cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Morphine regulation of a novel uridine diphosphate glucuronosyl-transferase in guinea pig pups following in utero exposure.

Abstract The uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) catalyze conjugation reactions between various substrates and glucuronic acid, UDPGA (uridine diphosphate glucuronic acid), within the endoplasmic reticulum. Conjugation with UDPGA (glucuronidation) is an important pathway in the elimination, detoxification, and activation of compounds including steroid hormones, xenobiotics, and quaternary ammonium substrates. The guinea pig, which has a placental structure and a glucuronidation profile for morphine that are similar to the human, serves as a good small animal model to study the ontogeny of UGTs and the effect of in utero exposure to morphine on UGTs. We examined type 2 UGTs expressed in the guinea pig using amplification and cloning of partial cDNAs from liver RNA. Sequence analysis revealed a novel UGT2 (subsequently named UGT2A3), 2 that has a 64% amino acid sequence similarity to a known UGT2. 3 Full-length cDNAs were isolated from a guinea pig liver cDNA library. Tissue distribution of UGT2A3 using Northern blot analysis showed expression of three distinct size UGT2A3 mRNAs with unique expression in liver and small intestine. UGT2A3 mRNA is expressed at high levels in liver and lower levels in kidney and small intestine. In utero exposure to chronic intermittent morphine resulted in the up regulation of mRNA in 7-day-old female pups' liver and kidney as determined by quantitative RT-PCR analysis. The conjugation profile for UGT2A3 using stable expression in CHO cells and thin-layer chromatography demonstrated active conjugation of phenolic substrates. Regulation of UGTs by in utero morphine exposure may play an important role in fetal development.
Polyaniline Membranes for Pervaporation of Carboxylic Acids and Water

Free-standing polyaniline films are studied as pervaporation membranes for separating carboxylic acid/water mixtures. Changing polyaniline membranes from an undoped to a fully doped state has a dramatic effect on their selectivity. For example, with a 52 wt % acetic acid/48 wt % water feed, the undoped, base form of polyaniline leads to only a relatively modest separation of water (68 wt % water in permeate; αH2O = 2.4), while the doped, acid form of polyaniline shows a remarkably enhanced separation ability (>99 wt % water in permeate; αH2O > 1300). The improved selectivity of doped polyaniline is due in part to the hydrophilicity induced in the polymer by the acid dopants. Fully doped polyaniline appears to restrict the permeation of carboxylic acids mainly based on their effective sizes. Whereas formic acid (solvated diameter = 3.5 A) can permeate through a doped polyaniline membrane, the larger acetic acid (4.5 A) has an exceedingly low rate of permeation, and the even larger propionic acid (5.5 A) is...
Diruthenium acetylide compounds with masked diazonium capping groups

Abstract Reported in this contribution are the synthesis and characterization of the following diruthenium arylacetylide compounds containing dialkyl–triazene capping groups: Ru2(ap)4-(C C-4-C6H4–N3Et2) (2), Ru2(ap)4-(C C-3-C6H4–N3Et2) (3), and trans-[Ru2(DMBA)4](-C C-4-C6H4–N3Et2)2 (4), where ap is 2-anilinopyridinate and DMBA is N,N-dimethylbenzamidinate. Compounds 2/3 were prepared by the addition of diethylamine to the diazonium intermediate, Ru2(ap)4-(C C-3/4-C6H4–N2+), under basic conditions, and compound 4 was synthesized from Ru2(DMBA)4(NO3)2 and HC C-4-C6H4–N3Et2 under weakly basic conditions. An X-ray study of 4 provided a unique structural example of inorganic compounds bearing dialkyl–triazene functional groups, and revealed a minimal alteration in the first coordination sphere of Ru2 core upon the attachment of dialkyl–triazene caps. Similar to previously reported diruthenium compounds, 2, 3 and 4 display rich redox chemistry with a reversible diruthenium oxidation and reduction, as well as an oxidation of the triazene group to a radical.
Experimental studies of granitoid rocks near the San Andreas fault zone in the Coast and Transverse Ranges and Mojave Desert, California

Abstract In western California, Mesozoic calc-alkaline plutons, consisting of approximately 39% quartz monzonite, 36% granodiorite, 23% quartz diorite and 1% gabbro-diorite, occur in terrains displaced by the San Andreas fault zone from Bodega Head south to the intersection of the Big Pine and Garlock faults. Because these granitoids can potentially be utilized as possible markers of fault movement, the results of recent geochemical, petrochemical, and geochronological studies are considered. These investigations include the water-saturated phase equilibrium relationships of granitoids from the Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Mojave Desert, and Central Sierra Nevada Batholith, California, determined to 10 kbar water pressure. The data are compatible with approximately 500 km offset along the San Andreas fault zone since Cretaceous time.
Health Care Practices and Dietary Habits Among Tai Dam Refugee Women in Iowa

Following the changes of governments in South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia a decade ago, the state of Iowa, like much of the rest of the United States, became home to a number of Asian refugees. In September, 1975, the Governor's task force for Indochinese resettlement was created; over the next couple of years, thousands of displaced citizens from Southeast Asia settled in this midwestern state. Unlike the west coast of the United States, Iowa has never had a very large Asian population. As anthropologists, we were interested in studying the process of culture change and adjustment facing these new residents. During the summer of 1982, we visited the Iowa Refugee Service Center to explain who we were and what we were interested in doing.
Race, Ethnicity, and Class in American Suburbs:

The postwar trend in migration from central cities to the suburbs continues. In recent decades, this wave of migration has included increasing numbers of Asians, Hispanics, and blacks. The authors focus on the spatial overlap of race, ethnicity, and class in a large sample of suburban communities. Specifically, they examine differences in the characteristics of suburbs to which blacks, Hispanics, and Asians have gained residential access. By introducing controls for levels of community affluence, they address the controversial argument that levels of racially defined inequality diminish as the social class of members of minority groups increases.
2′,5′A synthetase: Allosteric activation by fructose 1,6-bisphosphate

Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (fru-1,6-P2), but not other glycolytic intermediates, activates highly purified 2′,5′A synthetases from rabbit reticulocyte lysates and from 2′,5′-ADP-agarose purified extracts of interferon-treated HeLa cells without the addition of dsRNA. The 2′,5′A was structurally and biologically identical to authentic 2′,5′A. Micrococcal nuclease inhibited the activation of 2′,5′A synthetase by poly(I)-poly(C), but did not affect activation by fru-1,6-P2. Addition of fru-1,6-P2 aldolase prevented the activation of 2′,5′A synthetase by fru-1,6-P2.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY(RH), TEMPERATURE(T), AND DISTURBANCE RESPONSE UNDER A RADIANT WARMER(RW) ARE AFFECTED BY SUPPLEMENTAL AIR TEMPERATURE AND FLOW.† 1449

Many nurseries provide supplemental humidity(SH) to premature infants under RWs to limit water and heat loss. Optimal airflow and T settings, and resultant RH and T are not known. The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of different Ts and airflows from a SH source on resultant RH and T of an enclosed RW environment. A RW was servo controlled to simulate normal clinical heat output and PVC film was stretched over the side walls. A Pediatric Conchatherm heater humidifier supplied airflow at 5 and 10 LPM and T at 34° and 38°C. Resultant T and RH were measured when stable with PVC, for 5 minutes without PVC, and for 10 minutes following PVC replacement. Ambient RH was 55% and T 24.5°C. RH was 34.9% and T was 32.7°C with PVC and no heater humidifier. The graph shows stable pre-disturbance values(zero time) and disturbance response. The combination of 38°C and 10 LPM gave the highest pre-disturbance RH(74.5%) and T(33.8°C), double the RH and 1.1°C higher T compared with unsupplemented air, and the quickest return toward baseline after PVC replacement. SH can substantially reduce evaporative water and heat loss of extremely immature infants under RWs by increasing RH, but appropriate settings are needed to fully utilize this equipment. Figure
Macrophages stimulated by receptor-ligand interactions exhibit differences in cell-cycle kinetics during tumor growth: stimulation at Mac-1 and Mac-3 receptors alters DNA synthesis.

Abstract Phenotypic and functional changes associated with tumor-bearing host (TBH) macrophages (Mφ) are partly responsible for immunosuppression during tumor growth. Flow cytofluorometric analyses revealed differences in cell-cycle kinetics between normal host (NH) and TBH Mφ that were stimulated at specific receptors. Receptor-ligand interactions were induced by antibodies against Mac-1, -2, -3, and Ia receptors and changes in DNA synthesis were measured over a 12-h time course by incorporation of propidium iodide. TBH Mφ showed higher DNA synthesis than NH Mφ over this time course irrespective of the receptor induced. NH Mφ stimulated at the Mac-1 receptor demonstrated higher DNA synthesis than control NH Mφ although TBH Mφ stimulated at this receptor and control TBH Mφ failed to show any differences. Both NH and TBH Mφ exhibited small, short-term decreases in DNA synthesis when stimulated at the Mac-2 receptor. TBH Mφ that were stimulated at the Mac-3 receptor demonstrated higher DNA synthesis than their control counterparts while NH Mφ stimulated at this receptor and control NH Mφ showed identical levels of DNA synthesis. No differences in DNA synthesis were found among normal or TBH Mφ that were stimulated through Ia. Differences in DNA synthesis did not appear to be attributable to differences in receptor expression. Further analysis of Mac-1 and Mac-3 stimulated cells revealed that DNA synthesis in NH Mφ stimulated at the Mac-1 receptor returned to control levels at 48 h. However, levels of DNA synthesis for TBH Mφ stimulated through the Mac-3 receptor were higher than control levels until 72 h. In addition, these differences could be reproduced upon restimulation with antibodies after 96 h. Because Mφ intra- and extracellular activities can be associated with specific kinetics of the cell cycle, the data suggest that receptor-ligand interactions modulate Mφ cell-cycle kinetics differently in the TBH.
Search for gain at 191 A

A small-scale X-ray laser system for operations near 191 A at a repetition rate of 6 ppm is being developed on the basis of the Ni-like collision excitation scheme of Maxon et al. (1986). Based on the idea of Hagelstein (1988), an attempt is made to use low-Z material (instead of high-Z materials commonly used in collisional excitation schemes), which is to be pumped with a series of short pulses rather than with one long pulse. It is predicted that favorable density and temperature conditions will be present after a few initial pulses to generate gain on the order of 5-10/cm.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Strong Suppression of Systemic Acquired Resistance in Arabidopsis by NRR is Dependent on its Ability to Interact with NPR1and its Putative Repression Domain

Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) in plants confers lasting broad-spectrum resistance to pathogens and requires the phytohormone salicylic acid (SA). Arabidopsis NPR1/NIM1 is a key regulator of the SAR response. Studies attempting to reveal the function of NPR1 and how it mediates SA signaling have led to isolation of two classes of proteins that interact with NPR1: the first class includes rice NRR, Arabidopsis NIMIN1, NIMIN2, and NIMIN3, and tobacco NIMIN2-like proteins; the second class belongs to TGA transcription factors. We have previously shown that overexpression of NRR in rice suppresses both basal and Xa21-mediated resistance. In order to test whether NRR affects SA-induced, NPR1-mediated SAR, we have transformed Arabidopsis with the rice NRR gene and tested its effects on the defense response. Expression of NRR in Arabidopsis results in suppression of PR gene induction by SAR inducer and resistance to pathogens. These phenotypes are even more severe than those of the npr1-1 mutant. The ability of NRR to suppress PR gene induction and disease resistance is correlated with its ability to bind to NPR1 because two point mutations in NRR, which reduce NPR1 binding, fail to suppress NPR1. In contrast, wild-type and a mutant NRR, which still binds to NPR1 strongly, retain the ability to suppress the SAR response. Replacing the C-terminal 79 amino acids of NRR with the VP16 activation domain turns the fusion protein into a transcriptional co-activator. These results indicate that NRR binds to NPR1 in vivo in a protein complex to inhibit transcriptional activation of PR genes and that NRR contains a transcription repression domain for active repression.
Predicting length of stay for Medicare patients at a teaching hospital

This research examines how the patients' characteristics and clinical indicators affect length of stay for the top five Diagnosis-Related-Groups (DRGs) for Medicare patients at a teaching hospital in the United States. The top DRGs were selected on the basis of volume per year. Teaching hospitals in the United States devote a significant amount of their resources to research and teaching, while providing treatment for patients. The ability to predict length of stay can substantially improve a teaching hospital's capacity utilization, while ensuring that resources are available to meet the health care needs of the Medicare population. Multiple regression models are developed to predict the length of stay using the patients' characteristics and clinical indicators as independent variables. The results indicate that approximately 60 percent (R2) of the variance in the length of stay is explained by the patients' characteristics and clinical indicators for these DRGs. The Mortality and Severity indices are fo...
Synthesis of a new fluoroalkylated diamine, 5-61H,1 H-2-bis(trifluoromethyl)- heptafluoropentyl9-1,3-phenylenediamine, and polyimides prepared therefrom

Abstract The preparation of a new perfluoroalkylated diamine, 5-[1H,1H-2-bis(trifluoromethyl)heptafluoropentyl]-1,3-phenylenediamine, is described. Poly(amic acid)s and polyimides were prepared from this new diamine and polyimides were evaluated as films for electronics applications. The polyimides evaluated were found to yield low dielectric constant and low moisture absorption, but were found to have exceptionally high thermal expansion coefficient. The materials are envisioned to have applications in electronics, where a low and humidity-stable dielectric constant is required.
Insurance coverage and health care use among near-elderly women

Objectives Data on near-elderly (ages 55–64) women’s access to and use of health care have been limited. In this study, we sought to examine the status of near-elderly women’s health insurance coverage in the United States and how it may influence their use of health care services. Methods A nationwide random sample of women aged 55–64 was drawn from the 2002 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. Descriptive statistics were calculated and multivariable regression analyses were performed to quantify the impact of insurance coverage on near-elderly women’s use of outpatient services, inpatient services, and prescription medication over a 2-year period. Results In 2002, 9.4% of near-elderly women in the United States were uninsured and 15.4% had public coverage. Those who had coverage for a particular service were significantly more likely to use that service compared to women without coverage, with odds ratios ranging from 2.0–6.7 for services such as a physician visit, hospital stay, dental visit, and use of prescription medication. Among those who had at least one physician visit, near-elderly women who had some of the cost covered by insurance reported significantly more visits than women without coverage. Likewise, for near-elderly women regularly taking prescription medications, having more extensive coverage significantly increased their likelihood of medication adherence. The frequency of hospitalization was also higher for women who had complete coverage for the cost. Conclusions The nature of a near-elderly woman’s insurance coverage significantly affects her use of health care services. More attention is needed to improve the health care of near-elderly women with inadequate insurance coverage.
Space-time clutter rejection using the APES method

A new method to reject ground clutter using the Amplitude and Phase EStimation (APES) method is proposed in this paper. The theoretical approach is followed by the application of this method on the rejection of such an interference in the frame of a bistatic passive radar using Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DVB - T) transmitters.
Hypothermia in the geriatric population

Hypothermia is common in the geriatric population and its significance perhaps under-recognized. Hypothermia is associated with substantial morbidity and fatality, but to some extent is preventable provided caregivers and providers of healthcare to older adults adopt preventive measures to lower its occurrence. Hypothermia occurs in both cold and warm settings; its pathogenesis involves alterations in the age-related physiology of thermoregulation, along with a variable combination of environmental factors, disease processes and medications, many of which are recognizable. Once diagnosed, treatment must be prompt and aggressive, and must consider several options for rewarming. Education of healthcare providers regarding early recognition of hypothermia and a better understanding of preventive and treatment measures will undoubtedly lower complications of hypothermia in affected elderly.
Morphosyntactic Learning and the Development of Tense

In this article, we propose that the Root Infinitive (RI) phenomenon in child language is best viewed and explained as the interaction between morphological learning and syntactic development. We m...
Preliminary Findings for the Effectiveness of Whole Green Coffee Powder (WGCP) versus Placebo in a Double-blind Withdrawal Design Study with Young Adults on Three Tasks of Executive Function:

OBJECTIVE: This study compared relative effects of whole green coffee powder (WGCP) on cognitive functioning in neurotypical adults under three treatment conditions: placebo (A), low-dose 889.9 mg WGCP (B1), and moderate-dose 1334.4 mg WGCP (B2). METHOD: Fourteen adults aged 18–25 years, acted as their own controls in three treatment conditions within a seven-session withdrawal design. Participants completed the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at each ses-sion. The Side Effects Behavior Monitoring Scale (SEBMS), used to assess stimulant effects in individuals with ADHD, was a secondary outcome measure to assess adverse events associated with caffeine intake delivered by capsule. Self-report of qualitative effects was collected. RESULTS: Results indicated that moderate doses of WGCP significantly improved sustained attention (vs placebo and low dose) and working memory (vs low dose only) but had no effect on response inhibition. Low doses of WGCP showed decreased sustained attention. Fifty percent of subjects reported positive subjective improvement in well-being. No side effects were reported. CONCLUSION: Commercially available WGCP (ie, sold as GoBean®) in moderate doses improved executive functioning for sustained attention and working memory but had no effect on response inhibition. Implications for individuals with attention difficulties are discussed.
On high frequency narrow-band elliptic filters

Narrowband elliptic filters suffer high inductance spread which makes them impractical above 100 MHz. A description is given of a sequence of transformation that leads to a nonladder realization. All critical inductors can be assigned a common optimum value, which is independent of the bandwidth. The filter response is insensitive to the Q of the remaining coils, which have lower inductance values. Some other practical design matters are discussed. >
Conflict-Initiating Factors in Intergenerational Relationships

This study examined American young adults’ written accounts of intergenerational communication with a focus on factors that initiate conflict. Analysis of the conflict scenarios in intergenerationa...
The effects of counterfeiting on consumer search

Counterfeit products and the brand pirates who make, distribute, and sell them continue to be a challenge for many marketers around the globe. Estimates of global sales for bogus products are in the hundreds of billions of dollars and recent evidence suggests that fakes are prevalent in both developed and developing countries. We investigate brand/product counterfeiting from a consumer search perspective. As the quality of counterfeits improves, it is becoming more difficult for the consumer to identify them. Interviews with 102 international informants yield a picture of the cues consumers use to detect counterfeits and the roles of face and taste in decisions to purchase or not to purchase fake goods. We conclude with a discussion of some managerial implications. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The promise and the challenge of modelling human disease in a dish

Human embryonic stem (hES) cells are already transforming our vision of regenerative medicine and cell replacement therapies because of their unique ability to maintain themselves indefinitely and to form all cell types in the body. hES cell lines with genomes that are predisposed to disease can be used to develop cellular models of human pathologies. The generation of disease‐specific and/or genotypically diverse human stem cell lines that can differentiate into many cell types will have great value for understanding the biology of the cell types affected in disease and analysing disease mechanisms, screening for drug candidates that can slow or prevent disease‐related degeneration as well as toxicological testing and understanding the variation between patients in their responses to therapeutics. In addition, to prepare for cell‐based therapies, new technologies for the generation of stem cell lines that are histocompatible with or specific to individual patients will provide a strategy to overcome the challenges of immune rejection. Several different methods have been developed to make hES cells; to date, these all require the use of human female egg cells as a starting point. Recently, several laboratories have reported that adult cells from human skin and other sources can be induced to revert back to earlier stages of development and exhibit stem cell‐like properties. The methods for ‘reprogramming’ have been developing rapidly but generally involve putting multiple genes into skin cells and then exposing them to specific chemical environments tailored to hES cell growth. While these cells appear to have a developmental potential that is similar to that of hES cells, they are not derived from human embryos. To distinguish these reprogrammed cells from the embryo‐sourced hES cells, they are termed induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. The iPS technology is the source of much optimism; »The iPS technology is the source of much …
The M-15: a truly different workstation

In conclusion, the design of the M-15 incorporates many radical features, yet the machine is feasible. The team looks forward to having many of its features be a part of our future.
Tailbud-derived mesenchyme promotes urinary tract segmentation via BMP4 signaling

Urinary tract morphogenesis requires the sub-division of the ureteric bud (UB) into the intra-renal collecting system and ureter, two tissues with unique structural and functional properties. In this report we investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate their differentiation. Fate mapping experiments in the developing chick indicate that the UB is surrounded by two distinct mesenchymal populations: nephrogenic mesenchyme derived from the intermediate mesoderm and tailbud-derived mesoderm, which is selectively associated with the domain of the UB that differentiates into the ureter. Functional experiments utilizing murine metanephric kidney explants show that BMP4, a paracrine factor secreted by tailbud-derived mesenchyme, is required for ureter morphogenesis. Conversely, ectopic BMP4 signaling is sufficient to induce ureter morphogenesis in domains of the UB normally fated to differentiate into the intra-renal collecting system. Collectively, these results indicate that the border between the kidney and ureter forms where mesenchymal tissues originating in two different areas of the early embryo meet. These data raise the possibility that the susceptibility of this junction to congenital defects in humans, such as ureteral-pelvic obstructions, may be related to the complex morphogenetic movements that are required to integrate cells from these different lineages into a single functional structure.
Systems biology-defined NF-κB regulons, interacting signal pathways and networks are implicated in the malignant phenotype of head and neck cancer cell lines differing in p53 status

Aberrant activation of the nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) pathway has been previously implicated as a crucial signal promoting tumorigenesis. However, how NF-κB acts as a key regulatory node to modulate global gene expression, and contributes to the malignant heterogeneity of head and neck cancer, is not well understood. To address this question, we used a newly developed computational strategy, COGRIM (Clustering Of Gene Regulons using Integrated Modeling), to identify NF-κB regulons (a set of genes under regulation of the same transcription factor) for 1,265 genes differentially expressed by head and neck cancer cell lines differing in p53 status. There were 748 NF-κB targets predicted and individually annotated for RELA, NFκB1 or cREL regulation, and a prevalence of RELA related genes was observed in over-expressed clusters in a tumor subset. Using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, the NF-κB targets were reverse-engineered into annotated signature networks and pathways, revealing relationships broadly altered in cancer lines (activated proinflammatory and down-regulated Wnt/β-catenin and transforming growth factor-β pathways), or specifically defective in cancer subsets (growth factors, cytokines, integrins, receptors and intermediate kinases). Representatives of predicted NF-κB target genes were experimentally validated through modulation by tumor necrosis factor-α or small interfering RNA for RELA or NF κ B1. NF-κB globally regulates diverse gene programs that are organized in signal networks and pathways differing in cancer subsets with distinct p53 status. The concerted alterations in gene expression patterns reflect cross-talk among NF-κB and other pathways, which may provide a basis for molecular classifications and targeted therapeutics for heterogeneous subsets of head and neck or other cancers.
Assessing local elected officials’ concerns about interlocal agreements:

At times, local politicians are described as barriers to interlocal cooperation; however, recent studies show elected officials are active in interlocal networks and harbour diverse motivations for their involvement in interlocal politics. This research introduces institutional role theory to the study of interlocal politics. Using a survey of elected officials in the San Francisco Bay Area, support for various roles in interlocal politics are assessed in relation to the scope of elected officials’ concerns about the use of interlocal agreements, as well as variables related to institutional context. Exploring elected officials’ concerns about interlocal agreements and the roles they undertake in interlocal politics sheds light on the democratic underpinning of metropolitan civil society and highlights new research opportunities at the intersection of public administration, political science and urban studies.
Virtual witnessing and space-age media: a case study of The Conquest of Space (1949)

During the early 1950s, Americans consumed a vibrant combination of popular science, space-related media, and rocket spectacles. In imaginative and prophetic realms, millions of Americans witnessed...
Do Sanctions Always Stigmatize? The Effects of Economic Sanctions on Foreign Aid

ABSTRACTA prevalent view among both scholars and policymakers is that economic sanctions stigmatize and isolate their targets. According to this perspective, the stigma associated with economic sanctions should signal to foreign aid donors that they should be more cautious and restrained in providing assistance to sanctioned states. We test this signaling-based theory via a large-n analysis of the impact that sanctions imposed by the United States and those supported by the United Nations (UN) had on the aid flows of 133 recipient states from 1960–2000. Contrary to expectations, our results indicate that being subject to sanctions supported by the UN does not have a negative effect on target states’ aid flows, and being sanctioned by the United States actually has a positive effect on them. We explore two potential explanations for our puzzling findings based upon donor self-interest and donor altruism via a scoping analysis of eight sanctions cases in which target states received greater than expected ai...
Runway behavior of the rat as a function of intersubject reward contingencies and constancy of dairy reward schedule

This study explored the methodological implications of a source of experimental contamination, the goal events and, presumably, consequent odors of preceding animals. Rats received reward (R) and nonreward (N) in double-alternation sequences, with the experimental treatments resulting from variation in the particular sequences administered to members of a squad. The results suggested that differential odors exuded by preceding Ss on R and N trials can serve as discriminative cues signalling R or N, but that the odor cue from the immediately preceding trial could be neutralized by prior odors of the other kind. Constancy of schedule enhanced the discrimination.
Soil and Litter Microfungi of a Maple-Elm-Ash Floodplain Community

The influence of population size, method of isolation and time of sampling on the prevalent species composition in sample populations of soil microfungi inhabiting the maple-elm-ash floodplain forest was investigated. Populations were also isolated from the litter to assess their contribution to the prevalent forms appearing in the underlying mineralized soil. The data revealed that the prevalent species composition in 200membered populations was very similar to that of 1,000-membered populations. Furthermore, the population pattern appeared to remain relatively stable over a 19-month period, during which time the community was subjected to annual inundation. The greatest number of prevalent forms was isolated from dilution plates, although several additional prevalent forms were isolated from soil plates and immersion tubes. It was concluded that microfungi inhabiting litter were unable to attain high frequencies in the populations found in the mineralized soil.
Making Their Own Way: Southern Blacks' Migration to Pittsburgh, 1916-30. By Peter Gottlieb. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1987. 250 pp. Hardbound, $26.95.

(1988). Making Their Own Way: Southern Blacks' Migration to Pittsburgh, 1916-30. By Peter Gottlieb. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1987. 250 pp. Hardbound, $26.95. The Oral History Review: Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 148-150.
Class Action Lawsuits and Consent Decrees in Special Education: Recommendations for Practice

This article presents an analysis of the cost and effectiveness of seven class action lawsuits in special education brought against school districts. Commonalities and differences in the cases are identified as are characteristics that contribute to successful resolution. Common pitfalls that create barriers to progress are identified. Recommendations for attorneys, school staff, and parents are provided to improve the outcomes of such cases and perhaps avoid them.
Study of Fatigue Behavior of 300 nm Damascene Interconnect Using High Amplitude AC Tests

The AC fatigue test technique, which uses cyclic joule heating to apply thermal cycles to thin-film structures, was applied to copper lines and vias in damascene dielectric structures on silicon substrates. Specimen chips with two different types of dielectric, oxide and low-k, were tested. The lines were 300 nm wide; various via widths were tested. At 100 Hz, cyclic temperature ranges from 400 to 900 °C produced line lifetimes between 10 and 1 million seconds. Similar lifetimes were reached in the vias for temperature ranges between 100 and 500 °C. The data were plotted as number of load reversals to failure against cyclic temperature range; the data trends for the two different types of dielectric were indistinguishable. When the line data were fit to the Basquin equation for mechanical fatigue, the temperature ranges for both dielectrics at the one1-reversal intercept were above 1000 °C. The via data were more scattered, but trended toward a lower intercept temperature.
Stress relaxation in pre-stressed aluminum core–shell particles: X-ray diffraction study, modeling, and improved reactivity

Abstract Stress relaxation in aluminum micron-scale particles covered by alumina shell after pre-stressing by thermal treatment and storage was measured using X-ray diffraction with synchrotron radiation. Pre-stressing was produced by annealing Al particles at 573 K followed by fast cooling. While averaged dilatational strain in Al core was negligible for untreated particles, it was measured at 4.40 × 10 −5 and 2.85 × 10 −5 after 2 and 48 days of storage. Consistently, such a treatment leads to increase in flame propagation speed for Al+CuO mixture by 37% and 25%, respectively. Analytical model for creep in alumna shell and stress relaxation in Al core-alumina shell structure is developed and activation energy and pre-exponential multiplier are estimated. The effect of storage temperature and annealing temperature on the kinetics of stress relaxation was evaluated theoretically. These results provide estimates for optimizing Al reactivity with the holding time at annealing temperature and allowable time for storage of Al particles for different environmental temperatures.
Peritraumatic Behavior Questionnaire - Observer Rated: Validation of the objective version of a measure for combat-related peritraumatic stress.

Peritraumatic Behavior Questionnaire - Observer Rated: Validation of the objective version of a measure for combat-related peritraumatic stress
Agnosticism and the Atheistic Argument from Suffering

3.1 A very familiar argument against the existence of a supremely perfect being can be put as follows. Such a being would be omnipotent and, hence, would have the power to prevent suffering; and he would also be perfectly morally good and so would want to do so. It follows that there is no being who combines omnipotence and perfect moral goodness and, hence, that God does not exist. If this argument (call it A) is sound, then, since its conclusion contradicts the conclusion of O, the latter must be unsound; and, of course, the converse is true: if O is sound, then A is unsound.
Professional Schools Displace Practice-Based Training

Before there were pharmacy schools, the dispensing of drugs was practiced. Before the existence of journalism schools, there were journalists. New entrants to a profession gained their training in a practice-based format much like the craft guilds, working with a member of the profession. This chapter discusses what motivated the transition from practice-based to university-based training, what was lost by that change, and what was gained that has bearing on the current relationship between the university and its professional schools. One element that was gained was uniformity in scope and depth of training. One element that was lost for many professional schools was the clinical component—the opportunity to do the actual work of the professional under the tutelage of a member of the profession.
Hybrid Perovskite Photovoltaic Devices: Properties, Architecture, and Fabrication Methods

As the need for green energy increases, particularly solar energy, perovskite-based devices have become a promising alternative to more complex, costly semiconductor-based photovoltaic devices. The major advantage of perovskite-based devices is their relatively facile fabrication as a thin film at fairly low temperatures and their tunable optoelectronic properties. The chemical composition of perovskite structures, solvent and heat treatments used in processing, additives, and deposition methods produce films with different morphologies. Their ability to be used with other organic and inorganic subcells makes them a useful component for an efficient, cost-effective approach to harvest solar energy. This review presents some of the latest approaches and considerations for the fabrication, architecture, and performance of perovskite-based solar cells. Various perovskite device architectures are discussed, as well as the effects of environmental conditions on performance and degradation.
A NEW LOOK AT THE EMPLOYMENT AND RECIDIVISM RELATIONSHIP THROUGH THE LENS OF A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK

Criminal background checks are increasingly being incorporated into hiring decisions by employers. Although originally uncompromising—almost anyone with a criminal record could be denied employment—court rulings and policy changes have forced criminal background checks to become more nuanced. One motivation for allowing more individuals with criminal records to work is to decrease recidivism and encourage desistance. In this article, we estimate the causal impact of receiving a clearance to work on subsequent arrests for individuals with criminal records who have been provisionally hired to work in certain nonlicensed health-care jobs in New York State (N = 6,648). We employ an instrumental variable approach based on a substantive understanding of the state-mandated criminal background check process. We examine age-graded effects within this group of motivated individuals and differential effects by sex in the rapidly growing health-care industry, which is typically dominated by women. Our estimated local average treatment effect indicates a 2.2-percentage-point decrease in the likelihood of a subsequent arrest in 1 year and a 4.2-percentage-point decrease over 3 years. We find meaningful variations by sex; men are 8.4 percentage points less likely to be arrested over the 3-year period when cleared compared with a 2.4-percentage-point (and nonsignificant) effect for women. Older women in particular are driving the nonsignificant results for women.
The spiritual engagement instrument

The purpose of this study was to determine if an instrument could be developed to measure spiritual engagement. The study resulted in the Spiritual Engagement Instrument (SpEI) concept comprised of four factors that included the following: worship that explained 57.8% of the variance and Cronbach’s alpha of .94, meditation that explained 12.7% of the variance and Cronbach’s alpha of .96, fasting that explained 9.58% of the variance and Cronbach’s Alpha of .98, and rest that explained 5.16% of the variance and Cronbach’s alpha of .99. The four factors together explain 85.24% of the variance. The four spiritual engagement scales within the Spiritual Engagement Instrument (SpEI) show significant correlation with other similar but different measures of spirituality, the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality scale and Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, confirming convergent validity. A supplemental validation study was performed using CFA (χ2 = 238.48 (df = 158), p < .001, CFI = .98, TLI = .97, RMSEA = .06). This SpEI offers researchers a tool that might be used as a pre-/post-test measure in conjunction with a spiritual development program or to measure effects of the four factors of spiritual engagement with other social constructs such as job satisfaction, normative commitment, or leadership behaviors. Ethical behavior may be influenced by individual worldview and underlying religious practices, so the SpEI offers a validated instrument to study the cycle of behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs of spiritual practices that may influence ethics.
Older red cell units are associated with an increased incidence of infection in chronically transfused adults with sickle cell disease

Abstract Background In adults with sickle cell disease (SCD), the effects of the red cell storage lesion are not well defined. The objectives of this study were to: (1) describe the distribution of storage ages provided to adults with SCD, and (2) evaluate clinical outcomes associated with storage age. Patients and methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of adults with SCD managed with prophylactic simple transfusion regimens. Units were universally pre-storage leukocyte reduced and CEK-matched. Age of the unit was 42 days minus the difference between the expiration and transfusion dates. A mixed effects model, which accounts for a subject's contribution to repeated transfusion encounters, was used to investigate the association between storage age and the incidence of hospital encounters for infection and pain crises prior to the next red cell transfusion. Results Over the study interval, twenty-eight steady-state adults with SCD received 627 units via simple transfusion over 281 outpatient encounters. Overall median unit storage age was 22 days (range: 2–42 days). Receipt of older units was associated with an increased incidence of emergency department or hospital admission for infection prior to the next transfusion ( p =0.04). There was no association between unit storage age and admission for pain ( p =0.4). Discussion In a cohort of chronically transfused adults with SCD, we provide evidence that receipt of older units is associated with a higher rate of admission for infection. Prospective studies will need to validate these data and explore potential mechanisms by which these older units promote infection.
Surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry of small drug molecules and high molecular weight synthetic/biological polymers using electrospun composite nanofibers

Polyacrylonitrile/Nafion®/carbon nanotube (PAN/Nafion®/CNT) composite nanofibers were prepared using electrospinning. These electrospun nanofibers were studied as possible substrates for surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization (SALDI) and matrix-enhanced surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ME-SALDI/TOF-MS) for the first time in this paper. Electrospinning provides this novel substrate with a uniform morphology and a narrow size distribution, where CNTs were evenly and firmly immobilized on polymeric nanofibers. The results show that PAN/Nafion®/CNT nanofibrous mats are good substrates for the analysis of both small drug molecules and high molecular weight polymers with high sensitivity. Markedly improved reproducibility was observed relative to MALDI. Due to the composite formation between the polymers and the CNTs, no contamination of the carbon nanotubes to the mass spectrometer was observed. Furthermore, electrospun nanofibers used as SALDI substrates greatly extended the duration of ion signals of target analytes compared to the MALDI matrix. The proposed SALDI approach was successfully used to quantify small drug molecules with no interference in the low mass range. The results show that verapamil could be detected with a surface concentration of 220 femtomoles, indicating the high detection sensitivity of this method. Analysis of peptides and proteins with the electrospun composite substrate using matrix assisted-SALDI was improved and a low limit of detection of approximately 6 femtomoles was obtained for IgG. Both SALDI and ME-SALDI analyses displayed high reproducibility with %RSD ≤ 9% for small drug molecules and %RSD ≤ 14% for synthetic polymers and proteins.
Sphingosine kinase and sphingosine-1-phosphate in liver pathobiology

AbstractOver 20 years ago, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) was discovered to be a bioactive signaling molecule. Subsequent studies later identified two related kinases, sphingosine kinase 1 and 2, which are responsible for the phosphorylation of sphingosine to S1P. Many stimuli increase sphingosine kinase activity and S1P production and secretion. Outside the cell, S1P can bind to and activate five S1P-specific G protein-coupled receptors (S1PR1–5) to regulate many important cellular and physiological processes in an autocrine or paracrine manner. S1P is found in high concentrations in the blood where it functions to control vascular integrity and trafficking of lymphocytes. Obesity increases blood S1P levels in humans and mice. With the world wide increase in obesity linked to consumption of high-fat, high-sugar diets, S1P is emerging as an accomplice in liver pathobiology, including acute liver failure, metabolic syndrome, control of blood lipid and glucose homeostasis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a...
Association of clinical phenotype and treatment history with survival in adult brainstem glioblastoma.

e13539Background: Brainstem gliomas are rare, comprising 1-2% of malignant primary brain tumors. Brainstem glioblastoma (bGBM) often poses a therapeutic challenge due to scarcity of evidence guidin...
Asynchronous best-response dynamics for resource allocation games in cloud computing

Cloud computing refers to a computing paradigm in which a service provider (i.e. server) provides computing resources to service receivers (i.e. clients) who have heterogeneous requirements for completing their computational jobs. In this paper we consider a decentralized auction-based mechanism for studying this resource allocation problem. This model allows for a general class of queueing processes (representing the computational job arrivals) along with a general class of incentive-compatible bidding mechanisms. This gives us insights into the interplay between the economic and queueing considerations of clients in real-world cloud computing systems. Specifically, we show existence and uniqueness of a Nash equilibrium for the induced game and also show that asynchronous best-response dynamics are sufficient for achieving this equilibrium. The distributed and decentralized dynamics require little communication, thus providing a scheme that can be used to guide implementations in practice.