cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linac-Based Total Marrow Irradiation (TMI)

Radiation (total body irradiation, TBI) combined with chemotherapy plays an important role as a conditioning regimen in patients with hematological malignancies. One of the limitations of TBI, however, has been the toxicity, mainly the pulmonary complications. Hence, maximizing the role of radiation while reducing the dose to limiting organs has been the primary goal of recent efforts. Linear accelerator can deliver conformal radiation dose to the shape of total marrow for patients of hematological malignancies using multileaf collimators and inverse planning techniques. Linac-based intensity-modulated total marrow irradiation (IM-TMI) has shown great potential to reduce severe complications associated with conventional radiation techniques, including TBI through limiting the undesirable dose to organs at risk (OARs). Furthermore, the improved delivery efficiency of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) can greatly facilitate clinical transition of TMI by providing adequate target coverage with selective normal organ sparing in a more efficient way.
Jenseits von Neuromarketing – Wie die Neurowissenschaften in neue Bereiche der Wirtschaft vordringen

Menschliche Wahrnehmung und Verhalten sind masgeblich durch implizite Bedurfnisse gesteuert. Das Deloitte Neuroscience Institute (DNI) hat mit der NeedSphere ein zuverlassiges Modell zur Erfassung und Quantifizierung impliziter Bedurfnisse entwickelt, welches es ermoglicht, dieses Wissen fur Unternehmen gezielt zu nutzen. Mit diesem Modell und des breiten neurowissenschaftlichen Ansatzes des Deloitte Neuroscience Institutes ist es gelungen, eine grose Vielfalt an Fragen von Unternehmen ihre Kunden betreffend zu beantworten und sie so bei der Erreichung ihrer Ziele, etwa der Steigerung von Umsatzen oder Einsparung von Kosten zu unterstutzen.
The Impact of Shuttered Golf Courses on Property Values

We measure the impact of a golf course as a residential amenity on surrounding home values in several communities in Shelby County, Alabama. We compare the values of homes in golf course communitie...
Chapter 12 – Nuclear Heat Energy

Publisher Summary Most of the energy released in fission appears as kinetic energy of a few high-speed particles. As these pass through matter, they slow down by multiple collisions and impart thermal energy to the medium. This chapter discusses the means by which this energy is transferred to a cooling agent and transported to devices that convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. The principal modes by which fission energy is transferred in a reactor are conduction and convection. The radial temperature distribution in a fuel pellet is approximately parabolic. The rate of heat transfer from fuel surface to coolant by convection is directly proportional to the temperature difference. The allowed power level of a reactor is governed by the temperatures at local “hot spots.” Coolant flow along channels extracts thermal energy and delivers it to an external circuit consisting of a heat exchanger (PWR), a steam turbine that drives an electrical generator, a steam condenser, and various pumps. Large amounts of waste heat are discharged by electrical power plants because of inherent limits on efficiency. Typically, a billion gallons of water per day must flow through the steam condenser to limit the temperature rise of the environment. When rivers and lakes are not available or adequate, waste heat is dissipated by cooling towers. Potential beneficial uses of the waste thermal energy include space heating and stimulation of growth of fish and plants. Some nuclear facilities produce and distribute both steam and electricity.
Time to Suicide and Suicide Attempt among Army Enlisted Soldiers’ First Year of Service

A soldier’s first year of military service is a critical period of transition where the risk of suicidal behavior may be increased. This study described time to initial suicide attempts and death b...
Generalizing Learned Manipulation Skills in Practice

Robots should be able to learn and perform a manipulation task across different settings. This paper presents an approach that learns an RNN-based manipulation skill model from demonstrations and then generalizes the learned skill in new settings. The manipulation skill model learned from demonstrations in an initial set of setting performs well in those settings and similar ones. However, the model may perform poorly in a novel setting that is significantly different from the learned settings. Therefore a novel approach called generalization in practice (GiP) is developed to tackle this critical problem. In this approach, the robot practices in the new setting to obtain new training data and refine the learned skill using the new data to gradually improve the learned skill model. The proposed approach has been implemented for one type of manipulation task – pouring that is the most performed manipulation in cooking applications. The presented approach enables a pouring robot to pour gracefully like a person in terms of speed and accuracy in learned setups and gradually improve the pouring performance in novel setups after several practices.
Inhibition of lipid phosphatase SHIP1 expands myeloid-derived suppressor cells and attenuates rheumatoid arthritis in mice.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating autoimmune disease of unknown cause, characterized by infiltration and accumulation of activated immune cells in the synovial joints where cartilage and ...
Edge Statistics for Lozenge Tilings of Polygons, I: Concentration of Height Function on Strip Domains

In this paper we study uniformly random lozenge tilings of strip domains. Under the assumption that the limiting arctic boundary has at most one cusp, we prove a nearly optimal concentration estimate for the tiling height functions and arctic boundaries on such domains: with overwhelming probability the tiling height function is within $n^\delta$ of its limit shape, and the tiling arctic boundary is within $n^{1/3+\delta}$ to its limit shape, for arbitrarily small $\delta>0$. This concentration result will be used in [AH21] to prove that the edge statistics of simply-connected polygonal domains, subject to a technical assumption on their limit shape, converge to the Airy line ensemble.
Rechte, Widerstand und Revolution in westlicher Tradition: Frühe protestantische Grundlagen (Rights, Resistance, and Revolution in the Western Tradition: Early Protestant Foundations)

German Abstract: Dieser Artikel diskutiert die Entwicklung des Rechtsgesprachs in der protestantischen Tradition vor der Aufklarung, insbesondere wie es der kalvinistische Theologe und Jurist Theodore Beza aus dem 16. Jahrhundert formuliert hat. Als Reaktion auf die schreckliche Verfolgung, die durch das Massaker am Bartholomaus-Tag von 1572 verursacht wurde, mobilisierte Beza klassische, katholische und protestantische Quellen, um eine koharente calvinistische Theorie der Rechte, des Widerstands und der Revolution gegen Tyrannen zu entwickeln. Dieser Artikel beschreibt Bezas Argumente, stellt seine Arbeit in ihren historischen und intellektuellen Kontext und hebt die Innovationen hervor, die Beza zur Uberschneidung von rechtlichen, politischen und theologischen Lehren beigetragen hat. Abschliesend wird gezeigt, wie Bezas Theorie der subjektiven Rechte und des Widerstands gegen die Tyrannei dazu beigetragen hat, den Kurs der modernen demokratischen und konstitutionellen Theorie zu bestimmen. English Abstract: This article discusses the development of rights talk in the pre-Enlightenment Protestant tradition, especially as formulated by the sixteenth-century Calvinist theologian and jurist, Theodore Beza. Responding to the horrific persecution born of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of 1572, Beza mobilized classical, Catholic, and Protestant sources alike to develop a coherent Calvinist theory of rights, resistance, and revolution against tyrants. This article details Beza's arguments, places his work in its historical and intellectual context, and highlights the innovations Beza contributed to the intersection of legal, political, and theological teachings. It concludes by showing how Beza's theory of subjective rights and resistance to tyranny helped to plot the course of modern democratic and constitutional theory.
“Self-revolutions of everyday life”: the politics of ATG

In 1968, Japan’s own “season of politics” was full of strikes, protests, and university closures. Much of the exigence behind students’ revolutionary fervor revolved around a “self-revolution in ev...
Som Stress-Strain Studies of Metals

S curves and the related mechanical properties have long been used as a means of judging the quality and usefulness of metals and to provide basic engineering data for use in the design of metal structures and parts. The relations between stress, deformation and time also provide necessary data for the manufacture and fabrication of structural or machine parts. In some instances where creep and elastic recovery of plastic deformation occur, it may be essential to consider time in structural behavior. I t is the purpose of this paper to review the significance of certain mechanical properties as indicated by stress-strain curves and their relation to the previous history of stress and deformation, particularly the effects of cold working and cyclic stressing upon the mechanical properties and the shape of the stress-strain curve. The mechanical properties of a metal may be defined in terms of the characteristics of the complete stress-strain curve which from this point of view is a graphical representation of the mechanical properties
Dynamics of Vibrio Populations and Their Role in Environmental Nutrient Cycling

Molecular surveys of bacterioplankton communities in coastal regions and open oceans have yielded similar 16S rRNA sequences, although coastal sites can differ significantly from the open ocean with respect to primary production rates and terrestrial influence. While obligate “ultramicrobacteria” have been described from oligotrophic open ocean environments and hypothesized to substantially contribute to environmental nutrient cycling, the extent to which facultative “ultra-micro” Vibrio cells contribute to microbial diversity and nutrient cycling in oligotrophic environments has not been addressed; this may reflect the limitation of DNA-based studies that are based on a collection of planktonic biomass on a 0.2-μm-pore-size filter. Association with larger host organisms may mediate the environmental dynamics of symbiotic or commensal Vibrio populations. Chitinase activity may reflect one of the most important extracellular enzymatic processes in the marine environment. A facultatively anaerobic bacterium originally described as a denitrifying Vibrio was recently classified as an alphaproteobacterium based upon DNA sequence data. Comparative genomic approaches between nonpathogens and pathogenic strains can help explain the unifying themes underlying bacterial-host interactions and mechanisms by which pathogenic interactions may emerge. Environmental genomic approaches to explore the metabolic diversity associated with phylogenetic clades can shed light on how widespread certain features, such as N2 fixation, bioluminescence, and cell signaling, are among the Vibrionaceae and whether vibrios are capable of as-yet- undiscovered metabolic transformations (e.g., denitrification, phototrophy, chemoautotropy). The dynamics and distribution of bacterioplanktonic Vibrio populations are determined by adaptations to environmental gradients, including temperature, salinity, and nutrient concentration.
The partitioning of altered mechanics in hypertrophied heart muscle between the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the contractile apparatus by means of myothermal measurements.

Cardiac hypertrophy in the rabbit, secondary to pulmonary artery stenosis, results in a decrease in unloaded shortening velocity (Vmax) and maximum rate of isometric force development (dP/dtmax), while the peak isometric twitch tension is unchanged and time to peak tension (TPT) is increased. The principle hypothesis used to explain these results involve 1) slowing of myosin cross bridge movement as reflected in depressed myosin ATPase activity and 2) changes in excitation contraction coupling phenomena resulting in changes in intracellular Ca++ movement. Ca++ and actin activated myosin ATPase from the hypertrophied (H) muscles is depressed by 30 %. Total initial heat, tension dependent heat and tension independent heat are depressed in H muscles by 57, 56, and 61 % respectively. The rate of tension independent heat production in H preparations is depressed by 66 %. From these data it is concluded that 61 % of the depression in Vmax could be accounted for by the alteration in myosin with the reminder attributable to changes in EC coupling. Increased TPT can be accounted for by the change in rate of Ca++ flux as indicated by the alterated rate of tension independent heat evolution.
Does comorbid obesity impact quality of life outcomes in patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery

Background Both obesity and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) are characterized by inflammation. Furthermore, both disease processes are independently associated with decreases in quality-of-life (QOL). We sought to investigate the role of comorbid obesity in QOL outcomes in CRS patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Methods Adult patients with medically refractory CRS (n = 241) were prospectively enrolled into a multi-institutional treatment outcomes investigation. Body mass index (BMI) calculations were used to differentiate patient weight groups (normal weight: 18.5 to 24.9, overweight: 25.0 to 29.9; and obese: ≥30.0). Preoperative and postoperative QOL (Rhinosinusitis Disability Index [RSDI] and the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test [SNOT-22]) were evaluated compared across BMI groups and obesity subclasses. Results The prevalence of comorbid obesity was 41% (n = 99). Higher prevalence of comorbid disease was found across increasing BMI groups including diabetes mellitus, asthma, and depression. No significant differences were found in mean preoperative QOL measures between any BMI groups. Significant improvement between preoperative and postoperative QOL mean scores (p ≤ 0.050) was found for all BMI groups. Despite no significant difference in mean QOL improvement between BMI groups (p ≥ 0.142), overweight and obese patients reported reduced relative mean percentage (%) improvement compared to normal weight participants on the RSDI total score (33% and 37% vs 55%, respectively) and SNOT-22 total score (29% and 40% vs 48%, respectively). Conclusion Patients with comorbid obesity experience significant improvement in average QOL gains following ESS though the percentage of relative improvement in QOL may be decreased in patients with comorbid obesity and CRS as compared to those without.
Moving beyond safe sex to women-controlled safe sex: a concept analysis

AIM: This paper is a report of a conceptual analysis of women-controlled safe sex. BACKGROUND: Women bear disproportionate burdens from sexually related health compromising outcomes. Imbalanced societal gender and power positions contribute to high morbidities. The expression women-controlled safe sex aims to empower women to gain control of their sexual lives. Few researchers focus on contextualized socio-cultural definitions of sexual safety among women. DATA SOURCES: The sample included scientific literature from Scopus CINAHL PubMed PsychINFO and Sociological Abstracts. Papers were published 2000-2010. REVIEW METHODS: Critical analyses of literature about women-controlled safe sex were performed in May 2011 using Rodgers evolutionary concept analysis methods. The search focused on social and cultural influences on sexual practices aimed at increasing womens control over their sexual safety. RESULTS: The analysis uncovered five attributes of women-controlled safe sex: technology; access to choices; women at-risk; condom migration panic; and communication. Three antecedents included: male partner influence; body awareness; and self-efficacy. Consequences were categorized as positive or negative. Nine surrogate terms included: empowerment; gender power; female-controlled sexual barrier method; microbicides; diaphragm; sexual negotiation and communication; female condom; women-initiated disease transmission prevention; and spermicides. Finally a consensus definition was identified: a socio-culturally influenced multi-level process for initiating sexual safety by women deemed at-risk for sexually related dangers usually sexually transmitted infections and/or HIV/AIDS. CONCLUSION: This concept analysis described current significance uses and applications of women-controlled safe sex in the scientific literature. The authors clarified its limited nature and conclude that additional conceptual refinement in nursing is necessary to influence womens health. (c) 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Party Politics and International Trade: Mainstream Parties, Niche Parties, and Trade Openness

How does party politics influence trade outcomes? Previous studies offer a limited understanding of the role of political parties in trade policymaking due to their restrictive assumptions that downplay the distinct organizational identity of political parties and the competitive logic of their interactions. This paper develops a theoretical argument that emphasizes the competitive forces of party politics as a key determinant of party preference for trade and hence of trade outcomes. This theoretical argument is illustrated and tested in analysis of the trade implications of strategic interactions between mainstream parties and niche parties. The empirical analyses confirm that party strategic factors need to be assigned a substantial analytical weight in explaining trade outcomes.
And Now the Hard Work Begins in South Africa

On April 26-29, (1994) all South Africans, irrespective of their color, had the opportunity to vote. This was truly. a historic moment in South Africa's history. The exhilaration forced me to reflect upon the despair created by South Africa's election in 1948. History was also made then: The National Party was brought into power and racial segregation and discrimination were officially sanctioned by the government. Under these new laws, which became known collectively as apartheid, blacks had no right to equal or integrated housing; no right to freedom of movement, assembly or association; no right to equal political representation; no right to equal or integrated education; and, most tragic of all, no right to vote in a national election.The April election established Nelson Mandela as a dominant leader in South Africa, the African National Congress as the dominant party and an interim constitution. Ironically, the election was the first time Nelson Mandela, now president of South Africa, had the right to vote in a national election in the country of his birth. A country that he refused to leave in 1962 and subsequently convicted him of treason and sentenced him to life in prison for plotting to overthrow the apartheid regime. Most significant, however, the election established an assembly empowered to draft a final constitution.
A continuous cable method for determining the transient potential in passive dendritic trees of known geometry

Models using cable equations are increasingly employed in neurophysiological analyses, but the amount of computer time and memory required for their implementation are prohibitively large for many purposes and many laboratories. A mathematical procedure for determining the transient voltage response to injected current or synaptic input in a passive dendritic tree of known geometry is presented that is simple to implement since it is based on one equation. It proved to be highly accurate when results were compared to those obtained analytically for dendritic trees satisfying equivalent cylinder constraints. In this method the passive cable equation is used to express the potential for each interbranch segment of the dendritic tree. After applying boundary conditions at branch points and terminations, a system of equations for the Laplace transform of the potential at the ends of the segments can be readily obtained by inspection of the dendritic tree. Except for the starting equation, all of the equations have a simple format that varies only with the number of branches meeting at a branch point. The system of equations is solved in the Laplace domain, and the result is numerically inverted back to the time domain for each specified time point (the method is independent of any time increment Δt). The potential at any selected location in the dendritic tree can be obtained using this method. Since only one equation is required for each interbranch segment, this procedure uses far fewer equations than comparable compartmental approaches. By using significantly less computer memory and time than other methods to attain similar accuracy, this method permits extensive analyses to be performed rapidly on small computers. One hopes that this will involve more investigators in modeling studies and will facilitate their motivation to undertake realistically complex dendritic models.
The birth of a cusp: The unfolding of a ‘boundary catastrophe’

We study a phenomenon, analogous to a phase transition, that takes place in the theory of noise-activated transitions between attractors. Large fluctuations away from any attractor tend to be concentrated along certain optimal trajectories, and the flow field of optimal trajectories may contain focal points, or cusps. Optimal trajectories may be viewed as Hamiltonian trajectories, and a cusp may be viewed as a cusp catastrophe in the Lagrangian manifold that the optimal trajectories trace out. As the parameters of a noise-driven system are changed, a cusp may emerge from a saddle point of the underlying deterministic dynamics. This corresponds to a cusp catastrophe being formed at the boundary of the Lagrangian manifold, and moving inward. It is possible to find a nonpolynomial normal form that unfolds the corresponding ‘boundary catastrophe,’ in a space of higher dimensionality. Just as the quartic normal form for a cusp catastrophe resembles the scaling form for a classical (Ginzburg-Landau) phase transition, so the normal form for a boundary catastrophe resembles the scaling form for a nonclassical phase transition. Both have continuously varying exponents.
Performance Measurement Systems and Subordinate Self-Control of Emergent Learning

Accounting literature recognizes that relatively autonomous self-control by subordinates can potentially create organizational value in highly uncertain situations, such as those involving creativity, entrepreneurship, learning, and innovation. The accounting literature, however, has a 50 year history of conflicting assumptions, disagreement, or "debate" about the relevance, reliability, and roles associated with the design of performance measures and performance measurement systems for influencing subordinate self-control. This paper begins to address this debate using the following research strategy. First, interdisciplinary theories are used to develop theory labeled implicit accounting architecture for how performance measures and performance measurement systems function in a highly uncertain emergent learning situation in which subordinates are relied on to self-control. Second, the paper uses the implicit accounting architecture and three rival social psychology theories to develop competing hypotheses about whether and how performance measurement system causal framing influences subordinates’ intrinsic payoffs. Finally, a behavioral economic method and a field experiment are used to test the competing hypotheses in a subordinate self-control situation designed to simulate bottom-up emergent learning. The results provide strong support for one competing social psychology theory that posits a reliable or performance-contingent relationship between performance measurement system causal framing and subordinates' intrinsic payoffs. The implications for practice and theory are discussed.
Auditory Navigation Performance is Affected by Waypoint Capture Radius.

Non-speech audio navigation systems can be very effective mobility aids for persons with either temporary or permanent vision loss. Sound design has certainly been shown to be important in such devices [e.g. 1]. In this study we consider the added factor of capture radius. The capture radius of an auditory beacon is defined as the range at which the system considers a user to have reached the waypoint where the beacon is located. 108 participants successfully navigated paths through a virtual world using only nonspeech beacon cues. Performance differed across the capture radius conditions. Further, there was a speed-accuracy tradeoff, which complicates the design decision process. Implications of these results for the design of auditory navigation aids are discussed, as are other ongoing and future studies.
Evaluating the Effects of Flexible Learning about Aseptic Compounding on First-year Students in a Pharmacy Skills Laboratory.

Objective. To evaluate how flexible learning via online video review affects the ability and confidence of first-year (P1) pharmacy students to accurately compound aseptic preparations.Design. Customary instructions and assignments for aseptic compounding were provided to students, who were given unlimited access to 5 short review videos in addition to customary instruction. Student self-confidence was assessed online, and faculty members evaluated students’ aseptic technique at the conclusion of the semester.Assessment. No significant difference on final assessment scores was observed between those who viewed videos and those who did not. Student self-confidence scores increased significantly from baseline, but were not significantly higher for those who viewed videos than for those who did not.Conclusion. First-year students performed well on final aseptic compounding assessments, and those who viewed videos had a slight advantage. Student self-confidence improved over the semester regardless of whether...
Detecting shifts in correlation and variability with application to ENSO-monsoon rainfall relationships

This paper addresses the retrospective detection of step changes at unknown time points in the correlation structure of two or more climate times series. Both the variance of individual series and the covariance between series are addressed. For a sequence of vector-valued observations with an approximate multivariate normal distribution, the proposed method is a parametric likelihood ratio test of the hypothesis of constant covariance against the hypothesis of at least one shift in covariance. The formulation of the test statistic and its asymptotic distribution are taken from Chen and Gupta (2000). This test is applied to the series comprised of the mean summer NINO3 index and the Indian monsoon rainfall index for the years 1871–2003. The most likely change point year was found to be 1980, with a resulting p-value of 0.12. The same test was applied to the series of NINO3 and Northeast Brazil rainfall observations from the years 1856–2001. A shift was detected in 1982 which is significant at the 1% level. Some or all of this shift in the covariance matrix can be attributed to a change in the variance of the Northeast Brazil rainfall. A variation of this methodology designed to increase power under certain multiple change point alternatives, specificallly when a shift is followed by a reversal, is also presented. Simulations to assess the power of the test under various alternatives are also included, in addition to a review of the literature on alternative methods.
A mindfulness model of affect regulation and depressive symptoms: Positive emotions, mood regulation expectancies, and self-acceptance as regulatory mechanisms

Abstract Mindfulness is increasingly conceptualized in terms of its regulatory function with research suggesting that mindfulness may have a salutary effect on psychological well-being. The present cross-sectional study of 514 college students (84% Caucasian and 62% females), using self-report questionnaires, tested a proposed model for understanding the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and depressive symptoms through three types of affect regulation: emotion regulation, mood regulation and self-regulation, as measured by positive emotions, mood regulation expectancies (i.e., perceived mood repair ability), and self-acceptance, respectively. Structural equation modeling revealed that the model fit the data well, with the relationship between mindfulness, as measured by the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, and depressive symptoms, as measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, fully mediated by the proposed regulatory processes. Higher levels of dispositional mindfulness were associated with higher levels of positive emotions, mood regulation expectancies, and self-acceptance, which in turn, were all inversely related to depressive symptoms. Self-acceptance emerged as the strongest mediator of mindfulness and depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that mindfulness might serve a regulatory function by targeting low positive emotionality, poor mood regulation, and negative self-concept, risk factors implicated in the onset, development, and maintenance of depressive symptoms.
Cardiovascular risk factors are associated with increased lesion burden and brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis

Background Cardiovascular (CV) risk factors have been associated with changes in clinical outcomes in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Objectives To investigate the frequency of CV risks in patients with MS and their association with MRI outcomes. Methods In a prospective study, 326 patients with relapsing–remitting MS and 163 patients with progressive MS, 61 patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and 175 healthy controls (HCs) were screened for CV risks and scanned on a 3T MRI scanner. Examined CV risks included hypertension, heart disease, smoking, overweight/obesity and type 1 diabetes. MRI measures assessed lesion volumes (LVs) and brain atrophy. Association between individual or multiple CV risks and MRI outcomes was examined adjusting for age, sex, race, disease duration and treatment status. Results Patients with MS showed increased frequency of smoking (51.7% vs 36.5%, p=0.001) and hypertension (33.9% vs 24.7%, p=0.035) compared with HCs. In total, 49.9% of patients with MS and 36% of HCs showed ≥2 CV risks (p=0.003), while the frequency of ≥3 CV risks was 18.8% in the MS group and 8.6% in the HCs group (p=0.002). In patients with MS, hypertension and heart disease were associated with decreased grey matter (GM) and cortical volumes (p Conclusions Patients with MS with one or more CV risks showed increased lesion burden and more advanced brain atrophy.
A Three‐Factor Experimental Analysis of Promises and Threats

A questionnaire study was conducted to examine the extent to which variations in the language of promises and threats differentially affect compliance as well as perceptions of the transmitters of these influence attempts. Subjects were asked to imagine that they had been assigned a partner for collaborative work on a project, for which the topic had not yet been decided. In an attempt to persuade them of the value of his topic, the partner (experimenter) sent subjects one of eight promises and threats, which varied along three dimensions: orientation to the consequences of compliance (reward or nonpunishment) vs. noncompliance (punishment or nonreward); transmitter versus recipient orientation of the statement's premise; and transmitter versus recipient orientation of the statement's conclusion. The results indicate that recipient-oriented premise statements and statements of contingent reward or nonpunishment are seen as both more attractive and more likely to gain compliance than those that have a transmitter-oriented premise or that express contingent punishment or nonreward. In addition, compliance was found to be strongly related to a transmitter's attractiveness, but to neither his perceived power nor his activity. The implications of these findings for future research and the resolution of a variety of conflicts were discussed.
Limitations of Vancomycin in the Management of Resistant Staphylococcal Infections

Vancomycin is effective against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and has been widely used in the past few years. However, several recent reports have highlighted the limitations of vancomycin, and its role in the management of serious infections is now being reconsidered. Vancomycin treatment failure rates are associated with an increase in the minimum inhibitory concentration as well as a decrease in the rate of bacterial killing. The intrinsic limitations of vancomycin also include poor tissue penetration, particularly in the lung; relatively slow bacterial killing; and the potential for toxicity. In addition, intermediate-level vancomycin resistance has emerged among staphylococci, as have rare cases of fully resistant strains. Because of these problems, when using vancomycin, it is probably prudent to carefully establish the diagnosis, test for antimicrobial susceptibility, and monitor serum trough concentrations to ensure adequate dosing.
Smart roof bolts for underground mines/storage facilities

Quantitative data on the stress-strain behavior of walls and roofs of underground mines are unavailable. It is established practice to use roof bolts to support roofs in mines. Smart materials have been developed for roof bolts that act as sensors in systems capable of monitoring the stress/strain history of mine roofs with the goal of detecting structural defects and damage. The systems can be designed for a passive mode to monitor peak strain or an active mode for real-time alarm response. The systems are low-cost and capable of long-term operation which, in the case of waste isolation facilities, can involve very long time periods. The smart materials to be used in this application are TRIP (Transformation Induced Plasticity) steels. TRIP steels are materials that change state from austenitic, nonmagnetic to a martensitic, ferromagnetic phase as the material undergoes straining. There is a direct correspondence of the peak strain level experienced in the material with the percentage of ferromagnetism, hence monitoring the relative amount of the ferromagnetic content will indicate the level of strain (and therefore, stress). The phase transition that accompanies the straining is irreversible so the monitor material indicates the peak strain until that value is subsequently exceeded. Materials research discussed will cover the selection of compositions with a suitable ferromagnetic response and the development of thermomechanical treatments to achieve high tensile strength required for this application.
THE EFFECTS OF INTRAUTERINE HYPOXIA IN EARLY THIRD TRIMESTER ON MONKEY FETUSES

Pregnant rhesus monkeys were subjected to hypoxia on the 120-125 day of pregnancy (term = 165 days). The animals were sedated with 35 mg/kg. pentobarbital, intubated and placed on controlled ventilation. A catheter was inserted into the descending aorta via the femoral artery for continous blood pressure, heart rate, pH, and blood gas monitoring. Hypoxia was induced by ventilating mother with 10-12% O2 mixture to obtain a PaO2 of 20-35 mm. After the hypoxlc insult, the mothers were allowed to carry to term. Delivery was by C-section with the infants resuscitated under radiant heat and cared for in an incubator. The live born infants who survived the newborn period were raised in captivity with periodic observations. Animals were sacrificed at various stages and the perfused brains examined grossly and microscopically. The results showed that the intrauterine asphyxia produced either fetal demise or no evidence of CNS damage on the basis of clinical observations and pathological examination. The fetal demise was associated with those mothers whose average mean arterial pressure was below 80 mm during the period of hypoxia and tended to occur in those mothers whose period of hypoxia was longer. These findings are distinctly different from those seen in term infants subjected to partial prolonged hypoxia.
Interaction of the nucleotide binding domains and regulation of the ATPase activity of the human retina specific ABC transporter, ABCR

We report here a novel regulation of the ATPase activity of the human retina specific ATP binding cassette transporter (ABC), ABCR, by nucleotide binding domain interactions. We also present evidence that recombinant nucleotide binding domains of ABCR interact in vitro in the complete absence of transmembrane domains (TMDs). Although similar domain-domain interactions have been described in other ABC transporters, the roles of such interactions on the enzymatic mechanisms of these transporters have not been demonstrated experimentally. A quantitative analysis of the in vitro interactions as a function of the nucleotide-bound state demonstrated that the interaction takes place in the absence of nucleotide as well as in the presence of ATP and that it only attenuates in the ADP-bound state. Analysis of the ATPase activities of these proteins in free and complex states indicated that the NBD1-NBD2 interaction significantly influences the ATPase activity. Further investigation, using site-specific mutants, showed that mutations in NBD2 but not NBD1 led to the alteration of the ATPase activity of the NBD1.NBD2 complex and residue Arg 2038 is critical to this regulation. These data indicate that changes in the oligomeric state of the nucleotide binding domains of ABCR are coupled to ATP hydrolysis and might represent a possible signal for the TMDs of ABCR to export the bound substrate. Furthermore, the data support a mechanistic model in which, upon binding of NBD2, NBD1 binds ATP but does not hydrolyze it or does so with a significantly reduced rate.
Thermogravimetric assessment of the suitability of cyclohexa-2,5-dienecarboxylates as stabilizers for vinylidene chloride polymers

Vinylidene chloride (VDC) copolymers display excellent barrier to the transport of oxygen and other small molecules as well as flavor and aroma constituents of food items. For this reason they occupy a place of prominence in the barrier plastic packaging industry. However, they tend to undergo degradative dehydrochlorination during processing. To prevent the development of objectionable color the degradation reaction must be controlled. The dehydrochlorination reaction is a typical radical chain process with an allylic carbon, chlorine atom radical pair as the chain propagating species. The presence of additives that might interrupt this process by scavenging radical moieties, particularly chlorine atoms, should have a stabilizing influence on the polymer. 1,4-Cyclohexadienes are known to be good hydrogen atom transfer agents. Incorporation of this structure into a compound that is nonvolatile, compatible with the polymer, and approved for food contact might generate an effective stabilizer. Accordingly, 2,5-cyclohexadienecarboxylates have been synthesized and used to prepare blends (1, 5 and 10 wt.%) with a standard VDC/methyl acrylate (9 wt.%) copolymer. The stability of the various blends has been determined by thermogravimetry.
An Assessment of Potential Foodservice Organizational Development Within the Privatization Process of Eastern Europe

This article is a review of current economic and development issues facing the Eastern European region (EE). The review is designed to highlight major points of interest for potential foodservice operators looking to invest in the economic developing region. Since 1989, the former Soviet Bloc has been opening its economic borders for foreign investment and growth. Foodservice organizations such as Mc-Donald's and Pizza Hut have been aggressively expanding in the region to meet the labor force and infrastructure changes occurring in the region. This review of compiled data is designed future foodservice operators the current and future climate in the EE and provides such vital data for making investment decisions such as overall meat, chicken, fish, and pork consumption in each EE country, economic growth and development throughout the EE, and current trade relations amongst EE countries and the United States. Readers will be able to use this data to develop an understanding on how to invest and develop foodservice organizations in the EE.
Resonance scattering formalism for the hydrogen lines in the presence of magnetic and electric fields

We derive a formalism for the computation of resonance-scattering polarization of hydrogen lines in the presence of simultaneous magnetic and electric fields, within a framework of the quantum theory of polarized line formation in the limit of complete frequency redistribution and of collisionless regime. Quantum interferences between fine-structure levels are included in this formalism. In the presence of a magnetic field, these interferences affect, together with the magnetic Hanle effect, the polarization of the atomic levels. In the presence of an electric field, interferences between distinct orbital configurations are also induced, further affecting the polarization of the hydrogen levels. In turn, the electric field is expected to affect the polarization of the atomic levels (electric Hanle effect), in a way analogous to the magnetic Hanle effect. We find that the simultaneous action of electric and magnetic fields give rise to complicated patterns of polarization and depolarization regimes, for varying geometries and field strengths.
Analytical investigation of cilia induced mucous flow.

This is an analytic study of mucous flow caused by ciliary motion. The computed flow data may be compared with that already found exprimentally. The effects of mucous density, viscosity and layer depth on flow phenomena are investigated. The effects of cilia diameter, length, spacing and oscillation frequency are determined from the equations governing the flow of the mucous blanket. A pertinent finding of the analysis is that the mucous flow in the airway tubes can satisfy physical constraints only through the assumption of a variable viscosity in the covering mucous blanket. The mucous viscosity must increase considerably from the low value at the cillium layer to a much higher value at the air-mucus interface.
Chemical Dynamics Simulations of High Energy Xenon Atom Collisions with the {0001} Surface of Hexagonal Ice

Simulation results are presented for Xe atoms colliding with the {0001} surface of hexagonal ice (Ih) with incident energies EI of 3.88, 4.56, 5.71, and 6.50 eV and incident angles θI of 0, 25, 45,...
Attribute propagation by message passing

The goal of our work is to use the paradigms of syntax-directed editing to perform very sophisticated semantic checking, for example, to check flow-sensitive properties such as whether a variable is necessarily defined before it is used. Semantic checking of this power is much more important than syntax checking because it relieves the programmer of the need to keep track of numerous details as the program grows in complexity. There has been a great deal of recent work on syntax-directed editing. This work primarily serves the needs of novice programmers: making the task of entering and editing programs easier and less error prone. Most syntax-directed editors guarantee that the program fragment under construction is syntactically correct at all times. Many of them also detect simple semantic errors such as undeclared variables or type errors. Few, however, attempt to perform more semantic analysis than a typical (non-optimizing) compiler.
Activity-Dependent Bidirectional Modification of Inhibitory Synaptic Transmission in Rat Subthalamic Neurons

Rebound burst activity can be generated in neurons in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) by strong GABAergic inhibitory inputs from the globus pallidus externa (GPe) that is reciprocally connected with the STN. It has been proposed that the rebound burst activity in STN neurons is a key event for generating synchronized rhythmic burst activity in the GPe–STN loop, which may be relevant to the resting tremor in Parkinson’s disease. Here we report that rebound burst firing of STN neurons induces long-lasting bidirectional modifications of GABAergic synaptic transmission in STN neurons themselves. Using the gramicidin perforated-patch clamp technique in the brain slice preparation, we recorded IPSPs from STN neurons during electrical stimulation of the internal capsule. Rebound spikes triggered by hyperpolarizing current pulses were used to induce modification of inhibitory synaptic transmission. We found that long-lasting potentiation of IPSPs could be induced in the neurons exhibiting three or more rebound spikes that had interspike intervals shorter than half of those during base spontaneous activity, whereas long-lasting depression or no change of IPSP amplitude was likely to be observed in neurons that had no rebound burst or two rebound spikes within a burst. The potentiation or depression of IPSPs was associated with a negative or positive shift of reversal potential of IPSPs ( E IPSP ). The modifications of IPSPs were dependent on activation of postsynaptic voltage-gated calcium channels. This study is the first demonstration that activity-dependent bidirectional modifications of inhibitory synaptic transmission are attributable to bidirectional shifts of E IPSP .
Effect of dietary lysine on hepatic lysine catabolism in broilers.

ABSTRACT Lysine is frequently a first- or second-limiting amino acid in poultry diets. Improving the efficiency of lysine use for protein synthesis would effectively lower the lysine requirement and decrease feed costs. Understanding how lysine is degraded and how the degradation is regulated would identify potential molecular targets for interventions to decrease lysine degradation. To better understand lysine degradation in poultry, 3 experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, one-day-old chicks were fed 1.07, 1.25, 1.73, or 3.28% dietary lysine for 2 wk. In experiments 2 and 3, fourteen-day-old chicks were fed 1.07 or 1.25% dietary lysine for 2 wk. Measures of liver lysine catabolism including lysine α-ketoglutarate reductase (LKR) and lysine oxidation (LOX) were assessed. The α-aminoadipate δ-semialdehyde synthase (AASS) is a bifunctional enzyme composed of both LKR and saccharopine dehydrogenase activities, and the relative abundance of this protein and mRNA were likewise assessed. Moreover, potential alternative pathways of lysine catabolism that depend on l -amino acid oxidase (AAOX) and on lysyl oxidase (LYLOX) were considered. In experiment 1, chicks fed lysine-deficient diets had decreased (P 0.05) LOX as measured in vitro. In experiments 2 and 3, chicks 28 d of age did not decrease LKR activity (P > 0.05) in response to a lysine-deficient diet. No changes in AASS protein abundance or mRNA were detected. Likewise, no differences in the mRNA abundances of AAOX or LYLOX were detected. The activity of AAOX did increase (P
Multiplexing/De-multiplexing dirac video with AAC audio bit stream

In this paper, an efficient multiplexing/demultiplexing scheme while achieving lip synchronization after decoding and playback of video and audio is presented. This has been achieved using MPEG-2 transport streams. Dirac video and AAC audio codecs have been used for compression.