cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of human spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase purified from cultured melanoma cells.

Abstract Extreme inducibility of spermidine/spermine acetyltransferase (SSAT) by bis-ethyl derivatives of spermine in human large cell lung carcinoma and melanoma cells has prompted biochemical characterization of the purified enzyme. Treatment of human MALME-3 melanoma cells with 10 μ m N1,N11-bis(ethyl)norspermine (BENSPM) for 48–72 h increased SSAT activity by some 1000- to 4000-fold and enabled purification of the enzyme by established procedures—binding on immobilized spermine and elution with spermine followed by binding on Matrex Blue A and elution with coenzyme A. The enzyme showed a single band by sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with a single subunit species and molecular weight of approximately 20,300 Da. By gel permeation chromatography, the holoenzyme was found to have a molecular weight of 80,000 Da, suggesting a total of four identical subunits. Purified SSAT had a specific activity of 285 μmol/min/mg for spermidine and Km values of 5.9 μ m for acetylcoenzyme A, 55 μ m for spermidine, 5 μ m for spermine, 36 μ m for N1-acetylspermine, 1.6 μ m for norspermidine, and 4 μ m for norspermine. Homologs of BENSPM were found to be competitive inhibitors of spermidine acetylation, with Ki values of 0.8 μ m for BENSPM, 1.9 μ m for N1,N12-bis-(ethyl)spermine and 17 μ m for N1,N14-bis-(ethyl)-homospermine. Correlation of these values with the relative abilities of the homologs to increase SSAT in intact cells suggests that formation of an enzyme inhibitor complex may play a contributing role in enzyme induction.
The Seeds of Prosperity and Discord: The Political Economy of Community Polarization in Greenfield, Massachusetts, 1770-1820

In June of 1816 fifty-one residents of Greenfield, Massachusetts, petitioned their state legislature to incorporate themselves as a second congregational society, separate from the First Congregational Society of Greenfield. Six months later the petition was granted and the Second Congregational Society of Greenfield was organized. Early the next year, citing the "seeds of discord thus planted" by the members of the new congregation, the members of the First Congregational Society themselves petitioned the state legislature, in this instance to divide the town and to establish themselves as a separate township. From one perspective these events in Greenfield in 1816 and 1817 were not uncommon. After all, the members of many New England communities sought to organize new religious congregations and to divide their townships as a result of population growth, changes in settlement pattern, religious differences, and other factors. Yet, from another perspective, Greenfield's experience during these years was unique, rooted in an intersection of local circumstances and external forces that were peculiar to Greenfield. Most importantly, as a result of forces emanating from regional and international economic processes, a transformation of Greenfield's economy and society was set in motion during the final decades of the 18th century that gave rise to two distinct and in many ways antagonistic communities within the single township. The organization of the Second Congregational Society of Greenfield and the attempted division of the town by the spumed members of the First Congregational Society both represented and contributed to this process of community polarization.
Observer error in serial radiography.

Summary 500 pairs of chest radiographs of patients attending a chest clinic were examined independently by two physicians and a radiologist. The films were assessed as showing no change, improvement or deterioration. There was agreement in 424 (85 per cent). In 49 (64 per cent) of the 76 cases in which there was initial disagreement the original opinion of the physician was accepted after discussion of the films. In only 11 instances (2 per cent) was it thought that a physician's incorrect assessment might have delayed or prevented some action on his part; and only 2 patients (0·4 per cent) could be said to have suffered in any way, neither seriously.
Significance of Gapped Sequence Alignments

Measurement of the statistical significance of extreme sequence alignment scores is key to many important applications, but it is difficult. To precisely approximate alignment score significance, we draw random samples directly from a well chosen, importance-sampling probability distribution. We apply our technique to pairwise local sequence alignment of nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of length up to 1000. For instance, using a BLOSUM62 scoring system for local sequence alignment, we compute that the p-value of a score of 6000 for the alignment of two sequences of length 1000 is (3.4 ± 0.3) × 10−1314. Further, we show that the extreme value significance statistic for the local alignment model that we examine does not follow a Gumbel distribution. A web server for this application is available at http://bayesweb.wadsworth.org/alignmentSignificanceV1/.
Spawning of the red drum in Mosquito Lagoon, East-Central Florida

A study was carried out in fall 1987 to determine if red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) spawned in the southern portion of Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, 30 km from the nearest tidal pass. Weekly plankton tows were taken from mid-September to mid-November. Floating sciaenid eggs were removed from the samples and incubated 16–36 h: 329 red drun eggs were hatched. Viable red drum eggs were collected from October 27 to November 18 at salinities of 29‰ to 32‰ and water temperatures of 21°C to 23°C. The largest number of eggs was collected on November 4, during a full moon. This is the first documentation of red drum spawning in an estuary. The physiography and high salinity (which are more characteristic of marine than estuarine waters) of Mosquito Lagoon were probable factors in producing this phenomenon.
Some late eocene depositional environments of the coal-bearing puget Group of western washington State, U.S.A.

Abstract Plant-bearing sediments of the Puget Group in the area of detailed study accumulated in large flood basins, cutoff meanders, and along channel margins in point bars and crevasse-splay settings. In addition to the plant-bearing deposits, peat-swamp deposits and coarse-grained channel deposits are represented by stacked sandstone bodies and thick coal sequences. The depositional environments of the fluvial-deltaic deposits are distinguished by the presence and distribution of sedimentary structures, grain size, grain size variability, and the densityand layering of organic remains (both plant and invertebrate). The importance of organic matter distribution in the sediments to differentiation of subenvironments was unexpected and may prove to be a valuable sedimentary characteristics in depositional interpretations within a single basin. The sedimentary characterization of environments was made exclusive of the taxonomic composition of the plants preserved and is presented here without paleobotanical interpretation. The separation of depositional interpretation from taxonomic identity of the fossil plants allows an independent assessment of the paleoecology of the plants preserved. Two prominent coal-depositional models are discussed and evaluated in light of these data from the Puget Group. It is concluded that peat accumulation in this system can be attributed most easily to a domed peat-swamp model.
Evaluation of reactivity functions for coal combustion from particle size analysis in backmix reactors

Abstract Data obtained by Campbell and Davidson on the particle size distribution (PSD) in a small fluid bed have been used to show that the equations for the PSD in a perfectly stirred reactor (PSR) can yield additional information on the PSD due to swelling and breakage of an entering stream that is nominally monosize. For monosize particles, the results with coke confirm that there is a reciprocal relationship between the PSD function in the bed and the equation for coke. With char, it is shown that the measured PSD function can be used to back out the effects of breakage, with a nearly linear increase found for the number of particles with decreasing diameter due to breakage. The trend obeys a normal expectation. With swelling coals, however, there is also breakage but of a different sort, with the number of particles declining instead of rising with falling diameter. In a considered extension of the PSD analysis to the char burnup region of a coal flame, the problem is shown to be more complex. Problems discussed include the effects of continuous removal, imperfect mixing, and changes in particle density by internal reaction. The problem may then become intractable when approached from the PSD point of view and a Monte Carlo procedure may be the best alternative.
Working memory deficits in personality disorder traits: A preliminary investigation in a nonclinical sample

The purpose of the present study was to explore cognitive symptoms of personality disorder traits by means of Baddeley’s working memory model. Forty-nine college students were tested for personality disorder traits with the Coolidge Axis II Inventory, and they were given measures assessing executive control, working memory, including general working memory capacity (Operation-Word Span), phonological storage capacity (digits forwards and digits backwards), and three other Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale subtests. The results indicated that the 14 personality disorder scales had strong positive correlations with a measure of executive function deficits. Among measures of working memory capacity, the Digits Backwards subtest appeared to be the strongest predictor (negatively) of personality disorders according to multiple regressions. It was concluded that personality disorders may express themselves in cognitive ways that are reflected in measures of executive control, working memory capacity, and phonological storage capacity. Directions for further research are offered.
Hyperglycemia abolishes the protective effect of ischemic preconditioning in glomerular endothelial cells in vitro.

In preclinical investigations, ischemic preconditioning (IPC) protects kidneys from ischemia/reperfusion injury. The direct effects of IPC on glomerular endothelial cells have not been studied in detail. Most investigations of IPC have focused on healthy cells and animals, and it remains unknown whether IPC is renoprotective in the setting of medical comorbidities such as diabetes. In this study, we determined the preventive potential of IPC in healthy glomerular endothelial cell monolayers, and compared these results to monolayers cultured under hyperglycemic conditions. We exposed glomerular endothelial monolayers to 1 h of IPC 24 h prior to oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD), an in vitro model of ischemia/reperfusion injury. Glomerular endothelial monolayer integrity was assessed by measuring transendothelial electrical resistance, albumin flux, and cell survival. We found that IPC protected healthy but not hyperglycemic glomerular endothelial monolayers from ischemia/reperfusion injury. Furthermore, not only was the protective effect of IPC lost in the setting of hyperglycemia, but IPC was actually deleterious to the integrity of hyperglycemic glomerular endothelial cell monolayers.
The adsorption of Fe on W(110) and of O and H on Fe-covered W(110)

The adsorption of Fe monolayers on W(110) and adsorption of oxygen and hydrogen on the Fe layers have been examined via work-function, XPS, Auger, LEED, and thermal desorption measurements. Two distinct forms of Fe1W(110) exist, although both show sharp p(1 × 1) LEED patterns. For the monolayer formed at 90 K, Δф = −836 meV, while it is −530 meV for the layer formed or annealed at 300–600 K. Heating the 90 K layer converts it irreversibly to the high-temperature form. Adsorption of H or O on these layers gives different ф and Δф values. Initial sticking coefficients for H2 at 90 K are s0 = 0.36 for the 90 K Fe layer and 0.3 for the 300/600 K layer. The amounts adsorbed at 90 K after 40 Langmuir exposure (where s<0.05) are (in units of HW, i.e. unity corresponding to 1.42 × 1015 atoms cm−2) 0.69 for the 90 K and 0.63 for the 600 K layer. H2 thermal desorption spectra for H/Fe1/W(110) and for Fe1/H1/W(110) are similar in shape and peak at 320 K, much lower than on W(110) or on Fe(110). O is adsorbed to the same extent and with virtually identical sticking coefficients on both Fe layers, with s0 ≈ 0.88 at 90 K. Fe 2p peak-shifts indicate that O uptake leads to chemisorption for OW<0.5, followed by oxide formation. The maximum O uptake corresponds to OW ≈ 1.35, and suggests that Fe3O4 is formed at saturation, as also indicated by the Fe 2p peak shift. Work function increments are different for the two layers, being 713 meV for the 90 K layer and 773 meV for the 600 K layer for chemisorption, i.e. for OW = 0.42. On heating saturated layers to T> 1200 K, Fe, WO2 and traces of FeO are desorbed with peak temperatures at 1340 K. For O0.5/Fe1/W(110) or Fe1/O0.6/W(110), oxidation of Fe does not occur; in the former case O becomes chemisorbed on the W surface on heating to 450 K. In both cases this is followed by segregation on heating to 800 K, as indicated by decreases in Fe Auger intensities and formation of a p(1 × 1) LEED pattern, corresponding to close-packed oxygen islands, as observed previously with other metal-oxygen coadsorption systems on W(110). A brief discussion of the similarities and differences of the present results with those for Cu, Ag, Hg, Ni, and Pd on W(110) is given.
Tenets of Reference Selection for Academic Libraries

While articles on the theory and practice of collection management abound, the professional literature devotes little attention to the specifics of collection development for reference. This article provides a framework for reference collection development that consists of criteria that govern selection of a balanced and timely reference collection and identifies the oversight groups that need to be involved in monitoring the process that assures this balance and timeliness.
The Direction and Rate of Bacteriophage T7 DNA Packaging in Vitro

Abstract To determine the direction of the entry of DNA during in vitro bacteriophage T7 DNA packaging, incompletely packaged DNA (ipDNA) was fractionated by agarose gel electrophoresis after degradation of DNA outside of capsids and then release of packaged DNA from capsids. After fractionation, quantitative in-gel probing with a right end-specific oligonucleotide detects heterogeneous ipDNA (called right-end ipDNA). Most of the right-end ipDNA appears with kinetics expected of a precursor to the mature T7 DNA. In-gel probing with a left-end-specific oligonucleotide detects ipDNA (left-end ipDNA); the molar amount of left end ipDNA is always at least 50× less than the molar amount of right-end ipDNA. Left-end ipDNA appears with the kinetics of an abortive end product of T7 DNA packaging. Thus, productive T7 DNA packaging occurs in a right-to-left direction. Quantitation of the conversion of right-end ipDNA to mature-length DNA yields an estimate of the mean rate of right-to-left in vitro T7 DNA packaging: 28 ± 6 kbp/min for the last 20-50% of the DNA packaged.
High pressure fast‐flow technique for gas phase kinetics studies

A fast-flow technique suitable for measuring elementary rate constants over a wide range of pressures has been developed. The method operates under turbulent flow conditions, in contrast to laminar flow which characterizes the conventional low pressure technique. Flow visualization, velocity profile measurements, and tracer pulse studies have been carried out in a flow tube reactor to investigate the dynamics of both laminar and turbulent flow for chemical kinetics purposes. Furthermore, the wall collision frequency for the reactants has been determined: at the higher pressures it is greatly reduced in comparison with the frequency characteristic of the conventional low pressure laminar flow technique. Also, to test and validate the technique the bimolecular rate constants for the reactions H+Cl2 and H+O3 have been measured at total pressures in the 3–300 torr range; at pressures below 5 torr, as well as above 50 torr in the turbulent flow regime the agreement with the recommended literature values is excellent. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Generic competitive strategies—An analytical approach

Summary The concept of generic strategies for gaining competitive advantage has received considerable attention recently in the business policy field. Two generic strategies usually mentioned are low cost position and highly differentiated position. This paper uses a game-theoretic model of oligopolistic competition to provide analytical support for these generic strategies, and, in places, to refine the conclusions drawn from previous research in this field. Another conclusion derived from the model is that a superior cost or differentiation position leads to a larger market share, which in turn leads to higher profitability.
Finite Element Analysis of Stresses in Ion‐Exchanged Glass

Anomalous tensile stress maxima were observed in rectangular specimens of unidirectionally ion-exchanged glasses. Two-dimensional finite element analysis was performed to reveal all stress components in these specimens with or without hypothetical variations of specimen size and material properties. Results show that the end effects could be responsible, in part, for the anomalous maxima observed in some of the specimens. Not allof the observations could, however, be accounted for in this manner.
Effect of semicore banding on heavy-alkali-metal lattice constants: Corrections to the frozen-core approximation.

Equilibrium lattice constants and bulk moduli of the heavy alkali metals K, Rb, and Cs were calculated using the Troullier-Martins pseudopotentials and plane-wave basis functions. The treatment of the outermost p-shell electrons as Bloch states yielded lattice constants 2\char21{}3 % larger than those obtained within the frozen-core approximation (including the partial core correction of Louie, Froyen, and Cohen [Phys. Rev. B 26, 1738 (1982)]), which narrows a long-standing discrepancy between local-density functional theory and experiment. Predicted bulk moduli are 30\char21{}50 % larger than measured values, within either treatment. The band dispersion of the semicore states (with bandwidths 0.067, 0.14, and 0.25 eV for K, Rb, and Cs) is attributed primarily to core-electron\char21{}conduction-electron hybridization rather than direct core-core overlap. The semicore density of states has a flat line shape, rather than the peaked shape expected for an idealized tight-binding band.
RELATION OF VARICELLA TO HERPES ZOSTER : I. STATISTICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Varicella most frequently occurs in individuals under 10 years of age, while zoster as a rule is observed in persons beyond that age. The number of cases of varicella exhibits a markedly constant seasonal variation. The variations in the prevalence of herpes zoster are not regular and do not parallel those of varicella.
A Two-Cavity Long-Base Mode Meteorological Range Meter

A meteorological range measuring device in use at Barrow, Alaska, utilizing two dark cavities is described and sample data is presented. From the two values of range which can be computed from the equation, υ = x ln 50/ln[Bh/(Bh − Bx)], an approximate relation is developed for a corrected range having the form 1/υc = K1/υ1 − K2/υ2. A concept of measuring error as instrumental scattering of horizon and background light by a constant factor, ∊, is developed and is shown to be determinable from υ1 and υ2 by a relation of the form, ∊ = a1K2(1/υ1 − 1/υ2). The statistical properties of ∊ are examined from actual data and the possibilities of a single cavity system with a known ∊ are discussed.
Computers and musical style

A brief background of automated music Musical style and linguistics LISP programming and object orientation Style replication Musical examples Cybernetic composition.
Cognitive-behavioral treatment of anxiety in late life from a schema-focused approach

This article discusses a schema-focused approach as a clinical intervention for older adults with anxiety. The author proposes that loss events in late life can activate a maladaptive schema that may be characterized by symptoms of anxiety. These symptoms may be a signal from an older person's body that something in her or his life needs attention. Anti-anxiety medication may interfere with addressing important developmental and contextual issues in late life. A schema-focused approach can help older clients to identify their maladaptive schema, to understand how it relates to current losses, behaviors, and symptoms, and to make changes in their lives.
An internal consistency check for scale values determined by the method of successive intervals

The method of successive intervals is a psychological scaling procedure in which stimuli are classified into successive intervals according to the degree of some defined attribute which they are judged to possess. A psychological continuum is defined and the scale values are then taken as the medians of the distributions of judgments on the psychological continuum. It is assumed that the distributions of judgments for each stimulus are normal on the psychological continuum as defined.
Lapatinib Resistance in HCT116 Cells Is Mediated by Elevated MCL-1 Expression and Decreased BAK Activation and Not by ERBB Receptor Kinase Mutation

We have defined some of the mechanisms by which the kinase inhibitor lapatinib kills HCT116 cells. Lapatinib inhibited radiation-induced activation of ERBB1/2, extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2, and AKT, and radiosensitized HCT116 cells. Prolonged incubation of HCT116 cells with lapatinib caused cell killing followed by outgrowth of lapatinib-adapted cells. Adapted cells were resistant to serum starvation-induced cell killing and were cross-resistant to multiple therapeutic drugs. Lapatinib was competent to inhibit basal and epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated ERBB1 phosphorylation in adapted cells. Coexpression of dominant-negative ERBB1 and dominant-negative ERBB2 inhibited basal and EGF-stimulated ERBB1 and ERBB2 phosphorylation in parental and adapted cells. However, in neither parental nor adapted cells did expression of dominant-negative ERBB1 and dominant-negative ERBB2 recapitulate the cell death-promoting effects of lapatinib. Adapted cells had increased expression of MCL-1, decreased expression of BAX, and decreased activation of BAX and BAK. Overexpression of BCL-XL protected parental cells from lapatinib toxicity. Knockdown of MCL-1 expression enhanced lapatinib toxicity in adapted cells that was reverted by knockdown of BAK expression. Inhibition of caspase function modestly reduced lapatinib toxicity in parental cells, whereas knockdown of apoptosis-inducing factor expression suppressed lapatinib toxicity. Thus, in HCT116 cells, lapatinib adaptation can be mediated by altered expression of pro- and antiapoptotic proteins that maintain mitochondrial function.
General approach to the synthesis of polyquinenes. IV. Studies directed toward the preparation of dicyclopenta[cd,gh]pentalene.

Abstract The synthesis of the polyquinane, tetracyclo[7.2.1.0 4,11 .0 6,10 ]dodeca-2,5,7,12-tetrol 10, via the Weiss reaction, as well as its conversion to diene 14 is described. To assess the relative energies of postulated intermediates 11 and 12 as well as the target, pentaene 3, MNDO calculations have been performed the results of which are reported.
Induction of apoptosis and fibrillin 1 expression in human dermal endothelial cells by scleroderma sera containing anti–endothelial cell antibodies

Objective Sera from patients with scleroderma (systemic sclerosis [SSc]) contain anti–endothelial cell antibodies (AECAs) capable of inducing endothelial cell apoptosis. We sought to determine whether SSc sera containing anticentromere antibodies (ACAs) or anti–topoisomerase I antibodies (or, anti–Scl-70 antibodies) contain subsets of AECAs that trigger distinct pathways of apoptosis and gene expression in normal adult human dermal endothelial cells (HDECs). Methods Adult HDECs were grown to subconfluence and treated with control or SSc patient sera. Apoptosis was investigated by differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy, microarrays of proapoptotic gene expression, caspase 3 protease activity, and flow cytometry for phosphatidyl serine translocation. Results Flow cytometry and DIC microscopy demonstrated that HDECs exposed to SSc sera containing either SSc autoantibody underwent apoptosis at much higher levels than those treated with control sera. While unique gene expression profiles were induced in HDECs by stimulation with SSc sera containing the respective autoantibody, similar patterns of increased gene expression of transcripts for the proapoptotic protease caspase 3 as well as the SSc autoantigen fibrillin 1 were demonstrated. Caspase 3 gene expression correlated with increased protease activity, and targeted inhibition of this protease partly blocked SSc serum–induced apoptosis. Immunohistochemistry studies of serum-stimulated HDECs demonstrated the aberrant expression of fibrillin 1 protein only in apoptotic endothelial cells treated with SSc sera containing AECAs. Conclusion There are distinct AECA subsets in the sera of patients with limited SSc (with ACAs) and diffuse SSc (with anti–Scl-70) that induce unique patterns of HDEC gene expression in the setting of apoptosis associated with increased caspase 3 activity and the reexpression of endothelial cell fibrillin 1.
Using design thinking to empower ethnic minority immigrant youth in their roles as technology and information mediaries

In the USA, almost one in nine people are foreign born. Further, children of immigrants and refugees accounted for the largest segment growth rate, between 1990 and 2008, in the USA for children who are younger than eight years of age. While diversity brings incredible richness, it also brings responsibility for helping immigrants participate fully in American life and culture versus isolating themselves within ethnic communities. We propose an experimental multi-disciplinary framework that uses design thinking combined with perspectives from computer science, information science, and information behavior. Our approach seeks to deeply understand how ethnic minority youth serve as information and technology mediaries within their social networks, and blends these perspectives into a community-based, multi-day workshop format called "teen design days."
Redox catalysis over iron zeolites: Kinetics and mechanism

An Fe-Y-zeolite (FeY) and an Fe-mordenite (FeM) were investigated to determine their suitability as catalysts for the oxidation of CO with NO, O/sub 2/, and N/sub 2/O. The kinetics and mechanisms of these reactions were investigated using a flow reactor and a Cahn electrobalance working in the flow mode. Both catalysts could be reversibly oxidized and reduced in the temperature range of 350 to 700/sup 0/C. Over FeY the oxygen carried by the catalyst was close to 0.5 O/Fe, while over FeM a larger value was recorded when CO was the reducing agent, but not with H/sub 2/. The FeM, in spite of its lesser Fe loading, proved to be as active for the CO oxidation as FeY. When O/sub 2/ was used as an oxidizing agent, two different rate laws appeared depending upon the external variables and the Arrhenius plot showed a break at 685 K. When NO was used, however, only one pressure dependence and a linear Arrhenius plot were obtained, regardless of redox regime and temperature. Water did not damage the catalyst nor permanently poison it. When the reactions were run in the flow microbalance the catalyst weight properly reflected the oxidation state of the Fe asmore » inferred from the observed pressure dependencies. The data favor a redox-type mechanism.« less
LAWYERS‘ STRATEGIES AND DIVERSITY JURISDICTION

There has been a long-standing debate concerning the status of diversity jurisdiction. Its champions wish to retain the availability of choice for attorneys, while others argue that perhaps the traditional justification is no longer valid and therefore the need for diversity jurisdiction is reduced. This research attempts to determine whether the traditional justification for diversity jurisdiction is still valid, and whether other factors motivate attorneys' choice of forum. An experimental design was employed to ascertain which of several factors including local bias, delay, availability of modem rules of procedure, and quality of state judges had an effect on an attorney's choice of forum in diversity cases.
Vibration and stability analyses of cross-ply laminated circular cylindrical shells

Abstract An improved analytical procedure is introduced in the context of free vibration and stability problems of cross-ply laminated circular cylindrical shells. The Donnell shear-deformation type theory and Donnell's classical theory are used to illustrate the procedure. Numerical results are presented for shells with a variety of boundary conditions. Special attention is given to the axisymmetric problems and new results, not yet found in the literature, for stability and vibration are reported. It is recommended that the new technique be used for generating the Levy-type solutions in vibration and stability problems of laminated shell panels and plates when the number and order of equations are higher than those of the classical theories.
Anticipatory ethical and policy decision making and community psychology

The author of "Responsible to whom? Responsible for what? Some Ethical Issues in Community Intervention" (O'Neill, 1989) is to be congratulated not only for again raising examples of some of the issues that we face in community psychology but also for the narrative presentation of ethical decision making. The editor of this Journal also is to be congratulated for seeking reactions to this paper for this is the type of discourse that should be ongoing and deliberately planned as psychologists move into new settings. However, while there may be an increased awareness of ethical issues, discussion of ethical issues is rarely proactive and this paper shows the need for such proaction. As psychologists and others develop new technologies and interventions and seek to apply these new as well as older technologies and interventions in new settings and to new problems, there will be an increased need for thoughtful anticipatory ethical decision making. Others have commented on the difficulties in defining what is and what is not ethics and the special responsibilities of professionals (e.g., Ladd, 1981) and have enumerated the ethical problems involved in consultation (Pettifor, 1986a, 1986b; Snow & Gersick, 1986). Unfortunately, we continue to treat ethics not as a subject worthy of systematic empirical investigation but as a subject that is raised in alarm when we are confronted with something we cannot explain. There is a clear need for the development and implementation of a plan for the empirical study of ethics and of ethical decision making.
Feasibility and perioperative outcomes of robotic-assisted surgery in the management of recurrent ovarian cancer: a multi-institutional study.

Abstract Objectives Minimally invasive surgery for recurrent ovarian cancer is generally not performed. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and surgical outcomes of robotic-assisted surgery in the management of recurrent ovarian cancer. Methods Eligible patients included those with confirmed recurrent ovarian cancer amenable to surgical resection and in which a complete resection was thought to be feasible with the use of the robotic platform. Patients with evidence of carcinomatosis were not considered for a robotic approach. Clinical and pathologic data were abstracted from the medical records. Appropriate statistical tests were performed using SPSS statistical software program (SPSS 20.0 Inc., Chicago, IL). Results A total of 48 patients were identified. Thirty-six (75%) patients had a recurrent mass or masses isolated to one anatomic region (pelvis or abdomen). Conversion to laparotomy was necessary in 4 (8.3%) cases. In cases not requiring conversion to laparotomy, the median operative time, EBL, and length of stay were 179.5min, 50cc, and 1day, respectively. An optimal debulking was achieved in 36 (82%) cases. Complications occurred in 6 (13.6%) cases. The median operative time, EBL, length of stay, and complications were all statistically significantly lower in the cases not converted to laparotomy compared to those that were (p Conclusions This study suggests that select patients with recurrent ovarian cancer in the absence of carcinomatosis may be candidates for secondary surgical cytoreduction via a robotic approach. Surgical and postoperative outcomes appear to be favorable compared to reports of laparotomy in recurrent ovarian cancer.
Using heat release rate to assess combustibility of building products in the cone calorimeter

Building codes generally permit unlimited use of materials that contribute negligible quantities of heat in the event of a fire. These materials are referred to as non-combustible. Whether a material qualifies as being non-combustible is generally based on performance in a small-scale furnace test, or on its potential heat content measured in an oxygen bomb calorimeter. However, furnace and oxygen bomb methods to assess combustibility have serious limitations. The most significant limitations are that materials cannot be evaluated in their end-use configuration, that test conditions are not representative of real fire exposure conditions, and that the test results do not provide a realistic measure of the expected heat release rate. These limitations lead to the idea of exploring the use of small-scale heat release calorimeters to assess material combustibility. The Cone Calorimeter has emerged in recent years as the most widely used apparatus for this application. In this paper, an overview is presented of past efforts to assess combustibility based on heat release rate measurements. The main results of the most recent Cone Calorimeter round robin conducted in North America are discussed. It is concluded from the results of this round robin that the Cone Calorimeter is indeed suitable for measuring heat release rate from materials and products with low heat content. Limitations due to Cone Calorimeter specimen size can be alleviated by using a larger calorimeter, such as the Intermediate Scale Calorimeter or ICAL (ASTM E 1623.) However, more research is needed to extend the correlation between Cone Calorimeter and ICAL data to a wider range of materials. The biggest challenge is perhaps the implementation of a system to assess combustibility on the basis of heat release rate in the building codes. Implementation could consist of a classification system that is accepted as an alternative to the present prescriptive requirements and/or promoting the use of heat release rate data in performance-based design.
An Autopsy Case of Weber‐Christian's Disease Associated with Granulocytopenia

Summary An autopsy was performed on a 16 years old female who had complained of recurrent attacks of subcutaneous nodules with high fever, and granulocytopenia. Non-suppurative inflammatory changes were presented in the adipose tissue of the subcutaneous, omenteric, mesenteric, peripancreatic, perirenal, and periadrenal regions. The liver showed enlargement with fatty degeneration. The liver, spleen, and the mesenteric lymph nodes had been invaded with many foamy macrophages and some multinucleated giant cells. The bone marrow revealed a denned retardation of maturity of granulocytic series by infiltration of macrophages. Under the above findings this case may be included in the type of systemic nodular panniculitis by Steinberg.
Development of basal forebrain projections to visual cortex: Dil studies in rat

We performed experiments using retrograde and anterograde labeling with DiI to examine the development of basal forebrain (BFB) projections to the visual cortex in postnatal rats. DiI placed in occipital cortex led to retrograde labeling of BFB neurons as early as postnatal day 0 (P0); labeled cells were found mainly in the diagonal band complex but also in the medial septum, globus pallidus, and substantia innominata. The retrogradely labeled BFB cells displayed remarkably well-developed dendritic arbors, even in younger animals, and showed increases in soma size, dendritic arbors, and dendritic spines over the first 2 postnatal weeks. DiI placements in the diagonal band led to anterogradely labeled axons in cortex. At early ages (P0-P1), labeled axons were largely confined to white matter. With increasing age, greater numbers of labeled axons were seen in the white matter and in deep cortical layers, and labeled axons extended into superficial layers. The leading edge of labeled fibers reached layer V of visual cortex by P2 and layer IV by P4 and were found throughout the cortical layers by P6. Numbers and densities of labeled axons in visual cortex were greater in older animals, at least through P14. The time of ingrowth of labeled BFB axons into visual cortex indicates that these afferents grow into particular cortical layers after those layers have differentiated from the cortical plate. These data indicate that basal forebrain projections arrive in occipital cortex after cortical lamination is well underway and after the entry of primary thalamocortical projections.
High-performance liquid chromatographic study of ligand-exchange reactions of fluorinated metha β-diketone chelates

Abstract Ligand redistribution reactions among gallium, indium, copper and nickel fluorinated β-diketonates were investigated by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on a silica column. Reactions taking place at ambient temperature in tetrahydrofuran—heptane solutions were shown to proceed with statistical ligand exchange. Good chromatographic characteristics were seen for the range of initial and product gallium chelates. Although other complexes were not eluted under the conditions used, the reactions which occurred in mixed-metal systems could be inferred from examination of gallium chelate chromatograms.
Maintenance of bowel, bladder, and motor functions after sacrectomy.

Abstract Background context Repeated cohort studies have consistently demonstrated a survival advantage after en bloc resection for locally aggressive primary tumors in the sacrum. A sacrectomy is often required to remove the tumor en bloc, which may necessitate the sacrifice of sacral nerves. This can potentially result in functional complications, including the impairment of gait, bowel function, or bladder function. Purpose To assess the bladder, bowel, and motor functions of patients after resection of a primary sacral tumor. Study design This was a retrospective cohort study at a single academic institution. Patient sample Consecutive patients who underwent an en bloc sacral tumor resection at a single institution between December 2002 and June 2012 were included. The study population comprised 73 patients. Outcome measures Patients were classified as having had a low, middle, high, or total sacrectomy based on the level of sacral nerves sacrificed, if applicable. Methods Patient data were collected from clinic notes and hospital records that included operative notes, lab studies, and rehabilitation notes. Results Across all patients, there was no change in bowel function after sacrectomy, whereas bladder and motor functions returned to preoperative (pre-op) levels at 3 and 6 months, respectively. Higher level sacrectomies were associated with worse bowel (p Conclusions Preoperative bladder, bowel, and motor functions, level of sacral tumor involvement, and corresponding level of sacrectomy were the greatest predictors of long-term bladder, bowel, and motor functions. There were no statistically significant changes in bladder, bowel, or motor functions from pre-op to 6 months post-op, and therefore, pre-op functional status was predictive of long-term function.
Concept of precision in analog-based discrete numeric optical processors

Within this paper we discuss the precision of a fixed-point discrete numeric vector-matrix processor. The concept of precision relates to the quantity of numerically exact information in the processor's calculated result. This analysis is based on a signal space formulation which allows for the determination of precision from the uncertainty in the output signal space. Characteristics of the ideal signal space are explored and then the implications of simple nonideal temporal and spatial effects are considered. The resulting precision limitations are discussed in terms of numerical roundoff and significance errors.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Orientation of eddy fluxes in geostrophic turbulence

Given its importance in parametrizing eddies, we consider the orientation of eddy flux of potential vorticity (PV) in geostrophic turbulence. We take two different points of view, a classical ensemble- or time-average point of view and a second scale decomposition point of view. A net alignment of the eddy flux of PV with the appropriate mean gradient or the large-scale gradient of PV is required. However, we find this alignment to be very weak. A key finding of our study is that in the scale decomposition approach, there is a strong correlation between the eddy flux and a nonlinear combination of resolved gradients. This strong correlation is absent in the classical decomposition. This finding points to a new model to parametrize the effects of eddies in global ocean circulation.
Extrusion of starch-based loose-fill packaging foams: effects of temperature, moisture and talc on physical properties†

Starch-based loose-fi ll packaging foams were made in a single-screw laboratoryscale extruder. Corn starch was blended with polystyrene in the ratio of 70 : 30 and extruded into foams using talc and polycarbonate as additives. Extrusions were carried out at moisture contents of 16, 18 and 20% (dry basis), and at barrel temperatures of 140 and 160oC. The infl uences of extrusion temperature, moisture content of starch, talc and polycarbonate on the radial expansion and other selected physical properties of starch foams were investigated. The effects of moisture and talc contents on the radial expansion of foams were found to be critical, while the role of temperature was close to signifi cant. The expansion ratio increased when the moisture content was increased from 16 to 18%, and then decreased when moisture content was increased to 20%. In general, the expansion ratios of foams were higher at 160oC as compared to 140oC. Although polycarbonate mixed well with the starch– polystyrene melt, it was not effective as a structural and anti-shrinking agent, and it did not contribute to the radial expansion. In general, the bulk densities and unit densities of the starch foams decreased as the moisture content and extrusion temperature increased. Scanning electron microscope images showed that the addition of talc yielded foams with smaller-sized cells, with less expansion of the foam melt, and thus a higher density. X-ray diffractograms revealed that the crystallinity of starch foams increased post-extrusion, and there was adequate dispersion of the starch and polystyrene polymers to make the foam water-resistant. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The development of denosumab for the treatment of diseases of bone loss and cancer-induced bone destruction

Denosumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody against RANK ligand (RANKL), an essential cytokine for the formation, function, and survival of osteoclasts. The role of excessive RANKL as a contributor to conditions characterized by bone loss or bone destruction has been well studied. With its novel mechanism of action, denosumab offers a significant advance in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis; bone loss associated with hormone ablation therapy in women with breast cancer and men with prostate cancer; and the prevention of skeletal-related events in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors by offering clinical benefit to these patients in need.
Quark Structure Functions of Mesons and the Drell-Yan Process

For massive-lepton pair production in meson-induced reactions, we use quantum chromodynamics perturbation theory to predict that the decay angular distribution in the pair rest frame will change from predominantly $1+{cos}^{2}\ensuremath{\theta}$ to ${sin}^{2}\ensuremath{\theta}$ as the longitudinal-momentum fraction of the pair ${x}_{\mathrm{F}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}+1$. The two angular distributions are associated respectively with ${(1\ensuremath{-}x)}^{2}$ and ${Q}^{\ensuremath{-}2}{(1\ensuremath{-}x)}^{0}$ components of the valence-quark structure function of the meson.
Correlates of condom self-efficacy in an incarcerated juvenile population.

The purpose of this study was to enhance awareness of modes of HIV transmission and increase HIV/sexually transmitted diseases (STD) prevention efforts for incarcerated youth through use of an HIV/...
Radiation-induced skeletal injury.

Irradiation of bone kills the cells that are responsible for bone maintenance and remodeling that renders the irradiated bone brittle and prone to injury. Though the incidence of bony injury has become increasingly uncommon with the use of megavoltage radiation and improved planning and radiation delivery techniques, even when careful attention is paid to radiation tolerance, bony injury can occur. Post-irradiation bony injuries include mandibular osteoradionecrosis (MORN), pelvic insufficiency fracture, hip fracture, fracture of long bones, rib fracture, and pediatric growth abnormalities. In this chapter, we will review the incidence, risk factors, techniques for risk reduction, and management of each of these bony radiation injuries.
Personalized medicine in hematology — A landmark from bench to bed

Personalized medicine is the cornerstone of medical practice. It tailors treatments for specific conditions of an affected individual. The borders of personalized medicine are defined by limitations in technology and our understanding of biology, physiology and pathology of various conditions. Current advances in technology have provided physicians with the tools to investigate the molecular makeup of the disease. Translating these molecular make-ups to actionable targets has led to the development of small molecular inhibitors. Also, detailed understanding of genetic makeup has allowed us to develop prognostic markers, better known as companion diagnostics. Current attempts in the development of drug delivery systems offer the opportunity of delivering specific inhibitors to affected cells in an attempt to reduce the unwanted side effects of drugs.
Force and motion transmissibility in dextrous manipulation

In this paper, we discuss the transmissibility of force and motion in the analysis of dextrous manipulation with sliding using soft fingers. The transmissibility of force is a well-known principle in mechanics, which states that the force can be transmitted along its line of action. The motion transmissibility, however, is not ubiquitous. The investigation of such mechanics principles in dextrous manipulation yields interesting results which have very important implications on the analysis of dextrous manipulation regarding the motion and force at the contacts. A coefficient, C/sub e/, is found to relate the magnitude of velocity after the point of contact is transmitted to another locations. We compare such transmissibilities using rigid-body and nonrigid-body motion analysis. Examples are presented to illustrate their usage in dextrous manipulation.