aspartic acid into an asparagine residue.
Young Skilled Deaf Readers Have an Enhanced Perceptual Span in Reading.

Recently, Belanger, Slattery, Mayberry and Rayner (2012) showed, using the moving window paradigm, that profoundly deaf adults have a wider perceptual span during reading relative to hearing adults matched on reading level. This difference might be related to the fact that deaf adults allocate more visual attention to simple stimuli in the parafovea (Bavelier, Dye & Hauser, 2006). Importantly, this reorganization of visual attention in deaf individuals is already manifesting in deaf children (Dye, Hauser & Bavelier, 2009). This leads to questions about the time course of the emergence of an enhanced perceptual span (which is under attentional control; Rayner, 2014; Miellet, O'Donnell, & Sereno, 2009) in young deaf readers. The present research addressed this question by comparing the perceptual spans of young deaf readers (age 7-15) and young hearing children (age 7-15). Young deaf readers, like deaf adults, were found to have a wider perceptual span relative to their hearing peers matched on reading level, suggesting that strong and early reorganization of visual attention in deaf individuals goes beyond the processing of simple visual stimuli and emerges into more cognitively complex tasks, such as reading.
Incentive-Based Performance Improvement

Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) is a subdiscipline of ABA that focuses on improving employee performance and organizational outcomes. In the OBM research, there is a robust literature on the use of incentives and other consequence interventions to improve employee performance. The use of incentives seems especially relevant for practitioners not only because they constitute a potent consequence intervention, but many organizations have existing incentive programs designed to improve performance. This chapter will review the relevant research on incentive systems and consequence management for employees. From the large and varied literature base, recommendations for practicing clinicians are provided.
Assessing the Impact of Information Centers on End-User Computing and Company Performance

As company investment in end-user computing EUC grows so does the need for the organization to provide end-user support and training; encourage resource sharing; establish mechanisms for management and operational control over data resources, systems quality assurance, and resource acquisition. To satisfy these needs, many organizations have established information centers IC. ICs have been shown to be very dynamic organizations which are continuously evolving and vary dramatically from company to company in terms of location, resources available, and the types of services provided. This study surveyed 215 organizations to assess present shifts in EUC and IC activities, as well as the impact of IC performance on EUC overall company effectiveness and payoffs from EUC. The results show among other things that in many organizations the EUC support burden is being shifted to IS departments, to outsiders, and to the end-users themselves; that EUC support is indeed a requirement for overall EUC effectiveness and for the company to derive payoffs from the EUC investment
Squamous Cell Carcinoma From Marjolin's Ulcer of the Foot in a Diabetic Patient: Case Study

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has been commonly reported by foot and ankle specialists. Marjolin's ulcer is a malignancy that involves a posttraumatic scar or ulceration that can develop into SCC from chronic neuropathic pedal wounds, venous stasis, or decubitus ulcerations. Most Marjolin's ulcers are found in the lower extremity, specifically the feet, and it is twice as common in females as males. Biopsy of the tumor is the reference standard to diagnose SCC, and wide excision of SCC is the most common treatment option. The present case study describes an 83-year-old diabetic wheelchair-bound female who presented to the wound care clinic with a right heel nonhealing pressure ulceration. After biopsy and surgical excision, the patient was found to have SCC. This case was followed up for 5 years in which the patient had successful excision of the tumor with no recurrence. The clinical significance of our case study is to assist in the diagnosis, management, and prognosis of patients with SCC. In addition, this study has shown that adequate excision of the tumor margins and depth is necessary to prevent potential recurrence and metastasis.
Structural Basis for G Protein-Coupled Receptor Signaling.

G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs), which mediate processes as diverse as olfaction and maintenance of metabolic homeostasis, have become the single most effective class of therapeutic drug targets. As a result, understanding the molecular basis for their activity is of paramount importance. Recent technological advances have made GPCR structural biology increasingly tractable, offering views of these receptors in unprecedented atomic detail. Structural and biophysical data have shown that GPCRs function as complex allosteric machines, communicating ligand-binding events through conformational change. Changes in receptor conformation lead to activation of effector proteins, such as G proteins and arrestins, which are themselves conformational switches. Here, we review how structural biology has illuminated the agonist-induced cascade of conformational changes that culminate in a cellular response to GPCR activation. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics Volume 47 is M...
Medical Aspects of Mobilization for War in an Army Reserve Battalion

During mobilization of a reserve battalion, administrative matters prolonged the medical validation of soldiers processing for overseas deployment. Problems included inadequate means of tracking soldiers, ignoring the chain of command within the deploying unit, delay in obtaining corrective lenses and optical inserts, and mistaken information about the need for personal medications. Consulting military physicians with negative attitudes about the deployment also caused delays. The battalion had 53% augmentees and 47% original unit members; the total strength was 788. Sixty-one unit members could not deploy for medical reasons, 25 of 418 augmentees (6%) and 36 of 370 original members (10%). Medical causes for nondeployment were: psychiatric, 14 (including 3 for alcohol dependency); back problems, 13; temporary injuries, 7; pregnancy, 4; knee problems, 4; recovery from civilian surgery, 3; and individual reasons (cancer, tuberculosis, HIV-positive, insulin-dependent diabetes, etc.), 16. More careful administrative planning, use of appropriate medical personnel, using the chain of command, establishing clear and consistent policies for medical qualification, keeping unit field medical records, using interim medical history forms to assess health problems, and utilizing medical officers who agree with the deployment would all enhance the speed and efficiency of medically validating a unit larger than company size.
Life imitates art: Yojimbo, critical management, and contractors:

Organization studies have consistently drawn from literature and film as tools to understand, explain, and analyze organizational phenomena. With that goal in mind, this article illustrates how Yoj...
ADS: accurate decoding of RFID tags at scale

RFID tags are popular as they are inexpensive and batteryless. These tags are used for tracking and monitoring of objects within a short-range. According to recent studies, such applications can save billions of dollars in shopping malls, airports, and warehouses. However, the existing works failed to decode a large number of RFID tags due to their poor scalability and accuracy. This poor performance is the result of the estimation technique used by the existing solutions.ADS proposes an estimation technique that is highly accurate and scalable. ADS uses multiple frequencies in the excitation signal to receive packets from tags. It helps us to utilize the channel independence across several frequencies but reduces the communication range. By exploiting the channel independence, ADS reduces the number of parameters for the estimation technique, which improves the performance. ADS provides 1.6× better scalability and 1.5× higher accuracy. In our evaluations, ADS achieves 1.7× better throughput on average and a maximum of 3× better throughput than the existing methods.
Tell Me A Story: Promoting resiliency in military children with a bibliotherapy intervention

PURPOSE Research demonstrates the complex effect of the military lifestyle on children of military members. Problem behaviors can manifest in military children as young as 6 years old (eg, physical violence). Some military children have better outcomes (ie, resiliency). These differences in outcomes are not fully understood; literature agrees that parent's interaction with their children predicts resiliency. Nurses can utilize resiliency interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of families. Tell Me A Story (TMAS), a bibliotherapy intervention, role models for parents reading with their children, using story as a platform to deal with issues in a safe way. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if child resiliency increased and problem behavior decreased with TMAS participation. DESIGN AND METHODS A community-based study examined the impact of TMAS intervention on parent's perceptions of their school-aged children's behavior. Participants were active-duty military parents, recruited on or near seven military installations in the continental United States. RESULTS Child problem behavior showed a change from baseline, with sex and parental deployment factoring for improved or worsening behavior among children. Total and internalizing problem behavior scores increased after intervention if a parent was deployed. Girls experienced increased resiliency scores after TMAS intervention while boys experienced decreased scores. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Overall, TMAS intervention is beneficial for behavior and resiliency for some children and provides research for future programming offered by nurses for military families.
Autonomous replication sequences from the Amaranthus palmeri eccDNA replicon enable replication in yeast

The objective of the research presented here was to determine whether autonomous replication sequences (ARS) discovered in the eccDNA replicon of glyphosate resistant Amaranthus palmeri enable self-replication in a yeast system. Sequence analysis of the eccDNA replicon revealed a region of sharp changes in A + T/G + C content with characteristic bending indicative of an autonomous replication sequence. Further sequence analysis revealed an extended autonomous replication sequence (EACS) in close proximity to multiple DNA unwinding element (DUE) sequences. This region of the eccDNA replicon enabled autonomous replication of an ARS-less yeast plasmid.
“Not Just Me Anymore.” A Qualitative Study of Transitioning to Marriage after Cohabitation:

Premarital cohabitation could influence the transition to marriage by cultivating the belief that getting married will have little effect on a relationship that has already taken root through cohab...
Evaluating the Perceived Importance of Male Ejaculatory Function

Objective To assess the perceived importance of male ejaculatory function (EjF) from the perspective of adult men and their sexual partners. Methods In a large survey study, men were asked about the importance of their own EjF. Sexual partners of men were asked about the general importance their partner's EjF, and whether they would support a partner's decision to pursue BPH treatment despite ejaculatory dysfunction. Results One hundred and two men completed the survey section regarding their own EjF, and 100 participants completed the survey section assessing the importance of their male partner's EjF. While 55% of men agreed or strongly agreed that “ejaculation is an important part of an enjoyable sexual experience,” only 30% of partners similarly agreed or strongly agreed (P = .005). A greater percentage of men (12%) agreed or strongly agreed that they “preferred large semen volume” compared to sexual partners of men (3%), however this was not significant. Sixty eight percent of sexual partners would agree or strongly agree to support their male partner's decision to pursue BPH treatment despite potential ejaculatory dysfunction. Conclusion The perceived importance of EjF differs between men and their sexual partners, as men believe ejaculation to be a more important component of an enjoyable sexual experience than their partners.
Modeling ride requests and altruism in a socially connected dock-less vehicle sharing system

Abstract Dock-less vehicle sharing systems have become a norm in cities in recent years. However, a user often cannot find a vehicle near her location. In this study, we analyze the role of users’ route alteration on system performance, and whether altruism and expectation of performance improvement may change the way people use those systems. Since some transparency of other users’ preferences are needed in order for meaningful alternate routes, we propose to use a ride request mechanism. We argue that if implemented, this mechanism would result in a higher joint utility of users. We tested the model with computer simulations which supported the concept of improving joint utility by altruistic route alteration in random settings.
Betaherpesvirus assembly and egress: Recent advances illuminate the path.

Abstract The human betaherpesviruses, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV; species Human betaherpesvirus 5) and human herpesviruses 6A, 6B, and 7 (HHV-6A, -6B, and -7; species Human betaherpesviruses 6A, 6B, and 7) are highly prevalent and can cause severe disease in immune-compromised and immune-naive populations in well- and under-developed communities. Herpesvirus virion assembly is an intricate process that requires viral orchestration of host systems. In this review, we describe recent advances in some of the many cellular events relevant to assembly and egress of betaherpesvirus virions. These include modifications of host metabolic, immune, and autophagic/recycling systems. In addition, we discuss unique aspects of betaherpesvirus virion structure, virion assembly, and the cellular pathways employed during virion egress.
Return to Play and Performance After Primary ACL Reconstruction in American Football Players: A Systematic Review.

Background:Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common sports-related injuries, and they can have a negative impact on players’ ability to return to play (RTP). There is a p...
Dissecting resistance mechanisms in melanoma combination therapy using a compartment modeling

We present a compartment model that explains melanoma cell response and resistance to mono and combination therapies. Model parameters were estimated by utilizing an optimization algorithm to identify parameters that minimized the difference between predicted cell populations and experimentally measured cell numbers. The model was then validated with in vitro experimental data. Our simulations show that although a specific timing of the combination therapy is effective in controlling tumor cell populations over an extended period of time, the treatment eventually fails. We subsequently predict a more optimal combination therapy that incorporates an additional drug at the right moment.
Fabry-Perot interferometer for high spectral resolution in the infrared and submillimeter

HIRMES, SOFIA’s third generation science instrument, delivers spectroscopy at wavelengths between 25 and 122 um and resolving powers (RP) between 600 and 100,000. The detectors arrays are background-limited transition edge sensed bolometers. Here we focus on the development, testing, and performance of the series of 8 tunable cryogenic scanning Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPI) that deliver the imaging (RP = 2000), and the long-slit medium resolution (RP = 10,000) and high resolution (RP = 100,000) spectroscopic modes. The FPIs use free-standing metal meshes mirrors, flexible parallelogram translations stages, PZTs and/or cryomoters for displacement. and capacitive sensors for displacement measure.
Motivated Moral Outrage Among Meat-Eaters:

Many meat-eaters experience cognitive dissonance when aware that their eating behaviors contradict their moral values, such as desires to protect the environment or animals from harm. One way in wh...
A movement for common care.

Fuelled by the medicalisation of life and an ever-expanding remit, healthcare has become industrialised and unsustainable. Sustainable healthcare requires a shift from industrial healthcare to careful and kind care as well as addressing the social and environmental determinants of health. Caring for, about, and with each other is a social determinant of health, writes Victor Montori
Exact Nonlinear Model of Wave Generation

A numerical method for solving nonlinear hydrodynamic problems of the initial value type is developed and applied in the determination of the wave motion induced by a mechanical wave generator. The existence of a velocity potential, which satisfies the Laplace equation, is assumed. The corresponding kinetic and kinematic boundary conditions are not further simplified. A transformation of the free-surface equations is utilized. A comparison of the numerical approximation of the nonlinear solution and the observed response of a vertical-bulkhead type generator which oscillates horizontally is made. The numerical results are found to be in good agreement with the observations. The corresponding linearized problem is also solved and compared to the nonlinear approximation and observed response.
Cell Surface Carbohydrate-Binding Proteins: Role in Cell Recognition

The complexity of cellular associations in the nervous system suggests a high level of development of cellular recognition processes. To understand these processes, it will be necessary to isolate the specific molecules that mediate cellular recognition. This task might be particularly difficult in the nervous system, where cellular interactions appear to be so complicated. Therefore, studies with simpler biological systems seem preferable to lay the groundwork. Although additional mechanisms may be required to provide the graded specifications required for precise interneuronal interactions, it is likely that the general mechanisms employed in simpler systems will be conserved in some form.
Gender differences in subjective sleep after trauma and the development of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms: a pilot study

Women are at higher risk than men for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following certain types of trauma such as accidents and assaults. Sleep disturbances have been implicated in the development of PTSD. Although gender differences in objective sleep soon after trauma have been found in a prior polysomnographic study, gender differences in subjective sleep soon after trauma and their associations to the development of PTSD have not been examined. This pilot study prospectively examined whether gender moderated the relationship between subjective sleep soon after trauma and PTSD symptom development. Injury patients (17 women, 28 men) completed a sleep questionnaire and a 1-week sleep diary 2 weeks after their injuries, and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale at 7-weeks postinjury. Results showed that women reported greater frequency of nightmares and disruptive nocturnal behaviors (e.g., hot flashes, memories/nightmares about trauma) following the trauma and more severe PTSD symptoms at 7 weeks. Further, gender moderated the relationship between sleep-onset latency and PTSD symptom severity, such that longer sleep-onset latency predicted more severe PTSD symptoms in men, but less severe PTSD symptoms in women. These findings suggest that gender-specific mechanisms may underlie the relationship between sleep impairment and the development of PTSD.
Clonal organization of the central nervous system of the frog: I. Clones stemming from individual blastomeres of the 16-cell and earlier stages

Horseradish peroxidase injected into individual blastomeres of 2- to 16-cell embryos of Xenopus laevis can later be identified in cells at larval stages 31 to 37. The label is confined to the progeny of the injected blastomeres and all such cells in the central nervous system retain the label. The space in the central nervous system occupied by the labeled cells originating from a single injected blastomere is termed a clonal domain, which has a characteristic size, shape, and position for each blastomere. Well-defined boundaries separate neighboring clonal domains with little or no mixing of cells belonging to different clonal domains.
Schema description for arbitrary data formats with the Data Format Description Language

A cornerstone of the Service Oriented Architecture is the ability to exchange documents or messages in a clearly defined way. The usual approach to this in new systems is to create documents in XML, allowing the use of XSD (XML Schema Definition) for document description and exchange. However, when interacting with legacy applications, or for some other specific cases, XML is not always a possibility or the best option. This leaves the need for a standard way to define schema for non XML data. DFDL is a proposed solution to this problem, based around the use of standard annotations to XML schema to allow any physical representation for a data model.
Designing silence spaces for connected communities

The following article discusses the “real” communication and the question of “pure” information. In this paper the effective communication is based on a complex exchange of different kinds of messages, both verbal and non-verbal, which include information conveyed by posture, gestures, intonation, facial expression, and so on. Moreover, inter- locutors do not only exchange messages with strategic information and structured data; they also exchange free content messages which are extremely important for the interaction and the relationship between the people in- volved environments.
Saturday, September 4, 2010—Chicago, IL

“How ‘bout those Sox?!” the crowd cheered. “Good guys wear black!” they chanted. “Yankees go home,” others shouted. “I still love New York City,” Delta told Caleb. Joe piped in, “I told you Delta, you can love New York, just not the Yankees.”
On the evolution of structure and composition in sol-gel-derived lead zirconate titanate thin layers

The evolution of structure and chemical distribution in sol-gel derived Pb(Zr0.53T1 0.47)O3 thin layers was monitored by x-ray diffraction, analytical electron microscopy, and diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Electron microscopy confirmed the as-deposited coatings were amorphous with short-range order. Medium-range order developed on heat treatment, and chemical heterogeneity was observed at the nanoscale. The extent of compositional heterogeneity decreased with increasing temperature. Above 500 °C, the coatings crystallized into an intermediate phase which converted to the perovskite phase above 600 °C.
Fitness effects of the triazine resistance mutation in Amaranthus hybridus: relative fitness in maize and soyabean crops

Fitness costs of the triazine resistance mutation were estimated in experimental populations of Amaranthus hybridus L. from Maryland and Virginia (USA). Estimated costs were attributed directly to effects of the resistance mutation, through comparisons of lines bearing similar nuclear genomes, but either resistant or susceptible cytoplasm. Experimental weed plants were established from seed in the field at a wide range of A. hybridus and crop (maize or soyabean) densities, and experiments were repeated over 3 years. Resistant cytoplasm caused large reductions in several components of fitness, but substantial differences were observed among years in these fitness costs of resistance. For the fitness component of total biomass above-ground biomass production, relative fitnesses of resistant genotypes (resistant/susceptible ratios) ranged between 0.42 and 0.70. Costs of resistance were similar in weeds growing with either maize or soyabean crops. Certain costs of resistance differed between populations: impairment of seedling establishment and early growth by the resistance mutation was evident in the Virginia population, but not in the Maryland population. This functional difference between populations was associated with greater costs of resistance in the Virginia population with respect to mid-season leaf number and total above-ground biomass production; however, only the former population difference in fitness cost was statistically significant.
Changes in the composition of the bottom water of the Santa Barbara Basin: effect of turbidity currents

Abstract Hydrographic and sedimentological evidence is presented from the Santa Barbara Basin which indicates that turbidity currents transport sediment, benthic organisms, and seawater from depths near the sill (440–480 m) to the centre of the basin (590 m). Water collected within 2 m of the basin floor in December, 1969, had the chemical composition (notably higher oxygen and nitrate content) of water originating from the sill depth. In addition, live benthic gastropods, found only on sediment shallower than the sill, and sediment were recovered in a trap 3 m above the bottom in the centre of the basin. By January, 1970, the chemical perturbations of this bottom water were significantly dissipated. Another incident in November, 1970, in which the composition of the basin water below 550 m was changed by its apparent replacement with seawater originating from the sill depth, is discussed.
Heat Transfer and Flow Characteristics of Two-Dimensional Jets Impinging on Heated Protrusions With Crossflow of the Spent Air

The flow structure and local heat transfer characteristics of two-dimensional slot jets impinging on heated protrusions has been investigated. The spent air was constrained to exit at one end of the channel, forming a crossflow. The effects of three parameters on the heat transfer were examined for an array of five protruding heat sources. They include the jet slot width, distance between the jet exit and the protrusion, and the average jet Reynolds number. Laser-Doppler velocimeter measurements were made to detail the mean and turbulent flow structure in the channel. Experimental results reveal that the flow and heat transfer are dominated by turbulent transport even for Reynolds numbers as low as 300. Two transport mechanisms were identified affecting the heat transfer. The first was jet impingement, the second being crossflow of the spent air. A complex interaction between the two mechanisms was observed. At low nozzle-protrusion spacing with large slot jets the heat transfer was dominated by the crossflow, whereas for high nozzle-protrusion spacing and small jets, transport was dominated by jet impingement. It is postulated that the highest average Nusselt number occurs when the jets and the crossflow influence act with near-equal intensity.
Some Reflections on the Use of Grammatical Terms

Author's summary.— Grammatical terms are not over the heads of high school pupils. They may well be used within reason, but must be properly defined.
Potentiation of narcotic action by the brain treated with an electric shock.

DIFFERENCES in the biological action on animals and man of homogenates from normal brains and from brains which had undergone electric shock have been shown. They take the form of pharmacological activity on sleep1 and against phenol intoxication2 as well as of a protective effect against neurotropic viruses3–5 and the behaviour in clinical trials6.
Identification of Epoxide Functionalities in Protonated Monofunctional Analytes by Using Ion/Molecule Reactions and Collision-Activated Dissociation in Different Ion Trap Tandem Mass Spectrometers

A mass spectrometric method has been delineated for the identification of the epoxide functionalities in unknown monofunctional analytes. This method utilizes gas-phase ion/molecule reactions of protonated analytes with neutral trimethyl borate (TMB) followed by collision-activated dissociation (CAD) in an ion trapping mass spectrometer (tested for a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance and a linear quadrupole ion trap). The ion/molecule reaction involves proton transfer from the protonated analyte to TMB, followed by addition of the analyte to TMB and elimination of methanol. Based on literature, this reaction allows the general identification of oxygen-containing analytes. Vinyl and phenyl epoxides can be differentiated from other oxygen-containing analytes, including other epoxides, based on the loss of a second methanol molecule upon CAD of the addition/methanol elimination product. The only other analytes found to undergo this elimination are some amides but they also lose O = B-R (R = group bound to carbonyl), which allows their identification. On the other hand, other epoxides can be differentiated from vinyl and phenyl epoxides and from other monofunctional analytes based on the loss of (CH3O)2BOH or formation of protonated (CH3O)2BOH upon CAD of the addition/methanol elimination product. For propylene oxide and 2,3-dimethyloxirane, the (CH3O)2BOH fragment is more basic than the hydrocarbon fragment, and the diagnostic ion (CH3O)2BOH2+ is formed. These reactions involve opening of the epoxide ring. The only other analytes found to undergo (CH3O)2BOH elimination are carboxylic acids, but they can be differentiated from the rest based on several published ion/molecule reaction methods. Similar results were obtained in the Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance and linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer.
A Life-Span Developmental Cross-Cultural Study of Divergent Thinking Abilities

Developmental aspects of ideational fluency, flexibility, and originality were assessed across five age groups (children, adolescents, young adults, adults, middle-aged adults) comparatively in two cultures (Chinese and American). A total of 316 Chinese participants ranging in age from nine to sixty years responded in writing (Cantonese) to presentation of four groups of acoustical stimuli. Responses were scored for fluency, flexibility, and originality of thought. Comparative American data were collected in a previous study. Significant age associated differences in fluency and flexibility were obtained for Chinese respondents. A cross-cultural MANOVA yielded significant main effects for culture; American scores were uniformly higher than Chinese. Developmental trends across age groups demonstrated cross-cultural similarity in the expression of originality.
Functional and morphologic changes in the lungs of guinea pigs exposed to freshly generated ultrafine zinc oxide.

Abstract Guinea pigs were exposed by nose only for 3 hr/day for 6 days to freshly formed zinc oxide (ZnO) particles (projected area diameter = 0.05 μm, σg = 2.0) at 5 mg/m 3 , the currently recommended threshold limit value (TLV). Ventilation, lung mechanics, lung volumes, and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DL co ) in anesthetized, tracheostomized animals at 1, 24, 48, or 72 hr after the end of the last exposure were evaluated. At the same time intervals lung weight, lung fluid content, respiratory epithelial permeability to horseradish peroxidase, gross and microscopic appearance, and [ 3 H]thymidine labeling of nuclei of bronchial and bronchiolar epithelial cells in other groups of animals were measured. Vital capacity, functional residual capacity, alveolar volume, and DL co were all decreased following the last exposure and did not return to normal values by 72 hr. Increases in flow resistance and decreases in compliance and total lung capacity returned to normal by 72 hr. Lung weights were elevated due to inflammation involving the proximal portion of the alveolar ducts and adjacent alveoli. These changes were still present at 72 hr. [ 3 H]Thymidine labeling of bronchiolar epithelial cell nuclei was increased for 48 hr. Respiratory epithelial permeability to horseradish peroxidase was not affected by the exposures. These results suggest that the current TLV for ZnO may not be adequate.
Generalized theory of the total fracture surface energy for glassy organic polymers

Abstract A model is presented that describes the molecular weight dependence of the total fracture surface energy (γ) on glassy organic polymers from monomeric values (γ ≈ 30 erg/cm2) to viscosity-average molecular weights ( M v ) greater than 106 [γ = 1.4 × 105 erg/cm2 for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA); γ ≈ 106 erg/cm2 for polystyrene (PS)]. The empirical expressions for PMMA and PS combine the energy contributions from the free surface, the cleavage of covalent bonds, and the viscous flow of molecules by assuming a random molecular weight distribution, the critical chain length necessary to permit viscous flow (x), and the entanglement molecular weight (∈). From cleavage and notched tensile bar tests prepared either by solution polymerization or by radiation degradation of commercial PMMA, the overall structure-property relationship is described.
Characterization Of Polaroid's DMP-128 Holographic Recording Photopolymer

The fundamental holographic properties of Polaroid's DMP-128 have been measured. Diffraction efficiencies over 90% have been obtained with an index modulation of 0.033. It was found that the diffraction efficiency could be reduced from 90% to less than 10% by the use of an index matching fluid. When the index matching fluid was allowed to evaporate, the diffraction efficiency returned to its original value. This observation suggests that the index modulation produced in the photopolymer is due to tiny cracks or voids formed in the polymer.© (1988) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Changes observed in milk "sham fed" to dairy calves.

Summary 1. Pasteurized and superheated whole milks and separated milk were “sham fed” either from open pails or through nipples to fistulated calves. 2. A comparison of the properties of various samples of “sham-fed” milks with properties of their respective controls revealed in the case of pasteurized whole milk increases in rate of rennet coagulation, in tension of the body of the curd, in hydrogen-ion concentration, in lipolytic activity and in cream volume. The corresponding changes in superheated whole milk were in the same direction but of less magnitude. Separated milk manifested a slight increase in the rate of coagulation, an insignificant decrease in curd tension, no pronounced change in hydrogen-ion concentration but a marked increase in lipolytic activity. 3. Further alterations were evident after retention of the samples at 38° C. for two hours. Except for a slight increase in pH there were no marked changes in the control sample of pasteurized whole milk, but in the “sham-fed” samples all initial changes, except for a reduction in curd tension, were further amplified. The trends of all samples of superheated whole milk were in the same direction as in pasteurized whole milk. In the separated milk the only notable change in the control sample was a decrease in curd tension, whereas in the “sham-fed” sample there was a slight increase in rate of coagulation and in curd tension. 4. Several of the pronounced changes in the properties of the whole milk as contrasted to those of the separated milk were attributed in part to lipolysis, a reaction probably resulting from enzymes present in saliva and/or other secretions of the mouth and esophagus. 5. Ingestion of milk through a nipple as compared with consumption from an open pail exaggerated the changes in whole milks but produced little difference, except in increased lipolytic activity, in separated milk. 6. The pre-gastric alterations of milk apparently are of such a nature as to expedite subsequent digestion and assimilation.
Role of Radiation Therapy in a Patient with Primary Pancreatic Lymphoma

Pancreatic lymphoma is an extremely rare disease. The role of radiation therapy as an adjunct to chemotherapy for the treatment of this disease is poorly defined. We present a case of primary pancreatic lymphoma treated with radiation therapy as an adjunct to chemotherapy.
Fetal cord blood: aspects of heightened immune responses.

Neonatal immune responses have been associated with the development of atopy in childhood. We assessed in cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC) whether increased allergen/mitogen-induced lymphoproliferation (LP) is associated with pro-allergic Th2 cytokine IL-13 or Th1 cytokine IFN-γ secretion. We determined whether LP to one allergen is related to heightened lymphocyte function to other allergens/mitogen. CBMC from 135 neonates were stimulated with house dust mite (Derf1), cockroach, ovalbumin, or mitogen. LP to one allergen was associated with significantly increased LP to other allergens/mitogen. Increased Derf1-LP was associated with increased Derf1-induced IL-13 secretion (r = 0.21, p = 0.01). After adjusting for neonatal gender, race, and maternal smoking, Derf1-LP remained associated with Derf1-IL-13 (OR 3.08, 95% CI 1.56–6.10). Increased mitogen-induced proliferation was associated with increased mitogen-induced IL-13 secretion (r = 0.37, p < 0.001). For some individuals, a predisposition to a heightened immune response is already evident at birth. Whether this phenotype results in atopy in childhood warrants further investigation.
The ground state of XY chains with nearest and next-nearest neighbour interactions

The ground state of chains with antiferromagnetic XY interactions is examined by direct diagonalisation of the Hamiltonian. Attention is focussed on chains with nearest and next-nearest neighbour interactions. It is found that results for finite chains can be readily extrapolated to infinite chains. The dimerised ground state corresponds to a maximum in the energy per spin with respect to the next-nearest neighbour interaction parameter. An alternate normalisation scheme provides additional insight into how the ground state energy depends on the interaction parameters.
Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase reduces photorespiration in Panicum milioides, a C3C4 intermediate species☆

Abstract Panicum milioides represents the first well-documented example of a higher plant species with reduced photorespiration and O 2 inhibition of photosynthesis. We have investigated the biochemical mechanism(s) involved in reducing O 2 sensitivity of photosynthesis in this species by parallel enzyme inhibitor experiments with thin leaf slices of P. milioides and C 3 and C 4 Panicum species. The reduced O 2 sensitivity of net photosynthesis in P. milioides gradually increased with increasing concentrations of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.31) inhibitors, maleate and malonate. At saturating levels of inhibitor, photosynthesis in 2% O 2 was decreased by about 18%, and the inhibitory effects of both 21% O 2 and 49% O 2 were identical to those observed with a C 3 Panicum species in the absence or presence of inhibitor. A significant potential for C 4 photosynthesis in P. milioides , compared to its complete absence in a C 3 Panicum species, was demonstrated on the basis of: (a) a coupling of leaf slice CO 2 fixation by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase with the C 3 cycle; (b) NAD-malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.39)-dependent aspartate and malate decarboxylation in leaf slices; (c) a full complement of C 4 cycle enzymes in leaf extracts, including pyruvate, P i dikinase (EC 2.7.9.1) and NAD-malic enzyme; and (d) Kranz-like leaf anatomy with numerous plasmodesmata traversing the mesophyll-bundle sheath interfacial cell wall. These data indicate that the reduced photorespiration and O 2 inhibition of photosynthesis in P. milioides is due to phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase participation, possibly by creating a limited C 4 -like CO 2 pump, rather than an altered ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (EC 4.1.1.39).
Maximal biliary excretion of sulfobromophthalein sodium in sheep.

Sulfobromophthalein sodium (BSP) and taurocholic acid were infused into unanesthetized female sheep which were previously prepared with biliary cannulae for quantitative bile collection. Submaximal BSP excretion (below the maximal excretory capacity of the liver) was proportional to the BSP-infusion rate and independent of changes in the bile-flow rate subsequent to varied rates of taurocholic-acid infusion. During maximal BSP excretion, the biliary BSP concentration was constant (approximately 15 mg/ml), and the maximal excretion rate varied directly with the bile-flow rate. Secretin infusion during maximal or submaximal BSP-infusion trials increased bile flow by 30% but did not affect the BSP-excretion rate.
Preparation for Entrepreneurship: Does it Matter?

We begin with preparation. Cooper and Mehta review the files of nearly 3,000 firms to assemble data sets to analyze a series of straightforward questions about preparing to start a business. Does it matter how much time a person spent in preparing to start her or his business? Is it better if the idea for the new business came from a prior business? Some say timing is everything. How important is timing when starting a new business? Does it matter if the founder quit their job only so they could start the new business? And how important was the role of professional advisors in the start-up? If any of these questions seem interesting to you, take a look at our lead piece.
Infotainment and the Moral Obligations of the Multimedia Conglomerate

When the Federal Communications Commission considered revamping its policies, many political activists argued that media conglomerates had failed to meet their duties to protect freedom of speech. Moveon’s dispute with CBS over its proposed Superbowl advertisement and Michael Moore’s quarrel over distribution of his documentary, Fahrenheit 911, are cases in point. In matters of pure entertainment, the public expect companies to avoid offensive programming. The press, on the other hand, may well be forced to offend some audience members in order to create a viable forum for political dissent. As journalism and entertainment are increasingly inter-linked, an in depth moral analysis of the media corporation and its obligations becomes increasingly important. I explore Kantian, Utilitarian, and Rawlsian analyses of corporate obligation in the aforementioned cases. I then examine whether or not these results suggest anything more generally about the sorts of mission statements and ethical policies that ought to be endorsed by media conglomerates and whether non-business institutions also require changes. Ultimately, I suggest that at a minimum, media institutions should view the duty to promote the representation of diverse views in a democracy as an imperfect moral and civic duty rather than making programming decisions solely by reference to profit. Ideally, greater access to media access should not be increased for the most powerful unless doing so at the same time increases free speech opportunities for those who currently have the least access.
Permeability predictions for sand-clogged Portland cement pervious concrete pavement systems

Pervious concrete is an alternative paving surface that can be used to reduce the nonpoint source pollution effects of stormwater runoff from paved surfaces such as roadways and parking lots by allowing some of the rainfall to permeate into the ground below. This infiltration rate may be adversely affected by clogging of the system, particularly clogging or covering by sand in coastal areas. A theoretical relation was developed between the effective permeability of a sand-clogged pervious concrete block, the permeability of sand, and the porosity of the unclogged block. Permeabilities were then measured for Portland cement pervious concrete systems fully covered with extra fine sand in a flume using simulated rainfalls. The experimental results correlated well with the theoretical calculated permeability of the pervious concrete system for pervious concrete systems fully covered on the surface with sand. Two different slopes (2% and 10%) were used. Rainfall rates were simulated for the combination of direct rainfall (passive runoff) and for additional stormwater runoff from adjacent areas (active runoff). A typical pervious concrete block will allow water to pass through at flow rates greater than 0.2 cm/s and a typical extra fine sand will have a permeability of approximately 0.02 cm/s. The limit of the system with complete sand coverage resulted in an effective system permeability of approximately 0.004 cm/s which is similar to the rainfall intensity of a 30 min duration, 100-year frequency event in the southeastern United States. The results obtained are important in designing and evaluating pervious concrete as a paving surface within watershed management systems for controlling the quantity of runoff.
Alterations in Ryanodine Receptors and Related Proteins in Heart Failure

Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) release plays an essential role in mediating cardiac myocyte contraction. Depolarization of the plasma membrane results in influx of Ca(2+) through l-type Ca(2+) channels (LTCCs) that in turn triggers efflux of Ca(2+) from the SR through ryanodine receptor type-2 channels (RyR2). This process known as Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+)release (CICR) occurs within the dyadic region, where the adjacent transverse (T)-tubules and SR membranes allow RyR2 clusters to release SR Ca(2+) following Ca(2+) influx through adjacent LTCCs. SR Ca(2+) released during systole binds to troponin-C and initiates actin-myosin cross-bridging, leading to muscle contraction. During diastole, the cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration is restored by the resequestration of Ca(2+) into the SR by SR/ER Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA2a) and by the extrusion of Ca(2+) via the Na(+)/Ca(2+)-exchanger (NCX1). This whole process, entitled excitation-contraction (EC) coupling, is highly coordinated and determines the force of contraction, providing a link between the electrical and mechanical activities of cardiac muscle. In response to heart failure (HF), the heart undergoes maladaptive changes that result in depressed intracellular Ca(2+) cycling and decreased SR Ca(2+) concentrations. As a result, the amplitude of CICR is reduced resulting in less force production during EC coupling. In this review, we discuss the specific proteins that alter the regulation of Ca(2+) during HF. In particular, we will focus on defects in RyR2-mediated SR Ca(2+) release. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Heart failure pathogenesis and emerging diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.