cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Deadly Sins: How They Are Viewed and Experienced Today

The results of a survey conducted in 1988 on the traditional deadly sins and the schedule of virtues formulated by Erik H. Erikson were previously reported by Capps (Pastoral Psychology 37:229–253, 1989). The results of a second survey conducted in 1998 were reported by Capps and Cole (Pastoral Psychology 48:359–376, 2000). This article reports on a third survey conducted in 2008–2009. All three surveys employed a research instrument constructed by Capps titled Life Attitudes Inventory. Major findings of the third survey are that lust and melancholy are considered the deadliest of the deadly sins, with anger rounding out the top three. Envy is thought to be the least deadly sin. The sins most personally struggled with are pride, envy, and apathy, with both genders accounting for the high ranking of pride, women for envy, and men for apathy. Men’s and women’s views whether individual sins are more characteristic of men or of women were also reported, with greed especially ascribed to men and envy to women. Similarities and differences between young, middle and mature adults’ views on and experiences of the deadly sins are reported, as are comparisons between the members of two Christian denominations (Presbyterians and Methodists).
L-kynurenine: a fluorescent probe of serum albumins.

Abstract The specific interaction of l -kynurenine with serum albumins was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. The addition of l -kynurenine to a solution of serum albumin induces in parallel to fluorescence enhancement a marked increase in the polarization of fluorescence of the ligand. Binding experiments conducted at constant protein concentration and varying ligand concentration reveal that the l -kynurenine—protein complex is characterized by an association constant ( K a ) of 2.8 · 105 M−1. l -kynurenine complexed to bovine serum albumin displays a maximum of emission at 435 nm, while l -kynurenine in hydrogen bonding solvents is characterized by a maximum of emission at 460 nm. This blue shift in the band position of the emission spectrum is more pronounced than the corresponding shift in the absorption spectra. The possible relationship of these spectral changes to the binding of l -kynurenine to a non-polar binding site is discussed; it is proposed that during its brief fluorescence lifetime the molecule of l -kynurenine bound to the protein does not interact with the surrounding solvent.
Cycloheximide prevents the de novo polypeptide synthesis required to recover from acetylene inhibition in Nitrosopumilus maritimus

Developing methods to differentiate the relative contributions of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) to ammonia (NH3) oxidation has been challenging due to the lack of compounds that selectively inhibit AOA. In this study, we investigated the effects of specific bacteria- and eukaryote-selective protein synthesis inhibitors on the recovery of acetylene (C2H2)-inactivated NH3 oxidation in the marine AOA Nitrosopumilus maritimus and compared the results with recovery of the AOB Nitrosomonas europaea. C2 H2 irreversibly inhibited N. maritimus NH3 oxidation in a similar manner to what was observed previously with N. europaea. However, cycloheximide (CHX), a widely used eukaryotic protein synthesis inhibitor, but not bacteria-specific protein synthesis inhibitors (kanamycin and gentamycin), inhibited the recovery of NH3-oxidizing activity in N. maritimus. CHX prevented the incorporation of (14)CO2 -labeling into cellular proteins, providing further evidence that CHX acts as a protein synthesis inhibitor in N. maritimus. If the effect of CHX on protein synthesis can be confirmed among other isolates of AOA, the combination of C2H2 inactivation followed by recovery of NH3 oxidation either in the presence of bacteria-selective protein synthesis inhibitors or CHX might be used to estimate the relative contributions of AOB and AOA to NH3 oxidation in natural environments.
Identification of New RNA Modifying Enzymes by Iterative Genome Search Using Known Modifying Enzymes as Probes

The complete nucleotide sequences of the Haemophilus influenzae and Mycoplasma genitalium genomes and the partially sequenced Escherichia coli chromosome were analyzed to identify open reading frames (ORFs) likely to encode RNA modifying enzymes. The protein sequences of known RNA modifying enzymes from three families--m5U methyltransferases, psi synthases and 2'-O methyltransferases--were used as probes to search sequence databases for homologs. ORFs identified as homologous to the initial probes were retrieved and used as new probes against the databases in an iterative manner until no more homologous ORFs could be identified. Using this approach, we have identified two new m5U methyltransferases, seven new psi synthases and four new 2'-O methyltransferases in E. coli. Many of the ORFs found in E.coli have direct genetic counterparts (orthologs) in one or both of H.influenzae and M.genitalium. Since there is a near-complete knowledge of RNA modifications in E.coli, functional activities of the proteins encoded by the identified ORFs were proposed based on the level of conservation of the ORFs and the modified nucleotides.
Applications of new Geronimus type identities for real orthogonal polynomials

Let be a positive measure on the real line, with associated orthogonal polynomials fpng. Let Im a 6= 0. Then there is an explicit constant cn such that for all polynomials P of degree at most 2n 2, cn Z 1 1 P (t) jpn (a) pn 1 (t) pn 1 (a) pn (t)j dt = Z P d : In this paper, we provide a self-contained proof of the identity. Moreover, we apply the formula to deduce a weak convergence result, a discrepancy estimate, and also to establish a Gauss quadrature associated with with nodes at the zeros of pn (a) pn 1 (t) pn 1 (a) pn (t). Orthogonal Polynomials on the real line, Geronimus formula, discerepancy, weak convergence, Gauss quadrature. 42C05 1. Introduction Let be a positive measure on the real line with in nitely many points in its support, and R xd (x) nite for j = 0; 1; 2; ::: . Then we may de ne orthonormal polynomials pn (x) = nx n + :::, n > 0; satisfying Z 1 1 pnpmd = mn: In analysis and applications of orthogonal polynomials, the reproducing kernel
Enhanced renal cortical vascularization in experimental hypercholesterolemia.

Enhanced renal cortical vascularization in experimental hypercholesterolemia. Background Experimental hypercholesterolemia is associated with pro-inflammatory changes and impaired regulation of tissue perfusion, which may lead to neovascularization. However, it is yet unknown whether such changes take place in the kidney. In this study, using a novel three-dimensional (3-D) micro computed-tomography technique we tested the hypothesis that hypercholesterolemia was associated with increased microvascular density in the renal cortex. Methods Kidneys were excised from pigs after 12 weeks of either a normal ( N = 6) or high cholesterol (HC; N = 5) diet, histology slides processed, and a segmental renal artery injected with a radio-opaque intravascular silicone polymer. Renal samples were scanned with micro computed-tomography, transverse and three-dimensional images were reconstructed, and microvessels (80 to 360 μm in diameter) counted in situ. Results Serum cholesterol levels were significantly higher in hypercholesterolemic compared to normal pigs (383 ± 76 vs. 81 ± 7 mg/dL, P 2 , P Conclusions These results demonstrate that early diet-induced hypercholesterolemia is associated with increased microvascular density in the renal cortex, which precedes signs of overt renal morphological damage. These alterations may potentially affect regulation and/or spatial distribution of intrarenal blood flow in hypercholesterolemia, and may participate in renal disease progression.
Predictors of two-year post-hospitalization mortality among elderly veterans in a study evaluating a geriatric consultation team.

Objective: To determine predictors of 2-year post-hospitalization mortality in a cohort of elderly hospitalized patients originally assembled to assess the impact of a Geriatric Consultation Team (GCT). Objective: Two-year follow-up of an inception cohort. Setting: University-affiliated tertiary care VA Medical Center. Patients: One hundred sixty-seven veterans age 75 or older discharged following hospitalization on medical, surgical, or psychiatry services but not intensive care units. Intervention: None specifically studied here though cohort was previously part of randomized control trial of a Geriatric Consultation Team. Measurement: Mortality during 2 years of post-hospitalization follow-up. Results: Two-year post-hospitalization mortality was 28 percent with no difference between the original GCT and control groups. For the entire sample, age, mental status, admission or discharge ADLs (but not change in ADL status), number of admission problems, number of discharge diagnoses, and discharge site were significant predictors of mortality in univariate analysis. Only discharge ADLs and discharge site remained significant in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Measures of ADLs during hospitalization are stronger predictors of mortality following hospitalization than disease diagnoses. Impaired ADLs and placement other than at home are significant predictors of mortality, suggesting that the decision for nursing home placement contains other independently predictive information within it and/or that the subsequent nursing home period produces excess mortality. As had been indicated in short-term follow-up, there was no survival advantage for the Geriatric Consultation Group. J Am Geriatr Soc 40:1231–1235, 1992
Design and evaluation of feedback consolidation for ABR point-to-multipoint connections in ATM networks

The available bit rate (ABR) service is proposed to transport data traffic in asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks. ABR is unique because the network switches can indicate to the sources the rates at which they should be transmitting, thereby avoiding congestion and efficiently utilizing network resources. A number of algorithms have been developed for extending the ABR flow control algorithms for point-to-multipoint connections. In this case, feedback consolidation is required at the branch points to avoid overwhelming the sender with feedback. This paper discusses various design options and implementation alternatives for consolidation algorithms, and proposes a number of novel algorithms. The performance of the proposed algorithms and the original algorithms is compared under a variety of conditions. Results indicate that the algorithms we propose eliminate the consolidation noise (caused if the feedback is returned before all branches respond), while exhibiting a fast transient response.
Need for Enhanced Environmental Representation in the Implementation of One Health

Issues of global environmental change, global health, emerging disease, and sustainability present some of the most complex challenges of the twenty-first century. Individual disciplines cannot address these issues in isolation. Proactive, innovative, and trans-disciplinary solutions are required. Recognizing the inherent connectedness of humans, animals, plants, and their shared environment, One Health encourages the collaboration of many disciplines—including human and veterinary medicine, public health, social science, public policy, environmental science, and others—to address global and local health challenges. Despite great progress in this shift toward transdisciplinarity, the environmental component of the One Health paradigm remains underrepresented in One Health discourse. Human and animal health issues are commonly discussed under the umbrella of the One Health paradigm, while upstream environmental drivers and solutions are less prominent. We assessed the current integration of environmental issues in One Health publications and leadership. There is room for enhanced integration of environmental knowledge in the implementation of One Health approaches. We discuss the potential benefits from the collaboration between One Health and ecohealth, and explore strategies for increased environmental involvement.
Modeling thermal characteristics of a fixed disk drive

The thermal characteristics of an IBM 5-1/4-in. fixed disk drive were experimentally determined to aid in the development of a general disk-drive model. In general, the thermal model was able to predict the transient temperature profiles. At 4000 r/min, the steady-state temperatures of the air and arms were predicted to within 0.4 degrees C, and the base temperature was predicted to within 2.4 degrees C. The air temperature was found to be uniform within experimental uncertainty outside of the disk stack, but was 1.4 degrees C higher between corotating disks. The temperature predictions are extremely sensitive to the external heat transfer coefficients and the heat sources input by the user. It was found that more fundamental information regarding viscous dissipation and air flow within a disk drive must be known to produce a reliable thermal model. >
Reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ load mediates impaired contractile reserve in right ventricular pressure overload

Abstract Myocardial contractile reserve is significantly attenuated in patients with advanced heart failure. The aim of this study was to identify mechanisms of impaired contractile reserve in a large animal model that closely mimics human myocardial failure. Progressive right ventricular hypertrophy and failure were induced by banding the pulmonary artery in kittens. Isometric contractile force was measured in right ventricular trabeculae ( n = 115) from age-matched Control and Banded feline hearts. Rapid cooling contractures (RCC) were used to determine sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca 2+ load while assessing the ability of changes in rate, adrenergic stimulation and bath Ca 2+ to augment contractility. The positive force–frequency relationship and robust pre- and post-receptor adrenergic responses observed in Control trabeculae were closely paralleled by increases in RCC amplitude and the RCC2/RCC1 ratio. Conversely, the severely blunted force–frequency and adrenergic responses in Banded trabeculae were paralleled by an unchanged RCC amplitude and RCC2/RCC1 ratio. Likewise, supraphysiologic levels of bath Ca 2+ were associated with severely reduced contractility and RCC amplitude in Banded trabeculae compared to Controls. There were no differences in myofilament Ca 2+ sensitivity or length-dependent increases in contractility between Control and Banded trabeculae. There was a significant decrease in SR Ca 2+ -ATPase pump abundance and phosphorylation of phospholamban and ryanodine receptor in Banded trabeculae compared with Controls. A reduced ability to increase SR Ca 2+ load is the primary mechanism of reduced contractile reserve in failing feline myocardium. The similarity of impaired contractile reserve phenomenology in this feline model and transplanted hearts suggests mechanistic relevance to human myocardial failure.
Universities, public policy and economic development in Latin America: the cases of Mexico and Venezuela

Since the establishment of national university systems in Mexico and Venezuela, three principal demands have dominated the formulation of university policy: the ideological demand imposed by government rhetoric and national aspirations (a demand reflected in federal expenditure), the demand of the national economy for different areas and levels of professional expertise, and the broad-based political and social demand for upward mobility by way of university education. Tensions between these three demands in both Mexico and Venezuela have stemmed from the historically decreasing ability of Latin American economies to produce significant long-term social mobility into the middle classes. Although in the 1940s and 1950s the university systems played important roles in promoting social mobility, by the 1960s the number of professional jobs was much smaller than the number of university graduates. By the 1980s, the social role of the universities was severely limited by economic crisis brought on by a combination of dropping oil prices, debt, and government deficits. The major challenge currently facing Mexico and Venezuela in higher education policy is to restart economic growth to provide jobs for university graduates. The interaction of university education, public policy, and economic development in Latin America has seldom been studied in its historical context. Yet it is the pattern of historical economic development that best explains the changing functions of Latin American universities in the twentieth century. The evolution of public policy for education has also been determined to a large extent by the historical development of Latin American economies. This article considers universities and economies in two of the most highly
ELECTROMAGNETICALLY INDUCED CHANGES IN INTENSITIES, SPECTRA, AND TEMPORAL BEHAVIOR OF LIGHT SCATTERING FROM MOLECULES ON SILVER-ISLAND FILMS

Les interactions electrodynamiques conduisant a la diffusion Raman augmentee en surface, conduisent aussi a des modifications dramatiques des intensites, des spectres et du comportement en fonction du temps de l'emission de fluorescence des adsorbats sur des surfaces metalliques rugueuses. On a observe par differentes methodes des deplacements spectraux de la fluorescence d'adsorbats sur des couches granulaires
Static Analysis for Efficient Hybrid Information-Flow Control

Hybrid information-flow monitors use a combination of static analysis and dynamic mechanisms to provide precise strong information security guarantees. However, unlike purely static mechanisms for information security, hybrid information-flow monitors incur run-time overhead. We show how static analyses can be used to make hybrid information-flow monitors more efficient, in two ways. First, a simple static analysis can determine when it is sound for a monitor to stop tracking the security level of certain variables. This potentially reduces run-time overhead of the monitor, particularly in applications where sensitive (i.e., confidential or untrusted) data is infrequently introduced to the system. Second, we derive sufficient conditions for soundly incorporating a wide range of memory abstractions into information-flow monitors. This allows the selection of a memory abstraction that gives an appropriate tradeoff between efficiency and precision. It also facilitates the development of innovative and sound memory abstractions that use run-time security information maintained by the monitor. We present and prove our results by extending the information-flow monitor of Russo and Sabelfeld (2010). These results bring us closer to efficient, sound, and precise enforcement of information security.
Circulating Proangiogenic Cell Activity Is Associated with Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Vascular injury mobilizes bone marrow–derived proangiogenic cells into the circulation, where these cells can facilitate vascular repair and new vessel formation. We sought to determine the relationship between a new biomarker of circulating bone marrow–derived proangiogenic cell activity, the presence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors, and clinical outcomes. Circulating proangiogenic cell activity was estimated using a reproducible angiogenic colonyforming unit (CFU-A) assay in 532 clinically stable subjects aged 20 to 90 years and ranging in the CVD risk spectrum from those who are healthy without risk factors to those with active CVD. CFU-A counts increased with the burden of CVD risk factors (p < 0.001). CFU-A counts were higher in subjects with symptomatic CVD than in those without (p < 0.001). During follow-up of 232 subjects with CVD, CFU-A counts were higher in those with death, myocardial infarction, or stroke than in those without (110 [70–173] vs 84 [51–136], p = 0.01). Therefore, we conclude that circulating proangiogenic cell activity, as estimated by CFU-A counts, increases with CVD risk factor burden and in the presence of established CVD. Furthermore, higher circulating proangiogenic cell activity is associated with worse clinical outcome in those with CVD.
Predicting bacterial fitness cost associated with drug resistance

Objectives: It has been proposed that antimicrobial resistance could be associated with a fitness cost in bacteria, which is often determined by competition experiments between isogenic strains (wild-type and mutant). However, this conventional approach is time consuming and labour intensive. An alternative method was developed to assess the fitness cost in drug-resistant bacteria. Methods: Time-growth studies were performed with approximately 1×10 5 cfu/mL of Acinetobacter baumannii or Pseudomonas aeruginosa at baseline. Serial samples were obtained to quantify the bacterial burden over 24 h. The growth rates (Kg) of isogenic strains (antibiotic susceptible and resistant) were determined individually and used to predict their relative abundance in a co-culture over an extended period of time. The predicted difference between the two strains was subsequently validated by in vitro growth competition experiments. Results: The growth rates of A. baumannii were not significantly different in different strengths of growth medium. The difference in bacterial burden observed in competition studies was in general agreement with the predicted difference based on Kg values, suggesting good predicting ability of the mathematical model. Conclusions: The proposed mathematical model was found to be reasonable in characterizing bacterial growth and predicting the fitness cost of resistance. This simple method appears robust in the assessment of fitness cost associated with drug resistance and warrants further investigations.
Schema-free XQuery

The widespread adoption of XML holds out the promise that document structure can be exploited to specify precise database queries. However, the user may have only a limited knowledge of the XML structure, and hence may be unable to produce a correct XQuery, especially in the context of a heterogeneous information collection. The default is to use keyword-based search and we are all too familiar with how difficult it is to obtain precise answers by these means. We seek to address these problems by introducing the notion of Meaningful Lowest Common Ancestor Structure (MLCAS) for finding related nodes within an XML document. By automatically computing MLCAS and expanding ambiguous tag names, we add new functionality to XQuery and enable users to take full advantage of XQuery in querying XML data precisely and efficiently without requiring (perfect) knowledge of the document structure. Such a Schema-Free XQuery is potentially of value not just to casual users with partial knowledge of schema, but also to experts working in a data integration or data evolution context. In such a context, a schema-free query, once written, can be applied universally to multiple data sources that supply similar content under different schemas, and applied "forever" as these schemas evolve. Our experimental evaluation found that it was possible to express a wide variety of queries in a schema-free manner and have them return correct results over a broad diversity of schemas. Furthermore, the evaluation of a schema-free query is not expensive using a novel stack-based algorithm we develop for computing MLCAS: from 1 to 4 times the execution time of an equivalent schema-aware query.
Control of stem cell fate and function by engineering physical microenvironments

The phenotypic expression and function of stem cells are regulated by their integrated response to variable microenvironmental cues, including growth factors and cytokines, matrix-mediated signals, and cell–cell interactions. Recently, growing evidence suggests that matrix-mediated signals include mechanical stimuli such as strain, shear stress, substrate rigidity and topography, and these stimuli have a more profound impact on stem cell phenotypes than had previously been recognized, e.g. self-renewal and differentiation through the control of gene transcription and signaling pathways. Using a variety of cell culture models enabled by micro and nanoscale technologies, we are beginning to systematically and quantitatively investigate the integrated response of cells to combinations of relevant mechanobiological stimuli. This paper reviews recent advances in engineering physical stimuli for stem cell mechanobiology and discusses how micro- and nanoscale engineered platforms can be used to control stem cell niche environments and regulate stem cell fate and function.
Cropland distributions from temporal unmixing of MODIS data

Abstract Knowledge of the distribution of crop types is important for land management and trade decisions, and is needed to constrain remotely sensed estimates of variables, such as crop stress and productivity. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) offers a unique combination of spectral, temporal, and spatial resolution compared to previous global sensors, making it a good candidate for large-scale crop type mapping. However, because of subpixel heterogeneity, the application of traditional hard classification approaches to MODIS data may result in significant errors in crop area estimation. We developed and tested a linear unmixing approach with MODIS that estimates subpixel fractions of crop area based on the temporal signature of reflectance throughout the growing season. In this method, termed probabilistic temporal unmixing (PTU), endmember sets were constructed using Landsat data to identify pure pixels, and uncertainty resulting from endmember variability was quantified using Monte Carlo simulation. This approach was evaluated using Landsat classification maps in two intensive agricultural regions, the Yaqui Valley (YV) of Mexico and the Southern Great Plains (SGP). Performance of the mixture model varied depending on the scale of comparison, with R2 ranging from roughly 50% for estimating crop area within individual pixels to greater than 80% for crop cover within areas over 10 km2. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of subpixel heterogeneity in cropland systems, and the potential of temporal unmixing to provide accurate and rapid assessments of land cover distributions using coarse resolution sensors, such as MODIS.
Experiments on paper insulation in a corona environment

Insertion of an insulating paper between point-plane electrodes normally increases the total breakdown potential threshold, except when its position is next to the plane. A series of DC [both (+) and (-)] experiments was designed and conducted to examine this latter distinction. It was found that visual ionic spots on the paper surface are a dominant prebreakdown phenomenon. Local failure at one of such discrete spots ultimately brings about a streamer sparkover in air at a sufficiently high potential. This paper describes the variability and other characteristics of the pattern in a two-dimensional spot distribution. Related experiments reveal that, with double paper layers already in the barrier, the pattern of spots becomes less dense visually but the breakdown potential would increase for the case of (+) point but would decrease further for the case of (-) point if a third sheet is introduced. A sharply defined "dark" band on the double-layer side in which glow spots are absent was always observed to clearly bridge the separate domains of, respectively, single-layer and double-layer spot distributions. Also related were the mechanical agitations of the paper accompanying all phases of the different discharge activities.
Molecular Dynamics of Segmented Polyurethane Copolymers: Influence of Soft Segment Composition

Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy was used to investigate the molecular dynamics of model segmented polyurethane copolymers having identical hard segments and hard segment weight fractions, but with four different soft segment chemistries of particular interest in biomedical devices. All soft segments have molecular weight ∼1000 g/mol and are composed of either tetramethylene oxide, hexamethylene oxide, aliphatic carbonate, or dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) segments. These microphase-separated materials exhibit rich dielectric relaxation behavior: up to two relaxations in the glassy state, a segmental α relaxation (two for the polymer with predominately PDMS soft segments), and three slower relaxations. The slowest process arises from interfacial (MWS) polarization, and its strength decreases significantly with increasing temperature (over a few tens of degrees) and disappears at a temperature similar to that at which the small-angle X-ray scattering from the phase-separated microstructure disappears.
Feature and Prototype Evolution for Nearest Neighbor Classification of Web Documents

A nearest neighbor classifier (NNC) approaches the problem of text classification by computing a similarity metric between feature vector representations of an unknown document and a set of known prototype documents. The accuracy and speed of the NNC are dependent upon the choices of features and prototypes. In this paper, we consider the use of a genetic algorithm to optimize the feature and prototype sets for an NNC. We also examine whether simultaneously evolving the feature and prototype sets produces better results than sequential optimization
Pressure wire assessment of hemodynamic alterations after chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Rationale and Objectives The end point of chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma is qualitative. We intended to determine the feasibility of measuring intra-arterial pressure changes after chemoembolization and hypothesized that pressures would increase in the distal hepatic artery after the procedure. Materials and Methods Before and after chemoembolization, systemic (S) systolic and mean pressures were measured along with celiac (C), lobar (L), and distal (D) hepatic artery pressures with a pressure wire. Corrected pressures were defined as a ratio with S as the denominator to account for intraprocedural S changes. Changes in the systolic and mean corrected pressures at each location (C/S, L/S, and D/S) were evaluated using paired t tests. Pressure changes in patients with and without tumor response using the Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors were also compared. Results Sixteen tumors were treated in 15 patients. One patient had bilobar tumors with separate supplying arteries. The only significant pressure change was systolic D/S (P = .02), while mean D/S approached significance (P = .08). C/S and L/S did not change significantly after chemoembolization. Eleven of 16 patients had a complete response, whereas the other five had a partial response after chemoembolization. When comparing complete to partial responders, no changes in systolic or mean C/S, L/S, or D/S reached statistical significance (all P > .05). Conclusions Measuring change in hepatic artery pressures is feasible. Distal intra-arterial corrected pressures increase significantly after chemoembolization. Further study to determine the ability to predict tumor necrosis at follow-up imaging is warranted.
Friction of polymer films. II. Effect of deformation properties

The effect of mechanical deformation properties on the frictional behavior of cellulose film coated with vinylidene chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer was investigated. A device for measuring the deformation properties of thin polymer films by static indentation techniques was developed. The mode of deformation of the polymer coated cellophane was found to be intermediate between plastic and elastic with a measured deformation index m of 2.35. A mathematical relationship between surface roughness, load, deformation index, and coefficient of friction was developed. It was shown that the coefficient of friction of the polymer film varied with the number of surface asperities to the (2/m)-1 power, and that the friction also varied with load to the same power. The frictional behavior of polymers as a function of several variables could be expressed in terms of a single material constant, the deformation index. Although derived from static measurements, this index is applicable to dynamic systems.
Differentiation in the short- and long-term effects of smoking on plasma total ghrelin concentrations between male nonsmokers and habitual smokers

To explore the association between the anorexigenic effects of nicotine and the orexigenic properties of ghrelin, plasma total ghrelin levels were measured in nonsmokers and habitual smokers before and after short-term exposure to cigarette smoke. Thirty-one male smokers and 23 nonsmoking volunteers were matched for age and body mass index. After an overnight fast and abstinence from smoking, they all smoked 2 cigarettes consecutively (same brand, rate of inhalation, and duration of smoking). Total ghrelin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay before smoking (baseline), immediately afterward, and 30, 60, and 90 minutes after the second cigarette. Baseline ghrelin levels were not different between smokers and nonsmokers. Smoking did not have an immediate influence on ghrelin concentrations in smokers (analysis of variance for repeated measurements, P=0.74), whereas there was a progressive decline in nonsmokers, reaching statistical significance at 30 minutes (P=.04) and a nadir at 60 minutes (P=.04) after smoking. Moreover, the area under the curve for the changes of ghrelin over time after smoking was lower in nonsmokers than in smokers (-287.2+/-167.1 vs 29.2+/-125.3 ng.min/L, P=.03). In conclusion, fasting plasma total ghrelin concentrations are not different between male smokers and nonsmokers. Smoking does not provoke any short-term change in ghrelin levels in smokers, but induces a decline in nonsmokers. If the anorectic effect of smoking is ghrelin induced, this effect may be present only in people not habituated to smoke exposure. In habitual smokers, ghrelin suppression by short-term smoking could be blunted as a result of desensitization due to prolonged nicotine exposure.
Preliminary characterization of persisting circadian rhythms during space flight

In order to evaluate the function of the circadian timing system in space, the circadian rhythm of conidiation of the fungus Neurospora crassa was monitored in constant darkness on the STS 9 flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia. During the first 7 days of spaceflight many tubes showed a marked reduction in the apparent amplitude of the conidiation rhythm, and some cultures appeared arrhythmic. There was more variability in the growth rate and circadian rhythms of individual cultures in space than is usually seen on earth. The results of this experiment indicate that while the circadian rhythm of Neurospora conidiation can persist outside of the earth's environment, either the timekeeping process or its expression is altered in space.
Precedence knowledge in feature mating operation assembly planning

The authors discuss the representation and acquisition of the precedence knowledge of an assembly, which plays an important role in the generation of assembly sequences and the planning of assembly. An efficient and complete symbolic representation has been developed to express the precedence knowledge clearly and precisely. This symbolic representation makes it possible to perform reasoning and manipulation of the precedence knowledge. Furthermore, the representation is complete in the sense that it can represent the assembly precedence knowledge as well as the disassembly precedence knowledge and these two forms of knowledge can be transformed from one to another. A geometric mating graph is developed to include all the necessary geometric and topological information for the precedence knowledge acquisition. Two algorithms are developed to obtain the precedence knowledge from the geometric mating graph systematically. The disassembly precedence knowledge thus obtained is equivalent to the assembly precedence knowledge and can be used to generate all the possible sets of assembly sequences. >
Civil Society and the Collapse of the Weimar Republic

Practically everywhere one looks these days the concept of “civil society” is in vogue. Neo-Tocquevillean scholars argue that civil society plays a role in driving political, social, and even economic outcomes. This new conventional wisdom, however, is flawed. It is simply not true that democratic government is always strengthened, not weakened, when it faces a vigorous civil society. This essay shows how a robust civil society helped scuttle the twentieth century's most critical democratic experiment, Weimar Germany. An important implication of this analysis is that under certain circumstances associationism and the prospects for democratic stability can actually be inversely related. To know when civil society activity will take on oppositional or even antidemocratic tendencies, one needs to ground one's analyses in concrete examinations of political reality. Political scientists should remember that Tocqueville considered Americans' political associations to be as important as their nonpolitical ones, and they should therefore examine more closely the connections between the two under various conditions.
Confocal light scattering and absorption spectroscopic microscopy

We have developed a novel optical method for observing submicron intracellular structures in living cells which is called confocal light absorption and scattering spectroscopic (CLASS) microscopy. It combines confocal microscopy, a well-established high-resolution microscopic technique, with light scattering spectroscopy (LSS). CLASS microscopy requires no exogenous labels and is capable of imaging and continuously monitoring individual viable cells, enabling the observation of cell and organelle functioning at scales on the order of 100 nm. In addition, it provides not only size information but also information about the biochemical and physical properties of the cell.
RCS measurements of plate geometries with theoretical verification

The rectangular plate is an important scattering geometry for examining multiple interactions between parallel edges, grazing-incidence scattering, corner-diffraction effects, and radar cross section reduction due to thin coatings. The authors present measurements, performed in an anechoic chamber, of several rectangular flat plate geometries, designed to emphasize the important scattering mechanisms that can be observed. High-frequency models, such as the method of equivalent currents for half-planes and for right-angled corners, and the uniform theory of diffraction, are used for verification and to illustrate weaknesses that still exist in high-frequency modeling techniques. >
Tissue changes in experimental chronic endogenous hyperlipemia.

Summary Tissue changes produced by Triton-induced hyperlipemia were studied in dogs receiving a stock diet for 6–28 months: (1) Atheromatous plaques or calcification were not observed in these animals. (2) Mobilization of endogenous lipids resulted in diffuse deposition in the reticuloendothelial system, gallbladder and kidney. (3) Serum lipid patterns differed from those following high-cholesterol feeding. Each doubling in normal cholesterol concentration was accompanied by a 3-fold increase in free cholesterol and a 9 to 10-fold elevation in triglyceride. The ratio of total cholesterol to phospholipid, however, did not change. (4) Serum and other tissue fatty acid patterns were markedly changed. Cholesterol ester fatty acids were more affected than those of triglyceride or phospholipid. In general, a shift toward increased saturation of fatty acids took place in all tissues, except adipose. As a result of this change, fatty acid patterns approached those found in normal adipose tissue.
Balancing Efficacy and Safety of Drug-Eluting Stents in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Drug-eluting stents reduce the occurrence of in-stent restenosis and the need for subsequent target vessel revascularization compared with bare-metal stents. However, the safety of drug-eluting stents has been called into question because of an apparent increase in late stent thrombosis, a frequently fatal event. A substantial body of research has focused on determining the magnitude of these competing events, often reaching contradictory results even with analyses of the same data. Although larger, adequately powered, randomized trials are needed to fully assess the net clinical effects of drug-eluting stents compared with bare-metal stents, the evidence seems to suggest that the net clinical benefit of drug-eluting stents may outweigh their risks. The evidence is clearer that premature discontinuation of antiplatelet therapy is an important trigger for stent thrombosis; therefore, patients who are candidates for implantation of drug-eluting stents should be screened for their ability to receive and tolerate uninterrupted antiplatelet therapy longer than is necessary with bare-metal stents. The evidence suggests that drug-eluting stents relieve obstructive coronary artery disease, provide durable mechanical results, and do more good than harm, but all patients also should be given antiplatelet and other optimal medical therapies to achieve the best outcomes.
Funneled flow mechanisms in layered soil: field investigations

Abstract The movement of water and potential pollutants in the vadose zone of fluvial deposits is often difficult to predict because fine-over-coarse layers may behave as capillary barriers, funneling water and dissolved solutes into concentrated preferential flow paths. Capillary barriers have been studied in laboratory experiments and by mathematical analysis with well-defined boundaries but little is known about water and solute movement in naturally layered soils. This paper demonstrates how naturally occurring capillary barriers affect water and solute movement. Experiments were carried-out in a river valley near Amherst, MA and on a prehistoric beach near Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Dye tracer and chloride were initially applied near the soil surface, followed by intermittent rainfall over several weeks. After 2–6 weeks the blue dye, soil water content, and chloride concentration distributions in the soil profile were examined by excavating a trench and photographing and sampling the exposed soil face. At both sites, the infiltrating water was diverted and flowed laterally over a relatively coarse layer. At the Cornell site, flow broke through the fine–coarse interface into the coarse layer at a few points along the barrier. The primary breakthrough at the Cornell site occurred at a horizontal section of the interface, 2 m down-slope from the point of dye application. The capillary diversions generally agreed with current theory, however, the flow patterns were difficult to predict accurately without more detailed information about the soil layering characteristics.
Design of a calcium-binding protein with desired structure in a cell adhesion molecule.

Ca 2+ , a signal of life and death, controls numerous cellular processes through interactions with proteins. An effective approach to understanding the role of Ca 2+ is the design of a Ca 2+ -binding protein with predicted structural and functional properties. To design de novo Ca 2+ -binding sites in proteins is challenging due to the high coordination numbers and the incorporation of charged ligand residues, in addition to Ca 2+ -induced conformational change. Here, we demonstrate the successful design of a Ca 2+ -binding site in the non-Ca 2+ -binding cell adhesion protein CD2. This designed protein, Ca.CD2, exhibits selectivity for Ca 2+ versus other di- and monovalent cations. In addition, La 3+ (K d 5.0 μM) and Tb 3+ (K d 6.6 μM) bind to the designed protein somewhat more tightly than does Ca 2+ (K d 1.4 mM). More interestingly, Ca.CD2 retains the native ability to associate with the natural target molecule. The solution structure reveals that Ca.CD2 binds Ca 2+ at the intended site with the designed arrangement, which validates our general strategy for designing de novo Ca 2+ -binding proteins. The structural information also provides a close view of structural determinants that are necessary for a functional protein to accommodate the metal-binding site. This first success in designing Ca 2+ -binding proteins with desired structural and functional properties opens a new avenue in unveiling key determinants to Ca 2+ binding, the mechanism of Ca 2+ signaling, and Ca 2+ -dependent cell adhesion, while avoiding the complexities of the global conformational changes and cooperativity in natural Ca 2+ -binding proteins. It also represents a major achievement toward designing functional proteins controlled by Ca 2+ binding.
Amplitude Soliton Squeezing Using an Asymmetric Sagnac Fiber Loop

We experimentally demonstrate a new scheme for generating amplitude squeezed solitons in an asymmetric fiber Sagnac loop. We measure by direct detection a 5.7±0.1 dB (73%) and, with corrections for linear losses 6.2±0.1 dB (76%), reduction in the photon number fluctuations below the shot noise level. The same scheme is also shown to generate a significant classical noise reduction and is limited by Raman effects in fiber.
CaMn2Sb2: Spin waves on a frustrated antiferromagnetic honeycomb lattice

We present inelastic neutron scattering measurements of the antiferromagnetic insulator ${\mathrm{CaMn}}_{2}{\mathrm{Sb}}_{2}$, which consists of corrugated honeycomb layers of Mn. The dispersion of magnetic excitations has been measured along the $\mathbf{H}$ and $\mathbf{L}$ directions in reciprocal space, with a maximum excitation energy of $\ensuremath{\approx}24$ meV. These excitations are well described by spin waves in a Heisenberg model, including first- and second-neighbor exchange interactions ${J}_{1}$ and ${J}_{2}$ in the Mn plane and also an exchange interaction between planes. The determined ratio ${J}_{2}/{J}_{1}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\approx}1/6$ suggests that ${\mathrm{CaMn}}_{2}{\mathrm{Sb}}_{2}$ is an example of a compound that lies very close to the mean field tricritical point, known for the classical Heisenberg model on the honeycomb lattice, where the N\'eel phase and two different spiral phases coexist. The magnitude of the determined exchange interactions reveals a mean field ordering temperature $\ensuremath{\approx}4$ times larger than the reported N\'eel temperature ${T}_{N}=85$ K, suggesting significant frustration arising from proximity to the tricritical point.
A Comprehensive Evaluation Rubric for Assessing Instructional Apps

There is a pressing need for an evaluation rubric that examines all aspects of educational apps designed for instructional purposes. In past decades, many rubrics have been developed for evaluating educational computer-based programs; however, rubrics designed for evaluating the instructional implications of educational apps are scarce. When an Internet search for existing rubrics was conducted, only two such rubrics were found, and the evaluation criteria used in those rubrics was not clearly linked to previously conducted research nor were their evaluative dimensions clearly defined. These shortcomings result in reviewers being unable to use those rubrics to provide teachers with a precise analysis of an educational app’s instructional potential. In response, this paper presents a comprehensive rubric with 24-evaluative dimensions tailored specifically to analyze the educational potential of instructional apps.