cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The adjustment of security returns to the disclosure of replacement cost accounting information

Abstract In March 1976, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) promulgated Accounting Series Release No. 190 (ASR 190) requiring the disclosure of certain replacement cost (RC) accounting data by its registrants. The purpose of this study is to assess whether the RC disclosure rule had any effect on common stock returns for firms affected by the new rule. Distinguishing the effect of compliance costs from the effect of information in the RC data, we found no sign of a cost effect and no strong evidence of an information effect. This result appears to imply (a) that the burden of the ASR 190 compliance costs was not large enough to induce downward adjustments of the firms' security returns; and (b) that the RC data did not provide new information useful to investors as asserted by the SEC.
Stimulation of chloride secretion by P1 purinoceptor agonists in cystic fibrosis phenotype airway epithelial cell line CFPEo

1. P1 purinoceptor agonists like adenosine have been shown to stimulate Cl- transport in secretory epithelia. In the present study, we investigated whether P1 agonist-induced Cl- secretion is preserved in cystic fibrosis airway epithelium and which signalling mechanism is involved. The effects of purinoceptor agonists on Cl- secretion were examined in a transformed cystic fibrosis airway phenotype epithelial cell line, CFPEo-. 2. Addition of adenosine (ADO; 0.1-1 mM) markedly increased 125I efflux rate. The rank order of potency of purinoceptor agonists in stimulating 125I efflux was ADO > AMP > ADP approximately equal to ATP. A similar order of potency was seen in transformed cystic fibrosis nasal polyp cells, CFNPEo- (ADO > ATP > AMP > ADP). These results are consistent with the activation of Cl- secretion via a P1 purinoceptor. 3. The P1 agonists tested (at 0.01 and 0.1 mM) revealed a rank order of potency of 5'-N-ethylcarboxamine adenosine (NECA) > 2-chloro-adenosine (2-Cl-ADO) > R-phenylisopropyl adenosine (R-PIA). 4. The known potent A2 adenosine receptor (A2AR) agonist, 5'-(N-cyclopropyl) carboxamidoadenosine (CPCA, 2 microM) but not the A1 adenosine receptor agonist, N6-phenyl adenosine (N6-phenyl ADO, 10 microM) markedly increased 125I efflux rate (baseline, 5.9 +/- 2.0% min-1, + CPCA, 10.9 +/- 0.6% min-1; P < 0.01). The stimulant effect of CPCA (10 microM) was abolished by addition of the A2AR antagonist 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine (DMPX) (100 microM; reported K(i) = 11 +/- 3 microM). These results favour the involvement of A2AR. 5. ADO (0.1-mM) and CPCA (2 microM) both induced a marked increase in intracellular [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]i); the effect of the latter was again abolished by pretreatment of the cells with DMPX. By contrast, N6-phenyl ADO did not affect [Ca2+]i. 6. In patch-clamp experiments, ADO (1 mM) induced an outwardly-rectified whole-cell Cl- current (baseline, 2.5 +/- 0.8 pA pF-1, + ADO, 78.4 +/- 23.8 pA pF-1; P < 0.02), which was largely inhibited in cells internally perfused with a selective inhibitory peptide of the multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, CaMK [273-302] (20 microM), as compared to a control peptide, CaMK [284-302]. Addition of BAPTA (10 mM), a Ca2+ chelator, to the perfusion pipette also abolished the ADO-elicited Cl- current. 7. In conclusion, our results suggest that A2AR participates in regulation of airway C1 secretion via aCa2+-dependent signalling pathway, which involves CaMK and appears to be at least partially conserved in cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells.
Correction of translation-induced artifacts in wrist MRI scans using orthogonal acquisitions

Correction of motion artifacts in MRI due to interview in-plane 2-D rigid body translations is possible using only the raw data of two standard 2DFT images acquired of the same object with phase encode direction swapped. Previous techniques simply use multiple or orthogonal images to reduce artifacts by ghost interference or geometric averaging. The orthogonal k-space phase difference (ORKPHAD) provides an overdetermined system of linear equations that can be solved directly to compensate for the phase errors caused by the translation. This technique was used to correct images of a volunteer's moving wrist. For all slices of the motion corrupted data volumes, artifacts were dramatically reduced. Though the algorithm only accounts for interview translational motion, it is robust enough to correct real in vivo images that may also be corrupted by small amounts of rotational or out-of-plane motion. Experiments underway show the algorithm can tolerate bulk rotation of several degrees between orthogonal image pairs and that corrections using fractional NEX scans are possible. The current results and such ongoing advancements should make this correction technique practical for certain clinical scenarios vulnerable to in-plane translation.
Psychophysiological assessment in premenopausal sexual arousal disorder.

ABSTRACT Introduction Female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) is a complex diagnostic category whose definition continues to evolve. Aim The purpose of this study was to explore the physiological patterns of genital arousal in 31 women with and 30 women without sexual arousal difficulties using a vaginal photoplethysmograph. In addition, subtypes of FSAD, based on a recently proposed redefinition, were explored on measures of sexual arousal. Results Whereas there were no psychophysiological or subjective sexual arousal differences when the entire group of women with arousal complaints was compared to a control group, significant differences emerged when subtypes of arousal disorder were compared. Only women fitting the description of “Genital Arousal Disorder” showed evidence of impaired psychophysiological arousal, whereas those characterized with “Subjective Sexual Arousal Disorder” and “Combined Genital and Subjective Sexual Arousal Disorder” did not differ from the control group. These subgroups also differed in the correlation between psychophysiological and subjective arousal. Conclusion Overall, there is evidence for diagnostic heterogeneity in FSAD which supports the recent redefinition of this disorder into subtypes.
Evocation of postural atonia and respiratory depression by pontine carbachol in the decerebrate rat

Abstract To study mechanism underlying the postural muscle atonia and respiratory depression associated with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the cholinergic agonist, carbachol, was microinjected into the pontine reticular formation in decerebrate, spontaneously breathing rats. Carbachol injection led to a simultaneous depression of neck and tonic intercostal EMG activity (lasting 14.5 min±7.6 (S.D.)) and a reduction of the respiratory rate. Phasic inspiratory intercostal activity was not consistently depressed. After a spontanelously recovery from the atonia and respiratory depression, subsequent carbachol injections at the same site produced similar responses. Thus, the decerebrate rat may provide a useful model for studies of the inhibitory neural mechanisms activated by the increased acetylcholine levels in the pons that occur in REM sleep. Pontine carbachol effects in rats differ from those described in cats in a manner analogous to differences in the patterns of natural REM sleep in these two species.
High-level production of the mouse epidermal growth factor in a Bacillus brevis expression system

In order to determine the three-dimensional structure, the folding pathways, and the residues which are critical for biological functions of the mouse epidermal growth factor (mEGF), large amounts of wild-type and site-specific mutants are needed for biological and physiochemical studies. Genes coding for mEGF and its mutants were expressed in a Bacillus brevis system in which the expressed foreign proteins were secreted into the culture medium. However, proteases were also secreted that resulted in partial degradation of the desired foreign proteins. One mutant with much less protease secretion was isolated by applying nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis on a B. brevis strain. A new vector to facilitate DNA mutagenesis and sequencing was also constructed for this system. Methodologies for the transformation of B. brevis and the purification of expressed mEGF were developed. Under the optimized conditions, the production of the mEGF and its mutants was about 50 mg per liter, and yielded up to 10 mg of purified mEGF. Several mEGF mutants have been produced and their receptor binding abilities have been measured.
XSEAD: A Community Platform For Art-Science Integration

The relation between media researchers, engineers, and artists has been a topic of discussion since the introduction of multimedia. The authors present the social-media-oriented XSEAD environment (http://xsead.org) that is designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration between the members of different groups, speed the dissemination of findings, and establish an educational environment that helps to better understand the intellectual grounds of integrative multimedia work. XSEAD is an online platform supporting networks of creativity and innovation across science, engineering, art, and design.
Assessment of reperfusion after thrombolytic therapy for myocardial infarction.

Abstract The benefits of thrombolytic therapy in reducing the mortality associated with acute myocardial infarction are well documented. Presumably, this is on the basis of a patent IRA, although other mechanisms may be involved. Because there is a 25% to 30% failure rate for thrombolytic therapy that is associated with a significantly worse prognosis, it is crucial to document reperfusion in a timely fashion. In cases of failure to reperfuse, the patient could be considered a candidate for secondary mechanical intervention. While coronary arteriography is presently the “gold standard” to document reperfusion, this is an invasive procedure associated with small but defined risks for the patient. A noninvasive marker that is readily available and highly accurate is most desirable. There are a number of methods currently used to document coronary reperfusion noninvasively. This review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and the need for continued evaluation and refinement in noninvasive modalities to identify patients who are candidates for further intervention.
Influence of catalyst depletion or deactivation on polymerization kinetics. III. Solution polymerization of acrylonitrile in N,N-dimethylformamide at -30°C.

The experimental results on homogeneous polymerization of acrylonitrile initiated with the sodium triethylthioisopropoxyaluminate, NaAlEt3S(i-Pr), catalyst in DMF at −30°C. are compared with the prediction of equations based on a postulated mechanism. The agreement between the calculated and observed number-average molecular weight combined with the kinetic data and the relationship between the conversion and the initial catalyst concentration provides a rigorous test concerning the validity of the equations and the mechanism of the polymerization. A plausible mechanism is postulated as follows: The initiation must be relatively fast in accordance with the rate equations and the growing polymer undergoes propagation, transfer (to monomer), and deactivation simultaneously. The infrared spectrum of the low molecular weight polymer prepared at a high catalyst concentration showed strong absorption at 2337, 2205, and 1620 cm.−1 but no absorption at 900 cm.−1, indicating that there are two nitriles in the polymer, one of which is conjugated. The possibility of having CHCH2 groups in the polymer is ruled out by the absence of the band at 900 cm.−1. In view of these facts, it is concluded that the polymer has a CHCHCN endgroup resulting from the transfer reaction.
Cylindrical waves and cosmic strings of Petrov type D.

A three-parameter family of (time-dependent) cylindrically symmetric solutions of the vacuum Einstein equations is obtained. They all are asymptotically flat, they admit a regular axis, and they are free from curvature singularities. For general values of the parameters the solution exhibits an angle deficit in going around the axis and it is interpreted as a cosmic string surrounded by gravitational waves. The angle deficit is eliminated for a two-parameter subfamily, leading to an everywhere-regular Petrov type-D spacetime describing the propagation of nonradiating cylindrical gravitational waves. A relationship between the linear mass density of the string and the C-energy of the spacetime is established.
Screening for Staphylococcus aureus carriage in pregnancy: usefulness of novel sampling and culture strategies.

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the most sensitive strategy for the detection of Staphylococcus aureus among pregnant women and newborn infants. Study Design We obtained cultures for S aureus from 5 body sites of women at 35-37 weeks' gestation. We obtained cultures from their newborn infants before hospital discharge. Results Of 209 women who were screened, 29% of the women had at least 1 culture that was positive for S aureus ; 5% of infants were S aureus carriers. The sensitivities of each site for S aureus detection were 52% nares, 50% throat, 13% rectum, 8% vagina, and 10% skin. The most sensitive combination of 2 sites was nares and throat (88%). Perinatal transmission of S aureus occurred in 4 women. Maternal methicillin-resistant S aureus carriage rate was 1%. Two infants carried the USA300 methicillin-resistant S aureus . Conclusion Screening single body sites is insensitive for the detection of S aureus carriage in pregnancy. Sampling nares and throat is essential to the identification of S aureus carriers.
Alopecia after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis.

Severe diffuse hair loss in a young woman after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis prompted a review of the incidence and cause of this complication. Nine (38 percent) of 24 patients undergoing the ileoanal pouch procedure developed hair loss. Clinically apparent hair loss is more likely in females. The cause is probably multifactorial and is unlikely to be related to specific nutritional deficiencies in patients maintaining oral intake of nutrients. Hair loss in the perioperative period is transient and hair growth returns to normal as the patient recovers. Awarencess of this problem is importnat and reassurance of the concerned patient is the appropriate management.
Microsphere resonator for optoacoustic detection of high frequency ultrasound

Optical techniques offer a promising approach to realizing high frequency ultrasound imaging arrays. Exceptional pressure sensitivity has been demonstrated with high Q-factor optical resonators, such as polymer microring devices. However, excessive bend loss restricts the microring diameter to roughly 90 um or larger. We are exploring an alternative optoacoustic sensor based on a microsphere resonator. Optical whispering gallery modes (WGMs) circulate within the microsphere surface via total internal reflection. For proof of concept, we use a prism coupling technique to excite WGM resonances in a 25 um diameter polystyrene microsphere. The microsphere is placed on the surface of an equilateral prism made from a UV-curable polyurethane. The microsphere was encapsulated within an approximately 50 um cured layer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Light is focused into the prism with a 10X microscope objective. The incident angle is approximately 70 degrees in order to excite WGM resonances. Ultrasound excitation is provided by a 25 MHz unfocused transducer with ultrasound coupling gel. As expected for a 25 um diameter polystyrene microsphere, the light reflected from the prism-microsphere interface has optical resonance dips separated by approximately 5 nm. The Q-factor is about 800. Optoacoustic performance was evaluated by illuminating the microsphere with a temperature controlled Fabry-Perot AlGaAs diode laser tuned to a wavelength of 780 nm. The measured signal has a peak frequency of 18 MHz and −6 dB bandwidth of 22 MHz. Based on single-shot measurements, the noise equivalent pressure (NEP) of the microsphere detector is 75 kPa over a 50 MHz bandwidth. Although the NEP is fairly high, the Q-factor of our microsphere resonator can be improved by at least an order of magnitude by optimizing the separation between the microsphere and coupling prism. We believe these encouraging results suggest the potential of microsphere resonators for optoacoustic detection.
Enhanced tactile spatial acuity and cortical processing during acute hand deafferentation

Acute deafferentation of a limb results in bilateral cortical reorganization, but the behavioral consequences of this phenomenon are unknown. Here we found rapid improvements in tactile spatial acuity and changes in cortical processing for the left hand during cutaneous anesthesia of the right hand. The site-specific improvement in tactile spatial acuity may represent a behavioral compensatory gain.
Targeted disruption of the tyrosine hydroxylase gene reveals that catecholamines are required for mouse fetal development.

TYROSINE hydroxylase catalyses the initial, rate-limiting step in the catecholamine biosynthetic pathway. Catecholamines, which include dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline, are important neurotransmitters and hormones that regulate visceral functions, motor coordination and arousal in adults1. The gene encoding tyro-sine hydroxylase becomes transcriptionally active in developing neuroblasts during mid-gestation of rodent embryos, before the onset of neurotransmission2–6. Here we show that inactivation of both tyrosine hydroxylase alleles results in mid-gestational lethality: about 90% of mutant embryos die between embryonic days 11.5 and 15.5, apparently of cardiovascular failure. Administration of L-DOPA (dihydroxyphenylalanine), the product of the tyrosine hydroxylase reaction, to pregnant females results in complete rescue of mutant mice in utero. Without further treatment, however, they die before weaning. We conclude that catecholamines are essential for mouse fetal development and postnatal survival
The assignment of downfield proton resonances in an enzyme inhibitor complex using time-dependent saturation transferred NOEs.

We have used time-dependent saturation transferred NOE (STNOE) measurements to assign two downfield resonances in the proton spectrum of an adenosine deaminase−purine riboside mixture. Our results show that this method can be used to detect structural changes that occur upon inhibitor binding to the enzyme and to determine which protons of the bound inhibitor are strongly hydrogen bonded in the complex.
Strangeness at RHIC: recent results from STAR

In this article I will summarize the intermediate- to high-momentum strangeness measurements from STAR since SQM03. Some of the results shown here have been previously published in the QM04 proceedings. The focus is on dynamic measurements such as resonance production, elliptic flow and momentum-dependent particle suppression in central AA collisions. Resonance scattering and regeneration in the hadronic phase between chemical and kinetic freeze-out might yield a scale for the lifetime of this phase. I will show differences in the baryon to meson behaviour at intermediate transverse momentum that can be attributed to quark coalescence in AA and the Cronin effect in dA collisions. The canonical yield suppression, which is unique to strange particles when comparing pp to AA collisions, affects the compatibility of the nuclear suppression factors RCP and RAA. Particle identified two particle correlations in AA collisions show that at high transverse momentum the measurement might be dependent on the species of the trigger particle.
In Vivo and in vitro EPR oximetry with fusinite: A new coal‐derived, particulate EPR probe

The peak-to-peak line width (LW) of the first derivative electron spin resonance (EPR) spectrum of the coal maceral fusinite is reversibly broadened by O2. The extent of broadening per unit of partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) is unusually large, exceeding that of nitroxides by almost two orders of magnitude. This paramagnetic property of fusinite, combined with its very stable physicochemical properties and low toxicity, is shown to be of utility in the measurement of pO2 in vitro and in vivo. Fusinite particles are endocytosed by chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in vitro; this is useful for intracellular O2 measurements with commercially available EPR spectrometers operating at 9.1-9.3 GHz. For measurement of oxygen in vivo using low frequency EPR (1.1-1.3 GHz), fusinite provides a sensitive and persistent means to measure pO2 in tissues. Particles implanted into the gastrocnemius muscle of A/J mice remained interstitially in the same position for months with undiminished sensitivity to pO2 and no specific toxic effects.
Multiresolutional Sensor Fusion By Conductivity Analysis

This paper describes an evidential pattern classifier for the combination of data from physically different sensors. We assume that the sensory evidence is multiresolutional, incomplete, imprecise, and possibly inconsistent. Our focus is on two types of sensory information patterns: visual and tactile. We develop a logical sensing scheme by using a model based representation of prototypical 3D surfaces. Each surface represents a class of topological patterns described by shape and curvature features. The sensory evidence is classified by using a conductivity measure to determine which prototypical surface best matches the evidence. A formal evidential model of uncertainty is used to derive logical sensors and provide performance measures for sensor integration algorithms.
BI-10pH-WEIGHTED MRI IN HUMAN GLIOMAS

Regions of proliferating tumor are characterized by extracellular acidosis and hypoxia. Additionally, tumor cells utilize glutamine and other amino acids for fuel, resulting in elevated extracellular concentrations of glutamine in areas of metabolically active tumor. In the current study we explore the use of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI targeting exchangeable protons on the amine functional group in free amino acids as a pH-weighted imaging biomarker for non-invasively identifying regions of low pH, suggestive of regions with active tumor. The dependence of CEST contrast on pH was measured for three amino acids, and the dependence of CEST contrast on metabolite concentration was measured for glutamine. CEST data was collected in a cohort of twelve GBM patients undergoing radiochemotherapy. CEST data and corresponding histology were collected in a patient with suspected low grade glioma and a GBM patient at tumor recurrence. Results show a sigmoidal relationship between CEST contrast and pH within a range of 5.0-8.0. CEST contrast increased with both decreasing pH and increasing amino acid concentration, and the three amino acids produced similar CEST signatures within a physiologically relevant range of pH (6.0-7.0). Clinically, some patients who showed elevated CEST contrast in the tumor region appeared to show an increase in tumor volume at six months post-treatment, while a patient who did not show elevated CEST contrast in the tumor region appeared to show a slight decrease in tumor volume at six months post-treatment. In biopsy patients, regions of CEST contrast suggestive of low pH and active tumor correctly identified proliferative tumor, while areas suggestive of normal pH showed gliosis. In summary, results suggest CEST imaging of the amine functional group on free amino acids is sensitive to acidic pH and elevated amino acid concentration, allowing non-invasive identification of metabolically active tumor with a high specificity.
Analysis of the causes of variance in resistance measurements on metal-molecule-metal junctions formed by conducting-probe atomic force microscopy.

Alkanethiol tunnel junctions were studied using conducting-probe atomic force microscopy to determine causes of variability in measured resistance behavior. Measurements were made on Au/decanethiol/Au monolayer junctions, and effects of substrate roughness, tip chemistry, presence of solvent, extensive tip usage, applied load, and tip radius were examined. Resistance measurements yielded log-normal distributions under a variety of conditions, indicating that the origin of the variance is likely to be either changes in tunneling length or electronic overlap. Spreads in resistance values for a given tip were much less when flat, template-stripped Au substrates were used rather than rough, evaporated Au substrates. Chemical modification of tips with ethanethiol (C2) or butanethiol (C4) and performing measurements under cyclohexane were also found to reduce variance by a factor of about 2−4. Experiments performed with unmodified tips showed an increase in junction resistance over the course of hundreds of con...
Peer Victimization Among Schoolchildren: Correlations, Causes, Consequences, and Considerations in Assessment and Intervention

Peer victimization among schoolchildren is a common problem that predicts serious maladjustment. In this article, the authors define peer victimization, provide a brief overview of the history of research on the topic, and review prevalence rates, common measurement approaches, and the correlates of peer victimization. This review leads to recommendations for empirically based assessment and intervention. Finally, the authors highlight directions for future research.
Water-in-carbon dioxide emulsions stabilized with hydrophobic silica particles

W/C emulsions were stabilized using hydrophobic silica particles adsorbed at the interface, resulting in average droplet diameters as low as 7.5 μm. A porous cross-linked shell was formed about a hydrophilic (colloidal and fumed) silica core with a trifunctional silylating agent, (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)triethyoxysilane, to render the particles CO2-philic. The stability of emulsions comprising equal weights of CO2 and water was assessed with visual observations of settling fronts and the degree of emulsion coalescence, and the average drop size was measured by optical microscopy. The effect of CO2 density on both emulsion stability and droplet size was determined quantitatively. The major destabilizing mechanism of the emulsions was settling, whereas Ostwald ripening and coalescence were not visible at any density, even over 7 days. Flocculation of the settling droplets did not occur, although gelation of the emulsions through particle interactions resulted after longer periods of time. CO2-philic particles offer a new route to highly stable W/C emulsions, with particle energies of attachment on the order of 106kT, even at CO2 densities as low as 0.78 g ml−1. At these low densities, surfactants rarely stabilize emulsions as the result of poor surfactant tail solvation.
Localization of tyrosine hydroxylase and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase immunoreactive cells in the medulla of the dog

The tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)- and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT)-immunoreactive cells of the medulla are closely associated with cardiovascular control in both the cat and rat. Although it is often the species of choice for cardiovascular studies, no previous study had characterized these cell groups in the dog. The TH- and PNMT-immunoreactive cells of the dog were distributed much as they are in both cat and rat but with some species variations, which may be indicative of their functional role.
When is approximation by Gaussian networks necessarily a linear process

Let s ≥ 1 be an integer. A Gaussian network is a function on Rs of the form g(X) = Σk=1N ak exp(-||x-xk||2). The minimal separation among the centers, defined by (1/2)min1≤j≠k≤N ||Xj-Xk||, is an important characteristic of the network that determines the stability of interpolation by Gaussian networks, the degree of approximation by such networks, etc. Let (within this abstract only) the set of all Gaussian networks with minimal separation exceeding 1/m be denoted by Gm. We prove that for functions f ∈ L2 (Rs) such that ||f||Rs\[-t,t]s=O(t-β),if the degree of L2 (nonlinear) approximation of f from Gm, is O(m-β), then necessarily the degree of approximation of f by (rectangular) partial sums of degree m2 of the Hermite expansion of f is also O(m-β). Moreover, Gaussian networks in Gm having fixed centers in a ball of radius O(m) and coefficients being linear functionals of f can be constructed to yield the same degree of approximation. Similar results are proved for the Lp norms, 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞, but with the condition that the number of neurons N, should satisfy logN=O(m2).
Hydrogen Bonding to Trp β37 Is the First Step in a Compound Pathway for Hemoglobin Allostery

Human hemoglobin is widely thought to change from the R to the T quaternary structure in a single rate process requiring tens of microseconds. Here we present kinetic evidence that the R → T allosteric pathway in hemoglobin requires more than one step. We use magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy of the aromatic amino acid bands to show that formation of a tryptophan−aspartate hydrogen bond in the hinge region of the dimer−dimer interface is part of an obligatory R → T step proceeding more than a factor of 10 faster than the kinetic step previously identified in heme-band absorption studies.
Norms inform mental state ascriptions: A rational explanation for the side-effect effect

Theory of mind, the capacity to understand and ascribe mental states, has traditionally been conceptualized as analogous to a scientific theory. However, recent work in philosophy and psychology has documented a "side-effect effect" suggesting that moral evaluations influence mental state ascriptions, and in particular whether a behavior is described as having been performed 'intentionally.' This evidence challenges the idea that theory of mind is analogous to scientific psychology in serving the function of predicting and explaining, rather than evaluating, behavior. In three experiments, we demonstrate that moral evaluations do inform ascriptions of intentional action, but that this relationship arises because behavior that conforms to norms (moral or otherwise) is less informative about underlying mental states than is behavior that violates norms. This analysis preserves the traditional understanding of theory of mind as a tool for predicting and explaining behavior, but also suggests the importance of normative considerations in social cognition.
Lateral habenula as a source of negative reward signals in dopamine neurons

Midbrain dopamine neurons are key components of the brain's reward system, which is thought to guide reward-seeking behaviours. Although recent studies have shown how dopamine neurons respond to rewards and sensory stimuli predicting reward, it is unclear which parts of the brain provide dopamine neurons with signals necessary for these actions. Here we show that the primate lateral habenula, part of the structure called the epithalamus, is a major candidate for a source of negative reward-related signals in dopamine neurons. We recorded the activity of habenula neurons and dopamine neurons while rhesus monkeys were performing a visually guided saccade task with positionally biased reward outcomes. Many habenula neurons were excited by a no-reward-predicting target and inhibited by a reward-predicting target. In contrast, dopamine neurons were excited and inhibited by reward-predicting and no-reward-predicting targets, respectively. Each time the rewarded and unrewarded positions were reversed, both habenula and dopamine neurons reversed their responses as the bias in saccade latency reversed. In unrewarded trials, the excitation of habenula neurons started earlier than the inhibition of dopamine neurons. Furthermore, weak electrical stimulation of the lateral habenula elicited strong inhibitions in dopamine neurons. These results suggest that the inhibitory input from the lateral habenula plays an important role in determining the reward-related activity of dopamine neurons.
Elasto visco-plastic flow with special attention to boundary conditions

A simple but nontrivial steady-state creeping elasto visco-plastic (Maxwell fluid) radial flow problem is analyzed, with special attention given to the effects of the boundary conditions. Solutions are obtained through integration of a governing equation on stress using the Runge-Kutta method for initial value problems and finite differences for boundary value problems. A more general approach through the finite element method, an approach that solves for the velocity field rather than the stress field and that is applicable to a wide range of problems, is presented and tested using the radial flow example. It is found that steady-state flows of elasto visco-plastic materials are strongly influenced by the state of stress of material as it enters the region of interest. The importance of this boundary or initial condition in analyses involving materials coming into control volumes from unusual stress environments is emphasized.
Calculation of the Timing of Vortex Formation from AN Oscillating Cylinder

Vortex shedding from a transversely oscillating circular cylinder in a uniform flow is studied by numerical solutions of the two-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes equations with a primitive-variable formulation. As the frequency of excitation of the cylinder is increased relative to the inherent vortex formation frequency, the initially formed concentration of vorticity moves closer to the cylinder until a limiting position is reached; at this point, the vorticity concentration abruptly switches to the opposite side of the cylinder. This process induces distinct changes of the topology of the corresponding streamline patterns. In addition, the influence of this vorticity-switching on forces acting on the cylinder is also investigated.
Larvae of the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea, inhibit cyanogenesis in Prunus serotina.

SUMMARY The larvae of the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Dru.), though vulnerable to cyanide poisoning, consume the cyanogenic leaves of black cherry, Prunus serotina , without apparent harm. The cyanide contents of leaves, defensive regurgitant, the bolus, and frass were assayed by ion chromatography to determine the fate of the toxin in the caterpillar. Leaves collected in September, when the caterpillars were feeding, contained 1592±276 p.p.m. cyanide. Samples of dried frass obtained from caterpillars fed these leaves yielded 2868±552 p.p.m. cyanide. Frass extracted directly in NaOH yielded approximately five percent of the cyanide obtained from frass ground in buffer and distilled in Warburg flasks, indicating that cyanogenesis is largely inhibited as the bolus traverses the gut. This inhibition is attributable to the ability of the caterpillar to maintain a foregut environment in the presence of the bolus that is sufficiently alkaline to suppress the conversion of the plant cyanogen to cyanide. Although a number of caterpillars feed without harm on cyanogenic plants, this it the first shown to inhibit cyanogenesis in this manner.
The Effect of Electrical Anisotropy During Magnetoacoustic Tomography With Magnetic Induction

Magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction (MAT-MI) is a technique for imaging electrical conductivity in tissue. A time-varying magnetic field induces currents that interact with a static magnetic field to produce a Lorentz force, initiating ultrasonic waves. The goal of this communication is to examine the effect of anisotropy during MAT-MI.
Separation anxiety disorder in OCD

Background: A history of separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is frequently reported by patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). The purpose of this study was to determine if there are clinical differences between OCD-affected individuals with, versus without, a history of SAD. Methods: Using data collected during the OCD Collaborative Genetic Study, we studied 470 adult OCD participants; 80 had a history of SAD, whereas 390 did not. These two groups were compared as to onset and severity of OCD, lifetime prevalence of Axis I disorders, and number of personality disorder traits. Results: OCD participants with a history of SAD were significantly younger than the non-SAD group (mean, 34.2 versus 42.2 years; P<.001). They had an earlier age of onset of OCD symptoms (mean, 8.0 versus 10.5 years; P<.003) and more severe OCD, as measured by the Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (mean, 27.5 versus 25.0; P<.005). In addition, those with a history of SAD had a significantly greater lifetime prevalence of agoraphobia (odds ratio (OR) = 2.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.4–4.6, P<.003), panic disorder (OR = 1.84, CI = 1.03–3.3 P<.04), social phobia (OR = 1.69, CI 1.01–2.8, P<.048), after adjusting for age at interview, age at onset of OCD, and OCD severity in logistic regression models. There was a strong relationship between the number of dependent personality disorder traits and SAD (adjusted OR = 1.42, CI = 1.2–1.6, P<.001). Conclusions: A history of SAD is associated with anxiety disorders and dependent personality disorder traits in individuals with OCD. Depression and Anxiety 28:256–262, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An exploratory study of middle school students' sensemaking in a collaborative game design educational project

The purpose of this study is to understand collaborative sensemaking processes among middle school students in a discovery based hybrid e-learning environment. Our exploratory study reports interview findings on student experiences, and contributes to our ongoing investigation of this complex social learning system. This paper is also an effort to extend the understanding of Dervin's (1992) sensemaking model to incorporate collaborative knowledge building and associated information behaviors. Our preliminary findings identify and discuss several situations, gaps and collaborative sensemaking strategies.
Investment and Return: Wiki Engagement in a "Remedial" ESL Writing Course

AbstractThis study explores the extent to which students in a community college remedial English as a second language (ESL) course engaged with a class wiki and the relationship between their pattern of engagement over time and success in exiting remediation. Participants included 47 students in two sections of ESL writing during the spring 2009 semester. Results showed that repeated out-of-class engagement over the course of the semester was positively associated with successfully exiting remediation. However, average level of engagement was low, suggesting that, in this context, technology-mediated learning activities do not necessarily lead to increased engagement.
Sensitivity of the Origin Decision Point to Specific Inhibitors of Cellular Signaling and Metabolism

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells become committed to initiate DNA replication at specific sites within the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) locus at a discrete point during G1 phase, the origin decision point (ODP). To better understand the requirements for passage through the ODP, we evaluated the ability of various inhibitors of G1-phase progression to prevent passage through the ODP. Of several protein kinase inhibitors tested, only inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) activity (roscovitine, olomoucine) prevented passage through the ODP. Inhibitors of MAP kinase (PD98059), PKA (KT5720), PKG (KT5823), as well as inhibition of integrin-mediated signaling by preventing cell adhesion, all arrested cells in the post-ODP stages of G1 phase. Intriguingly, inhibitors of proteasome-dependent proteolysis (MG132, ALLN, lactacystin) and transcription (DRB, α-amanitin, actinomycin D) also inhibited passage through the ODP, whereas inhibition of protein synthesis (cycloheximide) had no effect on the ODP. Cross-checking each inhibitor for its affect on transcription revealed that the ODP could be uncoupled from transcription; MG132 and lactacystin did not inhibit transcription, and KT5720 was a potent inhibitor of transcription. Importantly, cells that were arrested upstream of the ODP with either roscovitine or lactacystin contained functional prereplication complexes (pre-RCs), supporting previous findings that pre-RC formation is not sufficient for origin specification. These results demonstrate that specification of the DHFR origin is independent of growth signaling mechanisms and does not require G1-phase synthesis of a protein regulator such as a cyclin or Dbf4/ASK1, positioning the ODP after pre-RC formation but prior to the activation of the known S-phase promoting kinases.
Estimating the minimum of partitioning and floorplanning problems

The statistical properties of two combinatorial optimization problems that arise in the physical design of circuits, circuit partitioning, and floorplanning, are discussed. For the partitioning problem, the solutions generated by the Kernighan-Lin (1970) procedure and those generated by a random search are examined. It is shown that in both cases, the Type 3 (Weibull) extreme value distribution provides an excellent model for the distribution of local minima generated. The location parameter of the Weibull provides an estimate of the minimum cost. Various techniques that were used to estimate the parameters of the Weibull are discussed, and ample empirical evidence to support the hypothesis is provided. For the floorplanning problem, a number of test problems whose optimal value are known are constructed. By using a representation of slicing floorplans developed by D.F. Wong and C.L. Liu (1986), the solution space is randomly sampled and a number of local minima are generated. As with the partitioning problem, it is found that the Weibull distribution provides an excellent model for estimating the minimum cost. >
Fast‐response airborne in situ measurements of HNO3 during the Texas 2000 Air Quality Study

[1] Nitric acid (HNO3) was measured from an aircraft in the planetary boundary layer and free troposphere up to 7 km on 14 flights during the Texas Air Quality Study in August and September 2000. HNO3 mixing ratios were measured at 1 Hz using a fast-response chemical ionization mass spectrometer with SiF5− reagent ions. HNO3 measurement using this highly selective ion chemistry is insensitive to water vapor and is not degraded by interferences from other species. Rapid time response (1 s) was achieved using a heated Teflon inlet. In-flight standard addition calibrations from a HNO3 permeation source were used to determine the instrument sensitivity of 1.1 ± 0.1 ion counts pptv−1 s−1 over the duration of the study. Contributions to the HNO3 signal from instrument artifacts were accounted for by regularly performing in-flight instrument background checks, where HNO3 was removed from the ambient air sample by diverting the sampled air though a nylon wool scrubber. Measurement inaccuracy, which is determined from uncertainties in the standard addition calibrations, was ±10%. Measurement precision at low HNO3 levels was ±25 pptv (1σ) for the 1 Hz data and ±9 pptv for 10 s averages of the 1 s measurements. Coincident in situ measurements of other reactive nitrogen species are used to examine NOy partitioning and HNO3 formation during this month long measurement campaign. The sum of the individually measured reactive nitrogen species is shown to be in agreement with the measured NOy. HNO3 formation in plumes from electric utility power plants, urban areas, and petrochemical facilities was studied. The observed differences in the fractional contribution of HNO3 to NOy in plumes from different anthropogenic source types are discussed.
Mercury Resistance and Mercuric Reductase Activities and Expression among Chemotrophic Thermophilic Aquificae

Mercury (Hg) resistance (mer) by the reduction of mercuric to elemental Hg is broadly distributed among the Bacteria and Archaea and plays an important role in Hg detoxification and biogeochemical cycling. MerA is the protein subunit of the homodimeric mercuric reductase (MR) enzyme, the central function of the mer system. MerA sequences in the phylum Aquificae form the deepest-branching lineage in Bayesian phylogenetic reconstructions of all known MerA homologs. We therefore hypothesized that the merA homologs in two thermophilic Aquificae, Hydrogenobaculum sp. strain Y04AAS1 (AAS1) and Hydrogenivirga sp. strain 128-5-R1-1 (R1-1), specified Hg resistance. Results supported this hypothesis, because strains AAS1 and R1-1 (i) were resistant to >10 μM Hg(II), (ii) transformed Hg(II) to Hg(0) during cellular growth, and (iii) possessed Hg-dependent NAD(P)H oxidation activities in crude cell extracts that were optimal at temperatures corresponding with the strains' optimal growth temperatures, 55°C for AAS1 and 70°C for R1-1. While these characteristics all conformed with the mer system paradigm, expression of the Aquificae mer operons was not induced by exposure to Hg(II) as indicated by unity ratios of merA transcripts, normalized to gyrA transcripts for hydrogen-grown AAS1 cultures, and by similar MR specific activities in thiosulfate-grown cultures with and without Hg(II). The Hg(II)-independent expression of mer in the deepest-branching lineage of MerA from bacteria whose natural habitats are Hg-rich geothermal environments suggests that regulated expression of mer was a later innovation likely in environments where microorganisms were intermittently exposed to toxic concentrations of Hg.
Pooling strategies for call center agent cross-training

The efficiency benefits achievable via cross-training in call and service center environments where agents serve distinct customer types are investigated. This is achieved by first considering specialized agents grouped into N departments according to the customer type they serve. Then, cross-training policies that pool a set of departments into a single larger department that serves all of the pooled call types according to either a first-come-first-served or non-pre-emptive priority service discipline are examined. The impact of system parameters, such as the number of servers, mean service times and service time coefficient of variation, on the decision of which departments to pool in order to minimize the expected delay in the system are characterized by comparing the proposed queueing models via standard queueing approximations and numerical analysis. The results show that if the mean service times of the departments that will be pooled are similar, pooling the departments with the highest service ti...
The PARIS Algorithm for Determining Latent Topics

We introduce a new method for discovering latent topics in sets of objects, such as documents. Our method, which we call PARIS (for Principal Atoms Recognition In Sets), aims to detect principal sets of elements, representing latent topics in the data, that tend to appear frequently together. These latent topics, which we refer to as `atoms', are used as the basis for clustering, classification, collaborative filtering, and more. We develop a target function which balances compression and low error of representation, and the algorithm which minimizes the function. Optimization of the target function enables an automatic discovery of the number of atoms, representing the dimensionality of the data, and the atoms themselves, all in a single iterative procedure. We demonstrate PARIS's ability to discover latent topics, even when those are arranged hierarchically, on synthetic, documents and movie ranking data, showing improved performance compared to existing algorithms, such as LDA, on text analysis and collaborative filtering tasks.