cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amino‐acid substitution in α‐spectrin commonly coinherited with nondominant hereditary spherocytosis

Nondominant hereditary spherocytosis (ndHS) is a disorder characterized in some patients by severe hemolytic anemia and marked deficiency of erythrocyte spectrin. This report describes the identification of a variant spectrin chain, alpha-spectrin Bughill or alpha(BH), that is associated with this disorder in a number of patients. Tryptic maps of spectrin from affected individuals revealed an acidic shift in isoelectric point of the alphaII domain peptides at 46 kD and 35 kD. A point mutation at codon 970 of the alpha-spectrin gene (GCT-->GAT), that changes the encoded amino acid from an alanine to an aspartic acid, was identified in genomic DNA of affected patients. The alpha(BH) variant was present in 8 patients with ndHS from five different kindreds but was absent in 4 patients from two other kindreds. The 8 ndHS patients with the alpha(BH) variant appeared to be homozygous for the alpha(BH) variant by analysis of peptide maps of limited tryptic digests of erythrocyte spectrin. However, following genomic DNA analysis, only 2 of these patients were true homozygotes, whereas 6 were found to be doubly heterozygous for the alpha(BH) allele and a second, presumably abnormal, alpha-spectrin gene. These results suggest that, in these 6 patients, the second alpha-spectrin allele is in fact associated with one or more genetic defect(s), causing decreased accumulation of alpha-spectrin. The pattern of transmission of the alpha(BH) allele in certain families suggests that the alpha(BH) amino-acid substitution is not itself responsible for ndHS but is more likely a polymorphic variant that, in some but not all cases, is in linkage disequilibrium with another uncharacterized alpha-spectrin gene defect that itself is a cause of ndHS.
Does the alternate incremental credit affect firm R&D?

Abstract This paper investigates the alternate incremental credit’s (AIC) effects on the tax price of research and the R&D investment of firms. Testing a sample of 83 firms for the period 1997–1999, the results suggest the AIC’s incentive effects are industry-specific. The findings support the hypothesis that firms with high research intensity utilize the standard form of research tax credit computation. However, the evidence also suggests firms in the software industry may have received research tax credits for R&D that would have been performed without the tax credit incentive.
Increasing exercise among blue-collar employees: The tailoring of worksite programs to meet specific needs☆☆☆

Despite increasing interest in worksite exercise programs, little attention has been focused on the blue-collar segment of the workforce. Because of their low participation in traditional exercise classes and programs, blue-collar workers at a university were targeted for an exercise program tailored specifically to their preferences and needs. Thirty-eight sedentary males employed in operations and maintenance shops on the university campus were evaluated with regard to their current exercise behavior, other health habits, and their preferred types of physical activity programs. A pre- and postprogram submaximal exercise test, weight, and blood pressure measurements were also completed on-site. Twenty-two men (23% of the total blue-collar population) subsequently participated in a 16-week exercise program using an on-site parcourse, and incorporating such motivational strategies as public monitoring, intershop competition, and activity-based incentives. Participation rates were substantially higher than those recorded for previous worksite exercise classes. Participants showed increases in fitness levels (P < 0.0001) and decreases in weight (P < 0.05) compared with nonparticipants. Suggestions concerning recruitment of such individuals into low-cost exercise programs and subsequent participation maintenance are discussed.
Investigation of 3-fragment photodissociation of O3 at 193.4 and 157.6 nm by coincident measurements

Photodissociation of the ozone molecule at 193.4 nm (6.41 eV) and 157.6 nm (7.87 eV) is studied by fast-beam translational spectroscopy. Coincident detection of the dissociation products allows direct observation of the 3-fragment channel and determination of its kinematic parameters. The results indicate that at each wavelength, 3-fragment dissociation proceeds through synchronous concerted bond breaking, but the energy partitioning among the fragments is different. The branching fraction of the 3-fragment channel increases from 5.2(6)% at 193.4 nm to 26(4)% at 157.6 nm, in agreement with previous studies. It is shown that vibrational excitation of the symmetric stretch mode in O3 molecules created by photodetachment of O3− anion enhances the absorption efficiency, especially at 193.4 nm, but does not have a strong effect on the 3-fragment dissociation.
DNA Binding Regions of Q Proteins of Phages λ and φ80

Bacteriophage lambda gene Q protein and the related proteins of other lambdoid phages are transcription antiterminators that interact both with DNA in the late gene promoter segment and with RNA polymerase subunits. Using hybrids between Q of lambda and the related Q of phage 80, we characterized elements of both Q and DNA that contribute to the DNA binding function. In particular, we found a C-terminal segment of the protein that is responsible for binding specificity and an approximately 15 residue segment on a predicted alpha helix within this segment at which alanine substitutions decrease DNA binding. We identified a six-nucleotide segment located between the -35 and -10 promoter elements that confers binding specificity and is the site of point mutants that impair binding, and we isolated suppressors in lambda Q that restore binding function by increasing the overall binding affinity. We also identified putative zinc finger structures in both proteins.
Methotrexate and reproduction in men: Case report and recommendations

Methotrexate has been used in the treatment of recalcitrant psoriasis for more than 35 years. We examined the significance of impaired spermatogenesis in a young man undergoing methotrexate treatment for severe psoriasis with associated arthritis. A medical geneticist was consulted and a review of the literature was performed. Genetic abnormalities that could lead to mutagenesis include chromosomal abnormalities and single-genemutations. These aspects are considered and recommendations are made for counseling men undergoing methotrexate therapy so that risks and options can be considered.
Stress relaxation in free-standing aluminum beams

The stress-relaxation behavior of 2-μm-thick free-standing thin-film aluminum beams was evaluated by using a piezoelectric-actuated mechanical tester, which subjected them to quasi-static microtensile stress relaxation tests. The microstructure of the Al beams was modified in two ways: by annealing at different temperatures or by alloying with 1.5 at.% Ti. The features of the relaxation curves, such as stress recovery after unloading, suggest an anelastic relaxation behavior. Based on the anelastic relaxation model, the relaxation parameters were estimated from these relaxation curves and samples of various microstructures were compared. The results show that the relaxation strength and relaxation time change markedly with a decreasing grain size. It was also found in Ti-alloyed samples that the presence of the precipitates along the grain boundaries appears to suppress the relaxation significantly. In addition, the measured relaxation time was found to be comparable with the value predicted by the grain boundary sliding model. As such, we conclude that the grain boundary sliding is the dominant relaxation mechanism in free-standing thin films.
A comparison of the thermal inactivation kinetics of human norovirus surrogates and hepatitis A virus in buffered cell culture medium

Abstract Human noroviruses and hepatitis A virus (HAV) are considered as epidemiologically significant causes of foodborne disease. Therefore, studies are needed to bridge existing data gaps and determine appropriate parameters for thermal inactivation of human noroviruses and HAV. The objectives of this research were to compare the thermal inactivation kinetics of human norovirus surrogates (murine norovirus (MNV-1), and feline calicivirus (FCV-F9)) and HAV in buffered medium (2-ml vials), compare first-order and Weibull models to describe the data, calculate Arrhenius activation energy for each model, and evaluate model efficiency using selected statistical criteria. The D -values calculated from the first-order model (50–72 °C) ranged from 0.21–19.75 min for FCV-F9, 0.25–36.28 min for MNV-1, and 0.88–56.22 min for HAV. Using the Weibull model, the t D = 1 (time to destroy 1 log) for FCV-F9, MNV-1 and HAV at the same temperatures ranged from 0.10–13.27, 0.09–26.78, and 1.03–39.91 min, respectively. The z -values for FCV-F9, MNV-1, and HAV were 9.66 °C, 9.16 °C, and 14.50 °C, respectively, using the Weibull model. For the first order model, z -values were 9.36 °C, 9.32 °C, and 12.49 °C for FCV-F9, MNV-1, and HAV, respectively. For the Weibull model, estimated activation energies for FCV-F9, MNV-1, and HAV were 225, 278, and 182 kJ/mol, respectively, while the calculated activation energies for the first order model were 195, 202, and 171 kJ/mol, respectively. Knowledge of the thermal inactivation kinetics of norovirus surrogates and HAV will allow the development of processes that produce safer food products and improve consumer safety.
Plutonium and textbooks

Chemical equilibrium is not characterized by equilibrium constants alone. At least one conservation principle is necessary. Textbook descriptions of plutonium chemistry that are based on two-reaction-product disproportionation equations, or do not recognize the conservation principles, are incomplete and potentially misleading.
Evidence for Fisher's Droplet Model in Simulated Two-Dimensional Cluster Distributions

The distribution function ${n}_{l}$ of clusters with $l$ reversed spins has been calculated for two square $N\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}N$ Ising lattices ($N=55 \mathrm{and} 110$) at various temperatures $Tl{T}_{c}$ using periodic boundary conditions. These calculations strongly support the cluster model proposed by Fisher and yield the exponent $\ensuremath{\tau}=2.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1$. However, for small $l$, $T$ not close to ${T}_{c}$, and $H\ensuremath{\ne}0$, we find considerable deviations.
Allergen avoidance in the treatment of asthma and rhinitis

The evidence that allergens found inside houses are an important cause of perennial rhinitis and asthma comes from three types of studies. In one type, the delivery of allergen in the laboratory ha...
Hypothalamic agouti-related protein immunoreactivity in food-restricted, obese, and insulin-treated animals: evidence for glia cell localization.

Abstract Agouti-related protein (AGRP) has been implicated in the regulation of metabolic balance. Overexpression of this peptide leads to obesity. Its activity is mediated via the melanocortin-4 (MC-4) receptor where it acts as an MC-4 receptor antagonist. In this study, we characterized the AGRP brain distribution and cellular localization in control, food-restricted, obese, and insulin-treated rats using immunohistochemistry. AGRP immunostaining was found selectively in regions of the arcuate and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei. These regions were stained less intensely in food-restricted rats than in controls. AGRP-positive cells in the hypothalamus of obese animals were three times more numerous than in control rats. Also, insulin treatment acted to decrease AGRP immunostaining. Analysis of AGRP cellular localization demonstrated its presence in the cytoplasm of numerous small (7–12 μm) cell bodies of putative protoplasmic astrocytes as well as in nerve fibers. Glia fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunostaining of sections adjacent to those stained for AGRP revealed astrocytes with morphology similar to AGRP-positive cells. A few AGRP-positive nerve cell bodies were also found in the arcuate nucleus of obese rats. We conclude that AGRP hypothalamic content is decreased by fasting and intracerebroventricular (ICV) insulin treatment and increased in obesity. In addition to its presence in nerve fibers, AGRP localization in astroglia-like cells suggests a possible role for these elements in its synthesis or its sequestration from the neuronal compartment.
Interleukin-1 treatment increases neutrophils but not antioxidant enzyme activity or resistance to ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat kidneys

Hearts from rats treated with interleukin-1 (IL-1) intraperitoneally developed a rapid (6 h after IL-1), transient increase in neutrophils, tissue hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels, and a subsequent (36 h after IL-1) increase in myocardial glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity and tolerance to ischemia-reperfusion. In the present investigation, we found that rats treated similarly with IL-1 had increased numbers of neutrophils in their kidneys, which were comparable to myocardial neutrophil increases, but did not develop increased renal tissue H2O2 or GSSG levels acutely (6 h after IL-1) or increased G6PD activity or resistance to ischemia-reperfusion injury later (36 h after IL-1). Our findings indicate that IL-1 treatment increased neutrophil accumulation in rat kidneys but did not increase oxidative stress, antioxidant enzyme activity, or resistance to ischemia-reperfusion injury. We conclude that organ-to-organ differences exist with respect to IL-1-induced tolerance.
What Gets Measured Gets Done: Assessing Data Availability for Adolescent Populations

Objectives: To identify specific adolescent sub-populations; to evaluate the health data available regarding these populations related to 21 key national adolescent health objectives from Healthy People 2010; and to make recommendations for improving data capacity to further efforts to reduce health disparities among adolescents. Methods: Adolescent populations were identified through a consensus process. Academic and government literature was extensively reviewed using internet search techniques to identify available national data for each of these populations on each key national health objective. Results: 18 adolescent subpopulations were identified. These populations fit into four overlapping categories defined by demography, legal status, chronic health condition, or other special characteristics. Overall, national, population-based data regarding these sub-populations were located for 36% of the 21 health objectives. Within the sub-populations, most data was available for ethnic/racial groups, with 57–81% of each of the objectives having data. Data regarding rural/urban groups were found for about one-half of the 21 objectives, and data were located on all other groups for one-fourth or fewer of the objectives. Within the objectives, substance abuse objectives were the most widely measured, with data available for 56–78% of the various populations. For some objectives, such as drug-or alcohol-related motor vehicle deaths depression among the developmentally disabled, no national data were found. Conclusions: There are still too little data available regarding the specific health status or health objectives for different adolescent populations. A national adolescent data-priority agenda is needed to develop strategies to improve health data regarding adolescent sub-populations. Federal and state health monitoring agencies could create national health profiles of different populations, include more population markers in health studies, and develop tools for population-specific health assessment, particularly for those within the government’s care, including incarcerated and foster care youth.
In Silico Identification of Specialized Secretory-Organelle Proteins in Apicomplexan Parasites and In Vivo Validation in Toxoplasma gondii

Apicomplexan parasites, including the human pathogens Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum, employ specialized secretory organelles (micronemes, rhoptries, dense granules) to invade and survive within host cells. Because molecules secreted from these organelles function at the host/parasite interface, their identification is important for understanding invasion mechanisms, and central to the development of therapeutic strategies. Using a computational approach based on predicted functional domains, we have identified more than 600 candidate secretory organelle proteins in twelve apicomplexan parasites. Expression in transgenic T. gondii of eight proteins identified in silico confirms that all enter into the secretory pathway, and seven target to apical organelles associated with invasion. An in silico approach intended to identify possible host interacting proteins yields a dataset enriched in secretory/transmembrane proteins, including most of the antigens known to be engaged by apicomplexan parasites during infection. These domain pattern and projected interactome approaches significantly expand the repertoire of proteins that may be involved in host parasite interactions.
Social Phenotypes in Neurogenetic Syndromes

Many of the known genetically based neurodevelopmental disorders are associated with a distinctive behavioral phenotype. As these behavioral phenotypes have been elucidated by clinical research, distinctive profiles of social traits have emerged as prominent syndromic features. This article reviews social phenotypic findings for fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Smith-Magenis syndrome, Turner syndrome, Williams syndrome, and velocardiofacial syndrome. An analysis of these social profiles raises several questions regarding the relationship between identified social impairments and autism and the relationship between social impairments in neurodevelopmental disorders and those found in normative child populations. The unique profile of certain of the known behavioral phenotypes also serves to distinguish several dimensions of sociability that are not readily observed in typical populations.
Mindfulness and acceptance in relation to Behavioral Inhibition System sensitivity and psychological distress

Abstract The current study examined whether two adaptive emotion regulation strategies, mindfulness and acceptance, moderate the relationship between Behavioral Inhibition System sensitivity and psychological distress. Participants were 467 students at a large Midwestern university. Data were collected with paper-and-pencil questionnaires and analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression analyses. A significant positive association was observed between Behavioral Inhibition System sensitivity and psychological distress, with acceptance and mindfulness facets (Nonreactivity and Observing) significantly moderating this association. Findings suggest mindfulness- and acceptance-based strategies may buffer the influence of Behavioral Inhibition System sensitivity on the development and maintenance of psychological distress in nonclinical populations.
The changing information business: Toward content-based and service-based competition

Abstract As information-related industries creep into each other's territory and create bybrid “info-tainment” business groups, traditional routes to competitiveness become scarce. Attention is shifting toward content and service-based ways of competing, as postmodern forces sweep aside conventional ways of developing and delivering content. The Dholakias examine both the shift in the basis of eompetition in the information business and in information creation.
Serological Characterization of Human Monocytes for HLA, B‐Lymphocyte, Granulocyte, and Monocyte‐Associated Antigens by Cytotoxicity Testing

Highly enriched preparations of monocytes, B and T lymphocytes, and granulocytes from 18 normal donors were serotyped in parallel in a complement-dependent cytotoxicity assay using allogeneic and heterologous antisera defining three independent tissue antigen systems. HLA and B-lymphocyte tissue antigens were detected on human monocytes although granulocyte antigens were absent. By cytotoxicity testing the presence of Ia-like antigens on monocytes was significantly diminished compared to the autologous B-lymphocyte population and has important implications in B-lymphocyte serology. The study indentified a number of human antisera obtained from multitransfused subjects and pre- and post-transplant organ recipients that were non-HLA and appeared to define monocyte-associated antigens. The serological implications of surface antigen expression on human monocytes compared with other peripheral blood cells are discussed.
Knowledge claims and context: loose use

There is abundant evidence of contextual variation in the use of “S knows p.” Contextualist theories explain this variation in terms of semantic hypotheses that refer to standards of justification determined by “practical” features of either the subject’s context (Hawthorne & Stanley) or the ascriber’s context (Lewis, Cohen, & DeRose). There is extensive linguistic counterevidence to both forms. I maintain that the contextual variation of knowledge claims is better explained by common pragmatic factors. I show here that one is variable strictness. “S knows p” is commonly used loosely to implicate “S is close enough to knowing p for contextually indicated purposes.” A pragmatic account may use a range of semantics, even contextualist. I use an invariant semantics on which knowledge requires complete justification. This combination meets the Moorean constraint as well as any linguistic theory should, and meets the intuition constraint much better than contextualism. There is no need for ad hoc error theories. The variation in conditions of assertability and practical rationality is better explained by variably strict constraints. It will follow that “S knows p” is used loosely to implicate that the condition for asserting “p” and using it in practical reasoning are satisfied.
When Are Nash Equilibria Independent of the Distribution of Agents' Characteristics?

We present examples of Nash equilibria that do not vary with the distribution of a parameter across agents and then offer a general theorem that characterizes this independence.
Efficacy of Trimethoprim and Sulfamethoxazole in the Prevention and Treatment of Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonitis

A combination of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole was effective in the prevention and treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis in cortisonetreated rats. Although all of 15 untreated rats died with P. carinii pneumonitis, none of 15 given trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylactically acquired the infection. After P. carinii pneumonitis was established, 9 of 14 rats recovered after treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole compared with only 2 of 14 treated with pentamidine isethionate. Rifampin and clindamycin, separately or in combination with pentamidine, were ineffective in the prevention and treatment of P. carinii infection.
Looking near one object for another

In order to search for an object as efficiently as possible, it can be very useful to take advantage of the spatial relationships in which it commonly participates. Searches that do so, which we call indirect searches, can be modeled as two-stage processes that first find an intermediate object that commonly participates in a spatial relationship for the target object, and then look for the target in the restricted region specified by this relationship. Using this model, previous work has determined that over a wide range of situations, for searches that involve rotating a camera about a fixed location, indirect searches improve efficiency by factors of 2 to 8. However, several areas require future research if indirect search is to become a widely applicable easily usable technique. This paper describes three major areas in need of study -- recognizing typical intermediate objects, defining spatial relationships, and constructing mechanisms for moving a camera to examine cluttered regions of space. It concentrates especially on the latter topic, discussing many issues arising in the design of systems for looking around clutter and occlusions.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Direct observation of neutron-guided waves in a thin-film waveguide.

Guided propagation of neutrons in thin films was directly observed in a ${\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}$/Ti/Si waveguide by exciting one of its discrete guided modes from an external neutron beam. The condition found experimentally for exciting this particular mode agrees well with theory. The measured intensity of the guided neutrons was also in good agreement with a calculation based on a previous coupling theory.
TKA in osteonecrosis: a follow-up report

Osteonecrosis is an important but underestimated w x cause of osteoarthritis of the knee 13 . Spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee was first described by Alback w x 2 in the medial femoral condyle. It has been identified in the lateral femoral condyle and the tibial w x plateau 13 . When symptoms develop in knees with large osteonecrotic lesions, treatment options include osteotomy, unicompartmental total knee arthroplasty w x and total knee arthroplasty 4 . Our preferred treatment option in the symptomatic patient with osteonecrosis who is elderly or with a large lesion is total knee arthroplasty. Total knee arthroplasty using a condylar type prosthesis in osteoarthrosis or rheumatoid arthritis is an extremely reliable procedure with survivorship of up w x to 94.6% at 15 years 15 . There have been few reports analyzing the results of total knee arthroplasty w x in patients with osteonecrosis. Aglietti et al. 1 in 1983 reported that 95% of 37 total knee arthroplasties for osteonecrosis were satisfactory at an average of 4.4 years after total knee arthroplasty. Ritter et al. w x 16 reviewed 32 total knee arthroplasties for osteonecrosis with an average final follow-up of 3.9 years. The final mean Hospital for Special Surgery Ž knee score improved from 60.2 points S.D.s15.6 . Ž . w x points to 86.0 points S.D.s16.2 points 16 . Several other series report on arthroplasties in transplant patients, but they contain small numbers of total knee w x arthroplasties 9,14 . The purpose of this study was to update our previously reported series of total knee arthroplasties in
Coupled flow–structure–biochemistry simulations of dynamic systems of blood cells using an adaptive surface tracking method

A method for the computation of low Reynolds number dynamic blood cell systems is presented. The specific system of interest here is interaction between cancer cells and white blood cells in an experimental flow system. Fluid dynamics, structural mechanics, six-degree-of freedom motion control and surface biochemistry analysis components are coupled in the context of adaptive octree-based grid generation. Analytical and numerical verification of the quasi-steady assumption for the fluid mechanics is presented. The capabilities of the technique are demonstrated by presenting several three-dimensional cell system simulations, including the collision/interaction between a cancer cell and an endothelium adherent polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) cell in a shear flow.
A Network Economic Game Theory Model of a Service-Oriented Internet with Price and Quality Competition in Both Content and Network Provision

One key challenge in the current Internet is the inefficiency of the mechanisms by which technology is deployed and the business and economic models surrounding these processes. Customers' demands are driving the Internet and telecommunication networks toward the provision of quality-based end-to-end services, which need a richer family of performance guarantees. We believe that novel insights into future Internet structures can be obtained from taking into account the associated economic models and equilibrium conditions among providers. This paper develops a basic and a general network economic game theory model of a quality-based service-oriented Internet to study the competition among the service providers (both content and network providers). We derive the governing equilibrium conditions and provide the equivalent variational inequality formulations. An algorithm is proposed that yields closed-form expressions, at each iteration, for the prices and quality levels. To illustrate the modeling framewor...
Group theory for Feynman diagrams in non-Abelian gauge theories

A simple and systematic method for the calculation of group-theoretic weights associated with Feynman diagrams in non-Abelian gauge theories is presented. Both classical and exceptional groups are discussed.
Comparison of the stability and pharmacokinetics in dogs of modified ciclosporin capsules stored at −20°C and room temperature

Background Placement of ciclosporin (Atopica(®); Novartis Animal Health, Greensboro, NC, USA) capsules in a freezer prior to administration may reduce the incidence of vomiting in dogs. However, its impact on ciclosporin stability and pharmacokinetics is unknown. Hypothesis/objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the stability of Atopica(®) capsules and pharmacokinetics of ciclosporin in dogs after storage at -20°C in comparison with storage of capsules at 15-25°C. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in stability or pharmacokinetic parameters between freezer-stored and room-temperature Atopica(®) capsules. Animals Eight healthy research beagle dogs received one 5.0 mg/kg oral dose each of freezer-stored and room-temperature Atopica(®) capsules with a 1 week washout period between. Methods Ciclosporin concentrations of all available Atopica(®) capsule strengths were assessed for stability after -20°C storage at five time points over 30 days and at room temperature (15-25°C). A blinded, randomized cross-over study was also performed to compare blood concentrations of ciclosporin after capsule storage for 28 days at -20 versus 15-25°C. Blood samples were obtained over a 24 h period after administration. Capsule and whole-blood ciclosporin concentrations were assessed via high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results There was no significant difference in stability between freezer-stored and room-temperature Atopica(®) capsules at any time point. In the cross-over study, there were no significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters assessed. Conclusions and clinical importance Placing Atopica(®) capsules in a -20°C freezer for 28 days does not affect stability or absorption in the dog.
The Morning Morality Effect The Influence of Time of Day on Unethical Behavior

Are people more moral in the morning than in the afternoon? We propose that the normal, unremarkable experiences associated with everyday living can deplete one's capacity to resist moral temptations. In a series of four experiments, both undergraduate students and a sample of U.S. adults engaged in less unethical behavior (e.g., less lying and cheating) on tasks performed in the morning than on the same tasks performed in the afternoon. This morning morality effect was mediated by decreases in moral awareness and self-control in the afternoon. Furthermore, the effect of time of day on unethical behavior was found to be stronger for people with a lower propensity to morally disengage. These findings highlight a simple yet pervasive factor (i.e., the time of day) that has important implications for moral behavior.
Rethinking substance abuse treatment with sex workers: How does the capability approach inform practice?

Substance abuse treatment providers commonly provide services for men and women involved in sex work. Sex workers often present to treatment with a complicated array of challenges (M. L. Burnette et al., 2008a; D. C. Ling, W. C. W. Wong, E. A. Holroyd, & S. A. Grayson, 2007; M. Young, C. Boyd, & A. Hubbell, 2000), and, while many scholars have posited the need for adapted interventions for sex workers (L. Nuttbrock, A. Rosenblum, S. Magura, C. Villano, & J. Wallace, 2004; A. Weiner, 1996), there is still a lull in the development of comprehensive, tailored services for sex workers seeking substance abuse treatment (L. Nuttbrock et al., 2004). Augmenting this gap is the lack of a clear framework through which to understand the challenges that sex workers endure and how their challenges may differ from treatment-seeking non-sex workers. In order to address this gap, the current study explored the utility of a social justice framework, namely the Capability Approach, in predicting sex work involvement among a substance-abusing sample. We hypothesize that increased challenges to achieving capability will predict sex work involvement among a substance-abusing sample. Results suggest that the Capability Approach is a useful framework that can be used to differentiate between sex workers and their substance-abusing counterparts and that sex workers experience greater challenges to achieving capability. As such, the current findings support recent calls in the literature for the development of tailored services to meet the needs of this population.
OX40 ligand regulates inflammation and mortality in the innate immune response to sepsis.

The initial phase of sepsis is characterized by massive inflammatory cytokine production that contributes to multisystem organ failure and death. Costimulatory molecules are a class of receptors capable of regulating cytokine production in adaptive immunity. Recent studies described their presence on neutrophils and monocytes, suggesting a potential role in the regulation of cytokine production in innate immunity. The purpose of this study was to determine the role for OX40–OX40 ligand (OX40L) interaction in the innate immune response to polymicrobial sepsis. Humans with sepsis demonstrated upregulation of OX40L on monocytes and neutrophils, with mortality and intensive care unit stay correlating with expression levels. In an animal model of polymicrobial sepsis, a direct role for OX40L in regulating inflammation was indicated by improved survival, decreased cytokine production, and a decrease in remote organ damage in OX40L−/− mice. The finding of similar results with an OX40L Ab suggests a potential therapeutic role for OX40L blockade in sepsis. The inability of anti-OX40L to provide significant protection in macrophage-depleted mice establishes macrophages as an indispensable cell type within the OX40/OX40L axis that helps to mediate the clinical signs of disease in sepsis. Conversely, the protective effect of anti-OX40L Ab in RAG1−/− mice further confirms a T cell-independent role for OX40L stimulation in sepsis. In conclusion, our data provide an in vivo role for the OX40/OX40L system in the innate immune response during polymicrobial sepsis and suggests a potential beneficial role for therapeutic blockade of OX40L in this devastating disorder.
Disease Resistance and Biomass Stability of Forage Pearl Millet Hybrids with Partial Rust Resistance

The expression of partial resistance to Puccinia substriata var. indica and its contribution to digestible biomass production in forage pearl millet hybrids were evaluated in field experiments at Tifton, GA. Inbreds Tift 383, Tift 65, and nine inbreds with partial resistance selected from the cross Tift 383 × 'ICMP 501' were crossed to Tift 23DA4. The parental inbreds and hybrids were evaluated in natural epidemics in 1996 and 1997. Because of maturity differences among the lines, slope of the regression of logit rust severity on time (apparent infection rate) and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) calculated for a defined interval of plant growth (10 days before to 20 days after anthesis) and adjusted for initial rust severity at 10 days prior to anthesis were the most useful indicators of resistance. Inbred resistance was not a reliable predictor of hybrid resistance when evaluated by either variable. Hybrids were evaluated for biomass production in 1996 and 1997 in a split-plot design, with hybrids as main plots and nontreated or chlorothalonil fungicide-treated as subplots. Differences existed among hybrids for AUDPC and for digestible dry matter yield (DDMY) and its components. Over all hybrids, the response between DDMY and final rust severity was described by logarithmic regression. Two clusters of hybrids were identified by cluster analysis of disease-related data from both experiments. The cluster of susceptible hybrids tended to have a lower DDMY and were less stable over year × treatment environments than the cluster of partially resistant hybrids. Lodging in nontreated plots in 1997 primarily occurred in susceptible hybrids. Although resistance was expressed in certain hybrids, greater levels of partial resistance are needed to provide adequate protection against DDMY losses.
Structural geometry of subvolcanic ring complexes as related to pre-Cenozoic motions of continental plates

Abstract Applications of plate tectonic concepts to problems of continental geology are hampered by the lack of direct evidence from the sea floor of pre-Cretaceous plate motions, since oceanic crust is continually destroyed by subduction in trenches. Studies on the structural geometry of Jurassic ring-dike provinces in Africa and North America, however, reveal patterns closely correlated with predicted plate motions. These ring complexes are commonly discordant to major crustal structures and show many features indicative of deep-seated origin. Ring-dike provinces probably form when continents drift over fixed plumes (hot-spots) in the asthenosphere and thereby provide unique tracks of pre-Cenozoic continental plate motions.
Cultural Correlates with Cranial Capacity

presentations. Several pieces of indirect evidence suggest biocultural interpretations for encephalization (Beals 1987). First, expansion of the brain case has been greater than is explicable by the corresponding increase in body size. Second, average human relative endocranial volume (24.9 cm3 per kg of body weight) is more than twice that of apes. "Biophysical" variables like body surface area, thermoregulation, and cranial geometry fail to fully explain the changes observed for hominid data (Beals, Smith, and Dodd 1984; Scarr-Salapatek 1971). Culture, then, may explain some of the variation of cranial capacity. A vast body of (often controversial) literature exists on the general question of factors affecting cranial capacity. Most of the hypotheses we have tabulated relate to some type of cultural/cognitive explanation. For example, several independent studies with different populations and test instruments show significant (but low) correlations between cranial capacity and IQ scores. In reviewing these studies, Henneberg et al. (1985) suggest that where connections may exist, they are presumably due to cultural factors. Previously, we demonstrated a relation between cranial capacity and coldness of climate (Beals, Smith, and Dodd 1983, 1984). Several commentators upon that paper indicated the desirability of merging our cranial capacity data base with the corresponding files that exist in cultural anthropology to more fully explain observed differences. We therefore test biocultural hypotheses by correlating endocranial volume with cultural variables describing ethnographic populations. The specific questions are: 1. Are there any more significant associations between cranial capacity and cultural variations than one would expect by chance alone? 2. If so, is there a pattern that can be discerned for any particular class of cultural variation?
Building the Mega-Collaboration Interface: Behavioral, Cultural, and Cognitive Factors in Visualization Support

Technology has enabled mega-collaboration on an unprecedented scale. A tool is needed to coordinate these activities and link them to government response efforts. However, in defining and responding to problems, teammates need to be able to visualize each other's mental models. The tool must encourage the team to advance promptly through team "forming, norming, storming, and performing." Finally, it must help individual teams visualize efficiently the "big picture," using agents to enhance the process. The usability of a prototype mega-collaboration interface has been tested, the second generation interface is being implemented, and a novel agent-based interface is being planned.
The Road to Facilitated Variation

Knowledge of how the phenotype is constructed is crucial to explain the pace and direction of evolutionary change. The theory of facilitated phenotypic variation emerged out of considerations from new empirical findings regarding the deeply conserved core mechanisms studied in biochemistry, cell biology, and developmental biology. Although others have raised similar questions about the creation of the phenotypic landscape on which selection acts, the discovery of the molecular details about the genotype-phenotype relationship, and, in particular, the means by which the genotype is converted to the phenotype, provided the materials for a perspective on evolution that diverges significantly from the Modern Synthesis, which assumed the sufficiency of population genetics to explain all of evolution. Physiological adaptability manifested in several distinctive properties of conserved cellular processes—weak linkage, exploratory behavior, compartmentation, and stabilization of the range of physiological variation—contribute to evolvability by facilitating phenotypic variation. This suggests a complementary formulation of Theodosius Dobzhansky’s famous dictum: nothing in evolution makes sense except in the light of cell, molecular, and developmental biology.
Evaluating a CCD film digitizer: comparing interpretation accuracy with original film readings

The purpose of the study was to determine if there were differences between the interpretations of radiographic images resulting from digitizing films using a recently developed CCD unit, and the readings of the original films. The general hypothesis to be tested was that there were no significant differences in the measures of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and ROC analyses when the interpretations related to the two modes were compared. The authors selected 120 radiographic examinations for the study from departmental teaching files, which included chest, abdomen, extremity and other cases that were considered difficult to interpret. The authors also selected six specific abnormalities visualized on 60 of the cases as true positives to classify the reports. After anonymizing the patient identification, the films were digitized and independently interpreted by four board-certified radiologists. Each reader read all of the examinations, half on film alternators and the other half on a high-resolution soft-copy workstation. No reader interpreted the same examination more than once. As of this date, the preliminary results indicate that the hypothesis will be accepted, but more analyses of the data must be performed to confirm the early findings. The additional work will include complete verification of data entry and classification of interpretations, a detailed review of perceived image quality and completion of the ROC analysis by pairs of readers. If the results are confirmed, radiologists, other physicians and administrators will have another reliable option to conventional film practice through increased access to remote primary diagnosis and consultation using high-speed telecommunication media.
Sexual size dimorphism and phylogeny in North American minnows

Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is predicted to vary across mating systems. A previous study examined a model of SSD in fishes as it relates to three mating system variables: probability of sperm competition, male territorial guarding, and male-male contest. I tested the ability of these variables to predict SSD in North American freshwater minnows, after controlling for phylogenetic effects by an independent contrasts method. Across 58 species only male territorial guarding was significantly related to SSD in a stepwise multiple regression. When tested for 26 genera and subgenera, both male territorial guarding and male-male contest were significant in the model. The concentrated-changes test revealed that character changes in SSD (from males the same size or smaller than females, to males larger than females) were more concentrated on branches with presence of male guarding (similar results were found for changes in SSD and presence of sperm competition), at the species and genus levels. Both comparative approaches demonstrated that male guarding and male-male contest variables are linked to SSD in minnows.
Discourse Pragmatics and Ellipsis Resolution in Task-Oriented Natural Language Interfaces

This paper reviews discourse phenomena that occur frequently in task-oriented man-machine dialogs, reporting on an empirical study that demonstrates the necessity of handling ellipsis, anaphora, extragrammaticality, inter-sentential metalanguage, and other abbreviatory devices in order to achieve convivial user interaction. Invariably, users prefer to generate terse or fragmentary utterances instead of longer, more complete "standalone" expressions, even when given clear instructions to the contrary. The XCALIBUR expert system interface is designed to meet these needs, including generalized ellipsis resolution by means of a rule-based caseframe method superior to previous semantic grammar approaches.
Ethanol Reward and Aversion in Mice Bred for Sensitivity to Ethanol Withdrawal

The present study examined mice selectively bred for sensitivity to ethanol withdrawal for differences in the conditioned place preference (CPP) and conditioned taste aversion (CTA) paradigms. Withdrawal Seizure-Prone (WSP) and Withdrawal Seizure-Resistant (WSR) mice and High Alcohol Withdrawal (HAW) and Low Alcohol Withdrawal (LAW) mice were selectively bred for differences in chronic and acute ethanol withdrawal, respectively. For the CPP experiment, male HAW and LAW (generation 5) mice received four pairings of ethanol (2 g/kg), with a distinctive floor stimulus. On intervening days, mice received saline paired with an alternate floor type. During the preference test, all mice received an injection of saline before 60-min access to both floor types. HAW mice showed conditioned preference for the ethanol-paired floor, whereas LAW mice did not. For the CTA experiments, male HAW, LAW, WSP, and WSR mice were adapted to a 2-hr/day water restriction regimen and subsequently received ethanol injections (0, 2, 2.5, or 4 g/kg, i.p.) immediately after 1-hr access to a NaCl-flavored solution. Dose-dependent reductions in NaCl intake reflected the development of CTA in both HAW/LAW and WSP/WSR lines. However, a smaller magnitude of CTA was observed in WSP mice relative to WSR mice after the first ethanol-NaCl pairing. WSP/WSR mice showed similar reductions of NaCl intake on subsequent conditioning trials. Overall, these data suggest that HAW mice selectively bred for high sensitivity to acute ethanol withdrawal are more sensitive to the rewarding effects of ethanol in the CPP paradigm. This outcome is consistent with a previous study showing greater CPP in WSP mice relative to WSR mice. In the CTA paradigm, sensitivity to ethanol withdrawal in the HAW/ LAW selected lines does not appear to be genetically correlated with sensitivity to the aversive properties of ethanol. However, the difference in acquisition of CTA in WSP/WSR lines suggest that some genes determining ethanol withdrawal severity may also influence initial sensitivity to ethanol's aversive effects.