cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does electricity demobilize citizens? Exploring access to the grid, political participation and democracy in Africa

Abstract Scholars and policymakers often describe electricity as a catalyst for a country’s industrialization and the social development of its citizens, but the relationship between electric power and political behavior remains understudied. Contributing to literatures on electricity access and the politics of public service provision in Africa, we hypothesize that an increase in electricity access will be associated with higher levels of three traditional measures of political participation: voting, political contacting, and collective action. Using a mixed method approach, we first analyze five rounds of Afrobarometer surveys from 2002 to 2015 across 36 countries (N ∼160,000). Contrary to our initial hypothesis, we find that individuals with access to electricity are less likely to participate than those without access to electricity. This is particularly true for wealthier individuals and those living in democracies, although in more authoritarian regimes, individuals in grid-connected communities are less likely to contact government officials. Second, drawing on qualitative focus groups in a representative case, Ghana, we theorize a causal mechanism that refutes classic understandings of modernization theory. Rather than modern amenities increasing engagement, electricity access is associated with disengaging from some traditional types of political participation as citizens enjoy the benefits of electricity at home. Some of these benefits, which include cooled air, television, and smart phones, potentially enable new modes of digital participation. We conclude that future research should clarify the conceptualization and measurement of both electricity access and political participation to investigate the potential causal mechanisms at work.
Pharmacogenomic variants have larger effect sizes than genetic variants associated with other dichotomous complex traits

It has been suggested that pharmacogenomic phenotypes are influenced by genetic variants with larger effect sizes than other phenotypes, such as complex disease risk. This is presumed to reflect the fact that relevant environmental factors (drug exposure) are appropriately measured and taken into account. To test this hypothesis, we performed a systematic comparison of effect sizes between pharmacogenomic and non-pharmacogenomic phenotypes across all genome-wide association studies (GWAS) reported in the NHGRI GWAS catalog. We found significantly larger effect sizes for studies focused on pharmacogenomic phenotypes, as compared with complex disease risk, morphological phenotypes and endophenotypes. We found no significant differences in effect sizes between pharmacogenomic studies focused on adverse events versus those focused on drug efficacy. Furthermore, we found that this pattern persists among sample size-matched studies, suggesting that this pattern does not reflect overestimation of effect sizes due to smaller sample sizes in pharmacogenomic studies.
Thermal sensing for characterizing the contents of waste storage drums

The present investigation is concerned with the feasibility to employ remote sensing for the characterization of the contents of liquid chemical waste storage drums. Philipson et al. (1981) had found that, when the air temperature is changing rapidly, differences in the thermal inertia of the drum contents can lead to detectable differences in the skin temperature of the drums. Thus, postsunset, airborne thermal remote sensing could potentially provide some level of discrimination among chemical storage drums. Discrimination should be possible among steel drums filled largely with: (1) aqueous solvents, (2) organic solvents, or (3) clay packing materials. The response of a drum filled with clay packing materials should be similar to that of an empty drum. The reported study had the objective to verify the theoretical findings, taking into account the use of a hand-held infrared radiometer. It was found that under the proper conditions the temperature differences among drums with the three different types of contents will be significant and consistent.
A Computational Study of Nasal Spray Deposition Pattern in Four Ethnic Groups.

Abstract Background: Very little is known about the role of nasal morphology due to ethnic variation on particle deposition pattern in the sinonasal cavity. This preliminary study utilizes computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to investigate sinonasal airway morphology and deposition patterns of intranasal sprayed particles in the nose and sinuses of individuals from four different ethnic groups: African American (Black); Asian; Caucasian; and Latin American. Methods: Sixteen subjects (four from each ethnic group) with “normal” sinus protocol computed tomography (CT) were selected for CFD analysis. Three-dimensional reconstruction of each subject's sinonasal cavity was created from their personal CT images. CFD simulations were carried out in ANSYS Fluent™ in two phases: airflow phase was done by numerically solving the Navier-Stokes equations for steady state laminar inhalation; and particle dispersed phase was solved by tracking injected (sprayed) particles through the calculated airflow field. A ...
The HemoCue, a point of care B-hemoglobin photometer, measures hemoglobin concentrations accurately when mixed in vitro with canine plasma and three hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOC).

Accuracy of measurement of low hemoglobin concentrations using the HemoCue®, a B-hemoglobin photometer (HemoCue AB, Angelholm, Sweden) may exhibit significant variability. Infusion of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOC) results in low concentrations of plasma hemoglobin. Our study assessed B-hemoglobin photometer measurement accuracy of three HBOC: (hemoglobin glutamer-200 (bovine; Oxyglobin®, Biopure Corp., Cambridge, MA, USA); hemoglobin glutamer-250 (bovine; Hemopure®, Biopure Corp, Cambridge, MA, USA), and hemoglobin-raffimer, (human; Hemolink™, Hemosol, Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada). In the laboratory, 45 split canine plasma samples were mixed with hemoglobin glutamer-200 (8.13, 16.25, 32.5 g·L−1 concentrations), 45 samples were mixed with hemoglobin glutamer-250 (8.13, 16.25, 32.5 g·L−1 concentrations), 45 with hemoglobin-raffimer (12.5, 25.0, 50.0 g·L−1 concentrations), and measured. Plasma samples without HBOC served as control. Hemoglobin concentration was determined by a laboratory analyzer (Coulter Corporation, Hiafeah, FL, USA) and B-hemoglobin photometer (HemoCue®, Angelholm, Sweden). Two independent technicians performed blinded sample measurements and randomly tested each sample five times. Results were analyzed according to Bland and Altman analysis. B-hemoglobin photometer demonstrated high repeatability for all three HBOCs. Repeatability coefficients were 0.37 g·L−1 and 0.48 g·L−1 for hemoglobin glutamer-200, 0.39 g·L−1 and 0.4 g·L−1 for hemoglobin glutamer-250 and 1.07 g·L−1 and 0.85 g·L−1 for hemoglobin-raffimer. An acceptable agreement was found between the B-hemoglobin photometer and the laboratory analyzer for all three HBOCs tested. The B-hemoglobin photometer accurately determined the concentration of three HBOC solutions dissolved in canine plasma.
Partially Observable MDPs (POMDPS): Introduction and Examples

A partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) is a generalization of a Markov decision process where the states of the model are not completely observable by the decision maker. Noisy observations provide a belief regarding the underlying state, while the decision maker has some control over the progression of the model through the selection of actions. In this article, we introduce POMDPs and discuss the relationship between Markov models and POMDPs. A general POMDP formulation and a wide range of POMDP applications from the literature are also presented. Keywords: MDP; Decision making under uncertainty; hidden Markov chain; POMDP; applications of POMDP
Comparing the Influence of Faith and Political Predispositions in Determining Support for the Persian Gulf War, the Afghanistan War and the Iraq War

Several scholars have effectively explained why religious “belonging”, “behaving”, and “believing” can matter in determining war related attitudes. However, there seems to be a disagreement in the existing scholarship on whether religious factors exercise any direct influence on such attitudes that is independent of political predispositions. I try to weigh in on the debate by examining whether religious factors have a direct and independent effect in shaping attitudes towards the Iraq War. Thereafter, I explore the same question in the contexts of the Afghanistan War and the Persian Gulf War. Using American National Election Study data sets and a series of regression estimates, I find that the effect of religious factors in shaping attitudes towards each of the three wars is rather indirect via political predispositions.
How organizations behave: towards implications for economics and economic policy

This essay begins with introductions to the two sides of organizational economics: the economics of internal organization (which focuses on the internal structure and functioning of organizations) and the economic theory of the firm (which focuses on organizations' boundaries and on relationships across these boundaries). Taken literally, these issues are only loosely related to the conference theme of "How Humans Behave," but the author does see a high-level parallel: both behavioral economics and organizational economics are investigating new approaches to modeling economic actors (individuals and firms, respectively). After these introductions to the two sides of organizational economics, the author then tries to connect "How Humans Behave" and "How Organizations Behave." In particular, he offers quick observations (hoping to prompt longer discussions) about (a) applying behavioral models in organizational settings and (b) how organizational settings might warrant new behavioral models. Finally, in an attempt to connect to economic policy, the author considers (c) what do organizations do, and whether it matters that these activities are conducted within organizations (rather than outside).
Further numerical investigations into the significance of Bode's law.

In a 1975 paper Ovenden1 claimed that “… it is logically impossible to answer the question ‘Is Bode’s Law due to chance?1.” We do not believe this to be correct despite the apparent difficulty cited by Ovenden that we have knowledge only of our own planetary system. In this work the validity of the Titius-Bode law is assessed by comparing the closeness of fit of semi-random, computer — generated distance distributions to that of the actual distribution. The sample distributions are semi-random in that they are drawn from a population which obeys the “law of increasing differences”, expressing the fact that the separations between planets increase, moving outward from the Sun. We consider the solar system excluding Pluto, whose orbit is very irregular, and two further abridged systems, lacking Mercury and/or Neptune. We also apply the analysis to the regular satellites of the giant planets. The results are not favourable to Bode’s Law. This is partly explained by the fact that the “law” loses much of its unusualness when it is a priori assumed that all stable planetary distributions obey the stronger “law of increasing differencws”.
The flawed reliance on randomized controlled trials in studies of HIV behavioral prevention interventions for people who inject drugs and other populations

This article discusses ways in which randomized controlled trials do not accurately measure the impact of HIV behavioral interventions. This is because: 1. Such trials measure the wrong outcomes. Behavior change may have little to do with changes in HIV incidence since behavior change in events between HIV-concordant people have no impact on incidence. Even more important, the comparison of HIV incidence rates between study arms of individual-level RCTs does not measure the true outcome of interest—whether or not the intervention reduces HIV transmission at the community level. This is because this comparison cannot measure the extent to which the intervention stops transmission by HIV-infected people in the study to those outside it. (And this is made even worse if HIV-infected are excluded from the evaluation of the intervention.) 2. There are potential harms implicit in most cognitively oriented behavioral interventions that are not measured in current practice and may not be measurable using RCTs. Int...
Eribulin in Cancer Treatment

Halichondrin B is a complex, natural, polyether macrolide derived from marine sponges. Eribulin is a structurally-simplified, synthetic, macrocyclic ketone analogue of Halichondrin B. Eribulin was approved by United States Food and Drug Administration in 2010 as a third-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer patients who have previously been treated with an anthracycline and a taxane. It has a unique microtubule dynamics inhibitory action. Phase III studies have either been completed or are currently ongoing in breast cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, and non-small cell lung cancer. Phase I and II studies in multiple cancers and various combinations are currently ongoing. This article reviews the available information on eribulin with respect to its clinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, mechanism of action, metabolism, preclinical studies, and with special focus on clinical trials.
S-Methyl N,N-diethylthiocarbamate sulfone, a potential metabolite of disulfiram and potent inhibitor of low Km mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase

Disulfiram inhibits hepatic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) causing an accumulation of acetaldehyde after ethanol ingestion. It is thought that disulfiram is too short-lived in vivo to directly inhibit ALDH, but instead is biotransformed to reactive metabolites that inhibit the enzyme. S-Methyl N,N-diethylthiocarbamate (MeDTC) sulfoxide has been identified in the blood of animals given disulfiram and is a potent inhibitor of ALDH (Hart and Faiman, Biochem Pharmacol 46: 2285-2290, 1993). MeDTC sulfone is a logical metabolite of MeDTC sulfoxide. Therefore, we investigated the effects of MeDTC sulfone on the activity of rat hepatic low Km mitochondrial ALDH, the major enzyme in the metabolism of acetaldehyde. MeDTC sulfone inhibited the low Km mitochondrial ALDH in vitro with an IC50 of 0.42 +/- 0.04 microM (mean +/- SD, N = 5) compared with disulfiram, which had an IC50 of 7.5 +/- 1.2 microM under the same conditions. The inhibition of ALDH by MeDTC sulfone was time dependent. The decline in ALDH activity followed pseudo first-order kinetics with an apparent half-life of 2.1 min at 0.6 microM MeDTC sulfone. Inhibition of ALDH by MeDTC sulfone was apparently irreversible; dilution of the inhibited enzyme did not restore lost activity. The substrate (acetaldehyde, 80 microM) and cofactor (NAD, 0.5 mM) together completely protected ALDH from inhibition by MeDTC sulfone; substrate alone partially protected the enzyme. Addition of either thiol-containing compound glutathione (GSH) or dithiothreitol (DTT) to MeDTC sulfone before incubation with the enzyme increased the IC50 of MeDTC sulfone by 7- to 14-fold. Neither GSH nor DTT could restore lost ALDH activity after exposure of the enzyme to MeDTC sulfone. Results of these studies indicate that MeDTC sulfone, a potential metabolite of disulfiram, is a potent, irreversible inhibitor of low Km mitochondrial ALDH.
Localization of non-Mhc collagen-induced arthritis susceptibility loci in DBA/1j mice

One approach to understanding common human diseases is to determine the genetic defects responsible for similar diseases in animal models and place those defective genes in their corresponding biochemical pathways. Our laboratory is working with an animal model for human rheumatoid arthritis called collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). We are particularly interested in determining the location of disease-predisposing loci. To that end, we performed experiments to localize susceptibility loci for CIA in an F2 cross between the highly susceptible mouse strain DBA/1j and the highly resistant mouse strain SWR/j. Specifically, a quantitative trait locus analysis was performed to localize regions of the mouse genome responsible for susceptibility/severity to CIA. One susceptibility locus, Cia1 in the major histocompatibility locus, had been identified previously. Two additional loci were detected in our analysis that contribute to CIA severity (Cia2, Cia3) on chromosomes 2 and 6. A third locus was detected that contributes to the age of onset of the disease. This locus (Cia4) was located on chromosome 2 and was linked to the same region as Cia2. Determining the identity of these loci may provide insights into the etiology of human rheumatoid arthritis.
A randomized trial comparing misoprostol three and seven days after methotrexate for early abortion

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether vaginal misoprostol 7 days rather than 3 days after methotrexate injection increases the percent of successful abortions on the day of misoprostol administration. STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial was performed in women requesting an abortion at ≤56 days' gestation. Eighty-six women were treated with methotrexate 50 mg/m 2 intramuscularly followed 3 days (group 1) or 7 days (group 2) later by misoprostol 800 μg. The misoprostol dose was repeated if the abortion did not occur. RESULTS: Complete abortion occurred in 38 of 46 (83%) patients in group 1 and 39 of 40 (98%) in group 2 ( p = 0.033). Of the women with complete abortions, 30 of 46 (b5%) in group 1 and 27 of 40 (68%) in group 2 aborted the same day as the first or second dose of misoprostol ( p = 0.823). Vaginal bleeding lasted 14 ± 5 (mean ± SD) days in group 1 and 17 ± 9 days in group 2. The remaining women aborted after a delay of 24 ± 6 days in group 1 and 28 ± 13 days in group 2. For these women vaginal bleeding lasted 18 ± 17 and 14 ± 7 days, respectively, and the human chorionic gonadotropin-β level was ≤25 IU/L by 22 ± 7 days after the abortion in group 1 and 19 ± 9 days in group 2. Treatment failures in group 1 were four continuing pregnancies (9%), two incomplete abortions (4%), and two women who requested surgical termination after receiving both medications (4%). The treatment failure in group 2 was an incomplete abortion. Methotrexate and misoprostol side effects were infrequent. CONCLUSIONS: Methotrexate and vaginal misoprostol are more effective abortifacients when the misoprostol is given 7 days rather than 3 days after methotrexate. This treatment regimen may offer an alternative to surgical abortion or the use of antiprogestins and prostaglandin for medical abortion.
Dark-field scanning in situ spectroscopy platform for broadband imaging of resected tissue

A dark-field geometry spectral imaging system is presented to raster scan thick tissue samples in situ in 1.5 cm square sections, recovering full spectra from each 100 μm diameter pixel. This spot size provides adequate resolution for wide field scanning, while also facilitating scatter imaging without requiring sophisticated light-tissue transport modeling. The system is demonstrated showing accurate estimation of localized scatter parameters and the potential to recover absorption-based contrast from broadband reflectance data measured from 480 nm up to 750 nm in tissue phantoms. Results obtained from xenograft pancreas tumors show the ability to quantitatively image changes in localized scatter response in this fast-imaging geometry. The polychromatic raster scan design allows the rapid scanning necessary for use in surgical/clinical applications where timely decisions are required about tissue pathology.
Soliton modulation-widths for Pb1−xSnxTe TO-ponons☆

Abstract Some new TO-phonon width data for Pb 1− x Sn x Te with strong temperature-dependence are explained in terms of a “modulation-effect” due to non-linear lattice modes. Reasonable values of the parameters provide very good agreement with the experimental widths.
Effects of Pre‐decortication Drying Treatment on the Microstructure of Cowpea Products

A pretreatment process developed to prepare cowpeas for mechanical decortication by dry abrasion involves wetting, equilibrating, and drying. Drying temperatures of 50°C, 70°C, 90°C, 110°C, and 130°C affected the microstructure of cowpea seeds, meal and akara (fried cowpea paste). Severe heat treatment damaged the middle lamella of cotyledon cells, changed the birefringence property of starch granules, reduced the amount of air incorporated in whipped paste and produced akara with a nonuniform, dense structure.
Epidemiological and mechanistic data suggest that 1, 3-butadiene will not be carcinogenic to humans at exposures likely to be encountered in the environment or workplace

1,3-Butadiene (BD) is a carcinogen in both rats and mice with mice being substantially more sensitive than rats. It is not known if BD poses a carcinogenic risk for humans. Findings from exposure assessment studies indicate that potential industrial exposure to BD in monomer, polymer, and end-user industries is typically <2 p.p.m. Epidemiologic studies of persons occupationally exposed to BD are inconclusive. In vitro metabolism of BD in rats, mice and human tissues indicate that there are significant quantitative species differences in the metabolic activation of BD to butadiene monoepoxide (BMO) and butadiene diepoxide (BDE) and the detoxication of BMO. Activation/detoxication ratios calculated using in vitro kinetic constants reveal that ratios in mice were 12-fold greater than rats and humans. In rats and mice exposed to BD, concentrations of BMO in blood and tissues of mice were up to 14-fold higher than in rats and BDE was only detected in mice thereby providing a strong argument for why mice are highly sensitive to BD carcinogenicity. The fact that human tissues do not appear to metabolize BMO to BDE to any significant extent suggest that humans may not be sensitive to BD carcinogenicity. In mice, BDE is a more potent carcinogen than BMO. BDE is mutagenic in vitro at the hprt locus in human TK6 lymphoblasts at concentrations that were 100-fold less than the concentration of BMO required to yield a similar mutation frequency. Importantly, the concentrations of BDE that were genotoxic in vitro are nearly identical to the concentrations of BDE measured in blood and tissues of mice exposed to BD by inhalation. BD is genotoxic in mice, but not rats, following inhalation exposure and this is paralleled by species differences in observed tumor susceptibility. BD is not genotoxic in occupationally-exposed workers. The genetic basis for BD carcinogenicity appears to be primarily through induction of point mutations and deletion events mediated via the potent genotoxic metabolite, BDE. The genotoxic endpoints induced by BDE (e.g., deletion and point mutations) rather than BMO (e.g., point mutations) likely represent the underlying mechanism responsible for the striking species differences observed in the genotoxicity and carcinogenicity of BD in mice versus rats. In summary, the preponderance of evidence which includes both epidemiological and mechanistic data in mice, rats, and humans strongly suggests that BD will not be carcinogenic to humans at occupational or environmental exposures. Any cancer risk assessment for BD should use in vitro human tissue metabolic data and in vivo rat data for estimation of human cancer risks
Pathways to Service Receipt: Modeling Parent Help-Seeking for Childhood Mental Health Problems

Understanding parent appraisals of child behavior problems and parental help-seeking can reduce unmet mental health needs. Research has examined individual contributors to help-seeking and service receipt, but use of structural equation modeling (SEM) is rare. SEM was used to examine parents’ appraisal of child behavior, thoughts about seeking help, and receipt of professional services in a diverse, urban sample (N = 189) recruited from women infant and children offices. Parents of children 11–60 months completed questionnaires about child behavior and development, parent well-being, help-seeking experiences, and service receipt. Child internalizing, externalizing, and dysregulation problems, language delay, and parent worry about child behavior loaded onto parent appraisal of child behavior. Parent stress and depression were positively associated with parent appraisal (and help-seeking). Parent appraisal and help-seeking were similar across child sex and age. In a final model, parent appraisals were significantly associated with parent thoughts about seeking help, which was significantly associated with service receipt.
Cutaneous lupus erythematosus limited to the site of a laceration.

BACKGROUND Cutaneous lupus erythematosus is known to occur at sites of trauma or inflammation of the skin, including sites of tattoo, frostbite, herpes zoster scar, burn scar, and implantation by windshield glass. OBJECTIVE We report a 32-year-old white man who developed cutaneous lupus erythematosus at the site of a laceration. The diagnosis was confirmed by histologic and immunofluorescence examination. The patient responded to intralesional corticosteroid and hydroxychloroquine therapy. CONCLUSION Lupus erythematosus may be induced by trauma.
The fragile X site in somatic cell hybrids: an approach for molecular cloning of fragile sites

Fragile X syndrome is a common form of mental retardation associated with a fragile site on the human X chromosome. Although fragility at this site is usually evident as a nonstaining chromatid gap, it remains unclear whether or not actual chromosomal breakage occurs. By means of somatic cell hybrids containing either a normal human X or a fragile X chromosome and utilizing two genes that flank the fragile site as markers of chromosome integrity, segregation of these markers was shown to be more frequent if they encompass the fragile site under appropriate culture conditions. Hybrid cells that reveal marker segregation were found to contain rearranged X chromosomes involving the region at or near the fragile site, thus demonstrating true chromosomal breakage within this area. Two independent translocation chromosomes were identified involving a rodent chromosome joined to the human X at the location of the fragile site. DNA analysis of closely linked, flanking loci was consistent with the position of the breakpoint being at or very near the fragile X site. Fragility at the translocation junctions was observed in both hybrids, but at significantly lower frequencies than that seen in the intact X of the parental hybrid. This observation suggests that the human portion of the junctional DNA may contain part of a repeated fragility sequence. Since the translocation junctions join heterologous DNA, the molecular cloning of the fragile X sequence should now be possible.
Infrared spectroscopy of carbon monoxide electrosorption on platinum over wide potential ranges. Delineation of site occupancy changes and nonlinear band frequency-potential shifts

L'effet du potentiel sur les spectres IR lors de l'adsorption du monoxyde de carbone sur une electrode composee d'un polycristal de platine est examine dans l'acetonitrile, le THF et le dichloromethane
Effects of carvedilol on systolic and diastolic left ventricular performance in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy or ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Abstract Recent evidence has shown that improvement in left ventricular (LV) systolic function in patients with New York Heart Association class II to III heart failure occurs with β-adrenergic blocking agents. However the specific effects on LV diastolic function have been subjected to only limited examination. This study investigated the effects of the combined β blocker/vasodilator, carvedilol, on systolic and diastolic LV performance in dilated cardiomyopathy. Thirty-six patients with New York Heart Association II to III heart failure and LV ejection fraction ≤0.35 were entered into either arm of this placebo-controlled, double-blind 4-month trial. Twenty-one subjects were entered into the carvedilol treatment arm and 15 patients were entered into the placebo arm in a 3:2 ratio. Carvedilol therapy resulted in a significant improvement in LV ejection fraction, from 0.22 ± 0.02 to 0.30 ± 0.02 when compared with the placebo group (0.19 ± 0.02 to 0.21 ± 0.02 at baseline and after 4 months of therapy, respectively; p = 0.0001). However, no significant change in radionuclide parameters of LV diastolic function, including peak filling rate or time to peak filling rate, was observed. LV end-diastolic volume index did not change with carvedilol therapy, whereas enddiastolic volume index increased in the placebo group, although the difference between groups at 4 months was significant (p = 0.02). In conjunction with these changes, end-systolic volume index was smaller at 4 months after carvedilol treatment compared with that of the placebo group (p = 0.04). Thus, these results demonstrate that in moderate chronic heart failure, systolic LV performance improves but diastolic LV function does not improve when compared with placebo after treatment with carvedilol.
The matching game: Testing for the generality of the matching law

The matching law suggests that animals will allocate responses as a function of reinforcer availability; that is, if one choice produces more reinforcement, a greater proportion of total responding will be allocated to that choice. Indeed, there tends to be a match between response allocation and proportions of reinforcers delivered, given each of those choices. A computer game that delivers simulated coins of experimenter-selected denominations for responding on either of two keys was developed to test the generality of the matching law. The data suggest that even within a single 10-min session, matching functions may be obtained (although undermatching was the rule in the present results). This program may also be used to test various accounts of the matching law.
Regulation of glycan processing by Golgi enzymes from red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) seedlings

The effect of a protein matrix on the processing of glycoprotein glycans by Golgi enzymes from plant seedlings has been determined with an artificial glycoprotein system, comparing the processing rates of glycan-(biotinyl)Asn (or glycan-(biotinamidohexanoyl)Asn) substrates either free or bound to avidin. An analysis of the pooled glycoproteins from the seedlings suggested that the most common glycan structure is a complex one (GlcNAc-Man3GlycNAc2-protein), and consistent with this processing end-product, mannosidases I and II and GlcNAc transferases I and II were all found to be present in the seedling Golgi membrane preparations. The effect of the avidin matrix either in a proximal (biotinyl substrates) or distal (N-(biotinamido)hexonoyl substrates) association with the appropriate glycan substrate for these four enzymes was assessed from the direct comparison of the apparent first-order rate constants for the free and avidin-bound substrate-product conversions. All four plant enzymes were inhibited by the association of the glycan substrates with avidin, but the inhibition was much less pronounced than that observed with the corresponding enzymes from rat liver and hen oviduct. The rate effect shows a progression from 3- to 10-fold rate decreases in the proximal complexes and 2- to 3-fold in the distal complexes in going from the first (mannosidase I) to the fourth (GlcNAc transferase II) enzyme; with the mammalian and avian enzymes the largest effects were for the first ones and much larger absolute rate effects were observed. The results suggest that the nature of the processing enzymes in terms of this response to the avidin glycan substrates may differ in different organisms.
The multikinase inhibitor Sorafenib reverses the suppression of IL-12 and enhancement of IL-10 by PGE2 in murine macrophages

Classical activating stimuli like LPS drive macrophages to secrete a battery of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-12/23, through Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling. TLR activation in the presence of some factors, including prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), promotes an anti-inflammatory cytokine profile, with production of IL-10 and suppression of IL-12/23 secretion. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is a key regulator of macrophage IL-10 production. Since it inhibits ERK, we investigated the impact of Sorafenib on the cytokine profile of macrophages. In the presence of PGE₂, Sorafenib restored the secretion of IL-12 and suppressed IL-10 production. Moreover, IL-12 secretion was enhanced by Sorafenib under conditions of TLR ligation alone. Furthermore, the impact of tumor culture supernatants, cholera toxin, and cAMP analogs (which suppress IL-12 secretion), was reversed by Sorafenib. Sorafenib inhibited the activation of the MAP kinase p38 and its downstream target mitogen and stress activated protein kinase (MSK), and partially inhibited protein kinase B (AKT) and its subsequent inactivation of the downstream target glycogen synthase kinase 3-β (GSK3-β). Interference with these pathways, which are pivotal in determining the balance of inflammatory versus anti-inflammatory cytokines, provides a potential mechanism by which Sorafenib can modulate the macrophage cytokine phenotype. These data raise the possibility that the use of Sorafenib as cancer therapy could potentially reverse the immunosuppressive cytokine profile of tumor-associated macrophages, rendering the tumor microenvironment more conducive to an anti-tumor immune response.
Skin Autofluorescence, 5-Year Mortality, and Cardiovascular Events in Peripheral Arterial Disease: All That Glitters Is Surely Not Gold

The hunt for predictive biomarkers in diseases of the cardio-, cerebro-, and peripheral vascular systems is an ongoing effort and one whose importance cannot be overstated. The identification of subjects most at risk for death or major adverse cardiovascular events may provide a means to stratify diagnostic and therapeutic interventions based on validated predictive algorithms. In this issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology , de Vos et al1 report that in 252 eligible subjects with documented peripheral arterial disease (PAD) studied at a single center, the measurement of skin autofluorescence (SAF) was independently associated with all-cause mortality and fatal or nonfatal major adverse cardiovascular events after a follow-up period of 5 years. Importantly, the authors excluded subjects with hemodialysis, kidney transplantation, recent myocardial infarction, or recent stroke and report that even after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and the use of lipid-lowering drugs, increased SAF remained associated with increased risk for death and major adverse cardiovascular events. A previous report from these authors compared subjects with PAD versus control PAD-free subjects and showed that increased SAF was significantly associated with PAD in a manner independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, although such risk factors were associated with further increases in SAF.2 See accompanying article on page 933 The AGE reader was used as a biological marker of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) in the skin and is usually tested in the forearm. AGEs are the products of nonenzymatic glycation and oxidation of proteins and lipids. AGEs are increased not only in diabetes mellitus but also in natural aging, oxidative stress, and inflammatory conditions, and in renal failure.3 AGEs form on lysine and arginine residues and are heterogeneous; some AGEs are associated with crosslinking (such as pentosidine), and some AGEs do not fluoresce, such as the carboxy methyl …
Morphology, localization and accumulation of in vivo microdamage in human cortical bone

In vivo, microdamage occurs in the form of linear microcracks and diffuse damage. However, it is unknown whether the age-related changes in bone quality predispose bone to form one type of damage morphology over the other during in vivo loading. In this study, histological and histomorphometrical analyses were conducted on transverse cross sections, obtained from the tibiae of aging human bone (age 19 to 89), to investigate the in vivo accumulation and localization of damage morphologies. The results demonstrate that old donor bone (83 ± 3 years) contains more linear microcracks than younger donor bone in the cortices predominantly subjected to compressive (p < 0.01) and tensile loading (p < 0.01). In contrast, young donor bone (40 ± 10 years) contains more diffuse damage than older donor bone in the cortex predominantly subjected to tensile loading (p < 0.01). The formation of damage morphology showed no correlation with bone geometry parameters and exhibited distinct preferences with bone microstructure. Linear microcracks formed in the interstitial bone (p < 0.01) and were either trapped or arrested by the microstructural interfaces (cement line and lamellar interface) (p < 0.05). Areas of diffuse damage, however, were preferentially associated with secondary osteonal bone (p < 0.01) and had no relationship with the microstructural interfaces (p < 0.01). Based upon these findings, we conclude that age-related changes in bone microstructure, but not bone geometry, play a key role in the propensity of old donors to form linear microcrack over diffuse damage under in vivo loading conditions.
Gender Bias in Teacher Education Texts: New (and Old) Lessons

This content analysis investigated the treatment of gender in 23 teacher education textbooks published between 1998 and 2001. Given the decades of research documenting the impact of gender bias in ...
Childhood Polyarteritis Nodosa Presenting With Central Nervous System Manifestations and the Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome

Polyarteritis nodosa is a systemic necrotizing vasculitis involving medium-sized muscular arteries. Polyneuropathy is the only neurologic manifestation included in the pediatric classification schema. Central nervous system manifestations include infarction, hemorrhage, and encephalitis. We report on a 13-year-old female whose initial presentation of polyarteritis nodosa included hypertension, seizures, and neuroimaging findings of vasogenic edema and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome has been reported in association with renal disease, transplantation, autoimmunity, and cytotoxic medications. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome outcomes are usually favorable with supportive care and treatment of the underlying etiology. The patient's neurologic condition improved after treatment of hypertension. Hypertension, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, and abdominal pain led to a diagnostic workup. A systemic vasculitis was confirmed after detection of a perinephric hematoma and intrarenal aneurysms. This is a novel case of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome as an initial manifestation of pediatric polyarteritis nodosa.
Measurement of the nucleon structure function in iron using 215- and 93-GeV muons

We present measurements of the nucleon structure function F/sub 2/(x,Q/sup 2/). The measurements are based on deep inelastic scattering of 215 and 93 GeV muons incident on the solid iron Multimuon Spectrometer at Fermilab. Using a lowest-order QCD calculation we find a best-fit value of ..lambda../sub LO/ = 230 +- 40/sup stat/ +- 80/sup syst/.
On market mavens and consumer self‐confidence: A cross‐cultural study

Market mavens are attentive to media and important diffusers of marketplace information. This study examines the relationships between cultural individualism, general and consumer self-confidence, and market mavenism in the context of two distinct cultural systems, the United States and South Korea. The examination of cross-cultural equivalence of the constructs under study provides evidence for both configural and full or partial metric invariance. The results indicate that cultural individualism is positively related to general self-confidence, general self-confidence is positively related to consumer selfconfidence, and consumer self-confidence is positively related to market mavenism. Additionally, this research shows that these relationships hold in both the U.S. and South Korean samples. The results of this study indicate that market mavenism, and thus levels of confidence about marketplace knowledge and speed of diffusion of such information may be more prevalent among the more individualistic than collectivistic consumers. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Overnight dexamethasone suppression test: normal responses and the diagnosis of cushing's syndrome

Serum cortisol levels were measured the morning after the administration of 1 mg of dexamethasone. Only 5 of 190 subjects had serum cortisol levels greater than 2 micrograms/dL. Thus, the normal value after dexamethasone suppression is less than 2 micrograms/dL rather than less than 5 micrograms/dL as has generally been accepted. The distinction is important because some individuals with Cushing's syndrome partially suppress their cortisol levels to less than 5 but more than 2 micrograms/dL during the test procedure. Thus, the use of 5 micrograms/dL as the normal value may lead to an unnecessary delay in diagnosis.
Sexual violence among dates and acquaintances: Trends and their implications for marriage and family

While it would be difficult to make a conclusive case that there has been a significant increase in forcible rape during the past generation, there is evidence showing that the rate of date rape has increased dramatically during this period. This study describes certain sociocultural changes that society has undergone during this time that appear to be largely responsible for this trend. These include the equalization of sexual freedom for females vis-a-vis males, the pervasive and questionable ways in which the mass media and popular culture feature human sexuality, and the widespread, excessive use of alcoholic beverages among male and female adolescents and college students.
Evaluation of the viscoelastic behavior of a light-cured denture resin.

A visible light-cured reline resin presently marketed is used directly in the mouth to record the tissue. The viscosity of the material will therefore have an effect on the success of the reline. This article compares the viscoelastic properties of the currently marketed visible light-cured material with a medium-body rubber base material. A cone and plate viscometer was used to help derive the apparent viscosity and flow index of the materials. Readings were recorded with varying shear rates at 25°C and 37°C. The visible light-cured resin was found to have a higher apparent viscosity and flow index than the medium-body rubber base at low shear rates. Temperature had an indirect relationship with the viscosity.
Improved controlled-release formulations for a new trap design for male Mediterranean fruit flies : The C&C trap

The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, is a major pest of fruits and vegetables in the world. With the help of an extensive trapping program, the continental United States has remained free of established medfly populations. In an effort to increase trapping efficiency, controlled-release polymeric panels with trimedlure and ceralure were developed in conjunction with the development of a new trap, the C&C trap. This study contrasts the effectiveness of different panel formulations with the standard trimedlure polymeric plug and describes the use of the panels in the C&C trap. Field tests in Hawaii using released sterile flies showed consistently higher male medfly catches with panels in C&C traps than with the standard trimedlure polymeric plug in Jackson traps.
Blood transfusion : The silent epidemic

Blood transfusion has been widely studied and the risk/benefit ratio remains unclear. Focus historically has been upon viral transmission, particularly hepatitis and HIV. Today, with advanced screening for these viruses, the risk for such transmission has become vanishingly small. Immunosuppression, with consequent postoperative bacterial infection and ABO incompatibility are now risks that physicians should consider as associated with allogeneic blood transfusion. Other inflammatory events, such as transfusion associated acute lung injury, also occur. The benefits of transfusion have never been well studied and there is scant literature on that area. Therefore, in an evidence-based medical practice the physician should regard transfusion with a skewed risk/benefit ratio. The following article examines that risk/benefit ratio in the post-AIDS era.
Cortical dysplasia and epilepsy: Functional imaging using single photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography

Functional imaging using single photon emission CT and positron emission tomography have made important contributions to the evaluation of patients with medically intractable epilepsy and cortical dysplasia by identifying patients who previously were not considered surgical candidates. This article reviews the role of functional imaging in the presurgical evaluation of this patient population.
Stress, job control and other job elements: A study of office workers

Abstract In this study, the influence of job control on stress was examined. A model to examine how various job elements, including job control, affect worker stress was tested in a population of 170 office workers. It was proposed that job control was a primary causal determinant of stress outcomes either directly or by how it is influenced by other job elements (job content, demands and career/future concerns). Overall, the findings suggest that job control can influence stress, but that job demands and career/future concerns also contributed to the stress outcomes independently of any influence on job control. The use of multiple indicators of stress was useful because it shows that different job elements influence different indicators of stress.
High temperature behavior of superalloys exposed to sodium chloride: I. mechanical properties

An investigation of the corrosion behavior of superalloys in the presence of sodium chloride at elevated temperatures has been conducted and the effect of corrosion on mechanical properties investigated. Residual mechanical properties as determined by a postexposure tensile test were found to be seriously degraded, the amount of degradation being dependent upon the partial pressure of oxygen in the environment. Creep rates were increased by as much as three orders of magnitude in the presence of NaCl.
Application of Mueller matrix and near fields measurements to detect and identify trace species in drugs and threat agents

Since biological materials possess some degree of chirality a full wave solution for the scattering of electromagnetic waves (including optical and infra-red wavelengths) at an irregular interface between free space and a chiral medium is derived. To this and the electromagnetic fields are expressed in terms of Generalized Fourier Transforms. These transforms provide the basis for converting Maxwells equations, together with the associated exact boundary conditions, into Gneralized Telegraphists' Equations for irregular stratified media. Scattered near fields as well as far fields can be obtained from the solutions for the Generalized Telegraphists equations. The Mueller elements are related to the linear like and cross polarized far field scattering matrix. All sixteen Mueller Matrix elements of Bio-Medical Materials are examined. Special attention is given to the eight quasi off diagonal elements of the Mueller Matrix in order to examine the feasibility for detection and identification of bio-medical materials. The specific impact of chirality on the Mueller Matrix elements is analyzed. It is shown that (to within first order of the chirality parameter) only the eight quasi off diagonal elements of the Mueller Matrix are effected by the chiral property of the bio-medical materials. This reinforces the experimental observation from previous scattering experiments that the quasi off diagonal Mueller Matrix elements could provide a basis for bio-medical detection and identification. The analysis provides the explicit relationship between the quasi off diagonal elements and the degree of chirality of the bio-medical materials.