cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Protease Nexin-1 Activity and Target Protease Specificity by the Extracellular Matrix

PN-1 is a 44 kDa protein protease inhibitor that is synthesized and secreted by a variety of cultured cells including fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells and astrocytes. 1–4 It rapidly inhibits thrombin, urokinase and plasmin by forming SDS-stable complexes with the catalytic site serine of the protease.1–5 The protease-PN-1 complexes bind back to the cells, via the PN-1 moiety of the complex, and are rapidly internalized and degraded.2 This provides a mechanism to regulate and clear certain serine proteases in the extracellular environment.
Chapter 22 Transmembrane signal transducing proteins

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the transmembrane signal transducing proteins. The life of a bacterium is characterized by changing environmental conditions. To compete and survive, these cells have evolved signal transduction pathways that allow them to adapt to different surroundings. Responses range from changes in gene expression leading to altered metabolism and differentiation to behavioral responses, such as chemo-taxis that allow cells to move to environments that are more favorable. Adaptive responses are generally mediated by signal transduction pathways initiated by receptors within the cell envelope that communicate with signal transduction proteins in the cytoplasm. This chapter focuses on the structure and function of the cell surface receptors. The sensory inputs that initiate signal transduction pathways in bacteria are diverse and often quite complex. Cells are sensitive to virtually every aspect of their environment, including the concentrations of a large number of different small molecules such as peptides, amino acids, sugars, oxygen, and phosphate, as well as parameters such as osmotic pressure, pH, temperature, and light. Environmental changes are monitored by sensory receptors, and this information is used to regulate appropriate adaptive response mechanisms.
Creative Space in Organizational Learning and Leadership: 21st-Century Shapeshifting

The chapter compares the author’s leadership experiences in both group art studios and higher education, asking whether the creative space of the former, defined as a psychological state enhancing authentic expression, risk taking, and making new relationships between previously separate phenomena, can be realized within organizational settings. The mythological function of changing physical appearances through “shapeshifting” is approached metaphorically to suggest how leadership can alter roles and perceptions in order to encourage new possibilities for creative activity. Organizational silos that generally present obstacles to creativity are viewed as potential centers of creation that can influence other sectors of organizations. To demonstrate objective physical factors of expression, Rudolf Arnheim’s spatial concept of “the power of the center” in artistic compositions (The power of the center: a study of composition in the visual arts. University of California Press, Berkeley, 1988) is adapted to organizational experience.
Libra: divide and conquer to verify forwarding tables in huge networks

Data center networks often have errors in the forwarding tables, causing packets to loop indefinitely, fall into black-holes or simply get dropped before they reach the correct destination. Finding forwarding errors is possible using static analysis, but none of the existing tools scale to a large data center network with thousands of switches and millions of forwarding entries. Worse still, in a large data center network the forwarding state is constantly in flux, which makes it hard to take an accurate snapshot of the state for static analysis.We solve these problems with Libra, a new tool for verifying forwarding tables in very large networks. Libra runs fast because it can exploit the scaling properties of MapReduce. We show how Libra can take an accurate snapshot of the forwarding state 99.9% of the time, and knows when the snapshot cannot be trusted. We show results for Libra analyzing a 10,000 switch network in less than a minute, using 50 servers.
Attribute rating for classification of visual objects

Traditional visual classification approaches focus on predicting absence/presence of labels or attributes for images. However, it is sometimes useful to predict the ratings of the labels or attributes endowed with an ordinal scale (e.g., “very important,” “important” or “not important”). The ordinal scale representation allows us to describe object classes more precisely than simple binary tagging. In this work, we propose a new method where each label/attribute can be assigned to a finite set of ordered ratings, from most to least relevant. Object classes are then predicted using these ratings. Experiments on Animals with Attributes dataset demonstrate the performance of the proposed method and show its advantages over previous methods based on binary tagging and multi-class classification.
Human Innovation and Primate Socialities

In many ways, this book is about the social expansion of primate kinship in the human lineage: an evolution of imagined communities (a la Benedict Anderson) of human kinships emerging from the social webs common in our primate kin. Read argues that it is humans’ abilities to self-modify, to ratchet up new and multiple forms of envisioning social relations, that separates human societies from those of other primates. He invokes Levi-Strauss’s notion of “the advent of a new order” to identify the unique nature of the extent of human social processes: the cultural definition of kin and society. Read centers the role of shared cultural systems, cognitive complexity, and the “culturally constituted universe,” in narrating a broad understanding of how humans are in the world and how this differs from the “world-beings” of other primates. In making his case, Read effectively uses theory-of-mind concepts and recent work in the extended mind/ social-brain realm (e.g., Dunbar, Gamble, and Gowlett 2010) as central components in modeling the development of human social relationships from a broader primate behavioral profile. I greatly appreciate his connection between cognitive processes and the expansion of social complexity and complex kinship systems in humans. Importantly, Read notes how direct comparisons between human and other primate social structure are rife with problems and that while we share much with our primate kin, core areas such as working memory and other cognitive processes differentiate us. He states, “Our societies are not based on genetically prescribed behaviors, but on our ability to build creatively on our genetic endowment in ways that are not predictable in simply by knowing what constitutes that endowment” (p. 12), and this is correct. However, it is worth noting that this can also be true of other organisms (and not just other primates), more so than Read gives them credit for. It is Read’s holding to a relatively simple model of evolutionary patterns and processes for other organisms and to
Food group intake and the risk of oral epithelial dysplasia in a United States population.

Objectives: Oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) is a histopathologic diagnosis associated with an increased risk of oral cancer. The paper explores the relationship between OED risk and food group intake.
The Bhopalator: an information/energy dual model of the living cell (II)

A molecular model of the living cell known as the Bhopalator is described with the hope of aiding mathematicians and computer scientists to develop comprehensive algebraic models of the cell. The Bhopalator is energy/information dual in the sense that it can be described using two complementary languages - the energy/matter based language of physics and chemistry and the information/sign based language of linguistics and mathematics. The availability of mathematical models of the cell may eventually lead to developing computer models of the living cell, resulting in important applications not only in biology and medicine but also in computer science and computer industry. To stimulate discussions among mathematicians and computer scientists, the algebraic encoding of the essential characteristics of the Bhopalator may be referred to as the C system (C indicating the cell), in analogy to the well-known H and P systems.
Some recent results on local testing of sparse linear codes

We study the local testability of linear codes. Our approach is based on a reformulation of this question in the language of tolerant linearity testing under a non-uniform distribution. We then study the question of linearity testing under non-uniform distributions directly, and give a sufficient criterion for linearity to be tolerantly testable under a given distribution.We show that several natural classes of distributions satisfy this criterion (such as product distributions and low Fourier-bias distributions), thus showing that linearity is tolerantly testable under these distributions. This in turn implies that the corresponding codes are locally testable. For the case of random sparse linear codes, we show the testability and decodability of such codes in the presence of very high noise rates. More precisely, we show that any linear code in F2n which is: - sparse (i.e., has only poly(n) codewords) - unbiased (i.e., each nonzero codeword has Hamming weight in (1/2- n-γ, 1/2 + n-γ for some constant γ ≥ 0) can be locally tested and locally list decoded from (1/2-e)-fraction errors using only poly(1/e) queries to the received word. This simultaneously simplifies and strengthens a result of Kaufman and Sudan, who gave a local tester and local (unique) decoder for such codes from some constant fraction of errors. For the case of Dual BCH codes, our algorithms can also be made to run in sublinear time. Building on the methods used for the local algorithms, we also give sub-exponential time algorithms for list-decoding arbitrary unbiased (but not necessarily sparse) linear codes in the high-error regime.
Constraining Cretaceous subduction polarity in eastern Pacific from seismic tomography and geodynamic modeling

Interpretation of recent mantle seismic images below the America ignited a debate on the Cretaceous subduction polarity in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The traditional view is that the massive vertical slab wall under eastern North America resulted from an eastward Farallon subduction. An alternative interpretation attributes this prominent seismic structure to a westward subduction of the North American Plate against a stationary intraoceanic trench. Here I design quantitative subduction models to test these two scenarios, using their implied plate kinematics as velocity boundary conditions. Modeling results suggest that the westward subduction scenario could not produce enough slab volume as seismic images reveal, as is due to the overall slow subduction rate (~2.5 cm/yr). The results favor the continuous eastward Farallon subduction scenario, which, with an average convergence rate of >10 cm/yr prior to the Eocene, can properly generate both the volume and the geometry of the imaged lower mantle slab pile. The eastward subduction model is also consistent with most Cretaceous geological records along the west coast of North America.
Biominiaturization of Bioreactors

Bioprocess development largely parallels the drug discovery process. Screening a large number of experimental conditions in the early stages, is required. As scales increase through the pilot to the manufacturing stage, process conditions get more stringent in terms of variation. Ideally, one would like the same quality of process information, independent of scale. Traditionally, early stage experiments to optimize growth media and cultivation parameters have been carried out in flasks and liter-scale bioreactors. This has often resulted in slow development timelines due to a lack of information in the former and the low-throughput nature of the latter. To circumvent these drawbacks in traditional technologies, much effort has been directed toward developing small-scale culturing platforms with monitoring and control capabilities that would mimic production conditions. Such systems would enable more experiments to be carried out simultaneously without compromising the quality of information obtained. In this review, traditional as well as novel systems with monitoring and control capabilities are discussed. We have focused on their application in culture and, in many cases, comparison to larger scale systems. Many small-scale systems have performances comparable to lab-scale bioreactors. These advances should allow for much more efficient process development as well as impact other areas such as bioprospecting, where hitherto “uncultivable” species may now be grown by screening samples for growth under matrices of conditions that were previously impractical. Another area of impact will be to allow industry to more readily incorporate process analytical technologies. Keywords: bioreactor; small scale; optical sensor; high throughput bioprocessing
Conditions on general Mamdani fuzzy controllers as nonlinear, variable gain state feedback controllers with stability analysis

At present, most Mamdani fuzzy controllers must be designed and analyzed individually using the trial-and-error approach coupled with computer simulation. This is largely due to the lack of knowledge on the structural relationship between the fuzzy controllers and conventional controllers, making effective and systematic utilization of analytical analysis and design tools in control system theory very difficult. The author attempts to partially resolve these issues. The Mamdani fuzzy controllers covered are general; they use arbitrary continuous input fuzzy sets, arbitrary fuzzy rules, arbitrary inference methods, either Zadeh or the product fuzzy logic AND operator, singleton output fuzzy sets and the centroid defuzzifier. The author has established conditions for these fuzzy controllers as nonlinear state feedback controllers with variable gains, which he calls fuzzy state feedback controllers for terminological convenience. The necessary and sufficient condition on the fuzzy controllers using Zadeh fuzzy logic AND operator is that the input fuzzy sets must be linear or piecewise linear (e.g., trapezoidal or triangular). This condition, however, becomes only a necessary one for the controllers using the product fuzzy logic AND operator. These structural conditions have enabled the development of a necessary and sufficient local stability condition that can be used not only for stability determination, but also for practically designing stable fuzzy state feedback control systems even when the system models are mathematically unknown.
Additional limitations of the clustering validation method figure of merit

Clustering analysis is an important exploratory tool that aids in the analysis and organization of genomic data. Each biological data set has different characteris, and the decision of which clustering method is appropriate and how many clusters are optimal on a dataset-by-dataset basis can be problematic. The Figure of Merit (FOM) is a quantitative clustering validation method designed to aid in these decisions. While FOM is useful, it does have limitations which must be considered when using it. This research shows that the FOM is biased toward Euclidean distance. Performing FOM analysis on clusters created by using Pearson's correlation coefficient as a similarity measure is shown to be non-optimal, and mathematically inadvisable. A new, correlation coefficient-biased version of the FOM has been developed, and preliminary results indicate that this new FOM is effectively biased toward clusters generated using the correlation coefficient.
Promoting Student Collaboration in a Detracked, Heterogeneous Secondary Mathematics Classroom.

Detracking and heterogeneous groupwork are two educational practices that have been shown to have promise for affording all students needed learning opportunities to develop mathematical proficiency. However, teachers face significant pedagogical challenges in organizing productive groupwork in these settings. This study offers an analysis of one teacher’s role in creating a classroom system that supported student collaboration within groups in a detracked, heterogeneous geometry classroom. The analysis focuses on four categories of the teacher’s work that created a set of affordances to support within group collaborative practices and links the teacher’s work with principles of complex systems.
Severe pulmonary hypertension in liver transplant candidates

Advanced liver disease with portal hypertension may be associated with pulmonary hypertension. A review of 1,205 consecutive liver transplant patients was made to assess the incidence and severity of pulmonary hypertension in patients with end-stage liver disease. Postoperative data were reviewed to determine if outcome was influenced and, in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension, whether pulmonary hypertension was reversed after transplantation. The hemodynamic data of 5 patients who were found to have severe pulmonary hypertension before transplantation and did not receive transplants were also reviewed. The incidence of pulmonary hypertension in the patients who received transplants was 8.5% (n = 102; mean pulmonary artery pressure, > 25 mmHg). The incidence of mild pulmonary hypertension was 6.72% (n = 81; systolic pulmonary artery pressure, 30 to 44 mmHg); that of moderate pulmonary hypertension was 1.16% (n = 14; systolic pulmonary artery pressure, 45 to 59 mmHg); and that of severe pulmonary hypertension was 0.58% (n = 7; systolic pulmonary artery pressure, > 60 mmHg). Mild and moderate pulmonary hypertension did not influence the outcome of the procedure. Severe pulmonary hypertension was associated with mortality rates of 42% at 9 months posttransplantation and 71% at 36 months posttransplantation. Only 2 of 7 patients with severe pulmonary hypertension have survived liver transplantation with a good quality of life. The remaining 5 patients continued to deteriorate with progressive right heart failure with no evidence of amelioration of the pulmonary hypertension. This experience supports the view that in most patients who have severe pulmonary hypertension associated with advanced liver disease, it is caused by fixed pathological changes in the pulmonary vasculature, is not reversible with liver transplantation, and is associated with a very high perioperative mortality rate.
Cryptography against Continuous Memory Attacks

We say that a cryptographic scheme is Continuous Leakage-Resilient (CLR), if it allows users to refresh their secret keys, using only fresh local randomness, such that: 1. The scheme remains functional after any number of key refreshes, although the public key never changes. Thus, the “outside world'' is neither affected by these key refreshes, nor needs to know about their frequency. 2. The scheme remains secure even if the adversary can continuously leak arbitrary information about the current secret-key, as long as the amount of leaked information is bounded in between any two successive key refreshes. There is no bound on the total amount of information that can be leaked during the lifetime of the system. In this work, we construct a variety of practical CLR schemes, including CLR one-way relations, CLR signatures, CLR identification schemes, and CLR authenticated key agreement protocols. For each of the above, we give general constructions, and then show how to instantiate them efficiently using a well established assumption on bilinear groups, called the K-Linear assumption (for any constant K greater than or equal to 1). Our constructions are highly modular, and we develop many interesting techniques and building-blocks along the way, including: leakage-indistinguishable re-randomizable relations, homomorphic NIZKs, and leakage-of-cipher text non-malleable encryption schemes.
Adult sibling relationships: Validation of a typology

The goals of the two studies reported here were to examine the nature of sibling typologies and to describe a new measure designed to classify the type of sibling relationship. In the first study, participants (N= 172) ranging in age from 18 to 65 years described their current sibling relationships using a new measure (Sibling Type Questionnaire; STQ). Principal components analysis reduced these data to five dimensions (mutuality, criticism, apathy, competition, and longing), which were used in a cluster analysis to partition the sample into five groups (supportive, longing, competitive, apathetic, and hostile). The second study was conducted to validate the classifications provided by the STQ by obtaining descriptions of sibling relationships from a representative sample of adults (N= 658) ranging in age from 18 to 86 years. Factorial congruence was established with each of the five dimensions previously identified, and cluster analyses again were employed to partition the sample into supportive, longing, apathetic, hostile, and competitive groups. Respondents completed the Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (ASRQ) and a brief interview to provide a means of validating the cluster solution. Differences in the nature of sibling relationships associated with phases of adult life were also assessed.
Generic strength model for dry jointed rock masses

Abstract A new nonlinear thermo-mechanical model for heavily jointed rock masses is presented. The model describes poroelasticity, shear-enhanced compaction and brittle–ductile transition in dry porous rocks. The key input parameters of the model, such as elastic moduli, tensile and compressive strength are expressed as functions of the reference porosity of the rock. These functions are based on empirical data for limestones and sandstones and assume that the medium is isotropic. The effect of joints is modeled by scaling down the key model parameters. The scaling rules are found with the help of explicit numerical modeling of randomly jointed media.
Neuroprotection by the multitarget iron chelator M30 on age-related alterations in mice

Based on a multimodal drug design paradigm, we have synthesized a multifunctional non-toxic, brain permeable iron chelating compound, M30, possessing the neuroprotective N-propargyl moiety of the anti-Parkinsonian drug, monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B inhibitor, rasagiline and the antioxidant-iron chelator moiety of an 8-hydroxyquinoline derivative of the iron chelator, VK28. Here, we report that a chronic systemic treatment of aged mice with M30 (1 and 5mg/kg; 4 times weekly for 6 months), had a significant positive impact on neuropsychiatry functions and cognitive age-related impairment. M30 significantly reduced cerebral iron accumulation as demonstrated by Perl's staining, accompanied by a marked decrease in cerebral β-amyloid plaques. In addition, our results demonstrate that M30 caused a significant inhibition of both MAO-A and -B activities in the cerebellum of aged mice, compared with vehicle-treated aged control mice. In summary, the present study indicates that the novel MAO inhibitor/iron chelating drug, M30, acting against multiple brain targets could reverse age-associated memory impairment and provide a potential treatment against the progression of neurodegeneration in ageing.
EFFECTS OF A FEMINIZING TESTICULAR LEYDIG CELL TUMOUR ON NONTUMOROUS TESTICULAR TISSUE: AN ULTRASTRUCTURAL STUDY

SUMMARY The ultrastructural effects of a Leydig cell tumour of the testis on nontumorous testicular tissue have not yet been reported. Described here are the electron microscopic findings in the nonneoplastic testicular tissue of a patient with a feminizing testicular Leydig cell neoplasm. Serial studies were carried out over a period of 3 1/2 years prior to removal of the tumour. The overall general picture was characterized by progressive degeneration of Leydig cells, cells of the germinal series and Sertoli cells. Concomitantly, there was increasing thickening and fibrosis of the tubular walls. Cytoplasmic focal accumulations of glycogen, increasing with the duration of the disease, were conspicuous in many spermatogonia. All of these alterations are nonspecific and are attributable to adverse endocrine effects introduced by the oestrogen-secreting tumour. They were present bilaterally and were more prominent on the tumour-bearing side. Attention is drawn to the role of artifacts, fixation technique and degenerative processes in the production and appearance of certain ultrastructural findings, such as ‘light’ and ‘dark’ cells, myelin figures, membranous whorls and focal glycogen accumulations.
Tourism and poverty reduction in Latin America: where does the region stand?

Purpose – This paper aims to critically review the contributions made by the articles in this theme issue with reference to the literature and by examining the link between tourism and poverty and the conditions that shape this link in Latin America. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the most important contributions through critical content analysis of the papers contained in the theme issue. Findings – Tourism matters to the poor, but its relevance is defined by a number of factors including economic development, inequality, and destination life cycle. Alternative tourism, while promising, may be too limited in scope and scale to affect poverty alleviation that is broad and fast enough to benefit Latin America. Research limitations/implications – More research is needed to understand the link between tourism and poverty reduction, and the conditions that determine the strength of the link in Latin America. Originality/value – The theme issue explores the tourism poverty link from different ...
Fault-Tolerant Microprocessor-Based Systems

How do computers go wrong and what can we do about it? This tutorial outlines the causes of faults and the basic techniques for dealing with them.
Si(111)-5 x 1-Au reconstruction as studied by scanning tunneling microscopy.

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is used to characterize the Si(111)-5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1-Au surface reconstruction that occurs at 0.4 monolayers Au. We observe three equivalent domains of the 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1 structure, which appear as rows oriented along 〈1\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}10〉 directions with a five-unit-cell separation. STM images reveal an asymmetric structure with a two-unit-cell periodicity along any given row. The phase of this two-unit-cell periodicity is not correlated between rows, however, preventing any long-range 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2 order. In addition, bright features are commonly seen along the 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1 rows, always located at multiples of the two-unit-cell spacing.
Grey Areas, Controversies and Possibilities in Ethical Review of Environmental Health Research

Abstract This presentation will provide an overview of considerations facing research ethics boards and human research protection programs in the handling of environmental health research. Based on the ethical principles and regulatory requirements underlying the Qatari and American human research protections systems, the presentation will briefly examine issues such as: - determining what constitutes "human subjects research". - providing the appropriate level of review. - evaluating risks and benefits. - showing due respect to subjects.
Growth of superconducting (Hg,Re)Ba2CaCu2Oy thin films on Ag by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract (Hg,Re)Ba 2 CaCu 2 O y thin films have been fabricated on Ag by reacting laser deposited ReBaCaCuO precursor films with CaHgO 2 in sealed quartz tubes. The as-prepared films exhibit excellent phase purity and c -axis texture, characterized by an onset superconducting transition temperature ( T c ) of 124 K. The microstructures of the films examined by environmental scanning electron microscope revealed HgRe1212 crystals are plate-like and can grow and connect to each other with different ab -plane orientations. The irreversibility behavior and the temperature dependence of magnetization critical current density J c , estimated by using Bean's model, are also reported.
Predictive value of early pregnancy glycohemoglobin in the insulin-treated diabetic patient

The influence of early pregnancy glycemic control as measured by hemoglobin A1c concentration and the incidence of congenital anomalies and spontaneous abortions were evaluated in women presenting for prenatal care with insulin-treated diabetes in a population whose glycemic control was poor. Thirty-one abnormal outcomes were seen in 83 pregnancies (37%). There were 22 spontaneous abortions and nine major congenital anomalies. No woman with an early pregnancy hemoglobin A1C value less than 9.5% had an infant with a congenital anomaly and a single woman experienced a spontaneous abortion (4%). Conversely, in women with an early pregnancy hemoglobin A1C value greater than or equal to 9.5%, congenital anomalies occurred in 24% and spontaneous abortion in 35%. Outcomes of pregnancies in type 1 and type 11 diabetic women were comparable. A strong statistical relationship between hemoglobin A1C and adverse pregnancy outcomes was demonstrated. These results strongly suggest that poor glycemic control during early pregnancy adversely influences pregnancy outcomes; the greater the degree of poor control, the greater the impact on pregnancy outcome. The data further justify the need for preconceptional control in diabetic woman and for careful evaluation of the fetus during pregnancy in the woman with insulin-treated diabetes.
Predictions of Protein Circular Dichroism Calculated by the Dipole Interaction Model and Compared to Synchrotron Radiation Circular Dichroism Experiments

The determination of accurate secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures of macromolecules is vital for the study of intra- and interbimolecular interactions important for drug discovery, probing enzyme mechanisms and other functional protein complexes. Despite the recent advances in protein structural determination methods like X-ray crystallography, there is still a need to evaluate the accuracy of the model structures used in macromolecular interaction prediction. This is especially important where accurate three dimensional structures of the proteins are absent. Synchrotron radiation circular dichroism (SRCD) is an emerging technique sensitive not only to secondary structure but also teriary and quatertary structure. Theoretical calculations of circular dichroism (CD) using the dipole interaction model have successfully predicted CD for a variety of peptides and monomeric proteins. Herein, the dipole interaction model predicts CD for proteins in monomeric, dimmeric or tetrameric forms and is compared to experimental SRCD spectra. This is an attempt to evaluate the homology models. Preliminary results show comparable CD spectra between the dipole interaction model predictions and SRCD data for small proteins like myoglobin.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Dependent Personality Disorder in the DSM‐IV and Beyond

The DSM-IV dependent personality disorder (DPD) criteria are inconsistent with empirical research on dependency in several respects. DPD is associated with a wider range of disorders than is acknowledged in the DSM-IV, and is less prevalent in outpatient settings than the DSM-IV suggests. Contrary to the assertions of the DSM-IV, women receive DPD diagnoses at higher rates than men do. Two of the eight DSM-IV DPD symptoms are contradicted by empirical research on dependency, and two other symptoms have never been tested empirically. A revised set of DPD criteria is offered that (a) emphasizes the dependency-related cognitions central to DPD, (b) makes explicit the variability of the dependent person's relationship-facilitating behavior, and (c) minimises attachment-related confounds that characterize the current DPD criteria.
Magnetospheric protons and electrons encountered by the moon in the plasma sheet

During its passage through the geomagnetic tail, the Moon encounters the plasma sheet. Properties of plasma sheet electrons and protons, first detected at lunar distances by Explorer 35, are described. The electrons have a rapidly fluctuating non-Maxwellian energy distribution with a mean energy of several hundred electron volts and density c 0.2 cm−3. The protons, of energy c 1 keV, were usually detected above the instrument background when flowing towards the Earth at c 200 km s−1. Implications for migration of grains on the lunar surface are also pointed out and it is suggested that strong terrestrial polar winds in the early history of the Earth-Moon system may have caused some erosion of the Earth-facing side of the Moon, and that gravitational shielding of interplanetary rock flux by the Earth may also be an explanation of the relative smoothness of the front side.
The electrochemistry of fluorine-substituted polyphenylthiophenes for charge storage applications

A series of thiophene-based conducting polymers has been synthesized. The properties of these polymers were characterized using electrochemical techniques. The polymerization potentials of the monomers were found to be related to the corresponding Hammett σ values. The maximum n-doping levels of the polymers were also found to be correlated with the Hammett σ values. No correlation was found with the maximum p-doping levels of the polymers. The doping densities were found to decrease on repeated cycling and were correlated with irreversible morphological changes in the films. Test cells were fabricated using conducting polymer films for both anode and cathode. These cells exhibited discharge voltages of about 2.5 V and capacities of 9.5 to 11.5 mA h g−1.
A high technology-low energy demand for Western Europe☆

Abstract Changes in the structure and energy intensity of the Western European economy are projected in response to increases in real energy prices over the next fifty years using a systems analysis of energy demand by sector and geographic region. The evolution of energy demand is explored using the MEDEE demand model developed by Lapillone at IIASA. The results indicate Europeans can expect to double their economic output, substantially increase their mobility, and dramatically increase the available living space per capita while maintaining 1975 levels of European energy use.
Displacements and tilts from dip‐slip faults and magma chambers beneath irregular surface topography

Surface displacements and tilts due to buried deformation sources are influenced by topography. The leading-order corrections due to topography of arbitrary profile, but small slope, are determined for dip-slip faults (edge dislocations) and magma bodies (lines of inflation) in a two-dimensional elastic medium. The vertical displacement correction is simply the product of the topography and the horizontal normal strain due to the source in a flat half-space. The correction for a normal fault beneath an idealized basin-and-range topography is a slight increase in the uplift on the range side. The effect of topography for a line of inflation beneath a symmetric volcano is to reduce the central uplift. Failure to account for topographic influences can bias estimates of source depth and geometry.
The evaluation of program-based software test data adequacy criteria

In earlier work, a preliminary set of axioms for software test data adequacy was introduced in order to formalize properties which should be satisfied by any good program-based adequacy criterion. Here, we extend this work by augmenting the set with additional axioms which substantially strengthen the set. In doing so, we rule out several types of unsuitable notions of adequacy.
Severely disordered esophageal peristalsis is not a contraindication to laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.

Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) is the preferred operation for the control of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The use of a full fundoplication for patients with esophageal dysmotility is controversial. Although LNF is known to be superior to a partial wrap for patients with weak peristalsis, its efficacy for patients with severe dysmotility is unknown. We hypothesized that LNF is also acceptable for patients with severe esophageal dysmotility. A multicenter retrospective review of consecutive patients with severe esophageal dysmotility who underwent an LNF was performed. Severe dysmotility was defined by manometry showing an esophageal amplitude of 30 mmHg or less and/or 70% or more nonperistaltic esophageal body contractions. In this study, 48 patients with severe esophageal dysmotility underwent LNF. All the patients presented with symptoms of GERD, and 19 (39%) had preoperative dysphagia. A total of 10 patients had impaired esophageal body contractions, whereas 32 patients had an abnormal esophageal amplitude, and 6 patients had both. The average abnormal esophageal amplitude was 24.9 ± 5.2 mmHg (range, 6.0–30 mmHg). The mean percentage of nonperistaltic esophageal body contractions was 79.4% ± 8.3% (range, 70–100%). There were no intraoperative complications and no conversions. Postoperatively, early dysphagia occurred in 35 patients (73%). Five patients were treated with esophageal dilation, which was successful in three cases. One patient required a reoperative fundoplication. Overall, persistent dysphagia was found in two patients (4.2%), including one patient with severe preoperative dysphagia, which improved postoperatively. Abnormal peristalsis and/or distal amplitude improved postoperatively in 12 (80%) of retested patients. There were no cases of Barrett’s progression to dysplasia or carcinoma. During an average follow-up period of 25.4 months (range, 1–46 months), eight patients (16%) were receiving antireflux medications, with six of these showing normal esophageal pH study results. The LNF procedure provides low rates of reflux recurrence with little long-term postoperative dysphagia experienced by patients with severely disordered esophageal peristalsis. Effective fundoplication improved esophageal motility for most of the patients. A 360° fundoplication should not be contraindicated for patients with severe esophageal dysmotility.
Targeting aberrant colon cancer-specific DNA methylation with lipoteichoic acid-deficient Lactobacillus acidophilus

Pathogenic autoinflammatory responses triggered by dysregulated microbial interactions may lead to intestinal disorders and malignancies. Previously, we demonstrated that a lipoteichoic acid (LTA)-deficient Lactobacillus acidophilus strain, NCK2025, ameliorated inflammation-induced colitis, significantly reduced the number of polyps in a colonic polyposis cancer model and restored physiological homeostasis in both cases. Nonetheless, the regulatory signals delivered by NCK2025 to reprogram the gastrointestinal microenvironment, and thus resist colonic cancer progression, remain unknown. Accumulating evidence suggest that epigenetic changes, in the presence and absence of pathogenic inflammation, can result in colorectal cancer (CRC). To test possible epigenetic modifications induced by NCK2025, the expression of epigenetically regulated, CRC-associated genes was measured with and without bacterial treatment. In vivo and in vitro, NCK2025 enhanced the expression of tumor suppressor genes that may regulate CRC development. Therefore, differential epigenetic regulation of CRC-related genes by NCK2025 represents a potential therapy against colitis-associated and sporadic CRC.
Isolation, characterization and cross-species amplification of polymorphic microsatellite loci in Asclepias (Apocynaceae)

Ten polymorphic loci were isolated and characterized from the milkweed, Asclepias syriaca L., of North America. These loci successfully cross-amplified in A. exaltata L. Polymorphism ranged from two to 16 alleles per locus per species in 68 individuals of A. syriaca and 56 individuals of A. exaltata. Expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.017 to 0.851 and significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium were found for two and three loci in A. syriaca and A. exaltata, respectively. No linkage disequilibrium was detected. These markers should prove useful for assessing population genetic structure and interspecific gene flow in these and other species of Asclepias.
Atomic Layer Deposition of High Dielectric Constant Nanolaminates

Thin stacks comprised of alternating layers of Ta 2 O 5 /HfO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 /ZrO 2 , and ZrO 2 /HfO 2 were investigated as high-permittivity insulators for possible gate dielectric applications These thin layers were deposited on silicon substrates using atomic layer deposition. Nanolaminates with silicon oxide equivalent thickness of about 2 nm had dielectric constants of around ten and leakage current densities at 1 MV/cm of around 10 -8 A/cm 2 . Of the three kinds of nanolaminates investigated. ZrO 2 /HfO 2 structures showed the highest breakdown field and the lowest leakage current.
An action research approach to evaluating the impact of a social decision-making and problem-solving curriculum for preventing behavior and academic dysfunction in children☆

Action research is an approach to evaluation and program planning that is compatible with diverse constituencies and epistemologically derived sources of evaluation evidence. Fostering complementarity among experimental, pragmatic, and hermeneutic perspectives is seen as a critical management task of the leadership of an action research team. These ideas are exemplified in a case study presentation of the Improving Social A wareness-Social Problem-Solving Project, an action research collaboration designed to promote school-based preventive efforts.
Release of arachidonic acid from vascular endothelial cells: Fatty acyl specificity is observed with receptor-mediated agonists and with the calcium ionophore A23187 but not with melittin

Vascular endothelial cells respond to a variety of physiological and pharmacological stimuli by releasing free arachidonic acid from membrane phospholipids, thus initiating synthesis of prostacyclin. Previous work in our laboratory has demonstrated that the thrombin-stimulated deacylation is specific for arachidonate and structurally similar polyunsaturated fatty acids that contain a delta-5 double bond. We now report that histamine, bradykinin, and the calcium ionophore A23187 exhibit the same fatty acid specificity as does thrombin. Experiments with both human umbilical vein and calf pulmonary artery endothelial cells indicate that these agonists stimulate the release of previously incorporated [14C]arachidonate but not 8,11,14-[14C]eicosatrienoate or [14C]docosatetraenoate. By contrast, melittin stimulates the release of 8,11,14-eicosatrienoate, docosatetraenoate, and oleate as well as arachidonate. These results suggest that histamine, bradykinin, and A23187 activate a common calcium-dependent phospholipase A2. Melittin appears either to alter the substrate specificity of the receptor-linked phospholipase A2 activity or to activate additional enzymes as well.
Immunologic response to fungus is not universally associated with rhinosinusitis

OBJECTIVE: Immunologic response to fungal antigens has been cited as an etiologic factor in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Previous work demonstrated a significant cytokine response in CRS patients ...
An analysis of hospital productivity and product change.

ABSTRACT: We developed a model to measure the contribution of changes in length-of-stay, service intensity, and productivity to the unusually low rate of growth in hospital costs per discharge in recent years. From 1992 through 1996 declining length-of-stay explained 97 percent of the decrease in real costs per discharge. Much of the drop was probably caused by care shifted from inpatient to postacute settings. Although complete data for our model are unavailable beyond that point, we cite several “leading indicators” that suggest that length-of-stay declines have played a smaller role in the continued low cost growth of 1997 and 1998 and that productivity may have risen sharply.
Numerical models of two complex hypersonic flowfields

Numerical solutions of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations assuming a perfect gas and laminar flow are applied to two hypersonic experiments conducted at NASA Langley Research Center. The first is cooling by injection of a gas jet through the nose of an ogive-cone, and the second is the aerothermal environment in the gap formed by the wing and elevon section of a test model of the Space Shuttle. The simulations demonstrate that the model predicts accurate pressures and shock stand-off for the gas jet and accurate pressures for the wing-elevon cove. Experimental heating rates for the gas jet indicate turbulent mixing to be occurring, an effect not modeled in the numerical solution.
A Multiattributes Approach for Ranking PhD Programs.

In its plan to combat the PhD shortage crisis, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB; 2003) has called for the development of PhD program rankings to serve as incentives for academic institutions to invest more in PhD programs, thereby counterbalancing the disproportionate influence of master of business administration (MBA) rankings on business schools. The author reports on the development of a unique multiattributes approach for objectively ranking PhD programs. The advantage of this approach is an inherently broader consideration for the indicators of quality and reputation of a program as measured by the accomplishments of its graduates. By combining multiple attributes into a ranking metric, this approach emphasizes research quality that is in line with the recommendation stated by the AACSB (2003). Also, because the multiattributes approach incorporates data that is readily available, PhD program rankings can be more efficiently updated annually.
Pharmacokinetic Drug Interactions with Theophylline

Since up to 90% of a theophylline dose is biotransformed, drugs influencing microsomal enzyme systems in the liver may affect the elimination of theophylline. Other integrated mechanisms (e.g. hepatic uptake) may also be altered by concurrent administration of other drugs. Whatever the mechanism, the interaction may be sufficient to necessitate adjustment of the theophylline dosage, preferably guided by plasma theophylline determinations. Comedication with phenobarbitone may require an increase of the theophylline dose by about 30% due to increased clearance resulting from enzyme induction. Similarly, with phenytoin and carbamazepine a dose increase of about 40 to 50% may be required. In the case of rifampicin, isoniazid or sulphinpyrazone comedication, an increase of the theophylline dose by about 20 to 25% may be needed. On the other hand, other drugs decrease theophylline clearance, making a reduction in the dose of concurrent theophylline advisable: with usual doses of erythromycin, propranolol and isoprenaline (isoproterenol), a reduction of about 25% is needed; with cimetidine and oral contraceptives by about 30% or more; and with triacetyloleandomycin (troleandomycin) by about 50%. In high doses, the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol can also retard theophylline elimination, and a reduction of the theophylline dose by about 20% may be advisable. Conflicting results have been reported on the influence of frusemide (furosemide) and influenza vaccines, while data regarding the effect of corticosteroids, benzodiazepines and verapamil on theophylline kinetics are not yet conclusive. Many drugs, however, appear not to significantly affect theophylline clearance. Some are from the same therapeutic group as the drugs mentioned above and offer clinical alternatives for coadministration with theophylline. Examples of drugs not found to have a significant effect on theophylline pharmacokinetics are ranitidine, josamycin, midecamycin, amoxycillin, tetracycline, cephalexin, cefaclor, orciprenaline, metoprolol, antacids, medroxyprogesterone acetate, metoclopramide and metronidazole. Most of the drugs discussed in this review appear not to affect the volume of distribution of theophylline significantly.