cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insights into pathogenesis and treatment of cytokines in cardiomyopathy

Our understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic heart failure is rapidly expanding. recent investigations suggest a role for various proinflammatory and vasoconstrictive cytokines in the development and progression of the disease. In particular, tumor necrosis factor-α, interlukin-6, and endothelin have all been implicated in heart failure desease progression. These cytokines appear to be activated in response to a remodeling, induction of programmed cell death, neurohormonal activation, and hemodynamics, these agents cause a variety of deleterious effects in the setting of ventricular dysfunction. Investigational inhibitors and antagonists of these substances show promise for the future treatment of heart failure.
A combined neutron and x-ray diffraction study of short- and intermediate-range structural characteristics of Ge–As sulfide glasses

A combination of neutron and x-ray diffraction has been employed to study the compositional dependence of the atomic structures of Gex Asx S100−2x glasses with S concentration varying between 33.3 and 70.0 at.%. The nearest-neighbor coordination numbers of Ge and As atoms are always found to be 4 and 3, respectively, irrespective of the glass composition. Ge and As atoms have primarily heteropolar bonding to S atoms in stoichiometric and S-excess glasses with x 18.2. Low and intermediate levels of deficiency of S (20 x 25) are accommodated via the formation of homopolar As‐As bonds while Ge atoms remain primarily bonded to four S atoms, resulting in As-rich regions in the glass structure. Ge starts to participate in metal‐metal bonding only in the highly S-deficient glasses with 27.5 x 33.3. The intermediate-range order and its topological influence on atomic packing in these three compositional regions, in the order of increasing deficiency in S, are controlled by (a) a mixed GeS2 and As2S3 network, (b) the coexistence of a GeS2 network and As clusters, and (c) large Ge‐As metal-rich regions. This evolution of the intermediate-range structure with composition is consistent with the corresponding variation of the position, intensity and width of the first sharp diffraction peak in the structure factor.
Hypochondriasis: conceptualization, treatment, and relationship to obsessive compulsive disorder.

Background. Hypochondriasis (HC) involves preoccupation with fears of having a serious illness. The preoccupation is persistent and based on misinterpretation of benign bodily sensations. In response, patients often resort to frequent checks with doctors, of their own body, and of medical references, to reassure themselves of their health status. Some authors have likened HC to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) on the basis of similarities between obsessions and illness preoccupation and the ritualistic checking behavior observed in each condition.Methods. In this article, the phenomenology of HC is discussed in terms of factors that account for the development and persistence of this disorder. Treatment that is derived from this conceptual model is also described.Results. HC is best considered as an anxiety problem in which pathological fear is focused on innocuous bodily sensations and other health-relevant cues.Conclusions. Many of the psychological mechanisms of HC are similar to those present in OCD.
Prolyl hydroxylation of the polypentapeptide model of elastin impairs fiber formation.

Abstract With elastogenesis described as a process dominated by intermolecular hydrophobic interactions and the polypentapeptide, (Val-Pro-Gly)Val-Gly)n, presented as a model for the dominant dynamic elements of the elastic fiber, it is demonstrated that hydroxylation of proline residues of the polypentapeptide unfavorably affects the inverse temperature transition leading to fiber formation such that even with only 10% of the proline residues hydroxylated very little fiber formation occurs at 37°C. Significantly higher temperatures are required. As prolyl hydroxylase, elaborated during a fibrogenic response, hydroxylates elastin, this result raises the question as to whether hydroxylation of the precursor protein of the elastic fiber may similarly impair in vivo fiber formation.
Selective Activation by Short Chain Alcohols of Glucagon Responsive Adenyl Cyclase in Liver

The effects of short chain alcohols (1 through 4 carbons) on hepatic cyclase were examined. Alcohol produced a reversible activation of the glucagon responsive cyclase but did not activate the epinephrine responsive component. The activation was accompanied by changes in the kinetic properties of the glucagon responsive cyclase and could not be explained in terms of enhanced Mg†† binding. These changes could reflect modifications of the solvent environment or binding of alcohol to a single site on the enzyme. The selective nature of this activation further emphasizes the differences in the properties of the 2 hepatic cyclase systems. (Endocrinology 87: 1075, 1970)
Transposon assisted gene insertion technology (TAGIT): a tool for generating fluorescent fusion proteins.

We constructed a transposon (transposon assisted gene insertion technology, or TAGIT) that allows the random insertion of gfp (or other genes) into chromosomal loci without disrupting operon structure or regulation. TAGIT is a modified Tn5 transposon that uses KanR to select for insertions on the chromosome or plasmid, β-galactosidase to identify in-frame gene fusions, and Cre recombinase to excise the kan and lacZ genes in vivo. The resulting gfp insertions maintain target gene reading frame (to the 5′ and 3′ of gfp) and are integrated at the native chromosomal locus, thereby maintaining native expression signals. Libraries can be screened to identify GFP insertions that maintain target protein function at native expression levels, allowing more trustworthy localization studies. We here use TAGIT to generate a library of GFP insertions in the Escherichia coli lactose repressor (LacI). We identified fully functional GFP insertions and partially functional insertions that bind DNA but fail to repress the lacZ operon. Several of these latter GFP insertions localize to lacO arrays integrated in the E. coli chromosome without producing the elongated cells frequently observed when functional LacI-GFP fusions are used in chromosome tagging experiments. TAGIT thereby faciliates the isolation of fully functional insertions of fluorescent proteins into target proteins expressed from the native chromosomal locus as well as potentially useful partially functional proteins.
An endogenous substrate for cGMP-dependent protein kinase in mammalian cerebellum.

CYCLIC guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent protein kinases, a class of protein kinases which are activated by low concentrations of cGMP, but not of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), have been demonstrated in a number of invertebrate1,2 and vertebrate3–11 tissues. In contrast to cAMP-dependent protein kinases, for which numerous substrates have been found, it has been difficult to demonstrate the existence of endogenous substrates for cGMP-dependent protein kinases. Until the present investigation, endogenous substrates for cGMP-dependent protein kinases had been identified in only two types of tissue, smooth muscle5 and intestinal brush border epithelium10; in both tissues the substrates were found only in membrane fractions. Experimental evidence suggests that cGMP may play a part in neuronal function12–14. Although a cGMP-dependent protein kinase has been found in the cytosol of mammalian cerebellum3,4,7, no endogenous substrate has previously been found in this enzyme. We report here the presence in the cerebellum of a soluble protein specifically phosphorylated by the cGMP-dependent protein kinase of that tissue.
Physical Characterization Of The Photorefractive Incoherent-To-Coherent Optical Converter

Volume holographic storage in photorefractive Bit 2S i020 (BSO) crystals is utilized to perform dynamic incoherent-to-coherent image conversion by means of selective spatial erasure of a uniform grating with white (or quasi-monochromatic) light. Physical characterization of device performance is de-scribed, with emphasis on resolution, sensitivity, and temporal response. The photorefractive incoherent-to-coherent optical conversion process is analyzed in terms of a simple model that relates the diffracted intensity to the space-variant effective modulation ratio.
Calculating Electrostatic Effects of Overhead Transmission Lines

This paper presents an approach to predict ground-level electrostatic effects from overhead power transmission lines using the voltage gradient at ground level. Objects like vehicles and animals are represented by Norton equivalent networks. The advantages in using this method are 1) accuracy in predicting induced short-circuit current, ?sc, open-circuit voltage, ?oc, and capacitance of object to ground, Cog, and 2) simplicity in needing only simple slide-rule computations that are practical in the field.
When are Surface Plasmon Polaritons Excited in the Kretschmann-Raether Configuration?

It is widely believed that the reflection minimum in a Kretschmann-Raether experiment results from direct coupling into surface plasmon polariton modes. Our experimental results provide a surprising discrepancy between the leakage radiation patterns of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) launched on a layered gold/germanium film compared to the K-R minimum, clearly challenging this belief. We provide definitive evidence that the reflectance dip in K-R experiments does not correlate with excitation of an SPP mode, but rather corresponds to a particular type of perfectly absorbing (PA) mode. Results from rigorous electrodynamics simulations show that the PA mode can only exist under external driving, whereas the SPP can exist in regions free from direct interaction with the driving field. These simulations show that it is possible to indirectly excite propagating SPPs guided by the reflectance minimum in a K-R experiment, but demonstrate the efficiency can be lower by more than a factor of 3. We find that optimal coupling into the SPP can be guided by the square magnitude of the Fresnel transmission amplitude.
Hurricanes and rising global temperatures.

Theoretical and modeling assessments consistently point toward an increase in hurricane intensity with global warming (1⇓–3). For the North Atlantic, the annual number of the most intense hurricanes has been predicted to increase by more than 50% for each 1-°C increase in surface temperatures (2, 4). However, there is no consensus on whether current hurricanes have responded to the substantial global warming that has already occurred (2, 3); some studies find a substantial increase in intense systems (5⇓–7) whereas others find none (8, 9). This presents a conundrum: if we cannot find a current signal, how can we interpret, or even accept, the future projections?
Right and left ventricular response to subcutaneous terbutaline in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Radionuclide angiographic assessment of cardiac size and function

To assess the response of the right and left ventricles to the subcutaneous administration of terbutaline sulfate, a beta-2 selective agonist, we evaluated 14 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with equilibrium radionuclide anglography (RNA). Prior to injection, eight patients (57%) had an abnormal right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF), four (29%) had a low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and three (21%) had low ejection fractions of both ventricles. After terbutaline injection, RVEF increased in 13 of 14 patients (93%) by 17 ± 8% (p < 0.001) while LVEF increased in all patients by 15 ± 7% (p < 0.001). Both left and right ventricular end-diastolic volumes decreased (p < 0.01), while stroke volume was unchanged. Cardiac output rose by 0.8 ± 1.3 L/min (p < 0.05), primarily due to the increase in heart rate (10 bpm, p < 0.001), since stroke volume did not significantly change. We conclude that in patients with COPD subcutaneous terbutaline has significant beta-1 cardiac effects; it increases the heart rate and decreases cardiac size.
INOS and nitrotyrosine expression after spinal cord injury

Secondary tissue damage after spinal cord injury (SCI) may be due to inflammatory mediators. After SCI, the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcription factor can activate many pro-inflammatory genes, ...
Inching Toward Inclusiveness: Diversity Climate, Interpersonal Conflict and Well-Being in Women Nurses

Interpersonal conflict is a type of mistreatment acknowledged to be a serious problem in the United States workplace, particularly for women. This interpersonal conflict is related to negative outcomes in women, as well as the exclusion of women in the workplace, which highlights the importance of investigating ways to reduce this conflict. There is reason to believe that features of the social work environment may impact the prevalence of interpersonal conflict targeted at women. In particular, the extent to which a workplace includes social norms prohibiting mistreatment based on differences—a diversity climate—should be associated with lower levels of interpersonal conflict for women. As such, the goal of the current study was to examine the impact of diversity climate on the experience of interpersonal conflict in women. Additionally, well-being outcomes—burnout and engagement—were assessed as part of a model of diversity climate, interpersonal conflict, and outcomes. In a sample of 172 White women nurses from the northwestern U.S., three sources of conflict (physicians, manager and coworker) were found to relate negatively with diversity climate perceptions. Diversity climate perceptions were also associated with higher work engagement, and indirectly related to both engagement and burnout through conflict. The findings indicate that cultivating a diversity climate might be an important strategy to reduce interpersonal conflict experienced by women in the workplace.
The role of cultural and gender values in alcohol use patterns among Chicana/Latina high school and university students: implications for AIDS prevention

This paper presents preliminary findings of two studies conducted with Chicana/Latina secondary and university students. Ninety-four women were surveyed concerning alcohol and drug use, behavioral efficacy, knowledge of HIV infection, and sexual practices. In addition, two focus groups were conducted in the high school and four in the university. The focus groups examined the women's perception of the role of cultural values and family communication in their ability to prevent high risk behaviors (alcohol and drug use, unsafe sexual practices). The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of Chicano scholarship, health promotion, and methodological issues in research with Latinas. [Translations are provided in the International Abstracts Section of this issue.]
A real-time production scheduler for a stochastic manufacturing environment

Abstract This paper proposes a framework lor addressing real-time scheduling problems in a stochastic manufacturing environment. The framework, which is based on the decomposition principles of mathematical programming, includes the specification of the problem which must be solved in order to generate, monitor, and update schedules in real-time. Concurrent simulation is used as the primary analysis tool in evaluating prospective schedules. Methodologies for addressing other problems will combine techniques from operations research and artificial intelligence.
Effects of profadol on operant behavior in the pigeon

Abstract The effects of profadol were determined on the key pecking of pigeons under the control of a multiple fixed-ratio, fixed-interval schedule of grain presentation. The effects of naloxone and pentobarbital on the behavioral suppression produced by profadol were also determined. Profadol (0.64–10 mg/kg) decreased responding under both schedule components, and the decrease in responding could not be reversed by either naloxone or pentobarbital. A moderate dose of profadol (1.25 mg/kg) was ineffective as an antagonist of morphine (20 mg/kg). Profadol does not produce its behavioral effects in pigeons by an action with a naloxone-sensitive opioid receptor and its non-opioid behavioral effects are dissimilar to those of previously studied meperidine-like phenylpiperidine analgesics.
Seismic response of multiply connected MDOF primary and MDOF secondary systems

Abstract New algorithms are presented to evaluate the mode shapes and frequencies of a coupled system, given the mode shapes and frequencies of the uncoupled primary and secondary systems. These coupled mode shapes can be used to obtain the dynamic response of the total system given the input to the primary system. This information can also be used to develop instructure response spectra (IRS) at the connecting DOF, along with the correlation between the motions at the connecting DOF.
Two-pass laser welding of galvanized high-strength dual-phase steel for a zero-gap lap joint configuration

Abstract A welding procedure based on using two-pass laser scans is introduced for joining overlapped galvanized high-strength steel sheets. The first pass is based on a defocused laser spot that scans across the top of the overlapped sheets and heats the zinc coating at the faying surface to be melted and vaporized, while the second pass is executed with a focused laser spot in order to perform the welding. Completely defect-free welds were obtained by using this two-pass laser welding procedure. An on-line machine vision system and a spectrometer were applied to analyze the stability of the laser welding process. An energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) was carried out to determine the atomic percent of zinc and iron of the DP980 coupons. Mechanical testing was conducted to evaluate the mechanical properties of the welds. The experimental results show that the weld joints obtained by the two-pass laser welding approach have a higher failure value than those obtained by a single pass laser welding of galvanized steel with mechanically removed zinc at the faying surface under the same welding speed and laser power.
The long way home: the meaning and values of repatriation

edited by Paul Turnbull and Michael Pickering, Oxford, Berghahn Books, 2010, 224 pp., US$27.50/£16.50 (paperback), ISBN 978-1-84545-958-1 This book derives from a conference convened in September o...
Distributions of Some One-Sided k-Sample Smirnov-Type Statistics

Abstract Consider the problem of testing the equality of k populations in cases in which the populations can be ordered a priori from low to high on the basis of some underlying variable. This article proposes a new statistic based on the sums of the Smirnov-type statistic and provides evidence that the test based on this statistic has high power for a wide range of alternatives suggested by this problem. To construct the statistic, let Fj (x) be the empirical distribution for the jth sample based on a random sample of size n (assumed to be the same for all populations), let Di + = sup x {Fi (x) – Fi +1(x)} and let S = Σ Di +. For k = 3, the exact null distribution of S is tabulated for n ≤ 30, and an asymptotic distribution is derived that gives adequate estimates of probability for n's as small as 5. For k > 3, a procedure to derive the exact distribution of S is described that is based on summing probabilities associated with the joint distribution of Di +, i = 1, …, k − 1.
Key issues related to modelling of internal corrosion of oil and gas pipelines - A review

The state-of-the-art in modelling of internal corrosion of oil and gas pipelines made from carbon steel is reviewed. The review covers the effects of: electrochemistry, water chemistry, formation of protective scales and scales, temperature, flow, steel, inhibition, water condensation, glycol/methanol and localized attack. Various mathematical modelling strategies are discussed.
Applying the RESPONSE Code of Practice for evaluation of driver assistance systems: driver age and perception of steering torque signals

An assessment of additional steering torque as a haptic signal to give drivers feedback from the vehicle in order to give lane-departure alerts or to support lane keeping is described. In two studies, driver performance and vehicle response were assessed in a practical study of haptic feedback conducted on a test track in a specially equipped vehicle. The first study was conducted on a total of 30 drivers and examined variations on the amplitude of the haptic signals. In a second study, with another group of 30 drivers, the focus was on the gradient of the signal. The RESPONSE Code of Practice requires that the signals used in driver assistance systems should be tested on driver groups which might perform less well than the average driver. Hence, both younger drivers and older drivers have been included in these studies. The analyses compared the results of these subpopulations with those from a group of experienced middle-aged drivers. The results do not indicate that age and experience influence the reactions times or perceptions of the signals. This finding was replicated in the second study. Furthermore, the results of the two studies show clear effects of amplitude and gradient of the haptic signal on drivers' perception and reactions.
PPAR-δ senses and orchestrates clearance of apoptotic cells to promote tolerance

Macrophages rapidly engulf apoptotic cells to limit the release of noxious cellular contents and to restrict autoimmune responses against self antigens. Although factors participating in recognition and engulfment of apoptotic cells have been identified, the transcriptional basis for the sensing and the silent disposal of apoptotic cells is unknown. Here we show that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-delta (PPAR-delta) is induced when macrophages engulf apoptotic cells and functions as a transcriptional sensor of dying cells. Genetic deletion of PPAR-delta decreases expression of opsonins such as complement component-1qb (C1qb), resulting in impairment of apoptotic cell clearance and reduction in anti-inflammatory cytokine production. This increases autoantibody production and predisposes global and macrophage-specific Ppard(-/-) mice to autoimmune kidney disease, a phenotype resembling the human disease systemic lupus erythematosus. Thus, PPAR-delta has a pivotal role in orchestrating the timely disposal of apoptotic cells by macrophages, ensuring that tolerance to self is maintained.
Toward building a composite of college student influences with body art.

Body piercing and tattooing flourish on American campuses. The theoretical framework of symbolic interaction and subculture identity were used to examine two similar studies (methods, sample, and tools) for building a composite of influences associated with body art and further understand the psychosocial dimensions. In data from Armstrong, Owen, Roberts, and Koch (2002a, 2002b), and the described study within, four groups of college students (N = 908) were formed; those without tattooing (n = 419, 81%), and with tattooing (n = 97, 19%), and those without body piercing (n = 247, 55%) and with body piercing (N = 145, 32%). Influences (purpose, image, identity, cues, barriers, family, friends) were examined. All four student groups reported a positive image for the body art. Friends provided major support, whereas family were not as influential. Uniqueness was important, with the major purposes "I just wanted one, express myself, feel unique, be myself, I don’t need to impress anyone anymore, and it helps m...
A policy oriented multi-interface selection framework for mobile IPv6 using the ID/Locator Split concepts in the Next Generation Wireless Networks

Next Generation Wireless Networks (NGWNs) will be the convergence of fixed and mobile networking technologies, e.g., Ethernet, Wireless LAN, 2G/3G/4G, etc. This united ubiquitous network will consist of billions of mobile devices, each with multiple networking interfaces. These interfaces may belong to a set of diverse link layer technologies. Internet Protocol (IP) shall potentially be used as the inter-networking protocol to bridge this diversity in the underlying wireless link-layer similar to the present wired Internet architecture. However, the traditional IP was not designed for wireless environments and, hence, faces several issues in mobility, multihoming, user path selection, etc. The basis of most of these issues lies in the problem of contextual overloading of IP addresses to serve as both locators and identifiers. The ID/Locator Split concept is a well-known approach to overcome this problem. Mobile IPv6 can be considered as an example of an ID/Locator Split mechanism in which the home address is used as the identity of the mobile node and its care-of-addresses (CoAs) are used as locators. Cellular networking standards organizations, e.g., the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), have adopted the Mobile IP concept for next generation cellular networks to maintain the mobility in an all-IP network framework. Mobile IPv6 and its optimizations can achieve full mobility and deployability. Currently, Mobile IPv6 allows features such as multiple CoA registrations and flow binding options. Apart from mobility, these extensions provide a solution for user-multihoming. However, there is no standard mechanism to select the proper interfaces or to map CoAs underneath. In this paper, we propose a policy-based QoS framework for users to choose the best N interfaces that suit the requirements of their specific applications.
Natural history of denervation in SMA: Relation to age, SMN2 copy number, and function

Denervation was assessed in 89 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) 1, 2, and 3 subjects via motor unit number estimation (MUNE) and maximum compound motor action potential amplitude (CMAP) studies, and results correlated with SMN2 copy, age, and function. MUNE and maximum CMAP values were distinct among SMA subtypes (p < 0.05). Changes in MUNE and maximum CMAP values over time were dependent on age, SMA type, and SMN2 copy number. SMN2 copy number less than 3 correlated with lower MUNE and maximum CMAP values (p < 0.0001) and worse functional outcomes. As SMN2 copy number increases, so does functional status (p < 0.0001). Change in MUNE longitudinally over the time intervals examined in this study was not statistically significant for any SMA cohort. However, a decline in maximum CMAP over time was apparent in SMA2 subjects (p = 0.049). Age-dependent decline in MUNE and maximum CMAP was apparent in both SMA 1 (p < 0.0001) and SMA 2 (p < 0.0001) subjects, with age as an independent factor regardless of type. Maximum CMAP at the time of the initial assessment was most predictive of functional outcome (p < 0.0001). Prospective longitudinal studies in four prenatally diagnosed infants demonstrated significant progressive denervation in association with symptomatic onset or functional decline. These data highlight the potential value of such measures in increasing our understanding of pathophysiological factors involved in denervation in SMA.
Protein Deficiency in Pregnant Rats Causes Decreased Levels of Plasma Somatomedin and Its Carrier Protein Associated with Reduced Plasma Levels of Placental Lactogen and Hepatic Lactogenic Receptor Number

Rats were fed either a 20% lactalbumin (control) or a 5% lactalbu- min (low protein) diet for the last 2 weeks of pregnancy. At day 20 of gestation, rat serum placental lactogen levels, measured by radioreceptor assay, were significantly decreased by the low protein diet, thus confirming our earlier findings. The number of microsomal membrane lactogenic receptors, measured on the maternal livers at the end of pregnancy, was severely reduced in the livers of the low protein group, whereas protein deficiency did not affect binding affinity. Serum concentrations of somato- medin, measured by a competitive binding assay after acid treatment of the serum to remove endogenous carrier protein, were extensively reduced in the low protein group. The amounts of the somatomedin carrier proteins in the serum were assayed by sep aration on Sephacryl-S300 columns into higher- and lower-molecular-weight fractions peak 2 and peak 3, respectively. For the low protein diet group, both fractions showed a reduction in binding capacity, more marked in the case of peak 2. Since placental lactogen is known to influence output of somatomedin by the liver, we hypothesize that protein deficiency during pregnancy causes a fall in serum somatomedin level by reducing secretion of placental lactogen, which regulates its production by the liver. J. Nutr. 114: 638-642, 1984.
Virtual battery: A simulation framework for batteries in electric vehicles

In this paper, a virtual battery model, which provides a framework for simulation of batteries in electric vehicles, is introduced. Using such a framework, we can model the performance of a battery during its usage, such as battery charge, discharge, and idle status, the impacts of internal and external temperature, manufacturing quality on joints, the cell capacity and balance management, etc. Such a framework enables providing quantitative tools for design and production engineers to predict the battery performance and provide feedback to battery design, control and manufacturing processes.
Navigation templates: enhancements, extensions, and experiments

Enhancements and extensions to M.G. Slack's (1993) navigation template (NaT) approach to mobile robot navigation. The NaT algorithm is a vector-field approach to navigation that does not suffer from local minima problems. A problem with phase I of the local vector-field calculation algorithm (which would occasionally cause the robot to collide with an obstacle) is corrected. A simple method for using NaTs to control robots with nonholonomic constraints is presented. A series of experiments that demonstrate the utility of the approach on both a real robot and a simulated real-world robot operating in outdoor rough-terrain environments are described briefly. >
“One's Total World View Comes Into Play”: America's Culture War Over Alcohol Education, 1945–1964

In 1948, fundamentalist theologian Edward John Carnell launched a spirited attack upon the “disease concept” of alcoholism. The Bible stated in no uncertain terms that drunkenness was a sin, Carnell wrote. By deeming alcoholism a sickness, clergymen and educators threatened to erode the “sense of guilt” that had once surrounded it. “The drinker takes the first glass as a free agent,” Carnell intoned. “He knows in advance the risks of his act, yet he proceeds…. As a moral, rational being, then, the drunkard is guilty and stands under God's severe wrath.” Yet in public schools and even in churches, Carnell complained, too many Americans learned to regard alcoholism as a medical affliction rather than as an ethical lapse. “The crux of the problem is whether man is made in the image of God, and thus is a responsible moral being, or whether he is just a product of naturalistic forces and is responsible to none,” Carnell concluded. “In judging drunkards, then, one's total world view comes into play.”
Feeny revisited: condensed tannins as anti‐herbivore defences in leaf‐chewing herbivore communities of Quercus

. 1. Community level oak–tannin–insect patterns have been largely unexplored since Paul Feeny's ground-breaking research. Two hypotheses were tested for Quercus velutina and Q. alba in the Missouri Ozarks: abundance and richness of leaf-chewing herbivores are negatively correlated with foliar condensed tannin concentrations and variation in condensed tannin concentrations explains variation in herbivore community structure. 2. In 2001, foliar condensed tannins in the understorey and canopy of these two oak species were quantified simultaneously with censuses of herbivores in May, during leaf expansion, and in June and August, when leaves were fully expanded. Thirty-eight of the 134 species encountered had densities sufficient to be analysed individually (n = 10). Of those, Acronicta increta (Noctuidae) and Attelabus sp. (Curculionidae), both oak specialists, were negatively correlated with condensed tannins in the canopy of Q. alba. One additional specialist, Chionodes pereyra (Gelechiidae), was marginally negatively correlated with condensed tannins in the understorey of Q. velutina. Understorey species richness of May Q. velutina herbivores was negatively correlated with condensed tannins, as were total canopy insect density and species richness of August herbivores on Q. alba. 3. Principal component analysis (PCA) of insect abundances indicated that understorey and canopy Q. velutina and Q. alba had different communities of leaf-chewing insects. Furthermore, condensed tannin levels contributed significantly to variation in PCA scores for Q. velutina, explaining 25% of the total variation. 4. Overall, these results indicate that specialists were more likely than generalists both to correlate negatively with condensed tannins and to occur in lower tannin habitats; abundance and richness of both early and late season fauna correlated negatively with tannins; and species were more likely to correlate negatively with condensed tannins when feeding on Q. alba than on Q. velutina and when feeding in the canopy than in the understorey. Future studies of tannin–insect interactions should manipulate leaf quality in combination with manipulations of other factors that likely influence community structure.
Ion-Beam Polishing of Diamond Thin Films

Planarization of diamond thin films has been carried out using a remote electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) oxygen plasma under a negative bias. Diamond thin films were synthesized by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD). The surface roughness (RJ of the diamond films could be considerably reduced from 0.2 μm to 0.05 μm using the ECR oxygen plasma. Low planarization and a high etching rate of diamond films were observed for an incident angle of the ion beam to the film surface normal below 45 degrees. High applied bias above -600 V caused secondary discharge effects, resulting in inhomogeneous etching. With an increase in incident angle, needlelike morphology was observed in the diamond film.
Reading Dewey: Reflections on the Study of Routine

Early twentieth-century American pragmatists such as John Dewey placed a strong emphasis on the human faculties of habit and emotion. That contrasts with the emphasis in recent decades on cognitive processes. In contemporary organizational research there has been an increasing interest in recurring action patterns, such as routines and practices. The conceptual difficulties this work has encountered are usefully illuminated by Dewey's view of the primacy of habit and its interplay with emotion and cognition.
Peter Handkes Wunschloses Unglück als Kritik der Biographie: Geschichte und Geschichten

In seiner Erzahlung Wunschloses Ungluck beschaftigt sich Handke mit dem Problem der Biographie. Als zeitgenossischer Schriftsteller muss er die hergebrachten Konventionen der Sprache und literarischen Formen auf ihre Fahigkeit, immernoch Realitat darzustellen, untersuchen. Handke macht Wunschloses Ungluck zum Forum fur seine Auseinandersetzung mit der biographischen Form. Er stellt in seiner Erzahlung nicht nur die faktische Erschliessbarkeit des einzelnen Lebens durch die Biographie in Frage, sondern deutet auch auf die Fiktion seines eigenen Lebens (Autobiographie) und des Menschenlebens im allgemeinen (Geschichte) hin. Man »fingiert« das eigene Leben, das anderer und das des Menschen schlechthin, um sich durch die Scheinrealitat der Form dem Chaos einer Welt ohne Zusammenhang zu entreissen.
Indirect Detection of Selenium-77 in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectra of Organoselenium Compounds

77Se was measured by inverse proton detection using multiple-quantum 'H-{ 77Se} correlation spectroscopy. Oneand two-dimensional heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence (HMQC) experiments are reported for selenophene, benzeneselenol, dimethyl selenide, dimethyl diselenide, and D,L-selenomethionine with a range of 77Se-'H coupling constants from 9.5 to 54.2 Hz. In these compounds having protons with different 77Se-'H coupling constants the different correlations can be selectively enhanced by varying the mixing time. The enhancement for indirect versus direct 77Se detection was estimated for dimethyl selenide yielding a value close to the theoretical enhancement.
Data-Driven Tasks and Their Implementation

Dynamic task parallelism has been identified as a prerequisite for improving productivity and performance on future many-core processors. In dynamic task parallelism, computations are created dynamically and the runtime scheduler is responsible for scheduling the computations across processor cores. The sets of task graphs that can be supported by a dynamic scheduler depend on the underlying task primitives in the parallel programming model, with various classes of fork-join structures used most often in practice. However, many researchers have advocated the benefits of more general task graph structures, and have shown that the use of these task graph structures can lead to improved performance. In this paper, we propose an extension to task parallelism called Data-Driven Tasks (DDTs) that can be used to create arbitrary task graph structures. Unlike a normal task that starts execution upon creation, a DDT specifies its input constraints in an await clause containing a list of Data-Driven Futures (DDFs). A DDF can be viewed as a container with a full/empty state that obeys a dynamic single-assignment rule. The runtime scheduler will then ensure that a task is only scheduled when all the DDFs in its await clause become available (full). There is no constraint on which task performs a put() operation on a DDF. We describe five scheduling algorithms (Coarse-Grain Blocking, Fine-Grain Blocking, Delayed Async, Rollback & Replay, Data-Driven) that can be used to implement DDTs, and include performance evaluations of these five algorithms on a variety of benchmark programs and multi-core platforms. Our results show that the Data-Driven scheduler is the best approach for implementing DDTs, both from the viewpoints of memory efficiency and scalable parallelism.
A case of myelocytic leukemia simulating the mouse model diseases.

A case of myeloid leukemia is reported that occurred in a woman whose previous experiences are known to increase the incidence of myeloid leukemia in the mouse. Ovariectomy and sterile turpentine abscess formation increase the incidence of myeloid leukemia in mice exposed to ionizing radiation. In addition, antigenic similarities exist between certain variants of murine leukemia virus and mammary tumor virus. This patient experienced ovariectomy, thigh abscess formation, and partial body irradiation for carcinoma of the breast a few years before she developed leukemia. An association between human breast cancer and myelocytic leukemia has been described. While this case certainly does not prove that similar pathogenetic mechanisms of myeloid leukemia occur in mice and man, the events preceding the development of leukemia in this patient certainly mimicked the mouse models well.
Adaptive event coverage using high power mobiles over a sensor field

We consider a high density network of low power, stationary sensor nodes (motes) with an overlay of fewer, higher power mobiles that respond to events sensed by the motes. The motes sense the event(s) in progress and guide the much fewer, more expensive, mobiles to move to locations which provide best coverage of the event. The mobiles use the distributed Lloyd algorithm to optimally distribute the entire set of mobiles across the event area. In the distributed Lloyd algorithm, mobiles communicate only with their neighbor mobiles and do not have available the locations of the remaining mobiles. We study the effect of constraining the distance within which the motes can communicate with the mobiles. Then, we suggest an energy-efficient model for communication between the mobiles and the motes. We also investigate the effect of varying the mote density on the coverage provided by the mobiles.
The Mediating Role of Heart Rate on the Social Adversity-Antisocial Behavior Relationship A Social Neurocriminology Perspective

Objectives:Tests the hypothesis that the social adversity-antisocial behavior relationship is partly mediated by a biological mechanism, low heart rate.Method:18 indicators of social adversity and heart rate measured at rest and in anticipation of a speech stressor were assessed alongside nine measures of antisocial behavior including delinquency (Youth Self-Report [YSR] and Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL]), conduct disorder (Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder Questionnaire), and child psychopathy (Antisocial Process Screening Device [APSD]) in a community sample of 388 children aged 11 to 12 years. PROCESS was used to test mediation models.Results:Low heart rate was a partial mediator of the adversity-antisocial behavior relationship, explaining 20.35 percent and 15.40 percent of the effect of social adversity on delinquency and overall antisocial behavior, respectively.Conclusions:Findings are, to the authors’ knowledge, one of the first to establish any biological risk factor as a media...
A Comment On The Accountability Of The Accounting Profession

This essay reflects on the history, present status, and future promise of the accounting profession. Comparisons are drawn between accounting and the professions of medicine and law. The critique of the profession made by Walter P. Schuetze, former Chief Accountant to the SEC, and the formal response of the profession to this critique are examined. The essay also provides some preliminary suggestions for limiting the use of accounting techniques that do not conform to professional literature and practice. Included in the essay is a discussion of the 1994 report of the Advisory Panel on Auditor Independence, a panel appointed by the Public Oversight Board of the SEC Practice Section of the AICPA.
ADAMTS13 Endopeptidase Protects against Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibitor–Induced Thrombotic Microangiopathy

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a life-threatening condition that affects some, but not all, recipients of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors given as part of chemotherapy. TMA is also a complication of preeclampsia, a disease characterized by excess production of the VEGF-scavenging soluble VEGF receptor 1 (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1; sFlt-1). Risk factors for VEGF inhibitor-related TMA remain unknown. We hypothesized that deficiency of the VWF-cleaving ADAMTS13 endopeptidase contributes to the development of VEGF inhibitor-related TMA. ADAMTS13(-/-) mice overexpressing sFlt-1 presented all hallmarks of TMA, including thrombocytopenia, schistocytosis, anemia, and VWF-positive microthrombi in multiple organs. Similar to VEGF inhibitor-related TMA in humans, these mice exhibited severely impaired kidney function and hypertension. In contrast, wild-type mice overexpressing sFlt-1 developed modest hypertension but no other features of TMA. Recombinant ADAMTS13 therapy ameliorated all symptoms of TMA in ADAMTS13(-/-) mice overexpressing sFlt-1 and normalized BP in wild-type mice. ADAMTS13 activity may thus be a critical determinant for the development of TMA secondary to VEGF inhibition. Administration of recombinant ADAMTS13 may serve as a therapeutic approach to treat or prevent thrombotic complications of VEGF inhibition.
Antecedents and Consequences of Earnings Opacity: Toward an International Contingency Theory

This paper posits that the phenomenon of earnings opacity is not only the result of legal, religious, political, social, economic and accounting antecedents but also creates consequences for the quality of government, corporate valuation, economic growth and productivity of nations. The examination of the empirical relations between earnings opacity and its antecedents and consequences is viewed as a first step toward the development of an international contingency theory of earnings opacity.
Structural characterizations of stability of signed digraphs under pulse processes

The notion of a pulse process on a signed digraph arose in connection with studies of energy demand and other societal problems. Two notions of stability of a signed digraph D under a pulse process, pulse and value stability, have been characterized in terms of the eigenspace of the transpose of the signed adjacency matrix of D. In this paper, conditions for stability stated in terms of the structure of the signed digraph are studied.
Effects of Tebufenozide (Rh-5992) for Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Suppression on Nontarget Canopy Arthropods

In 1994 and 1995 we evaluated the impact of tebufenozide (RH-5992) application for experimental gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), suppression on nontarget canopy arthropods in mixed oak plots in Columbiana County, Ohio. Tebufenozide is an ecdysone agonist that has been shown to be highly efficacious against lepidopterous pests. Foliage samples were taken by pole pruners from the forest canopy in 9 plots. Pretreatment sampling in mid-May 1994 showed similar richness and abundance of arthropods in all treatments. Tebufenozide was applied to 6 of the 9 plots on 21 and 22 May 1994. Three plots were treated with a high dose, 3 with a low dose, and 3 were left as untreated control plots. Analysis of variance with least significant difference mean separation was used to analyze treatment differences for arthropod family richness and abundance and macrolepidoptera larval richness and abundance. Target gypsy moth larvae were reduced in treated plots, but not significantly so. No differences were seen among treatments for nontarget arthropod richness and abundance excluding macrolepidoptera. Macrolepidoptera richness excluding gypsy moth was significantly higher in control plots than tebufenozide high dose plots for the early sample periods, but not the late sample periods, of both years. For macrolepidoptera abundance, numbers were significantly higher in control versus high dose plots for the early period in 1994 and control versus high and low dose plots for the late period in 1994 and early period in 1995. No differences were seen in abundance for the late sampling period of 1995. Among the most abundant caterpillar species showing treatment effects were members of the families Noctuidae, Ceometridae, Notodontidae, and Lycaenidae. If tebufenozide is applied in a way that is more effective for gypsy moth control, effects on nontarget arthropods may be greater also.
Effect of diazocine bridgehead modification on the folding of the Wilcox molecular torsion balance: a view from a different angle.

Replacing the methano (NCH2N) bridgehead with an ethano (NCH2CH2N) bridgehead affects the conformational equilibrium of the Wilcox molecular torsion balance. With a NCH2CH2N bridgehead, the phenyl and the cyclohexyl esters prefer the out conformation, whereas with the NCH2N bridgehead, they were found to prefer the folded conformation.