cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lasting impact on memory of midlife exposure to exogenous and endogenous estrogens

We previously demonstrated that 40 days of prior midlife estradiol treatment results in enhanced spatial memory in aging ovariectomized rats long after termination of the estradiol treatment. Our current goal was to determine whether this benefit is due to lasting impacts on memory specifically of previous exogenous estradiol treatment or simply due to delaying cognitive deficits that occur following loss of ovarian hormones. Middle-aged rats were ovariectomized or underwent sham surgery. Ovariectomized rats received estradiol (Previous Estradiol) or vehicle (Previous Vehicle) implants. Rats undergoing sham surgery (Previous Intact) received vehicle implants. Forty days later, Previous Intact rats were ovariectomized, the other 2 groups underwent sham surgeries, and all implants were removed. Thus, no ovarian or exogenously administered hormones were present during behavior testing. Rats underwent 24 days of acquisition training on an 8-arm radial maze. Following acquisition and again 2 months later, rats were tested on delay trials, during which animals had to remember the location of food rewards across time delays inserted between fourth and fifth arm choices. During acquisition, rats that had previous extended exposure to exogenous estradiol (Previous Estradiol) and endogenous ovarian hormones (Previous Intact) significantly outperformed rats that did not experience extended hormone exposure (Previous Vehicle). However, during delays trials the Previous Estradiol group significantly outperformed both the Previous Vehicle and Previous Intact groups. Results demonstrate that whereas extended exposure to endogenous ovarian hormones may provide short-term cognitive benefits, midlife estradiol treatment following ovariectomy provides additional benefits that persist for months following termination of treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Response to Open Peer Commentaries on ''In Defense of 'Denial': Difficulty Knowing When Beliefs Are Unrealistic and Whether Unrealistic Beliefs Are Bad".

In our article, we argued that philosophical and practical challenges regarding “belief” and “accuracy of belief” make it difficult to determine when a patient is in denial, unrealistically optimis...
America’s Dark Theologian: The Religious Imagination of Stephen King

While there are a small selection of Stephen King’s novels that overtly address religion, such as Carrie (1975) and The Stand (1978; uncut ed. 1990), issues of morality, faith, and religion influen...
Politicizing Sex in Contemporary Africa: Homophobia in Malawi

Although sexual minorities in Africa continue to face harsh penalties for same-sex relationships, strong anti-homophobic resistance exists across the continent. This book systematically charts the emergence and effects of politicized homophobia in Malawi and shows how it has been used as a strategy by political elites to consolidate their moral and political authority, through punishing LGBT people and dividing social movements. Here, Ashley Currier pays particular attention to the impact of politicized homophobia on different social movements, specifically HIV/AIDS, human rights, LGBT rights, and women's rights movements. Her timely account intervenes in Afro-pessimist portrayals of the African continent as a hotbed of homophobia and unravels the tensions and contradictions underlying Western perceptions of Malawi. It shows that, in reality, many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people happily call Malawi home, in spite of heightened antigay vitriol that has generated unwanted visibility for them.
Allogeneic myeloma GVAX with lenalidomide in near complete remission to enhance progression free survival.

3082 Background: We have previously shown that lenalidomide (Len) can augment vaccine efficacy to the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), Prevnar. We now examine if vaccinating patients on Len in...
Upper extremity function in the free living environment of adults with traumatic brachial plexus injuries.

Abstract Transition of data acquisition out of the laboratory, into the real world offers a previously inaccessible perspective of physical function. This proves to be beneficial when assessing surgical intervention, especially after a traumatic brachial plexus injury (BPI) causing loss of motor function in an upper extremity (UE). Moving towards the use of real world data in clinical practice as an outcome measure, this study developed a method to report bilateral UE activity in patients with BPI. Three groups of ten subjects each participated in this study—healthy controls, subjects with traumatic BPI prior to surgical treatment (pre-), and subjects who had surgical reconstruction to treat BPI (post-). Subjects wore four activity monitors on bilateral forearms and upper arms for four days. Tri-axial acceleration data were used to calculate asymmetry indices for forearm and upper arm usage. Analysis revealed a bimodal distribution in the post- group, prompting division of this group into two subgroups based on injury type: pan-plexus and upper trunk. While median asymmetry indices at the forearm and upper arm were decreased in the post- group when compared to the pre- group, these differences were not significant. Compared to controls, the pre-surgery group (p
Kinetic effects of n-propylbenzene on n-dodecane counterflow nonpremixed cool flames

Abstract The development of alternative drop-in fuels and fuel blends with petroleum-derived fuels necessitate an understanding of the kinetic interactions between aromatics and alkanes for the development of advanced low-temperature combustion engines. In the present study, the role of aromatic chemistry on n-alkane low-temperature chemistry is investigated by using nitrogen-diluted nonpremixed cool flames of n-dodecane/n-propylbenzene blends in an atmospheric counterflow burner. Effects of aromatic addition on n-alkane reactivity are examined by fixing the concentration of n-dodecane while varying the ratio of nitrogen/n-propylbenzene. The cool flame structure is probed using formaldehyde laser-induced fluorescence and thermocouple thermometry, and measurements of the cool flame and hot flame extinction limits are obtained. Fundamental differences between the response of cool flame and hot flame heat release and radical production to stretch are also discussed. The results show that, while the specific heat release rate characterizes the burning intensity of a hot flame, the same is not true for a cool flame due to the competition between reactant leakage and negative temperature coefficient reactivity. It is also found that, contrary to hot flames, in cool flames the addition of n-propylbenzene promotes n-dodecane cool flame extinction. Kinetic analysis reveals that aromatics act as a sink of hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl radicals in cool flames by forming stable oxygenated aromatics due to the low flame temperatures. As a result, the low-temperature reactivity of n-dodecane is significantly inhibited by the addition of aromatics, even relative to inert substitution. The present experimental results are valuable for comprehensive chemical kinetic model development and validation.
Pancytopenia and Lymphoid Organ Hyperplasia in a Patient with Graves Disease: Response to Antithyroid Drug Therapy

ABSTRACT Objective: In rare instances, cytopenias manifest as a complication of thyrotoxicosis. Here, we report a case of Graves disease (GD) thyrotoxicosis presenting as pancytopenia that resolved...
Optimized commercial desktop cutter technique for rapid-prototyping of microfluidic devices and application to Taylor dispersion

Microfluidics provides a platform for efficient and transportable microanalysis, catalyzing advancements in fields such as biochemistry, materials science, and microbial ecology. While the analysis is cost-effective, standard device fabrication techniques are disproportionately expensive and specialized. A commercially available desktop cutting plotter provides an accessible method for rapidly fabricating microfluidic devices at extremely low costs. The optimized technique described in the present work enables fabrication of microchannels with dimensions as small as ∼100 μm. Straightness of channel walls is comparable to other common fabrication techniques but achieved here at a fraction of the cost and fabrication time. Solute dispersion experiments are performed using the rapidly prototyped channels to measure the effective dispersion coefficient in laminar flow through rectangular channels. The results of these experiments compare favorably to predictions from classical Taylor-Aris dispersion theory. This note provides all necessary tools for researchers and educators to seamlessly apply the desktop cutter fabrication technique. Materials list, fabrication instructions, and detailed channel characterization results are available in the supplementary material.
A Randomized-Controlled Pilot Study Comparing a One-Day and Four-Week Mindfulness-Based Group Intervention for Family Caregivers

Family caregivers can be at risk for emotional, mental, and physical health problems. The purpose of this study was to determine if brief mindfulness training was effective in reducing stress level...
Critical creative writing: a critical review: Critical creative writing: essential readings on the writer's craft, edited by Janelle Adsit, New York, Bloomsbury Academic, 2018, xiv + 296 pp., $32.36 (paperback), ISBN 9781350023321

This is a review of the collection of essays, edited by Janelle Adsit, titled Critical Creative Writing. This collection approaches various aspects of creative writing pedagogy regarding how to eng...
Growing Up in the Diaspora: South-Asian Children

In India today, more than 50% of its population is below the age of 25 (Censusindia 2017). Asian Indian communities settled in different regions of the world add to this statistic. While some of th...
Classification of humorous interactions with intelligent personal assistants

The study examined humorous interactions with intelligent personal assistants (IPAs, including Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Microsoft Cortana, Apple Siri) with the aim of classifying user uttera...
Energy conservation through cloned execution of simulations

High-performance computing facilities used for scientific computing draw enormous energy, some of them consuming many megawatt-hours. Saving the energy consumption of computations on such facilities can dramatically reduce the total cost of their operation and help reduce environmental effects. Here, we focus on a way to reduce energy consumption in many ensembles of simulations. Using the method of simulation cloning to exploit parallelism while also significantly conserving the computational and memory requirements, we perform a detailed empirical study of energy consumed on a large supercomputer consisting of hardware accelerator cards (graphical processing units, GPUs). We build on previous insights from mathematical analysis and implementation of cloned simulations that result in computational and memory savings by several orders-of-magnitude. Using instrumentation to track the power drawn by thousands of accelerator cards, we report significant aggregate energy savings from cloned simulations.
Law and Politics in International Relations: the case study of the historical development of the International Regime for the Law of the Sea

This contribution aims to develop a case study about the relationship between law and politics concerned to the Law of the Sea. The research posses the following objectives: from (i) a theoretical framework of the international relations, envisoning the relations between law and international politics; (ii) to analyse the historical development of the international regime for the Law of the Sea as a case study.
Challenges and Benefits of an Internet-Based Intervention With a Peer Support Component for Older Adults With Depression: Qualitative Analysis of Textual Data

Background: Technological interventions provide many opportunities for improving the health and quality of life of older adults. However, interaction with new technologies can also cause frustration. Although these themes have been explored in extant research, much remains to be learned with regard to how the challenges of aging and technology use and the experiences of participating in a social and learning environment are interrelated. Objective: This study aimed to perform a qualitative analysis of data collected from MoodTech, a pilot study of an internet-based intervention with a peer support component for older adults with symptoms of depression, to better understand the participants’ experience of using technological interventions, including the challenges and benefits that they experienced over the course of these interventions. Methods: We employed an inductive qualitative analysis method based on grounded theory methodology and interpretative phenomenological analysis to analyze participant textual data. These textual data were of 3 main types: (1) assignments in which participants challenged their negative thoughts, (2) status updates, and (3) comments in the peer support component of the intervention. Results: We have presented the results through 3 main themes: (1) the challenges of aging as seen through the participants’ comments, (2) the difficulties experienced by the participants in using MoodTech, and (3) the benefits they derived from participating. Conclusions: This paper offers several contributions concerning study participants’ experiences with internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) interventions with a peer support component and design considerations for developing complex technological interventions that support the challenges participants experience due to aging and cognitive difficulties. First, technical issues encountered by older adults within the context of the intervention can interact with and exacerbate the insecurities they experience in life, and it is important to consider how intervention components might be designed to mitigate these issues. Second, peer support can be employed as a mechanism to facilitate communication, support, and collaborative problem solving among participants in an intervention. The insights from this paper can inform the design of iCBT interventions for older adults. Trial Registration:
Dynamic goal processes: an agenda for interpersonal communication research

A longstanding tradition in communication research is that people have goals for communicative encounters. Communication research has evolved to better acknowledge that goals are malleable and can ...
Fighting for Their Future: An Exploratory Study of Online Community Building in the Youth Climate Change Movement

While offline iterations of the climate activism movement have spanned decades, today online involvement of youth through social media platforms has transformed the landscape of this social movement. Our research considers how youth climate activists utilize social media platforms to create and direct social movement communities towards greater collective action. Our project analyzes narrative framing and linguistic conventions to better understand how youth climate activists utilized Twitter to build community and mobilize followers around their movement. Our project identifies three emergent strategies, used by youth climate activists, that appear effective in engaging activist communities on Twitter. These strategies demonstrate the power of digital culture, and youth culture, in creating a collective identity within a diverse generation. This fusion of digital and physical resistance is an essential component of the youth climate activist strategy and may play a role in the future of emerging social movements.
Nociceptive stress interferes with neural processing of cognitive stimuli in Gulf War Veterans with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Abstract Aims Disrupted cognition and chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) are prevalent experiences among Gulf War Veterans (GWV). A negative association between CMP and cognition (i.e., chronic pain-related cognitive interference) has been observed in some chronic pain populations but has not been evaluated in GWV. Additional research suggests that disrupted cognition in GWV with CMP may be exacerbated by stressing the nociceptive system. Therefore, we compared cognitive performance and related neural activity between CMP and healthy control (CO) GWV in the absence and presence of experimental pain. Main methods During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Veterans (CMP = 29; CO = 27) completed cognitive testing via congruent and incongruent conditions of a modified Stroop task (Stroop-only). A random subset (CMP = 13; CO = 13) also completed cognitive testing with experimental pain (Pain+Stroop). Yuen's modified t-test and robust mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA) models were used for analyzing cognitive performance data. Independent t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA models were employed for fMRI data with thresholding for multiple-comparisons (p 320 mm3). Key findings Functional MRI analysis revealed significant between-group differences for the incongruent but not congruent-Stroop run. Neither correct responses nor reaction time differed between groups in either Stroop condition (all p ≥ 0.21). Significant group (CMP, CO) by run (Stroop-only, Pain+Stroop) interactions revealed greater neural responses in CMP Veterans during Pain+Stroop runs. No significant interactions were observed for correct responses or reaction time (p ≥ 0.31). Significance GWV with CMP require a greater amount of neural resources to sustain cognitive performance during nociceptive stress.
Manual Versus Semi-Automated Measurement of Geographic Atrophy Area in Eyes With Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose To investigate the agreement between and correlation of manual and semi-automated area measurements of geographic atrophy (GA) in eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using Heidelberg Eye Explorer and ImageJ software. Methods Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) images of eyes with GA secondary to AMD were analyzed. Two graders measured the atrophic area using Heidelberg Eye Explorer manual and semi-automated (RegionFinder) software, as well as ImageJ manual and semi-automated (Color Threshold) software. Results Fifty-four FAF images were analyzed. The mean (SD) areas were 10.55 (11.4) mm2 and 9.6 (9.8) mm2 using the Heidelberg manual and semi-automated tools, respectively. The mean (SD) areas were 11.04 (12.25) mm2 and 9.75 (10.3) mm2 using ImageJ manual and semi-automated tools, respectively. Compared with the semi-automated Heidelberg RegionFinder (gold standard) area measurements, Bland-Altman plots showed mean differences of 0.96 mm2, 1.4 mm2, and 0.16 mm2 with manual Heidelberg, manual ImageJ, and semi-automated ImageJ measurements, respectively. Homogeneous GA lesions showed less disparity in area measurements across modalities compared with non-homogeneous lesions. Conclusions ImageJ appears to be a reliable tool for GA area measurements when proprietary OCT software is unavailable. Manual measurements with Heidelberg Eye Explorer and ImageJ were comparable, as were semi-automated measurements with Heidelberg RegionFinder and ImageJ Color Threshold. Translational Relevance Novel GA measurement techniques using open-source software appear to be comparable to established techniques using proprietary platform-specific software, which may permit more widespread analysis of GA progression from multiple platforms and databases.
A 31-Year-Old Pregnant Woman With Asthma, Presenting With Worsening Dyspnea, Wheeze, and Hoarseness

Case Presentation A 31-year-old woman (gravida 3 and para 1-0-1-1 at 20 weeks gestation) was admitted to the hospital for a presumed acute asthma exacerbation. She had a history of severe persistent asthma since childhood. She described her symptoms as progressively worsening since the beginning of her pregnancy. In addition to her dyspnea and wheeze, both of which occurred at rest and with exertion, she complained of worsening hoarseness and mild dysphagia of solid foods over the week before admission. Her primary care provider treated her with a combined corticosteroid and long-acting beta-agonist inhaler, albuterol inhaler and nebulizer, azithromycin, and two courses of prednisone without improvement. Her allergist performed a handheld spirometry 2 months before admission that was repeated 3 weeks later in the office. She had a social history of alcohol dependence but had been sober for 9 months. She was a former one-pack-per-day smoker but quit 20 weeks before admission and used marijuana occasionally. She had no known occupational or inhalation exposures.
Modifying Laerdal Patient Simulators for Anterior-Posterior Defibrillation using Live Energy with Zoll R Series Defibrillators

Background/Problem: Most high-technology simulation manikins are designed for use with anterolateral defibrillation electrode pad placement. Our Center had a need to train with live electrical energy while maintaining all features and fidelity available with the simulator. When a new defibrillator device was introduced to the organization, existing anterolateral placement was no longer used and there was a need to teach with anterior/posterior electrode pad placement. There were no simulation manikins in the organization’s inventory that would accommodate this function. Solution: Using a recently decommissioned Laerdal Medical Resusci Anne Simulator capable of being defibrillated, cardioverted, and paced, the manikin was redesigned as a prototype to use existing simulator manufacturer parts supplemented by locally produced parts to permit anterior/lateral electrode pad placement and use of live energy from the new defibrillators used in the organization. Discussion: While training electrodes combined with inline rhythm generators work well in many situations and are capable of achieving learning objectives specific to those situations, the need for a higher level of realism (fidelity) using real electrode pads and using the defibrillator as intended were a requirement for many other user groups. The prototype unit was designed to safely interact with the real defibrillator and real electrode pads to provide the highest level of realism in practice. Extensive safety testing was conducted to ensure the manikin still functioned well within all performance specifications. Outcome: After several weeks of consistent use, the redesigned simulator is working well with positive faculty and user feedback. Since them several other manikins, including Laerdal Medical SimJunior Simulators, have been converted to accept anterior/posterior electrode pad placement.
Sulfide Solubilities in Buffered Systems from 400 to 600°C and 0.5 to 2 Kb and Depositional Implications

Experimental studies have been conducted on the solubility of iron and other base metal sulfides in chloride solutions equilibrated with a synthetic quartz monzonite plus assemblages in the Fe-Cu-S-O system. Extraction vessel and cold-seal techniques were used. Most experimentation was on the pyrrhotite-pyrite-magnetite buffer for fixing fS2 and fO2, but K feldspar-muscovite-quartz controlled hydrogen ion activity in all cases. At 1 m total chloride and 1 kb, iron concentrations in a system containing only Fe as the base metal were 1,000 ± 150, 7,000 ± 700, 12,400 ± 1,000 and 14,000 ± 1,200 ppm at 400, 500, 600, and 700°C respectively. At 500°C different Cl− concentrations, pressures, and additional buffers in the Fe-Cu-S-O system were investigated. Pb and Zn concentrations at 500°C and 1 kb on po-py-mt in a system containing galena, sphalerite, molybdenite, silver sulfide and chalcopyrite, were both about 2,450 ± 500 ppm, and Fe was decreased to about 4,100 ppm. Cu, Mo and Ag were present in very low to trace concentrations, on the order of 10 to 100 ppm. Major controls on mineral solubilities are total chloride and pressure, as well as temperature. Although the data show considerable variation, at 2 m Cl−, 500°C and 1 kb, Fe concentration is increased to approximately 20,000 ppm in the pure Fe system. Similarly, at 1 m Cl and 2 kb it is decreased to about 1,700 ppm and at 0.5 kb it is increased to about 14,000 ppm. Similar relations were observed for Pb and Zn.
Blackbrush, Coleogyne ramosissima, Propagation and Revegetation

The focus of this research is two-fold. First it is to develop a methodology for the asexual production of blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima Torr.) propagules. Furthermore, these propagules are to be evaluated for their use in revegetation of disturbed areas within Canyonlands National Park.
Electrode and Insulation Materials in Magnetohydrodynamic Generators

The operation and service environment of open and closed cycle MED generators is described. The performance characteristics of candidate electrode and insulation materials and their peculiar limitations with respect to conductivity, mechanical and electrochemical erosion, thermal shock resistance, maximum allowable surface temperature, compositional stability (polarization and contamination), thermionic emission, and overall service life are discussed. Special emphasis is given to problems associated with the performance of various ceramic insulators and electrodes used in open cycle generators. Recommendations for research studies on specific ceramic compositions and systems showing potential as MED generator channel materials are offered.
The Evolution of the Systems Approach in Human Factors Engineering: From the Viewpoint of an Engineering Psychologist

The history of human factors engineering is traced from the beginnings of mankind through the several phases of the industrial revolution. An attempt is made to show that as man's interactions with...
The SH2 domain of P210BCR/ABL is not required for the transformation of hematopoietic factor-dependent cells

Src-homology region 2 (SH2) domains, by binding to tyrosine-phosphorylated sequences, mediate specific protein-protein interactions important in diverse signal transduction pathways. Previous studies have shown that activated forms of the Abl tyrosine kinase, including P210BCR/ABL of human chronic myelogenous leukemia, require the SH2 domain for the transformation of fibroblasts. To determine whether SH2 is also required for Bcr/Abl to transform hematopoietic cells, we have studied two SH2 domain mutations in P210BCR/ABL: a point mutation in the conserved FLVRES motif (P210/R1033K), which interferes with phosphotyrosine-binding by SH2, and a complete deletion of SH2 (P210/delta SH2). Despite a negative effect on intrinsic Abl kinase activity, both P210 SH2 mutants were still able to transform the hematopoietic factor-dependent cell lines Ba/F3 and FDC-P1 to growth factor independence. Unexpectedly, both mutants showed greater transforming activity than wild-type P210 in a quantitative transformation assay, probably as a consequence of increased stability of the SH2 mutant proteins in vivo. Cells transformed by both P210 SH2 mutants were leukemogenic in synaptic mice and P210/r1053K mice exhibited a distinct disease phenotype, reminiscent of that induced by v-Abl. These results demonstrate that while the Abl SH2 domain is essential for BCR/ABL transformation of fibroblasts, it is dispensable for the transformation of hematopoietic factor-dependent cell lines.
Deferred Compensation and the Supreme Court

This article responds to arguments that deferred compensation agreements are an unwarranted form of tax avoidance and that a regrettable dichotomy has arisen between the decisions of the Supreme Court and the lower federal courts in this area. This, however is not true, for the accounting provisions under Section 446(b) provide an adequate means of checking any abuse that may arise in the area of deferred compensation. Lucas v. Earl and United States v. Basye do not negate Supreme Court jurisdiction over either the income tax law or deferred compensation arrangements.
Probabilistic paths for protein complex inference

Understanding how individual proteins are organized into complexes and pathways is a significant current challenge. We introduce new algorithms to infer protein complexes by combining seed proteins with a confidence-weighted network. Two new stochastic methods use averaging over a probabilistic ensemble of networks, and the new deterministic method provides a deterministic ranking of prospective complex members. We compare the performance of these algorithms with three existing algorithms. We test algorithm performance using three weighted graphs: a naive Bayes estimate of the probability of a direct and stable protein-protein interaction; a logistic regression estimate of the probability of a direct or indirect interaction; and a decision tree estimate of whether two proteins exist within a common protein complex. The best-performing algorithms in these trials are the new stochastic methods. The deterministic algorithm is significantly faster, whereas the stochastic algorithms are less sensitive to the weighting scheme.
Effects of different cereal grains and ractopamine hydrochloride on performance, carcass characteristics, and fat quality in late-finishing pigs

Forty-eight barrows and forty-eight gilts (PIC 337 sires x PIC C22 dams) were evaluated to determine the effects of feeding ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) and different cereal grains on the carcass and fat quality in late finishing pigs. The study was carried out using four replicates with 24 animals in each replicate (four pigs per pen, six pens per replicate, two replicates per slaughter date, 12 pens per slaughter date). Treatments for the experiment included corn, wheat, and barley (early finisher period); and corn, corn + RAC, wheat, wheat + RAC, barley, and barley + RAC for the late finisher period. Ractopamine was fed at the level of 10 mg/kg (as-fed basis) of feed. Pigs were allotted to early finisher period treatments at approximately 45 kg BW. Pigs were then given late finisher period treatments at approximately 80 kg BW and fed for 28 d. The dietary digestible lysine level for all diets was maintained at 2.7 g/Mcal of ME. Pigs fed the wheat and corn diets during the late finisher period had a greater (P <0.05) G:F than those fed the barley diets. Pigs fed diets with RAC had lower (P <0.05) leaf fat weights, 10th-rib fat, last-rib fat, and belly firmness and had improved (P <0.05) dressing percents and loin muscle areas compared with those not receiving RAC. Pigs fed the wheat diets had a greater (P <0.05) dressing percent than those receiving the barley diets, but pigs fed the barley diets had a higher (P <0.05) Minolta L* for fat color than pigs fed wheat. Pigs fed diets containing RAC produced pork that was less tender (P <0.05) compared with pigs that did not receive RAC. Linoleic acid percent values were higher (P <0.05) for pigs fed diets with RAC than in those that did not. Feeding RAC improved G:F and lowered feed intake of pigs during the late finisher period (P <0.05). Feeding diets equal in lysine (2.7 g/Mcal of ME) but varying in ME, whether based on corn, wheat, or barley with or without RAC, had little to no effect on carcass, meat, or fat quality attributes.
Avoiding the First Amendment's Crosshairs: Revisiting Precedents and Refining Arguments in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association

An analysis and critique of the legal strategies employed by the state of California in the context of first amendment law as related to video games.
NONENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS OF COCAINE VIA INTRAMOLECULAR ACID CATALYSIS

The spontaneous hydrolysis of the methyl-ester group of cocaine (1) in vivo contributes to the metabolic clearance of the drug in man. Neighboring-group participation by the tropane N-atom of cocaine in this hydrolysis was suggested by the normal stability of the methyl-ester groups of pseudococaine and N-acylnorcocaine. For cocaine, the relative rate of methyl-ester to benzoyl-ester hydrolysis was ca. 10:1 at pH≤7.4, and, although absolute rates increased with increasing pH, their ratio collapsed at pH>pKa (8.6). These data are consistent with intramolecular acid catalysis of alkaline hydrolysis of the cocaine methyl-ester group under physiologic conditions.
Mass Spectrometric Characterization of a Discontinuous Epitope of the HIV Envelope Protein HIV-gp120 Recognized by the Human Monoclonal Antibody 1331A

The characterization of a discontinuous epitope in the C5 region of the HIV envelope protein HIV-gp120, recognized by 1331A, a human mAb, is reported. Regions involved in affinity binding in the HIV-gp120 molecule were identified by epitope excision/extraction methods followed by matrix assisted laser desorption-time of flight mass spectrometry. In epitope excision, the protein is bound in its native conformation to an immobilized Ab and then digested with proteolytic enzymes. In epitope extraction, the protein is first digested and subsequently allowed to react with the Ab. A series of proteolytic digestions of the 1331A/HIV-gp120 complex allowed the identification of protected amino acids in two noncontinuous regions of the C5 region of HIV-gp120. Interaction of the Ab with amino acids I487 and E507 of HIV-gp120 is essential for efficient binding. This is the first application of this approach for the identification and characterization of a discontinuous epitope. The results are consistent with molecular modeling results, indicating that these amino acids are located on opposite sides of a hydrophobic pocket. This pocket is thought to be of importance for the interaction of HIV-gp120 with the transmembrane protein HIV-gp41.
A high efficiency RF quadrupole ion beam cooler for negative ions

A gas-filled RF quadrupole ion beam cooler has been significantly improved for cooling negative ion beams. Electron detachment plays a significant role in determining the transmission of negative ions. It has been suggested that collisions with the residual buffer gas in the deceleration and injection region of the ion beam cooler, where the ions still possess relatively large energies, could result in substantial losses in negative ions due to electron detachment. The ion beam cooler is modified to improve the pumping conductance in the quadrupole entrance region for effectively removing the buffer gas and minimizing the residual gas escaping to the deceleration and injection region. This significantly reduces the collisions encountered by the ions before they are retarded to energies below the threshold for electron detachment. Overall transmission efficiencies of more than 50% have been obtained with the modified cooler for some negative ions.
Susceptibility to Anthrax Lethal Toxin-Induced Rat Death Is Controlled by a Single Chromosome 10 Locus That Includes rNlrp1

Anthrax lethal toxin (LT) is a bipartite protease-containing toxin and a key virulence determinant of Bacillus anthracis. In mice, LT causes the rapid lysis of macrophages isolated from certain inbred strains, but the correlation between murine macrophage sensitivity and mouse strain susceptibility to toxin challenge is poor. In rats, LT induces a rapid death in as little as 37 minutes through unknown mechanisms. We used a recombinant inbred (RI) rat panel of 19 strains generated from LT-sensitive and LT-resistant progenitors to map LT sensitivity in rats to a locus on chromosome 10 that includes the inflammasome NOD-like receptor (NLR) sensor, Nlrp1. This gene is the closest rat homolog of mouse Nlrp1b, which was previously shown to control murine macrophage sensitivity to LT. An absolute correlation between in vitro macrophage sensitivity to LT-induced lysis and animal susceptibility to the toxin was found for the 19 RI strains and 12 additional rat strains. Sequencing Nlrp1 from these strains identified five polymorphic alleles. Polymorphisms within the N-terminal 100 amino acids of the Nlrp1 protein were perfectly correlated with LT sensitivity. These data suggest that toxin-mediated lethality in rats as well as macrophage sensitivity in this animal model are controlled by a single locus on chromosome 10 that is likely to be the inflammasome NLR sensor, Nlrp1.
A comparison of the virus-specific polypeptides of encephalomyocarditis virus, human rhinovirus-1A, and poliovirus☆

Abstract Encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus, human rhinovirus-1A (HRV-1A), and poliovirus are each representatives of a different, major subgroup of the picornaviruses. In this comparative study the patterns of biosynthesis of the virus-specific polypeptides of these three viruses were examined in detail. The molecular weight and molar ratio of each polypeptide and the genetic map of each virus were determined, and the kinetics of cleavage of the analogous precursor polypeptides were contrasted. Previous work has shown that there are three main families of EMC virus-specific polypeptides. Translation of the EMC viral ribonucleic acid generates at least three primary products, polypeptides A, F, and C. Polypeptide A undergoes successive cleavages to produce the four major capsid polypeptides. Polypeptide F is stable. Polypeptide C cleaves to form polypeptide D, which in turn cleaves to form polypeptide E. Evolutionary pressures on these viruses have resulted in extensive differences in the antigenicity of the virions. In addition, it was found that each profile had polypeptides that were unique to that particular virus, and the kinetic studies revealed that analogous cleavages proceeded at extensively different rates. However, as judged by these studies with EMC virus, HRV-1A, and poliovirus, the general mechanism of synthesis, size, and genetic order of the three main families of polypeptides remain the same.
Discovering the discovery of Linguistic Geometry

Linguistic Geometry (LG) is a type of game theory for extensive discrete games scalable to the level of real life defense systems. This scalability is based on changing the paradigm for game solving—from search to construction. LG was developed by generalizing experiences of the advanced chess players. LG is a formal model of human reasoning about armed conflict, a mental reality “hard-wired” in the human brain. It appears that this algorithm, an evolutionary product of millions of years of human warfare, served in its turn as the principle mover for evolution of human intelligence. Its special role in human history and its relationship to the Primary Language of the human brain (as introduced by J. Von Neumann) suggest that the experiences of development of LG must be instructive for solving another major puzzle, discovering the Algorithm of Discovery. This algorithm should be an ancient component of the Primary Language as well. This paper refining our experiences of discovering LG reports the first results of this research.
Exclusion of cyanate as intermediate in ornithine transcarbamoylase action

Abstract The failure of cyanate to dilute [14C]carbamoyl phosphate during citrulline formation with ornithine transcarbamoylase (carbamoyl phosphate:L-ornithine carbamoyltransferase, EC 2.1.3.3) excludes the participation of cyanate in the reaction which seems to proceed by a single displacement mechanism.
The Accumulation and Elimination of Tissue Residues after Feeding Pentachloronitrobenzene to White Leghorn Cockerels

Abstract Day-old White Leghorn cockerels were fed graded levels (10, 50, 100, and 1000 ppm) of pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB) containing pentachlorobenzene (PCB), tetrachloronitrobenzene (TCNB), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) as trace contaminants, for 12 weeks. Bioaccumulation of PCNB and its metabolites in tissues does not appear to occur to any major extent. The contaminants of PCNB, HCB, and PCB were found to accumulate to a greater degree in adipose tissue than does PCNB itself. TCNB was also detected in adipose tissue and in trace amounts in other tissues. PCNB accumulated to the highest concentration in body fat followed by gizzard and kidney. Only traces of PCNB were found in heart, liver, leg, and heart muscle. Metabolites, pentachloroaniline (PCA), and pentachlorophenylmethylsulfide (PCMS) were found in only trace quantities following the feeding of 1000 ppm PCNB. Half-life values for the depletion of the contaminants of PCNB, PCB, and HCB were determined in adipose tissue of cockerels; values as high as 53 and 95 days were found for PCB and HCB, respectively.
Measurement of the Deformation of Silicon Substrates Coated with a Plasma-Polymerized Acrylonitrile Film

A sensitive interferometric method is employed to quantify the deformation of silicon substrates coated with thin plasma-polymerized acrylonitrile film deposited at room temperature. This provides insight into the structural variation of plasma polymerized films.
A theoretical framework for knowledge transfer in process redesign

Business process redesign has become commonplace in today's organizations. A frequently overlooked consequence of process redesign is the learning barriers it creates for individuals who have to change the way they perform their work tasks. One way to overcome these barriers is through a process of knowledge transfer, wherein individuals apply their knowledge of existing work tasks to learn new work tasks. While transfer may facilitate learning through reuse of existing knowledge, it may also impede learning. Drawing on theories of task knowledge and analogical learning, this paper presents a task script framework and associated research propositions for knowledge transfer in process redesign. The framework is illustrated in the context of a real-world example, and implications for research and practice are discussed.
Phase I study of 2'-3'-dideoxyinosine administered orally twice daily to patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex and hematologic intolerance to zidovudine.

Abstract purpose: To evaluate the safety and hematologic tolerance of 2′-3′-dideoxyinosine (didanosine, ddI) in subjects with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex and prior hematologic intolerance to zidovudine. patients and methods: A Phase I trial with two dose groups at a single-center, universityaffiliated hospital ambulatory care center. Of 30 subjects enrolled, 21 had AIDS and nine had AIDS-related complex. All had CD4 lymphocyte counts less than 0.2 × 10 9 /L at entry. Didanosine was administered orally twice daily at a total daily dose of 750 mg or 1,500 mg for 12 weeks. Subjects who completed the 12-week study continued to receive ddI at the lower dose. All subjects were monitored for toxicity. Virologic and immunologic response markers were also measured. results: For the group as a whole, there was no significant decrease in mean hemoglobin level or leukocyte or platelet counts. The dose-limiting toxicity was peripheral neuropathy. Other significant toxicities included pancreatitis and hypocalcemia. Uric acid elevations were common but were without clinical consequence. A sustained decrease in serum p24 antigen of at least 50% was noted in 42% of subjects who were p24 antigen-positive at entry. The mean CD4 lymphocyte count showed an initial increase that was not sustained over the 12-week study. All subjects remained anergic to skin testing. conclusions: Didanosine is well tolerated hematologically in some patients with prior significant hematologic intolerance to zidovudine. The toxicity profile for ddI differs from that of zidovudine and includes peripheral neuropathy and pancreatitis. Changes in CD4 lymphocyte number and HIV p24 antigen levels in some patients suggest antiviral activity of ddI in this population.
A Method of Producing a Square Wave of Radio Frequency

A radio-frequency square wave, suitable for the measurement of the mobility of ions, has been obtained by using a circuit containing three vacuum tubes. The first tube operates as an oscillator. The potential of the second tube, which operates as a rectifier, is controlled by the grid circuit coil of the oscillator. The third tube is connected so that the plate current will be cut off during the half period when the rectified current is flowing in the plate circuit of tube 2. The rise of the voltage of the square wave is approximately exponential, due to the charge on the grid and the plate of tubes 2 and 3, which must be discharged through a resistance which couples the plate circuit of tube 2 to the grid of tube 3. A cathode ray oscillograph tube indicates that the voltage rises to approximately its maximum value in 1/10 of the half period. A square wave of 120 volts may be obtained with Western Electric "E" tubes. Three methods of amplification are given by which a square wave with a very much larger voltage may be obtained.
Parallel multiple-time-step molecular dynamics with three-body interaction

Abstract For particles interacting via two- and three-body potentials, a domain-decomposition algorithm is used to implement molecular dynamics (MD) on distributed memory MIMD (multiple-instruction multiple-data) computers. The algorithm employs the linked-cell-list method and separable three-body force calculation. The force calculation is accelerated by the multiple-time-step (MTS) method. For a 1.54 million particle SiO 2 system, the MD program runs at a speed of 660 time steps per hour (1100 steps/h without the three-body interaction) on a 64-node Intel iPSC/860. The parallel algorithm is highly efficient (parallel efficiency = 0.973), as it involves only 3% communication overhead. Utilizing the second derivatives of the potential energy, the conjugate-gradient search for a local minimum underlying an MD configuration is accelerated by a factor of 13.
On Becoming Allies: A Qualitative Study of Lesbian-, Gay-, and Bisexual-Affirmative Counselor Training

The authors present a qualitative analysis of a process by which a research team of counselors-in-training confronted their heterosexist biases while investigating heterosexual attitudes toward sexual minorities. Members of the research team discovered that it was essential to reflect on and evaluate their attitudes, assumptions, and biases before they could conduct scientific research about affirmative attitudes toward lesbian, gay male, and bisexual male and female individuals. Self-reflective narratives written by each research team member were analyzed using consensual qualitative research methodology. Results yielded 10 general categories or themes. Implications for counseling theory, training, and future research are discussed.
Macroeconomic antecedents to U.S. investment in Latin America

Abstract The last decade witnessed a significant increase in the flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) into developing countries, particularly in Latin America. This increase is likely to continue as multinational corporations look for new markets and profitable opportunities to serve or produce abroad. The growth of FDI in the region calls for a search of the different antecedents of U.S. FDI inflows into Latin America. Knowing the different antecedents of FDI in the region is beneficial at a time a diversity of trade agreements are taking place while others wait for official signatures. A movement towards bilateral and multilateral trade agreements includes the U.S. The U.S. has come to play an important role in terms of expanding the horizon of what would constitute the free trade area of the Americas (FTAA). This study investigates the antecedents of U.S. FDI into Latin American countries, while paying special attention to the relationship between trade agreements and FDI inflows. This study also investigates concern for the foreign exchange market as a source of uncertainty to FDI. The empirical investigation uses a fixed effects panel data model to maximize degrees of freedom and to control for cross-country and inter-temporal heterogeneity.
The role of peripheral nerve surgery in the treatment of chronic pain associated with amputation stumps.

Background:Debilitating pain following amputation surgery can seriously affect the long-term success of the operation and the patient’s quality of life. Often, such patients are unable to ambulate because of pain when using a prosthesis; become grouped in the chronic pain category; and are treated w