cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“Straight-Acting Gays”: The Relationship Between Masculine Consciousness, Anti-Effeminacy, and Negative Gay Identity

Some gay men are preoccupied with traditional notions of masculinity and express negative feelings towards effeminate behavior in gay men. Various scholars have speculated that such attitudes by gay men reflect internalized negative feelings about being gay. Thus, we sought to assess the importance of masculinity among gay men, to compare their ideal versus perceived masculinity–femininity, to ask how gay men assess masculinity, and to test whether masculine consciousness and anti-effeminacy could predict negative feelings about being gay. Results from an online survey of 751 gay men in the United States (M Age = 32.64 years, SD = 11.94) showed that the majority rated masculinity for themselves and in a same-sex partner as important, and they ideally wished that their behavior was more masculine (Cohen’s d = .42) and less feminine (d = .42) than they perceived it to be. Furthermore, one’s behavior was more important than how one looks when assessing masculinity. A multiple regression analysis showed that the degree to which they were preoccupied with masculinity and expressed anti-effeminacy accounted for 30% of the variance in negative feelings about being gay. These finding further support the idea that masculinity is an important construct for gay men and that masculine consciousness and anti-effeminacy are related to negative feelings about being gay.
Deuterium Hugoniot up to 120 Gpa (1.2 Mbar)

The shock compression curve (Hugoniot) of D2 has been controversial because the two data sets measured previously with a laser (L) and with pulsed currents (PC) differ substantially. Recently, Hugoniot points of D2 have been measured at shock pressures of 123, 109, 61, 54, and 28 GPa using hemispherically converging, explosively-driven systems (CS). The CS results are in good agreement with the PC data and the error bars of the CS-PC data are less than half those of the L data. The limiting compression obtained from the best fit to the CS-PC data is 4.30 ± 0.10 at 100 GPa. The CS-PC data are in good agreement with PIMC and DFT calculations, which is expected to be the case at higher shock temperatures and pressures, as well.
Sliding Mode Control for a Membrane Mirror Strip Actuated Using Multiple Smart Actuators

The sliding mode technique is used to control the deformation of a membrane mirror strip. A membrane mirror strip is augmented with two macro fiber composite (MFC) bimorphs. The first bimorph is actuated in bending whereas the second is actuated in tension. Membrane strips are usually tensioned uniformly. However, the presence of the tension bimorphs induces a local tension at its location. The membrane strip is modeled as an Euler-Bernoulli beam under tensile load, whereas the MFCs are modeled as monolithic piezoceramics. To cast the system into a finite dimensional state space form, the finite elements method (FEM) is used. The control action is switched when the membrane strip approaches its original undeformed shape. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control law.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
What the Double Helix (1953) Has Meant for Basic Biomedical Science: A Personal Commentary

THE ARTICLE published by Watson and Crick in 1953 1 was the landmark pointer to our contemporary model of DNA as a macromolecular structure. This lay on a well-worn path of biophysical analysis, reducing microscopic anatomy to the molecular level. It also helped inspire an enormous body of biochemical research that has defined DNA as the informational molecule, a discontinuity that has been labeled the Biological Revolution of the 20th Century. As a piece of structural analysis, the idea of the double helix includes the concepts (1) that DNA is a duplex structure, comprising two paired complementary strands, associated by secondary, noncovalent bonds; (2) that the strand pairs are coiled, forming a double helix; and (3) that these are antiparallel—the orientation of one strand being in the opposite polarity from the other. The most novel features of DNA are associated with its duplicity, rather than its helicity. Linear polymers rarely
Dexmedetomidine and ketamine sedation for muscle biopsies in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

BACKGROUND Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) possesses many potential challenges for anesthetic care. Invasive and noninvasive procedures with corresponding sedation or general anesthesia are frequent and necessary for affected patients. There remains a need for a better agent or agents for procedural sedation in patients with comorbid diseases. This study prospectively evaluated a combination of ketamine with two different doses of dexmedetomidine for sedation during muscle biopsy in patients with DMD. METHODS Dexmedetomidine 1.0 or 0.5 μg·kg(-1) was administered as a loading dose over 3 min followed by a continuous infusion of 1.0 or 0.5 μg·kg·h(-1). Ketamine (1 mg·kg(-1)) was administered along with the dexmedetomidine loading dose. As the procedure commenced, additional doses of ketamine (0.5 mg·kg(-1)) were administered as needed. Sedation scores, hemodynamic data, operative times, and recovery times were recorded. RESULTS The study cohort included a total of 53 bicep, deltoid, or anterior tibialis muscle biopsies in 19 boys including 24 in the dexmedetomidine 1.0 μg·kg(-1) group and 29 in the dexmedetomidine 0.5 μg·kg(-1) group. Mean age and weight were 9.7 ± 1.4 years and 33.3 ± 7.7 kg in the dexmedetomidine 1.0 μg·kg(-1) group and 8.8 ± 1.8 years and 30.2 ± 10.8 kg in the dexmedetomidine 0.5 μg·kg(-1) group. No significant changes in blood pressure were noted. A decrease in heart rate (HR) occurred after the loading dose of dexmedetomidine in both groups. The HR was significantly lower in the dexmedetomidine 1.0 μg·kg(-1) group compared with the dexmedetomidine 0.5 μg·kg(-1) group. Total recovery time to discharge was significantly shorter in the dexmedetomidine 0.5 μg·kg(-1) group than the dexmedetomidine 1.0 μg·kg(-1) group (146 ± 65 vs 174 ± 58 min; P = 0.03), although the total ketamine dose was significantly greater in the dexmedetomidine 0.5 μg·kg(-1) group (3.7 ± 1.0 vs 2.0 ± 0.5 mg·kg(-1); P < 0.01). There were no episodes of apnea or hypoventilation; however, a jaw thrust was needed in one patient in the dexmedetomidine 1.0 μg·kg(-1) group. CONCLUSION The combination of dexmedetomidine and ketamine is safe and effective for moderately painful procedures with limited respiratory and cardiovascular effects in a high-risk patient population. Dexmedetomidine 0.5 μg·kg(-1) as a loading dose with ketamine followed by a continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine at 0.5 μg·kg(-1) ·h(-1) achieved an adequate sedation level with shorter total recovery times in the perioperative unit compared with a higher dose regimen of dexmedetomidine (1.0 μg·kg(-1) loading dose followed by an infusion at 1.0 μg·kg(-1) ·h(-1)).
Multiphysics modeling and simulation of high-solids dilute-acid pretreatment of corn stover in a steam-explosion reactor

Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass, by which the accessibility of cellulose to enzymes is enhanced, is an important step in the biochemical conversion of biomass feedstocks to biofuels. A mathematical model that considers both spatial and temporal phenomena in a biomass particle has the potential to accurately predict carbohydrate conversion and macroscopic structural changes during pretreatment. The development, implementation, and validation of a multiphysics model for high-solids (44%) dilute-acid pretreatment of a pre-impregnated corn-stover particle is presented. The model consists of tightly coupled time-dependent reaction-diffusion equations with finite-rate chemistry. The model partial-differential equations were discretized and solved numerically by the Legendre spectral finite element method. The simulation results were compared to experimental data that were obtained by performing pretreatment on pre-impregnated corn stover in a steam-explosion reactor. The majority of the modeling parameters were set by established science, obtained from the literature, or were experimentally measured initial conditions. The remaining unknown kinetic rate parameters were obtained by fitting simulation results to a limited set of experimental data. Reasonable quantitative agreement was subsequently obtained between simulation results and a larger set of experimental data. The model simulations illustrate the strong dependence of the biomass conversion rate on the spatially dependent and transient acid concentration within the particle. It is observed that time scales of thermal-diffusion are much shorter than those for chemical reactions, which results in an isothermal condition for long pretreatment times. Diffusion of steam within the biomass particle dictates acid dilution and the zone where reactions occur.
A multimodal approach to high resolution image classification

As the collection of multiple modalities over a single region of interest becomes more common, users are provided with the capability to better overcome limitations of one data type by using the strengths of another. Often, when working only with hyperspectral imagery, scene classification is limited both by the generally lower spatial resolution of the hyperspectral imagery as well as the inability to distinguish classes which are spectrally similar, like asphalt roofing material and road asphalt. This paper will present and demonstrate a method to determine pure pixels in hyperspectral imagery by taking advantage of higher spatial resolution information available in color imagery fused with LIDAR return strength and elevation data. In return, the spectral information gained from hyperspectral imagery will then be used to perform image classification at the higher resolution of the color image. The result is a fully automated process for pure pixel determination and high resolution image classification.
PACAP38 protects rat cortical neurons against the neurotoxicity evoked by sodium nitroprusside and thrombin.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) 38 is a multifunctional anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic neuropeptide widely distributed in the nervous system. The objective of this study is to determine whether PACAP38 is neuroprotective against sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and thrombin, two mechanistically distinct neurotoxic agents. Treatment of primary cortical neuronal cultures with 1 mM SNP for 4 h causes neuronal cell death that is significantly reduced by 100 nM PACAP38. PACAP38 down-regulates SNP-induced cell cycle protein (cyclin E) expression and up-regulates p57KIP2, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor as well as the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Similarly, neuronal death induced by 100 nM thrombin or the thrombin receptor activating peptide (TRAP 6) is reduced by PACAP38 treatment. Thrombin-stimulated cell cycle protein (cdk4) expression is decreased by PACAP38 while PACAP38 inhibits thrombin-mediated reduction of p57KIP2. However, the decrease in Bcl-2 evoked by thrombin is not affected by PACAP38. Finally, both SNP and thrombin (or TRAP) increase caspase 3 activity, an effect that is decreased by PACAP38. These data show that PACAP38 supports neuronal survival in vitro suppressing cell cycle progression and enhancing anti-apoptotic proteins. Our results support the possibility that PACAP could be a useful therapeutic agent for reducing neuronal cell death in neurodegenerative diseases.
Adsorption of SH and OH and coadsorption of S, O and H on Ni(111)

Abstract The adsorption of SH and OH radicals on Ni(111) is treated using an ab initio embedding theory. The Ni(111) surface is modeled as a three-layer, 28-atom cluster with the Ni atoms fixed at bulk lattice sites. The Ni(111) energy surface is very flat for SH adsorption if the H tilt angle is allowed to vary. At both atop and bridge sites, the SH axis is tilted away from the surface normal by 70°, resulting in the sulfur atom being sp3-hybridized and the adsorption energy being 59 kcal mol−1. For SH at the three-fold site, the SH axis is normal to the surface, the sulfur is sp-hybridized, and the adsorption energy is 58 kcal mol−1. OH is preferentially adsorbed at the three-fold site. The calculated adsorption energy is 90 kcal mol−1 and the OH axis is perpendicular to the surface. OH adsorption at the atop and bridge sites is 16 and 5 kcal mol−1 less stable than at the three-fold site, respectively. Atomic H, O and S are preferentially adsorbed at the three-fold site. The calculated adsorption energies are 62, 92 and 87 kcal mol−1, for H, O and S, respectively. The calculated adsorbateNi bond distances of 1.86 A for H, 1.86 A for O and 2.29 A for S are in good agreement with experimental data. SH and OH bonding to the surface involves a combination of ionic and covalent contributions and substantial mixing with the Ni 3d orbitals. Dipole-moment calculations indicate strong ionic bonding for the atomic O Ni system and ionic plus covalent character for the atomic S Ni interactions. Adsorption of S and O at the three-fold site blocks H adsorption at the nearby surface. Moving H away from the S or O adatom reduces the repulsion. The dissociation of SHad → Sad + Had is calculated to be exothermic by 5 kcal mol−1 and OHad → Oad + Had to be endothermic by 30 kcal mol−1 for infinite separation between S, O and H.
Reactivity of CuWO4 in Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation Is Dictated by a Midgap Electronic State

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to probe the electrode/electrolyte interface of CuWO4 thin films prepared by sol–gel methods for water oxidation under simulated solar irradiation. The presented results indicate that the onset of photocurrent is dictated by the presence of a midgap state that participates in water oxidation. The state is likely composed of Cu(3d) orbitals because of both experimental and theoretical evidence of Cu-based orbitals comprising the top of the valence band and the bottom of the conduction band in the bulk. This midgap state was identified experimentally by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy under simulated solar irradiation in borate buffer at pH 7.00. Our results show the evolution of two-charge-transfer events in the Nyquist and Bode plots of EIS data as well as the Fermi level pinning by Mott–Schottky analysis in the potential range of 0.81–1.01 V (reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE). The Mott–Schottky analysis at low frequencies in the dark suggests...
Semidefinite approximations for quadratic programs over orthogonal matrices

Finding global optimum of a non-convex quadratic function is in general a very difficult task even when the feasible set is a polyhedron. We show that when the feasible set of a quadratic problem consists of orthogonal matrices from $${\mathbb{R}^{n\times k}}$$ , then we can transform it into a semidefinite program in matrices of order kn which has the same optimal value. This opens new possibilities to get good lower bounds for several problems from combinatorial optimization, like the Graph partitioning problem (GPP), the Quadratic assignment problem (QAP) etc. In particular we show how to improve significantly the well-known Donath-Hoffman eigenvalue lower bound for GPP by semidefinite programming. In the last part of the paper we show that the copositive strengthening of the semidefinite lower bounds for GPP and QAP yields the exact values.
Fluorescence Probe Study of the Lumenal Ca2+of the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Vesicles during Ca2+Uptake and Ca2+Release

Abstract A limited amount of information is available about the lumenal Ca2+kinetics of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Incubation of mag-fura-2AM permitted to incorporate a sufficient amount of the probe into the SR vesicles, as determined by Mn2+quenching. Rapid changes in the lumenal [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]lum) during Ca2+uptake and release could be monitored by following the signal derived from the lumenal probe while clamping the extra-vesicular Ca2+([Ca2+]ex) at various desired levels with a BAPTA/Ca buffer. Changes in the [Ca2+]lumduring uptake and release show the characteristics intrinsic to the SR Ca2+pump (the [Ca2+]ex-dependence of the activation and inhibition by thapsigargin) and the Ca2+release channel (blocking by ruthenium red), respectively. A new feature revealed by the [Ca2+]lummeasurement is that during the uptake reaction the free [Ca2+]lumshowed a significant oscillation. Several pieces of evidence suggest that this is due to some interactions between the Ca2+pump and lumenal proteins.
Sodium channel expression in the copepod Acartia hudsonica as a function of exposure to paralytic shellfish toxin (PST)

Local adaptation of the copepod Acartia hudsonica to toxic Alexandrium spp. is associated with degree of historical co-exposure. Recently, a novel mutation in the sodium channel in A. hudsonica was hypothesized to be the mechanism of adaptation to toxic Alexandrium; all copepods express both types of sodium channels. We tested the hypothesis that mutant sodium channel expression in A. hudsonica individuals corresponded to historical co-exposure to A. fundyense. Female A. hudsonica were sampled from historically exposed (Maine) and naive (Connecticut and New Jersey) populations to A. fundyense, throughout the 2011 season of growth of A. hudsonica. There were no consistent differences in wild-type: mutant isoform ratios nor in the relative abundance of individuals that predominately express one type of isoform, either through time within a population or among populations or over time within each location. We also tested the hypothesis that expression of the mutant sodium channel isoform in A. hudsonica should increase during the progression of a toxic Alexandrium bloom. Sodium channel expression was compared before, during, and after the 2011 toxic Alexandrium spp. bloom in Northport Harbor, NY. Moreover, the relative expression of the mutant isoform increased slightly after the peak of the toxic Alexandrium spp. bloom; however, there was no simultaneous increase in individuals that predominately express mutant channel isoforms. Overall, there was little evidence in support of our hypotheses. Other mechanisms must be responsible for the observed geographic differences in adaptation of copepods to toxic Alexandrium.
FAILURE TO DEMONSTRATE EXTRATHYRO1DAL THYROXINE FORMATION IN THYROIDECTOMIZED RATS ON LOW AND MODERATE IODINE INTAKES1

Young rats were thyroidcctomized and maintained on low or moderate iodine intakes for 50 to 60 days. They were injected with 500 μc of I131, and blood and liver were obtained 70 to 96 hours later. Completeness of thyroidectomy was checked by inspection of the thyroid region under the dissecting microscope, and by measurement of the I131-concentration ratio (relative to plasma) in several sections of tissue from the base of the tongue to the thorax. Body weights were determined weekly, and body length and standard metabolic rates were determined at the end of the experiment. Plasma samples were first dialyzed to remove radioiodide, after which concentrated butanol extracts of plasma and of pancreatin digests of plasma were chromatographed on filter paper. The major I131 components observed in the dialyzed plasma of thyroidectomized rats were: 1) I131-protein or peptidc which, on digestion with pancreatin, released I131-monoiodotyrosine, but no I131-diiodotyrosine; and 2) an unknown, high R1 component (or c...
3-Alkyl-6-chloro-2-pyrones: selective inhibitors of pancreatic cholesterol esterase.

A series of 3-alkyl-6-chloro-2-pyrones with cyclohexane rings tethered to the 3-position was synthesized. The tether ranged from 0 to 4 methylene units. Inhibition of pancreatic cholesterol esterase by this series of pyrones was markedly dependent upon the length of the tether. Dissociation constants as low as 25 nM were observed for 6-chloro-3-(1-ethyl-2-cyclohexyl)-2-pyranone. This class of cholesterol esterase inhibitors functioned as simple competitive inhibitors of substrate binding rather than as suicide substrates or active site inactivators. Trypsin and chymotrypsin were not strongly inhibited by this class of pyrones. Selectivities for cholesterol esterase were greater than 103. This is in contrast to 3-aryl-6-chloro-2-pyrones which are nonselective, irreversible inactivators of serine hydrolases. Thus, replacement of the 3-aryl group by an appropriately tethered 3-alkyl ring can produce highly selective inhibitors of cholesterol esterase. A second series of halogen-containing esters was prepared...
Skeletal reaction models based on principal component analysis: Application to ethylene–air ignition, propagation, and extinction phenomena

Abstract The development of a skeletal reaction model based on Principal Component Analysis of local Sensitivity (PCAS) coefficients is reported. The analysis presented is comprehensive in the sense that it includes sensitivity coefficients from three distinct canonical reacting configurations, namely ignition, flame propagation, and flame extinction phenomena. To minimize the computational effort involved in constructing sensitivity coefficients, and with the objective of accurately predicting global features or target functions such as ignition delay, burning velocity and extinction strain rates, optimal temporal and spatial locations to perform the local sensitivity are identified. Furthermore, it is shown that the sensitivity coefficients of temperature and heat release, and/or global flame properties (or eigenvalues) associated with burning velocity and extinction strain rate, are sufficient to extract an accurate skeletal model to predict stated target functions. Application of the PCAS approach to a C 1 – C 4 hydrocarbon kinetic model consisting of 111 species and 784 reversible reactions, with ethylene as the fuel of interest, is presented. The results clearly indicate that the smallest skeletal model that can be developed is dictated by non-premixed extinction phenomenon that has been neglected in previous analyses using various reduction approaches.
The Future of Pediatric Acute Kidney Injury Management—Biomarkers

Acute kidney injury (AKI) represents a common and devastating problem in clinical medicine. A major reason is the lack of early biomarkers for AKI, and hence an unacceptable delay in initiating therapy. Fortunately, the application of innovative technologies has uncovered several novel biomarkers. The most promising of these are included in a putative AKI biomarker panel, consisting of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, interleukin-18, and kidney injury molecule-1. These biomarkers have completed initial validation, and have entered the prospective screening stage in the biomarker development process, facilitated by the development of commercial tools for their reproducible measurement across laboratories. The availability of a panel of validated biomarkers will revolutionize renal and critical care, and enable the practice of personalized and predictive medicine at an unprecedented level.
A two-step purification of mouse liver glyoxalase I and evidence of its dimeric constitution.

Abstract Glyoxalase I ( S -lactoyl-glutathione methylglyoxal-lyase (isomerizing), EC 4.4.1.5) was purified from Swiss mouse liver to homogeneity by a rapid, two-step procedure involving hydrophobic and affinity chromatography. Homogeneity was established by multiple electrophoretic determinations and by sedimentation equilibrium centrifugation. The purified enzyme exhibited a specific activity of 944 I.U./mg protein and has a molecular weight of 43 000. The enzyme was shown to be a dimer by sodium dodecyl sulfate disc gel electrophoresis and is apparently composed of identical subunits of molecular weights approximating 21 500.
Linking federally assisted housing with services for frail older persons.

Advocates of policies designed to link federally assisted housing with social services for the frail elderly have encountered barriers such as the historical separation of housing and services, political and bureaucratic fragmentation, and budget constraints. Over a 20-year period, they have attempted to address these issues by identifying the nature and extent of the problem, creating workable models, and developing a political constituency. Major reform, however, occurred only in 1990 when Congress passed the landmark National Affordable Housing Act (NAHA) which provided an "open policy window" for supportive housing legislation. NAHA's passage, however, still left many issues unresolved (e.g., targeting and funding for services). The future challenge is to develop new models of supportive housing and provide a range of residential settings and portable services to increase the choices for frail older persons.
Price of asymptotic freedom

A renormalizable field theory is said to be asymptotically free if the origin of coupling-constant space is an ultraviolet-stable fixed point in the sense of Wilson. Asymptotically free theories are of great interest because they have almost-canonical light-cone singularities, and thus predict phenomena very close to Bjorken scaling. All known examples of asymptotically free theories involve non-Abelian gauge fields. We show that this is not coincidence: No renormalizable field theory without non-Abelian gauge fields can be asymptotically free.
Comparison of the Effects of Ouabain and of Iodine Adaptation on the Thyroid Iodide Transport Mechanism

Intact or hypophysectomized rats were maintained on low iodine or high iodine regimens to produce iodine-poor or iodine-rich thyroids, which were then studied in vitro. Effects of variation in medium K+ concentration and of ouabain on glandular K+ concentration and thyroid/medium radioiodide concentration ratios (T/M) were assessed. In media of normal K+ content (5 mEq/1), iodine-rich thyroids maintained the same K+ content as did iodine-poor controls, although T/M ratios were far lower in iodinerich glands. Medium K+ concentrations of 15 and 30 mEq/1 did not increase the low T/M ratios of iodine-rich thyroids, although glandular K+ concentrations were increased. The decreases in both K+ and iodide transport induced by ouabain or by exclusion of K+ from the medium were similar in iodine-poor and iodine-rich glands. In both iodine-poor and iodine-rich thyroids, hypophysectomy did not influence the response to variations in extracellular K+ concentration. It is concluded that the autoregulatory inhibition o...
Metronome-conditioned speech retraining for stuttering

A new treatment for severe stuttering is described: metronome-conditioned speech retraining (MCSR). The procedure involves the use of a miniaturized, electronic metronome which is worn behind the ear like the hearing-aid it resembles. The treatment is derived from a behavioral analysis of the disorder of stuttering and experimental studies on the effects of a metronome on the speech of stutterers. The performance characteristics of a metronome suitable for this procedure are given along with a detailed description of the MCSR procedure itself. The application of this treatment approach to 26 severe stutterers who ranged in age from 12 to 53 years is also presented. Of the 23 patients who completed the treatment program, 21 (or over 90%) showed a marked increase in fluency and an improvement in their general adjustment as well. These clinical results have persisted for follow-up periods that range from 6 months to over 3 years. These results compare favorably with available data on treatment outcome with alternative methods of treatment. Common objections to this general approach to the treatment of stuttering are also discussed.
Pemphigus foliaceus antigen : characterization of an immunoreactive tryptic fragment from BALB/c mouse epidermis recognized by all patients' sera and major autoantibody subclasses

Abstract The pemphigus foliaceus antigen (PF Ag) is a 160-kDa desmosomal core glycoprotein, desmoglein I. A 50-kDa soluble immunoreactive fragment of the PF Ag was recently prepared from trypsinized cornified cell envelope preparations by papain treatment (R. S. Labib et al. 1989, J. Invest. Dermatol.93, 272–279). This papain fragment (pf-PF) is associated with upper cell layers of the epidermis and appears to be trypsin resistant in situ. The present work describes the preparation of another fragment by trysinization of the viable lower cells of the epidermis of neonatal BALB c mice. This tryptic fragment (tf-PF) is a 45-kDa glycoprotein that is partially purified by concanavalin A affinity chromatography of the trypsinization medium. The partially purified tf-PF preparation is capable of completely blocking the indirect immunofluorescence of high titer PF sera. The tf-PF is immunoprecipitated by all PF sera tested (n = 19) and by the two major subclasses of PF autoantibodies, IgG1 and IgG4. Autoantibodies of both the predominant IgG4 and the less prevalent IgG1 subclasses precipitate the same tf-PF as demonstrated by a single compact spot of pI 5.5 by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Chemical and immunological comparison of the tf-PF and pf-PF may explain why the acantholytic lesions of PF appear only in the upper epidermis, despite the presence of the PF Ag throughout all layers of the epidermis. The availability of these two soluble immunoreactive fragments of the PF Ag will be of great value for the further immunochemical characterization of the antigenic epitopes and their role in cell-cell adhesion.
Sediment routing in a small drainage basin in the blast zone at Mount St. Helens, Washington, U.S.A.

Abstract A quantitative description of the routing of 400 × 10 3 t km −2 of sediment delivered to a 2.4 km 2 basin by the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens has been developed for the period May 1980–June 1981. On hillslopes this sediment resided in primary and secondary (remobilized primary) storage sites. Hillslope-erosion processes redistributed sediment on hillslopes and delivered sediment to the channel system. These processes included shallow sliding from slopes steeper than 0.70, sheet erosion, and rill erosion. The most important discrete sites of storage on hillslopes were colluvial wedges and sites upslope of logs or other organic debris. Most tephra delivered to the basin by the eruptions is likely to be preserved in the stratigraphic record. Twelve percent of the sediment delivered to the study area was transported to the channel system directly by the eruption and by hillslope-erosion processes. Of this, approximately half remained in storage in the channel system, and the remainder was exported from the drainage basin. Important sites of alluvial sediment storage included alluvial fans, sites related to logs, channel beds and alluvial terraces.
EXPERIMENTS ON THE NASAL ROUTE OF INFECTION IN POLIOMYELITIS

1. The experiments given in this paper, notwithstanding their seeming diversity, relate to the conditions underlying the states of susceptibility and refractoriness to infection with the virus of poliomyelitis applied to the nasal mucosa. 2. Certain monkeys are highly refractory to inoculation via the nares with the virus of poliomyelitis, apparently in virtue of a power possessed by the nasal mucous membrane to destroy or otherwise render ineffective the virus applied to it. 3. This property of the nasal mucosa appears to be distinct from any specific protective substance active upon the virus which may occur in the blood. 4. An effective nasal mucous membrane prevents the passage of the energetically applied virus to the brain and spinal cord. 5. The virus of poliomyelitis energetically applied to the nasal mucosa will survive for an undetermined period of time upon an ineffective, but for a relatively brief period of time upon an effective membrane. 6. The protective power possessed by the nasal mucosa is not in itself adequate to prevent infection with the virus introduced upon it, since slight injury to such independent structures as the meningeal-choroid plexus complex favors the passage of the virus from the nose to the central nervous organs. 7. The normal nasal mucosa is, therefore, an invaluable defense against infection with the virus of poliomyelitis; and the number of healthy and chronic carriers of the virus is probably determined and kept down through the protective activities of this membrane. 8. Antiseptic chemicals applied to the nasal mucosa upon which the virus has been deposited exhibit no great protective action and are of doubtful value. Indeed, it is not impossible that to the extent to which they may affect unfavorably the destructive properties of the nasal mucosa, they may be even objectionable. 9. Infection with the virus of poliomyelitis applied to the nasal mucosa under conditions favorable to the extension to the central nervous organs and multiplication there may be blocked or prevented by the injection of poliomyelitic immune serum into the blood. While the exact manner and site of attack of the immune serum upon the virus is somewhat conjectural, when all the available data are considered it seems probable that the meeting place of the virus and immune serum is in the subarachnoid space.
Temperature dependence of human taste responses

Abstract Human taste thresholds for NaCl, HCl, Dulcin and QSO4 were determined at 17, 22, 27, 32, 37, and 42°C using the psychophysical method of forced choice. The thresholds for all four compounds were lowest between 22° and 32° and rose above and below this temperature range. The results favored a physical-chemical basis for the transduction process over an enzymatic explanation. The effect of temperature on the intensity of suprathreshold solutions of QHCl was tested by varying the adapting and stimulus temperatures of solutions presented to one side of the tongue in a matching procedure with a standard on the other side. The temperature effect was found to be independent of the adapting temperature and the standard concentration, and to depend only on the stimulus temperature.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IN NEW YORK STATE

Thoughtful persons often ask "Why do people vote as they do?" This question is particularly baffling when the vote is upon numerous issues and affects diverse interests. It is well known that many groups spare neither time nor money to influence votes, but few attempts have been made to measure the potency of their efforts. The referendum on the amendments to the State Constitution in New York last November offered an excellent opportunity to study the effectiveness of such forces. Nine amendments were offered to the voters. These amendments constituted practically a complete constitutional revision and, as might be expected, many interests brought pressure upon the voters. Religious leaders threw their whole weight in support of or in opposition to certain amendments, gubernatorial candidates urged the passage of some of the amendments and the defeat of others, leaders of organized labor proclaimed that certain measures must be passed and others rejected, newspapers and civic organizations joined the forces-often making counter recommendations. Obviously, all of these influences cannot be isolated and even the most widespread of them cannot be measured with any degree of accuracy, but certain comparisons can be made and certain mathematical tools of measurement can be used to discern their effectiveness. Some of the conclusions of such an analysis might point the way to more effective campaigns in the future, or might make it possible for students of public opinion to prognosticate the result of an election when certain forces are involved.
Ethnic Differences in the First Drinking Experience

In an unpublished paper, the writer has presented a general model of addiction as follows: Conflicting values with reference to an activity or the use of a substance (such as alcohol) results in ambivalence in actors or users. Ambivalence influences their perceptions of experiences with the activity or substance so that they are anxious or fearful in them. Anxiety or fear fulfill the prophecy of negative feelings which is implicit in ambivalence. However, the result of the activity is temporary anxiety-reduction or fear-reduction followed by an increase. Compulsive repetitio-n occurs when negative aspects of ambivalence toward the activity or substance are repressed (I3). The model provides for transition from the sociocultural to the personality systems in a manner which has been described in some detail in the work cited.
A self-coherence anti-jamming GPS receiver

In this correspondence, we present a self-coherence anti-jamming Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver that relies on the unique structure of the coarse/acquisition (C/A) code of the GPS signals. Since the C/A-code is repeated 20 times within each navigation symbol, the GPS signal exhibits strong self-coherence between chip-rate samples separated by integer multiples of the spreading gain. The proposed receiver utilizes this inherent self-coherence property to excise interferers whose temporal structures are different from those of the GPS signals. It is shown that the proposed receiver is a blind receiver that does not require the knowledge of the satellite positions.
Coupled phase-locked loop arrays for beam steering

Some of the limitations of coupled oscillator arrays, mainly intrinsic small locking bandwidth, amplitude fluctuations and limited agreement between unit cells and models, can be overcome with the use of coupled phase-locked loop arrays, which with appropriate models are more predictable than COAs and offer larger locking range and amplitude-independent phase relationships. The two offer similar advantages, such as phase-shifterless beam scanning and modulation abilities, as well as analogous challenges, for example the modeling and consequent design of unit cell and coupling schemes at microwave frequencies. Discrete and continuum modeling of CPLLAs are presented. The phase dynamics shows a diffusion type behavior, where the locking propagates away from the detuning points. The ability of beam scanning is then shown as the steady state solution of edge detuning. Additionally, the length of the coupling line together with the sign of the IF loop gain is proved to be an important factor in the transient and steady-state phase distribution along the array. These theoretical results are experimentally verified through the design and characterization of a 2.45 GHz CPLLA. These synchronized arrays are governed by strongly nonlinear behavior, and much still needs to be understood; this paper aims to show that they also present interesting properties that future research may exploit.
Microbiological Systems in Organic Synthesis: Preparative-Scale Resolution of (RS)-Glaucine by Fusarium solani and Stereospecific Oxidation of (R)-(-)-Glaucine by Aspergillus flavipes

The destructive resolution of (6aR,S)-glaucine (Ic) was accomplished by oxidation of the (6aS)-(+)-enantiomer (Ia), using Fusarium solani ATCC 12823 to yield the unnatural alkaloid (6aR)-(-)-glaucine (Ib). Eighteen cultures were examined for their ability to metabolize the (6aR)-(-)-enantiomer (Ib), and Aspergillus flavipes ATCC 1030 was found to catalyze the stereoselective oxidation of this substrate to didehydroglaucine. Thus, it has been demonstrated that "R" and "S" organisms exist with regard to the oxidation of aporphines to didehydroaporphines.
New technology and market structure: evidence from the music recording industry.

This paper explores how new scale-reducing technology induced two periods of substantial new entry into the music recording industry. Many of the new firms were product innovators, whose products became popular with consumers. This in turn leads to shifts in the distribution of industry market share, and hence market structure. Reconcentration in the industry resulted largely from horizontal mergers, among other reasons. New digital distribution networks may induce a third-wave of industry deconcentration.
Capacity of Suboptimal Decoders for Coded Multiple-Input Multiple-Output Systems

The optimal detector for coded multiple antenna systems is too complex to be implemented. We thus consider number of decouplers: the linear zero-forcing equalizer, the linear minimum mean-squared error equalizer (LMMSE), the successive soft/hard interference canceller, and the parallel soft/hard interference canceller. The constrained capacities of these decouplers are analyzed. It is shown that the capacity of the LMMSE is larger than those of the other decouplers although the general belief is that the interference cancellation schemes are better than linear filters. It is also shown that the LMMSE maximizes each sub-channel capacity. We discuss the likelihood value derivation from the decouplers, which can be used for decoding error correction codes. The performance of parallel transmission of turbo-coded symbols is given to support the constrained capacity analysis
Phases of simplical quantum gravity in four dimensions estimates for the critical exponents

without higher derivative terms, and using the lattice analog of the DeWitt gravitational measure, shows the existence of a well-behavedground state for sufficiently strong gravity (G ~ Ge). Close to the continuous critical point separating the smooth from the rough phase of gravity, the critical exponents are estimated using a variety of methods on lattices with up to 15 x l6~ = 1572864 simplices. With periodic boundary conditions (four-torus) the average curvature approaches zero at the critical point. Curvature fluctuations diverge at this point, while the fluctuations in the local volumes remain bounded. The value of the curvature critical exponent is estimated to be o = 0.626(25), when the critical point is approached from the smooth phase. In this phase, as well as at the critical point, the fractal dimension is consistent with four, the euclidean value. In the (physically unacceptable) rough, collapsed phase the fractal dimensions is closer to two, in agreement with earlier results which suggested a discontinuity in the fractal dimensions at the critical point. For sufficiently small higher derivative coupling, and in particular for the pure Regge-Einstein action, the transition between the smooth and rough phase becomes first order, suggesting the existence of a multicritical point separating the continuous from the discontinuous phase transition line.
Convergence Property of Transmit Time Pre-Synchronization for Concurrent Cooperative Communication

This paper proposes a preamble detection-based cooperative transmit time pre-synchronization technique specially for Concurrent Cooperative Transmission (CCT). CCT enables a collection of power-constrained radios to transmit as a group and achieve a transmit range that is much greater than the range of a single device. In the absence of a GPS system or a globally synchronized clock, each cooperating node can derive its transmit time autonomously by detecting the preamble from a received signal. The paper first compares two methods for estimating the start of packet (SOP) received in the presence of a carrier frequency offset (CFO): the peak method, which is optimal in a single diversity channel without CFO, and a mean method, which outperforms peak with large CFO. Next, the SOP is estimated by combining all diversity channels using an approximated Best Linear Unbiased Estimator (BLUE). Using theory and measurement, we show that the time error statistics are convergent as the number of hop increases.
The Theory Of Planned Behavior: An Examination Of Governmental Financial Managers' Intentions To Modify Internal Controls For E-Services

This study uses Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior as a theoretical framework to examine state and local government (SLG) financial managers’ intentions to modify internal controls when implementing e-services. The primary objective of this study is to determine whether SLG financial managers’ decision (intention) to support modification of internal controls is a function of his/her beliefs toward proper accounting internal controls. Results indicate significant support for a decision process based on attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control for modifying internal controls after adopting e-services. A priori, one would expect changes in business processes to lead to appropriate changes in internal controls; however, the mean response for intention in this study indicates only a mild propensity to make such changes. The data in this study suggest that financial managers of state and local governments are aware of their responsibilities for maintaining appropriate internal controls but express only slight interest in, willingness to, or belief they are able to modify internal controls to address the changes in accounting systems as a result of the adoption of e-services. Implications of electing to forego internal control modifications after business process changes are provided, along with suggestions for future research.
International Supply Chain Management Courses: Semester-Long Versus Study-Abroad Formats

Short-term study-abroad programs are gaining in popularity at business schools around the United States. We discuss the innovative 4-week program we have developed at Duquesne University where we offer two three-credit, required business core courses. In particular, we focus on the structure of a 2-week core supply chain management course. By analyzing student performance on a common final examination, we show that the study-abroad students attain the same level of mastery of the course material as students do over a semester-long course.
Looking into the future: Using induced pluripotent stem cells to build two and three dimensional ocular tissue for cell therapy and disease modeling

Abstract Retinal degenerative diseases are the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in developed countries. In many cases the diseases originate in the homeostatic unit in the back of the eye that contains the retina, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the choriocapillaris. RPE is a central and a critical component of this homeostatic unit, maintaining photoreceptor function and survival on the apical side and choriocapillaris health on the basal side. In diseases like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), it is thought that RPE dysfunctions cause disease-initiating events and as the RPE degenerates photoreceptors begin to die and patients start loosing vision. Patient-specific induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived RPE provides direct access to a patient׳s genetics and allow the possibility of identifying the initiating events of RPE-associated degenerative diseases. Furthermore, iPS cell-derived RPE cells are being tested as a potential cell replacement in disease stages with RPE atrophy. In this article we summarize the recent progress in the field of iPS cell-derived RPE “disease modeling” and cell therapies and also discuss the possibilities of developing a model of the entire homeostatic unit to aid in studying disease processes in the future. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: PSC and the brain.
On the Radical Cusp: Ecoterrorism in the United States, 1998-2005

Political action on the cusp between social movements and militancy provides a robust test of universal theories of both collective action and terrorism. In particular, radical environmentalism and the new wave of ecoterrorism in the United States deserve social science consideration as one such radical cusp movement. Data on 84 ecoterrorist events in the United States, 1998-2005, from the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism's Terrorism Incident Database are considered vis-a-vis previous theories to identify possible patterns. A methodology for research on clandestine organizations, the imputation of cells from incident data, is proposed. Analysis suggests that radicalism is a product of social movements and that it diffuses according to exogenous factors, in particular local political climates. Little support is found for theories of continued radicalization in militant movements, but some evidence indicates that a general life cycle of political violence exists.