cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytokines: molecular and biological characteristics.

Cytokines are soluble molecules with many cells as the source of their origin and as targets for their actions. They are pleiotropic in their biological functions. Some cytokines are distinct with respect to their molecular structure yet they have overlapping biological properties (Interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factors). Others are structurally distinct and often have contrasting biological activities (e.g. tumor necrosis factors and transforming growth factor-beta). In this article I have briefly reviewed the molecular and biological properties of four cytokines that appears to play an important role in the pathogenesis of certain immunoinflammatory disorders. It is also to be stressed that there are additional cytokines (e.g. granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factors, interleukin 2, interferons etc.) that could also play a role in the pathogenesis of immunoinflammatory disorders.
A rapid and sensitive spectrophotometric assay for prunasin hydrolase activity employing purified mandelonitrile lyase.

Abstract A rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive assay for prunasin hydrolase activity is described. Prunasin hydrolase is incubated with saturating concentrations of prunasin in the presence of excess purified mandelonitrile lyase. Under these conditions, the mandelonitrile formed by prunasin hydrolysis is immediately converted to benzaldehyde, which may be determined spectrophotometrically at 249.6 nm. The rate of prunasin hydrolysis is determined from the rate of change of absorbance at this wavelength. A single ion-exchange chromatographic procedure is also described which allows the facile purification of mandelonitrile lyase to near homogeneity with greater than 70% recovery.
Effects of high temperature and e-beam irradiation on the stability of refractory thin films

Refractory thin films of Al2O3, ZrO2, MgO, ThO2, and BN have been investigated in situ in an UHV transmission electron microscope. The electron transparent refractory films were prepared by electron-beam evaporation, anodization, RF sputtering, and thinning of bulk crystal materials. The study concentrates on monitoring the thermal and mechanical stability of the films, phase and structural changes, and electron irradiation effects as a function of film-preparation conditions. With increasing temperatures, five different crystallographic phases were observed for both anodized and electron-beam-evaporated alumina films. Zirconia films exhibited two phase transitions upon heating to 1200 C and electron-irradiation-induced crystallization of ZrO2 even at room temperature. MgO, ThO2, and BN films did not undergo any noticeable phase transformation but ruptured due to sintering below 1200 C.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging using non-Fourier, spatially selective radiofrequency encoding.

A new method for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) employing non-Fourier encoding using spatially selective radiofrequency (RF) excitation is presented. The method uses manipulation of spatially selective RF pulses to encode spins in the slice-select direction. The method has several advantages over standard multislice approaches. It provides a simple means for monitoring irregularly distributed sections throughout a volume without the need to encode the whole volume. It offers the potential for increased signal-to-noise ratio if an appropriate basis is used for encoding. With a unique design of excitation pulses, it also appears possible to significantly reduce in-flow effects. An interleaved echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequence was adapted for non-Fourier encoding in the slice-select direction and was implemented on a conventional 1.5-Telsa system. The method was then used for functional mapping of the visual and motor areas where significant reduction of in-flow effect was demonstrated. This approach can be adapted to other imaging sequences that are used for fMRI, such as single-shot EPI. Magn Reson Med 41:759–766, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A method for cloning mixtures of long, synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides.

Abstract A method is described for cloning synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides, which can theoretically be of any length. The method requires only a single oligodeoxynucleotide strand and a vector with two unique restriction sites, one of which is for an enzyme that generates 3′ protruding ends. A mixture of unpurified oligonucleotides containing a wild-type genetic regulatory sequence of the Escherichia coli gnd gene and two mutations of it was cloned into a plasmid carrying a gnd-lacZ protein fusion. Individual cloned oligonucleotides were readily identified by direct DNA sequencing of plasmid templates. The method is rapid, efficient, and has application to gene synthesis and site-directed mutagenesis.
The epr spectrum of C2F−4

Abstract The EPR spectrum of C2F−4 in methylcyclohexane-d14 is analysed and discussed. It is concluded that there is insufficient evidence to decide in favor of neither a π* or α* configuration.
Use of an antibiotic impregnated polymethyl methacrylate intramedullary spacer for complicated revision total hip arthroplasty

Revision total hip arthroplasty is frequently necessary in the presence of significant proximal femoral bone loss, periprosthetic fracture, or infection. In these situations, optimal reconstruction may sometimes warrant the use of special implants, including bone grafts. The emergent presentation of these cases or unexpected findings at the time of surgery can preclude the use of these treatment options. In cases of periprosthetic sepsis, delayed reimplantation may be the most successful approach to eradicate infection. In seven of these complicated revision total hip arthroplasties, the authors used an antibiotic-impregnated intramedullary polymethyl methacrylate spacer with delayed prosthetic reimplantation to allow for the use of these methods. Benefits of this technique include uncompromised radiographic evaluation of the proximal femur for design of a custom implant, if needed, stabilization of the proximal femur facilitating early mobilization of the patient in the case of periprosthetic fracture, and local delivery of antibiotics to the wound in the case of infection. The author's ability to reconstruct these total hip arthroplasties complicated by bone deficiency, fracture, and sepsis, was significantly improved with this use of this technique.
IMPLANTATION OF CRYSTALLINE TESTOSTERONE IN THE MONKEY1

FOLLOWING the work of Deanesly and Parkes in 1937 (1) on the subcutaneous W implantation of crystals of androgens and estrogens one of us (S.A.V.) began JL a study to determine the effects of testosterone and its various esters in the human male after subcutaneous injection and in the form of implanted pellets (2–6). The work of Deanesly and Parkes was in rodents and fowls and with possible widespread clinical implications it seemed important to investigate the effects of pellet implantation in the monkey and attempt to compare the effect of implantation of crystalline testosterone with that following injections of testosterone propionate in oil. Observations on the effect of subcutaneous injections of testosterone propionate n i the monkey have been reported (7–10). It has been well established that testc sterone propionate in the form of subcutaneous injections will restore the atrophied accessory reproductive organs of the castrate mature or immature male rhesus monkey to normal adult size and function...
Krotite, CaAl2O4, a new refractory mineral from the NWA 1934 meteorite

Krotite, CaAl_2O_4, occurs as the dominant phase in an unusual Ca-,Al-rich refractory inclusion from the NWA 1934 CV3 carbonaceous chondrite. Krotite occupies the central and mantle portions of the inclusion along with minor perovskite, gehlenite, hercynite, and Cl-bearing mayenite, and trace hexamolybdenum. A layered rim surrounds the krotite-bearing regions, consisting from inside to outside of grossite, mixed hibonite, and spinel, then gehlenite with an outermost layer composed of Al-rich diopside. Krotite was identified by XRD, SEM-EBSD, micro-Raman, and electron microprobe. The mean chemical composition determined by electron microprobe analysis of krotite is (wt%) Al_2O_3 63.50, CaO 35.73, sum 99.23, with an empirical formula calculated on the basis of 4 O atoms of Ca_(1.02)Al_(1.99)O_4. Single-crystal XRD reveals that krotite is monoclinic, P2_1/n; a = 8.6996(3), b = 8.0994(3), c = 15.217(1) A, β = 90.188(6), and Z = 12. It has a stuffed tridymite structure, which was refined from single-crystal data to R_1 = 0.0161 for 1014 F_o > 4σF reflections. Krotite is colorless and transparent with a vitreous luster and white streak. Mohs hardness is ~6½. The mineral is brittle, with a conchoidal fracture. The calculated density is 2.94 g/cm3. Krotite is biaxial (–), α = 1.608(2), β = 1.629(2), γ = 1.635(2) (white light), 2V_(meas) = 54.4(5)°, and 2V_(calc) = 55.6°. No dispersion was observed. The optical orientation is X = b; Y ≈ a; Z ≈ c. Pleochroism is colorless to very pale gray, X > Y = Z. Krotite is a low-pressure CaAl_2O_4 mineral, likely formed by condensation or crystallization from a melt in the solar nebula. This is the first reported occurrence of krotite in nature and it is one of the earliest minerals formed in the solar system.
The Use of Nonthermal Plasmas in Environmental Applications

Nonthermal plasmas are widely used environmental applications covering a broad and diverse range of topics, which have been studied extensively in laboratory, bench-scale investigations, particularly during the past two decades. However, only a few research breakthroughs were successfully translated into economically viable technologies for large-scale industrial applications. Those include ozonizers using dielectric barrier discharges and electrostatic precipitators using corona discharges. In this chapter, we describe the current status of ozonizers and electrostatic precipitators. We also try to identify some of the bottlenecks that prevent other nonthermal plasma-based environmental technologies from becoming widely applicable. As an example, we look at the use of nonthermal plasmas for the treatment of gaseous and (to a lesser extent) liquid waste streams, with an emphasis on waste streams containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Bottlenecks preventing or slowing down the rapid and efficient translation of successful bench-scale studies to widely used industrial technologies include the identification, quantification, and control of byproducts produced in the plasma chemical reactions and establishing carbon closure (i.e., the accounting of the ultimate fate of each initial carbon atom that is exposed to the plasma).
Female editorship is an important indicator of gender imbalance.

Your article on female authorship as an indicator of gender imbalance in academic medicine in the UK is a welcome addition to the nucleus of data tracking women's progress. Change has been frustratingly slow. Although women's productivity and authorship have been a traditional means to track the status of women in these fields,1 women's roles as editors are crucial.2-6 Authors, reviewers and editors each have progressively more professional influence over the scientific community and ultimately scientific and health policy. Topics considered worthy of research and funding can be meaningfully influenced by journal editors’ emphasis and direction. Furthermore, a woman's career advancement and influence are likely to be affected by whether or not she has editorial appointments. In response to low representation of women in editorial roles pertaining to clinical trials, one of us (KD) has compiled a list of 91 senior women physicians and scientists from around the world who would be excellent candidates. Dr Dickersin has circulated this list to publishers and key editors-in-chief and will send it out on request to those in a position to appoint women. We suggest that others should produce similar lists to assist those who may be having a difficult time thinking of senior women in the field. The research conducted on this topic is frequently unfunded and, for this reason, many questions are left unanswered; information is sparse and not always up-to-date. We applaud recent funding efforts in the United States and encourage the scientific community to continue research to better understand the causes of gender imbalances in medicine and the sciences, and to rectify them. In this way we will achieve better science overall.
Importance of environmental and spatial gradients on patterns and consequences of resource selection

Strategies to conserve rare species require identifying resources that function as important habitat elements and that promote high demographic performance. Assessing the relative importance of resources, however, can be confounded by natural variation in resource availability and by the hierarchical spatial structure in which resources are organized. Because availability and relative importance of resources often vary across environmental and spatial gradients, we used gradients together with resource selection functions and variance decomposition to assess the relative importance of resources to nest site selection and reproductive performance of Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls (Glaucidium brasilianum). We measured habitat characteristics of 106 nests and paired available sites at five spatial scales across a 220-km gradient of precipitation and vegetation in northwest Mexico, in a region adjacent to the southwestern United States where pygmy-owls have declined to near extinction. Resources explained 76-85% of variation in nest site selection and 21-31% of variation in reproductive performance across all spatial scales combined. Although we found evidence of resource selection at each scale, the magnitude of selection and influence of resources on reproductive performance were greatest where availability of selected resources were low and where temperature extremes and predation risk likely increased the relative importance of these resources. At larger scales, geographic changes in resource use corresponded with changes in availability, whereas at smaller scales, resource use varied little despite changes in availability, suggesting higher specificity and importance of resources at smaller scales. At the smallest scale, owls selected nest cavities with smaller entrances, larger volume, greater height, and orientations that produced cooler microclimates in the hottest regions of the study area; these choices promoted higher reproductive performance. Cavity resources explained more variation in selection and reproductive performance than resources at larger scales, highlighting their importance as conservation targets. High correlation of resource characteristics among spatial scales, however, indicated that selection of resources at small scales depended on characteristics of resources at larger scales. Assessing how resource selection changes in response to underlying variation in resource availability can help prioritize resources most important for conservation and management.
A longitudinal study of dual credit enrollment of high school students as an accelerator for degree completion

Dual credit programs allow high school students to enroll in postsecondary institutions while still in high school, earning concurrent high school and college credit Because dual credit programs can serve a variety of purposes (financial, educational, and systemic), they have gained prominence in education reform initiatives. My study evaluated one school-based dual credit program partnered through a Midwestern community college. Two research questions guided the study: 1) Are high school students who earn early college credit more likely than traditionally-enrolled students to complete college degrees? 2) Does this form of dual credit program yield accelerated educational progress for students? I used a longitudinal time design (1993-2001) to follow the college careers of 568 students from the time they initially enrolled in school-based dual credit programs to their completion of college programs at the community college. I compared their achievement to that of 1,007 students who entered the college as traditionally-enrolled students Using Ordinary Least Squares and Logistic Regression analyses of institutional data, I found 1) no difference in the likelihood of completion between dual credit and regular students; 2) the "jump start" function of dual credits programs varies by award type, accelerating completion for diploma students but having no significant effect for degreeseekers. Variables besides dual credit enrollment that contributed to completion and acceleration included educational goals, major area of study, and accumulative credit requirements. Variables having no significant net effects included socioeconomic status and academic preparation.
The hyperbilirubinemic Gunn rat is resistant to the pressor effects of angiotensin II

ANG II induces vasoconstriction, at least in part, by stimulating NADPH oxidase and generating reactive oxygen species. ANG II also induces heme oxygenase activity, and bilirubin, a product of such...
First Report of Treatment of Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens Bloodstream Infection with Levofloxacin

The full extent of the clinical spectrum and optimal therapy of Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens infections remains to be determined. We describe the first case of bloodstream infection (BSI) due to A. succiniciproducens in an asymptomatic elderly male with poor dentition that was treated with levofloxacin.
DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF ORDERED MESOPOROUS CARBONS FOR RESORCINOL REMOVAL

Ordered mesoporous carbons (OMCs) show great potential for environmental improvement for their ability to remove inorganic and organic contaminants from liquid and gas. OMCs have controlled mesopores. This results in much higher adsorption capacity and faster adsorption kinetics than regular activated carbonbased materials. OMCs represent innovative and promising adsorption materials for treatment of hygiene and urine waste streams generated during space missions by replacing the Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) currently used in the water recovery system (WRS) on the International Space Station. OMC preparation involves the synthesis of and ordered silica template SBA-15, introduction of carbon precursors into the silica template, carbonization, and finally silica template removal. Three different carbon precursors were investigated in this study. Low angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that SBA15 has an ordered structure with hexagonal symmetry. The synthesized OMC products exhibit highly ordered structure according to TEM photos. Resorcinol, a typical total organic carbon (TOC) model compound, was selected to evaluate the adsorption behavior of OMCs. The adsorption results indicated that the OMC made from glucose have a higher adsorption capacity than that from acrylic acid and sucrose, with an adsorption capacity of 37.4 mg/g. I. INTRODUCTION One of the major challenges of a spacecraft life support system is to supply the crew with sufficient water for potable and hygiene uses. This fresh water typically makes up the majority of the weight associated with the resupply of life support consumables 1 . Therefore, recycling the initial water supply represents a significant cost saving by minimizing resupply payloads. Physical/chemical methods for recycling wastewater have been well explored due to their gravity independence, high reliability, relatively high-energy efficiency, design flexibility, technological maturity, and regenerative nature 2
Advocating Student-Within-Environment A Humanistic Approach for Therapists to Animate Social Justice in the Schools

The authors present an overview of a therapeutic perspective for school therapists (counselors, psychologists, social workers) based on humanistic and social justice principles called Advocating St...
A Review of Pterostilbene Antioxidant Activity and Disease Modification

Pterostilbene (trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxystilbene) is a natural dietary compound and the primary antioxidant component of blueberries. It has increased bioavailability in comparison to other stilbene compounds, which may enhance its dietary benefit and possibly contribute to a valuable clinical effect. Multiple studies have demonstrated the antioxidant activity of pterostilbene in both in vitro and in vivo models illustrating both preventative and therapeutic benefits. The antioxidant activity of pterostilbene has been implicated in anticarcinogenesis, modulation of neurological disease, anti-inflammation, attenuation of vascular disease, and amelioration of diabetes. In this review, we explore the antioxidant properties of pterostilbene and its relationship to common disease pathways and give a summary of the clinical potential of pterostilbene in the prevention and treatment of various medical conditions.
Training at the NIAMS: Ensuring a Vibrant Future for Musculoskeletal Research

Although we can rightfully take pride in our contributions to biomedicine, the sobering mood of the times calls us to reexamine the future. Our most important asset—the thing that truly drives the research engine—is human capital: the scientists on whose experience, expertise, and creativity we rely. We are entering a time marked by a graying population, and some of our most experienced scientists may be considering life beyond active research. Will we have a workforce sufficient to carry on if they leave? The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has for many years focused on the long-term benefits of research training. The Institute has been committed to enhancing the “pipeline” of new scientists who will continue to increase the pace of scientific discovery. One goal of our training programs has been to ensure that no manpower deficit will slow research down. The late management consultant Peter Drucker once said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”1 The following are some of the ways in which NIAMS has embraced this philosophy and applied it to the present and future bone and joint research workforce. NIAMS shares the NIH commitment to new investigators: those who have not yet competed successfully for a substantial NIH independent research award. These scientists, given the opportunity, could contribute substantially to the research landscape with fresh ideas and technologies. NIH has long recognized their value and has in the past developed special programs to increase their numbers and reduce the age at which they first receive their independent …
Interactive Spaced Education Versus Web Based Modules for Teaching Urology to Medical Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose: This study is an assessment of the acceptability and short-term educational efficacy of interactive spaced education compared to web based teaching cases within the compact time frame of a clinical clerkship.Materials and Methods: All 237 third-year students completing their 3-month surgery clerkships at 2 medical schools were asked to complete a urology online-education program covering 4 core topics of benign prostatic hyperplasia, erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer and screening with prostate specific antigen. Students were stratified by clinical site and randomized to 1 of 2 cohorts. Students in cohort A received interactive spaced education on prostate cancer/prostate specific antigen and web based teaching on benign prostatic hyperplasia/erectile dysfunction. Students in cohort B received interactive spaced education on benign prostatic hyperplasia/erectile dysfunction and web based teaching on prostate cancer/prostate specific antigen. A validated 28-item test on all 4 topics was admini...
Associations between spousal or significant other solicitous responses and opioid dose in patients with chronic pain.

Objective. The primary aim of this study was to determine the effects of spouse or significant other solicitous responses on morphine equivalent dose among adults with chronic pain. Design. Retrospective design. Setting. Multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation center. Patients. The cohort included 466 consecutively admitted patients who had a spouse or significant other and were using daily opioids. Intervention. Three-week outpatient pain rehabilitation program. Outcome Measures. Solicitous subscale of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory and morphine equivalent dose upon admission. Results. The mean solicitous subscale score and morphine equivalent dose were 49.8 (standard deviation [SD] = 8.7) and 118 mg/day (SD = 149), respectively. Univariate linear regression analysis showed that greater subscale scores were associated with greater doses of opioids (P = 0.007). In a multivariate model adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, years of education, employment status, pain duration, depression, and pain severity, the association retained significance (P = 0.007). Conclusions. These findings suggest solicitous responses from a spouse or significant other may have an important influence on opioid dose among adults with chronic pain.
Formulation of the Binary-Encounter Approximation in Configuration Space and Its Application to Ionization by Light Ions

The binary-encounter approximation (BEA) is transformed from momentum space to configuration space. In this frame the impact-parameter representation allows one to calculate a variety of quantities pertinent to the general problem of ionization. Among these are cross sections for proton ionization of hydrogen and helium; in the latter case, croas sections for ejection of both electrons are also given. A number of tables and formulas are given, enabling one to correct the simple hydrogenlike-model predictions of the BEA for effects which arise in multielectron atoms. Multiple-ionization probabilities (K + L shell) are calculated and compared to experimental results and to the predictions of the semiclassical approximation.
Pockets of Resistance in the Assessment Revolution

What is the status report from the front on the assessment revolution? Where have the reforms taken root, and where have they withered? Where do we go from here?
Optimization of NiMo catalyst for hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cells

Non-platinum based cathodes were recently developed by electrodepositing NiMo on carbon cloth, which demonstrated good electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). To further optimize the electrodeposition condition, the effects of electrolyte bath composition, applied current density, and duration of electrodeposition were systematically investigated in this study. The developed NiMo catalysts were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and evaluated using chronopotentiometry and in MECs. The optimal condition for electrodeposition of NiMo on carbon cloth was determined as: a Mo/Ni mass ratio of 0.65 in electrolyte bath, an applied current density of 50 mA/cm 2 and electrode
Why Do Firms Differ and How Does It Matter? A Revisitation

It has been seventeen years since I published a paper (Nelson 1991) concerned with the determinants and consequences of firm differences. I have been pondering the question of whether I now have anything useful to say about it that I did not say then. I don’t know, but let me give it a try. I begin by reflecting on what we might learn from studies of biological evolution about the importance of narrative and qualitative observation in analysis of the factors behind and consequences of firm differences. Then, I turn to commentary and criticism of what I think has been the dominant point of view (certain authors clearly are exceptions) orienting the studies of firm differences and industrial dynamics using the available longitudinal industry-firm data sets. Finally, I lay out some of my own rethinking regarding the sources and consequences of firm differences.
The Utility of Item-Level Analyses in Model Evaluation: A Reply to Seidenberg and Plaut

Seidenberg and Plaut (this issue) argue that the implications of our analyses (Spieler & Balota, 1997) for the two extant connectionist models of word naming are limited by two factors. First, variables outside the scope of these models influence naming performance, so it is not surprising that the models do not account for much of the variance at the item level. Second, there is error variance associated with large item-level data sets that obviously should not be captured by these models. We point out that there are a number of variables that have been incorporated within the targeted connectionist models that should provide these models an advantage over the simple predictor variables that we selected as a baseline to evaluate the efficacy of the models (e.g., log frequency, length in letters, and number of orthographic neighbors). We also point out that there is considerable consistency across four large-scale studies of item means. Finally, we provide evidence that even under conditions of a standard...
The Relation Between Prescription Drug Usage and Cognitive Performance in Later Life

ABSTRACT Older adults, the primary consumers of prescription medications in the United States, may be particularly prone to medication side effects. The present study examined the relation between change in prescriptions and change in cognitive performance (i.e., inductive reasoning and everyday problem solving), as well as how three common classes of medication (i.e., cardiovascular, hormone/synthetic substitutes, and central nervous system agents) were related to cognitive performance. Data were collected from 78 community-dwelling older adults (M = 71.14 years, SD = 5.35) over an 18-month period. Results indicated that types of drugs were differentially related to cognitive change and that the total number of prescriptions was related to change in cognitive performance. Clinical and research advantages of using specific cognitive and prescription assessments, rather than more global measures, are discussed.
Fault-Tolerant Memory System Architecture for Radiation Induced Errors

A fault-tolerant memory (FTM) architecture is presented which can be used to overcome soft memory errors induced by alpha particles, cosmic radiation, or other random sources. The characteristics of the FTM are presented, a mathematical model is developed, and numerical examples are considered to illustrate the effectiveness of the approach. The FTM architecture has been incorporated in the NASA Standard Spacecraft Computer (NSSC-II) which will be employed in a variety of future space payloads and experiments.
Explaining Premarital Sexual Intercourse among College Students: A Causal Model

A model to explain how college students come to engage in premarital sexual intercourse is estimated separately for men and women and by interpersonal commitment (engaged or going steady versus neither). The major finding is the large impact of friends' on students' own sexual behavior, both directly and as perceptions of friends' coital behavior mediate (1) religious values, and (2) more structural kinds of factors (off-campus residence, dating, fraternity lsorority membership). Most researchers now agree that there has been an increase in coital rates among the unmarried since the early sixties, at least among women (Bell and Chaskes; Christensen and Gregg; Reiss and Miller; Robinson et al.). Some, however, challenge the magnitude and meaning of this change, denying in particular that it indicates a "sexual revolution." For example, although Simon et al. report a rise in premarital coitus among white college women, they deny that this reflects a basic attitudinal change since the increase is almost exclusively within established courtship patterns and not in casual sex. Others qualify the idea of a sexual revolution by pointing to feelings of regret among some unmarried women with coital experience (Bell and Chaskes), by suggesting that the magnitude of change is exaggerated by the myth of an abstinent past (Cutright), or by directing attention to persistent (although declining) nonpermissive attitudes in the population at large (Alston and Tucker; Reiss, c). (A public opinion poll *Partial support for this research was provided by a grant from the Russell Sage Foundation. Computer support was provided by the Indiana University Wrubel Computing Center. The authors wish to thank Ira L. Reiss, Martin S. Weinberg, and William Strahle for helpful comments on an earlier version of this paper.
Concordance of visual and structural features between siblings with albinism.

Purpose To evaluate similarities and differences in visual function and ocular structure between siblings with albinism. Methods The medical records of all siblings diagnosed with albinism were retrospectively reviewed. Comparisons were made using examination at oldest age for younger sibling and examination closest to that age for older siblings. Results A total of 111 patients from 54 families were studied. Mean age was 12.9 years (range, 2 months to 44.2 years). Mean difference in ages between sibling pair examinations was 11.5 months (range, 0-87 months). Of 45 families, best-corrected visual acuity was equal in 9 (20%), within 1/2 octave in 9 (20%), >1/2 but Conclusions The strong concordance of structural features is contrasted with discordance in visual function. Families of siblings with albinism should be counseled with due caution because visual function is often disparate despite similar structural findings.
Functional Interaction of Auxiliary Subunits and Synaptic Proteins With CaV1.3 May Impart Hair Cell Ca2+Current Properties

We assessed the functional determinants of the properties of L-type Ca2+ currents in hair cells by co-expressing the pore-forming CaV1.3α1subunit with the auxiliary subunits β1A and/or α2δ. Because...
Pregnancy Induced Reprogramming of Endothelial Function in Response to ATP: Evidence for Post Receptor Ca2+ Signaling Plasticity

Studies of uterine artery endothelial cells in primary culture (UAEC) have shown that ATP stimulates eNOS activation in cells obtained during late pregnancy (P-UAEC) to a greater extent that in cells obtained in the nonpregnant state (NP-UAEC). While ATP-stimulated intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in the initial peak is similar, P-UAEC show a greater sustained phase that underlies a greater and more prolonged eNOS activation in uterine artery endothelium. While P2X and P2Y receptors are both present in UAEC, a number of studies suggest P2Y2 mediates the Ca2+ and eNOS responses to ATP. After the initial [Ca2+]i peak, the sustained phase is a form of Capacitative Ca2+ Entry (CCE) which is dependent on extracellular Ca2+ and fully blocked (along with the initial peak) by blockers of IP3 generation (U73122) or IP3 action (2-APB). One form of channel associated with CCE in an IP3 dependent fashion is the transient receptor potential cation channels (TRPC) family, and particularly TRPC3 and 6. While TRPC3 and 6, and many other proteins involved in the responses (P2Y2, Gq, IP3R1/2/3 and PLC beta3) are all expressed in UAEC, none are expressed at different levels in NP- vs. P-UAEC. Nonetheless, immunoprecipitation studies still show that functional association of TRPC3 with IP3R2 in response to ATP in P-UAEC far exceeds that observed in NP-UAEC. We have found that the pregnancy enhanced sustained [Ca2+]i response requires a pregnancy enhanced cell-cell communication via connexin 43 (CX43) Gap junctions. We have also found that the prolonged [Ca2+]i response observed in UAEC is buffered by the mitochondria in a manner further enhanced by pregnancy. We conclude that pregnancy adaptation of UAEC function involves reprogramming at multiple levels of cell signaling to prolong [Ca2+]i responses and cell-cell synchronization, thereby greatly enhancing eNOS activation.
Serum Agglutinins to Commercially Prepared Albumin

Four sera with the albumin autoagglutinating property were studied. This phenomenon is characterized by pan- and autoagglutination of erythrocytes only in an albumin medium. The agglutinin is a gamma globulin which reacts specifically with caprylate-treated albumin. Sodium caprylate and acetyl tryptophan are added as stabilizers in the commercial preparation of therapeutic human albumin and most blood bank reagent albumins to prevent denaturation when the albumin is heated. The authors suggest that agglutination results from adsorption of a soluble albumin–globulin complex onto the erythrocyte membrane. As native albumin is not reactive with these agglutinins, patients with the abnormality should encounter no hazard with transfusions of whole blood or plasma. Therapeutic human albumin and plasma products containing stabilized albumin are probably contraindicated in these patients. The occurrence of an immunoglobulin reactive with commercially altered albumin emphasizes the importance of knowledge concerning additives to therapeutic and reagent biologic products.
Team viability for long-term and ongoing organizational teams

Despite the potential contribution of team viability to understanding the effectiveness of organizational teams, construct confusion and inconsistencies between researchers' conceptualizations and operationalizations limit the usefulness of team viability. We sought to clarify team viability as a construct and (re)define it in terms that provide a unique and meaningful contribution to understanding the effectiveness of long-term and ongoing organizational teams. Team viability is defined as a team’s capacity for the sustainability and growth required for success in future performance episodes. We discuss how team viability differs from and relates to constructs such as team satisfaction, team performance, and team cohesion, and outline boundary conditions within which team viability may be relevant and important.
Creating a Learning Health Care System in Oncology

A series of reports by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies has called for the creation of a rapid learning health care system to improve clinical care. The IOM has expressed the view that a learning health care system supports patient–clinician interactions by providing patients and clinicians with the information and tools necessary to make well-informed medical decisions. It plays an integral role in developing the evidence base that supports clinical decisions by capturing data from real-world care settings that researchers can then analyze to generate new hypotheses and insights. Further, it can be used to deliver point of care education and to collect and report quality metrics, implement performance improvement initiatives, and allow payers to identify and reward high-quality care. The American Society of Clinical Oncology has embraced this concept and is bringing it to fruition with the creation of the Cancer Learning Intelligence Network for Quality (CancerLinQ), a physician-led quality improvement initiative designed as an oncology rapid learning health care system. By capturing the longitudinal electronic health record of every patient along with practice management data from participating practices, CancerLinQ harnesses the power of Big Data to “learn” from every patient. CancerLinQ meets the need for more effective, adaptable, and comprehensive quality improvement tools at the point of care. It compares the process and outcomes of care against the best standards available to rapidly feed information back to practices on the quality of care achieved. CancerLinQ, by capturing the longitudinal record of each patient’s experience, will enable insights that are more broadly applicable and more clinically nuanced than can be determined from clinical trials, registries, or claims data sets and that can be generated in far less time by posing queries to an enormous database containing millions of patient records. Over time, the value of the CancerLinQ data will be further enhanced by incorporating genomic data, imaging data, and patient-reported outcomes that will be collected via a patient portal to be included in future versions of the system. Linkage of the CancerLinQ data to insurance claims data and cancer registry data in the future will provide a rich portrait of the characteristics, experiences, preferences, goals, outcomes, and resource utilization of every cancer patient and provide the ability to rapidly generate the evidence needed to deliver the best care for each cancer patient.
Towards Direct Synthesis of Alane: A Predicted Defect-Mediated Pathway Confirmed Experimentally.

Alane (AlH3) is a unique energetic material that has not found a broad practical use for over 70 years because it is difficult to synthesize directly from its elements. Using density functional theory, we examine the defect-mediated formation of alane monomers on Al(111) in a two-step process: (1) dissociative adsorption of H2 and (2) alane formation, which are both endothermic on a clean surface. Only with Ti dopant to facilitate H2 dissociation and vacancies to provide Al adatoms, both processes become exothermic. In agreement, in situ scanning tunneling microscopy showed that during H2 exposure, alane monomers and clusters form primarily in the vicinity of Al vacancies and Ti atoms. Moreover, ball milling of the Al samples with Ti (providing necessary defects) showed a 10 % conversion of Al into AlH3 or closely related species at 344 bar H2, indicating that the predicted pathway may lead to the direct synthesis of alane from elements at pressures much lower than the 104 bar expected from bulk thermodynamics.
Developmental lead exposure has mixed effects on butterfly cognitive processes

While the effects of lead pollution have been well studied in vertebrates, it is unclear to what extent lead may negatively affect insect cognition. Lead pollution in soils can elevate lead in plant tissues, suggesting it could negatively affect neural development of insect herbivores. We used the cabbage white butterfly (Pieris rapae) as a model system to study the effect of lead pollution on insect cognitive processes, which play an important role in how insects locate and handle resources. Cabbage white butterfly larvae were reared on a 4-ppm lead diet, a concentration representative of vegetation in polluted sites; we measured eye size and performance on a foraging assay in adults. Relative to controls, lead-reared butterflies did not differ in time or ability to search for a food reward associated with a less preferred color. Indeed, lead-treated butterflies were more likely to participate in the behavioral assay itself. Lead exposure did not negatively affect survival or body size, and it actually sped up development time. The effects of lead on relative eye size varied with sex: lead tended to reduce eye size in males, but increase eye size in females. These results suggest that low levels of lead pollution may have mixed effects on butterfly vision, but only minimal impacts on performance in foraging tasks, although follow-up work is needed to test whether this result is specific to cabbage whites, which are often associated with disturbed areas.
ULTRASOUND RAY TRACING IN ARBITRARY COMPLEX GEOMETRIES

Ultrasound ray tracing is the process of recursively intersecting vectors with a geometry and applying Snell’s Law to the rays at the intersections. The two key elements necessary for solving arbitrary UT ray tracing problems are a topological data structure to represent the geometry and a computational engine to calculate intersections of vectors with the geometry.
Oracle Identity and Access Manager Integration

This integration provides several benefits, including increased user productivity, increased identity security, and fewer help calls for forgotten passwords or locked accounts.
God and Evidence: A Cooperative Approach

This article identifies intellectualism as the view that if we simply think hard enough about our evidence, we get an adequate answer to the question of whether God exists. The article argues against intellectualism, and offers a better alternative involving a kind of volitional evidentialism. If God is redemptive in virtue of seeking divine -human reconciliation, we should expect the evidence for God to be likewise redemptive. In that case, according to the article, the evidence for God would aim to draw the human will toward cooperation with God’s will. Accordingly, the available evidence for God would be volitionally sensitive in that one’s coming to possess it would depend on one’s volitional stance toward its source. The article identifies some implications for divine hiddenness, traditional natural theology, and the view that the evidence for God’s existence is akin to evidence for a scientific hypothesis.
Neuromuscular rate of force development deficit in Parkinson disease

Abstract Background Bradykinesia and reduced neuromuscular force exist in Parkinson disease. The interpolated twitch technique has been used to evaluate central versus peripheral manifestations of neuromuscular strength in healthy, aging, and athletic populations, as well as moderate to advanced Parkinson disease, but this method has not been used in mild Parkinson disease. This study aimed to evaluate quadriceps femoris rate of force development and quantify potential central and peripheral activation deficits in individuals with Parkinson disease. Methods Nine persons with mild Parkinson Disease (Hoehn & Yahr ≤ 2, Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale total score = mean 19.1 (SD 5.0)) and eight age-matched controls were recruited in a cross-sectional investigation. Quadriceps femoris voluntary and stimulated maximal force and rate of force development were evaluated using the interpolated twitch technique. Findings Thirteen participants satisfactorily completed the protocol. Individuals with early Parkinson disease (n = 7) had significantly slower voluntary rate of force development (p = 0.008; d = 1.97) and rate of force development ratio (p = 0.004; d = 2.18) than controls (n = 6). No significant differences were found between groups for all other variables. Interpretations Persons with mild-to-moderate Parkinson disease display disparities in rate of force development, even without deficits in maximal force. The inability to produce force at a rate comparable to controls is likely a downstream effect of central dysfunction of the motor pathway in Parkinson disease.
Flexible, collaborative, and meaningful? The case of the US coastal nonpoint pollution control program

Flexibility and collaboration are a common prescription for complex, transboundary problems such as nonpoint source (NPS) water pollution. This paper examines the case of the United States Coastal ...