cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influences on Postural Orientation in a Virtual Environment

The purpose of this study was to determine how visual context affects intersegmental coordination during a postural stabilization task in older adults who are healthy or who have bilateral labyrinthine deficiency. Six healthy elderly (60-78 yrs) and 3 labyrinthine deficient (59-86 yrs) adults stood on a platform translating sinusoidally (plusmn10 cm at 0.25 Hz) in the a-p direction within an immersive, wide field of view virtual environment (scene) moving fore-aft (plusmn6.1 m at 0.1 Hz or plusmn2.4 m at 0.25 Hz). Kinematics of the head, trunk, and shank were collected with a 6 camera motion analysis system. Relative angles between segments were calculated and intersegmental phases and RMS values computed. Power was derived from fast Fourier transforms (FFT). Intersegmental motion varied as the visual scene was varied in magnitude, direction, and frequency from that of the support surface, suggesting that specific parameters of visual motion had a direct effect on the metrics of the postural response. When the visual parameters had little in common with the support surface disturbance, the preferred postural strategy was to approximate the body as an inverted pendulum with the ankle as the pivot point. These data imply that a conflict between visual and proprioceptive feedback will alter the metrics of the postural response and that the specific visual context is an important component of the motor plan calculations for the organization of the postural response.
Photooxidation of the nonenzymatic browning products in calf lens α-crystallin

The browning reaction (or advanced glycation) of calf lens α-crystallin generates chromophores which absorb light at wavelengths above 300 nm. They display an absorption shoulder above 300 nm, a positive circular dichroism band at 320–340 nm, and a blue fluorescence at 460 nm (Ex = 370 nm). Upon irradiation by UV-A light at a wavelength of 320–350 nm, the intensity of the absorption shoulder displayed an increase, but both circular dichroism and blue fluorescence intensities decreased. It appears that browning chromophores were photolyzed and converted to species which absorb more light at 320–330 nm, but are optically inactive. The browning products are thus susceptible to photooxidation from radiation of light above 300 nm and add an oxidative stress to the lens proteins.
Animal bones and human behavior

A.T. Clason, ed. Archaeozoological Studies. New York: American Elsevier (Amsterdam: North‐Holland), 1975. xvi + 477 pp. List of participants, index, figures, tables, and chapter references. English (29 articles), German (16 articles), and French (3 articles). $45.00 cloth. B.D. Smith. “Middle Mississippi Exploitation of Animal Populations.” Ann Arbor: University of Michigan (Museum of Anthropology) Anthropological Paper no. 57, 1975. xii + 233 pp. List of figures and tables, appendices, bibliography. $4.00 paper. R.W. Casteel. Fish Remains in Archaeology and Paleo‐environmental Studies. New York: Academic Press, 1976. x +180 pp. References, author and subject indices. $14.80 cloth. L.R. Binford, ed. For Theory Building in Archaeology: Essays on Faunal Remains, Aquatic Resources, Spatial Analysis, and Systemic Modeling. New York: Academic Press, 1977. xviii + 419 pp. List of contributors, figures, and tables, chapter references, author and subject indices. $24.50 cloth.
Removal of Organic Films From Rotating Disks Using Aqueous Solutions of Nonionic Surfactants: Effect of Surfactant Molecular Structure.

Abstract In prior work, we examined the removal of abietic acid films from rotating fiberglass laminate disks by aqueous solutions of a nonionic surfactant. A three-stage cleaning mechanism was found, consisting successively of solubilization, shear-driven cleaning, and roll-up. We extend this work by exploring the influence of the surfactant molecular structure on the kinetics of the cleaning process. Five different poly(ethylene glycol) alkyl ether surfactants (CxEy) were used. Both the alkyl (x) and ethoxy (y) chain lengths were varied. Not all of the surfactants exhibited a three-stage cleaning mechanism. It was found that for surfactants with relatively high solubilization rates, the shear-driven cleaning stage did not occur. The selection of the most efficient surfactant depends on whether the surfactant concentration is below or above its critical micelle concentration (CMC). At submicellar concentrations, faster cleaning is obtained by surfactants that can induce shear-driven removal. At concentrations above the CMC, it is found that surfactant efficiency for a fixed alkyl or ethoxy chain length increases as the surfactant becomes more hydrophilic. This is attributed in part to the lower viscosity that the film achieves with the more hydrophilic surfactants due to their partitioning into the film, as well as their ability to carry water into the film.
Multicultural education knowledgebase, attitudes and preparedness for diversity

Purpose – The paper aims to investigate the effect of multicultural knowledgebase on attitudes and feelings of preparedness to teach children from diverse backgrounds among pre‐service teachers. Currently issues of multicultural education have been heightened by the academic achievement gap and emphasis on standardized test‐scores as the indicator of learning.Design/methodology/approach – This descriptive study was conducted using surveys. A variety of data were collected through pre‐ and post‐tests. Questionnaires included Multicultural Content Test‐Educational (MCCT‐E), Multicultural Questionnaire (MC), and Preparedness Survey (PS). Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis.Findings – Results indicated that a class in multicultural education significantly increased knowledge about diversity, attitudes towards multiculturalism, and levels of preparedness to teach children from diverse backgrounds. There was no correlation between multicultural knowledge and attitudes and between attitudes and pr...
Factors Affecting the Clinical Value of Microscopy for Acid-Fast Bacilli

In order to assess the clinical value of microscopy for acid-fast bacilli (AFB), the results of 3,207 clinical specimens submitted for mycobacterial smear and culture were analyzed. Mycobacteria grew from 176 (5.5%) of the specimens, 95 (54%) of which were Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although the overall sensitivity of the smear was low (33%), 65% of respiratory specimens yielding M. tuberculosis had positive AFB smears. Furthermore, 96% of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis from whom more than one specimen was processed had at least a single positive AFB smear. Smear sensitivity correlated well with quantitative growth; 89% of specimens yielding greater than or equal to 50 colonies per slant were smear positive. Specificity of the AFB smear was high; 89% of smear-positive specimens had positive cultures. After the results from culture-negative patients known to have active tuberculosis were eliminated from the analysis, the specificity of a positive smear rose to 98.3%. When the results of all specimens from each patient were considered in toto, the AFB smear had a predictive value of greater than or equal to 96%.
Beta-Spectra of Iodine

Artificial activation of tellurium and iodine by deuterons and neutrons yields four radioactive isotopes of iodine. The momentum distributions of the beta-particles emitted by these isotopes were examined in a large hydrogen-filled cloud chamber placed in a uniform magnetic field. Applications of the Fermi theory of beta-decay and of the Konopinski-Uhlenbeck modification were made and the extrapolated end points were compared to the inspection end points. Gamma-radiation was found with each activity. An estimate of energies of the gamma-radiation associated with ${\mathrm{I}}^{130}$ and ${\mathrm{I}}^{131}$ was determined from the electrons ejected from a lead absorber placed in the cloud chamber. The following results were obtained: The original Fermi theory is in better agreement with the experimental data, the Kurie plots being linear over a considerable range to the end-point.
Modulation of Protein Tyrosine Phosphorylation by the Extracellular Matrix

Abstract Fibronectin (FN) cross-linked to fibrin following injury provides the provisional matrix required for cells to begin tissue repair. Our previous work has demonstrated that fibroblasts adherent to multimeric FN within the context of a fibrin matrix (FN–;fibrin) exhibit clear phenotypic differences from those adherent to a dimeric FN-coated surface. We hypothesize that this response to multimeric FN may be mediated by altered protein tyrosine phosphatase activity following integrin activation. Methods: NIH 3T3 cells were plated in the presence or absence of pervanadate (PV), a phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, on wells coated with FN or FN–;fibrin matrix. Spread cell areas were measured after increasing incubation times and are recorded as mean cell area (mm 2 ) ± SEM. Alternatively, cells were lysed and equal amounts of protein were analyzed by immunoblot using a monoclonal antibody specific for phosphotyrosine. Results: PV significantly inhibited cell spreading on FN–;fibrin matrices. In contrast, PV treatment had little effect on cell area on FN alone. Analysis of cell lysates revealed that protein tyrosine phosphorylation events differ in a substrate-dependent manner. Conclusion: Cell attachment to a FN–;fibrin matrix induces distinct cell shape and cytoskeletal organization. Inactivation of tyrosine-specific phosphatases enhances this distinction and inhibits the spreading of cells attached to this substrate. The phosphotyrosyl protein content of treated cells on FN–;fibrin matrix is also diminished. These results suggest that cell–;extracellular matrix interactions affect the tyrosine phosphorylation balance of the cell, thus modifying cytoskeletal organization and related signaling events.
Brachial vein transposition arteriovenous fistulas for hemodialysis access

Background An arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the preferred vascular access for hemodialysis, offering lower morbidity, mortality, and cost compared with grafts or catheters. Patients with a difficult access extremity have often lost all superficial veins, and even basilic veins may be obliterated. We have used brachial vein transposition AVFs (BVT-AVFs) in these challenging patients and review our experience in this report. Methods The study reviewed consecutive patients in whom BVT-AVFs were created from September 2006 to March 2009. Most BVT-AVFs were created in staged procedures, with the second-stage transposition operations completed 4 to 6 weeks after the first-stage AVF operation. A single-stage BVT-AVF was created when the brachial vein diameter was ≥6 mm. Results We identified 58 BVT-AVF procedures, comprising 41 women (71.0%), 28 diabetic patients (48.3%), and 29 (50.0%) had previous access surgery. The operation was completed in two stages in 45 operations (77.6%) and was a primary transposition in 13 patients. However, five of these were secondary AVFs with previous distal AV grafts or AVFs placed elsewhere; effectively, late staged procedures. Follow-up was a mean of 11 months (range, 2.0-31.7 months). Primary patency, primary-assisted patency, and cumulative (secondary) patency were 52.0%, 84.9%, and 92.4% at 12 months and 46.2%, 75.5%, and 92.4% at 24 months, respectively. Harvesting the brachial vein was tedious and more difficult than harvesting other superficial veins. No prosthetic grafts were used. Conclusion BVT-AVFs provide a suitable option for autogenous access when the basilic vein is absent in patients with difficult access extremities. Most patients required intervention for access maturation or maintenance. Most BVT-AVFs were created with staged procedures. Cumulative (secondary) patency was 92.4% at 24 months.
Asymmetric phthalocyanine synthesis by ROMP-capture-release.

Statistical condensation of norbornenyl-tagged phthalonitrile 3 (Pn A) and 4,5-di-4-methoxyphenoxyphthalonitrile 4 (Pn B) followed by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of Pcs AB3 and B4 produced asymmetric Pc-appended polymers. Acidic cleavage of the resulting polymers afforded 2,3,9,10,16,17-hexa-(4-methoxyphenoxy)-23-hydroxy Pc 9. A more soluble 2,3,9,10,16,17-hexa-4-pentylphenoxy-23-hydroxy Pc 13 was synthesized by the same strategy and modified with sebacoyl chloride demonstrating that the unmasked hydroxyl site is reactive as a nucleophile.
Purchasing Managers' Perceived Bias in Supplier-Selected Referrals

In evaluating suppliers in complex purchasing decisions involving customized solutions, purchasing managers must judge the capabilities suppliers have to provide the solutions, a judgment that often includes considerable uncertainty. To reduce this uncertainty, suppliers often ask their existing customers to be reference customers and give a referral to purchasing managers — that is, suppliers and purchasing managers consider a supplier-selected referral as a source of information. However, in contrast to other information sources, reference customers are selected by suppliers, not by purchasing managers; thus, purchasing managers may perceive a bias in the supplier-selected referral. We study the antecedents of purchasing managers’ perceived bias with a mixed-design experiment with purchasing managers as respondents. We find that the greater the experience of purchasing managers, the less the bias in the referral they perceive. We also find that reference customers can reduce purchasing managers’ perceived bias in the supplier-selected referral by giving a referral that has some negative information in an otherwise positive referral.
Measurement of Higher-Order Elastic Constants, Using Finite Deformations

The deviations from Hooke's law of single-crystal "whiskers" of copper, silver, and iron and fibers of fused quartz have been measured. These deviations are related to the third-order elastic constants. The results are in agreement with third-order elastic constants measured by ultrasonic techniques for copper, silver, and fused quartz. Using the pressure derivatives of the second-order elastic constants of iron as measured by Rotter and Smith and the present results, three of the third-order elastic constants of iron have been determined. The values are (in units of ${10}^{12}$ dyn/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$) ${{c}_{111}}^{T}=\ensuremath{-}28$, ${{c}_{112}}^{T}=\ensuremath{-}8.0$, and ${{c}_{123}}^{T}=\ensuremath{-}6.1$. For fused quartz, it is possible to make an estimate of a combination of the fourth-order elastic constants: ${{c}_{1111}}^{T}\ensuremath{-}1.4{{c}_{1112}}^{T}+0.34{{c}_{1122}}^{T}+0.23{{c}_{1123}}^{T}=5.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{14}$ dyn/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$.
Generation of component representations for rocks using the Simplex approach

Abstract Simplex multifactor search techniques provide a new method for translating elemental chemical oxide data for a particular rock into a component representation. In order to use simplexing techniques a component set is chosen and, a response function to be minimized is defined. Simplex then employs factor expansion, contraction and reflection, to find a global minimum in the response function. The coordinates of the global minimum describe the fraction of each component in the rock. The results of applying Simplex to chemical oxide data for several granites, a limestone, and a shale are discussed. Results of normative calculations for granites and shales are compared to the simplex results.
Cognitive Models That Predict Physician Judgments of Capacity to Consent in Mild Alzheimer's Disease

OBJECTIVE: To identify cognitive measures that predict consent capacity of normal and demented older adults as judged by experienced physicians. This study is a companion to the physician competency judgment research reported in this issue. DESIGN: Predictor models for competency judgments of individual physicians were developed using independent patient neuropsychological test measures and discriminant function analyses (DFA). SETTING: University medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects were 16 normal older controls and 29 patients with mild AD (MMSE ≥ 20). Five experienced medical center physicians were recruited as competency decision-makers. MEASUREMENTS: Subjects were videotaped responding to a standardized consent capacity interview (SCCI) designed to evaluate capacity to consent to treatment. Interview subjects were also independently administered (off videotape) a battery of neuropsychological measures theoretically and empirically linked to competency function. Study physicians blinded to subject diagnosis and neuropsychological test performance individually viewed each SCCI videotape and made a judgment of competent or incompetent to consent to treatment. Stepwise DFA identified neuropsychological predictors of each physician's competency judgments for the full sample (N = 45). Classification DFAs determined how accurately these predictor models classified competency outcomes assigned by the individual physician. RESULTS: Cognitive models differed across individual physicians and were related to stringency of judgments for AD patients. Under stepwise DFA, delayed verbal recall (R2 = .57, P < .0001) predicted judgments of Physician 1 (incompetency rate of 90% for AD patients), short term verbal recall (R2 = .43, P < .0001) predicted judgments of Physician 2 (incompetency rate of 52%), phonemic word fluency (R2 = .27, P < .001) predicted judgments of Physician 3 (incompetency rate of 24%), and visuomotor tracking/sequencing (R2 = .31, P < .001) predicted judgments of Physician 4 (incompetency rate of 14%). (No predictor model was available for Physician 5 as this physician found all subjects to be competent). These single predictor solutions correctly classified 93%, 87%, 87%, and 96% of cases for Physicians 1–4, respectively. Use of two predictor solutions achieved successful classification rates between 98% and 100%. CONCLUSIONS: We identified two cognitive models of consent capacity as judged by physicians: (1) verbal recall and (2) simple executive function. The verbal recall model predicted judgments of physicians likely to find mild AD patients incompetent, whereas the executive function model predicted judgments of physicians likely to find mild AD patients competent. Assessment of verbal recall and simple executive functions may provide important information in the clinical evaluation of capacity to consent to treatment.
The Smallest Meaningful Sample of Classroom Transactions.

In order to explore the question of the number of observations necessary to obtain a trustworthy sample of classroom transactions, the data from an existing study were reanalyzed. Sixteen teachers, all of whom were trained to use the materials and procedures of the Science Curriculum Improvement Study, were observed four times with a five-category system which classified teacher questions. In this sample, teachers were extremely variable across occasions. The reliability of a single observation was zero for four of the five variables. For the fifth variable, asking students to hypothesize, it was estimated that 11 to 20 observations would be necessary to obtain a stable mean score for each teacher.
Virtual Sex Ed: Youth, Race, Sex, and New Media

This article is an introduction to the special issue of Sexuality Research and Social Policy, in which we give an overview and highlight the important themes covered by the featured articles. Each paper is based on a presentation given at an interdisciplinary conference, Virtual Sex Ed: Youth, Race, Sex, and New Media, hosted by the Section of Family Planning and Contraceptive Research within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture at the University of Chicago on June 4, 2009. Given both the reach and the newness of the field, research and analyses will be key to a greater understanding of how to best incorporate technology in our efforts to improve the health and well-being of adolescents.
The benzoyl ion. Thermochemistry and kinetic energy release

The thermochemistry of benzoyl ion formation from a variety of sources has been examined by using the measured kinetic energy release for metastable ions to estimate the excess energy of the activated complex. A correlation is observed between this estimated excess energy and literature values of the heat of formation of the benzoyl ion. From this relationship and the observed correlation between the uncorrected heat of formation and the difference between the appearance potential of [C6H5CO]+ and the ionization potential of the parent compound, the large range of reported values for ΔHf[C6H5CO]+ is seen to be due, at least in part, to variation in the kinetic shift with the critical energy of the reaction. With the exception of the ion generated from trifluoroacetophenone and possibly that from benzaldehyde, the fragmenting [C7H5O]+ ions are shown, from kinetic energy release data, to be structurally identical. The approach adopted here may have general merit in improving or testing the accuracy of thermochemical data based on appearance potential measurements.
Experience with Large Hydro-Generators at Grand Coulee

The design and construction of the three 826 MV??A hydro-generators for the Grand Coulee Third Power Plant represents a significant achievement. A number of factors conspired to create a situation wherein local contact occurred between the stator and rotors of one unit. This paper outlines the events leading up to this incident, describes investigative work, and remedial measures taken to reestablish the intended design parameters.
Improvements and continued challenges in the early detection of skin cancers

Skin cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer around the world. In particular, we are challenged by melanoma, the most frequent cause of death from skin cancer, and compared with all other cancers, one that often affects younger individuals. It is estimated that at least 9000 individuals will die from melanoma in the USA and in Australia in 2012; it is the fourth most common cancer overall. Earlier intervention and detection have had promising effects on mortality, but not at a satisfactory rate. The authors will review the newest developments in detection and awareness of skin cancer with a focus on melanoma. Much work remains to be done to improve our ability to prevent this cancer before it reaches a fatal stage.
Effect of cortisol and urea on flavin monooxygenase activity and expression in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss.

Expression of flavin-containing monooxygenase(s) (FMO) correlates with salinity exposure in certain species of euryhaline fish, such as the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. The mechanism(s) by which salinity regulates FMO is unclear. Adult rainbow trout were infused through the dorsal aorta with either cortisol or urea. At 500 ng/ml, cortisol caused a significant increase in FMO-catalyzed thiourea oxidase activity in gill and liver microsomes. FMO1 expression, however, was significantly increased by the high cortisol dose only in gill microsomes. The levels of TMAO and urea were not altered by cortisol. In the liver, urea infusion caused an increase in hepatic FMO activity. FMO expression and activity correlated with elevated tissue urea levels, but TMAO concentrations were not related. These results indicate that FMO expression and activity may be partially controlled by the osmoregulatory/stress hormone, cortisol, and concentrations of the organic osmolyte, urea, in the rainbow trout.
Vitreous Substitutes: A Comprehensive Review

Vitreoretinal disorders constitute a significant portion of treatable ocular disease. Advances in vitreoretinal surgery have included the development and characterization of suitable substitutes for the vitreous. Air, balanced salt solutions, perfluorocarbons, expansile gases, and silicone oil serve integral roles in modern vitreoretinal surgery. Vitreous substitutes vary widely in their properties, serve different clinical functions, and present different shortcomings. Permanent vitreous replacement has been attempted with collagen, hyaluronic acid, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, and natural hydrogel polymers. None, however, have proven to be clinically viable. A long-term vitreous substitute remains to be found, and recent research suggests promise in the area of synthetic polymers. Here we review the currently available vitreous substitutes, as well those in the experimental phase. We classify these compounds based on their functionality, composition, and properties. We also discuss the clinical use, advantages, and shortcomings of the various substitutes. In addition we define the ideal vitreous substitute and highlight the need for a permanent substitute with long-term viability and compatibility. Finally, we attempt to define the future role of biomaterials research and the various functions they may serve in the area of vitreous substitutes.
Applications of fast-setting hydroxyapatite cement: cranioplasty.

A variety of autogenous and synthetic materials have been used to repair cranial defects resulting from traumatic and iatrogenic causes. In theory, the ideal material should be readily available and safe. It should adequately protect the underlying central nervous system, resist cerebrospinal fluid fistula formation, and be easily contoured. One promising synthetic biomaterial that has been used for cranioplasty is hydroxyapatite cement. This biomaterial has successfully restored cranial contour in most patients in whom it has been used; however, difficulties have arisen because of the material's prolonged water solubility. When exposed to cerebrospinal fluid or blood, inadequate setting of the cement occurs, resulting in loss of its structural integrity. This problem can be alleviated with the use of fast-setting hydroxyapatite cement, which hardens 6 to 12 times faster than the traditional cement. We present, to the best of our knowledge, the first series of the use of this material in 21 patients requiring cranioplasty. The advantages and limitations of fast-setting hydroxyapatite cement will be discussed. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000;123:409-12.)
Split skew products, a related functional equation, and specification

We prove that a skew product of a measure-preserving transformation with an ergodic automorphism of a compact abelian group is always isomorphic to their direct product via an isomorphism that merely translates the group fibers. This requires solving a functional equation. A weak version of Bowen’s specification property is essential to our construction of a solution.
The Pharmaceutical Industry — Prices and Progress

In this Health Policy Report, the author examines the economics of the pharmaceutical industry. Research-and-development costs, patent laws, and health insurance coverage all influence drug pricing. The author discusses the policy dilemmas resulting from the complex economics of pharmaceutical research and development and reviews potential strategies to control prices.
Effect of Solar Radiation on Thermal and Hydrodynamic Conditions in Laminar, Open Channel Flow

A three-dimensional laminar flow model has been used with a one-dimensional radiation transfer model to predict the response of a slowly moving liquid layer to solar irradiation. Calculations performed for a range of liquid velocities, liquid and substrate radiative properties, and solar irradiation reveal the important influence of buoyancy forces on hydrodynamic and thermal conditions. Buoyancy forces induce a secondary flow which takes the form of longitudinal vortices and/or ascending-descending thermals. Onset of the secondary flow may be advanced and the strength of the flow may be enhanced by increasing the irradiation and the albedo or by decreasing the extinction coefficient, substrate reflectivity, and velocity.
Cardiac muscle of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus. I. Ultrastructure.

The fine structure of the cardiac muscle of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, has been studied with respect to the organization of its contractile material, and the structure of its organelles and the cell junctions. Longitudinal sections show long sarcomeres (5.37 µ at Lmax), wide A bands (2.7 µ), irregular Z lines, no M line, and no apparent H zone. Transverse sections through the S zone of the A band show that each thick filament is ca. 180 A in diameter, is circular in profile with a center of low density, and is surrounded by an orbit of 9–12 thin filaments, each 60 A in diameter. Thick filaments are confined to the A band: thin filaments originate at the Z band, extend through the I band, and pass into the A band between the thick filaments. The sarcolemmal surface area is increased significantly by intercellular clefts. Extending into the fiber from these clefts and from the sarcolemma, T tubules pass into the fiber at the A-I level. Each fibril is enveloped by a profuse membranous covering of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Sacculations of the SR occur at the A-I boundary where they make diadic contact with longitudinal branches of the T system. These branches also extend toward the Z, enlarge at the Z line, and pass into the next sarcomere. Infrequently noted were intercalated discs possessing terminal insertion and desmosome modifications, but lacking close junctions (fasciae occludentes). These structural details are compared with those of mammalian cardiac and invertebrate muscles.
Interface and contact structures for nanoelectronic devices using assemblies of metallic nanoclusters, conjugated organic molecules and chemically stable semiconductor layers

Abstract Self-assembly (‘building’) approaches can provide well-controlled structures and assemblies at the nanometer scale, but typically do not provide the specific structures or functionalities required for robust nanoelectronic circuits. One approach to realize high-density nanoelectronic circuits is to combine self-assembly techniques with more conventional semiconductor device and circuit approaches (‘chiseling`) in order to provide suitable functionality and arbitrary circuit functions. An interesting challenge is to find approaches where these techniques can be combined to realize suitable device structures. This paper describes recent work which combines self-assembly techniques involving metal nanoclusters and conjugated organic molecules with semiconductor interface and device structures to form structures of interest for nanoelectronics. One key requirement for this approach is the availability of a chemically stable semiconductor surface layer, which can provide a low-resistance interface between the metallic nanostructure and the semiconductor device layers following room-temperature, ex situ processing. As an illustration of the structures which can be realized, we describe a nanometer-scale ohmic contact to n-type GaAs which utilizes low-temperature-grown GaAs as the chemically stable interface layer. Contact structures have been realized using both isolated (sparse) clusters and using close-packed arrays of clusters on the surface. The low-resistance contacts between the nanoclusters and the semiconductor device layers indicates that relatively low surface barriers and high doping densities have been achieved in these ex situ structures. The general conduction model for this contact structure is described in terms of the interface electrical properties and the contributions from the various components are discussed.
Waste Not, Want Not—Differential Lithic Utilization and Efficiency of Use:

Prehistoric people utilized different lithic raw materials differently. The differential “efficiency of use” as measured by average debitage flake weight and average percentage of flake edge retouched should differ as a function of raw materials' value. Value is a product of inherent qualities in the stone including ease of flake production and edge characteristics. Value is also a function of the labor input necessary for a material's procurement. The further a source, the greater the necessary labor input, the higher the value and, hypothetically, the greater the expected efficiency of use.The above construct was tested at the Loomis II site in central Connecticut. Here, raw materials used in stone toolmaking included locally available quartz and basalt and exotic flint and jasper. Efficiency of use as measured by an Efficiency Index indicates that indeed, the further a raw material's source, the higher the efficiency of use.
Government Payments and Farm Business Survival

Using farm-level panel data from recent U.S. Agricultural Censuses, this study examines how direct government payments influence the survival of farm businesses, paying particular attention to the differential effect of payments across farm-size categories. A Cox proportional hazards model is used to estimate the effect of government payments on the instantaneous probability of a farm business failure, controlling for farm and operator characteristics. Results indicate that an increase in government payments has a small but statistically significant negative effect on the rate of business failure, and the magnitude of this effect increases with farm size.
Does virtual diversity matter

Effects of avatar-based diversity representation of virtual worlds are examined.Blacks and Whites viewed low- vs. high-diversity representation of Second Life.Low diversity rendered Blacks less willing to reveal their offline racial identity.Low diversity led Blacks to customize their avatar to be more White-looking. The present experiment investigated how avatar-based racial diversity representation of virtual worlds influences racial minority individuals' expression of their offline racial identity in the virtual realm. Black and White participants, after being exposed to low- vs. high-diversity representation of Second Life, were given an opportunity to customize a Second Life avatar for themselves. Participants also reported how willing they were to reveal offline racial identity in the virtual world. Perceived racial characteristics (Black-looking vs. White-looking) of the avatars customized by the participants were rated by two independent coders who were blind to the objectives and hypotheses of the present experiment. The results showed that White participants' willingness to reveal offline racial identity and avatar customization were not affected by the levels of avatar-based diversity representation. By contrast, Black participants showed differential responses after being exposed to low- vs. high-diversity representation. When compared with Black participants in the high-diversity condition, Black participants in the low-diversity condition were less willing to reveal their offline racial identity. Furthermore, the avatars customized by Black participants in the low-diversity condition were rated by the independent coders as more White-looking when compared with the avatars customized by Black participants in the high-diversity condition, hinting at virtual racial passing.
Links of complex analytic singularities

This is a part survey part research paper studying the local topology of complex analytic spaces. We review and strengthen the results of Kapovich--Kollar "Fundamental groups of links of isolated singularities" (1109.4047) and incorporate the paper "Dual graphs of exceptional divisors" (1203.2640) into the current one. A new result is the characterization of the fundamental group of links of Cohen-Macaulay singularities. The last section lists numerous open problems and conjectures. Version 2: Questions 62--65 revised following comments of Shaneson and Maxim. Version 3: Many small changes, especially in section about Questions and Problems.
Water Tensions in Plants—an Entomological Approach

The feeding of sharpshooters, Hordnia circellata (Baker) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), ingesting the xylem sap of various plants, is considered in relation to sap tensions that may exist in the xylem vessels and to the suction that the insects may be able to create. The feeding (excretion) rate of the insects appears not to be affected appreciably by hydrostatic tensions existing or imposed on the sap ingested by the insects.
In vitro cytotoxicity of human endothelial cells in polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis.

We studied sera from 20 patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)/giant cell arteritis (GCA), 15 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 15 patients with the CREST syndrome (calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysfunction, sclerodactyly, and telangectasia) and 33 age and sex matched controls for cytotoxicity against human endothelial cells using a 51Cr release assay. We observed increased levels of endothelial cytotoxic activity in the PMR/GCA sera compared with controls (P<0.001). This cytotoxicity was predominantly found in the GCA group, where 7 out of 10 patients (70%) demonstrated significant cytotoxicity. Sequential studies showed that the cytotoxic activity returned to normal when the disease was under control. Although 7 SLE and 3 CREST sera had significant cytotoxic activity, as a group they did not differ from controls (P<0.05). Pre-incubation with soybean trypsin inhibitor suppressed the cytotoxic activity in the positive sera suggesting the cytotoxicity is mediated via a protease mechanism.
Target object identification and localization in mobile manipulations

How to make mobile manipulator autonomously identify and locate target object in unknown environment, this is a very challenging question. In this paper, a multi-sensor fusion method based on camera and laser range finder (LRF) for mobile manipulations is proposed. Although the camera can acquire rich perceptual information, the image processing is very complex and easily influenced from the change in ambient light. Moreover, it can not directly provide the depth information of the environment. Since the LRF has the ability to directly measure 3D coordinates and the stability against the ambient light influence, meanwhile, the camera has the ability to acquire color information, the combination of the two sensors by making use of their advantages is utilized to obtain more accurate measurements as well as to simplify information processing. To overlay the camera image with the measurement points of the LRF pitching scan and to reconstruct the 3D image which includes the depth-of-field information, the model and the calibration of the system are built. Based on the combination of the color features extracted from the color image and the shape, size features extracted from the 3D depth-of-field image, the target object identification and localization are implemented autonomously. In order to extract the shape and size features, a triangular facet normal vector clustering (TFNVC) algorithm is introduced. The effectiveness of the proposed method and algorithm are validated by some experimental testing and analysis carried out on the mobile manipulator platform.
Choking in Sport: ACT on It!

The purpose of this article is to describe the phenomenon of choking in sport, and suggest a process approach to managing competitive pressure and choking (based on the sport, cognitive, and clinical psychology literature). Specific suggestions are provided for athletes to use before, during, and after competition. Athletes are encouraged to accept and acknowledge pressure and the feelings associated with choking, as opposed to attempting to avoid or get rid of these feelings. The strategy for athletes to use during competition is to ACT on it, or to follow the steps of Accept, Center, and Trust.
Real Estate Values, Federal Income Taxation, and the Importance of Local Market Conditions

This article develops an income property valuation model that explicitly incorporates the effects of local market conditions. In particular, the model allows real rents to respond to a change in tax law, or to any exogenous shock to the system, with the dynamics of the rent change over time dependent upon current local supply and demand conditions and on the expected rate of economic growth in the local economy. Application of the model to an analysis of reduced capital gain taxation demonstrates that a partial reversal of TRA86's real estate provisions would disproportionately benefit those markets, and related lending institutions, which are most in need of a bolstering of real estate values.
Development and calibration of field-effect transistor-based sensor array for measurement of hydrogen and ammonia gas mixtures in humid air

A sensor array for analyzing hydrogen and ammonia gas mixtures in humid air has been developed, built into a rugged system, and calibrated for laboratory testing. The sensor array is comprised of four chemically sensitive field-effect transistors (CHEMFETs). Chemically sensitive layers for the sensors were developed and tested using a Kelvin probe. A combination of catalytic and noncatalytic thin layers (palladium and polyaniline) was selected for the four-sensor array. The work function responses of the CHEMFET sensor array to mixtures of hydrogen, ammonia, and humid air were measured. Chemometric multivariate methods, linear and nonlinear partial least squares, were used for the calibration of the sensor array using gas mixtures in the concentration range from 0 to 10 000 ppm hydrogen and ammonia in humid air. The sensor array for ammonia showed good sensitivity, selectivity, response time, and stability and is recommended for field deployment. In contrast, the sensor array for hydrogen, though highly sensitive to hydrogen, demonstrated inadequate stability, requiring further development before deployment is recommended.
A new family of tandem repetitive early histone genes in the sea urchin Lytechinus pictus: evidence for concerted evolution within tandem arrays

Abstract We have isolated and characterized a third nonallelic tandemly arrayed histone cluster (LpE) from the sea urchin Lytechinus pictus. Although this tandem array is not intermingled with the other two early histone gene families also found in the L. pictus genome, the order and polarity of the five histone coding sequences in this family are the same as every other well characterized sea urchin early histone gene family. Heteroduplex analysis and restriction endonuclease mapping experiments indicate that the LpE family is more closely related to the B-C than the A-D family of early histone genes. Examination of several individual sperm DNA samples has revealed considerable polymorphism in each of the three tandem repeat families. Within an individual, however, each family is remarkably homogeneous. Thus, our results indicate that rapid fixation of variants acts to homogenize the members of a single tandem array at a considerably faster rate within a family than between families. However, at least some exchange of sequences between families is evident based on the conservation of many restriction endonuclease recognition sites and from analysis of a a cosmid clone in which the A-D and E tandem repeats are found adjacent to one another. These differences in the rate of fixation of variants within and between these families are likely to be responsible for the maintenance of diversity between the different families.
Estimation of elastic coefficients in beams with parameter constraints: penalization

Abstract The estimation of elastic parameters in beams in the presence of pointwise and norm constraints is considered. It is shown that these constraints tend to regularize the optimal parameter. This additional smoothness is useful in analyzing the limit behavior of penalized finite-dimensional approximating problems. Numerical results are presented.
The relationship between channel conflict and information processing

Abstract It has long been recognized that conflict within channels of distribution can be either functional or dysfunctional. What is lacking in the literature is a clear understanding of the cognitive processes within the channel that determines whether conflict is to be viewed as functional or dysfunctional. This manuscript introduces information processing to the channel literature to explain how channel members form schema against which new information about a specific channel member is compared. The comparison of new information against an existing schema influences whether a specific conflict episode has the potential of being viewed as functional or dysfunctional. This article develops the notion that both individual boundary personnel and the organization form schema. In addition, this article contends that the organization's schema is a “superordinate” schema that is conveyed to the individual boundary personnel, and acts as the primary mechanism used to compare incoming information. A model of this process and managerial implications are presented. Propositions are developed through-out the manuscript.
Transposon mutagenesis of Mycoplasma gallisepticum by conjugation with enterococcus faecalis and determination of insertion site by direct genomic sequencing.

Abstract Few genetic systems for studying mycoplasmas exist, but transposon Tn916 has been shown to transpose into the genomes of some species and can be used as an insertional mutagen. In the current study, the ability of Enterococcus faecalis to serve as a donor for the conjugative transfer of transposon Tn916 into the genome of the avian pathogen Mycoplasma gallisepticum strain PG31 was examined. Transconjugants were obtained at a frequency of ≥6 × 10−8 per recipient CFU. To determine the transposon insertion site, an oligonucleotide primer corresponding to the 3′ end of Tn916 was designed for the purpose of directly sequencing genomic DNA without PCR amplification. Using the direct sequencing approach, Tn916 was shown to insert into any of numerous sites in the M. gallisepticum genome. This is the first report of conjugal transposition of Tn916 into the M. gallisepticum genome. The ability to determine transposon insertion sites in mycoplasmas by genomic sequencing has not been previously described and allows rapid sequence analysis of transposon-generated mutants.
A Simple Two-Gene Prognostic Model for Adenocarcinoma of the Lung

Objective We hypothesized that clinical outcome of resected early-stage adenocarcinoma of the lung can be predicted by the expression of a few critically important genes as measured by quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded primary tumors. Methods Twenty-two prognostic genes for the metastatic phenotype were identified through complementary DNA microarray analysis of 4 cancer cell lines and bioinformatics analysis. Expression levels of a subset of these genes (n = 13) were measured by real-time time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded primary adenocarcinoma from patients whose disease recurred within 2 years (n = 9) and in patients who did not have a recurrence (n = 11). Receiver operating characteristic curves were analyzed to establish prognostic values of single genes. The most informative gene was combined with the remaining genes to determine whether there was a particular pair(s) that yielded high diagnostic accuracy. A small validation study was performed. Results Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the single genes revealed that high expression of CK19 was associated with nonrecurrence (area under the curve = 0.859, confidence interval=0.651–0.970). The CK19/EpCAM2 gene ratio had the most reproducible prognostic accuracy, followed by the CK19/P-cadherin ratio. A Kaplan–Meier survival analysis generated from the CK19/EpCAM2 ratio resulted in highly significant curves as a function of marker positivity ( P = .0007; hazard ratio=10.7). Significance declined but was maintained in the validation study. Conclusions This preliminary study provides evidence that the CK19/EpCAM2 and/or CK19/P-cadherin ratio(s) may be a simple and accurate prognostic indicator of clinical outcome in early-stage adenocarcinoma of the lung. If further validation studies from large patient cohorts confirm the results, adjuvant therapy could be targeted to this high-risk group.