cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of wood species on corrosion behavior of carbon steel and stainless steels in black liquors

Black liquors produced by pulping different wood species can have different corrosivity towards carbon steel equipment in pulp mills. Inorganic constituents of black liquor alone do not correlate well with the corrosivity of different black liquors. Organic constituents of the black liquor have significant effect on determining its corrosivity. However, understanding of the role of individual organic constituents or group of constituents of black liquors in overall black liquor corrosivity is generally lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the effect selected wood species on the corrosivity of their black liquors which contained similar inorganic constituents. The role of black liquor constituent, pyrocatechols, whose presence in the black liquor has been associated with an increase in corrosion of carbon steel, was also studied. Results from electrochemical tests point to the mechanisms by which the catechols may participate in the accelerated corrosion of carbon steels. This study demonstrates the role of organic constituents of the black liquor in determining its corrosivity.
Acting Presidential : The Dramaturgy of Bush Versus Kerry

Dramaturgy, an interactionist perspective, was developed by Erving Goffman, a sociologist working in the theoretical tradition of seminal social theorists including Durkheim and Parsons. This article’s thesis is that although the typical application of dramaturgy has been to interpersonal contexts, dramaturgy’s symbolic orientation and its rich terminological vocabulary make it particularly well suited for the analysis of political communication, widely perceived as a theatrical and symbolic domain. This metatheoretical article attempts to extend dramaturgy to politics, notwithstanding the apparently little interest in politics displayed by Goffman himself. The article’s political focus is the U.S. presidential campaign of 2004, which opposed George Bush and John Kerry. The contest is examined in the dramaturgic terms of performance, expressive control, disidentification, region management, and stigmatization.
Combination HIV prevention: significance, challenges, and opportunities.

No single HIV prevention strategy will be sufficient to control the HIV pandemic. However, a growing number of interventions have shown promise in partially protecting against HIV transmission and acquisition, including knowledge of HIV serostatus, behavioral risk reduction, condoms, male circumcision, needle exchange, treatment of curable sexually transmitted infections, and use of systemic and topical antiretroviral medications by both HIV-infected and uninfected persons. Designing the optimal package of interventions that matches the epidemiologic profile of a target population, delivering that package at the population level, and evaluating safety, acceptability, coverage, and effectiveness, all involve methodological challenges. Nonetheless, there is an unprecedented opportunity to develop “prevention packages” that combine various arrays of evidence-based strategies, tailored to the needs of diverse subgroups and targeted to achieve high coverage for a measurable reduction in population-level HIV transmission. HIV prevention strategies that combine partially effective interventions should be scaled up and evaluated.
Indapamide: A Diuretic of Choice for the Treatment of Hypertension?

In recent years, the therapeutic approach to mild hypertension has evolved from a stepped care approach to one including varied, initial monotherapies, with the selection of drug based on factors present in an individual patient, followed by combination therapy. The greatest cumulative experience of the value of antihypertensive therapy has been obtained with diuretics. The reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease with successful antihypertensive therapy using conventional agents, including diuretics, is not as great as might have been anticipated by the magnitude of change in blood pressure. This could be due to antecedent cardiovascular injury prior to therapy or to risk factors induced by therapy. The recent introduction of a new generation of drugs with combined diuretic and hypotensive effects that reduce blood pressure without inducing the biochemical changes associated with thiazides, offers an opportunity to evaluate this question. Indapamide is the first of this new generation to be released. Its pharmacologic characteristics show that it has the prerequisites to be considered a first-line drug for use in hypertension. It meets the requirements of a Phase II or second generation drug in that it has similar efficacy, but less short term toxicity than first generation drugs. It has been introduced at a cost that is competitive with thiazides and potassium-sparing combination drugs and is cheaper than many other classes of antihypertensive drugs. The major caution in promoting its use is that its long term effect on morbidity and mortality in hypertensive disease has not yet been evaluated. In summary, this is a promising new drug that has the potential to replace first generation thiazides in the routine management of hypertension.
Nosocomial Multiply Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae: Epidemiology of an Outbreak of Apparent Index Case Origin

A nosocomial epidemic of multiply resistant (MR) Klebsiella pneumoniae characterized by resistance to gentamicin, tobramycin, kanamycin, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, and ampicillin occurred in a Veterans Administration hospital from 1975 to 1977. A total of 66 infected or colonized patients were observed in a 2-year period; there were 43 urinary tract infections, 13 wound or soft tissue infections, 8 pneumonias, and 6 patients with only asymptomatic stool colonization. Four patients had both pneumonia and a urinary tract infection. There were five secondary bacteremias. The majority of MR K. pneumoniae strains were type 30, but types 17, 21, and 23 and nontypable organisms were also recovered. Other gram-negative bacilli with the same antibiotic resistance pattern were isolated from 14 patients. Seven MR K. pneumoniae and three resistant Escherichia coli isolates were shown to transfer resistance to E. coli K-12. MR K. pneumoniae-infected patients were seriously ill, had long hospitalization times (mean, 67 days), and were in close geographic proximity to other cases. Compared with controls, cases more frequently had prior antibiotic treatment and urinary catheters, but not respiratory instrumentation, nasogastric tubes, or antacid treatment. The apparent source of the outbreak was traced to an index case who entered the hospital with an MR K. pneumoniae urinary tract infection. Asymptomatic gastrointestinal carriage without infection elsewhere was infrequent (1.6% of cultured patients), but 78% of patients with MR K. pneumoniae infections at other sites also had the organism in their stools. Hospital antibiotic usage was unchanged before and during the outbreak. The identification of an index case and relative lack of asymptomatic stool carriers are unique features of this plasmid-mediated MR K. pneumoniae epidemic. Although this MR K. pneumoniae outbreak appeared to be controlled by the use of isolation techniques, a simultaneous increase in gentamicin resistance among other gram-negative organisms was observed.
Is the flare phenomenon clinically significant

Abstract Objectives: The existing luteinizing hormone–releasing hormone (LHRH) analogs have been the preferred method of inducing androgen deprivation for prostate cancer for over a decade. These agents are well known to cause a surge in serum testosterone levels during the first week of therapy. However, there are wide discrepancies in reports of the frequency and severity of acute clinical progression or clinical flare that might result from the testosterone surge. Also, there is not a clear consensus as to whether antiandrogens should be routinely given to all patients during the first month of LHRH therapy to prevent flare responses. Methods: Clinical trials involving LHRH analog therapy for prostate cancer were reviewed, and the frequency of clinical flare responses noted. Particular attention was given to the kinds of clinical problems associated with the flare response. The use of LHRH analog therapy in treatment of patients with prostate cancer for indications other than overt metastatic disease is discussed, because this is becoming a much more common use of these agents. This article analyzes 2 placebo-controlled, double-blind trials testing the effectiveness of existing antiandrogens in ameliorating flare responses. Results: The use of LHRH analogs for patients with stage D2 disease can be associated with clinical flare in approximately 10% of D2 patients. In addition to bone pain, cord compression, and bladder outlet obstruction, another potentially severe side effect is cardiovascular risk arising presumably from hypercoagulability associated with a rapid increase in tumor burden. In clinical series involving D2 patients, the frequency of clinical flare greatly varies, probably because of the level of scrutiny of the investigator and/or the prostate-cancer tumor burden present at the initiation of therapy. Concomitant antiandrogen therapy reduces, but does not totally eliminate, the flare responses in patients at high risk for flare. Treating prostate cancer in the D0 stage or in the neoadjuvant setting will result in biochemical evidence of testosterone surge, but these patients are at very little risk for clinical flare responses. Conclusions: There is a wide variation in the reported frequency of clinical flare responses from LHRH analogs during the initial treatment of patients with stage D2 disease. The risk-to-benefit ratio, especially in patients with symptomatic bone metastasis, would dictate routine use of antiandrogen therapy for the first month of LHRH analog treatment. For patients at risk for cord compression, other means of ablating testosterone might be considered, such as ketoconazole, orchiectomy, or LHRH antagonists. Clinical flare responses, as opposed to biochemical flare responses, are very rare during LHRH analog therapy for stage D0 disease and/or in the setting of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy.
A concept analysis of empowerment

In this paper, an objective concept analysis was undertaken to examine the attributes, characteristics and uses of the concept of empowerment. A review of the literature and selected empirical referents indicated that empowerment is a complex and multi-dimensional concept. Within a nursing context, empowerment can be conceptualized as a composite of (a) attributes that relate to the client, (b) attributes that relate to the nurse, and (c) attributes that belong to both the client and the nurse. In a broad sense, empowerment is a process of helping people to assert control over the factors which affect their lives. This process encompasses both the individual responsibility in health care and the broader institutional, organizational or societal responsibilities in enabling people to assume responsibility for their own health. Antecedents to and consequences of empowerment, from a nursing perspective, are presented. To adopt truly an empowerment model in nursing, a radical paradigm shift is needed. The final conclusion is that this concept has great utility for nursing practice, education, administration and research.
Ca2+- and PKC-dependent stimulation of PGE2 synthesis by deoxycholic acid in human colonic fibroblasts.

We investigated prostanoid biogenesis by human colonic fibroblasts (CCD-18Co cells and nine primary fibroblast cultures) exposed to a primary (cholic, CA) or a secondary (deoxycholic, DCA) bile aci...
Kinematic significance of fold- and fault-related fracture systems in the Zagros mountains, southern Iran

Abstract Initiation and formation of folds and the Kazerun high-angle fault zone, in the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt, were related to the continuing SW–NE oriented contraction that probably initiated in the Late Cretaceous, and intensified, starting in Miocene, when the Arabian and Eurasian plates collided. The contraction that led to folding and thrusting of the Phanerozoic sequence in the belt has led to the strike–slip reactivation of basement faults that formed during the Precambrian. Two major systems of fractures have developed, under the same regional state of contraction, during the folding and strike–slip faulting processes. Folding led to the formation of a system of fold-related fractures that comprises four sets of fractures, which include an axial and a cross-axial set that trend parallel and perpendicular to the confining fold axial trace, respectively, and two oblique sets that trend at moderate angles to the axial trace. Slip along high-angle, strike–slip faults formed a system of fractures in the damage zone of the faults (e.g., Kazerun), and deformed folds that existed in the shear zone by rotating their axial plane. This fault-related fracture system is made of five sets of fractures, which include the two sets of Riedel shear fractures (R and R′), P- and Y-shear fractures, and an extensional set. Remote sensing analysis of both fracture systems, in a GIS environment, reveals a related kinematic history for folding outside of the Kazerun shear zone and faulting and deformation (fracturing and rotation of folds) within the Kazerun fault zone. Rotation of the folds and formation of the five sets of the fault-related fractures in the Kazerun shear zone are consistent with a dextral motion along the fault. The mean trends of the shortening directions, independently calculated for the fold- and fault-related fracture systems, are remarkably close (N53 ± 4°E and N50 ± 5°E, respectively), and are perpendicular to the general NW–SE trend of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt. Although segments of the Kazerun fault are variably oriented within a narrow range, the angular relationships between sets of fault-related fractures and these segments remain constant.
Polymorphism and size-pairing in the harvester antPogonomyrmex badius: a test of the ecological release hypothesis

The role of caste polymorphism in the foraging strategy ofPogonomyrmex badius was studied in the field by measuring food items collected by foragers, and correlating food item size variables with forager size variables. The diet ofP. badius included seeds and insects. In two colonies examined, these food types comprised different proportions of the diet sample.
Compatibility of Orius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) with Amblyseius (Iphiseius) degenerans (Acari: Phytoseiidae) for control of Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on greenhouse roses

Abstract The compatibility of two commercially-marketed natural enemies of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), an anthocorid bug, Orius insidiosus (Say), and a phytoseiid mite, Amblyseius (=Iphiseius) degenerans Berlese, was tested on cut roses, Rosa hybrida L. cv. ‘Tropicana’. Our goal was to determine the extent to which intraguild predation could affect suppression of F. occidentalis by this predator complex. We conducted laboratory experiments to examine: (1) effects of prey densities, prey composition, and crop structure on predation by adult O. insidiosus, (2) prey switching behavior in O. insidiosus, and (3) effects of Orius gender on prey preference. We found that Orius insidiosus will switch to the more abundant prey if presented with variable ratios of adult A. degenerans and immature or adult F. occidentalis on flowers or foliage. If presented with prey in equal numbers, O. insidiosus preyed more on A. degenerans than adult F. occidentalis but equally on A. degenerans and immature F. occidentalis. Males and females of O. insidiosus showed similar patterns of predation, but females killed more prey than males. In greenhouse trials simulating thrips infestations of cut rose crops, we compared control of F. occidentalis on roses with releases of both O. insidiosus and A. degenerans or only O. insidiosus. Roses with or without predators produced similar numbers of harvestable flowers, but roses with predators had fewer thrips than roses without predators. Releases of both predators did not enhance thrips control because roses with both predators had similar numbers of thrips as roses with only O. insidiosus.
Regulatory interactions among three members of the vertebrate aryl hydrocarbon receptor family: AHR repressor, AHR1, and AHR2.

The effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and related compounds occur via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a member of the basic helix-loop-helix-Per-ARNT-Sim homology (bHLH-PAS) protein superfamily. A single AHR gene has been identified in mammals, whereas many fish species, including the Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) possess two distinctAHR genes (AHR1 and a novel form,AHR2). A mouse bHLH-PAS protein closely related to AHR and designated AHR repressor (AHRR) is induced by 3-methylcholanthrene and represses the transcriptional activity of the AHR. To determine whether AHRR is the mammalian ortholog of fish AHR2 and to investigate the mechanisms by which AHRR regulates AHR function, we cloned an AHRR ortholog in F. heteroclitus with high sequence identity to the mouse and human AHRRs. Killifish AHRR encodes a 680-residue protein with a predicted molecular mass of 75.2 kDa. We show that in vitro expressed AHRR proteins from human, mouse, and killifish all fail to bind [3H]TCDD or [3H]β-naphthoflavone. In transient transfection experiments using a luciferase reporter gene under control of AHR response elements, killifish AHRR inhibited the TCDD-dependent transactivation function of both AHR1 and AHR2. AHRR mRNA is widely expressed in killifish tissues and is inducible by TCDD or polychlorinated biphenyls, but its expression is not altered in a population of fish exhibiting genetic resistance to these compounds. The F. heteroclitus AHRR promoter contains three putative AHR response elements. Both AHR1 and AHR2 activated transcription of luciferase driven by the AHRR promoter, and AHRR could repress its own promoter. Thus, AHRR is an evolutionarily conserved, TCDD-inducible repressor of AHR1 and AHR2 function. Phylogenetic analysis shows that AHRR , AHR1, and AHR2are distinct genes, members of an AHR gene family; these three vertebrate AHR-like genes descended from a single invertebrate AHR.
Bonding glass-ionomer cements to chemomechanically-prepared dentin.

Abstract The aim of this investigation was to compare the shear bond strengths of two commercially available glass-ionomer cement base materials to remaining dentin: (1) after conventional caries removal and polyacrylic acid conditioning; (2) after chemomechanical caries removal (Caridex™); and (3) after chemomechanical caries removal and polyacrylic acid conditioning. Ninety freshly extracted carious teeth were randomly assigned for caries removal with either the chemomechanical technique (N=60), or with conventional mechanical drilling (N=30). Caries removal was continued until the remaining dentin surfaces were judged sound. The remaining dentin in 30 of the teeth prepared with the chemomechanical technique, and in all of the teeth prepared with mechanical drilling, was treated with 10% aqueous polyacrylic acid for 10 seconds. Groups of 15 teeth were assigned for bonding with either Ketac-Bond or Shofu Glasionomer Base Cement. All bonded specimens were stored in a humidor at 37°C for 24 hr. Shear bond strength was tested by means of a mechanical testing machine at a cross-head speed of 0.05 cm/min. Analysis of variance indicated no significant difference (p>0.05) in the mean bond strength among the groups.
Fashionably late? Social work and television production

SUMMARY In the enthusiasm for faster and more efficient technology for practice and education, social workers should not deny the obvious. Television has been, and will continue to be, the most influential tool of communication in American society. This article examines the role of social workers in broadcast television and describes the mechanics of TV production for novice social worker/producers.
Thermal history of the Abee enstatite chondrite

Constraints are reported on the thermal history of the constituents of the Abee enstatite chondrite. From thermal experiments on laboratory-prepared alloys, and on actual samples of the meteorite, it is concluded that the metal phase of Abee cooled from above 700 C to room temperature in less than ten hours.
Peripheral tissue metabolism in man with varied disease states and similar weight loss

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of tumor burden and benign inflammatory disease on peripheral tissue metabolism independent of antecedent weight loss. This was accomplished by comparing forearm substrate flux profiles in cachectic cancer and benign disease patients to those of normal subjects before and after 10 days of total protein calorie depletion. Tumor-bearing patients (CA), benign disease patients (BD), and starved (ST) normal volunteers had similar weight loss. Resting energy expenditure was not significantly different between the study populations. Efflux of total amino acids (TAA [nmole/100 ml tissue-min]) decreased significantly (P
Interaction and the Conservation of Gender Inequality: Considering Employment

How can we explain the persistence of gender hierarchy over transformations in its socioeconomic base? Part of the answer lies in the mediation of gender inequality by taken-for-granted interactional processes that rewrite inequality into new institutional arrangements. The problems of interacting cause actors to automatically sex-categorize others and, thus, to cue gender stereotypes that have various effects on interactional outcomes, usually by modifying the performance of other, more salient identities. Because changes in the status dimension of gender stereotypes lag behind changes in resource inequalities, interactional status processes can reestablish gender inequalities in new structural forms. Interactional sex categorization also biases the choice of comparison others, causing men and women to judge differently the rewards available to them. Operating in workplace relations, these processes conserve inequality by driving the gender-labeling of jobs, constructing people as gender-interested actors, contributing to employers' discriminatory preferences, and mediating men's and women's perceptions of alternatives and their willingness to settle for given job outcomes.
Epilepsy beyond seizure: a population-based study of comorbidities

Comorbid conditions may affect the quality of life in persons with epilepsy (PWE) more than seizures. Using legally mandated healthcare encounter data, somatic, psychiatric, and neurodevelopmental comorbidities in a large population-based cohort of PWE, were compared to persons with migraine (PWM), a similar neurologic condition, and lower extremity fracture (PWLF), otherwise healthy controls. 64,188 PWE, 121,990 PWM, and 89,808 PWLF were identified from inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department from 2000 to 2011. Epilepsy was ascertained with ICD-9-CM code 345; migraine with 346; fracture of the tibia, fibula, and ankle with 823 and 824. Common comorbidities of epilepsy were identified from the literature. Differences in prevalence among PWE, PWM, and PWLF were assessed by comparison of 95% confidence intervals (CI) constructed under the assumption of independence and normal approximation. The association of the comorbid conditions with epilepsy and migraine, compared to lower extremity fracture, were evaluated with polytomous logistic regression controlling for demographic and mortality covariables. PWE had significantly elevated prevalence of comorbidities compared with PWM and PWLF. Compared with PWLF, the adjusted odds ratios (OR) of having both somatic and psychiatric/neurodevelopmental comorbidities were 5.44 (95% CI=5.25-5.63) and 2.49 (95% CI=2.42-2.55) in PWE and PWM, respectively. The association with epilepsy was the strongest for cognitive dysfunction (OR=28.1; 95% CI=23.3-33.8); autism spectrum disorders (OR=22.2; 95% CI=16.8-29.3); intellectual disability (OR=12.9; 95% CI=11.6-14.3); and stroke (OR=4.2; 95% CI=4.1-4.4). The absolute risk increase in PWE compared with PWM for any somatic or psychiatric/neurodevelopmental comorbidity was 58.8% and 94.3%, respectively. Identifying comorbidities that are strongly and consistently associated with seizures, particularly disorders with shared underlying pathophysiology, is critical in identifying specific research and practice goals that may ultimately improve the quality of life for PWE. This study contributes to that effort by providing population-based comorbidity data for PWE compared with PWM and PWLF.
Incremental finite element analysis of geometrically altered structures

A conceptually simple, general method is described for the finite element simulation of multi-stage construction and excavation processes, including recognition of nonlinear material behaviour. Anomalous results reported in the literature for simulation of excavation of elastic media are examined, and shown to result from the inconsistent determination of nodal excavation forces from element boundary stresses.
1992 STEP Symposium

The year 1992 marks the quincentenary jubilee of the famous voyage of Christopher Columbus to the New World, a trip which initiated sustained contact between Europe and the American continent. Courageous explorations often lead to advancement of mankind, be they in uncharted territory or science. As much as Columbus was unaware of what lay in store for his voyage, we were just as poorly informed about what lay beyond our home planet when we began space exploration about three decades ago. There is much similarity among the pioneering spirits characteristic of both endeavors. It is thus fitting to celebrate this quincentenary occasion by declaring 1992 International Space Year (ISY). In conjunction with the COSPAR Meeting and the International Convention of the World Space Congress to be held in Washington, D.C., from August to September 1992, a 4-day symposium on the initial results from the Solar-Terrestrial Energy Program (STEP) Facilities and Theory Campaigns will be held at Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md., August 24–27. 1992.
Generalising calculus ideas from two dimensions to three: how multivariable calculus students think about domain and range

We analysed multivariable calculus students' meanings for domain and range and their generalisation of that meaning as they reasoned about the domain and range of multivariable functions. We found that students' thinking about domain and range fell into three broad categories: input/output, independence/dependence, and/or as attached to specific variables. We used Ellis' actor-oriented generalisations framework to characterise how students generalised their meanings for domain and range from single-variable to multivariable functions. This framework focuses on the process of generalisation – what students see as similar between ideas in multiple contexts. We found that students generalised their meanings for domain and range by relating objects, extending their meanings, using general principles and rules, and using/modifying previous ideas. Our findings suggest that the domain and range of multivariable functions is a topic instructors should explicitly address.
Charge trapping and built-in field studies in electroreflectance of a GaAs structure

A form of contactless electroreflectance, vacuum electroreflectance (VER), is used to quantitatively compare photoreflectance (PR) with electroreflectance (ER). It is found that the amplitude of the VER signal for a given applied modulation taken under CW laser illumination drastically decreases with increasing laser intensity. This new effect is studied as a function of frequency, and is explained in terms of the screening of the a.c. applied field by the surface charge, due to the presence of extra charge carriers in the depletion region. This effect is not present in contact forms of ER. It is also shown from a systematic comparison of PR and VER data that even for the lowest laser intensities which give an observable PR signal, the nature of the modulation in PR lowers the measured built-in field by an amount well outside the uncertainties in the determination of the field.
Global nutrition research: nutrition and breast cancer prevention as a model

The gene-environment interaction is paramount in light of the worldwide rise in incidence of chronic diseases, with cancers in the pole position. Diet is an environmental factor with potential to influence cancer onset by shaping the epigenome (i.e., the genome organization that controls the differential expression of genes). Yet, there is no consensus regarding how diet might help prevent breast cancer, the second most frequent malignancy globally. The complexity of breast cancers requires working on a global and multidisciplinary scale to further understand the relationship between breast cancer type, diet, and the epigenome. This article describes the International Breast Cancer & Nutrition collaboration as one such approach. A global endeavor brings the diversity necessary to pinpoint important diet-gene relationships. Being developed are models, detection and assessment tools, and funding and public policy frameworks necessary to advance primary prevention research for the benefit of all populations affected by breast cancer. This paradigm can be adapted to understanding diet-gene relationships for other chronic diseases.
Web 3DNA—a web server for the analysis, reconstruction, and visualization of three-dimensional nucleic-acid structures

The w3DNA (web 3DNA) server is a user-friendly web-based interface to the 3DNA suite of programs for the analysis, reconstruction, and visualization of three-dimensional (3D) nucleic-acid-containing structures, including their complexes with proteins and other ligands. The server allows the user to determine a wide variety of conformational parameters in a given structure--such as the identities and rigid-body parameters of interacting nucleic-acid bases and base-pair steps, the nucleotides comprising helical fragments, etc. It is also possible to build 3D models of arbitrary nucleotide sequences and helical types, customized single-stranded and double-helical structures with user-defined base-pair parameters and sequences, and models of DNA 'decorated' at user-defined sites with proteins and other molecules. The visualization component offers unique, publication-quality representations of nucleic-acid structures, such as 'block' images of bases and base pairs and stacking diagrams of interacting nucleotides. The w3DNA web server, located at http://w3dna.rutgers.edu, is free and open to all users with no login requirement.
Assessing Country-of-Origin Effects: The Impact of An International Event

This study is to investigate how consumers’ attitudes toward brands/products manufactured by a country are affected by an international event. Authors explored that consumers’ attitudes toward brand “made in ___” are affected by various constructs, such as prior beliefs about the products’ attributes, the country’s image along with the brand name, and attitudes toward the advertising during an international event.
Model Training Program in Counseling Psychology

In response to the revision of the American Psychological Association's Guidelines and Principles of Accreditation, the Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs (CCPTP) and Division 17formed a Joint Writing Committee to create a document that would present a modal or normative training program for counseling psychology. This article presents the Model Training Program, as endorsed by CCPTP and Division 17.
Were internal capital markets affected by the ‘perfect’ pension storm?

Abstract We examine capital expenditures in multi-segment firms before and after the “perfect storm” that affected pension plans between 2000 and 2002, when bond yields and stock prices both fell precipitously. Our sample of firms went from having overfunded to underfunded pension plans as a result of the storm. We examine the segment-level relation between investment, Tobin's q, and cash flow both before and after the event. We find mixed evidence on the change in the relation between investment and q, which may be a result of measurement error in q. We find stronger evidence for the conclusion that after the pension storm, firms with underfunded pension plans directed more investment towards segments that produce higher cash flow.
A formal methodology for analyzing tradeoffs of imprecise requirements

Conflict identification and resolution are inevitable parts of the requirement analysis process. Over the past few years, the need to deal with conflicting system requirements has become increasingly important. These requirements are often elastic in that they can be satisfied to a degree. The overall goal of this research is to develop a formal methodology that facilitates the identification and tradeoff analysis of conflicting requirements by explicitly capturing their elasticity. In order to capture the elasticity of imprecise requirements, we represent imprecise requirements using fuzzy logic. Based on the representation, we build a formal foundation to facilitate the identification of conflicting requirements. Once the conflicting requirements are identified, we describe a systematic approach for analyzing the tradeoff between conflicting requirements using the techniques in decision science. The systematic tradeoff analyses are used for three important tasks in the requirement engineering process: (1) for validating the structure used in aggregating prioritized requirements, (2) for assisting requirement engineers in identifying the structures and the parameters of the underlying representation of imprecise requirements and in eliciting them from the customer, and (3) for assessing the priorities of conflicting requirements. We illustrate the usage of these techniques using the requirements of a conference room scheduling system.
A Stratospheric Fountain

Abstract A “stratospheric fountain”, or area where air enters the stratosphere from the troposphere, is postulated based on an analysis of global 100 mb monthly mean temperatures. The temperature threshold is calculated from the observed global stratospheric water mixing ratio and fulfills the requirement of preserving low stratospheric humidity. The fountain occurs over the western tropical Pacific, northern Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia in the November–March period and over the Bay of Bengal and India during the Monsoon. It is suggested that the major portion of the stratospheric air supply enters through these areas with most of the exchange occurring in the November–March period. Methods are proposed for substantiating the existence of the stratospheric fountain.
Understanding challenges and advances in HIV vaccine development

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has one of the highest incidence and mortality rates of any infectious disease, with more than 33 million people infected worldwide. Specifically, HIV causes the destruction of helper T cells, ultimately resulting in the suppression of the immune system and leaving its human host susceptible to countless other pathogenic agents. The development of an effective HIV vaccine has continued for more than 20 years. But the use of preventative vaccines using traditional vaccine technologies, which have proven successful for other diseases, has thus far failed with HIV. One vaccine, AIDSVAX, was the first HIV vaccine to reach a phase III efficacy trial, but has not yet been shown to eradicate HIV. Hope now lies in the development of therapeutic vaccines using novel technologies. One such vaccine is ALVAC-HIV, which, when used in conjunction with other vaccines (AIDSVAX or Lipo-6T with IL-2 injections) has shown a great deal of promise in clinical trials suppressing viral replication and improving the immune system. Other therapeutic vaccines, such as Ad5, however, have been unsuccessful. While many believe developing an effective HIV vaccine to be impossible, efforts continue into researching its structure, transmission, immune system suppression, genetic variability, and immune system evasion. As long as research continues, hope remains that someday an effective vaccine will be developed.
The Stethoscope's Prognosis: Very Much Alive and Very Necessary.

![Figure][1] From the first few weeks in my tenure as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal , I have been writing about the indispensable integration of technology and clinical decision-making in the contemporary practice of cardiovascular medicine [(1,2)][2]. Although advanced technologies have
The Thought of Nirad C. Chaudhuri: Islam, Empire and Loss

In this critical examination of the famous South Asian thinker Nirad C. Chaudhuri (1897–1999), a notorious Anglophile and defender of Empire, Ian Almond analyses the factors that played a role in the evolution of his thought. Almond explores how Empire creates 'native informants', enabling local subjects to alienate themselves from and even abhor their own cultures. Through analysis of Chaudhuri's views on Islam, his use of the archive, moments of melancholy and loss in his writing, and his opinions on empire, Almond dissects the constitution of an Indian writer and locates the precise ways in which Chaudhuri was able to produce the kind of discourses he did, exploring how conservative, pro-Western intellectuals are formed in postcolonial environments. A strong comparative element places Chaudhuri's views in the context of conservative intellectuals from Latin America, the Middle East and South Asia, concluding with a consideration of present-day 'native informants' from these regions.
Comparison of Virus Survival in Freshwater Sources

Enteric viruses are a potential cause of human gastroenteritis. Their ability to cause waterborne disease may be attributed to their low infectious dose and survival for prolonged periods of time in aquatic environments. Virus survival studies have shown temperature to be a major factor in determination of inactivation rates. Literature on virus inactivation rates at various temperatures was compiled for freshwater sources including ground, tap, river, and impounded water. Data were grouped according to either virus type or water source. Linear regression and analysis of variance were used to evaluate the significance of temperature on virus survival. Data were also analyzed to obtain a general line of best fit for virus inactivation at various temperatures. Temperature was found to be a significant factor in virus inactivation. However, significance of the effect of temperature varied with virus type and water source. Approximately 3 to 99% of variation in virus inactivation rates can be explained by temperature. The slowest inactivation rate obtained was for coliphage in ground water. Inactivation rates for virus in tap water were among the highest and the overall mean inactivation rate for all virus data was slightly greater than 0.5 log per day. Future comparisons of the effect of temperature as well as other environmental factors on virus survival may require the development of standard methods for virus inactivation studies.
Parental, Residential, and Self-Belief Factors Influencing Academic Persistence Decisions of College Freshmen:

Based on Tinto’s model of academic persistence, this study explored background and personal factors that theoretically impact the academic persistence decisions of college freshmen. The factors stu...
Abstract 5108: A combined processing and assessment workflow for SNV and indel calling on exome sequencing of tumor samples

A workflow for exome sequencing is established using multiple callers for SNV and indel. A spectrum of measures is looked at to understand the diversity and characteristics of the samples. Two common workflows for variant calling are used, namely GATK unified genotyper and Samtools mpileup. Illumina paired end 90 base reads are mapped to the human genome using BWA. Variants called by GATK and Samtools are compared and merged to give a unified set of calling in VCF format. This approach gives additional confidence in calls supported by both callers as there are technical differences in the two workflows. dbSNP rate and TI/TV ratio are used to assess the general quality (sensitivity and specificity) of the calls. It is observed that tumor samples with very low and high TI/TV novel ratio are largely lung and melanoma samples respectively. They are likely to be UV and smoking induced DNA mutation. This affects the overall TI/TV ratio. A handful of samples also exhibit high variant count that is uniquely found (private) in the sample alone. This correlates with lower than expected dbSNP rate. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5108. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5108
Are we on the verge of an arms race in space

The United States and the Soviet Union should agree to ban attacks on satellites and forbid Instruments in space that project damaging levels of radiation.
DFT-based simulations of amide I' IR spectra of a small protein in solution using empirical electrostatic map with a continuum solvent model.

A continuum solvent model was tested for simulations of amide I′ IR spectra for a 40-residue subdomain of P22 viral coat protein in aqueous solution. Spectra obtained using DFT (BPW91/6-31G**) parameters for a reduced all-Ala representation of the protein were corrected by an electrostatic potential map obtained from the solvent cavity surface and AMBER99 side-chain atom partial charges. Various cavity sizes derived from van der Waals atomic radii with an added effective solvent radius up to 2.0 A were tested. The interplay of the side-chain and solvent electrostatic effects was investigated by considering the side chains and solvent separately as well as together. The sensitivity to side-chain conformational fluctuations and to the parametrization of Cβ group partial charges was also tested. Simulation results were compared to the experimental amide I′ spectra of P22 subdomain, including two 13C isotopically edited variants, as well as to the previous simulations based on the molecular dynamics trajector...
Modeling the coevolution of international and domestic institutions Alliances, democracy, and the complex path to peace

While much previous research has examined the relationship between interstate military alliances and the structure of domestic regimes, existing findings point in contradictory directions. Some have argued that democracies attract each other as alliance partners, and thereby generate international peace as a consequence of their domestic regime type, while others have argued that the causal relationship is reversed, and that international pacification creates the necessary space for international alliances and domestic democratization. To disentangle this difficult empirical relationship, this article presents an empirically grounded simulation model of the dynamic coevolution of interstate military alliances, international conflict, and domestic democratization, demonstrating a statistical approach which accounts both for the complex interdependencies generated by coevolving multiplex networks of interstate ties and for their reciprocal influence on the coevolution of domestic political regimes, over the...
Relationships Among Goal Contents, Exercise Motivations, Physical Activity, and Aerobic Fitness in University Physical Education Courses

The current research examined the relationships among exercise goal contents, behavioral regulation, physical activity, and aerobic fitness within the context of eight-week university physical educ...
Transforming Growth Factor-β

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF β). TGFβl is the prototype and the founding molecule for the TGFβ superfamily. This family has grown to include more than 40 members, including TGFβ isoforms, activins and inhibins, Mullerian inhibitory substance, growth differentiation factors (GDFs), and an ever increasing number of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). Members of this superfamily appear to mediate many key events in growth and development maintained evolutionarily from fruit flies to mammals. The actions of these proteins are mediated through structurally similar serine/threonine kinase transmembrane receptors. TGFβl isoforms consist of four distinct proteins, which include TGFβ 1–3 and 5. TGFβ is a potent multifunctional cytokine whose major effects in the body appear to be as a regulator of cell growth, a stimulator of matrix production, and an inhibitor of the immune system. Although TGFβ stimulates the formation of osteoid, it actually suppresses the formation of mineral in osteoid. TGFβ also suppresses markers of the calcified matrix such as osteocalcin and inhibits osteocalcin expression in both fetal rat calvarial cells and ROS 17/2.8 cells. TGFβ appears to inhibit bone resorption by inhibiting the formation and activation of osteoclasts. In bone systems where TGFβ stimulates resorption, this effect is mediated by the generation of prostaglandin by TGFβ, possibly by the induction of prostaglandin synthase II in osteoblast cells. TGFβ may act on osteoclast precursors to inhibit their proliferation and their formation and may inhibit the resorption process of mature cells by inducing cell death.
Individualized Education Program Development Among Racially/Ethnically Diverse Children and Adolescents with Health Conditions

Background Black, Hispanic, and low income children bear a greater burden of chronic health conditions compared to wealthier white counterparts. Under federal law, schools provide services to children when their health conditions impair learning. These school services, called individualized education programs (IEPs) can reduce disparities in school outcomes. This paper examines the extent to which children with health conditions have an IEP plan, an important first step in understanding service utilization. Method Andersen’s Behavioral Model was used to examine IEP plan presence by using the 2012 National Survey of Children’s Health. School aged children (6–17), with at least one health condition (N = 16,496) were examined using multivariable logistic regression analysis to understand predisposing (age, sex, race/ethnicity), enabling (family and neighborhood), and need (health related) factors as predictors of having an IEP plan. Race/ethnicity interaction terms tested for moderating effects of race/ethnicity on the relationship between predisposing, enabling and need factors and having an IEP plan. Results Hispanic children were 93.4 % (OR = .066) less likely and Black children were 87.9 % (OR = .121) less likely to have an IEP plan compared to White children. Black, Hispanic, and Multiracial children were more likely to have an IEP plan if they had more family and neighborhood resources (OR range 1.37–1.62) and greater health needs and health care needs (OR range 1.29–2.57). Conclusion The Behavioral Model was useful in predicting the presence of IEP plans among racially/ethnically diverse children with health conditions as an important step in understanding disparities in healthcare access in schools.