cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corneal topography of photorefractive keratectomy versus laser in situ keratomileusis

Abstract Objective This study aimed to compare qualitative patterns of corneal topography early in the postoperative course after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) when used for the treatment of myopia of 6.0 to 15.0 diopters. Design The study design was a prospective, multicenter, randomized clinical trial. Participants A total of 64 eyes were treated with PRK and 54 eyes were treated with LASIK. Intervention Using the Summit Apex excimer laser, patients received either PRK or LASIK using a single pass, multizone excimer laser ablation. Computer-assisted videokeratography was performed at designated postoperative examinations. Main outcome measures Videokeratography maps at 1 and 3 months after surgery were classified using a standard classification scheme. The association of topography patterns to loss of spectacle-corrected visual acuity was tested. Results At 1 month, for the PRK (n = 60) and LASIK (n = 51) groups, respectively, 63.3% and 19.6% of eyes fell into one of the four optically irregular groups (central island, keyhole, semicircular, or irregularly irregular; P P = 0.004). Comparing the 1- and 3-month examination results in the PRK and LASIK groups, respectively, 19 (42%) of 45 eyes and 11 (31%) of 36 eyes had a change in topography, generally to an optically smoother pattern. The irregular groups, taken together, were associated with a greater tendency toward loss of spectacle-corrected visual acuity of two or more Snellen lines ( P = 0.01). There also was greater tendency toward loss of spectacle-corrected visual acuity in the PRK group that diminished with time ( P P = 0.05 at 3 months). Conclusions After treatment for moderate-to-high myopia, LASIK topography patterns generally are more regular than are PRK patterns. This may be a result either of masking of underlying topography perturbations by the lamellar corneal flap, thus mitigating induced topography changes, or differences in surface wound healing. This study suggests that more rapid return of spectacle-corrected visual acuity found in patients treated with LASIK may be a result of more regular topography patterns early in the postoperative course.
Protein kinase C isoforms in the chemopreventive effects of a novel vitamin D3 analogue in rat colonic tumorigenesis

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: We recently showed that dietary supplementation with an analogue of 1alpha,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3, 1alpha,25-dihydroxy-16- ene-23-yne-26,27 F6-vitamin D3 (RO24-5531), reduced the incidence of colonic tumors in rats treated with azoxymethane (AOM). The aim of this study was to determine whether alterations in specific isoforms of protein kinase C (PKC) are involved in this phenomenon. METHODS: Protein abundance and subcellular distribution of several PKC isoforms were examined and compared in AOM-induced tumors of rats fed control and RO24-5531-supplemented diets. RESULTS: In both AOM-induced colonic adenomas and carcinomas, a significant down-regulation of PKC-alpha, - delta, and -zeta and an up-regulation of PKC-beta11 were found compared with control colonocytes. Dietary RO24-5531 preserved the expression of PKC-zeta and increased the abundance of PKC-epsilon in carcinogen- induced adenomas. CONCLUSIONS: Because identical changes in specific isoforms of PKC were found in AOM-induced adenomas and carcinomas, these alterations may be involved in the early stage(s) of colonic malignant transformation. Moreover, the ability of RO24-5531 to block the changes in PKC-zeta induced by AOM, as well as to up-regulate PKC- epsilon, may underlie its ability to prevent adenomas from progressing to carcinomas. (Gastroenterology 1996 Jul;111(1):118-26)
Elastic properties of organ of Corti tissues from point-stiffness measurement and inverse analysis

Abstract We describe a method to use point-stiffness (PtSt) measurements, i.e., indentation measurements, to obtain elastic moduli of different organ of Corti (OC) tissues. A detailed finite element (FE) model of the OC is used to account for geometric effects in the indentation measurements. We also present a sensitivity analysis, performed within a Bayesian estimation framework, that can be used to improve experimental design. The sensitivity analysis shows that the basilar membrane (BM) PtSt is most sensitive to changes in the BM properties and to changes in the pillar cells (PC) properties. This result suggests that the BM and the PC dominate the macromechanics of the OC. The most likely values of the Young׳s modulus predicted for the middle turn for the BM arcuate, BM pectinate, and the PC are found to be 935 KPa (range 640–1360 KPa), 300 KPa (range 190–460 KPa), and 3 GPa (range 1–9 GPa), respectively.
Use of soluble, collagenous peptides from medium of chick calvaria cultures as substrate for prolyl hydroxylase

Abstract Underhydroxylated collagenous proteins accumulate in the media of embryonic chick calvaria cultured in the presence of α,α′-dipyridyl for 24 h. These soluble collagenous proteins, when labeled with radioactive proline, were shown to be a specific, stable, and highly efficient substrate for in vitro measurement of prolyl hydroxylase. The ability of the media proteins to serve as a substrate for prolyl hydroxylase was abolished by digestion with purified bacterial collagenase. This method of substrate preparation provides a soluble, efficient, economical substrate for routine prolyl hydroxylase assays, and permits the accumulation of sufficient quantities of substrate of one specific activity to serve for extended periods of time.
Heparin-Induced Cancer Cell Death

Abstract Heparin uptake into cancer cells can be promoted by conjugation to poly (β-amino ester)s. Internalized heparin is cytotoxic, causing cancer cell death by interfering with transcription factor activity and inducing apoptosis, but only certain poly(β-amino ester)s promote this activity.
Development of systemic immunologic responses against hepatic metastases during gene therapy for peritoneal carcinomatosis with retroviral HS-tk and ganciclovir

Gene therapy with retroviral mediated gene transfer of the herpes simplex thymidine kinase (HS-tk) gene into a tumor mass confers sensitivity of the tumor cells to ganciclovir (GCV). Tumor-specific immunologic responses may develop following treatment of the primary tumor with retroviral HS-tk and GCV. In the present study we assessed whether GCV treatment of HS-tk transduced colon cancer (TK+) implanted in the peritoneal cavity induced a systemic antitumor response that would inhibit growth of a second wild-type (TK−) tumor implanted in the live. DHDK12 rat colon cancer cells were transduced in vitro with the retroviral HS-tk vector and established as a permanent cell line (TK+ cells). TK+ or TK− DHDK12 cells (6×106 cells) were injected intraperitoneally on day 0 into BD-IX rats. On day 10, TK− cells (3×106 cells) were injected into the liver in all the groups. The animals were then treated with GCV (150 mg/kg) for 13 days. TK+ peritoneal tumors underwent significant regression during therapy with GCV (0.05±0.004 g; n=7) compared to wild-type (TK−) tumors (2.2±0.7 g; n=6) (P<0.05). The volume to TK− tumors in the liver was significantly lower in GCV-treated rats with TK+ peritoneal tumors (12.5±8.3 mm3) compared to rats with TK− peritoneal tumors (96.7±18.1 mm3) (P<0.05). Histology of the liver tumors in the TK+ groups showed a dense monocytic infiltrate with fibrosis and only occasional viable tumor cells. Gene therapy with retroviral HS-tk vectors may provide a novel approach to treatment of gastrointestinal cancer by both direct cytotoxicity and an indirect mechanism that may included enhanced immunologic responses against disseminated disease.
Anaphase B spindle dynamics in Drosophila S2 cells: Comparison with embryo spindles.

Background In the Drosophila melanogaster syncytial blastoderm stage embryo anaphase B is initiated by a cell cycle switch in which the suppression of microtubule minus end depolymerization and spatial reorganization of the plus ends of outwardly sliding interpolar microtubules triggers spindle elongation. RNA interference in Drosophila cultured S2 cells may present a useful tool for identifying novel components of this switch, but given the diversity of spindle design, it is important to first determine the extent of conservation of the mechanism of anaphase B in the two systems.
Delayed-onset epinephrine-induced pulmonary edema.

EPINEPHRINE overdose is not an uncommon event and is reported in the literature to be caused by inadvertent injection, 1,2 injection of an incorrect concentration, 3 or rapid absorption via mucosal surfaces and incisional wounds. 4-6 There is, however, no report of epinephrine overdose caused by large debridement and wound surface absorption.
CB2 cannabinoid receptor mediation of antinociception

Management of acute pain remains a significant clinical problem. In preclinical studies, CB2 cannabinoid receptor-selective agonists inhibit nociception without producing central nervous system side effects. The CB2 receptor-selective agonist AM1241 produces antinociceptive effects that are antagonized by CB2, but not CB1, receptor-selective antagonists, suggesting that activation of CB2 receptors results in antinociception. However, it has not been possible to definitively demonstrate that these effects are mediated by CB2 receptors, because we have lacked the pharmacological tools to confirm the in vivo receptor selectivity of the antagonists used. Further, recent evidence for cannabinoid-like receptors beyond CB1 and CB2 raises the possibility that AM1241 exerts its antinociceptive effects at uncharacterized CB2-like receptors that are also inhibited by AM630. The experiments reported here further test the hypothesis that CB2 receptor activation inhibits nociception. They evaluated the antinociceptive actions of AM1241 and the less-selective CB2 receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 in wild-type (CB2+/+) mice and in mice with genetic disruption of the CB2 receptor (CB2-/- mice). AM1241 inhibited thermal nociception in CB2+/+ mice, but had no effect in CB2-/- littermates. WIN55,212-2 produced equivalent antinociception in CB1+/+ and CB1-/- mice, while its antinociceptive effects were reduced in CB2-/- compared to CB2+/+ mice. The effects of morphine were not altered in CB2-/- compared to CB2+/+ mice. These data strongly suggest that AM1241 produces antinociception in vivo by activating CB2 cannabinoid receptors. Further, they confirm the potential therapeutic relevance of CB2 cannabinoid receptors for the treatment of acute pain.
Circulation of the Venus upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere: Doppler wind measurements from 2001–2009 inferior conjunction, sub-millimeter CO absorption line observations

Abstract Sub-millimeter 12 CO (346 GHz) and 13 CO (330 GHz) line absorptions, formed within the mesospheric to lower thermospheric altitude (70–120 km) region of the Venus atmosphere, have been mapped across the nightside disk of Venus during 2001–2009 inferior conjunctions, employing the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT). Radiative transfer analysis of these thermal line absorptions supports temperature and CO mixing profile retrievals, as described in a companion paper ( Clancy et al., 2012 ). Here, we consider the analysis of the sharp line absorption cores of these CO spectra in terms of accurate Doppler wind profile measurements at 95–115 km altitudes versus local time (∼8 pm–4 am) and latitude (∼60N–60S). These Doppler wind measurements support determinations of the nightside zonal and subsolar-to-antisolar (SSAS) circulation components over a variety of timescales. The average behavior fitted from 21 retrieved maps of 12 CO Doppler winds (obtained over hourly, daily, weekly, and interannual intervals) indicates stronger average zonal (85 m/s retrograde) versus SSAS (65 m/s) circulation at the 1 μbar pressure (108–110 km altitude) level. However, the absolute and relative magnitudes of these circulation components exhibit extreme variability over daily to weekly timescales. Furthermore, the individual Doppler wind measurements within each nightside mapping observation generally show significant deviations (20–50 m/s, averaged over 5000 km horizontal scales) from the simple zonal/SSAS solution, with distinct local time and latitudinal characters that are also time variable. These large scale residual circulations contribute 30–70% of the observed nightside Doppler winds at any given time, and may be most responsible for global variations in nightside lower thermospheric trace composition and temperatures, as coincidentally retrieved CO abundance and temperature distributions do not correlate with solution retrograde zonal and SSAS winds (see companion paper, Clancy et al., 2012 ). Limited comparisons of these nightside submillimeter results with dayside infrared Doppler wind measurements suggest distinct dayside versus nightside circulations, in terms of zonal winds in particular. Combined 12 CO and 13 CO Doppler wind mapping observations obtained since 2004 indicate that the average zonal and SSAS wind components increase by 50–100% between altitudes of 100 and 115 km. If gravity waves originating from the cloud levels are responsible for the extension of zonal winds into the thermosphere (Alexander, M.J. [1992]. Geophys. Res. Lett. 19, 2207–2210), such waves deposit substantial momentum (i.e., break) in the lower nightside thermosphere.
Rule consequentialism and disasters

Rule consequentialism (RC) is the view that it is right for A to do F in C if and only if A’s doing F in C is in accordance with the set of rules which, if accepted by all, would have consequences which are better than any alternative set of rules (i.e., the ideal code). I defend RC from two related objections. The first objection claims that RC requires obedience to the ideal code even if doing so has disastrous results. Though some rule consequentialists embrace a disaster-clause which permits agents to disregard some of the rules in the ideal code as a necessary means of avoiding disasters, they have not adequately explained how this clause works. I offer such an explanation and show how it fits naturally with the rest of RC. The second disaster objection asserts that even if RC can legitimately invoke a disaster-clause, it lacks principled grounds from distinguishing disasters from non-disasters. In response, I explore Hooker’s suggestion that “disaster” is vague. I contend that every plausible ethical theory must invoke something similar to a disaster clause. So if “disaster” is vague, then every plausible ethical theory faces a difficulty with it. As a result, this vagueness is not a reason to prefer other theories to RC. However, I argue, contra Hooker, that the sense of “disaster” relevant to RC is not vague, and RC does indeed have principled grounds to distinguish disasters from non-disasters.
Tumors of salivary gland origin presenting as primary jaw tumors

Summary Two cases of malignant mixed tumors of salivary gland type presenting as primary jaw tumors are discussed.
Feeding under predation hazard: testing models of adaptive behavior with stream fish.

Abstract: Many empirical studies support the premise that animals consider both the benefits of feeding and the cost of mortality when making behavioral decisions, and many theoretical studies predict animal behavior in the presence of a feeding‐mortality trade‐off. However, empirical work is lacking in studies that quantitatively assess alternative models. Using data from two sets of behavioral experiments examining stream minnows (bluehead chubs) foraging in the presence of sunfish predators (green sunfish), we assess, via statistical model fitting, the utility of four basic optimization models of foraging behavior. Our analysis of feeding and mortality of the minnows indicates that mortality is incurred so as to feed above maintenance requirements, that feeding rate is suppressed in response to the presence of predators, and that the balance of feeding against mortality can be estimated using a life‐history parameter θ, interpreted theoretically as the marginal rate of substitution of mortality rate fo...
Relationship of the intercondylar roof and the tibial footprint of the ACL: implications for ACL reconstruction.

Background:Debate exists on the proper relation of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) footprint with the intercondylar notch in anatomic ACL reconstructions. Patient-specific graft placement based on the inclination of the intercondylar roof has been proposed. The relationship between the intercondylar roof and native ACL footprint on the tibia has not previously been quantified.Hypothesis:No statistical relationship exists between the intercondylar roof angle and the location of the native footprint of the ACL on the tibia.Study Design:Case series; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:Knees from 138 patients with both lateral radiographs and MRI, without a history of ligamentous injury or fracture, were reviewed to measure the intercondylar roof angle of the femur. Roof angles were measured on lateral radiographs. The MRI data of the same knees were analyzed to measure the position of the central tibial footprint of the ACL (cACL). The roof angle and tibial footprint were evaluated to determine if statistical ...
Correlation of percutaneous liver biopsy fragmentation with the degree of fibrosis.

Summary Background : Although fragmentation of a liver biopsy specimen has been considered to be suggestive of cirrhosis, the evidence for this is difficult to find in the published literature. Aim : To determine whether fragmentation of percutaneous liver biopsy specimens correlates with the degree of fibrosis. Methods : One hundred and eighty-six patients underwent percutaneous liver biopsy prospectively. The specimens were measured for the length and number of fragments. The extent of fibrosis was scored by a pathologist blind to the clinical data. Length and fragmentation data were compared between the different stages. Results : The overall median fragment length was 1.85 cm and the median fragment number was four. Specimens with advanced fibrosis (stages III–IV) had more fragments than those with no or mild fibrosis (stages 0–II) (P < 0.0001). The aggregate fragment length decreased with increasing stage of fibrosis (P < 0.0001). Specimens with greater than 12 fragments were seen only with advanced fibrosis. Conclusions : Fragmentation of percutaneous liver biopsy specimens is common and increases with progression from early to advanced fibrosis. Fibrotic specimens fragment more often and more extensively.
Effect of dietary lipids on hepatic and extrahepatic sterol 27-hydroxylase activity in high- and low-responding baboons

Our previous studies found that low low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-responding baboons compared with high LDL-responding baboons have higher hepatic sterol 27-hydroxylase activity when consuming a high-cholesterol and high-fat (HCHF) diet. The present studies were conducted to determine whether the extrahepatic activity of sterol 27-hydroxylase is also higher in low-responding baboons and to assess whether the enzyme is regulated at the protein level. We measured the hepatic sterol 27-hydroxylase activity and protein level and plasma 27-hydroxycholesterol concentration in six low- and six high-responding baboons on both the basal and the HCHF diet. We also compared the sterol 27-hydroxylase activity in the adrenal gland and 27-hydroxycholesterol concentration in blood lymphocytes from high- and low-responding baboons consuming the HCHF diet. With the HCHF diet, the plasma 27-hydroxycholesterol concentration and hepatic sterol 27-hydroxylase activity and protein level increased rapidly in low responders, but not in high responders. Blood lymphocytes of low-responding baboons cultured in the presence of lipoprotein-deficient serum (LPDS) had lower cholesterol concentrations than those from high-responding baboons. Addition of exogenous 27-hydroxycholesterol to the culture medium of blood lymphocytes decreased the cellular cholesterol concentration. Plasma 27-hydroxycholesterol and hepatic sterol 27-hydroxylase activity and protein levels were negatively correlated with the plasma VLDL + LDL cholesterol concentration and VLDL + LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio after 6 weeks on the HCHF diet, but not on the chow diet. The results suggest that sterol 27-hydroxylase activity in both hepatic and extrahepatic tissues attenuates the dietary responsiveness in baboons, and the enzyme activity is not regulated by the specific activity of the protein.
An Experimental Investigation of Vibration Localization in Bladed Disks: Part II — Forced Response

The results of an experimental investigation of the effects of random blade mistuning on the free dynamic response of bladed disks are reported. Two experimental specimens are considered: a nominally periodic twelve-bladed disk with equal blade lengths, and the corresponding mistuned bladed disk, which features slightly different, random blade lengths. In the experiment, both the spatially extended modes of the tuned system and the localized modes of the mistuned system are identified. Particular emphasis is placed on the transition to localized mode shapes as the modal density in various frequency regions increases. Excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement is obtained between experimental measurements and results obtained by finite element analysis. Experimental results are additionally used to validate a component mode-based, reduced-order modeling technique for bladed disks. This work reports the first systematic experiment carried out to demonstrate the occurrence of vibration localization in bladed disks.Copyright © 1997 by ASME
Using Personal Reprint Management Software to Teach Information Management Skills for the Electronic Library

Abstract The growing electronic library now provides researchers, students and clinicians with ready access to a wide range of useful electronic information sources which can augment, and increasingly replace, the traditional print versions. As a result of this, medical researchers and health professionals are turning to librarians for guidance in the effective organization, and manipulation of personal information collections. Many library instruction programs have responded to this need by providing instruction in information management, including the use of microcomputer-based personal reprint management applications. The focus of this paper is how a class centered around this software can be an ideal format for introducing users to much broader issues of personal information management skills in the electronic era.
Functional redundancy in the maize meiotic kinetochore.

Kinetochores can be thought of as having three major functions in chromosome segregation: (a) moving plateward at prometaphase; (b) participating in spindle checkpoint control; and (c) moving poleward at anaphase. Normally, kinetochores cooperate with opposed sister kinetochores (mitosis, meiosis II) or paired homologous kinetochores (meiosis I) to carry out these functions. Here we exploit three- and four-dimensional light microscopy and the maize meiotic mutant absence of first division 1 (afd1) to investigate the properties of single kinetochores. As an outcome of premature sister kinetochore separation in afd1 meiocytes, all of the chromosomes at meiosis II carry single kinetochores. Approximately 60% of the single kinetochore chromosomes align at the spindle equator during prometaphase/metaphase II, whereas acentric fragments, also generated by afd1, fail to align at the equator. Immunocytochemistry suggests that the plateward movement occurs in part because the single kinetochores separate into half kinetochore units. Single kinetochores stain positive for spindle checkpoint proteins during prometaphase, but lose their staining as tension is applied to the half kinetochores. At anaphase, ∼6% of the kinetochores develop stable interactions with microtubules (kinetochore fibers) from both spindle poles. Our data indicate that maize meiotic kinetochores are plastic, redundant structures that can carry out each of their major functions in duplicate.
Effective nonlinear magnetic simulation using radspice

SPICE has been used extensively by integrated circuit designers, but its use by the power electronics industry has been limited because of its lack of a nonlinear magnetics model. This paper describes the synthesis of such a model and its installation in RADSPICE (1)· Methods for effective simulation techniques when using nonlinear magnetics are given. The model and methods are demonstrated through the accurate simulation of a closed-loop feedback magnetic power oscilltor.
Atrial Tachycardia Originating From the Junction of the Right Atrium and a Diverticulum of the Inferior Vena Cava

A 52-year-old woman without a history of cardiac surgery underwent electrophysiological study for an atrial tachycardia (AT). Echocardiography revealed no evidence of structural heart disease or anatomic abnormalities. At baseline, the AT was incessant and the P waves were upright in lead I and the inferior leads and biphasic (±) P waves in lead V1 (Figure 1). During mapping at the lower posterior right atrium (RA), an unexpected movement of the mapping catheter was observed. A right atriogram performed with a pigtail catheter revealed an aneurysmal structure between the RA and the diaphragm (Figure 2). This structure exhibited a passive expansion and shrinkage with each cardiac cycle. Far-field electrograms were recorded at the sites along the junction between the RA and this structure, and no electrograms were recorded at any other sites within this structure (Figure 3). Activation mapping revealed a centrifugal activation pattern from …
Bootstrap tests for generalized least squares regression models

Abstract This paper shows that certain statistics in the normal linear regression model may be bootstrapped to obtain test procedures with faster rates of convergence than the usual normal approximation. Specifically, bootstrapping a standardized estimator of the regression coefficients is shown to produce errors with smaller order than n -1 , and bootstrapping a variance-adjusted statistic gives errors of smaller order than n -2 . An advantage of the bootstrap is that it provides an additional step in asymptotic accuracy without the necessity of explicitly calculating correction terms.
Advancing YBCO‐Coated Conductors for Use on Air Platforms

With progress of the YBCO-coated conductor to longer lengths, application of the conductor is nearing. An overview of a couple of current U.S. Air Force application programs is presented. A discussion is then made of where research and development of the YBCO-coated conductor should progress and examples in the U.S. Air Force program. These areas include magnetic flux pinning in YBCO thin films, reduction of the ac losses experienced in the YBCO conductor, and stability and quench issues when implementing the YBCO-coated conductor.
Quantum size effects in superfluid 3He films.

We study quantum size effects in superfluid /sup 3/He films. We consider the thickness d regime k/sub F//sup -1/<
Lessons in solidarity: Buchi Emecheta and Mariama Bâ on female victim(izer)s

(2001). Lessons in solidarity: Buchi Emecheta and Mariama Bâ on female victim(izer)s. Women's Studies: Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 199-223.
The Determination of Loop Invariants for Programs with Arrays

This paper describes a method for the generation of loop predicates (or invariant assertions) for programs operating on arrays. The technique described is an application of difference equations.
Photoswitchable Hydrogen‐Bonding in Self‐Organized Cylindrical Peptide Systems

The new photochromic supramolecular system 1 is based on the E→Z isomerization of an azobenzene substituted with cyclic peptides with alternating D- and L-α-amino acids. This system allows reversible switching between inter- and intramolecularly assembled cylindrical β-sheet structures in solution as well as in thin films at the air-water interface. Moreover, the system displays the rarely observed quantitative photoinduced E→Z isomerization.
Optimizing coagulation of municipal wastewaters for turbidity removal

The objectives of this laboratory study were to determine the effect of types and dosages of coagulants on the removal of turbidity from municipal wastewaters. Wastewaters were collected from Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant, Cleveland, Ohio and Central Wastewater Treatment Plant, Solon, Ohio. Wastewaters from the Southerly plant consisted only of samples taken after primary settling. Wastewaters from the Solon plant consisted of samples taken after four different stages of treatment, primary settling, secondary settling, tertiary fiiters and chlorination. Coagulants selected for investigation included earth materials (granite, basalt, shale and limestone), flyashes and two types of activated carbon. The coagulant dosages varied from 0.4 to 6.0 g/1. The turbidity of the wastewaters from the Southerly plant increased when powdered samples of granite, basalt, shale, limetsone and flyash were added with increasing dosage. Similar results were also noted in the samples of Solon plant, but the levels of in...
Future Orientations and Avoidance: Speculations on the Time of Achievement and Social Roles*

IT IS a fact of life that human activity is unalterably future directed. As Schachtel (1959) noted, even walking requires a faith in the future. Thus, to ignore the incipience of the future or life's inevitable contingencies, is to believe that by turning around and walking away, one actually postpones or avoids the future and all its attendant unknowns. In truth, walking away only establishes a new future course; hence if a man possesses no intention, no plan for the future, in effect he denies the emergence or really the time of existence (see Allport, 1963:233 ff.). It is not however, just a direction of a man's lifetime that one studies in future involvements, but an explicit action orientation founded in a realistic approach to the future, namely the intention or expectation. The distinction between having and not having expectations is not an issue of whether or not one owns life insurance or has otherwise arranged for his demise. Rather it is a distinction between living for the moment or treating the moment as a time of preparation, figuratively a spring board into the future. All things considered, an expectation is not merely another activity; it is the logical antecedent and consequent of both deliberation and action. In one respect, it makes little difference how one defines his future linguistically or chronologically or whether he visualizes it metaphorically as "a galloping horseman," "a bird in flight," or "a quiet motionless ocean." 1 What matters, is that in contemplating the future, only one realistic strategy offers itself, the intention. Other options such as future avoidance or prediction, even fantasies of preknowledge, remain unsatisfying responses, hopelessly contradicting the unalterable identity of tomorrow, next year, and forever. A so-called temporal approach to the future therefore, would be to sit back, wait patiently, and let it all happen, for its arrival can neither be hastened nor postponed. The so-called psychological approach would be to "make" the future happen by filling the present's nest to the brim with expectations.
5,10-Dihydroindolo[3,2-b]indole-Based Copolymers with Alternating Donor and Acceptor Moieties for Organic Photovoltaics

A series of new donor–acceptor π-conjugated copolymers incorporating 5,10-dihydroindolo[3,2-b]indole (DINI) as an electron donating unit have been designed, synthesized, and explored in bulk heterojunction solar cells with diketopyrrolopyrrole and thienopyrroledione as the electron accepting units. A significant effect of the size and shape of the pendant alkyl substituents attached to the DINI unit on the optical and electronic properties of the copolymers is described. Our study reveals a good correlation between the theoretical calculations performed on the selected materials and the experimental HOMO, LUMO, absorption spectra, and band gap energies of the corresponding copolymers. The band gaps of the conjugated copolymers can be tailored over 0.4 eV by the electron-withdrawing nature of the different acceptor units to provide better overlap with the solar spectrum, and the energy levels can be tuned ∼0.2 eV depending on the alkyl substituents employed. For the polymers in this study, a nonoptimized p...
An effective DNA extraction protocol for brown algae

SUMMARY Successful extraction of total DNA from brown algae,which are generally polysaccharide and polyphenol rich,is often problematic using current methods. Persistentpolysaccharide and polyphenolic compounds canhinder further application of modern molecular tech-niques requisite to molecular-based evolutionary studies.Our broad and long-term research goals with fucaleantaxa, especially Sargassum , and problems with existingDNA extraction methods were an impetus to develop areliable DNA extraction method. Initial research estab-lished hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)based total-DNA methods as the most viable for furtherempirical development. Several constituents effectiveat either complexing secondary compounds or creatinga reductive extraction environment were increased inconcentration or added to the extraction buffer. Theseseemingly minor changes resulted in the creation of ahighly reductive extraction buffer and effective total-DNA harvesting technique. We detail these modifica-tions and demonstrate the reliability of the modifiedprotocol with a variety of brown algae and tissue preser-vation methods. Such DNA is shown to be suitable fora variety of molecular techniques.Key words: brown algae, DNA extraction, CTABmethods, fucales, polyphenolic compounds,
Back to Basics: Twelve Rules for Writing a Publishable Article

The following essay aims to consolidate the learnings of a year-long internship at The Review of Politics , during which time the author read and wrote reports on some hundred articles submitted to the journal.
Entrepreneurs in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the USA

This study compares entrepreneurial attitudes in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia with that of the USA, based on Flash Barometer surveys conducted by the European Union in 2004 and 2007. Measurement and evaluation of the legal and financial environment in these countries is examined by their changing rankings in the World Bank's Doing Business database.
The Problem of Polity: Political Participation and Aristotle's Best Regime

Aristotle uses the same word—politeia—to describe both the genus of “regimes” and a particular species within that genus. I argue that this usage is a common practice in Aristotle's practical works and identifies the most developed species within its genus. Aristotle thus sees the regime of polity as more appropriate for developed communities than the regimes often taken to represent his ideals, i.e., kingship and aristocracy. Aristotle's understanding of the capacities, and limitations, of the multitude leads him to propose the mixed regime of polity as the best regime generally possible. While polity differs from the best regime simply discussed in Book VII, it still offers rich possibilities for both political and theoretical activity.
Metamorphic changes in fat body proteins of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella

Abstract Developmental changes in the fat body proteins of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella, were studied from the beginning of the fifth instar to the newly ecdysed pupal stage. The dry weight of the perivisceral fat body was found to increase markedly from a mean of 1·15 mg/insect at 10 days of age to 7·9 mg in the newly ecdysed pupa (16 days). This rise was partially attributed to the increase in fat body protein content which took place during the same period. The fat body protein content rose from about 0·25 mg/insect at 10 days to a maximum of about 1·7 mg/insect in the newly ecdysed pupa. The rate of protein biosynthesis during this period was estimated using leucine-14C as a tracer. Results showed that 14-day-old larval fat body, unlike that of newly ecdysed pupae, had a high rate of protein biosynthesis. The chronology of synthesis and accumulation of the major proteins was determined by subjecting the soluble fat body proteins to disk electrophoresis. A changing electrophoretic pattern was detected between 10 and 15 days, which coincided with the period of active protein biosynthesis. Analyses of 15-day-old mature larval fat body revealed the presence of three major soluble proteins whose titre greatly increased after pupal ecdysis. The relationship between fat body and haemolymph proteins and the role of the major fat body proteins in adult differentiation are discussed.
Photoaffinity labeling of the N‐formyl peptide receptor of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

Quantitative analysis of ligand-occupied receptor interactions with elements of the cytoskeleton and with intracellular compartments requires a sensitive and simple method of identifying the receptor-ligand complex in living cells. Toward this goal, we have prepared a photoactivatable arylazide derivative of the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-Nle-Leu-Phe-Nle-Tyr-Lys, which can be radiolabeled to high specific activity with 125I. This derivative was biologically active as judged by its ability to elicit superoxide anion production by human PMNL at nanomolar concentrations (ED50 approximately 0.7 nM). When incubated at 0 degree C with whole PMNL, radioactive ligand became specifically and saturably associated with a 60-70,000-dalton species (as assessed by SDS-PAGE) after exposure to UV light. Addition of 10-100-fold excess of unlabeled parent or unlabeled azidopeptide derivative completely blocked uptake into this species. Approximately 20-40% of the available surface receptor-binding sites were covalently labeled under these conditions. Subcellular fractionation of the labeled cells on sucrose gradients after homogenization showed that the labeled species was primarily associated with plasma membrane-rich fractions. The labeled receptor could be completely solubilized with Triton X-100 in a form which eluted as a single species with a Stoke's radius of less than 50 A on Sepharose 4B columns. In addition, the solubilized receptor-ligand complex bound specifically to wheat germ agglutinin, indicating that it is probably a glycoprotein. The ability to label the receptor in living PMNL with a high efficiency should facilitate the study of receptor dynamics and receptor physiochemical properties in this system.
Sensation-seeking, performance genres and substance use among musicians

Popular cultural imagery has long assumed that musicians routinely use both licit and illicit substances for recreational purposes, to enhance creativity or to cope with the vicissitudes of an artistic lifestyle. To date, however, there has been little empirical examination of the presumed links between drugs and musical performance. In this analysis, we examined relationships among personality, musical performance genres, and the use of substances both licit (tobacco and alcohol) and illicit (marijuana and other drugs). Drawing on self-report survey data from a sample of 226 Western New York professional and amateur musicians, we used hierarchical regression analyses to test the simultaneous effects of sensation-seeking and performance genres on eight substance use outcomes, controlling for gender, age, race, and ethnicity. All forms of substance use were positively associated with sensation-seeking. Substance use outcomes were positively associated with Intense/Rebellious genres (e.g., rock) and to a le...
Positive reframing and the test performance of test anxious children

The present study tested whether the paradoxical technique of positive reframing, presented in the form of test instructions, could be used to reduce the cognitive experience of worry and thereby improve the arithmetic test performance of highly test anxious third-and fourth-grade children. Thirty high test anxious and thirty low test anxious children were assigned randomly to receive one of three types of instructions prior to taking an arithmetic word problem test: neutral instructions, reassuring instructions, and positive-reframing instructions, which encouraged the children to view worry as a positive attribute. The results indicated that the type of instructions given had no significant effect upon subsequent test performance. However, both high and low test anxious children who received positive reframing scored significantly higher on a state anxiety measure given post test. These findings suggest that, although positive reframing may have an emotional impact, it is ineffective in improving the arithmetic test performance of highly test anxious children.
Reexamining Human Origins in Light of Ardipithecus ramidus

Referential models based on extant African apes have dominated reconstructions of early human evolution since Darwin’s time. These models visualize fundamental human behaviors as intensifications of behaviors observed in living chimpanzees and/or gorillas (for instance, upright feeding, male dominance displays, tool use, culture, hunting, and warfare). Ardipithecus essentially falsifies such models, because extant apes are highly derived relative to our last common ancestors. Moreover, uniquely derived hominid characters, especially those of locomotion and canine reduction, appear to have emerged shortly after the hominid/chimpanzee divergence. Hence, Ardipithecus provides a new window through which to view our clade’s earliest evolution and its ecological context. Early hominids and extant apes are remarkably divergent in many cardinal characters. We can no longer rely on homologies with African apes for accounts of our origins and must turn instead to general evolutionary theory. A proposed adaptive suite for the emergence of Ardipithecus from the last common ancestor that we shared with chimpanzees accounts for these principal ape/human differences, as well as the marked demographic success and cognitive efflorescence of later Plio-Pleistocene hominids.
Molecular network pathway and functional analysis of tumor signatures associated with development of resistance to viral gene therapy

RESULTS: The multigene predictor includes 202 genes associated with increased DRFS and 527 genes associated with decreased DRFS. Patients with a low genomic risk score (GRS) had a 5-year DRFS of 83% vs 34% for high GRS patients (p0.001). When adjusting for subtype, the hazard ratio (HR) for high vs low GRS patients was 4.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7–11.0; p0.002). The concordance probability for subtype was 0.696 and for GRS was 0.744.The GRS was validated in the test set. Low GRS patients had a 5-year DRFS of 83% vs 31% for high GRS patients (p0.001).TheHRforhighvslowGRSwas4.4(95%CI1.3–15.5;
Heterosexual Transmission of HIV: The Role of Other Sexually Transmitted Infections and Behavior in Its Epidemiology Prevention and Control

This paper focuses on heterosexual transmission the largest and fastest growing component of HIV spread. Its properties associated risk factors and the effects of societal context on these factors are reviewed. The methodological difficulties involved in establishing causal links between potential risk factors and HIV transmission and in evaluating the efficacy and population impact of alternative prevention and control strategies are summarized and a consideration of available strategies for the prevention and control of heterosexually transmitted HIV is outlined. (excerpt)
Athletics versus Academics? Rejoining the Evidence from SAT Scores.

The present paper provides statistical evidence of the positive role played by athletics within the mission of higher education. With data provided by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the present study employs a superior measure of athletic success as advertising to that of previous studies, and provides evidence that basketball success at colleges and universities in the US aids these institutions in attracting quality students—who themselves are seeking the institution offering an optimal bundle of consumption and investment benefits with regard to human capital attainment. The evidence presented here supports previous studies which point out that athletics may indeed enhance the mission of a university
How Fast and where does a Random Walker Move on a Random Tree

The oldest model of random trees is that of Galton and Watson. In joint work with Robin Pemantle and Yuval Peres, described informally here, we consider simple random walk on the family tree T of a supercritical Galton-Watson branching process. First we calculate the speed (i.e., rate of escape) of the walk; the answer is simple, yet surprising. Then we show that the resulting harmonic measure has a.s. strictly smaller dimension than that of the whole boundary of T. Concretely, this means that after T is picked but before the random walk takes place, a subtree of T of a smaller exponential growth rate can be specified such that with overwhelming probability, the random walk particle will never exit this subtree (!).
On the complexity of graph cuboidal dual problems for 3-D floorplanning of integrated circuit design

This paper discusses the impact of migrating from 2-D to 3-D on floorplanning and placement. By looking at a basic formulation of graph cuboidal dual problem, we show that the 3-D case and the 3-layer 2.5-D case are fundamentally more difficult than the 2-D case in terms of computational complexity. By comparison among these cases, the intrinsic complexity in 3-D floorplan structures is revealed in the hard-deciding relations between topological connections and geometrical contacts. The results show future challenges for physical design and CAD of 3-D integrated circuits.
A Modest Proposal: How We might change the Process and Product of Managerial Research

The article focuses on possible changes in the discipline of management science, and how the methodology and presentation of its research might be improved. The main goals of management science sch...
Intrarater Reliability of Manual Muscle Testing and Hand-held Dynametric Muscle Testing

Physical therapists require an accurate, reliable method for measuring muscle strength. They often use manual muscle testing or hand-held dynametric muscle testing (DMT), but few studies document the reliability of MMT or compare the reliability of the two types of testing. We designed this study to determine the intrarater reliability of MMT and DMT. A physical therapist performed manual and dynametric strength tests of the same five muscle groups on 11 patients and then repeated the tests two days later. The correlation coefficients were high and significantly different from zero for four muscle groups tested dynametrically and for two muscle groups tested manually. The test-retest reliability coefficients for two muscle groups tested manually could not be calculated because the values between subjects were identical. We concluded that both MMT and DMT are reliable testing methods, given the conditions described in this study. Both testing methods have specific applications and limitations, which we discuss.