cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
As Voters Head to the Polls, Will They Perceive a “Culture of Corruption?”

by James A. McCann, Purdue University David P. Redlawsk, University of Iowa Depublican Congressman Duke Cunningham resigns after pleading guilty to bribery. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is indicted and forced to relinquish his leadership position, and later resigns from Congress. House Demo crat William Jefferson is stripped of his posi tion on the Ways and Means Committee after an FBI raid of his congressional office and amid reports that he hid $90,000 in alleged bribes in a freezer at his home. Stories of wrongdoing in government surface almost daily as members of Congress come under a microscope for close ties to lobbyists. As the 2006 congressional elections approach, Demo crats have made corruption a central theme in their campaigns, arguing that a series of scan dals adds up to a full-blown culture of corrup tion. In response, Republicans have rejected this characterization and attempted to point the finger back at Democrats, suggesting that peo ple who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. For the Democrats' charge of a "culture of corruption" to stick, two conditions must hold. First, voters must accept that corruption is commonplace-even a way of life-for those in and around the fed eral government. Sec ond, citizens have to place the blame for this squarely, or at least largely, on the Republican Party. We consider these two themes below. Do citizens perceive corruption in the many trans actions and decisions that take place every day in politics? And if so, can Democrats use these judgments to their advantage?
The effect of hydration on the crystal fields and magnetic properties of vermiculite intercalation compounds

Abstract The magnetic properties of vermiculite (V) intercalated with 3 d transition metal ions Mn 2+ , Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , and Cu 2+ as interlayer cations have been studied by measuring the temperature dependence of the DC magnetic susceptibilities of these compounds from room temperature to 2K. All samples were studied in the hydrated, dehydrated and rehydrated condition. The Lande g factors of the magnetic ions in V with and without water molecules coexisting in the gallery have been analyzed by using crystal-field theory. A substantial decrease in the crystal-field strength was observed when water was removed from the gallery.
On a complexity hierarchy between L and NL

Abstract This paper attempts to explain the complexity of the unary 0–1 knapsack problem which lies between L and NL. We introduce a new complexity class of languages log-space reducible to languages accepted by the family of one-way one-turn Nondeterministic auxiliary counter machines whose auxiliary worktapes are O( log n ) bounded. This complexity class is denoted by LOG(1-1-NAuxCM( log n )). We show that the modified unary knapsnack problem with bandwidth 2O( log n ) is log-space complete for LOG(1-1-NAuxCM( log n )). By varying the space bound on the auxiliary worktape, we obtain a hierarchy of complexity classes between L and NL.
Inspiratory pressure/maximal inspiratory pressure: does it predict successful extubation in critically ill infants and children?

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of the initial negative inspiratory pressure (PI) to maximal negative inspiratory pressure (PImax) ratio in predicting extubation outcome for intubated infants and children.
Capillary zone electrophoresis with laser fluorescence detection of marine toxins

Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) was applied to the characterization of highly polar marine toxins that can be difficult to address using traditional chromatographic methods. Separation efficiencies of nearly 400,000 the oretical plates were obtained in just over 10 min. Laser fluorescence detection provided attomole detection limits of parts per trillion solutions.
Atmospheric characteristics conducive to high-ozone days in the Atlanta metropolitan area

The purpose of this paper is to identify the atmospheric conditions associated with elevated ground-level ozone concentrations during June–August of 2000–2007 at 11 ozone-monitoring stations in the Atlanta, GA, USA metropolitan statistical area (MSA). Analyses were confined to high-ozone days (HODs), which had a daily maximum 8-h average ozone concentration in the 95th percentile of all June–August values. Therefore, each station had 36 HODs. The southeastern and far northern portions of the MSA had HODs with the highest and lowest ozone concentrations, respectively. HODs at nearly all Atlanta MSA ozonemonitoring stations were enabled by migratory anticyclones. HODs for most stations were hot, dry, and calm with low morning mixing heights and high afternoon mixing heights. All sets of HODs had daily mean relative humidities and afternoon mixing heights that, respectively, were significantly less than and significantly greater than mean values for the remaining days. Urbanized Atlanta typically was upwind of an ozone-monitoring station on its HODs; therefore, wind direction on HODs varied considerably among the stations. HODs may have been caused partially by NO x emissions from electricutility power plants: HODs in the southern portion of the MSA were linked to air-parcel trajectories intersecting a power plant slightly northwest of Atlanta and plants in the Ohio River Valley, while HODs in the northern portion of the MSA were linked to air-parcel trajectories intersecting two large power plants slightly southeast of the Atlanta MSA. Results from this study suggest that future research in the Atlanta MSA should focus on power-plant contributions to ground-level ozone concentrations as well as the identification of non-monitored locations with potentially high ozone concentrations.
Glutamate dehydrogenase from coelenterates NADP specific

Glutamate dehydrogenases detected in tissue extracts of a broad sample of coelenterate species all require NADP(H) as a co-substrate, rather than being capable of using either NAD(H) or NADP(H). In this respect, the coelenterate phyla appear to be unique in the animal kingdom.
Web Archiving and Digital Libraries (WADL)

This workshop will explore integration of Web archiving and digital libraries, so the complete life cycle involved is covered: creation/authoring, uploading/publishing in the Web (2.0), (focused) crawling, indexing, exploration (searching, browsing), archiving (of events), etc. It will include particular coverage of current topics of interest, like: big data, mobile web archiving, and systems (e.g., Memento, SiteStory, Hadoop processing).
Completion node dissection in patients with sentinel node-positive melanoma of the head and neck.

Objective. Determine if completion lymph node dissection (CLND) is associated with improved survival in sentinel lymph node (SLN)–positive cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck (CMHN) patients.Study Design. Retrospective analysis of large population database.Setting. Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database/multiple settings.Subjects and Methods. Using the SEER database, the authors identified patients with SLN-positive CMHN. Clinicopathologic data and 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) were examined for patients who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) alone vs SLNB + CLND.Results. Among 350 SLN-positive patients, 210 (60%) had SLNB + CLND, and 140 (40%) had SLNB only. Patients in the SLNB-only group were significantly older (median age 62 vs 53 years, P < .0001). The cohort as a whole did not significantly benefit from CLND; however, CLND was associated with improved DSS for a subgroup of patients age <60 years with nonulcerated tumors ≤2 mm thick (P = .03). Relative to SL...
Polarimetry of 167 Cool Variable Stars: Data

Multicolor photoelectric polarimetry is presented for 167 stars, most of which are variable stars. The observations constitute a data set that for some stars covers a time span of 35 yr. Complex variations are found over time and wavelength and in both the amount of polarization and its position angle, providing constraints for understanding the polarizing environments in and around these cool stars.
Infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of aminophenyltrimethoxysilane films on metals

The molecular structures of thin films formed by aminophenyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) deposited onto mechanically polished aluminum, iron, and copper substrates from dilute aqueous alcohol solutions were determined using reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The as-deposited films on all three substrates were similar and consisted of hydrolyzed oligomers that condensed to form siloxane polymers during heating at elevated temperatures. APTMS films on all three substrates reacted readily with epoxy resins at 150°C. Although some loss of nitrogen was observed, the films formed on aluminum were relatively stable during heating at 250°C and inhibited oxidation of the substrate. The films formed on iron and copper depolymerized rapidly during heating at 250°C and failed to inhibit oxidation of the substrates. It was concluded that APTMS films were potentially useful primers for use at high temperatures on aluminum, but not on copper or iron.
Effect of glucocorticoids on thyroid hormone action in cultured red blood cells from Rana catesbeiana tadpoles

Metamorphosis in anuran amphibia requires thyroid hormone (TH) and can be induced prematurely by the administration of TH. There is also evidence that the developmental effects of TH in these forms are modified by other hormones. For example, PRL has been shown to retard and corticosterone (B) to accelerate some, but not all, components of TH-induced metamorphosis. Red blood cells (RBCs) of Rana catesbeiana tadpoles exhibit a 4- to 5-fold increase in thyroid hormone receptor (TR) number (sites per nucleus) in vivo during either spontaneous or TH-induced metamorphosis. In the present study this TH-induced effect on RBC TR number was examined in an in vitro culture system. RBC TR number was increased by T3 in vitro; the maximum effect (2-fold increase) was obtained after exposure to 0.3 nM T3 for 60 h. This T3-induced increase in TR number was completely abolished in the presence of either 34 nM B or 10 nM dexamethasone, whereas basal TR number was unaffected. The effect appears to be a specific effect of glucocorticoid (GC), because it was not mimicked by the sex steroid, testosterone, and it was not obtained when RU-486, a glucocorticoid antagonist, was included with B in the medium. Other experiments demonstrated that the T3-induced increase in RBC TR was associated with an increase in the TR alpha messenger RNA level. This increase in TR alpha messenger RNA was reduced, but not eliminated, in the presence of concentrations of GC that abolished the TH-induced increase in TR, suggesting that the effects of GC occur in part at a pretranslational level. Using a GC binding assay, tadpole RBCs were found to contain approximately 10(4) GC receptors/cell. These findings indicate that B may be a physiological modulator of TH action in tadpole RBCs. This inhibitory effect of GC contrasts with previous reports that GC accelerates some of the morphological effects of TH in developing tadpoles, indicating that the nature of this modulating effect on TH action is tissue specific.
Plasmonic Field Enhancement of the Exciton−Exciton Annihilation Process in a Poly(p-phenyleneethynylene) Fluorescent Polymer by Ag Nanocubes

Using the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique, a poly(paraphenyleneethynylene) (PPE) fluorescent conjugated polymer was assembled on either a quartz substrate (system I) or on the surface of silver nanocube (AgNC) monolayers (system II). The fluorescence intensity of the polymer was studied in system I as a function of the surface density of the polymer sample when deposited on quartz substrates and in system II on the surface coverage of the underlying AgNC monolayers. In system I, a continual increase in the fluorescence intensity is observed as the surface density of excited polymer is increased. In system II, the fluorescence intensity of the polymer first increased until a threshold surface coverage of AgNC was reached, after which it decreased rapidly with increasing surface coverage in the AgNC monolayer. The exciting light intensity dependence is studied before and after this threshold in system II. The results suggest that one-photon processes were responsible for the increased intensity before the threshold, and two-photon processes were responsible for the rapid decrease in the polymer fluorescence intensity after the threshold. These observations are explained by the increase of the surface plasmon enhancement of the exciting light intensity as the nanoparticle surface coverage is increased. In turn, this increases the polymer absorption rate, which results in a continuous increase in the exciton density and is evident by an increase in the fluorescence intensity. At the threshold, the increased exciton density leads to an increase in the rate of exciton-exciton collisions, which leads to exciton-exciton annihilations. When this phenomenon becomes faster than the rate of fluorescence emission, an intensity decrease is observed. By exploiting the surface plasmon enhancement of absorption processes, we have observed the first exciton-exciton annihilation using a low-intensity Hg-lamp continuous wave source.
Weight loss expectations in patients with binge-eating disorder.

Objective: To study weight loss expectations in patients with binge-eating disorder and to examine whether expectations differed by sex and motivation for treatment. Research Methods and Procedures: One hundred and thirty patients (104 women and 26 men), aged 23 to 61 (mean age, 43.0 years), with BED completed a measure of desired weights that included their dream weight, happy weight, acceptable weight, and disappointed weight. In a structured interview, participants were asked their primary motivation for seeking treatment (appearance or health) and their lowest adult weight (LAW). Results: The BED participants reported weight loss expectations that far exceeded expert and governmental guidelines. In this sample, desired dream body mass index (BMI), happy BMI, and acceptable BMI averaged reductions in current weight of 36%, 29%, and 23%, respectively. Even the “disappointed” BMI was an average 14% reduction in current weight, and was 1.5 to 3 times greater than the expert recommendation (5% to 10%). Comparisons of desired weights were significantly different for women and men, whereas percent reductions from current weight were not. Although weight goal expectations were significantly lower for those motivated by appearance, compared with those motivated by health, percent reductions for current weight were not. Desired dream weight correlated with reported LAW, and the mean difference between these weights was not significant. Discussion: These findings suggest that patients with BED have weight loss expectations that far exceed expert and governmental guidelines and that these expectations do not differ by sex or motivation for seeking treatment. One possible explanation for these unrealistic desired weights may be the patients’ recollections of their LAWs.
Effect of orientation and temperature on the modes of deformation of uranium

Abstract Slip in alpha uranium on the }110{ at —196° C was established by two-surface analysis and the slip direction was determined to be the 〈001〉. Some evidence is presented which permits the postulation that the mechanism involves a movement in two 〈112〉 directions to produce an overall slip direction of 〈001〉. The critical shear stress for }010{ 〈100〉 slip and cross-slip was found to increase substantially relative to other mechanisms at low temperature. A direct confirmation of the 〈100〉 slip direction was obtained by the disappearing trace method. Kinking on the (100) plane was observed to take a number of forms. Kink bands as narrow as 5 microns and as thick as 100 microns were observed, as well as a new microkinking mechanism. The axis of rotation for kinking was confirmed to be the 〈001〉 direction. Twinning on the }130{, }176{ and }172{ planes was observed, with the }130{ plane by far the most active at both —196° C and 350° C. Areas of operability were consistent with theoretical predictions. No new twin planes were observed.
A sequential test for the failure rate of an exponential distribution with censored data

This paper provides an optimal sequential decision procedure for deciding between two composite hypotheses about the unknown failure rate of an exponential distribution, using censored data. The procedure has two components, a stopping time and a decision function. The optimal stopping time minimizes the expected total loss due to a wrong decision plus cost of observing the process. The optimal decision function is easily characterized once a stopping time has been specified. The main result determines the continuation region for the optimal decision procedure
Peak Acceleration of Respiratory Waveforms at Onset of Inspiration: A New Noninvasive Measure of Respiratory Drive. † 1490

Respiratory center drive is most accurately reflected from the steepest rise of the diaphragmatic EMG (Edi) at inspiratory onset. This parameter equates to peak acceleration of diaphragmatic activation (PaEdi) and reflects diaphragmatic recruitment whereas further rise of Edi amplitude (EdiA) signifies continued neuronal discharge. Calibrated respiratory inductive plethysmography (RIP) provides rib cage (RC), abdominal (AB) and their sum(Vt) waveforms noninvasively. We therefore tested the hypothesis that RIP derived acceleration signals (PaRC, PaAB or PaVt) could be used as measures of respiratory drive by validation with PaEdi during unimpeded breathing and obstructed efforts. Five newborn piglets were lightly anesthetized and allowed to breathe spontaneously through cuffed endotracheal tubes. A wire electrode was inserted into the diaphragm using a percutaneous, subcostal approach and RIP transducers applied to the RC and AB compartments. Peak acceleration from RIP waveforms was measured as the highest value in a window range of±300 msec around the mechanical onset of inspiration. The same window was used for PaEdi. Data were displayed and stored on a Respitrace PT16 recorder (Nims, Miami Beach, FL) for subsequent analysis with RespiEvents software. Interventions included 7% CO2 rebreathing and end expiratory obstruction of the endotracheal tube over 2-4 efforts. For CO2 rebreathing, a correlation matrix was calculated for each animal and the means(SD) are listed below; *indicates r with p<.05 in all 5 piglets.Table
DOES “HOVERING” MATTER? HELICOPTER PARENTING AND ITS EFFECT ON WELL-BEING

The phenomenon popularly referred to as helicopter parenting refers to an overinvolvement of parents in their children's lives. This concept has typically been used to describe parents of college-aged young adults. Despite much anecdotal evidence, little is known about its existence and consequences from an empirical perspective. Using a sample of college students at a university in the United States (N = 317), the exploration and measurement of this concept is examined. Results of factor analysis of helicopter parenting items constructed for this study support the use of the scale. Results suggest helicopter parenting is negatively related to psychological well-being and positively related to prescription medication use for anxiety/depression and the recreational consumption of pain pills.
Attitudes and beliefs about computer science among students and faculty

What students think about a discipline --- its structure, usefulness, and how it can be learned --- plays an important role in shaping how they approach it. Just as faculty aim to have students learn the facts and skills of a discipline, so they may also want to shape students' beliefs and attitudes. This study reports the attitudes of undergraduate computer science students early and late in the curriculum, and compares them with the beliefs and attitudes of faculty in the same department. The results show where students think what faculty would like them to think, where they do not, and whether there is evidence that senior students agree more or less with faculty than do students in introductory courses. The results can guide curricular improvements.
Alcohol Inhibition of a Chemically-Activated GIRK2 Channel

Alcohol is widely used and often abused. Yet, the molecular understanding of its action on brain function is poorly understood. Alcohol directly modulates the activity of several ion channels, including the G protein-gated inwardly-rectifying potassium (GIRK) channel. GIRK channels are directly activated by alcohol, independent of their typical G-protein mediated pathway. Currently, however, the molecular mechanism underlying alcohol activation of GIRK is poorly understood. We recently demonstrated that introduction of a Cysteine into the alcohol pocket of GIRK2(L257C) created a channel that could be chemically activated with alcohol-like cysteine-reacting reagents. Here, we studied the channel gating properties of purified GIRK2-L257C channels in a defined reconstituted system that allowed precise control of the lipids, G proteins and ions. We expressed a truncated cys-less GIRK2-L257C(GIRK2Δ∗-L257C) in Pichia pastoris, reconstituted purified protein into liposomes and studied the function of purified GIRK2Δ∗ L257C using a high throughput potassium flux assay. Reconstitution of GIRK2Δ∗-L257C into POPE:POPG:PIP2 containing liposomes exhibited a basal, barium-sensitive flux that was potently enhanced by pre-incubation with MTS-hydroxyethyl(MTS-HE) as well as the Gβγ G-protein subunits. Propanol treatment also enhanced the K+ flux. Thus, in the absence of any other proteins or cytoplasmic regulators, these experiments demonstrate the direct activation of GIRK2 channels by three distinct ligands, Gβγ G-proteins, alcohol and MTS-HE. Interestingly, MTS-HE-activated GIRK2Δ∗-L257C channels were inhibited by propanol in a dose-dependent manner. Inclusion of TCEP (tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine), which reduces disulfides, decreased MTS-HE activation but converted the propanol response from inhibition to activation. These experiments reveal that GIRK2 channels can also be inhibited by alcohol, perhaps through a different site, depending on the level of basal channel activation. Elucidating the details underlying alcohol's effects on channel proteins is paramount to developing selective pharmacological tools that could be used in the treatment of alcohol abuse and addiction.
The hierarchy of virtue: mutualism, altruism and signaling in Martu women's cooperative hunting

Cooperative hunting is often assumed to be mutualistic, maintained through returns to scale, where, by working together, foragers can gain higher per capita return rates or harvest sizes than they can by hunting alone. We test this hypothesis among Martu hunters and find that cooperation only provides increased returns to poorer hunters while disadvantaging better hunters. Even so, better hunters still cooperate as frequently as poorer hunters. We ask whether better hunters are advantaged in secondary sharing distributions or whether they bias their partner choice to kin or household members. We find that better hunters are not more likely to pair up with kin and they do not gain consumption benefits from acquiring more. They share a greater proportion of their harvest than poorer hunters: no matter how much one produces — better hunter, worse hunter, cooperator, solitary hunter — all eat the same amount in the end. Such a result suggests the hypothesis that cooperation might be a costly signal of commitment to the public interest on the part of better hunters, which generates trust among camp members and facilitates strong social networks, particularly among women, who cooperate more than men. While some foragers may benefit through cooperation from returns to scale or risk reduction, others may benefit more through signaling commitment and generating trust.
The functional role of the Meis/Prep-binding elements in Pax6 locus during pancreas and eye development

Abstract Pax6 is an essential transcription factor for lens, lacrimal gland and pancreas development. Previous transgenic analyses have identified several Pax6 regulatory elements, but their functional significance and binding factors remain largely unknown. In this study, we generated two genomic truncations to delete three elements that were previously shown to bind to the Meis/Prep family homeoproteins. One 3.1 kb deletion (Pax6∆DP/∆DP) removed two putative pancreatic enhancers and a previously identified ectodermal enhancer, while a 450 bp sub-deletion (Pax6∆PE/∆PE) eliminated only the promoter-proximal pancreatic enhancer. Immunohistochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR showed that the Pax6∆PE/∆PE pancreata had a significant decrease in Pax6, glucagon, and insulin expression, while no further reductions were observed in the Pax6∆DP/∆DP mice, indicating that only the 450 bp region is required for pancreatic development. In contrast, Pax6∆DP/∆DP, but not Pax6∆PE/∆PE mice, developed stunted lacrimal gland and lens hypoplasia which was significantly more severe than that reported when only the ectodermal enhancer was deleted. This result suggested that the ectodermal enhancer must cooperate with its neighboring sequences to regulate the Pax6 ectodermal expression. Finally, we generated conditional knockouts of Prep1 in the lens and pancreas, but surprisingly, did not observe any developmental defects. Together, these results provide functional evidence for the independent and synergistic roles of the Pax6 upstream enhancers, and they suggest the potential redundancy of Meis/Prep protein in Pax6 regulation.
Investigating energy loss mechanisms in an SOI-based tuning-fork gyroscope

In light of the efforts to improve the performance of micromachined gyroscopes, this paper presents an investigation of energy loss mechanisms in a SOI-based tuning-fork gyroscope, since these loss mechanisms dictate the value of the mechanical Quality factor (Q) that has been identified as a critical determinant for achieving high-precision performance. The numerical models of thermoelastic damping (TED) and anchor loss in the tuning-fork gyroscope design are created in a FEM software, ANSYS/Multiphysics, according to a thermal-energy method and a separationand- transfer method, respectively. The calculated results indicate that thermoelastic damping is the dominant loss while anchor loss is negligible for the gyroscope design. In order to validate the created models, an experimental study on the Q of the SOI-based tuning-fork gyroscope is consequently conducted. Comparison between the calculated results and the measured data not only validates the numerical models, but also demonstrates the significant effect of fabrication process on the final achievable Q values of the fabricated gyroscopes.
Transition to Chaos in an Open Unforced 2D Flow

Unsteady low Reynolds number flow past a two-dimensional airfoil is studied numerically. The purpose is to (1) determine the bifurcation sequence leading from simple periodic flow to complex aperiodic flow as Reynolds number is increased, (2) identify and quantify the chaos present in the aperiodic flow, and (3) evaluate the role of numerics in modifying and controlling the observed bifurcation scenario. The full two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are solved for a NACA 0012 airfoil at M∞ = 0.2, ? = 20°, and Re < 4000. The Navier-Stokes code ARC2D in an unsteady time-accurate mode is used for most of the computations. For each Reynolds number studied, the asymptotic behavior of the flow is studied using time delay reconstructions, Poincare sections, and frequency decompositions. The system undergoes a period-doubling bifurcation to chaos as the Reynolds number is increased from 800 to 1600, with windows of periodic behavior in the chaotic regime past 1600. The observed chaotic attractors are further characterized by estimates of the fractal dimension and partial Lyapunov exponent spectra. Tests are made on the effects of varying mesh resolution, added artificial dissipation, and order of spatial or temporal accuracy of the numerical method. It is shown that the observed chaos does not arise due to numerical effects alone, but is a true solution of the model system. Local Lyapunov exponent analysis is used to determine the physical mechanism behind the period-doublings.
Renal perfusion and function in healthy African Americans.

Renal perfusion and function in healthy African Americans. Background Despite their increased risk of nephropathy, remarkably little is known about renal perfusion and function in healthy African Americans. Methods We enrolled 32 healthy African Americans and compared renal perfusion and function in 82 age-matched healthy Caucasians. Studies were performed on a diet containing 200mmol of sodium and 100mmol of potassium per day. In a separate study of 28 subjects, 10 African American and 18 Caucasians, the contribution of the renin-angiotensin system was assessed by measuring renal hemodynamic responses to angiotension II (Ang II) and captopril. Results Although glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was similar, renal plasma flow (RPF) was significantly less in age-matched African Americans (568 ± 18) than Caucasians (620 ± 13mL/min/1.73m 2 , P = 0.0063). After captopril, African Americans had a sevenfold greater vasodilator response and a rise in RPF (35.3 ± 4.9 vs. 4.9 ± 12.4mL/min/1.73m 2 in African Americans and Caucasians, respectively, P 2 , P = 0.05), and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition enhanced the response to Ang II in African Americans significantly. Conclusions A reduction in RPF, blunting of the renal vascular response to Ang II, and an accentuated renal vasodilator response to captopril, which in turn corrects the blunting of responsiveness to Ang II, all suggest activation of the renin system in apparently healthy African Americans. As PRA was identical in Caucasians and African Americans, the findings suggest that it is the intrarenal-renin system that is activated in African Americans. This difference in normal control mechanisms could predispose to nephropathy.
Selection for Potato Genotypes from Diverse Progenies that Combine 4°C Chipping with Acceptable Yields, Specific Gravity, and Tuber Appearance

Breeding with a diverse population may improve potato (Solanum tuberosum subsp. tuberosum) breeding efficiency for cold chipping cultivars. The objectives of this research were to determine if breeding populations differing in assumed diversity influence the (i) frequency of cold chipping genotypes, (ii) ability to make gain in other traits subsequent to cold chipping selection, and (iii) frequency of genotypes combining high performance across many traits. Three populations or mating groups were constructed with increasing assumed diversity: Tw, Tuberosum within (intrabreeding program crosses); Tb, Tuberosum between (interbreeding program crosses); and Td, Tuberosum diverse (incorporates wild species). Potato chip color was evaluated in Year 1 on up to 20 genotypes per 4x x 4x cross. Genotypes having acceptable chip color were tested in Year 2 for tuber yield (TY), specific gravity (SG), and general tuber appearance (GTA). More Tw genotypes had acceptable chip color (1.7%) than Td (0.6%) or Tb (0.4%) and resulted from a better chip color mean and increased variation. More Td genotypes had acceptable TY (83.3%) in Year 2 than Tw (52.00%) or Tb (42.86%), and may result from increased heterozygosity. Lower numbers of effective breeding individuals in Td reduced genetic variation for all traits and reduced retention for SG and GTA. Retention after 2 yr of selection was significantly higher in Tw (0.7%) due to superior cold chipping, than Tb (0.2%) or Td (0.3%). Diversity can impact breeding efficiency, but mating groups did not predict diversity. Intermating large numbers of unrelated but adapted parents that incorporate favorable cold chipping alleles from wild species may improve breeding efficiency.
Translating recursion schemes into program schemes

Here and in a further paper [2] we study translations between schemes and related equivalence problems, i.e., problems of determining whether two schemes in a given class are equivalent. In particular, we are concerned with the question of developing methods for attacking these problems. It seems to us that some “general methods” ought to exist or, at least, a general form ought to be given to the existing “tricks”. In these papers we present four methods: applying the theory of formal languages, programming, measuring the complexity of a computation, and “cutting and pasting” (roughly speaking, the application of a method due to Rabin and Scott [8] to bound the search necessary to determine if two schemes will behave differently).Although a few of the results are true for some general notion of scheme, we have nearly always had in mind, for the sake of illustration, just three specific classes of schemes: program schemes, program schemes augmented with counters, and recursively defined schemes. The greater part of the study is restricted to monadic schemes (i.e., schemes containing only functions and predicates of a single argument), and in the case of recursively defined schemes, we are concerned almost exclusively with the single variable monadic recursion schemes introduced by de Bakker and Scott in [1].
Assessing Downsizing Guidelines With an Exemplar The Ohio Department of Mental Health Success Story

The propositions in two theories of downsizing are compared to a success story in an exemplary state agency: the Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH). ODMH was downsized, taking out a total of $150 million, with hospital closures, transfers, and mergers. A 15-year database of weekly reports to the governor of the state of Ohio recorded the actions taken in 19 closures, mergers, and transfers and their success. Propositions offered by Cameron (Cameron, 1995; Cameron and Smart, 1996) to turn aside dirty dozen outcomes and by managed de-development (Nutt, 2001; 2004) were compared to the CEO's actions documented in the histories. The findings suggest that the guidelines offered by both theories have merit. Crucial actions appear to be shifting ODMH to a lower order of organized complexity by devising a new identity to guide change with slow-paced moves to preserve core competencies that differentiated before integrating and accommodated before assimilating.
Deep permeability of the San Andreas Fault from San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) core samples

The San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) scientific borehole near Parkfield, California crosses two actively creeping shear zones at a depth of 2.7 km. Core samples retrieved from these active strands consist of a foliated, Mg-clay-rich gouge containing porphyroclasts of serpentinite and sedimentary rock. The adjacent damage zone and country rocks are comprised of variably deformed, fine-grained sandstones, siltstones, and mudstones. We conducted laboratory tests to measure the permeability of representative samples from each structural unit at effective confining pressures, Pe up to the maximum estimated in situ Pe of 120 MPa. Permeability values of intact samples adjacent to the creeping strands ranged from 10−18 to 10−21 m2 at Pe = 10 MPa and decreased with applied confining pressure to 10−20–10−22 m2 at 120 MPa. Values for intact foliated gouge samples (10−21–6 × 10−23 m2 over the same pressure range) were distinctly lower than those for the surrounding rocks due to their fine-grained, clay-rich character. Permeability of both intact and crushed-and-sieved foliated gouge measured during shearing at Pe ≥ 70 MPa ranged from 2 to 4 × 10−22 m2 in the direction perpendicular to shearing and was largely insensitive to shear displacement out to a maximum displacement of 10 mm. The weak, actively-deforming foliated gouge zones have ultra-low permeability, making the active strands of the San Andreas Fault effective barriers to cross-fault fluid flow. The low matrix permeability of the San Andreas Fault creeping zones and adjacent rock combined with observations of abundant fractures in the core over a range of scales suggests that fluid flow outside of the actively-deforming gouge zones is probably fracture dominated.
The Blazar Gamma-Ray Luminosity Function and the Diffuse Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Background

We have used the data from the new EGRET catalog on 'grazars' (blazers which are observed to be high-energy gamma-ray sources), together with radio data, to construct a new relation between radio and gamma-ray luminosity for these sources. Using this relation to construct a grazar gamma-ray luminosity function, we then calculate the contribution of unresolved grazars to the cosmic gamma-ray background radiation. We derive the energy spectrum of this background component above 100 MeV and the angular fluctuations in this background implied by our model.
Sutureless bivalve nephrotomy with compression hemostasis

Experimental hemostasis in sutureless bivalve nephrotomy was used on 25 consecutive dogs. The result of this study and the review of the literature are described.
Comment on Kadushin, Social Networks and Jews

I was honored to be asked by Professor Kadushin to comment on his Marshall Sklare Memorial Lecture. He has unique contributions to make to the socialscientific study of Jewry, and I’m glad to be brought into the conversation. Jews love to play ‘‘Jewish geography.’’ It’s fun for two Jews from opposite sides of the country, meeting for the first time, to discover that they have acquaintances in common. Sometimes the connections are through family, but most often they’re through organizations—one of the new acquaintances met the other’s sister at a Jewish camp, or met a good friend of the other at an AIPAC or Hadassah convention, or their children both go to Hillel at a particular university. But Jewish geography is not only fun. Indeed, it manifests—at least in my reading of ‘‘Social Networks and Jews’’—two profoundly important aspects of Jewish life in the diaspora. First, social networks sustain Jewish communal life; they were, writes Professor Kadushin, ‘‘the main sources of social organization and control of Jewish life’’ until the contemporary State of Israel came into being and remain extremely important today. Second, networks ‘‘cannot exist in thin air;’’ they are created and maintained where people meet regularly, most often in organizational contexts. At some level, everyone knows this. It’s impossible to imagine a viable Jewish community without the social networks that make Jewish geography possible or the many organizations that create and sustain the networks and enable communal action. Yet that knowledge has had surprisingly little impact on our research. Scholars appreciate the idea of networks, as Professor Kadushin points out, but their use of the term is nearly always metaphorical. The staples of social-scientific research on Jews—surveys of various Jewish populations, ethnographies of local communities,
In Search of Stakeholder Salience: Exploring Corporate Social and Sustainability Reports

This research draws on the stakeholder salience framework to explore more deeply the web of business–stakeholder relationships that characterize the Fortune Global 100’s corporate social responsibility and sustainability reports. By better understanding stakeholder salience, defined as the power, legitimacy, and urgency attributed to stakeholders in these corporate reports, this research enables business leaders and scholars to further their recognition and comprehension of the characteristics of the critical stakeholder relationships that link business’s social and sustainability performance with its economic performance—the triple bottom line. Despite the predictions of this research, nationality was not found to be a differentiating factor of stakeholder salience, whereas industry membership, in one of two instances, was found to differentiate stakeholder salience in the corporate reports. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Workers' compensation and consumption smoothing ☆

Abstract This paper investigates the consumption-smoothing benefits of state workers' compensation (WC) programs. These programs are among the largest and most controversial forms of social insurance, with the putative purpose of supporting families affected by unexpected income shocks due to workplace injuries and illnesses. Using Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data for a sample of workers who have experienced a work-related, work-limiting disability, I find that a 10% increase in WC benefit generosity offsets the drop in household consumption upon injury by 3 to 5%. Moreover, my estimates imply that if benefits were very low, the drop in consumption upon injury would be in the range of 30%. A model adapted from the literature on optimal social insurance yields a formula for the optimal level of WC benefits, which depends on empirical estimates of the consumption-smoothing parameter. My calculations suggest that current WC benefit levels are somewhat higher than optimal.
Analysis of nascent RNA identifies a unified architecture of initiation regions at mammalian promoters and enhancers

Despite the conventional distinction between them, promoters and enhancers share many features in mammals, including divergent transcription and similar modes of transcription factor binding. Here we examine the architecture of transcription initiation through comprehensive mapping of transcription start sites (TSSs) in human lymphoblastoid B cell (GM12878) and chronic myelogenous leukemic (K562) ENCODE Tier 1 cell lines. Using a nuclear run-on protocol called GRO-cap, which captures TSSs for both stable and unstable transcripts, we conduct detailed comparisons of thousands of promoters and enhancers in human cells. These analyses identify a common architecture of initiation, including tightly spaced (110 bp apart) divergent initiation, similar frequencies of core promoter sequence elements, highly positioned flanking nucleosomes and two modes of transcription factor binding. Post-initiation transcript stability provides a more fundamental distinction between promoters and enhancers than patterns of histone modification and association of transcription factors or co-activators. These results support a unified model of transcription initiation at promoters and enhancers.
Evaluating pharmacists' ability to counsel on tobacco cessation using two standardized patient scenarios.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the impact that role-playing two pre/post standardized patient scenarios within a tobacco cessation training program had on pharmacists’ counseling skills. Second, to analyze the validity of the observation coding tool used to evaluate pharmacist's role-play performance. Methods Pharmacists performed two role-playing scenarios which incorporated national guidelines, the 5A's counseling process, and the “preparation” and “action” phases of the transtheoretical model. Pharmacists’ performance was evaluated with an observation coding tool. Results Pharmacists’ ( n = 25) counseling performance improved significantly post-training ( p p Conclusion Role-playing facilitated pharmacists’ skill development. The evaluation tool and Action Scenario may be powerful for predicting pharmacists’ delivery of tobacco cessation services. Practice implications Incorporating role-playing and structured tools for performance evaluation can help enhance pharmacist performance during training and predict service delivery in community practice. Together they could facilitate tailored feedback to help pharmacists struggling with the difficult task of extending cognitive service roles in practice.
The diameter of a random graph with bounded diameter

We prove a conjecture of Tomescu from the Random Graphs '87 Problem Session. For k ≧ 2, almost every graph with diameter at least k has diameter exactly k. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Pulsed electrical stimulation for control of vasculature: Temporary vasoconstriction and permanent thrombosis

A variety of medical procedures is aimed to selectively compromise or destroy vascular function. Such procedures include cancer therapies, treatments of cutaneous vascular disorders, and temporary hemostasis during surgery. Currently, technologies such as lasers, cryosurgery and radio frequency coagulation, produce significant collateral damage due to the thermal nature of these interactions and corresponding heat exchange with surrounding tissues. We describe a non-thermal method of inducing temporary vasoconstriction and permanent thrombosis using short pulse (microseconds) electrical stimulation. The current density required for vasoconstriction increases with decreasing pulse duration approximately as t(-0.25). The threshold of electroporation has a steeper dependence on pulse duration-exceeding t(-0.5). At pulse durations shorter than 5 micros, damage threshold exceeds the vasoconstriction threshold, thus allowing for temporary hemostasis without direct damage to surrounding tissue. With a pulse repetition rate of 0.1 Hz, vasoconstriction is achieved approximately 1 min after the beginning of treatment in both arteries and veins. Thrombosis occurs at higher electric fields, and its threshold increases with vessel diameter. Histology demonstrated a lack of tissue damage during vasoconstriction, but vascular endothelium was damaged during thrombosis. The temperature increase does not exceed 0.1 degrees C during these treatments.
Comparison of nasal sprays and irrigations in the delivery of topical agents to the olfactory mucosa

Objectives/Hypothesis Sinonasal diseases are often treated with topical agents administered through various application techniques, but few prior studies have examined their distribution to the olfactory mucosa. The purpose of this study was to compare the distribution of nasal irrigations to sprays within the olfactory cleft. Study Design Human cadaveric study. Methods Eight cadaveric heads, providing a total of 15 nasal sides, underwent treatment with methylene blue solution. Application utilized a pressurized spray device followed by an irrigation squeeze bottle, both used according to manufacturer instructions. Videos and images from six standardized anatomical positions were recorded by rigid nasal endoscopy prior to and following each method of agent delivery. Using the acquired images, three reviewers blinded to the means of application scored the approximate surface area stained. An image-analysis program was additionally calibrated and used to measure pixel intensity in order to quantify surface delivery of methylene blue. Results Based on both blinded reviewer ratings and image pixel intensity measurements, irrigations demonstrated a greater extent and intensity of staining than sprays within the sphenoethmoid recess, superior turbinate, and superior olfactory cleft (all P 0.05), inferior turbinate (P = 0.04), and middle turbinate (P > 0.05). Conclusions Compared to sprays, irrigations provide a more effective method of delivering topical agents to the posterior and superior aspects of the nasal cavity. The thorough distribution of irrigations has important clinical implications for improving the delivery of therapeutic agents to the olfactory mucosa. Level of Evidence N/A. Laryngoscope, 123:2950–2957, 2013