cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Melatonin: Effects on the circadian locomotor rhythm of sparrows

The continuous administration of low levels of melatonin via intraperitoneally placed Silastic capsules either (i) shortened the free-running period of activity or (ii) induced continuous activity in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) maintained in constant darkness. After the melatonin-filled capsules were removed, the period of the circadian rhythm of activity lengthened in rhythmic birds and normal rhythmicity was restored in continuously active birds. The results suggest that melatonin is involved in the physiological control of circadian rhythmicity in sparrows.
The development of activity differences in isolated and aggregated mice.

Summary Male Swiss-Webster strain mice, housed under isolated or aggregated conditions from weaning (21 days), were tested daily for activity levels. By the fourth post-weaning day significant differences in motor activity between groups emerged and the activity of the isolated mice was generally greater than that of the aggregates; the latter showed a significant trend toward activity decrement over days, whereas the former tended to maintain higher stable activity levels. Daily fluctuations in activity were correlated between groups. The activity differences which developed as a function of post-weaning differential housing are considered in view of the possible contribution of ‘stress’, biochemical differences, and motivational factors.
You need not make the journey alone: overcoming impediments to providing palliative care in a public urban teaching hospital.

The majority of dying patients continue to receive care in acute, tertiary settings. This has generated the development of hospital-based palliative care (HBPC). The Symptom Management and Palliati...
Review: Tissue Effects of Laser Energy

The tissue effects of a laser are responsible for the therapeutic value as well as the potential for complications. Within certain constraints, the type and depth of energy effect can be controlled by the selection of the wavelength as well as of appropriate energy parameters. In a clinical endoscopic setting, however, precise prediction of tissue penetration is not feasible, and proper use relies on the experience and knowledge of the operating surgeon. Considering this, it is important for surgeons to understand laser tissue effects and the various parameters that influence them.
Parametric and autoparametric vibrations of an elevated water tower, part II: Autoparametric response

The autoparametric interaction of an elastic structure containing a liquid subjected to a prescribed horizontal sinusoidal motion is examined by using the method of multiple scales. In the neighborhood of the fourth order internal resonance the system response is determined for two cases of external resonance conditions. When the first normal mode is externally excited, it is found that the amplitudes of the two modes exhibit the characteristics of non-linear soft systems and the autoparametric interaction is very weak. Complex response characteristics are predicted and found to take place within a narrow range of excitation frequency. Within this frequency range, the system response possesses two limit cycles which are reached from two different domains of initial conditions. When the second normal mode is excited, two possible solutions are obtained. The first is the unimodal response of the second mode and behaves primarily like a hard non-linear single-degree-of-freedom system. The second solution exhibits the features of coupled cubic oscillators.
Effects of strain gradients on strain measurements using geometrical phase analysis in the transmission electron microscope.

Abstract An analysis of the effects of lens aberrations on the phase contrast images used for strain measurement by geometric phase analysis (GPA) in the TEM shows that errors may result when strain gradients are present and when ∇χ≠0 at the reciprocal lattice spacing used for the analysis. This conclusion is demonstrated experimentally using a model specimen consisting of a strained Si layer grown epitaxially on a Si–Ge alloy substrate. Image simulations for this model specimen show that strain gradients can introduce oscillations in strain maps when the defocus is not optimized for GPA. This work also makes it possible to identify other potential sources of error in GPA.
The Use of Steapsin in the Manufacture of Blue Cheese

Summary The ripening of Blue cheese may be accelerated by the addition of steapsin to the milk or to the curd. Approximately the same degree of flavor development was secured in five months in cheese to which commercial steapsin (Pfanstiehl) was added as in normal cheese in twelve months. While the "steapsin" cheese was accepted by the trade, competent judges considered it inferior to the normal cheese due to a characteristic bitter flavor. Cheeses made with steapsin but which were not inoculated with mold became quite rancid and developed none of the typical flavor of Blue cheese. Although steapsin may accelerate the ripening of Blue cheese, it cannot produce the characteristic flavor of the cheese, unless Penicillium roqueforti is present and active.
Kinetic typography: issues in time-based presentation of text

This paper introduces research in kinetic typography, a new method of displaying text that takes advantage of the dynamic nature of digital media. We suggest a preliminary set of design issues by which kinetic typography may be understood and used.
Growth measurements of Chromatium cultures

The optical density of Chromatium cultures grown anaerobically in the light with sulfide as electron donor is mainly determined by the sulfur content of the cells. Since the sulfur content varies, growth cannot be followed in this way. However, optical density measurements are very useful to characterize the moment of sulfide depletion and maximal sulfur storage. In addition to protein or cell nitrogen, increase in structural cell material in growing cultures of Chromatium can easily be followed by bacteriochlorophyll determinations, provided that the illumination intensity is higher than the saturation intensity.
Comparison of theory and experiment for homogeneous turbulence with shear

Solutions for uniformly‐sheared turbulence, in which the interaction of the turbulence with the mean shear dominates the turbulent self‐interaction, are compared with experiment. An anisotropic spectral tensor, which appears general enough to represent the initial experimental turbulence, is used for the initial condition in the calculations. The evolution of one‐point turbulence components and microscales, as well as two‐point velocity correlations, are considered. In most cases the agreement with experiment is good. The theory correctly predicts the presence of a negative region for two‐point longitudinal‐velocity correlations only for point separations in the direction normal to the flow and the mean gradient.
Calcium-Voltage Coupling in the Genesis of Early and Delayed Afterdepolarizations in Cardiac Myocytes

Early afterdepolarizations (EADs) and delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs) are voltage oscillations known to cause cardiac arrhythmias. EADs are mainly driven by voltage oscillations in the repolarizing phase of the action potential (AP), while DADs are driven by spontaneous calcium (Ca) release during diastole. Because voltage and Ca are bidirectionally coupled, they modulate each other's behaviors, and new AP and Ca cycling dynamics can emerge from this coupling. In this study, we performed computer simulations using an AP model with detailed spatiotemporal Ca cycling incorporating stochastic openings of Ca channels and ryanodine receptors to investigate the effects of Ca-voltage coupling on EAD and DAD dynamics. Simulations were complemented by experiments in mouse ventricular myocytes. We show that: 1) alteration of the Ca transient due to increased ryanodine receptor leakiness and/or sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca ATPase activity can either promote or suppress EADs due to the complex effects of Ca on ionic current properties; 2) spontaneous Ca waves also exhibit complex effects on EADs, but cannot induce EADs of significant amplitude without the participation of ICa,L; 3) lengthening AP duration and the occurrence of EADs promote DADs by increasing intracellular Ca loading, and two mechanisms of DADs are identified, i.e., Ca-wave-dependent and Ca-wave-independent; and 4) Ca-voltage coupling promotes complex EAD patterns such as EAD alternans that are not observed for solely voltage-driven EADs. In conclusion, Ca-voltage coupling combined with the nonlinear dynamical behaviors of voltage and Ca cycling play a key role in generating complex EAD and DAD dynamics observed experimentally in cardiac myocytes, whose mechanisms are complex but analyzable.
Parametrization of GROMOS force field for oligosaccharides and assessment of efficiency of molecular dynamics simulations

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of α-D-maltose (maltose) in vacuo and with explicit inclusion of water were performed using the GROMOS force field that was modified to include a potential energy term for the exo-anomeric effect. Different simulation temperatures, the influence of the size of the water box, and carbohydrate-specific force field parameter values were evaluated with respect to sampling efficiency and average conformations. First, maltose was surrounded by 500 water molecules and simulated for 750 ps. Furthermore, three 500-ps MD simulations in vacuo were run to identify the effect of solvation on the location of the preferred conformation and on the flexibility of the molecule. Inclusion of water leads to a change of the preferred conformation from ϕ/ψ1 ≅ −20°/−17° in vacuo to −40°/−31° in aqueous solution. The explicit incorporation of water molecules into the simulation gave rise to only short-lived hydrogen bond interactions. In particular, a hydrogen bond found in vacuo from OH3 of the reducing glucose to O2′ of the nonreducing glucose was rarely present when water was included in the simulation. In vacuo the conformational freedom of the glycosidic linkage and the hydroxymethyl and hydroxyl groups were strongly reduced due to intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Two 200-ps MD runs with inclusion of 137 water molecules at temperatures of 350 and 400 K showed the expected increase of the transitions between the rotamers of the hydroxymethyl groups. An equilibrium for the conformation of the glycosidic linkage was only reached when raising the temperature parameter of the MD simulation further to 600 K. However, at this temperature inversions of the pyranose ring were already observed within a 1-ns MD simulation. Parametrization of GROMOS to include the exo-anomeric effect proved to be necessary because the previously published force field has no provisions to account for the exo-anomeric effect, as revealed by two MD simulations in water and in vacuo that indicated a significant population at positive ϕ angles. Using dimethoxymethane as a model for the O-glycosidic linkage, the empirical potential function for the rotation about the C1(SINGLE BOND)O1 bond was adjusted to represent the potential calculated by STO 6–31G* ab initio calculations. MD simulations using the adjusted force field revealed a reduced population with positive ϕ values. A separate parametrization of the potential for the reducing hydroxyl group of saccharides resulted in a better description of the conformation, as well as increased stability of the integration algorithm. Finally, the existing GROMOS force field was supplemented by an additional gauche potential. Its effect on the conformation of the hydroxymethyl groups was evaluated by a 500-ps MD simulation in water. © 1996 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Sequencing n Jobs on Two Machines with Arbitrary Time Lags

Each of n jobs must be run first on machine I and then on machine I. Running times for each job on each machine are given. Also specified are arbitrary time lags which prescribe that a job may not be started completed on machine II until at least a certain time has elapsed since starting completing the job on machine I. A rule is given for determining the sequence in which jobs are to be run on the machines---using the same sequence for both machines---in order to minimize the time between the start of production of the first job on machine I and the completion of production of the last job on machine II.
Somatomedin: Inhibition of Adenylate Cyclase Activity in Subcellular Membranes of Various Tissues

Somatomedin in concentrations between 3 and 20 units per milliliter significantly inhibits the basal activity of adenylate cyclase in crude membrane preparations obtained from homogenates of fat cells, liver, and spleen lymphocytes of the rat, and from chondrocytes and cartilage of chick embryos. The enzyme activity measured in the presence of stimulating hormones (epinephrine, prostaglandin PGE(1), parathyroid hormone) is also inhibited in these preparations by somatomedin. These observations may be relevant in a general way to the mechanism of action of growth-prmoting substances and to the processes which normally regulate cell growth.
Violence Exposure and the Association between Young African American Mothers’ Discipline and Child Problem Behavior

Objective Children of adolescent mothers are at increased risk of violence exposure and behavior problems, which have been linked to mothers' disciplinary practices. This study examines how the effect of young African American mothers' discipline on their preschool-age children's externalizing and internalizing behavior varies by mother and child violence exposure. Methods A sample of 230 African American mothers who gave birth as adolescents and their 3- to 6-year-old children were recruited from community-based day care and primary health care sites in the Washington, DC, metropolitan region. In-person interviews were conducted by trained research assistants who administered standard survey instruments. Results Hierarchical regression models revealed an interaction effect such that adolescent mothers' harsh disciplinary practices, specifically physical discipline strategies, were positively associated with young children's internalizing and externalizing behavior in the context of high or moderate, but not low, maternal violence exposure. Conclusions Compared with less violence-exposed mothers, the harsh disciplinary practices of young African American mothers who have been exposed to high levels of violence are more strongly associated with their children's problem behavior. Practitioners should screen mothers for violence exposure in order to address potential issues of discipline and behavior problems.
Religião e Mídia: notas sobre pesquisas e direções futuras para um estudo interdisciplinar

Este artigo apresenta uma visao geral da tematica de “religiao e midia”, um campo interdisciplinar de investigacao e de pesquisa que reune estudiosos em antropologia, comunicacao, historia da arte e ciencias da religiao, entre outros. O artigo fornece um relato do estado atual do campo e tambem delineia alguns dos principais temas, questoes e debates que determinaram a pesquisa nesta area. O artigo conclui colocando algumas questoes e propostas para novas direcoes de pesquisa em religiao e midia.
Thermal poling and space charge dynamics including surface impurity injection in fused silica

The space charge region associated with the second-order nonlinearity in thermally poled fused silica was examined using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Results for four samples are presented here: two flame-fused quartz samples (type-II fused silica), a higher purity flame-fused synthetic (type-III) fused silica, and a type-II fused silica treated with deuterated water. SIMS results show: (1) ionic depletion regions formed by migration of alkali ion impurities with different mobilities, (2) injection of surface alkali contaminants arising from the high surface fields, and (3) evidence of field injection as well as thermal diffusion of adsorbed surface water.
Functional calculus and asymptotic theory for statistical analysis

Abstract Using a functional calculus approach, we study asymptotic properties of statistics obtained by evaluating some functionals at the empirical distribution function. Asymptotic properties of the corresponding bootstrap statistics are also obtained. The results are applied to robust M-estimation and L-estimation problems.
PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS OF MARKOVIAN SODIUM CHANNEL STATES DURING PROPAGATING AXONAL IMPULSES WITH OR WITHOUT RECOVERY SUPERNORMALITY

This study addressed a macroscopic neurophysiological phenomenon — supernormality during the recovery phase of propagating axonal impulses — in explicit chemical terms. Excitation was reconstructed numerically using the kinetic scheme of multiple-state probabilistic transitions within a population of voltage-dependent sodium channels (NaCh) derived by Vandenberg and Bezanilla ("PC" scheme). Each NaCh transition was characterized as a reversible Markov process with voltage-dependent rate constants associated with each respective directional transition. While recovery reconstructed with the Hodgkin–Huxley formalism included a supernormal period, the PC scheme did not. The present analysis showed that the occurrence and degree of supernormality with the PC scheme was determined by the relative speed of the transitions within the closed loop of the kinetic scheme; supernormality was promoted by speeding these kinetics. The analysis also showed that concurrent with supernormality, the faster loop kinetics caused (1) an elevation in the C1 → C2 transitions, and (2) a reduction in the I4 → I5 transitions. Thus, macroscopic functionality in information processing could be expressed in terms of probabilistic interstate transitions among a population of NaCh molecules.
Critical Role of Peripheral Actions of Intravenous Nicotine in Mediating Its Central Effects

In addition to its direct action on central neurons, nicotine (NIC) activates multiple nicotinic acetylcholine receptors localized on afferent terminals of sensory nerves at the sites of its administration. Although the activation of these receptors is important in mediating the primary sensory and cardiovascular effects of NIC, their role in triggering and maintaining the neural effects of NIC remains unclear. Using high-speed electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) recordings in freely moving rats, we showed that NIC at low intravenous (i.v.) doses (10–30 μg/kg) induced rapid, strong, and prolonged EEG desynchronization both in the cortex and ventral tegmental area (with decreases in α and robust increases in β and γ frequencies) and neck EMG activation that began during the injection (∼5 s). EEG and EMG effects of NIC were drastically reduced by pre-treatment with hexamethonium, a peripherally acting NIC antagonist, and the immediate EEG effects of NIC were strongly inhibited during urethane anesthesia. Although NIC pyrrolidine methiodide, a quaternary NIC analog that cannot enter the brain, also induced rapid EEG desynchronization, its effects were much shorter and weaker than those of NIC. Therefore, NIC by acting on peripheral nicotinic receptors provides a major contribution to its rapid, excitatory effects following i.v. administration. Since this action creates a sensory signal that rapidly reaches the brain via neural pathways and precedes the slower and more prolonged direct actions of NIC on brain cells, it could have a major role in associative learning and changes in the behavioral and physiological effects of NIC following its repeated use.
A conjecture on arithmetic fundamental groups

The conjecture is the following: Over an algebraic variety over a finite field, the geometric monodromy group of every smooth $$\overline {\mathbb{F}_\ell ((t))} $$ is finite. We indicate how to prove this for rank 2, using results of Drinfeld. We also show that the conjecture implies that certain deformation rings of Galois representations are complete intersection rings.
Mode of action of the herbicide, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole(amitrole): Inhibition of an enzyme of histidine biosynthesis

Abstract The herbicide 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (amitrole) is shown to inhibit imidazoleglycerol phosphate dehydratase, an enzyme of histidine biosynthesis, in Salmonella typhimurium . Amitrole also appears to inhibit purine synthesis. Inhibition of the bacteria by amitrole is potentiated by triazolealanine, a histidine analogue, that prevents derepression of the histidine biosynthetic enzymes. The mode of action of the herbicide is discussed in view of these findings.
Unlocking integrative potential: : Expressed emotional ambivalence and negotiation outcomes

Abstract This paper examines how one negotiator’s expressed emotional ambivalence can foster integrative outcomes. Study 1 demonstrated that observing a negotiation partner’s emotional ambivalence leads negotiators to come up with more integrative agreements. Study 2 examined a proposed mechanism: Expressed ambivalence leads to an increased perceived ability to influence the ambivalent negotiator because it suggests submissiveness. Study 3 demonstrated that perceived submissiveness mediates the effects of observed emotional ambivalence on integrative agreements. Implications of these findings for negotiation and emotions research, and directions for future research, are discussed.
The Value of Critique

A Critical Rewriting of Global Political Economy: Integrating Reproductive, Productive and Virtual Economies. By V. Spike Peterson. London: Routledge, 2003. 256 pp., $124.95 cloth (ISBN: 0-415-31438-0), $24.95 paper (ISBN: 0-415-31439-9). A Critical Rewriting of Global Political Economy , Spike Peterson's ambitious new book, is a unique and valuable contribution to at least three key areas of research: international relations, international political economy, and feminist and critical studies. The book is cogently written, with sophisticated and clear explanations of Peterson's theoretical approaches and methodological choices. Indeed, her second chapter is a cogent explanation of how and why theoretical approaches and methodological choices are mutually implicated, and of the implications for scholarship and knowledge that follow from these decisions. As Peterson straightforwardly states, “what we study and make claims about” is linked to epistemological differences regarding “how we study and what we claim is real or true” (p. 22). Consequently, every chapter situates her argument within an informed description of the relevant scholarship and provides a lucid summary of the implications of her work both for that scholarship and for understanding the global political economy. These are not easy tasks, given that Peterson draws from a multidisciplinary array of work in international/global political economy, postcolonial studies, feminist economics, as well as feminist and critical studies. Importantly, her command of literatures beyond that of international relations provides an effective introduction …
Evaluation of a direct method for technetium labeling intact and F(ab')2 1A3, an anticolorectal monoclonal antibody

A direct method for 99mTc-labeling monoclonal antibodies (MAb) has been evaluated for labeling intact and F(ab')2 1A3, an anticolorectal carcinoma MAb. The method employs ascorbic acid to reduce the MAbs. By altering the reaction conditions for 99mTc-1A3, a maximum radiolabeling yield of 48% was obtained with an immunoreactivity (IR) value of 87%; and for 99mTc-1A3-F(ab')2, a yield of 49% and an IR value of 70% was obtained. Biodistribution of 99mTc-labeled 1A3 MAbs was performed in a Golden Syrian hamster model and compared to 125I-labeled 1A3 MAbs. Tumor uptake (%ID/g) was significantly better for the intact 125I-1A3 at 24 h post-injection compared to the intact 99mTc-1A3. For 99mTc-1A3-F(ab')2, %ID/g tumor was low, and did not increase over 24 h. High %ID/g kidney persisted at 24 h for both 99mTc-labeled intact and F(ab')2 1A3. Serum stability was performed in Sprague-Dawley rats for the 99mTc-labeled 1A3 MAbs, and compared to 125I-labeled 1A3 MAbs, which showed intact 99mTc-1A3 cleared similarly to 125I-1A3, and 99mTc-1A3-F(ab')2 cleared more rapidly than 125I-1A3-F(ab')2 indicating instability of the 99mTc-labeled 1A3-F(ab')2.
The World of Persian Literary Humanism

This monograph bears the hallmark of Dabashi's ambitious and wide-ranging scholarship and offers a rich and enriching study of the history of Persian literature. Divided into eight chapters that tr...
Clinical neurophysiology of generalized polyneuropathy

Clinical electrophysiologic measures derive from sound neurophysiologic principles and provide sensitive, objective information useful in the evaluation of generalized polyneuropathy. The electrodiagnostic examination includes sensory and motor nerve conduction studies, evaluation of late responses, and needle electromyography. These measures represent an extension of the neurologic examination. Clinicians use electrodiagnostic information to confirm clinical findings, localize specific abnormalities to a degree not clinically possible, and identify the underlying pathophysiology. Although the primary role of clinical electromyography is diagnostic, test results are sufficiently sensitive to identify subclinical findings and to monitor small changes related to disease progression or treatment response. In some peripheral disorders, electrodiagnostic information provides the most sensitive indicator of prognosis. Classification of generalized polyneuropathy using electrophysiologic information focuses the differential diagnosis, directs the subsequent evaluation, and often suggests a specific diagnosis or class of disorders. Several of the most common treatable polyneuropathies were rarely diagnosed 25 years ago. Awareness of these disorders relates to increased utilization of clinical electrophysiology and identification of characteristic electrodiagnostic features that result in their recognition.
Objective Determination of Hurricane Tracks from Aircraft Observations

Abstract An algorithm for location of hurricane centers by least squares using aircraft data has been developed. As the aircraft traverses the eye, lines of position normal to the wind are constructed each 100 m along its track. An additional line of position is constructed normal to the track at the closest point of approach to the center. The center coordinates are then chosen such that the sum of the squares of the normal distances from the center to the lines of position is minimized. A cubic spline storm track is first constructed using centers based on winds in a coordinate system fixed to the earth. A track based upon winds in moving, storm-centered coordinates may be obtained by transformation of the winds into such a coordinate system and iterative redetermination of the centers. For intense hurricanes, the centers can be located with an accuracy of 3 km and the mean motion over a period of four to six hours determined to within 4° of direction and 0.5 m s−1 of speed. The details of the track osc...
HYPERCALCEMIA IN AN ADOLESCENT WITH CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE (CTD): EVIDENCE FOR INTERLEUKIN-1 (IL-1) MEDIATED SERUM BONE RESORBING ACTIVITY. 2347

HYPERCALCEMIA IN AN ADOLESCENT WITH CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE (CTD): EVIDENCE FOR INTERLEUKIN-1 (IL-1) MEDIATED SERUM BONE RESORBING ACTIVITY. 2347
Postural and righting responses in children

Summary Postural and righting responses may be studied in children by means of an easily performed clinical test. With the patient standing, his eyes closed, the arms are extended parallel to each other. The head is then passively rotated as far as possible with out discomfort. Until the age of 5 to 6 years, there may be wide divergence of the outstretched arms, marked choreiform movements, and rotation of the body on its longitudinal axis. Above that age, the posture becomes more static, divergence of the arms minimal, and the body does not rotate with the head. Abnormal responses above the age of 5 or 6 years consist of exaggerations of the tonic-neck and neck righting responses or, conversely, marked rigidity with convergence of the outstretched arms. Abnormal responses have been found in children with organic brain disturbances, maturational lags, and with schizophrenia.
CD4+ T Cell Tolerance to Parenchymal Self-Antigens Requires Presentation by Bone Marrow–derived Antigen-presenting Cells

T cell tolerance to parenchymal self-antigens is thought to be induced by encounter of the T cell with its cognate peptide–major histocompatibility complex (MHC) ligand expressed on the parenchymal cell, which lacks appropriate costimulatory function. We have used a model system in which naive T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic hemagglutinin (HA)-specific CD4+ T cells are adoptively transferred into mice expressing HA as a self-antigen on parenchymal cells. After transfer, HA-specific T cells develop a phenotype indicative of TCR engagement and are rendered functionally tolerant. However, T cell tolerance is not induced by peptide–MHC complexes expressed on parenchymal cells. Rather, tolerance induction requires that HA is presented by bone marrow (BM)–derived cells. These results indicate that tolerance induction to parenchymal self-antigens requires transfer to a BM-derived antigen-presenting cell that presents it to T cells in a tolerogenic fashion.
The Art of Dialogue in Building Cross-Cultural Sensitivity in the Classroom

This article describes an exercise used to cultivate cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity in a classroom setting. The exercise was developed on the premise that a combination of documentary and interactional approaches is effective for building cross-cultural sensitivity. Students are assigned specific countries on which they are required to obtain factual information and personalize the information on their respective countries. Multicultural teams are developed with each team member representing a different personality. Each team is responsible for developing group norms, identifying similarities and differences, and for suggesting possible ways of dealing with the challenges faced. This exercise fosters discussion on management concepts within a multicultural environment.
Variation of spark-processing parameters on the photoluminescence properties of spark-processed silicon

Abstract Electrical and physical parameters, which influence the photoluminescence (PL) properties of spark-processed silicon (sp-Si), were systematically varied in order to obtain optimal PL emission. Among these parameters are the average spark current, the pulse width of the spark events, the frequency of the pulses, the processing time, the electrode diameter, the distance between the electrodes, the spark-processing environment, and the gas ambient pressure. It was found that for optimal PL emission the processing current needs to be between 20 and 40 mA, and the pulse frequency of the sparks between 10 and 15 kHz. Further, the N 2 /O 2 ratio of the processing environment needs to be about 7:3 and the ambient gas pressure and the processing time as large as feasible. The conditions that are favorable for green PL are a small pulse width, a small counter electrode diameter, a small gap between electrodes, a relatively large nitrogen concentration in the processing chamber, and a comparatively large spark frequency. In the opposite cases, a UV/blue PL is predominantly observed. The results are discussed in terms of various thermal effects on the resulting molecules or defects, which are believed to be important for the PL emission.
A social class dependent factor in questionnaire research.

Abstract Inordinately high numbers of respondents of low socioeconomic status (SES) agreed to certain types of questions of attitude and opinion presented to the 1660 subjects of the Midtown Manhattan Mental Health Study. SES significantly determines responses to impersonal, generalizable questions, particularly when expressed in the form of proverbs, assertive authoritarian statements, or complaints about general social conditions. Agreement distributions consistently biased by SES do not occur when the questions deal with facts related to the respondent or with opinions and attitudes linking the respondent to closely defined persons. The findings fit recent observations that language is an encoding of developmental social class experience, which determines the mode of an individual's management of social problems. The findings also emphasize the need to devise research questionnaires in language which is percieved uniformly by the diverse social classes and which evokes responses equally valid for each social class.
Effect of Particle Interaction on Agglomeration of Silica-Based CMP Slurries

Chemical Mechanical Planarization has become a method of choice for planarization of metal and oxide layers in microelectronics industry. A CMP process includes up to 16 variables that need to be controlled to achieve a stable CMP process [1]. One of the major variables in CMP is related to slurry compositions. In particularly, a uniform distribution of the sizes of the abrasive particle in slurry is crucial for a stable CMP performance. The agglomerates can be unstable, since their size depends on addition of chemical additives and shearing during the CMP process. In this work, the authors studied agglomeration of the fumed and colloidal silica-based slurries using dynamic rheometry, zeta potential tests, and an accusizer. Slurry viscosity, determined using a steady state rheometry, was correlated to the particle charge, characterized by zeta potential, and to the particle sizes obtained using the particle size analyzer. Additionally, rheometer was used for slurry shearing to study effect of shear on slurry characteristics. Particle agglomeration due to slurry shearing and storage was observed and corroborated using rheometry, zeta potential, and particle size measurements.
Efficient Multimedia Distribution in Source Constraint Networks

In recent years, the number of peer-to-peer (P2P) applications has increased significantly. One important problem in many P2P applications is how to efficiently disseminate data from a single source to multiple receivers on the Internet. A successful model used for analyzing this problem is a graph consisting of nodes and edges, with a capacity assigned to each edge. In some situations however, it is inconvenient to use this model. To that end, we propose to study the problem of efficient data dissemination in a source constraint network. A source constraint network is modeled as a graph in which, the capacity is associated with a node, rather than an edge. The contributions of this paper include (a) a quantitative data dissemination in any source constraint network, (b) a set of topologies suitable for data dissemination in P2P networks, and (c) an architecture and implementation of a P2P system based on the proposed optimal topologies. We will present the experimental results of our P2P system deployed on PlanetLab nodes demonstrating that our approach achieves near optimal throughput while providing scalability, low delay and bandwidth fairness among peers.
Cold storage of 'Romana' (A1105) table grape cultivated under plastic cover

The grapevine is one of the most cultivated fruit crop and nowadays the preference for seedless grapes is gradualy increasing in the Brazilian internal market. The table grape cultivar 'Romana' (A1105) has been showing potential as a new option for the growers from Jundiai - SP, Brazil, as a seedless grape. However the bunch quality has been affected by rain at the harvest allowing the incidence of cracking and bunch rot. Aiming to solve this problem a field trial was carried out with grapes cultivated under plastic cover and Geneva Double Curtain training system. After harvest, eight samples of six bunches each were taken and stored at 3 oC and evaluated for quality during a period of 36 days. After three weeks of storage, the weight loss was higher than 6%, showing bunch fade and the rot bunch increased significantly. It was concluded that maximum shelf life for the 'Romana' (A1105) table grape cultivar was 21 days.
Plant venereal diseases: insights from a messy metaphor.

Summary The concept of plant venereal disease is examined from definitional, operational and axiomatic viewpoints. The transmission of many plant pathogens occurs during the flowering phase and is effected either by pollinators or by wind dispersal of spores from inflorescences. Attraction of insects by pseudo-flowers or sugary secretions also serves to spread many diseases. Given the diversity of processes involved, a simple all-encompassing parallel with animal venereal diseases is not possible. Operationally establishing the routes of disease transmission, as well as quantifying the relative magnitudes of these different routes, remains critical for understanding disease dynamics and controlling spread in agricultural contexts. From an axiomatic viewpoint, sexually transmitted diseases are characterized by frequency-dependent transmission, transmission in the adult stage, and by virulence effects involving sterility rather than mortality. These characteristics serve to differentiate the dynamics and evolution of sexually transmitted diseases from that of other diseases and are features that are also shared by many pollinator-transmitted diseases. However, the majority of plant diseases that involve the reproductive structures show a rich biology that defies easy categorization. The experimental convenience of plants and their pathogens is likely to play an important role in understanding the evolution of disease traits, irrespective of what descriptive terms are applied to the natural history of the transmission process.
A Spanish Psychological Screening Inventory: Norms and Validity for Costa Rican Adolescents

The purpose of this project was to develop a Spanish version of the Psychological Screening Inventory for use with Costa Rican adolescents and to assess its psychometric equivalence to the English version and its external validity. In Study 1, norms were generated on 600 male and 600 female high school students who were stratified on age and socioeconomic level and were geographically representative. Comparisons with the PSI English version were made for means, scale reliabilities, scale intercorrelations, and item endorsement frequencies. Study II compared the PSI Spanish version scores of students who did and did not request counseling. The Spanish version showed reasonable psychometric equivalence to the English version and was also shown to possess preliminary external validity. Its potential utility for use with U.S. Spanish-speaking populations is discussed.
Optical single-channel recording: imaging Ca2+ flux through individual N-type voltage-gated channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes

Abstract Functional studies of single membrane ion channels were made possible by the introduction of the patch-clamp technique, which allows single-channel currents to be measured with unprecedented resolution. Nevertheless, patch clamping has some limitations: including the need for physical access of the patch pipette, possible disruption of local cellular architecture, inability to monitor multiple channels, and lack of spatial information. Here, we demonstrate the use of confocal fluorescence microscopy as a non-invasive technique to optically monitor the gating of individual Ca2+ channels. Near-membrane fluorescence signals track the gating of N-type Ca2+ channels with a kinetic resolution of about 10 ms, provide a simultaneous and independent readout from several channels, and allow their locations to be mapped with sub-micrometer spatial resolution. Optical single-channel recording should be applicable to diverse voltage- and ligand-gated Ca2+-permeable channels, and has the potential for high-throughput functional analysis of single channels.
Pharmacogenetics of CYP3A7 variability in fetal liver

Neither the extent nor the consequences of variability in drug biotransformation capacity in utero have received extensive attention to date. The purpose of this study was to characterize the variability of CYP3A7 expression in a sample of 50 fetal livers 76d to 32 wk gestation obtained through NICHD-supported programs (University of Washington Laboratory for Embryology and the University of Maryland Brain and Tissue Bank for Developmental Disorders). Immunoreactive CYP3A7 was determined using an affinity-purifed anti-peptide antibody; activity was determined using testosterone, DHEA and dextromethorphan (DM) as substrates. CYP3A4 did not contribute to total activity based on the ratio of testosterone 2α- (T2αH) to 6β- (T6βH) hydroxylase activities. T2αH and T6βH were highly correlated (r2=0.859) and the correlation improved (r2=0.974) in livers with CYP3A5*3/*3 genotypes implying that the same enzyme generated both products. T2αH activity varied 175-fold (330±167, range 3.6 to 643 pmol/min/mg) and DHEA 16αH activity varied 250-fold (7170±3690, range 59 to 14,900 pmol/min/mg protein; when corrected for immunoreactive CYP3A7 protein, variability was 60- and 110-fold, respectively. DM N-demethylation was least variable (173±97, range 17.3 to 513 pmol/min/mg). CYP3A7 activity is highly variable in fetal liver, and may have important consequences for fetal viability. The pharmacogenetic basis of this variability is under investigation. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2004) 75, P51–P51; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.192
Bilayer PseudoSpin Field-Effect Transistor (BiSFET): A Proposed New Logic Device

We propose a new type of graphene-based transistor intended to allow lower voltage, lower power operation than possible with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) field-effect transistors. Increased energy efficiency is not only important for its own sake, but is also necessary to allow continued device scaling and the resulting increase in computational power in CMOS-like logic circuits. We describe the basic device structure and physics and predicted current-voltage characteristics. Advantages over CMOS in terms of lower voltage and power are discussed.
Clinical and Economic Outcomes Associated with Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Elderly Patients with Early Stage Operable Breast Cancer

Abstract Objectives Breast cancer poses a huge medical burden to the U.S. health-care system, and chemotherapy is an important contributor to cancer costs. This article examines the differences between breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy and those who did not in costs and survival by age, treatment, and axillary node status. Methods We studied a cohort of 23,110 node-positive and 31,572 node-negative women aged 65 years and older diagnosed with incident American Joint Committee on Cancer stage I, II, or IIIA breast cancer between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 2002, using Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results–Medicare data. Total treatment costs and costs associated with the use of chemotherapy were estimated by using the phase-of-care approach. The phase-specific costs were combined to estimate total Medicare payments for cancer care from diagnosis to death. Cox proportional hazard ratio of mortality was used to determine the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy after adjusting for selected patient and tumor characteristics. We used propensity scores to minimize the bias associated with the receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy. Results Regression-adjusted difference in the average lifetime cost estimates for all node-positive patients receiving chemotherapy was approximately $2438 and was significantly higher ( P Conclusions Decision makers can use cost and effectiveness estimates from this study to assess the relative value of chemotherapy in different age groups.
Assessing the play beliefs of African American mothers with preschool children

A rating scale measuring parent beliefs about play was developed and validated with a sample of 224 African American mothers of children attending Head Start. Principal components analyses of the Parent Play Beliefs Scale (PPBS) revealed two factors, Play Support and Academic Focus, which capture parent attitudes regarding the developmental significance of play. Maternal ratings of Play Support correlated positively with ratings of children's interactive peer play and were positively associated with parent education. Maternal ratings of Academic Focus were negatively correlated with prosocial peer play ratings and positively correlated with ratings of disruptive and disconnected play in children. Findings support the psychometric utility of the new measure. Future directions involving parent play beliefs in conceptual models of children's social competence during early childhood are discussed.
SESSION 7B: SPATIAL ORGANIZATION OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY: The Rise and Decline of Density in Economic Activity

In the United States the density of economic activity in cities differed significantly over time. Between the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, cities became increasingly dense; however, since the second half of the twentieth century, the trend has reversed as cities have become dispersed. The density of economic activities differed significantly across cities as well. At any given point in time, there is a great variation in the density of economic activities across cities. The dynamic changes in the spatial organization of economic activities also differed across cities. In some cities, such as New York, population density grew and plateaued while in others, such as St. Louis, it grew and fell dramatically. Yet, despite the fact that the defining element of a city is its density, few scholars have systematically examined the long-run changes in the spatial organization of economic activities. This paper documents the historical changes in the density of economic activities and explores the causes of their rise and decline.
Econophysics : can statistical physics contribute to the science of economics?

We address a current question in econophysics: Are fluctuations in economic indices correlated? To this end, we analyze 1-minute data on a stock index, the Standard and Poor index of the 500 largest stocks. We extend the 6-year data base studied by Mantegna and Stanley by including the 13 years 1984‐1996 inclusive, with a recording frequency of 15 seconds. The total number of data points in this 13 years period exceed 4.5 million, which allows for a very detailed statistical analysis. We find that the fluctuations in the volatility are correlated, and that the correlations are well described by a power law. We also briefly describe some recent scaling results in economics, specifically some surprising features that appear to be common to the growth rates of business firms, countries, research budgets, and bird populations. © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Chimeric cells of maternal origin in juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

We identified maternal microchimerism by fluorescence in-situ hybridisation in magnetically-separated CD4 or CD8 peripheral blood cells of eight of nine male patients with juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathy, compared with two of nine healthy male controls. We also found maternal microchimerism in inflammatory lesions (one skin sample and nine muscle biopsy samples) of all ten patients examined, compared with two of ten biopsy samples from patients with other muscle disorders. These results suggest that maternal cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathy.