cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influence of movement on negative and positive emotional responses to animals.

Two studies were conducted to explore whether the addition of animal movement would influence the intensity of emotional reactions towards that animal. Both studies compared self-reported emotional...
Interpretive Acts: In Search of Meaning

Over the last twenty years, the humanities and social sciences have been preoccupied with the powers and limitations of language. During these years literary theory has become peculiarly fascinated with what language cannot do, with the impossibility of language meaning what the individual intends it to mean, if indeed individuals can intend or mean. But language does exist and does appear to be useful in communicating, and most of the time those who use the same language feel they are successful in communicating with each other. In Interpretive Acts, rather than ask whether communication is possible, Professor Harris explores the issues that arise from the question: how does communication occur? In this, he draws on a variety of fields which have contributed to literary theory by the study of strategies for expressing and for interpreting intended meanings: discourse analysis, sociolinguists, philosophy of language, and rhetorical theory. For language to be understood, there has to be a mutually understood context: Professor Harris argues that there are seven dimensions of context in terms of which an author calculates readers' responses. Having defined the goal of interpretation as the author's intended meaning, criticism is then seen in terms of the question: 'what does it mean that the author meant that meaning?'
Modeling C-Band Co-Channel Interference from Aeromacs Omni-Directional Antennas to Mobile Satellite Service Feeder Uplinks

A new C-band (5091 to 5150 MHz) airport communications system designated as Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS) is being planned under the Federal Aviation Administration s NextGen program. An interference analysis software program, Visualyse Professional (Transfinite Systems Ltd), is being utilized to provide guidelines on limitations for AeroMACS transmitters to avoid interference with other systems. A scenario consisting of a single omni-directional transmitting antenna at each of the major contiguous United States airports is modeled and the steps required to build the model are reported. The results are shown to agree very well with a previous study.
RNA Interference Using a Plasmid Construct Expressing Short-Hairpin RNA

RNA interference (RNAi) is one of the most commonly used procedures for gene targeting in today's cutting edge technology and has great potential for use in clinical therapy. Using a plasmid construct that exogenously expresses short-hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting a desired gene transcript not only helps to study the downstream effects of a gene product but also offers an alternative to viral vectors for gene therapy. Using a plasmid vector to knockdown a gene allows for long-term and permanent gene knockdown, without the need to generate knockout genotypes. Here, we detail the methodology for constructing a plasmid targeting the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene through RNAi using the Ambion pSilencer system.
The Design and Performance Features of a Single-Fluid Molten-Salt Breeder Reactor

A conceptual design has been made of a single-fluid 1000 MW(e) Molten-Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR) power station based on the capabilities of present technology. The reactor vessel is ~22ft in diame...
Bias Correction in Dynamic Panels under Time Series Misspecification

This paper considers higher-order autoregressive (AR(p)) panel models with fixed effects, where the lag order p is unknown and possibly misspecified. A pooled least squares estimator is considered and its asymptotic biases are studied. Specifically, we first extend the N-asymptotic bias formula in Nickell (1981) to the case where the dynamics follow a general autoregressive form. Second, √(NT)-normalized limit distribution for the pooled estimators is developed that allows for lag order misspecification, when both N and T are large. Third, a higher order approximation for the bias up to order N^(-1)T^(-2) is explored. Besides the well-known endogeneity bias incurred by the within-transformation in dynamic fixed-effects models, additional bias under misspecification is analytically derived, which argues that model specification should precede any bias correction in dynamic panel modeling. We suggest a general form for bias correction, which specifically incorporates the lag order selection. A consistent lag order selection criterion is also proposed, which is more suitable for large panel system with fixed effects. Some extensions of the bias correction are also considered under exogenous variable, and the bias corrected short-run and long-run coefficients are discussed. Lastly, as an empirical application, a study on habit formation in consumption preferences is presented using U.S. state-level data.
Abstract 16804: Tideglusib, a Novel Allosteric Inhibitor of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3-β Mimics Canonical Wnt Signaling

Rationale: As Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3)β enzyme regulates β-catenin stability, we addressed the ability of Tideglusib, a novel allosteric inhibitor of GSK-3β, to activate canonical Wnt signaling in microvascular endothelial cells (ECs). Methods and Results: The treatment of primary ECs with Wnt3a or Tideglusib stabilized β-catenin polypeptide species in a dose-dependent manner. A time-course analyses showed increased in phosphorylated form of GSK-3β-S9, thereby, increased stabilization of β-catenin within 3-4 hours in response to Tideglusib. The addition of Tideglusib induced robust expression of not only transcription factor Nanog, but also Cyclin-D1 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 proteins. Microscopic analyses demonstrated disappearance of VE-cadherin from the adherens junctions, while increased accumulation of β-catenin in the nucleus. Moreover, Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) of Propidium iodide and Annexin-V labeled ECs previously treated with Tideglusib showed ...
Abstract 4124: Ovarian cancer survival by tumor subtype

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Introduction: Epithelial ovarian cancer is heterogeneous, with subgroups defined by cell of origin (ovary vs. fallopian tube), histology, and carcinogenic pathway (the etiologic pathway through which tumors arise: type I tumors develop on the ovarian surface and are low grade serous or mucinous histology; type II tumors develop through endometriotic implantation and are clear cell or endometrioid histology; type III tumors originate in the fallopian tube and are high grade serous histology). Although differences in associations have been observed with risk of incident ovarian cancer, few studies have examined differences in survival by subtype. In the New England Case-Control Study of ovarian cancer (NECC), we examined differences in survival by tumor dominance (a surrogate for cell of origin), histology, and carcinogenic pathway. Methods: Among 2076 women with epithelial ovarian cancer (1991-2008), 892 deaths were observed. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate hazards ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the association of ovarian cancer subtype with overall survival, adjusting for age at diagnosis, study phase, year of diagnosis (as a proxy for treatment), BMI, and smoking status. Results: Serous invasive tumors were more likely to be non-dominant (likely fallopian origin) and type III. Compared to serous invasive tumors, all other tumor histologies had statistically significantly improved survival. Similarly, dominant tumors (i.e., likely ovarian origin) had greater survival than non-dominant tumors (HR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.31-0.47). Type I (mucinous and low grade serous) and type II (endometrioid and clear cell) tumors had better survival than type III (high grade serous) tumors (HR: 0.21; 95%CI: 0.16-0.28 and HR: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.18-0.29, respectively). Conclusion: Regardless of how subtype was defined, high grade, invasive serous tumors had worse survival compared to other tumor subtypes. This underscores the need for prevention and treatment targeted at these aggressive tumors. View this table: Table. Associations between tumor subtype and overall survival Citation Format: Elizabeth M. Poole, Daniel W. Cramer, Allison F. Vitonis, Kathryn L. Terry. Ovarian cancer survival by tumor subtype. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4124. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4124
Elastic and Inelastic Scattering for Spherically Symmetric Interactions

In this chapter we derive general results for spherically symmetric situations, i.e., for situations when in addition to the free Hamiltonian K, the interaction Hamiltonian V and the transition operator T also commute with the operator of angular momentum. For the sake of simplicity we consider the spin-zero case. In Section XVI.1, the partial-wave expansion is discussed and the partial cross sections are derived. In Section XVI.2, the phase shift is introduced as a consequence of the unitarity of the S-matrix. In Section XVI.3, a graphical representation of the partial-wave amplitude, the Argand diagram, is introduced.
Improvements in Ranchero magnetic flux compression generators

Los Alamos “Ranchero” Magnetic Flux Compression Generators (FCGs) have been used to power imploding liner loads. The fundamental FCG design is based on a cylindrical detonation system that expands the armature simultaneously into a coaxial generator volume and has been shown to generate currents as high as 76 MA. Analysis of the 76 MA test results revealed a weakness in the design at the output glide plane. To prevent premature shorting at the output current slot of the generator, the armature/glide plane interface was originally designed to lag the leading edge of the armature. However, 2D-MHD calculations reveal that at very high currents a magnetically driven aneurism develops in this lagging section which reduces the performance of the generator. A new model Ranchero is being developed to correct this weakness and provide enhanced performance. In the new model, the output glide plane is eliminated and the armature is extended along the FCG axis, with its radius increasing along a curve until it reaches the current output slot. A cylindrical detonation system of the type required for earlier designs continues to be used, and the high explosive (HE) in the extended section is detonated by the last point of the cylindrical detonator. The stator of the FCG is contoured, allowing the contact point of the armature to zipper from the input to the output end in the last few μs of flux compression. In addition, the new model Ranchero is intended to use PBX 9501 (9501) for the HE and also remove the smoothing layer, which has been part of all Ranchero HE systems to date. Both of these factors lead to increased performance. 9501 is more energetic than the PBXN 110 used in Ranchero generators to date, and both calculations and experiments have shown that the smoothing layer is not needed when the detonator point spacing is 18 mm. Tests of original model Rancheros using PBXN 110 castable HE, with an imbedded smoothing layer, demonstrated an armature expansion velocity of 3.1 mm/μs. Further tests show that removal of the smoothing layer increases the speed to 3.3 mm/μs, and replacement of the cast PBXN 110 with 9501 without a smoother gives a velocity of 3.8 mm/μs. Designs, concerns, and experimental results facilitating the new model Ranchero are presented. In addition, performance estimates are given for the initial imploding liner tests to be conducted, and further computational details are presented in a companion paper given by C. L. Rousculp and others at this conference.
An Investigation of the Predictive Ability of Several Evaporation Equations

Abstract A number of integrated flux-gradient type evaporation equations have been tested using very accurate evaporation and meteorological data. The test compared the estimated evaporation with the measured evaporation. Most of the equations were derived originally assuming that the ratio of the eddy diffusivity of momentum to the eddy diffusivity of water vapor is constant. Since recent developments have shown that this ratio is a function of atmospheric stability, these equations were revised to admit variability of the ratio and tested in the revised form. The momentum flux appears in all evaporation equations tested. Results show that the accuracy of the evaporation estimation is critically dependent on the accuracy of the momentum flux estimation by the velocity profile equation from which the evaporation equation is derived. In general, profile equations which produce momentum fluxes in good agreement with measured values will produce accurate evaporation equations. Of the equations here tested, a...
Iterative Low-Pass Filtering for Estimation of the Background in Fiber Diffraction Patterns

Disorientation of particles in fibrous specimens results in diffraction patterns in which the layer-line intensity is arced about the center, causing layer lines to overlap at larger radii and, as a consequence, making correction of the background problematic. Taking advantage of the fact that the background is typically made up of spatial frequencies that are substantially lower than those constituting the diffracted intensities, estimates of background in fiber diffraction patterns were made by applying an iterative low-pass filter to the diffraction data. This procedure has been applied to X-ray fiber diffraction patterns from filamentous bacteriophages to calculate the intensities along layer lines as well as to correct for the background.
Tyrosine Iminoxyl Radical Formation from Tyrosyl Radical/Nitric Oxide and Nitrosotyrosine

The quenching of the Y(D)(.) tyrosyl radical in photosystem II by nitric oxide was reported to result from the formation of a weak tyrosyl radical-nitric oxide complex (Petrouleas, V., and Diner, B. A. (1990) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1015, 131-140). This radical/radical reaction is expected to generate an electron spin resonance (ESR)-silent 3-nitrosocyclohexadienone species that can reversibly regenerate the tyrosyl radical and nitric oxide or undergo rearrangement to form 3-nitrosotyrosine. It has been proposed that 3-nitrosotyrosine can be oxidized by one electron to form the tyrosine iminoxyl radical (>C=N-O*). This proposal was put forth as a result of ESR detection of the iminoxyl radical intermediate when photosystem II was exposed to nitric oxide (Sanakis, Y., Goussias, C., Mason, R. P., and Petrouleas, V. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 1411-1417). A similar iminoxyl radical was detected in prostaglandin H synthase-2 (Gunther, M. R., Hsi, L. C., Curtis, J. F., Gierse, J. K., Marnett, L. J., Eling, T. E., and Mason, R. P. (1997) J. Biol. Chem., 272, 17086-17090). Although the iminoxyl radicals detected in the photosystem II and prostaglandin H synthase-2 systems strongly suggest a mechanism involving 3-nitrosotyrosine, the iminoxyl radical ESR spectrum was not unequivocally identified as originating from tyrosine. We report here the detection of the non-protein L-tyrosine iminoxyl radical generated by two methods: 1) peroxidase oxidation of synthetic 3-nitroso-N-acetyl-L-tyrosine and 2) peroxidase oxidation of free L-tyrosine in the presence of nitric oxide. A newly developed ESR technique that uses immobilized enzyme was used to perform the ESR experiments. Analysis of the high resolution ESR spectrum of the tyrosine iminoxyl radical generated from free tyrosine and nitric oxide reveals a 28.4-G isotropic nitrogen hyperfine coupling and a 2.2-G proton hyperfine coupling assigned to the proton originally ortho to the phenoxyl oxygen.
FOMC VOTING BEHAVIOR AND ELECTORAL CYCLES: PARTISAN IDEOLOGY AND PARTISAN LOYALTY

The influence of partisan and electoral considerations on the monetary policy voting behavior of Federal Reserve Governors is investigated in the context of a model permitting the estimation of reaction functions on the basis of FOMC voting records. The results suggest that once we have controlled for the state of the economy and for the prevailing stance of monetary policy, both partisan ideologies and partisan loyalties appear to play an important role in the Governors’voting calculus.
Roles of Drizzle in a One-Dimensional Third-Order Turbulence Closure Model of the Nocturnal Stratus-Topped Marine Boundary Layer.

This study focuses on the effects of drizzle in a one-dimensional third-order turbulence closure model of the nocturnal stratus-topped marine boundary layer. When the simulated drizzle rate is relatively small (maximum approximately equal to 0.6 mm/day), steady-state solutions are obtained. The boundary layer stabilizes essentially because drizzle causes evaporative cooling of the subcloud layer. This stabilization considerably reduces the buoyancy flux and turbulence kinetic energy below the stratus cloud. Thus, drizzle tends to decouple the cloud from the subcloud layer in the model, as suggested by many observational studies. In addition, the evaporation of drizzle in the subcloud layer creates small scattered clouds, which are likely to represent cumulus clouds, below the solid stratus cloud in the model. The sensitivity experiments show that these scattered clouds help maintain a coupled boundary layer. When the drizzle rate is relatively large (maximum approximately equal to 0.9 mm/day), the response of the model becomes transient with bursts in turbulent fluxes. This phenomenon is related to the formation of the scattered cloud layer below the solid stratus cloud. It appears that the model is inadequate to represent the heat and moisture transport by strong updrafts covering a small fractional area in cumulus convection.
Influence of pre-deformation on jerky flow in Ni-10Pd during high- temperature instrumented indentation

During instrumented microindentation at 450 °C, prominent and limited serrations were exhibited in the load–depth curves corresponding to an annealed Ni–10Pd and a deformed Ni–10Pd specimen, respectively. After fully recrystallizing the deformed Ni–10Pd sample and minimizing the stored strain energy, the characteristic jerky flow behaviour was restored in the Ni–10Pd sample during instrumented nanoindentation at 450 °C. The effect of pre-deformation on the serrated flow behaviour is rationalized using a modified cavity expansion model that accounts for the reconfiguration of dislocation substructures and solute–dislocation interactions.
Visual deterioration in giant cell arteritis patients while on high doses of corticosteroid therapy

Abstract Purpose To report the incidence and extent of visual deterioration in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) on high doses of systemic corticosteroids during the early stages of treatment; the various factors that may influence the outcome; and whether intravenous megadose corticosteroid therapy is more effective than oral therapy. Design Noncomparative interventional case series. Participants One hundred forty-four patients with GCA (271 eyes) seen initially with visual loss (91 patients) and without visual loss (53 patients). All patients had biopsy-confirmed GCA and were followed while on high doses of systemic corticosteroid therapy for at least 2 weeks. Methods Every patient at the initial visit had an ophthalmic evaluation, including visual acuity, visual fields, intraocular pressure, slit-lamp and ophthalmoscopic evaluation, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR; Westergren) and C-reactive protein (CRP) estimation, and temporal artery biopsy as soon as possible. If GCA was either strongly suspected or confirmed by biopsy, they were immediately started in our clinic on high doses of oral (80–120 mg) prednisone daily or intravenous megadose systemic corticosteroids (usually 150 mg dexamethasone sodium phosphate every 8 hours for 1–3 days) followed by oral prednisone. At each visit they underwent all the initial ophthalmic evaluations and had an ESR and CRP evaluation done. Tapering of steroid therapy was not started until both ESR and CRP had reached their lowest stable levels. These showed marked interindividual variation and usually took approximately 2 weeks to stabilize. Then the steroid therapy was gradually tapered, guided primarily by the levels of ESR and CRP. No generalization is possible regarding the period required to achieve the maintenance dosage, because this also varied markedly from patient to patient. Main outcome measures Visual acuity deterioration. Results While on high doses of steroid therapy during the initial stages of the treatment, only 9 (11 eyes) of the 91 patients seen initially with visual loss developed further visual acuity deterioration in one or both eyes within 5 days after the start of therapy (one of the eyes had normal vision initially), but none of the 53 patients initially seen without visual loss developed any visual deterioration. Six of the 48 patients (13%) who were on intravenous steroid therapy had visual deterioration compared with 3 of 97 patients (3%) who were only on oral steroid therapy ( P = 0.060). Conclusions Our study shows that although a few eyes can develop visual deterioration while on high doses of steroid therapy, early, adequate steroid therapy is effective in preventing further visual loss in most. When further visual deterioration occurred despite high doses of systemic corticosteroids, it almost invariably started within 5 days after the start of the high-dose steroid therapy. There was no evidence that intravenous megadose steroid therapy was more effective than oral therapy in preventing visual deterioration.
Using Bond Graphs to Synthesize Tree-structured Transfer Functions: Improved Frequency-Domain Analysis of Uncertain Systems

Abstract Various robust control applications require the value set of an uncertain transfer function, G ( s, q) , which is the complex-plane region {G (jω, q) : q ∈ Q} , where q is a vector of uncertain parameters. Although a value set can be synthesized by gridding the uncertain parameters, this is only an option when a small number of the parameters are uncertain. When the transfer function can be decomposed into a tree structure with disjoint sets of uncertain parameters, the value set synthesis process is simplified. Bond graphs provide a means to synthesize tree-structured transfer functions, but the disjoint parameter property has not been guaranteed except for collocated input–output variables. In this paper this property is extended to include a much broader class of systems, and the paper provides a means to determine by inspection if a given input–output variable pair will result in a transfer function with disjoint parameters. Furthermore, the tree structures generated here provide certain vertex-type results that simplify value set synthesis. The ability to know a priori that a given input–output variable pair will lead to a tree-structured transfer function with disjoint parameters and the associated algorithms for synthesizing value sets expedite a normally problematic aspect of robust controller design.
Rewriting Identities: Using Historicized Writing to Promote Migrant Students' Writing

This article outlines and advocates a historicized writing approach that leads (im)migrant Latina/o and Hmong students to reflect upon, reread, and rewrite their socially and culturally situated experiences. Students explored their own identities through readings, writing, and discussion based on larger umbrella social themes such as historicality and sociality, language and culture, race and class, and gender. This exploration took place in an environment which valued hybrid language practices that valued and legitimized students' lives while fostering critical thinking around issues related to farmworker experiences. Further case study analysis of the writing and reflection of two migrant students detail the ways that students were encouraged to grapple with challenging texts that extended to an examination of the ways such texts led them to question their lived experiences and work toward individual and social transformation.
Shaping a screening file for maximal lead discovery efficiency and effectiveness: Elimination of molecular redundancy

High Throughput Screening (HTS) is a successful strategy for finding hits and leads that have the opportunity to be converted into drugs. In this paper we highlight novel computational methods used to select compounds to build a new screening file at Pfizer and the analytical methods we used to assess their quality. We also introduce the novel concept of molecular redundancy to help decide on the density of compounds required in any region of chemical space in order to be confident of running successful HTS campaigns.
Struggling with sustainability: A comparative framework for evaluating sustainable development programs

Summary “Sustainability” is an inherently dynamic, indefinite and contested concept. “Sustainable development” must, therefore, be seen as an unending process—defined not by fixed goals or the specific means of achieving them, but by an approach to creating change through continuous learning and adaptation. How, then, do we evaluate a development program’s contribution to such a process? This paper constructs a framework for evaluating sustainable rural development programs using both process- and outcome-oriented criteria, and demonstrates its application. The SANREM CRSP/SEA research and development program in The Philippines—including ICRAFs efforts to organize communities around agroforestry and environmental conservation—is assessed.
Release and restoration of the secretory granules in the convoluted granular tubules of the rat submandibular gland

Morphological changes in the secretory cells of the convoluted granular tubules of the rat submandibular gland were studied following the stimulation of salivary secretion with pilocarpine nitrate. The mechanism of synthesis of secretory protein by these cells is controversial and this study was undertaken to help elucidate this mechanism. It was found that the cells expelled the contents of their secretory granules in the typical exocrine fashion. Shortly after secretion, increased volumes of rough endoplasmic reticulum appeared in the cytoplasm. The endoplasmic reticulum underwent a sequence of morphologic changes and disappeared from the cytoplasm as the secretory products were restored. Additionally, the Golgi complex showed changes. The results of this study indicate that the secretory cells of these tubules follow the accepted exocrine pattern of secretory production and discharge and that they synthesize exportable proteins at a rate far below that of other exocrine systems. The relationship of these findings to the observation that under non-stimulated conditions the cytoplasm of these cells lacks some of the organelles which are normally associated with exocrine type protein production is discussed.
Factors associated with rapid failure in a Treatment Alternatives for Safer Communities (TASC) program.

Abstract Objective Identify factors associated with early treatment failure in a Treatment Alternatives for Safer Communities (TASC) program, a case management criminal justice diversion program for individuals under community corrections supervision. Methods Demographics, medication history, substance dependence, and criminal history variables for 21,419 individuals were used as predictor variables for successful treatment outcome in a Cox Proportional Hazards Survival analysis which was used to assess the relationship between predictor variables and the length of time before treatment failure. Results Early treatment failure was associated with a number of factors linked to social stability, including: being divorced separated or widowed, being less educated, being without insurance or on government insurance, and being unemployed. Regarding addiction and criminal history, being dependent on cocaine or opioids and being under supervision for person, property, or court offenses were risk factors. Being male and being a member of a racial minority were also risk factors for early treatment failure. Meeting criteria for sedative/hypnotic dependence and being under legal supervision for a substance offense were associated with a longer duration of time to treatment failure. Conclusions Social stability, addiction history, and current criminal charges all appear to influence performance in TASC. Individuals with multiple risk factors may benefit from referral to a higher level of care upon admittance to TASC.
Triphenylsilyl as a protecting group in the synthesis of 1, 12-heterodisubstituted p-carboranes

A triphenylsilyl group is used as an auxiliary in the synthesis of heterodisubstituted p-carboranes via triphenylsilyl-p-carborane (1). The preparation of 1 is statistical, but with recovery of the starting p-carborane, the effective conversion to 1 is about 90%. Carborane 1 has been easily converted to its lithium and copper derivatives, which were reacted with a range of electrophiles including alkyl halides: an aryl iodide, an acetylene bromide, and a sulfenyl chloride. The derivatives of 1 are crystalline and UV active, which facilitates their isolation and purification. The Ph3Si group is efficiently removed with fluoride to give monosubstituted p-carboranes I, which upon further nucleophilic substitution yield p-carboranes II. The yields of heterodisubstituted products II are higher than for direct, “statistical” syntheses. For example, 12-pentyl-1,12-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane-1-carboxylic acid was synthesized from p-carborane via 1 in 62% overall yield, a considerable improvement over the 44% yie...
Peritoneal adhesion prevention with an in situ cross-linkable hyaluronan gel containing tissue-type plasminogen activator in a rabbit repeated-injury model

Postoperative peritoneal adhesions can have serious, potentially lethal consequences. Pharmacotherapy and barrier devices can reduce adhesion formation to varying degrees, but their efficacy is limited by rapid clearance from the peritoneum and lack of biological activity, respectively. To overcome these limitations, we have delivered tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), which is deficient in the first 2-3 postoperative days, using a highly cross-linked in situ forming hyaluronan gel (HAX(hx)). We demonstrated this formulation's anti-adhesion activity in a rigorous animal model that involved recurrent adhesions. While non-treated or saline-treated animals developed widespread adhesions (frequency, both 100%; median adhesion area, 12.7 and 15.4 cm(2), respectively), tPA delivered by HAX(hx) (tPA-HAX(hx)) was highly effective in preventing recurrent adhesions (frequency, 44%; median adhesion area, 0.1cm(2)). HAX(hx) itself, tPA solution, and inactivated tPA in HAX(hx) did not provide comparable anti-adhesion activity. tPA-HAX(hx) is a system that is easy to use and potentially promising for adhesion prevention.
Ecteinascidin 743: A Minor Groove Alkylator That Bends DNA toward the Major Groove

The ecteinascidins (Ets), which are natural products derived from marine tunicates, exhibit potent antitumor activity. Of the numerous Ets isolated, Et 743 is presently being evaluated in phase II clinical trials. Et 743 binds in the minor groove of DNA and alkylates N2 of guanine. Although structurally similar to saframycin, which exhibits poor activity in cellular assays, Et 743 has shown good efficacy as an antitumor agent. In this study, DNA structural distortions induced by Et 743 were examined to provide insight into the molecular basis for the antitumor activity of Et 743. Electrophoretic mobility shifts of ligated oligomers containing site-directed adducts were used to examine the extent and direction of the Et 743-induced bend. Surprisingly, we find that Et 743 bends DNA toward the major groove, which is a unique feature among DNA-interactive agents that occupy the minor groove.
The stokes translation of a particle of arbitrary shape along the axis of a circular cylinder

The effect of boundary proximity on the drag experienced by a particle of arbitrary shape translating parallel to a principal axis of translational resistance is theoretically calculated, at small Reynolds numbers, for the case in which it falls along the axis of a circular cylinder filled to a finite depth with viscous liquid. The body may occupy any position along the cylinder axis. Owing to the presence of the cylinder walls, the cylinder bottom and the free surface, the translational resistance encountered by the body is greater than would obtain in an unbounded fluid medium. Results are expressed in terms of the ratio of drag forces experienced by the body in the bounded and unbounded fluids, respectively, when moving with the same speed and orientation in the same fluid. Numerical values are provided which enable this ratio to be computed from the fundamental geometrical parameters of the system. The computation furnishes the wall correction correctly to the first-order in the ratio of characteristic particle dimension to characteristic distance of the particle from the nearest boundary.
The Native Leisure Class: Consumption and Cultural Creativity in the Andes

The Native Leisure Class: Consumption and Cultural Creativity in the Andes. Rudi Colloredo-Mansfeld. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999. ix. 258 pp., photographs, figures, maps, tables, references, index.
Dining in the Pleistocene : Who's on the menu?

The Camelot local fauna, a new fossil locality in southeastern South Carolina, has yielded a spectacularly abundant and well-preserved late Irvingtonian (ca. 400 ka) megafauna, including saber-toothed cat ( Smilodon fatalis ), wolf ( Canis armbrusteri ), cheetah ( Miracinonyx inexpectatus ), “camels” ( Hemiauchenia macrocephala and Paleolama mirifica ), tapir ( Tapirus veroensis ), deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), sloth ( Megalonyx jeffersoni ), and horse ( Equus sp.). Of particular interest is the number of well-preserved fossil teeth and the ability to decipher paleoecologies and paleodiets, especially for carnivores, by using carbon isotope compositions (δ 13 C) of these teeth. P. mirifica , M. jeffersoni , O. virginianus , and T. veroensis have the lowest δ 13 C values (−16‰ to −13‰, Vienna Peedee belemnite standard); C. armbrusteri , S. fatalis , and H. macrocephala have intermediate values (−13‰ to −8‰); and Equus sp. has the highest values (−7‰ to −1‰). High (>−5‰) vs. low (≤−9‰) δ 13 C values for herbivores indicate local habitats dominated by warm-climate grasses vs. trees and shrubs. The high δ 13 C values for Equus sp. indicate the presence of grasslands, whereas the low δ 13 C values for the other herbivores generally indicate the presence of forests. Although few data are available for carnivores, moderate δ 13 C values for C. armbrusteri indicate that it preyed mainly upon forest herbivores. S. fatalis appears to have preferred marginal woodland-grassland areas.
Problems of precise neutron beam polarization measurements

Abstract A detailed analysis of current methods of neutron beam polarization is presented and the main problems which are seen on the way of reaching the level of accuracy of 0.1% are discussed. A recently developed approach based on the use of the Stern–Gerlach effect suitable for investigating of large cross sections of neutron beams is described.
Men and Women as Computer-Using Teachers.

Education is one institutional arena in which women professionals comprise a majority of adult computer users. Using data from a national survey of schools, it was found that women comprise two-thirds of the “primary” computer-using teachers (PCUTs) in elementary schools, and the proportion of women in this role in secondary schools is nearly the same as the proportion of women among secondary school teachers as a whole. Elementary schools whose primary computer-using teacher was a woman used their computer more for programming instruction and less as a drill-and-practice tool than where a man was the PCUT. Microcomputers were used for more hours of the day and with more positive consequences at elementary schools whose PCUT was a woman. In contrast, at the secondary level, schools with men PCUTs had more extensive programs of microcomputer use in nearly every aspect measured.
Group Transfer Polymerization

The synthesis of acrylic polymers by free radical initiation is low cost and operable under easily obtainable conditions. It is the method of choice if one merely needs to obtain high-molecular-weight homopolymer and random copolymers from acrylic monomers. To obtain low-molecular-weight polymers and control polymer architecture one needs a living polymerization, i.e., one in which all the polymer chains grow simultaneously with no termination or chain transfer. Anionic polymerization and the related group transfer polymerization (GTP) are two such methods. This chapter gives a description of the GTP method, how it compares with anionic polymerization and other related methods, examples of polymer architectural control, mechanistic considerations, and synthetic procedures. A glossary at the end of the chapter gives the meanings of abbreviations and codes.
Terrestrial Macrofungi of Illinois Old-Growth Prairie Groves

Abstract Macrofungi from two old-growth prairie grove remnants in the Midwestern United States (Brownfield and Trelease Woods, Champaign Co., IL ) were surveyed over two summer and fall fruiting periods. Communities of Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes and Myxomycetes were sampled and compared using multivariate statistical analyses. Standard estimations of species richness were calculated for comparison with other studies of fungal diversity. Environmental factors (rainfall, humidity, air temperature and soil temperature at 10 cm depth) as well as leaf litter composition, and woody plant communities were surveyed to assess their impact on fungal communities. Fungal community structure was found to differ significantly both between and within Brownfield and Trelease Woods. Communities of terrestrial macrofungi were determined to be strongly influenced by seasonality, with soil temperature at 10 cm depth showing the strongest correlation to changes in community composition. Brownfield and Trelease Woods, formerl...
A Grounded Theory Exposition of the Role of the Supervisory Board in China

This paper reports the findings of an investigation, through a series of interviews, into the role of the supervisory board (SB) in Chinese listed companies. The interviews were conducted and analysed using the grounded theory methodology. It is found that the SB performs one of four roles under the Chinese corporate environment: an honoured guest, a friendly advisor, a censored watchdog or an independent watchdog. The role of the SB is dependent on a variety of factors: SB characteristics, power relations between the Board of Directors and the SB, shareholding structure, the influence of the Communist Party of China and government, the role of independent directors and the requirements of the corporate law.
Stimulation of interleukin-6 production by human conjunctival epithelial cells (HCEC) with thrombin and tryptase

Abstract Rationale Conjunctival epithelial cells protect ocular tissues and participate in the regulation of allergic inflammation by releasing numerous cytokines such as IL-6, IL-8, eotaxin, RANTES, and TNF-α. Serine proteases, acting through a G-protein coupled family of receptors known as protease activated-receptors (PARs), also participate in the inflammatory response. Thrombin and tryptase are known to activate many cell types via PAR-1 and PAR-2, respectively. In this study, we examined the effects of thrombin and tryptase on HCEC activation and demonstrated the presence of PAR-1 by RT-PCR and both PAR-1 and PAR-2 by immunoflourescence. Methods Confluent HCECs (Clone 1-5c-4, ATCC) were cultured with thrombin (1-25 U/ml), tryptase (1-50 mU/ml), or TNF-α (100-500 U/ml) for 24 hours. The IL-6 levels in culture supernatants were assayed by ELISA. The constitutive expression of PAR mRNA and proteins were determined by RT-PCR and immunoflourescence, respectively. Results Incubation of HCECs with thrombin resulted in a dose dependent statistically significant increase in IL-6 production (p Conclusions The results demonstrate that HCECs express PAR-1 and PAR-2 and produce IL-6 in response to both thrombin and tryptase. The response to thrombin, a PAR-1 agonist, was of higher magnitude than tryptase, a PAR-2 agonist.
The Tao of Chloride Transporter Structure

Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching , a central text of Asian philosophy dating to the 6th century B.C.E., offers paths to enlightenment, in part by considering apparent paradoxes. “We put thirty spokes together and call it a wheel,” it notes. “But it is on the space where nothing is that the usefulness of the wheel depends” ( 1 ). Such thinking applies equally well today—not only to the hole in the center of a wheel, but also to holes in proteins that move ions across cell membranes. Indeed, on page 635 of this issue, Feng et al. ( 2 ) present a new structure of a chloride (Cl−) transporter that reveals the mechanistic importance of an aqueous hole through the center of the protein: a space where nothing is. This new structure clarifies several paradoxical features of the unusually diverse CLC family of Cl−-transporting proteins.
Influence of psychological factors on grip strength.

Purpose Grip strength is widely used to assess upper-extremity function. Although grip strength is a quantitative measure of function, grip strength is a reflection of both physical impairment as well as subjective, psychological factors. We investigated the determinants of grip strength with the hypothesis that psychological factors are associated with diminished grip strength. Methods One hundred thirty-four patients with an isolated, discrete upper-extremity condition had grip strength measurements, and, as part of one of several prospective clinical studies, during the same visit they completed 2 or more of the following surveys: the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale, Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale, and Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Univariate and multivariable statistical analysis sought determinants of absolute grip strength and grip strength as a percentage of the opposite, uninvolved limb. Results Determinants of absolute grip strength included gender and grip strength of the uninvolved limb. The association between CES-D score and absolute grip strength was near significant but very weak. Multivariable regression analysis produced a best-fit model that retained grip strength of the uninvolved limb and CES-D scores. When grip strength of the involved limb was evaluated as a percentage of grip strength of the uninvolved limb, CES-D score was a weak but significant predictor, and patients recovering from a fracture of the distal radius had weaker grip strength than did patients with nontraumatic conditions. Conclusions Depression scores were minimally associated with diminished grip strength. Psychological factors appear to affect disability (patient-reported health status) more than they affect performance-based measures of function. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic II.
On the Compact Structure of Small fcc Metal Clusters

The general structure of small fcc metal clusters was investigated through the use of site energies, i.e., interaction energy per atom as a function of coordination. The authors used only experimental data on the dimer binding energy, the surface energy, and the bulk cohesive energy to determine these energies for all 15 fcc metals. These showed that real fcc metal systems exhibit a slight bond weakening as the number of bonds increases. It is also demonstrated that experimental data are much closer to the limit of constant bond energy than to that of constant interaction energy per atom. The constant bond energy model leads to compact structures which maximize the number of bonds, and thus the authors predicted that real small cluster systems would also be compact. Using molecular dynamics/Monte Carlo corrected effective medium theory, which nearly duplicates the experimental site energy curves, the authors studied the structures of 13-atom clusters of fcc metals via repeated melting and quenching in computer simulations. The lowest-energy structure was found to be a compact icosahedron with very high symmetry in every case. Simulations in the presence of a SiO{sub 2} support indicate that the 13-atom Pt cluster maintained its nearly icosahedral shape. 31more » refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.« less
Temperature-dependent rate and equilibrium constants for Br.(aq) + Br-(aq) ↔ Br2-.(aq)

Aqueous bromine atoms were produced by laser flash photolysis of 1,2-dibromoethane at 248 nm in solutions containing bromide ions. Forward and reverse rate constants of the title reaction were determined as functions of temperature. An analysis of potential sources of systematic errors shows that the measured forward and reverse rate constants have relative uncertainties (±σk/k) of ∼10 and ∼25%, respectively, over the temperature range from 10.5 to 50 °C. The Arrhenius parameters are (kf ± 10%) = 5.1 × 1012 exp (−1812/T) M-1 s-1 and (kr ± 25%) = 2.5 × 1010exp (−4068/T) s-1. The equilibrium constant is found from the ratio of kf/kr: (Keq ± 30%) = 2.0 × 102 exp (2256/T) M-1 or (3.9 ± 1.2) × 105 M-1 at 298 K. The reaction entropy and enthalpy are ΔSR° = 44 ± 6 J mol-1 K-1 and ΔHR° = −19 ± 2 kJ mol-1, respectively. The corresponding reaction reduction potential is ΔE° = 0.33 ± 0.01 V, in very good agreement with that calculated from half-cell potentials. In addition, preliminary rate constants for Br2-• + Br...
A Closer Look at Using Judgments of Item Difficulty to Change Answers on Computerized Adaptive Tests

Recent studies have shown that restricting review and answer change opportunities on computerized adaptive tests (CATs) to items within successive blocks reduces time spent in review, satisfies most examinees' desires for review, and controls against distortion in proficiency estimates resulting from intentional incorrect answering of items prior to review. However, restricting review opportunities on CATs may not prevent examinees from artificially raising proficiency estimates by using judgments of item difficulty to signal when to change previous answers. We evaluated six strategies for using item difficulty judgments to change answers on CATs and compared the results to those from examinees reviewing and changing answers in the usual manner. The strategy conditions varied in terms of when examinees were prompted to consider changing answers and in the information provided about the consistency of the item selection algorithm. We found that examinees fared best on average when they reviewed and changed answers in the usual manner. The best gaming strategy was one in which the examinees knew something about the consistency of the item selection algorithm and were prompted to change responses only when they were unsure about answer correctness and sure about their item difficulty judgments. However, even this strategy did not produce a mean gain in proficiency estimates.
Age of KBS Tuff in Koobi Fora Formation, East Rudolf, Kenya

Conventional K–Ar dates on pumice from the KBS Tuff horizon in the Koobi Fora Formation at East Rudolf, Kenya, distinguish two tuff units. Samples from area 10 and area 105 give an age of 1.60±0.05 Myr whereas those from area 131 give 1.82±0.04 Myr. Both ages differ from the previously published age of 2.61±0.26 Myr obtained by 40Ar/39Ar technique.