cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Arachidonic acid participates in the anoxia-induced increase in mEPSC frequency in CA1 neurons of the rat hippocampus

Patch clamp in the whole cell configuration was used to examine the effects of a variety of agents that influence arachidonic acid metabolism on vesicular glutamate release in CA1 neurons of rat hippocampal slices. As previously demonstrated, anoxia induced a significant increase in the frequency of spontaneous glutamate-mediated miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) during the first 5 min following anoxia. This increase in frequency was almost completely abolished if slices were preincubated in artificial cerebral spinal fluid (ACSF) containing the phospholipase C/A2 inhibitor, bromophenacyl-bromide (BPB; 20 microM) or the cyclooxygenase inhibitors, indomethacin (20 microM) and piroxicam (10 microM). This observation may be important to our understanding of the neuroprotective action of these agents. These data suggest that arachidonic acid (AA) and its cyclooxygenase products or by-products (oxygen free radicals) contribute to vesicular glutamate release during the early phase of anoxia.
Study of a magneto-rheological grease (MRG) damper

This study focuses on the performance of a magneto-rheological (MR) grease damper. MRGs consist of micron-sized ferrous particles suspended in a grease carrier material. The main advantage of a MRG over a MR fluid is that in a MRG ferrous particles do not settle. Experiments are conducted to measure the output force response of the damper under various sinusoidal motion input conditions. The performance test consists of a sinusoidal frequency sweep maintaining amplitude at a constant displacement. In each test, the input electric current applied to the prototype MRG damper is kept at a constant level of 0, 1.0 and 2.0 Amps. Results demonstrated that a controllable damping force can be achieved which at low frequencies damper is nearly twice of the passive damping force.
Characterization of bovine endothelial nitric oxide synthase expressed in E. coli

Bovine endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was expressed in E. coli as a soluble, catalytically active enzyme using the pCW expression vector coexpressed with a plasmid, pGroELS, encoding the chaperonins groEL and groES. The E. coli BL21 cultures reproducibly synthesized 6-10 mg of recombinant enzyme per liter of culture. The eNOS protein was purified using 2'5'-ADP Sepharose 4B and appeared as a single band of apparent molecular mass 135 kDa on SDS/PAGE. The recombinant resting enzyme is predominantly high spin with an absorbance maximum at 406 nm. The dithionite-reduced, CO-bound form shows an absorbance maximum at 444 nm. The spectral properties of recombinant eNOS from E. coli are identical to those observed with eNOS from stably transfected HEK 293 cells or from baculovirus expression systems. Enzymatic activity of eNOS from E. coli ranged between 68-135 nmol product formed/min/mg at 25 degrees C, using hemoglobin-NO capture or L-citrulline formation assays. The enzyme is replete with heme and flavins and both activity and [3H]-nitroarginine binding were largely dependent on tetrahydrobiopterin. The heterologous expression of eNOS offers a number of advantages over tissue sources of the protein.
Singularly perturbed Markov chains with two small parameters: A matched asymptotic expansion

This work is concerned with asymptotic properties of solutions to forward equations for singularly perturbed Markov chains with two small parameters. It is motivated by the model of a cost-minimizing firm involving production planning and capacity expansion and a two-level hierarchical decomposition. Our effort focuses on obtaining asymptotic expansions of the solutions to the forward equation. Different from previous work on singularly perturbed Markov chains, the inner expansion terms are constructed by solving certain partial differential equations. The methods of undetermined coefficients are used. The error bound is obtained.
Modification of preschool children's bathroom behaviors by contigent teacher attention

Abstract In response to teacher requests for assistance in dealing with bathroom behavior problems, repeated measures of the frequency of paper towel litter, unflushed toilets, dirty sinks, and running water faucets were used to evaluate the effectiveness of contingent teacher praise for appropriate bathroom use by preschool children. Contingent praise for appropriate bathroom behaviors resulted in markedly decreased frequencies of the four target behaviors. Findings suggest that teacher monitoring and contingent social reinforcement can be used to maintain a clean environment in school toilet facilities. The importance of employing natural reinforcers in school settings is discussed.
Postmenopausal hormone therapy: risks versus benefits reassessed

The Endocrine Society's recent Scientific Statement on postmenopausal hormone therapy highlights the dangers of calculating risks and benefits associated with hormone therapy for women in early menopause on the basis of evidence from previous studies. But does it provide a quantum shift in the clinician's perception of risk versus benefit from hormone therapy?
Analysis of the Williams-Hayfield Model for Oxidation Kinetics

A theoretical analysis is presented for the physical model of thermal oxidation proposed by Williams and Hayfield. A rate dLldt ∞ exp[-(L/L crit ) 2 ] is deduced herein for oxide film thickness L as a function of time t. The growth rate exponential falloff parameter is L crit = √2ekT/n e e 2 , where n e is a uniform density of trapped electrons in the oxide, T is the Kelvin temperature, and the parameters e, k, and e are the static dielectric constant of the oxide, Boltzmann's constant, and electronic charge magnitude, respectively. Numerical computations compare this rate law with the logarithmic growth law proposed in the original analysis.
Fractal architecture for the adaptive complex enterprise

Today's businesses must continuously adapt to external conditions in accelerated time frames. This requires businesses to shift from strategies that eliminate variation to those that embrace variation and changing conditions. Industrial-age Make-Sell businesses accomplished objectives by steadily eliminating variation. In contrast, today's sense-and-respond (S-R) businesses must often execute by embracing variation and learn to perform given widely varying circumstances [4]. Specifically, the S-R business must adapt to external conditions by managing along the chain: "Sense changing opportunities→Request variation→Product variation→Response process variation→Resource variation and Information variation→Efficient delivery and feedback→Business growth and survival." (Here, the implication symbol "→" reflects cause and effect.) Recognizing that IT holds the promise of enabling the S-R enterprise, transformation is often accompanied by enterprise integration projects but with limited success. Project experiences spanning the past 10 years suggest that IT must first meet key challenges.
Degradation of rapamycin: Retrieval of major intact subunits.

Abstract The degradation of rapamycin has made available key substructures which have defined the structures of advanced synthetic intermediates.
On some solutions of the Falkner-Skan equation

We shall be concerned with two boundary value problems for the Falkner-Skan Equation when –β is a small positive number. Our interest is in solutions of (1) which exhibit “reversed flow”; that is, solutions f such that f ′( x ) x . The boundary conditions which we wish to consider are and
Optimum speed of visual inspection using a systematic search strategy

In an earlier paper, the authors presented models of human functioning in visual inspection and derived optimal working speeds to balance the cost of time and the cost of errors. Both self-paced and externally paced models assumed a random search strategy. It was noted that choosing a standard speed for visual inspection is difficult with standard work measurement techniques and that the data required for the suggested search model are easily measurable. The purpose of this paper is to complement the earlier work by deriving similar models employing a systematic search strategy. The two models can be considered as bounds on actual performance; thus the current paper complements the previous one by establishing an upper bound rather than a lower bound on performance in search tasks. Comparisons between the two strategies are presented.
Electric vehicles and the corporate average fuel economy

In June 1978, The Aerospace Corporation was requested by the Department of Energy (DOE) Electric and Hybrid Vehicle (EHV) Division to develop a methodology for including electric vehicles in the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE). Because of the potential for such inclusion to be an incentive for electric vehicle (EV) production, DOE requested that Aerospace expand its study; from this, DOE developed its position on legislative initiative. From the work done, it could be stated (in the 3rd annual Report to Congress) that DOE supports "legislation before Congress to include EVs in the computation of CAFE as a crucial incentive to electric vehicle production..." Late in 1979, Senator McClure, the leading EV proponent in the Senate, attached an amendment to the Senate version of the Chrysler aid bill to establish a 7-year evaluation period during which EVs would be included in the CAFE. With the enactment of the Chrysler Corporation Loan Guarantee Act (P.L. 96-185), DOE is to promulgate a final methodology for computing the "petroleum equivalent fuel economy" by November 7, 1980. This paper describes the Aerospace study and recommendations prepared for DOE in their establishment of the "petroleum equivalent fuel economy" for electric vehicles.
Strengthening conflict‐of‐interest policies in medicine

Rationale, aims and objectives Conflict-of-interest (COI) policies have played a vital role in protecting the integrity of science as well as protecting patients' welfare. However, the usefulness of these policies could be enhanced by addressing gaps in disclosure requirements, especially insofar as these gaps may impede the intended neutrality of COI policies. For example, current COI policies have not addressed potential conflicts created by indirect industry funding, such as when pharmaceutical companies provide general funding to researchers' academic departments or to medical educational programmes. Nor do they address the consequent creation of climates of opinion, which may marginalize important criticisms and undermine progress on this important policy issue. Methods The authors used a critical thinking approach to analyze the gaps in existing COI policies. Conclusion Taking the position that a more adequate system of checks and balances is needed, the authors offer specific recommendations for improving current policies and for addressing the issue of indirect support.
The Effect of Instructional Gaming on Absenteeism: The First Step.

For Bertrand Russell, the essential features of the good life are affective and cognitive: The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. We submit that these dimensions are also at the core of good learning, which is a central part of human life. This study focuses on the affective dimension as it is influenced by a learning environment organized around instructional gaming. Other studies have indicated the influence of such a learning environment on the cognitive dimension. Experimental seventh-grade classes using Equations, the game that is also used in this study, and using the same arrangements with respect to cooperative teams and conduct of tournaments, displayed significantly greater achievement in the learning of mathematics (Edwards et al., 1972). With a different but similar game-Wff 'N Proof: The Game of Modern Logic-and the same other arrangements, groups of junior high and high school students have experienced increases averaging more than 20 points on the nonlanguage parts of standard IQ tests (Allen et al., 1966 and 1970). Still another study reports significant differences on IQ scores for students using Wff 'N Proof (Jeffryes, 1969). However, no significant changes occurred in either the affective or cognitive dimension when the Equations and Tac-Tickle games were used for a shorter period without the tournament procedure, which is designed to individualize the problems presented to each learner and to equalize the reinforcements achieved among all members of the class, and without the cooperative features of the learning environment that are introduced by the teams (Henry, 1973). The experimental learning environment arranged for this study emphasizes the affective dimension as a facilitator of cognitive achievement. So the initial question to be answered is whether a learning environment organized around games has a positive effect on students' attitudes toward learning. That is the fundamental question to which this study is addressed. Some evidence exists that a learning environment involving Equations and the appropriate tournament and team arrangements does have positive effects on students' attitudes toward mathematics learning, as measured by students' responses to an opinion questionnaire (Edwards et al., 1972). A more pervasive measure of students' attitudes was sought in the current
Why do pupating insects lack an activity for the repair of uracil‐containing DNA? One explanation involves apoptosis

Although uracil-DNA glycosylases were at one time considered to be ubiquitous in nature, this DNA repair activity is notably absent in Drosophila melanogaster and other pupating insects. On the other hand, a nuclease has been identified in Drosophila that is specific for uracil-containing DNA, but curiously the expression of this activity is restricted to late larval stages of development. Since the nuclease activity is only detected near the time of histolysation, we began questioning the possible role uracil might play in the events associated with the eventual DNA degradation that is involved in the metamorphotic process. The results of these studies have provided us with a molecular model for pupating insects that contains all the necessary elements to program cells for their ultimate death, and in so doing, shows why uracil-DNA glycosylases would be incompatible with our proposed pathway for apoptosis.
PARALLEL MACHINE SCHEDULING WITH A COMMON DUE WINDOW

Abstract In this paper, we consider a machine scheduling problem where jobs should be completed at times as close as possible to their respective due dates, and hence both earliness and tardiness should be penalized. Specifically, we consider the problem with a set of independent jobs to be processed on several identical parallel machines. All the jobs have a given common due window. If a job is completed within the due window, then there is no penalty. Otherwise, there is either a job-dependent earliness penalty or a job-dependent tardiness penalty depending on whether the job is completed before or after the due window. The objective is to find an optimal schedule with minimum total earliness–tardiness penalty. The problem is known to be NP-hard. We propose a branch and bound algorithm for finding an optimal schedule of the problem. The algorithm is based on the column generation approach in which the problem is first formulated as a set partitioning type formulation and then in each branch and bound iteration the linear relaxation of this formulation is solved by the standard column generation procedure. Our computational experiments show that this algorithm is capable of solving problems with up to 40 jobs and any number of machines within a reasonable computational time.
Classification of normalized cluster methods in an order theoretic model

Abstract An interesting class of cluster methods in the Janowitz model for cluster analysis is explored. Normalized cluster methods, those which produce splitting levels between 0 and 1 inclusive, are defined. A Galois connection is examined, and the eleven closed classes of normalized cluster methods produced are completely characterized in two ways, one easily applied, and one in terms of residuated maps with which the class of cluster methods is compatible.
Role of cAMP Response Element-Binding Protein in the Rat Locus Ceruleus: Regulation of Neuronal Activity and Opiate Withdrawal Behaviors

The transcription factor cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is implicated in mediating the actions of chronic morphine in the locus ceruleus (LC), but direct evidence to support such a role is limited. Here, we investigated the influence of CREB on LC neuronal activity and opiate withdrawal behaviors by selectively manipulating CREB activity in the LC using viral vectors encoding genes for CREBGFP (wild-type CREB tagged with green fluorescent protein), caCREBGFP (a constitutively active CREB mutant), dnCREBGFP (a dominant-negative CREB mutant), or GFP alone as a control. Our results show that in vivo overexpression of CREBGFP in the LC significantly aggravated particular morphine withdrawal behaviors, whereas dnCREBGFP expression attenuated these behaviors. At the cellular level, CREBGFP expression in the LC in vivo and in vitro had no significant effect on neuronal firing at baseline but enhanced the excitatory effect of forskolin (an activator of adenylyl cyclase) on these neurons, which suggests that the cAMP signaling pathway in these neurons was sensitized after CREB expression. Moreover, in vitro studies showed that caCREBGFP-expressing LC neurons fired significantly faster and had a more depolarized resting membrane potential compared with GFP-expressing control cells. Conversely, LC neuronal activity was decreased by dnCREBGFP, and the neurons were hyperpolarized by this treatment. Together, these data provide direct evidence that CREB plays an important role in controlling the electrical excitability of LC neurons and that morphine-induced increases in CREB activity contribute to the behavioral and neural adaptations associated with opiate dependence and withdrawal.
Temporal and spatial patterns of tenascin and laminin immunoreactivity suggest roles for extracellular matrix in development of gustatory papillae and taste buds

Gustatory papillae are complex organs that are composed of 1) an epithelium, 2) specialized sensory cells within the epithelium (the taste buds), 3) a broad connective core, and 4) sensory innervation. During papilla development, cells in the various tissue compartments must divide, aggregate, detach, migrate, and reaggregate in relation to each other, but factors that regulate such steps are poorly understood and have not been extensively studied. All of these processes potentially require participation of the extracellular matrix. Therefore, we have studied temporal and spatial patterns of immunoreactivity for two extracellular matrix molecules, tenascin and laminin, in the developing fungiform and circumvallate papillae of fetal, perinatal, and adult sheep tongue. To determine relations of tenascin and laminin to sensory innervation, we used an antibody to growth-associated protein (GAP-43) to label growing nerves. Immunocytochemical distributions of tenascin and laminin alter during development in a manner that reflects morphogenesis rather than histologic boundaries of the taste papillae. In early fungiform papillae, tenascin immunoreactivity is very weak within the mesenchyme of the papilla core. However, there is a subsequent shift to an intense, restricted localization in the apical papilla core only-directly under taste bud-bearing regions of the papilla epithelium. In early circumvallate papillae, tenascin immunoreactivity is patchy within the papilla core and within the flanking, nongustatory papillae. Later, immunoreactivity is restricted to the perimeter of the central papilla core, under epithelium that contains developing taste buds. In fungform and circumvallate papillae, the shift in tenascin immunolocalization is associated with periods of taste bud formation and multiplication within the papilla epithelium and with extensive branching of the sensory innervation in the papilla apex. Laminin immunoreactivity, although it is continuous throughout the basement membrane of general lingual epithelium, is interrupted in the epithelial basement membrane of early fungiform and circumvallate papillae in regions where taste buds are forming. The breaks are large in young fetuses, when taste buds first develop, and are evidenced later as punctate disruptions. Heparan sulfate proteoglycan immunoreactivity confirms that these are basement membrane discontinuities. GAP-43 label coincides with innervation of the papilla core and is most extensive in regions where tenascin immunoreactivity is weak or absent. GAP-43 immunoreactivity is also found in early taste buds: Later, it is extensive within more mature multiple taste buds, presumably in relation to synaptogenesis. We propose that tenascin has a role in promoting deadhesion of cells in the papilla epithelium during periods of taste bud formation and multiplication. Discontinuities in
Seasonal vegetative and affective symptoms in the Finnish general population: Testing the dual vulnerability and latitude effect hypotheses

Background: Prior studies identified a seasonal pattern in symptoms of depression in clinical and population-based samples. The aims of our study were to estimate the prevalence rates of routine seasonal variations in mood and behavior and of current depressive symptoms in the Finnish general population over 30 years, and to find differences, if any, between the northern and southern regions of residence. Methods: 5749 participants aged 30–97 (3156 women and 2593 men) were interviewed face to face and attended a health status examination. We included the modified Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire and the modified Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for the analysis. Results: 85% of the sample, representative of a general population, had seasonal variations in mood and behavior; 9% of the sample scored high on both scales, thus having the routine seasonal variations together with a current self-report of winter depression. Scoring high on the former scale yielded the odds ratio of 3.12 for scoring high...
Topological restrictions on sources for solvability of lumped networks

Known topological constraints on sources in linear networks for unique solvability are examined when nonlinear elements are included. It is shown that the first half of Purslow's theorem l is no longer true, whereas the second half can be established very simply with basic network concepts.
The details make a difference when delivering technology courses via web-based distant education

The delivery of online courses on the University of Arkansas Fort Smith (UAFS) campus has been taking place for ten plus years, in which few studies have been conducted. This paper details ongoing research of three professors from UAFS. According to the information reviewed, online teaching is just as effective as traditional classroom teaching. With smartly designed courses and appropriate online teaching andragogies, online university courses can be more effective than classroom instruction. Our research even suggest that some types of technology course content might be particularly more effective if offered only online. This paper will outline four main details involved in making a successful online course: (1) students must have writing skills, be self-motivated, and self-disciplined, (2) faculty member needs to have training, use appropriate andragogies, and have a simple course design, (3) when instructor involvement increases, courses yield more positive outcomes, and (4) online courses which include face-to-face, telecommunication components or blended classes with occasional face-to-face meetings are more effective than full online courses.
Controlled release of biocides in solid wood. I. Efficacy against brown rot wood decay fungus (Gloeophyllum trabeum)

Nanoparticles containing the fungicides tebuconazole or chlorothalonil were prepared with median diameters of ∼ 100–250 nm. The nanoparticle matrices were polyvinylpyridine (PVP), copolymers of PVP and styrene (PVP-co-St), and blends of PVP and hyperbranched polyesters (HBPs). The isolated nanoparticles were resuspended in water to yield suspensions able to deliver 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 kg fungicide/m3 of wood. Southern yellow pine (SYP) was treated with these suspensions using conventional vacuum-pressure treatments. Less concentrated suspensions delivered the nanoparticles quantitatively into the SYP while suspensions capable of delivering up to 0.8 kg of the fungicide (the active ingredient or AI) per cubic meter of SYP delivered 0.4–0.7 kg AI/m3, depending on the nanoparticle matrix. The SYP lost less than 5% of its mass after 55 days of exposure to Gloeophyllum trabeum when the tebuconazole content in the SYP reached 0.2 kg/m3, and the matrix identity had little effect on the results. The SYP lost between 3 and 6% of its mass after 55 days of exposure to G. trabeum when the AI was chlorothalonil at a level of ∼ 0.6 kg AI/m3 of wood and was introduced into SYP in nanoparticles with a PVP/HBP matrix, but it lost ∼ 11% of its mass at the same AI levels when the nanoparticle matrix was PVP. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 596–607, 2002
CORPORATE DISTINCTIVE COMPETENCE AND PERFORMANCE: EFFECTS OF PERCEIVED ENVIRONMENTAL UNCERTAINTY (PEU), SIZE, AND TECHNOLOGY

The relationships of specific distinctive competencies to performance were examined for firm size, type of production system, and level of perceived environmental uncertainty (PEU). The size and dominant production system used by a firm were found to have main moderating effects on those relationships although PEU by itself did not. However, PEU did interact with size and production system to moderate those relationships.
The Damped-vacuum-field Jaynes-Cummings Model

Abstract We study the dynamics of a two-level atom interacting with a single mode of a damped cavity at 0 K when the cavity is initially in the vacuum state and the atom enters it in an arbitrary (pure or mixed) state. A complete analytical solution of this simple model is presented. On the basis of this solution we firstly investigate the pseudo-spin dynamics of the atom and the cavity field, secondly give an illustration of the Araki-Lieb theorem concerning the von Neumann entropies of interacting quantum systems and thirdly demonstrate the generation of entangled states of the atom and cavity field that are of interest in connection with the Bell inequalities.
Gamma3-melanotropin promotes mitochondrial cholesterol accumulation in the rat adrenal cortex

Gamma 3-melanotropin (gamma 3-MSH) facilitates a rapid, dose-dependent, and cycloheximide-insensitive increase in the concentration of mitochondrial free cholesterol in the adrenals of hypophysectomized rats. Physiological concentrations of various synthetic and native preparations of gamma 3-MSH are potent, while gamma-MSH is not. This cholesterol accumulation coincides with the activation of cholesteryl ester hydrolysis by gamma 3-MSH, while the rates of cholesterol esterification and of mitochondrial cholesterol side-chain cleavage are unaffected. Conversely, ACTH inhibits cholesterol ester esterification. Therefore, gamma 3-MSH and ACTH together may coordinate a substantial shift in the set-point of cholesteryl ester in equilibrium cholesterol cycling toward the right. Because ACTH also activates cholesterol side-chain cleavage, this coordinate effect on the flux of cholesterol substrate is manifest as a potentiation of corticosteroidogenesis by gamma 3-MSH. These data extend our previous studies demonstrating that pro-gamma-MSH polypeptides have an endocrine influence on the rat adrenal cortex.
Solidarity economy and community development: emerging cases in three Massachusetts cities

Solidarity economy (SE) is a set of theories and practices that engenders ethical economic relationships and new possibilities for democratic and transformative community development. SE advances democratic community development by providing an alternative to capitalist ideology from which the core goals of solidarity and agency can be imagined, identified, and realized. Further, it advances a set of concrete economic practices that enact these goals while sustaining people and the planet. Politically, SE is a movement that can build power within and across scales and win supportive policy and public resources. Using the development of SE in Boston, Worcester, and Springfield, Massachusetts as examples, the article discusses the possibilities and challenges for SE projects to negotiate across differing values and politics, racial and class divides, and the challenge of accessing startup capital and building finance. SE suggests trajectories of “scaling up,” where local and regional efforts might be part o...
Dispersion characteristics of ''warm'' and ''hot'' plasmas

The range of applicability of an approximate ''warm'' plasma dispersion formula is discussed, using as a guide the exact dispersion formula which is valid for hot, relativistic plasma.
Estimating demand for services: issues in combining sales forecasts

Unlike tangible goods manufacturers, who can maintain inventories of finished products, service providers must rely on demand information to manage better the peaks and valleys of volume. When service providers are subject to capacity constraints and have limited flexibility to respond in the short run, the accuracy of volume forecasts become critical to performance. The prevailing forecasting literature recommends that accuracy improvements can be obtained by using multiple methods to generate forecasts, then combining them through simple averaging. However, the case study presented in this paper shows that caution should be used in following the recommendation to combine forecasts. Using a ‘service capacity’ forecast accuracy metric, the study revealed that combined forecasts were not always the best forecasts. In addition, the accuracy of combined forecasts varied with volume size of the service class, but not time horizon of the forecast. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Making Good Better: Implementing a Standardized Handoff in Pediatric Transport

Abstract Background Failures in communication lead to adverse events in healthcare. Handoffs, defined as the transfer of information, responsibility, and authority from one provider to another, have been identified as a cause of communication failure compromising patient safety. Locally, there was dissatisfaction among caregivers working on the general care and intensive care units regarding the quality of information received from the pediatric transport team for transferred patients. Methods Using the Model for Improvement, a quality improvement team was engaged to lead this improvement effort. The team developed a standardized and scripted transport handoff process that incorporated parental input. The primary measure was provider satisfaction (reported as overall handoff score, OHS). Secondary outcomes included the use of components outlined by the Joint Commission's guidelines for safe handoff. Data were collected using a Likert-style survey and collated using Microsoft Excel. Results Baseline measures of OHS were 81.5 ± 19.4 (mean±SD) with an interval analysis showing no improvement (81.6±17.4, P=0.99). Further modifications were made to both education and process with an improved OHS (88.8±11.1, P Conclusion This practical, low-cost quality-improvement project may help others improve handoff communication and provide safe, high-quality care.
The Problems and Prospects of Postmodern Management Discourse

The purpose of this essay is to extend the post-positivist movement within the discipline of management by critically examining the contributions of postmodern management discourse. In this respect, a critical re-examination of postmodern capitalism, business ethics, organization theory and corporate culture aims at the issues as well as the problems involved with this discourse. Moreover, the frenzy over the birth of a postmodern social science raises questions about the nature or criticism that postmodernism has made against the dominant positivist paradigm.
Senate Defense Budgeting, 1981-1988 The Impacts of Ideology, Party, and Constituency Benefit on the Decision to Support the President

Studying Senate roll call votes during the Reagan administration sheds light on the interaction of party, ideology, and local economic benefit as explanatory factors in a senator's decision to supp...
Mixing and combustion effects in a sliding-wedge ram accelerator with hydrogen injection

The ram accelerator concept has been envisioned as the basis of a ground-based flight-test facility concept in which the test section follows the ram-accelerated projectile, and allows hydrogen mixing/combustion experiments to be conducted when hydrogen carried by the projectile is injected into the freestream. A numerical simulation is presently conducted for such mixing and combustion; the chemical reactions in question are modeled using a seven-step, seven-species model. A grid-adaptation procedure is used to resolve flow features in areas of high fluid and species gradients.
Optical microangiography provides depth-resolved images of directional ocular blood perfusion in posterior eye segment

In this paper, we demonstrate that the optical microangiography (OAMG) is capable of depth-resolved imaging of directional blood perfusion within both retinal and choroid in the posterior segment of human eye. The study uses an OMAG system operating at 840 nm with an imaging speed at 27,000 A-scans per second. Sequentially registered multiple OMAG projection maps of small areas (~1 mm×1 mm) are combined to provide directional blood flow images for a larger field of view. It takes ~3.7 sec to image a small area (1×1 mm2), and ~2.5 min for a larger field (3×3 mm2). Finally, we show superior performance of OMAG in providing functional images of capillary level microcirculation at different depths of retina and choroid that correlate well with the standard retinal pathology.
Spherical Harmonic Analysis in the Presence of High Harmonics

Spherical harmonic analysis of the geomagnetic field is usually done by using the method of least squares in conjunction with a truncated spherical harmonic series. The results obtained are very dependent on the weighting used, the distribution of the observational data and the degree of truncation, especially for shallow sources that give rise to high harmonics. This research note discusses the inter-play between weighting and truncation by using simple sources for which the precise coefficients are known.
On the center of mass of isolated systems

We discuss the center of mass of asymptotically flat manifolds. Our main result is that for a class of metrics that includes those which near infinity are conformally flat with vanishing scalar curvature and positive mass, the Huisken–Yau geometric center of mass agrees with the center of mass defined by the ADM formulation of the initial-value problem for Einstein's equation.
A Conservative Front Tracking Method in N-Dimensions

We propose a fully conservative Front Tracking algorithm for systems of nonlinear conservation laws. The algorithm can be applied uniformly in one, two, three and N dimensions. Implementation details for this algorithm and tests of fully conservative simulations are reported.
Articulating an uncompromising forgiveness

I first pose a challenge which, it seems to me, any philosophical account of forgiveness must meet: the account must be articulate and it must allow for forgiveness that is uncompromising. I then examine an account of forgiveness (proposed by David Novitz in the June 1998 issue of this journal) which appears to meet this challenge. Upon closer examination we discover that this account actually fails to meet the challenge—but it fails in very instructive ways. the account takes two missteps which seem to be taken by almost everyone discussing forgiveness. At the end, I sketch an alternative account of forgiveness, one that I think meets the challenge and avoids the missteps.
933 EFFECTS OF PRENATAL ADMINISTRATION OF CORTICOSTEROIDS ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND MATURATION OF PULMONARY ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGE (PAM) IN THE FETAL AND NEONATAL RABBITS

Prenatal administration of glucocorticoids enhances pulmonary maturation in the premature lung by increasing surfactant production. Steroids also exert profound anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. Lung washings were obtained from neonatal rabbits of different ages, born to mothers given 1-2 mg dexamethasone 2-3 days before delivery and from untreated controls. Cellular elements obtained were counted and cell viability assessed by trypan blue exclusion. Majority of cells were esterase stain positive. The yield of cells in both groups was similar and showed age related increase from 47±25×106 cells in 1st week of life to 102±15×106 cells in 4th week. Monolayers of adherent PAM were overlayed with rabbit IgG anti-sheep RBC complex; resultant rosettes formed were counted. Percentage of Fc-receptor bearing PAM also increased in both groups with increasing age. However, percentage of Fc-receptor positive cells was significantly lower in steroid treated group i.e., 48±1% in 1st week to 59±11% in 2nd week of life vs 65% in 1st week to 79±4% in 2nd week of life, in control animals.These observations suggest that although prenatally administered corticosteroids produce no significant change in numbers of PAM in neonatal rabbits, these cells, however are immature as demonstrated by decreased Fc-receptor activity. Steroid induced functional impairment of PAM may further imperil the neonate who is already susceptible to infections.
LBA: Lifetime balanced data aggregation in low duty cycle sensor networks

This paper proposes LBA, a lifetime balanced data aggregation scheme for asynchronous and duty cycle sensor networks under an application-specific requirement of end-to-end data delivery delay bound. In contrast to existing aggregation schemes that focus on reducing the energy consumption and extending the operational lifetime of each individual node, LBA has a unique design goal to balance the nodal lifetime and thus prolong the network lifetime more effectively. To achieve this goal in a distributed manner, LBA adaptively adjusts the aggregation holding time between neighboring nodes to balance their nodal lifetime; as such balancing take place in all neighborhoods, nodes in the entire network can gradually adjust their nodal lifetime towards the globally balanced status. Experimental studies on a sensor network testbed shows that LBA can achieve the design goal, yield longer network lifetime than other non-adaptive and nodal lifetime-unaware data aggregation schemes, and approach the theoretical upperbound performance, especially when nodes have highly different nodal lifetime.
Neutron-proton pairing reexamined

We reexamine neutron-proton pairing as a phenomenon that should be explainable in a microscopic theory of nuclear binding energies. Empirically, there is an increased separation energy when both neutron and proton numbers are even or if they are both odd. The enhancement is present at some level in nearly all nuclei: the separation energy difference has the opposite sign in less than 1% of the cases in which sufficient data exist. We discuss the possible origin of the effect in the context of density functional theory (DFT) and its extensions. Neutron-proton pairing from mean-field theory does not seem promising to explain the effect. Gao and Chen have argued that a significant part of the increased binding in odd-odd deformed nuclei might arise as a recoupling energy, and we find a similar result for spherical nuclei. This suggests that the DFT should be extended by angular momentum projection to reach an accuracy capable of treating this effect.
Importance of aggressive evaluation in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.

Staphylococcus aureus is almost uniquely capable of ausing infective endocarditis (IE) on apparently noral cardiac valves. Already a leading cause of bactereia and IE, rates of S aureus bacteremia (SAB) have ncreased dramatically in the past several years. This ncreasing frequency, coupled with rising rates of antiiotic resistance, has amplified the clinical threat osed by this serious, common, and virulent pathogen. lthough the possibility of underlying IE arises in virtully every patient with SAB, only a minority of patients ith bacteremia will actually have cardiac involveent. Distinguishing patients with S aureus IE from hose with uncomplicated SAB is essential, but often ifficult. In this issue of the American Heart Journal, braham et al address the unresolved issue of echocariography to identify endocarditis among patients with AB. During a 3-year period, the echocardiographic eatures of 104 patients with 2 blood cultures with ositive results for S aureus who underwent either a ransesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for suspected E or who had positive results on a transthoracic echoardiogram (TTE) at Grady hospital were evaluated. heir investigation yielded several key observations. First, the rate of IE among patients with SAB is high. his study adds to the growing body of evidence emhasizing that IE is common and potentially unsusected in patients with SAB. For example, 55% of 119 anish patients with S aureus IE from 1976 to 1981, 2% of 260 Danish patients with S aureus IE identified rom 1982 to 1991, and 18% of 172 Brazilian patients ith IE, most of whom had hospital-acquired SAB, ere not clinically suspected and were only diagnosed ith IE at a post-mortem examination. The availability f echocardiography in general, and TEE in particular, as aided in identifying IE. The current investigation
Modulation of homocysteine toxicity by S-nitrosothiol formation: a mechanistic approach.

The metabolic conversion of homocysteine (HCYSH) to homocysteine thiolactone (HTL) has been reported as the major cause of HCYSH pathogenesis. It was hypothesized that inhibition of the thiol group of HCYSH by S-nitrosation will prevent its metabolic conversion to HTL. The kinetics, reaction dynamics, and mechanism of reaction of HCYSH and nitrous acid to produce S-nitrosohomocysteine (HCYSNO) was studied in mildly to highly acidic pHs. Transnitrosation of this non-protein-forming amino acid by S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) was also studied at physiological pH 7.4 in phosphate buffer. In both cases, HCYSNO formed quantitatively. Copper ions were found to play dual roles, catalyzing the rate of formation of HCYSNO as well as its rate of decomposition. In the presence of a transition-metal ions chelator, HCYSNO was very stable with a half-life of 198 h at pH 7.4. Nitrosation by nitrous acid occurred via the formation of more powerful nitrosating agents, nitrosonium cation (NO+) and dinitrogen trioxide (N2O3)....
Analysis of retrograde behavior and the cross-over effect in supercritical fluids

Abstract In this paper, results based upon thermodynamic stability theory are developed which lead to a set of both necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of retrograde behavior in a multicomponent solute system dissolved in a pure supercritical fluid. While experimental evidence of retrograde behavior in single solute systems has been known for some time, recently data have been obtained showing the retrograde effect in binary solute systems dissolved in a pure supercritical fluid. In such systems, cross-over regions may be defined. These are pressure—temperature regions where the solubility of one solute increases while that of the other decreases with a change in temperature at constant pressure. The existence of cross-over regions in multicomponent mixtures can have implications for a new separation technique using pure supercritical fluids. In conjunction with an equation of state, the results derived here allow cross-over regions to be predicted, thus enabling one to identify candidate systems and thermodynamic conditions for the cross-over process. For this work a variation of a perturbed hard sphere model equation of state was used for the calculations.
Calcium distribution in dendritic spines of the dentate fascia varies with age

Calcium distribution in dendritic spines of the dentate fascia was studied as a function of age with the oxalate-pyroantimonate precipitation technique. In postnatal ages P3, P9, P24 and P30 spines were analyzed as to the presence of the spine apparatus (SA) and as to the presence of Ca2+ deposits within the SA and within the spine cytoplasm. The percentage of spines with SA-containing precipitates declined significantly between P3 and P24. Conversely, the percentage of spines with precipitates in the spine cytoplasm was significantly increased by P24. In the absence of an SA loss, this result suggests an age-related decrease in the Ca2+-sequestering capacity by the SA. These parameters were improved by P30 so that they approximated the values of P3. Such a seeming amelioration could be attributed to the fact that the mortality rate in rats sharply increases by P24, so that animals surviving this age represent a selected population in which a compensatory growth of spines has occurred and has secured functionally valid connections.
Hump-shaped density-dependent regulation of mosquito oviposition site-selection by conspecific immature stages: theory, field test with Aedes albopictus, and a meta-analysis.

Oviposition site selection by gravid females is an important determinant of the distribution, abundance, and dynamics of dipteran hematophagous insects. The presence of conspecific immature stages in a potential oviposition site could, on the one hand, indicate the suitability of that site but on the other hand could indicate the potential for intraspecific competition. In this paper, we present a graphic model suggesting that the trade-off between these two opposing forces could result in a hump-shaped density-dependent relationship between oviposition rate and conspecific immature stage density (hereafter, the “Hump-shaped regulation model”) with positive effects of aggregation prevailing at low densities and negative effect of intraspecific competition prevailing at higher densities. We field-tested the predictions of this model at both the egg- and the larval levels with Aedes albopictus and evaluated if and how these relationships are affected by resource enrichment. We found support for the hump-shaped regulation model at both the larval and the egg levels. Using oviposition cups containing varying numbers of conspecific larvae, we showed that the oviposition activity of Ae. albopictus first increases and then decreases with larvae number. Medium enrichment resulted in higher hatching rate, and demonstrated linear relations for the no-enrichment treatment where larvae density range was low and hump-shaped relationship for the enriched medium that had a wider larvae density range. Using pairs of oviposition cups, we showed that at low egg densities mosquitoes laid more eggs on substrates containing pre-existing eggs. However, at higher egg densities, mosquitoes laid more eggs on a virgin substrate. Based on our results and on a meta-analysis, we suggest that due to study design or methodological shortcomings the hump-shaped regulation model is often left undetected and that it is likely to be more common than currently thought.
Relationship and communication values their reflection in advertising information choices of Malaysian youth

This study looks at (1) information source preferences for shopping decisions, and (2) television advertising content preferences of Malaysian students. The study is descriptive in nature and adopts the framework of traditional Eastern relationship and communication values for exploring these preferences. It finds that Malaysian students’ preferences do not fall in line with these traditional values. While Malaysian students place family and friends as their most important sources of information, advertising and consumer information sources follow closely. Similarly, their preferences in advertising content are more Western; they want direct, factual, informative advertising content. The strong consumer association in Penang where the data were collected, the influence of foreign agencies, the global economy and the consumer culture it spreads, as well as the youth of the sample are offered as explanations.