cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
African American Church Participation and Health Care Practices

BACKGROUND: While religious involvement is associated with improvements in health, little is known about the relationship between church participation and health care practices. OBJECTIVES: To determine 1) the prevalence of church participation; 2) whether church participation influences positive health care practices; and 3) whether gender, age, insurance status, and levels of comorbidity modified these relationships. DESIGN: A cross-sectional analysis using survey data from 2196 residents of a low-income, African-American neighborhood. MEASUREMENTS: Our independent variable measured the frequency of church attendance. Dependent variables were: 1) Pap smear; 2) mammogram; and 3) dental visit—all taking place within 2 years; 4) blood pressure measurement within 1 year, 5) having a regular source of care, and 6) no perceived delays in care in the previous year. We controlled for socioeconomic factors and the number of comorbid conditions and also tested for interactions. RESULTS: Thirty-seven percent of community members went to church at least monthly. Church attendance was associated with increased likelihood of positive health care practices by 20% to 80%. In multivariate analyses, church attendance was related to dental visits (odds ratio [OR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 1.9) and blood pressure measurements (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.1). Insurance status and number of comorbid conditions modified the relationship between church attendance and Pap smear, with increased practices noted for the uninsured (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2 to 4.1) and for women with 2 or more comorbid conditions (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.5). CONCLUSION: Church attendance is an important correlate of positive health care practices, especially for the most vulnerable subgroups, the uninsured and chronically ill. Community-and faith-based organizations present additional opportunities to improve the health of low-income and minority populations.
Δ I = 1 2 Rule for Nonleptonic Decays in Asymptotically Free Field Theories

The effective nonleptonic weak interaction is examined assuming the Weinberg-Salam theory of weak interactions and an exactly-conserved-color gauge symmetry for strong interactions. It is shown that the octet part of the nonleptonic weak interaction is more singular at short distances than the 27 part. The resulting enhancement of the octet term in the effective local weak Lagrangian, together with suggested mechanisms for the suppression of matrix elements of the 27 operator, may be sufficient to account for the observed $|\ensuremath{\Delta}I|=\frac{1}{2}$ rule.
Phylogenetic analysis of “Volvocacae” for comparative genetic studies

Abstract Sequence analysis based on multiple isolates representing essentially all genera and species of the classic family Volvocaeae has clarified their phylogenetic relationships. Cloned internal transcribed spacer sequences (ITS-1 and ITS-2, flanking the 5.8S gene of the nuclear ribosomal gene cistrons) were aligned, guided by ITS transcript secondary structural features, and subjected to parsimony and neighbor joining distance analysis. Results confirm the notion of a single common ancestor, and Chlamydomonas reinharditii alone among all sequenced green unicells is most similar. Interbreeding isolates were nearest neighbors on the evolutionary tree in all cases. Some taxa, at whatever level, prove to be clades by sequence comparisons, but others provide striking exceptions. The morphological species Pandorina morum, known to be widespread and diverse in mating pairs, was found to encompass all of the isolates of the four species of Volvulina. Platydorina appears to have originated early and not to fall within the genus Eudorina, with which it can sometimes be confused by morphology. The four species of Pleodorina appear variously associated with Eudorina examples. Although the species of Volvox are each clades, the genus Volvox is not. The conclusions confirm and extend prior, more limited, studies on nuclear SSU and LSU rDNA genes and plastid-encoded rbcL and atpB. The phylogenetic tree suggests which classical taxonomic characters are most misleading and provides a framework for molecular studies of the cell cycle-related and other alterations that have engendered diversity in both vegetative and sexual colony patterns in this classical family.
Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic differentiation of pancreatic responsiveness in obese and lean children

Objective. To determine the feasibility of differentiating the glucose-stimulated plasma insulin response between lean and obese children using a new PK/PD model that specifically considers the insulin-glucose physiology of beta cells. Methods. Twenty four blood samples obtained after an intravenous bolus administration of glucose (250 mg/kg) were analysed for glucose and insulin concentrations in a group of six obese children, age 10.8 ± 12.9 years (mean ± CV%); BMI 26.7 ± 27.8 kg/m2, and six lean children, age 10.3 ± 10.5, BMI 15.7 ± 10.8. Results. A PK/PD analysis of insulin concentration was performed and significant differences (p<0.05) were determined from the parameters of our model in first and second phase insulin secretion between obese vs lean subjects. The estimated proinsulin formation rate constant was significantly higher in the obese group compared with the lean group (1.60 ± 43.1 vs 0.378 ± 40.9 min−1). The half-life of insulin in plasma was calculated to be 6.36 ± 39.9 min for the obese group and 6.84 ± 30.1 min for the lean group. The new model showed good agreement with data for both the obese group (r = 0.962 ± 4.56) and for the lean group (r = 0.980 ± 1.93). Conclusion. The proposed model is able to differentiate between lean and obese prepubertal children via specific kinetic parameters relating to beta-cell function. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Testosterone production by XYY subjects

A study of plasma concentration (P1T ng/ml), metabolic clearance rate (MCRT, L/day) and blood production rate (PBT, mg/day) was done on seven XYY subjects of various ages and four pair-matched control XY subjects by a radioinfusion technique of 1,2-3H-testosterone. Although MCRT showed no significant difference between the groups, PlT and PBT were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in XYY subjects. Therefore, increased aggressive behavior of the XYY subjects can not be attributed to increased levels or production rates of testosterone.
Editor's Report for 1999

The year 1999 was another successful year for The Journal of Investigative Dermatology. The Journal's impact factor (1998) rose to 4.822 and the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) confirmed that The Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings would also be covered by citation indices. Financially, the Journal attained the highest sales figures since being published by Blackwell Science.
The Effects of Discipline on Deep Approaches to Student Learning and College Outcomes

“Deep learning” represents student engagement in approaches to learning that emphasize integration, synthesis, and reflection. Because learning is a shared responsibility between students and faculty, it is important to determine whether faculty members emphasize deep approaches to learning and to assess how much students employ these approaches. This study examines the effect of discipline on student use of and faculty members’ emphasis on deep approaches to learning as well as on the relationships between deep approaches to learning and selected educational outcomes. Using data from over 80,000 seniors and 10,000 faculty members we found that deep approaches to learning were more prevalent in Biglan’s soft, pure, and life fields compared to their counterparts. The differences were largest between soft and hard fields. We also found that seniors who engage more frequently in deep learning behaviors report greater educational gains, higher grades, and greater satisfaction with college, and that the strength of these relationships is relatively consistent across disciplinary categories.
Taming changes With 1.x-Way architecture-implementation mapping

A new approach is presented to maintain the conformance between software architecture and code in the presence of changes to both artifacts. Its novel features include suppression of mistaken changes of architecture-prescribed code, explicit recording of architecture changes, and automatic mapping of specific kinds of architecture changes to code in specific ways. In particular, a new code separation mechanism is presented to decouple architecture-prescribed code from user-defined details. It is supported by three important technologies developed in this study to manage architecture changes, including an architecture change model, architecture-based code regeneration, and architecture change notification. The approach is implemented and integrated in ArchStudio, an Eclipse-based architecture development environment.
Modeling mobile agent behavior

Mobile agents have been proposed for collecting and processing network management information in the Internet and other networks. This paper presents fundamental analytical stochastic models of mobile agent behavior for mobile agent design. The significance of these models is in their utility and flexibility. Models discussed include ones of agent dwell time, agent life span for various cloning scenarios, agent report statistics, and quality of service.reserved.
Optical characterization of primary productivity across a coastal front

Methods for the remote estimation of phytoplankton biomass and production rates using multiplatform sampling strategies are essential for the better understanding of oceanic bio-geochemical cycles. Recent advances in remote sensing of ocean color have made synoptic estimation of phytoplankton biomass attainable. While considerable success has been achieved in the estimation of plant biomass, the synoptic estimation of phytoplankton rates of production has been inadequate. Rapid shipboard estimates of the vertical distribution of primary productivity, on mesoscale spatial scales and event-time scales, are needed to provide both surface validation and data for the development of bio-optical models linking production to the optical characteristics of the water column. This study details the primary productivity and optical properties of a frontal region in July 1985 along 35°50′N in the Southern California Bight which is shown to be consistent with the concurrent high-performance liquid-chromatography pigment-analysis. We describe here a “quasi-synoptic” shipboard bio-optical sampling strategy across a frontal region as an example of time-corrected data for assessing phytoplankton production in highly variable ocean regions.
Models for reducing the risk of critical networked infrastructures

In this paper, we review the literature studying how to reduce the disruption risk to critical networked infrastructures. This is an important area of research because huge consequences result from infrastructure disruptions. As a result, this research area has grown a lot in the last decade. In this review we discuss articles from the literature, place them into categories, and suggest topics for future research. Our review shows that although this area is growing in popularity, there are still many important opportunities for future work.
Odour control of livestock wastes: State-of-the-art in North America

Abstract Odours from livestock wastes are a result of anaerobic decomposition. More than 75 specific odorous compounds have been identified. Odour producing compounds have been measured by gas chromatography, wet chemistry tests and organoleptic tests. Vapour dilution and liquid dilutions are the most popular methods for measuring odour strength and odour intensity. The scentometer and butanol olfactometer have been used to measure odours in the field. Odours can be controlled by changing the nature of the compound, inhibiting anaerobic decomposition of wastes or confining the odour. Site selection and management are also important considerations in odour control. Odours may originate from livestock buildings and feedlots, waste treatment or storage units or from land spreading. Odour control by chemicals is expensive because of the large amount of chemical required at frequent intervals for effective control.
Study of Altruism in Rats in an Appetitive Situation

Six pairs of albino rats were tested in a 2-compartment box for altruistic behavior involving feeding a hungry partner. Three pairs of Ss could choose between two bars, one which fed the responder ...
Modeling anatomical heterogeneity in populations

Our goal is to model anatomical variability across individuals, which presents substantial challenges in clinical population studies and in building atlases for segmentation. Based on a mixture model for a population, we derive an efficient algorithm that clusters a set of images while co-registering them into a common coordinate frame. The output of the algorithm is a small number of template images that represent different modes of a population. This is in contrast to traditional computational anatomy methods that assume a single template for population modeling. The experimental results demonstrate the promise of our approach for statistical analysis in clinical studies of anatomy.
Quantitative-Genetic Variation in Morphological and Physiological Traits Within a Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) population

Genetic diversity within populations is an important component of adaptive evolution, and recent research has demonstrated that genetic variation within plant populations can have important ecological effects. In this study, we inves- tigate quantitative-genetic variation in several traits within a quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) population. A common garden experiment was planted with replicates of 13 aspen genotypes collected from wet and dry sites within a population in southern Utah, USA. Ten growth, leaf, physiological, and structural traits were measured. There were signifi- cant, heritable phenotypic differences among genotypes in every measured trait and differences in 4 of the 10 traits among genotypes originating from wet and dry collection sites. The data were compared with other published studies, showing that aspen heritability (H 2 ) estimates and coefficients of genetic variation (CVG) were comparable or higher than other Populus species and hybrid F1 Populus genotypes, indicating a large amount of quantitative-genetic variation in aspen. Resume´ : La diversitegenetique observee au sein meme des populations constitue une importante composante du potentiel d'evolution adaptative. La recherche recente a demontreque cette variabilitegenetique pouvait receler d'importants effets au plan ecologique. Les auteurs ont etudiela variabilitegenetique de plusieurs caracteres quantitatifs au sein d'une popula- tion de peuplier faux-tremble (Populus tremuloides Michx.). Un dispositif de plantation comparative a eteetabli avec des replicats de 13 genotypes de peuplier echantillonnes sur des stations seches et humides au sein d'une population du sud de l'Utah, aux Etats-Unis. Les auteurs ont mesure´ 10 caracteres reliesala croissance, aux feuilles, a la physiologie et a la structure. Des differences phenotypiques significatives et heritables ont etenotees entre les genotypes provenant des mi- lieux secs et humides pour 4 des 10 caracteres. La comparaison des donnees avec la litterature a indiqueque les estima- tions de l'heritabilite´ (H 2 ) et du coefficient de variation genetique (CVG) chez le peuplier faux-tremble etaient comparables ou plus elevees que celles d'autres especes de peuplier ou de genotypes hybrides F1 de Populus. Ces resultats font ressortir la grande diversitegenetique des caracteres quantitatifs chez le peuplier faux-tremble. (Traduit par la Redaction)
Financial history : lessons of the past for reformers of the present

Among the lessons financial history offers: Macroeconomic stability - low inflation and sound public finance - is important for creating the right incentives for banks and for facilitating the development of securities markets. High inflation and large fiscal deficits distort economic behavior in favor of short-term speculative projects conducive to sustainable economic development. Central bank independence may contribute to economic stability. One way to increase it is by lengthening the term of central bank governors. There must be incentives for bank owners to behave prudently - a requirement that they have capital commensurate with the risks they assume, for example. Unlimited liability and double liability limits may be less feasible now than in the past, but banks in developing countries that face higher risks should maintain higher capital ratios than banks in the more advanced OECD countries. Effective supervision is also essential. Banks run into solvency problems because they fail to diversify - often because of regulatory (especially geographic) restrictions, but also because of excessive connected lending or genuine mistakes. Regulators must ensure that banks diversify their risks, which means ending geographic or sectoral restrictions (including prohibitions against holding foreign assets) and restricting connected lending. Developing effective supervision (to ensure meaningful and effective compliance with prudential rules) is difficult and time-consuming but essential. The difficulty of supervising universal banks and financial conglomerates is an argument used against them in developing countries. But universal banks may generate efficiency gains as they overcome the problems of inadequate reliable public information on industrial and commercial companies. Holding small equity stakes and being involved in corporate governance may be productive. The risk of overlending to related firms is likely to be small when banks hold small stakes in industrial firms; it is high when firms control banks. Pension funds and other institutional investors have grown in importance in many countries over the past thirty years or so, because of longer life spans and longer retirement. These funds started as labor market institutions and personnel management tools, but have become important financial intermediaries. Pension funds offer developing countries an alternative both for restructuring their public finances and for promoting their capital markets. Pension funds can play the role that thrift deposit institutions - such as savings banks, credit cooperatives, and building societies - played in developed countries in the nineteenth century. But thrift institutions can still contribute to financial and economic development by promoting thrift and facilitating credit rural areas and among low-income groups. They will contribute more if they involve a three tier structure that combines the benefits of local involvement and monitoring with centralized auditing and supervision.
On the Benefits of Collaborative Forecasting Partnerships Between Retailers and Manufacturers

This paper studies the potential benefits of collaborative forecasting (CF) partnerships in a supply chain that consists of a manufacturer and a retailer. To reflect the reality in production environments, we propose a scorecard that captures inventory considerations, production smoothing, and adherence-to-plans. We present a prescriptive convex-cost production planning model for the manufacturer, and a replenishment model for the retailer. We use our integrative reference model to study the potential benefits of CF partnerships. Overall, we find that the benefits of CF depend on the following key characteristics of the supply chain: the relative explanatory power of the supply chain partners, the supply side agility, and the internal service rate. CF is expected to bring high benefits to the supply chain when the manufacturer has the largest relative explanatory power. But quite disappointingly, in these cases a CF partnership does not appear to be valuable to the manufacturer. When the retailer is the dominant observer of market signals, CF typically yields a “win-win” outcome. In order to effectively act upon the information exchanged via CF, the supply side needs to be sufficiently agile. The benefits reported in this paper should be considered as conservative. This is because CF partnerships often bring better information, improved decision support technologies, as well as process improvement to the trading partners. Consequently, the supply side agility can be improved. If this indeed happens, the compound benefits of CF can be dramatically higher than our conservative estimates. Finally, we provide a qualitative discussion of the possible role of internal service rates in supply chains, either as planning parameters to improve performance, or as a mechanism for sharing the benefits of CF between the trading partners.
Relationship of larval desiccation to Anopheles gambiae Giles and An. arabiensis Patton survival

The relationship between mosquito 4th instar larval desiccation and survival to adulthood was explored by three methods in the laboratory. Two colonies of Anopheles arabiensis and one of Anopheles gambiae were studied. We found significant differences in tolerance to desiccation among all three stocks suggesting an intra- and interspecific genetic component to desiccation tolerance. An. arabiensis KGB, originating from Zimbabwe about 1975, had a much-reduced desiccation tolerance compared to An. gambiae G3, colonized in the Gambia in 1975, and An. arabiensis DONGOLA which originated in Sudan in 2004. Individuals of the G3 stock survived desiccation of times up to 40 min with survival of 0.52. The degree of difference in tolerance between G3 and DONGOLA was smallest and was detected by one of three experimental methods. Mass losses of individuals that were weighed individually and survived to adulthood averaged 27% and 29% for G3 and DONGOLA and 20% for the less tolerant KGB stock, respectively. Such differences in survival in transiently dry larval habitats may account in part for differences in the distribution of these species and karyotypes.
Archean mantle heterogeneity and the origin of diamondiferous eclogites, Siberia: Evidence from stable isotopes and hydroxyl in garnet

Data are presented for the O isotopic composition of clinopyroxene and garnet, the C isotopic composition of diamond, and the OH- content of garnet from eclogite xenoliths brought to the surface by the Udachnaya kimberlite pipe, Yakutia, Siberia. Radiogenic isotopic data suggest that the eclogites could have been derived from an ultradepleted mantle at approximately 2.9 Ga (Pearson et al., 1995; Snyder et al., in preparation). O isotopic compositions generally show equilibration between the eclogitic minerals (Δ_(cpx-Grt) = 0.11-0.41‰) and have δ^(18)O_(SMOW) for both garnet and clinopyroxene that lie near the range of accepted mantle values of 5.7±0.7‰. However, several eclogites indicate significant deviations from this range, at higher values of 6.8-7.0‰. Also, two eclogites lie at the lower end of the mantle range, at values of 4.8 and 5.0‰ (all in clinopyroxene). C isotopic compositions of diamonds all have δ^(13)C_(PDB) in the range of -1 to -7‰ and are centered at approximately -5‰, also within the range of accepted mantle values. The OH- contents of the garnet are generally between 0 and 22 ppm (as H_(2)0), although two samples exceed 70 ppm. This range of OH- is similar to eclogitic garnet from the Kaapvaal craton of southern Africa. The mantle C isotopic values of associated diamonds, the majority of O isotopic data, and the low OH- content of the minerals, although suggesting a general lack of crustal participation in the formation of the Udachnaya eclogites, do not rule out the participation of some ancient crustal material. That these eclogites include both ^(18)O-enriched and ^(18)O-depleted types suggests that the protoliths may have been overprinted by both low- and high-temperature hydrothermal events (cf. Jacob et aI., 1994). A positive correlation between δ^(18)O and ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr allows the interpretation of these eclogites as representing a cross section of an Archean ophiolite. However, the lack of a single coherent grouping on a plot of δ^(18)O vs. ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr suggests that, if the Udachnaya eclogites were derived from oceanic crust, they cannot be cogenetic and must represent at least two separate ophiolite sequences. Conversely, if the eclogites are found to be cogenetic, then a totally different process affected their formation and a probable metasomatic mechanism was operative. Because of the total lack of correlation of δ^(18)O with other geochemical parameters, we find no compelling evidence that all eclogites are derived ultimately from oceanic crust.
The macroclimate and microclimate of coastal foredune grasslands in Cape Hatteras National Seashore

At Bodie Island, hourly air and soil temperatures at two depths on the front of a foredune were recorded in 1971. In 1972 hourly soil temperatures at three depths (20, 40, and 60 cm) on the front, top, and back of the foredune, plus air temperatures at the top of the dune were recorded at the same site. Data were also collected approximately monthly during 1971 and 1972 on soil moisture at 20, 40, and 60 cm, sand movement and soil cation levels (K, Na, Ca, and Mg) at the surface and at 20, 40, and 60 cm on the front, top, and back of the foredune. The Bodie Island Ranger Station (about 100 m away) collected daily maximum and minimum air temperatures, rainfall data, and data on wind speed and direction.
One-Dimensional Gold Nanoparticle Arrays by Electrostatically Directed Organization Using Polypeptide Self-Assembly

The study of interactions between particles organized in a linear configuration is interesting from a quantum mechanical perspective, and the anisotropic properties of linear assemblies is of potential interest for the development of solid-state devices.[1– 3 ] This anisotropy may be manifested as a difference in the magnetization and coercivity obtained in a magneticnanoparticle array when a field is applied along the chain or orthogonal to it.[4, 5 ] Nonlinear electrical characteristics[3] or dichroism in the optical spectra with longitudinal and transverse polarizations of light[6, 7 ] in metal nanoparticle arrays are other examples of such anisotropy, and the construction of such arrays would offer opportunities in multiple applications. Engineering matter at submicron length scales has been an area largely dominated by top-down methodologies. Control of interparticle spacing in metal-nanoparticle arrays by using techniques such as electron beam lithography has been found to have a dramatic impact on the optical response of the nanoparticle assembly,[8– 10 ] and has implications in fields such as plasmonics[11] and energy transport.[12, 13 ] The use of templates such as carbon nanotubes [14] and linear pores[15] to construct one-dimensional nanostructures has been demonstrated previously. In addition, polymers have recently begun to play an increasingly active role as elements that can reproducibly direct the arrangement of nanoparticles into functional geometries.[16, 17 ] Self assembling systems offer convenient yet powerful bottom–up strategies for the creation of nanostructures that can be deployed in the realization of functional nanoscale devices.[18, 19 ] The utilization of biomolecules such as DNA,[3, 20 – 24 ] and protein-based materials[25– 27 ] or viruses[28, 29 ] to dictate the organization of nanoparticles has been shown to be an effective and robust paradigm. The use of peptide-based structures[30, 31 ] in nanotechnology confers numerous advantages such as the specification of assembled nanostructure by changes in the primary sequence of the peptide, as well as the adoption of various hierarchical morphologies
An Evaluation of Collaborative Interventions to Improve Chronic Illness Care Framework and Study Design

The authors’dual-purpose evaluation assesses the effectiveness of formal collaboratives in stimulating organizational changes to improve chronic illness care (the chronic care model or CCM). Intervention and comparison sites are compared before and after introduction of the CCM. Multiple data sources are used to measure the degree of implementation, patient-level processes and outcomes, and organizational and team factors associated with success. Despite challenges in timely recruitment of sites and patients, data collection on 37 participating organizations, 22 control sites, and more than 4,000 patients with diabetes, congestive heart failure, asthma, or depression is nearing completion. When analyzed, these data will shed new light on the effectiveness of collaborative improvement methods and the CCM.
Software impact analysis in a virtual environment

With the relentless growth in software, automated support for visualizing and navigating software artifacts is no longer a luxury. As packaged software components and middleware occupy more and more of the software landscape, interoperability relationships point to increasingly relevant software change impacts. Packaged software now represents over thirty-two percent of the software portfolio in most organizations benchmark (Rubin, 2001). While traceability and dependency analysis has effectively supported impact analysis in the past, they fall short today as their webs of dependency information extend beyond most software engineers ability to comprehend them. This paper describes research for extending current software change impact analysis to incorporate software architecture dependency relationships. We discuss how we address the extensive dependency information involved, extending impact analysis using software visualization, and outline our approach to employing the software impact analysis virtual environment.
Potent antimutagenic activity of white tea in comparison with green tea in the Salmonella assay

There is growing interest in the potential health benefits of tea, including the antimutagenic properties. Four varieties of white tea, which represent the least processed form of tea, were shown to have marked antimutagenic activity in the Salmonella assay, particularly in the presence of S9. The most active of these teas, Exotica China white tea, was significantly more effective than Premium green tea (Dragonwell special grade) against 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) and four other heterocyclic amine mutagens, namely 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethyl-3H-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2). Mechanism studies were performed using rat liver S9 in assays for methoxyresorufin O-demethylase (MROD), a marker for the enzyme cytochrome P4501A2 that activates heterocyclic amines, as well as Salmonella assays with the direct-acting mutagen 2-hydroxyamino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (N-hydroxy-IQ). White tea at low concentrations in the assay inhibited MROD activity, and attenuated the mutagenic activity of N-hydroxy-IQ in the absence of S9. Nine of the major constituents found in green tea also were detected in white tea, including high levels of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and several other polyphenols. When these major constituents were mixed to produce "artificial" teas, according to their relative levels in white and green teas, the complete tea exhibited higher antimutagenic potency compared with the corresponding artificial tea. The results suggest that the greater inhibitory potency of white versus green tea in the Salmonella assay might be related to the relative levels of the nine major constituents, perhaps acting synergistically with other (minor) constituents, to inhibit mutagen activation as well as "scavenging" the reactive intermediate(s).
Tracheal epithelium cell volume responses to hyperosmolar, isosmolar and hypoosmolar solutions: relation to epithelium-derived relaxing factor (EpDRF) effects

In asthmatic patients, inhalation of hyperosmolar saline or D-mannitol (D-M) elicits bronchoconstriction, but in healthy subjects exercise causes bronchodilation. Hyperventilation causes drying of airway surface liquid (ASL) and increases its osmolarity. Hyperosmolar challenge of airway epithelium releases epithelium-derived relaxing factor (EpDRF), which relaxes the airway smooth muscle. This pathway could be involved in exercise-induced bronchodilation. Little is known of ASL hyperosmolarity effects on epithelial function. We investigated the effects of osmolar challenge maneuvers on dispersed and adherent guinea-pig tracheal epithelial cells to examine the hypothesis that EpDRF-mediated relaxation is associated with epithelial cell shrinkage. Enzymatically-dispersed cells shrank when challenged with ≥10 mOsM added D M, urea or NaCl with a concentration-dependence that mimics relaxation of the of isolated, perfused tracheas (IPT). Cells shrank when incubated in isosmolar N-methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG) chloride, Na gluconate (Glu), NMDG-Glu, K-Glu and K2SO4, and swelled in isosmolar KBr and KCl. However, isosmolar challenge is not a strong stimulus of relaxation in IPTs. In previous studies amiloride and 4,4' diisothiocyano 2,2' stilbenedisulfonic acid (DIDS) inhibited relaxation of IPT to hyperosmolar challenge, but had little effect on shrinkage of dispersed cells. Confocal microscopy in tracheal segments showed that adherent epithelium is refractory to low hyperosmolar concentrations that induce dispersed cell shrinkage and relaxation of IPT. Except for gadolinium and erythro 9 (2 hydroxy 3 nonyl)adenine (EHNA), actin and microtubule inhibitors and membrane permeabilizing agents did not affect on ion transport by adherent epithelium or shrinkage responses of dispersed cells. Our studies dissociate relaxation of IPT from cell shrinkage after hyperosmolar challenge of airway epithelium .
Towards patient-specific modeling of an enlarging abdominal aortic aneurysm

There has been a clear need for better understanding of the progression of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and obtaining reliable prediction of the AAA rupture. Finite element analysis (FEA) using non-axisymmetric models of AAAs provides better estimation of stress distribution in the aneurysmal wall with complex shapes [1]. However, FEA alone does not provide a mathematical description for the evolution of an AAA through growth and remodeling (G&R). A computational framework for modeling stress-mediated growth and structural remodeling of the arterial wall under physiological and pathological conditions has been suggested using a constrained mixture assumption [2]. Stress-mediated enlargement of intracranial aneurysms has been investigated using idealized axisymmetric geometries [3,4]. The kinetics of stress-mediated turnover of collagen fiber families and degradation of elastin were found to have particular importance in the G&R of aneurysmal wall.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Design of a Survivable Hybrid Wireless-Optical Broadband-Access Network

The hybrid wireless-optical broadband-access network (WOBAN) is a promising architecture for access networks. Although the front-end wireless mesh networks in a WOBAN are self-healing, the back-end passive optical networks do not have survivability due to their tree topology. We propose a cost-effective protection method for WOBAN that deals with network element failures in the optical part of WOBAN. We define the maximum protection with minimum cost (MPMC) problem and show that the problem can be converted to the minimum cost maximum flow (MCMF) problem. We also present an integer linear programming (ILP) model for the MCMF problem. Numerical results are reported for the application of our algorithm to obtain the optimal solutions for different instances of the MPMC problem.
Twenty-four-hour variations in activity, core temperature, metabolic rate, and respiratory quotient in captive chinese pangolins

The circadian rhythms in activity, core temperature (Tc), O2 consumption, CO2 production, and respiratory quotient (RQ) were monitored in four captive Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla). The pangolins were strictly nocturnal, never emerging from their nest before 1600 h, and their intermittent activity continued no later than 0230. As is usual in nocturnal mammals, the highest values observed in Tc, O2 consumption, and CO2 production occurred during the night; the lowest values occurred during the day. The magnitude of the variation in Tc, O2 consumption, CO2 production, and RQ averaged 1.2°C, 1.3 ml O2 kg−1 min−1, 1.2 ml CO2 kg−1 min−1, and 0.24, respectively. The circadian pattern in RQ was independent of activity, Tc, and the metabolic parameters and was of a different character than the patterns exhibited in the other variables. RQ remained constant at either a high or low level for long periods (8–10 h) and then increased or decreased relatively rapidly (1–2h) to the other level as in a square wave, whereas the rhythms in the other variables are similar to sine waves. The sharp increase in RQ was followed by a slow decline in Tc, and the sharp decline in RQ was followed by a slow increase in Tc.
Proteomics analyses of the opportunistic pathogen Burkholderia vietnamiensis using protein fractionations and mass spectrometry

The main objectives of this work were to obtain a more extensive coverage of the Burkholderia vietnamiensis proteome than previously reported and to identify virulence factors using tandem mass spectrometry. The proteome of B. vietnamiensis was precipitated into four fractions to as extracellular, intracellular, cell surface and cell wall proteins. Two different approaches were used to analyze the proteins. The first was a gel-based method where 1D SDS-PAGE was used for separation of the proteins prior to reverse phase liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The second method used MudPIT analysis (Multi dimensional Protein Identification Technique), where proteins are digested and separated using cation exchange and reversed phase separations before the MS/MS analysis (LC/LC-MS/MS). Overall, gel-based LC-MS/MS analysis resulted in more protein identifications than the MudPIT analysis. Combination of the results lead to identification of more than 1200 proteins, approximately 16% of the proteins coded from the annotated genome of Burkholderia species. Several virulence factors were detected including flagellin, porin, peroxiredoxin and zinc proteases.
Lagrangian Relaxation Algorithm for a Single Machine Scheduling with Release Dates

The paper considers a single machine scheduling problem with release dates to minimize the total completion times of jobs. The problem belongs to the class of NP-hard. We present a mixed-integer linear programming formulation based on slot idea. The original problem becomes an allocation problem where the main model decisions define the assignment of the time slot at which every job to be processed on a single machine. Lagrangian relaxation (LR) is proposed to solve the problem. Due to slot-based modeling, the application of LR in our problem can be extended to solve the problem with continuous-time variables, which is always confined to be used to the problem with discrete-time variables. Lagrangian-based heuristic consists of two phases: construction procedure and improvement procedure, which is based on pair-wise interchanges and kick strategy. Computational results show the Lagrangian-based heuristic is effective. The quality of the upper bounds obtained from the Lagrangian-based heuristic is advisable for the small size problem since the best feasible solutions generated are closed to the optimal values obtained by CPLEX.
Shp Shape: FAKs About Hypertrophy

See related article, pages 813–824 Despite recent advances in cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment, heart failure remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Western countries. Cardiac hypertrophy, an increase in heart weight relative to body weight, can be a beneficial adaptive response, as in the heart of the athlete (“physiological hypertrophy”), but it is clear that distinct forms of pathological hypertrophy (induced by pressure or volume overload) can progress to cardiac failure.1,2 Cardiac hypertrophy, even in the absence of overt failure, has prognostic significance. Hypertensive patients with echocardiographically determined increases in left ventricular mass and geometry have a higher risk of cardiovascular death.3 This finding has led to intensive investigations into drugs that reduce hypertrophy.4 Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have been shown to reduce hypertrophy,4 influence remodeling,5 and improve survival.6 In recent years, we have progressed in dissecting the molecular signaling mechanisms underlying distinct hypertrophic phenotypes (including physiological, concentric, or eccentric), but it appears that our present understanding reflects only the tip of the iceberg of the complex regulation of remodeling in the heart. A major question that remains is how mechanical (and neurohormonal) stimuli are transduced into molecular signals that drive hypertrophy. Several recent studies reveal that the tyrosine phosphatase Shp2 (Src homology 2 domain–containing protein tyrosine phosphatase), encoded by the Ptpn11 gene, may be a key player in transducing mechanical signals into the molecular and pathophysiological manifestations of cardiac hypertrophy. In this issue of Circulation Research , Marin et al implicate Shp2 as a critical mediator of stretch-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.7 Integrins link the extracellular matrix with the intracellular cytoskeleton, and proteins such as the tyrosine kinases focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Src are involved in transducing motility-associated signals. FAK had been implicated in the hypertrophic response to cyclic stretch. …
The reconfiguring self

This essay presents a theory about cultural systems of self. It counters disclaimers as to the possibility of building cross-culturally valid theory, often taken to be the intellectual outcome of postmodernism. Nonetheless, such theory is a logical descendant of the postmodern project, predicating multiple selves and multiple constructions of social reality. It offers an explanatory framework for conceptions of personhood that are loosely interconnected and only partially and problematically shared between culture members.
German-Austrian social democracy and the nation-state idea: 1889–1918

(1992). German-Austrian social democracy and the nation-state idea: 1889–1918. History of European Ideas: Vol. 15, No. 4-6, pp. 583-588.
Endotoxin tolerance in monocytes can be mitigated by α2-interferon

Endotoxin tolerance is characterized by diminished expression of inflammatory cytokines after sequential exposure to Toll-like receptor stimuli. Many mechanisms contribute to tolerance; however, chromatin remodeling appears to be the most significant regulator. The type II interferon, IFN-γ, has been recognized as being able to reverse or abrogate the establishment of tolerance. Type I interferons have not been investigated previously, and they bind a distinct receptor. We found that α2-interferon was able to abrogate or diminish tolerance by endotoxin, as defined by measuring mRNA levels at recognized tolerance targets. We also found that α2-interferon treatment during tolerization was associated with increased H3K4me3 and H3K4me2 levels at promoters of tolerance targets in THP1 cells. These marks were normalized after exposure of the cells to α2-interferon. Interferon regulatory factor 1 is a transcription factor activated and induced by types I and II interferons. We found recruitment of this transcription factor paralleled tolerance and inhibition of tolerance at target genes. Therefore, there are at least 2 distinct pathways by which endotoxin tolerance may be mitigated. A type I interferon, in spite of binding to a different receptor, was just as able to inhibit tolerance as the type II interferon and also appeared to act by modifying chromatin at tolerance target genes.
The dynamics of young men's condom use during and across relationships.

According to data from the 1991 National Survey of Adolescent Males condom use is likely to be highest at the beginning of relationships and to decline as the relationship continues. The proportion of sexually active men aged 17-22 who used a condom with their most recent partner declined from 53% the first time they had intercourse with that partner to 44% at the most recent episode. Condom use also decreases with age; 59% of 17-18 year olds used a condom the first time they had intercourse with their most recent partner compared with 56% of 19-20 year olds and 46% of 21-22 year olds. However the probability that the female partner used the pill the first time that the couple had sex increased with the mans age--from 21% among 17-18 year olds to 35% among 21-22 year olds. Young men were more likely to have used a condom if they thought their partner was sexually inexperienced and less likely to have done so if they suspected their partner was at high risk for an STD. (authors)
Americans' Preferences for Tax Increases and Spending Cuts

We conducted a survey to assess Americans’ preferences for revenue increases and spending cuts. A representative sample of 1,000 Americans completed the survey in December 2012. Respondents had a specific deficit reduction goal: cut the projected 2022 deficit by $900 billion, or by two-thirds. Approximately $2.1 trillion in savings were available. Our results suggest that Americans are willing to accept higher taxes and significant cuts to military and non-defense discretionary spending but are much more protective of Social Security and Medicare. This article explains the design of the survey, discusses the results, and compares those results with current deficit reduction proposals.
Adverse Hemodynamic and Clinical Responses to Long-term Inotropic Therapy in Patients with Severe Chronic Congestive Heart Failure

There has been an enormous interest during the last decade in the development of positive inotropic drugs for the long-term treatment of patients with severe congestive heart failure [1]. Such agents have a particular appeal, since the primary defect in patients with heart failure is thought to be a depressed inotropic state. Some investigators have suggested, however, that the decrease in contractility seen in patients with congestive heart failure is a beneficial compensatory mechanism that permits the prolonged survival of the myocardial cell under increased loading conditions [2,3]. Hence, attempts to stimulate the failing heart pharmacologically may produce long-term detrimental effects in these patients.
Elderly Patients in the Emergency Department

Emergency department nursing care of the older individual requires a specific knowledge base to ensure optimal outcomes. Health-care resource utilization specific to elderly patients in the emergency department and selected common health problems that bring older people to the emergency department are described. Distinctions between normal age-related changes and disease signs and symptoms are explained to provide emergency department nurses with the requisite information to care for the elderly appropriately. Language: en
Mixed Variational Formulations of Various Theories of Laminated Composite Plates

Mixed variational formulations and associated mixed plate bending elements are developed for classical laminate theory and first- and third-order shear deformation theories of laminated composite plates. The third-order shear deformation theory, developed and advanced by the author, contains as special cases the classical and first-order shear deformation plate theories. Therefore, attention is focussed on a mixed variational formulation and associated finite-element model of the third-order theory. Numerical results of nonlinear bending and vibration are presented.