cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Remediation to Reduce Ecological Risk from Trace Element Contamination: A Decision Case Study.

The cumulative result of almost 100 years of mining, milling, and smelting has left areas of Jasper County, Missouri, contaminated with high levels of the trace metals Pb, Cd, and Zn. The site was listed on the National Priorities List in 1990 and is now known as the Jasper County or Oronogo–Duenweg Mining Belt Superfund Site. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) divided the site into four operable units (OU), each with a uniquely specific objective. This decision case study focused on OU-1, evaluation and remediation of the ecology. Remediation efforts focused on reducing the concentrations of trace metals in the terrestrial environment and surface waters to reduce the risks to terrestrial vermivores and the aquatic ecosystems, and to permanently protect future residents from risks associated with exposure to mining and milling wastes. The USEPA drafted a Proposed Plan and identified a preferred alternative. The citizens of Joplin, MO, through the Jasper County Superfund Site Coalition, had the opportunity to provide input on the Proposed Plan and preferred alternative. This real scenario can be used to introduce students to the concepts of ecological risk, human health risk, soil and water chemistry, soil remediation, and social issues that are delicately entwined regarding this site. The learning objectives for this decision case study are to understand the ecological risks associated with the site, to appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of all options presented in the Proposed Plan, and to gain an appreciation for the complex nature of the situation involving environmental, social, and economic variables.
Health, wellness, and safety concerns of persons with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury and their family caregivers: a qualitative content analysis.

Persons with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) face issues with health, wellness, and safety that affect their ability to independently manage their care, even for individuals who are...
Photoacoustic imaging of clofazimine hydrochloride nanoparticle accumulation in cancerous vs normal prostates

Prostate cancer was the most common form and had the second highest death rate of male cancer in the United States in 2015. Current diagnosis techniques, such as prostate-specific antigen tests, transrectal ultrasound scans, and biopsies, are often inconclusive, and in the latter case, invasive. Here, we explore the use of clofazimine hydrochloride nanoparticles (CFZ-HCl NPs), a repurposed formulation from an FDA-approved antimycobacterial agent, as a photoacoustic contrast agent for the evaluation of prostate cancer due to its macrophage-targeting capabilities and high optical absorbance at 495 nm. Using a transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) mouse model, our results indicate a preferential accumulation of intravenously injected CFZ-HCl NPs in cancerous prostates over normal prostates. Differences in accumulation of CFZ-HCl NPs between cancerous and normal prostates were determined using a two-wavelength unmixing technique via ex vivo photoacoustic imaging. Thus, intravenous injection of CFZ-HCl NPs leads to differences in the interactions of the particles with cancerous vs normal prostates, while allowing for photoacoustic detection and analysis of prostate cancer. These findings could lead to the development of a new noninvasive technique for the detection and monitoring of prostate cancer progression in an animal model that can potentially be translated to human patients.
The association between network centrality and standard of living in a historical agrarian population.

Objective The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between network centrality and living standards as measured by fertility and mortality responses to short-term economic stress. Methods Cox proportional hazard models estimate the effects of staple grain price variation and eigenvector and beta centrality within marriage and labor networks on the timing of births and child mortality (1-14 years) in a historical demographic data set from North Orkney, Scotland, 1851-1911. Results Households that are peripheral to the marriage and labor network experience lower chances of a birth when food prices are high. The fertility of more central households is less sensitive to price changes. A similar, but weaker, pattern holds for child mortality, which is also sensitive to price fluctuations, although the social gradient is not as clear. Conclusions Marriage and labor network centrality is an indicator of standard of living in this remote, agricultural population. Households that are firmly embedded in the network are able to overcome and adjust to short-term economic stress without demographic consequences, while those at the edges of the community experience delayed reproduction in poor years consistent with unplanned responses to stress.
Scaling of the performance of insect-inspired passive-pitching flapping wings.

Flapping flight using passive pitch regulation is a commonly used mode of thrust and lift generation in insects and has been widely emulated in flying vehicles because it allows for simple implemen...
Online Quantification of Input Model Uncertainty by Two-Layer Importance Sampling

Stochastic simulation has been widely used to analyze the performance of complex stochastic systems and facilitate decision making in those systems. Stochastic simulation is driven by the input model, which is a collection of probability distributions that model the stochasticity in the system. The input model is usually estimated using a finite amount of data, which introduces the so-called input model uncertainty to the simulation output. How to quantify input uncertainty has been studied extensively, and many methods have been proposed for the batch data setting, i.e., when all the data are available at once. However, methods for "streaming data" arriving sequentially in time are still in demand, despite that streaming data have become increasingly prevalent in modern applications. To fill this gap, we propose a two-layer importance sampling framework that incorporates streaming data for online input uncertainty quantification. Under this framework, we develop two algorithms that suit different application scenarios: the first scenario is when data come at a fast speed and there is no time for any new simulation in between updates; the second is when data come at a moderate speed and a few but limited simulations are allowed at each time stage. We prove the consistency and asymptotic convergence rate results, which theoretically show the efficiency of our proposed approach. We further demonstrate the proposed algorithms on a numerical example of the news vendor problem.
Wearable Sensor Array Design for Spine Posture Monitoring During Exercise Incorporating Biofeedback

Physical therapy (PT) exercise is an evidence-based intervention for non-specific chronic low back pain, spinal deformities and poor posture. Home based PT programs are aimed at strengthening core muscle groups, improving mobility and flexibility, and promoting proper posture. However, assessing unsupervised home-based PT outcomes is a generally difficult problem due to lack of reliable methods to monitor execution correctness and compliance. We propose a monitoring method consisting of a wearable sensor array to monitor three geodesic distances between two points on the surface of the shoulders and one point on the lower back. The sensor array may be built into a custom garment or a light weight harness wirelessly linked to a pattern recognition algorithm implemented in a mobile app. We use a new type of triangular stretch sensor array design which can generate a unique signature for a correct spine therapy exercise when performed by a specific subject. We conducted a pilot test consisting of three experiments: (i) two exercise patterns simulated by a mechanical device, (ii) one PT case of a scoliosis therapy exercise including spinal flexion, extension, and rotation performed by one volunteer patient, and (iii) a set of three lower back flexibility exercises performed by six subjects. Overall, the results of correctness recognition show 70–100% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The pilot test provides key data for further development including clinical trials. The significance of the method includes simplicity of design and training method, ability to test with simulated signals, and potential to provide real time biofeedback.
Lysophosphatidic Acid Reduces Microregional Oxygen Supply/Consumption Balance After Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion

BACKGROUND Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a small phospholipid-signaling molecule, which can alter responses to stress in the central nervous system. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that exogenous LPA would increase the size of infarct and reduce microregional O2 supply/consumption balance after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. METHODS This was tested in isoflurane-anesthetized rats with middle cerebral artery blockade for 1 h and reperfusion for 2 h with or without LPA (1 mg/kg, at 30, 60, and 90 min after reperfusion). Regional cerebral blood flow was determined using a C14-iodoantipyrine autoradiographic technique. Regional small-vessel (20-60 µm in diameter) arterial and venous oxygen saturations were determined microspectrophotometrically. RESULTS There were no significant hemodynamic or arterial blood gas differences between groups. The control ischemic-reperfused cortex had a similar O2 consumption to the contralateral cortex. However, microregional O2 supply/consumption balance was significantly reduced in the ischemic-reperfused cortex with many areas of low O2 saturation (43 of 80 veins with O2 saturation below 50%). LPA did not significantly alter cerebral blood flow, but it did significantly increase O2 extraction and consumption of the ischemic-reperfused region. It also significantly increased the number of small veins with low O2 saturations in the reperfused region (76 of 80 veins with O2 saturation below 50%). This was associated with a significantly increased cortical infarct size after LPA administration (11.4 ± 0.5% control vs. 16.4 ± 0.6% LPA). CONCLUSION This suggests that LPA reduces cell survival and that it is associated with an increase in the number of small microregions with reduced local oxygen balance after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.
Salmonella infection among patients of diarrhea in Beijing

近几年国内外的暴发疫情提示沙门菌可能仍然是腹泻病的一个重要病原体,本研究于2008年5月至2009年12月在北京市肠道门诊进行调查,以了解腹泻病例发病特征及沙门菌感染状况,分析沙门菌菌型分布。
Structuraland Thermoelectric Properties of BlackArsenic–Phosphorus

Here, we report the structural and temperature-dependent transport properties of AsxP1–x (x = 0, 0.2, 0.5, 0.83, and 1) alloys. It is observed that black phosphorous-related phonon modes in the all...
All-Digital Single Sideband (SSB) Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Backscatter with an Inductor-free, Digitally-Tuned Capacitance Modulator

We present a novel all-digital approach for generating single-sideband (SSB) backscatter communication uplinks, using an inductor-free, digitally-tuned capacitance modulator. An example Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) compatible single-sideband backscatter implementation is described. The FPGA-based approach presented here consumes 35.5 mW, of which 34.8 mW (98.2%) is due to digital logic in the FPGA, and only 600 µW (1.8%) is consumed by the backscatter modulator. The measured sideband suppression ratio is 10.7 dB. Over-the-air tests demonstrate compatibility with a completely unmodified (neither hardware nor software modifications) iPad, iPhone, Samsung Android Smartphone, and an off-the-shelf BLE chipset from Nordic Semiconductor. This all-digital approach points the way toward future single-chip, inductor-free SSB BLE-compatible backscatter sensors and devices.
Limit Equilibrium Analysis and Design of Geosynthetic-Reinforced Fill Walls Under Special Conditions

Geosynthetics have been successfully used to reinforce fill for walls for different applications. Under certain circumstances, these walls may be designed and constructed under special conditions, for example, tiered walls, back-to-back walls, limited space fill walls and fill walls with secondary reinforcement. Most design methods available in design standards or manuals based on lateral earth pressure theories cannot or must be modified to approximately handle such special conditions. Limit equilibrium methods have been commonly used to analyse and design slopes including reinforced slopes and can be used to analyse and design geosynthetic-reinforced fill walls under these special conditions. This paper describes progressive failure from fill walls to fill slopes, presents the evidences of fill walls and slopes having similar failure modes and justifies the use of the limit equilibrium approach to analyse and design geosynthetic-reinforced fill walls under special conditions. This paper also presents a top-down limit equilibrium design procedure and demonstrates the advantages of using this procedure for designing geosynthetic-reinforced fill walls under special conditions.
Progress in Tuning Emission of the Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer (ESIPT)-Based Fluorescent Probes

In this review, we will summarize our recent progress in the design and application of novel organic sensors with emission in the near-infrared region (600-900 nm). By coupling different functional groups with excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) segments, new probes are developed to achieve a large Stokes shift, high sensitivity, and selectivity and to tune the emission toward the near-infrared region. The developed probes exhibit attractive optical properties for bioimaging and environmental science applications. In addition, we further discuss the photophysical properties of ESIPT dyes and how their fluorescence could be affected by structural/environmental factors, which should be considered during the development of robust ESIPT-based fluorescence probes. Their potential applications as imaging reagents are illustrated for intracellular membranes, mitochondria, lysosomes, and some biomolecules.
Opening the Gates to Asia: A Transpacific History of How America Repealed Asian Exclusion: by Jane H. Hong, Chapel Hill, NC, The University of North Carolina Press, 2019, 280 pp., $32.95 (paperback), ISBN 9781469653365

In Opening the Gates to Asia, historian Jane Hong provides a comprehensive study of the repeal of Asian exclusion in the United States. Hong traces the series of legislative reforms in the years be...
Indications for Allogeneic HCT in Adults with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in First Complete Remission

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults is associated with poor outcomes as compared to children when treated with chemotherapy, leading to a considerably inferior cure rate. Historically, consolidation with allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (alloHCT) was routinely recommended for eligible adults with ALL in first complete remission (CR1) if a donor was available, since randomized studies showed superiority over continuing chemotherapy. With the increasing use of pediatric-inspired frontline regimens in young adults with ALL and the availability of novel salvage agents for relapsed/refractory B-cell ALL that have high potential in inducing a second CR, the role of early alloHCT in the treatment paradigm for ALL needs to be reevaluated, and the decision should be individualized for each patient. Simultaneously, alloHCT has evolved considerably lately, and historical randomized studies that have proven the benefit of alloHCT in adults with ALL in CR1 did not included the increasing use of reduced intensity conditioning and haploidentical transplants, and therefore, data may not entirely apply. Nowadays, detectable minimal residual disease (MRD) is the most prognostic determinant of ALL outcome and should be a major consideration in the decision to perform alloHcT in CR1. Nonetheless, other biological and clinical factors remain relevant and can support the complex decision-making. Such factors include high-risk leukemia genetics, the type of administered chemotherapy regimen and the ability of the patient to tolerate all key components of the regimen, and the availability of effective salvage therapies that allow alloHCT to be performed in CR2 in case of relapse after chemotherapy.
Hmgb2 Is a Novel Transcriptional Regulator of Latexin in Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) provide life-long production of blood cells and undergo self-renewal division in order to sustain the stem cell pool. Precisely regulated HSC pool maintenance and blood cell production is vital for organismal survival. We previously have identified a protein, latexin (Lxn), as a novel regulator of HSCs in mice, whose natural variation in the expression is inversely correlated with HSC population size. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in transcriptional regulation of Lxn in HSCs have not been clearly defined. By using DNA pull down and mass spectrometry, we identified several proteins that bind to the promoter region of Lxn. One top candidate is Hmgb2(High mobility group protein B2). ChIP Q-PCR assay and luciferase assay confirmed the binding of Hmgb2 to Lxn promoter with the potential role of transcriptional repressor. We also found that knock-down of Hmgb2 increases the endogenous Lxn expression at both mRNA and protein levels in hematopoietic cell line EML cells and primary HSC cells. As a result, HSC number was demonstrated decreased in vitro and in vivo due to decreased self-renewal and proliferation and increased apoptosis. This study, for the first time, revealed the transcriptional regulation of Lxn by Hmgb2. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Perturbation-specific responses by two neural circuits generating similar activity patterns.

Summary A fundamental question in neuroscience is whether neuronal circuits with variable circuit parameters that produce similar outputs respond comparably to equivalent perturbations. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 Work on the pyloric rhythm of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) showed that highly variable sets of intrinsic and synaptic conductances can generate similar circuit activity patterns. 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 Importantly, in response to physiologically relevant perturbations, these disparate circuit solutions can respond robustly and reliably, 10 , 11 , 12 but when exposed to extreme perturbations the underlying circuit parameter differences produce diverse patterns of disrupted activity. 7 , 12 , 13 In this example, the pyloric circuit is unchanged; only the conductance values vary. In contrast, the gastric mill rhythm in the STG can be generated by distinct circuits when activated by different modulatory neurons and/or neuropeptides. 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 Generally, these distinct circuits produce different gastric mill rhythms. However, the rhythms driven by stimulating modulatory commissural neuron 1 (MCN1) and bath-applying CabPK (Cancer borealis pyrokinin) peptide generate comparable output patterns, despite having distinct circuits that use separate cellular and synaptic mechanisms. 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 Here, we use these two gastric mill circuits to determine whether such circuits respond comparably when challenged with persisting (hormonal: CCAP) or acute (sensory: GPR neuron) metabotropic influences. Surprisingly, the hormone-mediated action separates these two rhythms despite activating the same ionic current in the same circuit neuron during both rhythms, whereas the sensory neuron evokes comparable responses despite acting via different synapses during each rhythm. These results highlight the need for caution when inferring the circuit response to a perturbation when that circuit is not well defined physiologically.
The Coalition of the Unwilling: Contentious Politics, Political Opportunity Structures, and Challenges for the Contemporary Peace Movement

The Bush Doctrine, which was installed after the 9-11 attacks on the United States under the guise of the war on terrorism, postulated a vision of the United States as the world’s unchallenged superpower and the invasion of Iraq became one of the central fronts of this war. After failing to get approval by the United Nations for the invasion, the Bush Administration’s attempt to assemble a coalition of the willing became critical to the battle for public opinion to back the war. While the administration was able to garner some support, the coalition eventually unravelled and all troops are expected to depart by 2011 in what is perceived by many as a failure of U.S. foreign policy. This article discusses how different strands of social movement theory, including resource mobilization and the political process model, can be combined to examine how the coalition of the unwilling emerged and what effect it had on the failure of the United States to sustain support for the Iraq war. It contributes to the literature on social movements by assessing the ways in which structuraland micro-level mobilization efforts are often interconnected in order to explain both the how and the why of social movements, usually treated separately in much of the extant research. Author Bio(s) Victoria Carty is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Chapman University. She has written several articles on social movements in the United States, Mexico, and broader, transnational movements. In 2010, her book entitled Wired and Mobilizing: Social Movements, New Technology, and Electoral Politics was published by Routledge Press, and she is currently completing another book called Social Movements and New Technologies that will be published by Westview Press in 2012. Email: carty@chapman.edu. This article is available in Peace and Conflict Studies: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/pcs/vol18/iss1/3 Peace and Conflict Studies • Volume 18, Number 1 79 The Coalition of the Unwilling: Contentious Politics, Political Opportunity Structures, and Challenges for the Contemporary Peace Movement
Heat Flow through the Deep Sea Floor

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the heat flow through the deep sea floor. To get an estimate of the heat flow the mean conductivity of the rocks penetrated by a bore hole or shaft must be estimated. Different methods that are employed to measure heat flow at sea are discussed. As on land, the temperature gradient and the conductivity are measured separately, the former by a probe stuck into the sediments of the ocean floor and the latter by laboratory measurements on samples collected with a coring tube. Thermal conductivities are measured by both steady-state and transient methods. The effect of imperfect thermal contact between the specimens and the disks is investigated using disks of varying thickness. The results of measured value of heat flow of three different oceans—Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Mediterranean—are summarized. The oceanic as well as the continental heat flow appears to have its origin below the sediments. If the heat flow at sea is largely brought to the surface by rising convection currents, there should be corresponding regions of low heat flow in places where the material is sinking.
Time-domain model of 4-level gain system fitted to nanohole array lasing experiment

We developed an accurate three dimensional time domain model of a 4-level gain system fitted to lasing experiment with a silver nanohole array. The simulated emission intensity showed clear lasing effects confirmed by optical experiments.
Interactive Task-Plan Learning

Low-level direct commanding of space robots can be time consuming or impractical for complex systems with many degrees of freedom. My research will adaptively raise the level of interaction between the operator and the robot by (1) allowing the robot to learn implicit plans by detecting patterns in the interaction history, and (2) enabling the human to demonstrate continuous motions through teleoperation. Learned tasks and plans are recorded for future use. I introduce a novel representation of continuous actions called parameterized probabilistic flow tubes that I hypothesize will more closely encode a human’s intended motions and provide flexibility during execution in new situations. I also introduce the use of planning for plan recognition in the domain of hybrid tasks.
Safety, Reliability and Structural Design

Safety factor of structure is defined in terms of frequency distribution of quotient of resistance and load, and its relation with probability of structural failure is developed; concepts of structural reliability and of risk of failure are introduced and examined as basis of safety analysis for finite operational life of non-redundant and of redundant structures; safety analysis based on logarithmic-normal and extremal distributions of resistance and of load.
A Neural-Network Approach to Adaptive Similarity and Stimulus Representations in Cortico-Hippocampal Function

ABSTRACT We previously presented a top-down, connectionist model of cortico-hippocampal interaction during classical conditioning (Gluck & Myers, 1993) which argues that the hippocampal region adapts stimulus similarity according to two basic principles: a bias to differentiate—or reduce similarity—between stimuli that are predictive of different salient future events, and a bias to increase similarity between stimuli that co-occur and/or predict similar future events. The original cortico-hippocampal model of Gluck and Myers (1993) addressed a wide range of intact and hippocampal-lesion data. It also generated a number of novel and testable predictions about behavioral phenomena that should be hippocampal dependent. In more recent work (Myers, Gluck, & Granger, 1995) we have shown how at least one aspect of the proposed hippocampal - region function could arise from the substrate of the entorhinal cortex, the major sensory input to the hippocampal formation. Other work has shown how the role of cholinergic modulation from the medial septum can be incorporated into the model and relevant behavioral data explained (Myers, Ermita, Harris, Hasselmo, Solomon, & Gluck, 1996). This modeling suggests instead that the hippocampus is always active during normal learning. What should differ consistently between intact and hippocampal-lesioned animals are the strategies or methods by which they master tasks. This viewpoint suggests that attempts to differentiate and identify "hippocampal-dependent" or "hippocampal-independent" tasks may not be the most useful way to proceed. Rather, empirical emphasis should focus on tasks that can be solved by both intact and hippocampal-lesioned animals, and concentrate on ways in which generalization or transfer performance differs between the two groups.
Electron Microscopic Observations on the Penetration of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus into Gram-negative Bacterial Hosts

The progressive stages in Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus penetration into two strains of Escherichia coli were examined by use of electron microscopic techniques. The initial change observed in the ultrastructure of the host following parasitic attack was the swelling of the cell envelope at the site of attachment. The Bdellovibrio then appeared to pierce the center of this swelling, forming a pore in the outer wall layers of the host. The edges of this entry pore constricted the Bdellovibrio throughout its penetration into the host cell. Although partial disruption of the cytoplasmic membrane was always apparent, the parasite did not appear to actively penetrate through this barrier. An attempt is made to correlate the fine structural changes involved in penetration with the physiological data that have accumulated to date. Images
The Cutaneous, Net Clinical, and Health Economic Benefits of Advanced Pneumatic Compression Devices in Patients With Lymphedema

Importance The prevalence and clinical burden of lymphedema is known to be increasing. Nevertheless, evidence-based comparative effectiveness data regarding lymphedema therapeutic interventions have been poor. Objective To examine the impact of an advanced pneumatic compression device (APCD) on cutaneous and other clinical outcomes and health economic costs in a representative privately insured population of lymphedema patients. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective analysis of a deidentified private insurance database from 2007 through 2013, and multivariate regression analysis comparing outcomes for the 12 months before and after APCD purchase, adjusting for baseline patient characteristics. Patients with lymphedema who received an APCD who were commercially insured and Medicare managed care enrollees from a large, national US managed care health insurer. The study population was evaluated as cancer-related and non–cancer-related lymphedema cohorts. Intervention Receipt of an APCD. Main Outcomes and Measures Rates of cellulitis, use of lymphedema-related manual therapy, outpatient hospital visits, and inpatient hospitalizations. Lymphedema-related direct costs were measured for home health care, hospital outpatient care, office visits, emergency department use, and inpatient care. Results The study sample included 718 patients (374 in the cancer cohort and 344 in the noncancer cohort). In both cohorts, use of an APCD was associated with similar reductions in adjusted rates of cellulitis episodes (from 21.1% to 4.5% in the cancer cohort and 28.8% to 7.3% in the noncancer cohort; P P P P = .002). The corresponding decline in costs for the noncancer cohort was 36% (from $2937 to $1883, P = .007). Conclusions and Relevance The study found an association between significant reductions in episodes of cellulitis (cancer vs noncancer cohorts) and outpatient care and costs of APCD acquisition within a 1-year time frame in patients with both cancer-related and non–cancer-related lymphedema.
Consumer Reactions to a Provider's Position on Social Issues: The Effect of Varying Frames of Reference

How do consumers’ perceptions of a provider's stance on a social issue affect their intentions to patronize that provider? Drawing on research on public opinion and consumer decision making, we examined how the reference frames implicit in alternate issue wordings and a provider's status-quo position on that issue interact to affect consumers’ willingness to engage in a range of consumption behaviors. Results of two experiments indicate that subjects perceived a minority rights law as being more justifiable and were more willing to patronize a provider that supported such a law when it was framed as “protection from discrimination” than as “special rights.” Moreover, subjects were less willing to patronize a provider that had withdrawn its prior support of a minority rights law than if it had never supported such a law only when the issue was framed as “protection from discrimination” and not as “special rights.” This difference is partially explained by subjects’ justifiability perceptions and is moderated by their sex and familiarity with the minority group.
Soil series and land use impacts on major soil properties: A quantitative comparison

Human-induced soil change is attracting increasing attention, yet how to quantitatively measure anthropogenic impact on changes in soil properties remains unclear. Eight selected soil properties—bulk density (BD), sand, silt, and clay content, pH, soil organic matter (SOM), total carbon (TC), and total nitrogen (TN)—at four soil depths (0–10, 10–20, 20–30, and 30–40 cm) were measured across three soil series (Gallion, Latanier and Sharkey) in south-central Louisiana, USA, to quantify changes in soil properties as a function of three contrasting land use types, i.e. forest, cropland, and Wetlands Reserve Program. Partial eta-squared values (η2) derived from two-way analysis of variance were used to quantitatively compare natural factors (soil series) and anthropogenic impact (land use) on these soil properties. Results showed that properties such as BD, pH, SOM, TC, and TN could be easily changed by anthropogenic disturbance, especially at 0–10 cm, while soil texture was mainly a natural factor. The anthropogenic factor accounted for 55.2%, 39.5%, 33.2%, and 36.0% of changes in the soil properties at 0–10, 10–20, 20–30, and 30–40 cm depth, respectively. These findings highlight the anthropogenic impact on selected soil properties.
Consumer shopping value, satisfaction, and loyalty for retail apparel brands

Purpose – To examine the effect of utilitarian and hedonic shopping benefits on customer satisfaction, loyalty, and word of mouth communication in a retail branded context.Design/methodology/approach – A sample of young adult consumers (N=276) was surveyed using a self‐administered questionnaire. Statistical techniques (confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling) were used to evaluate the data.Findings – Statistical models indicate support for significant, positive relationships between utilitarian and hedonic shopping benefits, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and word of mouth communication.Research limitations/implications – Limitations of this study include the use of a college student sample and confinement to the specialty apparel retail branded purchasing context. The findings are useful because links between the delivery of shopping benefits (e.g. hedonic and utilitarian) and important outcome variables (e.g. customer satisfaction, loyalty, and word of mouth communication) ...
RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE QUICK TEST, TWO MEASURES OF PSYCHOMOTOR FUNCTIONING, AND AGE

Summary.-As part of a routine testing battery, 180 neuropsychiatric patients were administered Form l of the Quick Test, the Bender-Gestalt Test (scored by the Hain method), and the Memory-for-Designs Test. The relationships among the Quick Test and the rwo psychomotor tests were examined, taking age into consideration. Implications for the clinical use of these tests were discussed. With the ever-increasing array of techniques available for use in making diagnostic decisions, the clinical psychologist must continually reassess the relative advantages and disadvantages of the various instr~unents at his disposal. As new, and sometimes briefer, tests are devised, there is a need to determine whether these are related to ocher instruments in the same way as are the older, more established tests. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among the Quick Test (QT) by Ammons and Ammons (1962), a measure of recognition of word meaning, and two tests of psychomotor performance, the Memory-for-Designs Test (MFD) by Graham and Kendall (1960) and the Bender-Gestalt Test scored by the Hain ( 1964) scoring method (BG-H) . METHOD Ss were 141 male and 39 female neuropsychiatric patients ac Central State Hospital (Ga.). Ages ranged from 18 to 65 yr., with a median of 31 and a mean of 32 yr. The reported educational levels of Ss ranged from no formal education to graduate study, with a median of 9th grade. All Ss were included in the study on the basis of routine referral for psychological examination. The sample was heterogeneous with respect to diagnosis and was generally representative of the population of patients referred for psychological evaluation in 1967 at Central State Hospital. The patients were administered all three tests, and the QT scores were compared with those on the MFD and the BG-H. The QT represents a significant savings in administration and scoring time, and several studies have indicated that scores on this test correlate highly with other measures of intelligence (Quattlebaum & White, 1969; Abidin & Byrne, 1967; Ogilvie, 1965; Stewart, Cole, & Williams, 1967). The relationships of the MFD and age to the WechslerBellevue and the Stanford-Binet were reported by Graham and Kendall ( 1960).
Categorical Usages and Complex Realities: Race, Ethnicity, and Religion in the United States

This article compares and comments on the "two sociologies," that of the journals and monographs and that of the introductory textbooks. The principal concern is with the treatments of race, ethnicity, and religion. The principal argument is that the categorical usages found in the textbooks hide significant ongoing social changes. To address these questions we present data from the 1972-98 NORC General Social Surveys. The evidence presented does not support a range of standard claims found in the five leading textbooks. Those textbooks do not adequately reflect well-known findings reported in the discipline's specialties. Although easy and convenient, categorical usages are often seriously misleading, as may be seen with respect to three frequently used terms: race (black and white), ethnicity (defined by national origin), and religion (Protestant, Catholic, and Jew). The categorical statements provide few qualifications, indicate no exceptions, and neglect deviating or minority experience. For these reasons, they also fail to recognize change and, accordingly, say nothing about rates or causes. This article argues the need for more qualified formulations, ones that recognize differentiation and change within all three of these categories. The specialized literature, sociology's journals and monographs, understandably provide detailed and differentiated readings. The categorical-usage problem appears in its most serious form in introductory sociology textbooks. A serious gap has appeared between these two "literatures" in that the findings of the specialized literature are not reflected in the introductory texts.
Distinct retinohypothalamic innervation patterns predict the developmental emergence of species-typical circadian phase preference in nocturnal Norway rats and diurnal nile grass rats

How does the brain develop differently to support nocturnality in some mammals, but diurnality in others? To answer this question, one might look to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is entrained by light via the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT). However, because the SCN is more active during the day in all mammals studied thus far, it alone cannot determine circadian phase preference. In adult Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus), which are nocturnal, the RHT also projects to the ventral subparaventricular zone (vSPVZ), an adjacent region that expresses an in-phase pattern of SCN-vSPVZ neuronal activity. In contrast, in adult Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus), which are diurnal, an anti-phase pattern of SCN-vSPVZ neuronal activity is expressed. We hypothesized that these species differences result in part from a weak or absent RHT-to-vSPVZ projection in grass rats. Here, using a developmental comparative approach, we assessed species differences in behavior, hypothalamic activity, and RHT anatomy. We report that a robust retina-to-vSPVZ projection develops in Norway rats around the end of the second postnatal week when nocturnal wakefulness and the in-phase pattern of neuronal activity emerge. In grass rats, however, such a projection does not develop and the emergence of the anti-phase pattern during the second postnatal week is accompanied by increased diurnal wakefulness. When considered within the context of previously published reports on RHT projections in a variety of species, the current findings suggest that how and when the retina connects to the hypothalamus differentially shapes brain and behavior to produce animals that occupy opposing temporal niches.
Unusual Presentation of a Laryngeal Mass

Awomaninher50swithahistoryofhypertensionandchronicback painpresented to theemergencydepartment. Shehadbeendiscoveredunresponsive inbed,wasapneic, andwas intubated in the field. Shehadexperiencedmultiple episodesof emesis. Atpresentation, a computed tomographic (CT) scan demonstrated diffuse subarachnoidhemorrhage, intraventricular hemorrhage, andcommunicating hydrocephaluswithtonsillarandcentralherniation.Shereceivedmannitolandanemergentextraventriculardrain.Duringherhospital stay, a cerebral aneurysm was successfully treated by an endovascular route. She required a tracheostomy and percutaneous gastrostomy tube placement. Twenty-eight days after her tracheostomy, a flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with sensory testing (FEESST) revealed a submucosal mass. The mass did not fully obstruct the airway, and the patient tolerated a Passy-Muir valve with no respiratory distress. The primary teamadministered dexamethasonesodiumphosphateandconsultedtheotolaryngologyservice.On examination, her vital signs werewithin normal limits, shewas nonverbalbut innoacutedistress,herbreathingunlaboredandsilent,with no stridor or stertor. Passing a flexible fiber-optic laryngoscope confirmedthepresenceofanapparentsubmucosalmassthateitheroriginated from the epiglottis or deep to a severely edematous right aryepiglottic (AE) fold or arytenoid, or completely obstructed the vocal cords from view. Themass did not respond to steroids. A CT scan of the neck with intravenous contrast was performed (Figure, A). The mass was nonenhancing. Subsequently, a retrospective review of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination demonstrated the mass compressed by the endotracheal catheter (Figure, B). What is your diagnosis? A
The amino terminus of the putative Drosophila choline acetyltransferase precursor is cleaved to yield the 67 kDa enzyme.

Abstract A putative precursor of the 67 kDa choline acetyltransferase (Acetyl-CoA: choline-O-acetyltransferase; EC 2.3.1.6) polypeptide from Drosophila was examined using polyclonal antibodies. The central purpose of the study was to probe the suspected precursor with anti-peptide antibodies that could identify a cleavable amino terminal domain, since such a structure could be responsible for targeting the enzyme to the presynaptic terminal. Antisera were produced to both a plasmid-expressed fusion-free enzyme protein and a 26-amino acid-long peptide reproducing sequence from the enzyme. Both antisera were capable of precipitating enzyme activity from crude supernatants. Western blotting with the antibody to the plasmid-expressed enzyme visualized a major polypeptide at 75 kDa and minor polypeptides at 67 and 54 kDa. Affinity-purified IgG to the synthetic peptide only recognized the 75 kDa component and was unable to recognize purified 67 kDa enzyme protein. Timed autolysis of the enzyme in crude homogenates demonstrated both a 67 kDa polypeptide that was present prior to homogenization and a species that appeared as a product of the autolysis. The evidence from this study is consistent with the expectation that the 75 kDa band, visualized on Western blots with antisera to the enzyme, is an authentic enzyme protein. These data further suggested that the 75 kDa protein is an amino-terminally extended precursor of the 67 kDa enzyme that can be cleaved to generate the 67 kDa specie.
Occurrence, transport, and fate of trace elements, Blue River Basin, Summit County, Colorado: an integrated approach

Mining activities in the Blue River Basin, Summit County, Colorado, have affected the trace-element chemistry and biota along French Gulch and the Blue River. Elevated concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were present in the bed and suspended sediments. Bed sediment trace-element concentrations were high in the streams in and near mining activities in the basin and remained high as water flowed into Dillon Reservoir about 3.5 km downstream. Bed-sediment ( < 63 μm) data were useful in assessing the distribution of trace elements in the basin. Suspended-sediment measurements provided information as to the transport of the trace elements. Filtered ( < 0.45 μm) water-column trace-element concentrations were orders of magnitude less than the sediment concentrations. Concentrations of Cd and Zn in the water column at some sites exceeded stream water-quality standards. Elevated trace-element concentrations in the sediment and water column are a source of contamination and must be considered in water-quality management of the Blue River Basin.
FLIGHT MUSCLE CHANGES IN BLACK HILLS BEETLES, DENDROCTONUS PONDEROSAE (COLEOPTERA: SCOLYTIDAE), DURING EMERGENCE AND EGG LAYING

The lateralis medius, an indirect flight muscle of Black Hills beetles, degenerated abruptly in females within 3 days after attack. Egg laying began at the end of the 3 days. Thickness of the muscle changed much more than width. Regeneration began in most ovipositing females about 10 days after attack. Steady development of the muscle to its maximum size, reached prior to beetle emergence, offers a method of forecasting emergence.
Structure of a PCU-derived pinacol formed via sodiumpromoted reductive dimerization of pentacyclo[5.4.0.02,6.03,10.05,9]undecane-8,11-dione monoethylene ketal

The pinacol resulting from sodium promoted reductive coupling of pentacyclo[5.4.0.02,6.-03,10.05,9]undecane-8,11-dione monoethylene ketal possesses a conformation, dictated by intramolecular hydrogen bonding, that lies midway between eclipsed and staggered. The C−C and C−O distances in the pinacol unit are, respectively, longer and shorter than usual, and all parameters are as expected.
Spectroscopic characterization of nanovesicles originating from self-forming synthetic PEGylated lipids

Abstract In this study, we have utilized the advantages of biophotonics and nanotechnology in conjunction with vibrational spectroscopic techniques to understand the various properties of biological macromolecules known as lipid bilayers or liposomes and nanovesicles. Liposomes are spherical particles that can encapsulate a fraction of the solvent into their interior. Liposomes are constructed of polar lipids which are characterized by having a lipophilic and hydrophilic group on the same molecules. Liposomes are nowadays used extensively as a model for biological membranes as well as drug and gene delivery vehicles. Here, we have studied newly developed novel self-forming synthetic PEGylated lipids (trademarked as QuSomes) and nanovesicles by means of Raman vibrational spectroscopic techniques. In contrast to conventional phospholipids, these new kinds of lipids spontaneously form liposomes or lipid vesicles upon hydration, without the supply of external activation energy. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been used for the imaging of single lipid vesicle and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) has been utilized to measure the size distribution of such nanoparticles in suspensions. Furthermore, we have obtained an excellent signal-to-noise ratio in the Raman spectra for single particle of ∼100 nm dimension. The cross-sections of associated Raman signal for the lipid vesicles in PBS suspension have been estimated to be of the order of 10 −28 cm 2 /(nanoparticles sr). In this work, we have found that the Raman spectra of PEGylated lipids are dominated by vibrational bands arising mainly from C–H and C–C stretching modes that have been used to identify important fingerprint regions. These spectra have been studied extensively as a function of temperature, pH value and size distribution of such nanoparticles to unravel the structural changes and conformational order and disorder phenomena.
Effects of Race and Socioeconomic Status on Career Choice Variables among College Men.

Abstract This study compared 48 black and 48 white college men who were matched using Duncan's (1961) socioeconomic indicator (SEI) ratings and divided into upper and lower socioeconomic groups. This methodology avoided confounding race and socioeconomic status and permitted study of their interaction. Variables relevant to the career choice process were chosen as outcome measures. No group differences on age or educational level were found. Z tests of the distributions of subjects by VPI types indicated race, SEI, and race × SEI differences in preference for artistic, realistic, and investigative occupations, respectively. Analyses of variance indicated a racial difference on one measure of career indecision, and SEI differences on a second measure of career indecision and on the relationship between the subjects' VPI types and college major. Z tests of the distribution of the most important factors listed as career goal impediments indicated race × SEI differences. These findings are discussed relative to their implications for interpreting previous research and for advancing research methodology.