cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Friedelin and related compounds—V: The action of N-bromosuccinimide on friedelin and derivatives

Abstract Friedelin gives 4α-bromofriedelin on treatment with N-bromosuccinimide. 2α-Bromofriedelin, 4α-bromofriedelin and friedelane are preferentially oxidized to the corresponding Δ18-olefins.
Fast algorithm for connected row convex constraints

Many interesting tractable problems are identified under the model of Constraint Satisfaction Problems. These problems are usually solved by forcing a certain level of local consistency. In this paper, for the class of connected row convex constraints, we propose a novel algorithm which is based on the ideas of variable elimination and efficient composition of row convex and connected constraints. Compared with the existing work including randomized algorithms, the new algorithm has better worst case time and space complexity.
Membrane Transporters in Drug Disposition

Many clinically used drugs and their metabolites as well as a variety of environmental toxins are organic cations at physiologic pH. Secretion in the renal proximal tubule constitutes a major pathway in the elimination of organic cations. In this report, the results of studies recently performed in this laboratory are presented. First, the molecular cloning of a novel splice variant of organic cation transporter from rat kidney (rOCTIA) is described. The functional characteristics of the transporter are discussed along with the implications of RNA splicing in enhancing transporter diversity. Second, the molecular cloning of the first human organic cation transporter (hOCTI) is described. Distinct interspecies differences in the tissue distribution and function of this transporter is presented. These studies have paved the way for elucidating molecular structure function relationships of organic cation transporters and for determining their physiologic role in drug absorption and elimination. The cloned transporters can be used in mammalian expression systems for screening candidate compounds identified during drug discovery and development and in the in vivo prediction of the pharmacokinetics of therapeutic agents.
Space observations of aerosols and ozone; Proceedings of the Topical Meeting, Ottawa, Canada, May 16-June 2, 1982

The measurement of aerosols from space is discussed, taking into account the role of aerosols in climate, instrumentation and further measurement systems, retrieval procedures, measurements and observations, ground truth measurements, and effects on remote sensing and on climate. Aspects of ozone variability in the middle atmosphere are explored, giving attention to the quasi-biennial oscillation in equatorial stratospheric temperatures and total ozone, global pictures on the ozone field from high altitudes from DE-1, measurements of atmospheric ozone from aircraft and from balloons, a mesospheric ozone profile at sunset, periodic and aperiodic ozone variations in the middle and upper stratosphere, solar eclipse induced variations in mesospheric ozone concentrations, and solar UV and ozone balloon measurements. The determination of aerosol optical depth is considered along with a method for estimating cross radiance.
Homogeneous Directed Graphs. The Imprimitive Case

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the homogeneous directed graphs, which fall naturally into three families: deficient, imprimitive, and freely generated. The imprimitive ones are classified in the chapter. A relational system ‘H’ is said to be homogeneous if any isomorphism between two of its finite substructures is induced by an automorphism of H. The stable homogeneous structures for a fixed finite relational language fall into finitely many families, with the isomorphism type of the structures within a family determined by rather trivial numerical invariants. In particular, there are only many countable stable homogeneous structures for a given finite relational language.
A Preliminary Analysis of Atlanta’s Performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress

The Atlanta Public Schools system has been rocked by a series of reports documenting widespread cheating on the Georgia state tests. Its reputation, and that of its leaders, has come into question. In response, former superintendent Hall asserts that, despite any cheating, the city’s students made “real and dramatic” progress during her tenure and cites the district’s trends on NAEP as part of her evidence (Hall, 2011). In this report, I analyze Atlanta’s performance on NAEP during the 2000s to assess this contention. I use diverse indicators: district trends, national comparisons, grade equivalents, and percentages of students achieving proficiency. My preliminary assessment is that Atlanta’s progress has been limited and, in many cases, slowed. In spite of a decade of effort, Atlanta’s students still lag 1-2 years behind national averages and vast percentages do not even reach NAEP’s basic level. Less than a fourth of its 4th and 8th graders achieve proficiency, a key national goal; in some subjects and grades, it is as few as a tenth. At current rates, it will take from 50 to 110 years to bring all students to proficiency. Such findings raise profound questions about current approaches to school reform, including No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. The emphasis on targets and testing is failing and has contributed to cheating across the nation. More fundamentally, it has greatly distorted teaching and undermined authentic learning. While test tampering is a serious problem, we need to re-conceptualize what we mean by cheating. Every day, test-driven, bureaucratically controlled institutions are cheating tens of millions of students out of a genuine education. That is the real scandal.
Sensory conflict theory and space sickness: our changing perspective

Motion sickness is a well-known nausea and vomiting syndrome whose physical signs include vomiting and retching, pallor, cold sweating, yawning, belching, flatulence, and decreased gastric tonus. Subjective symptoms include stomach discomfort, nausea, headache, feeling of warmth, and drowsiness. The research literature has been well reviewed (1-7). Over the past hundred years, our perspective on the kinds of sensory stimulation that can cause motion sickness has broadened considerably. Originally it was assumed that motion sickness can only be caused by motion and is due to mechanical stimulation of visceral afferents or changes in cerebral blood flow caused by body motion. It was eventually recognized that people who have no inner ear balance organ function are totally immune, indicating that the malady results specifically from vestibular over-stimulation. However, by 1970 it became apparent that a more comprehensive etiologic framework was needed: some forms of motion sickness were recognized in which head and body motion is normal (that is, spectacle sickness, space sickness) or even absent (flight simulator and Cinerama sickness). We experience vigorous vestibular stimulation when we run, jump, or dance, but these activities almost never make us sick. Claremont (8) had originally suggested that mo-
Increasing arousal enhances inhibitory control in calm but not excitable dogs

The emotional-reactivity hypothesis proposes that problem-solving abilities can be constrained by temperament, within and across species. One way to test this hypothesis is with the predictions of the Yerkes-Dodson law. The law posits that arousal level, a component of temperament, affects problem solving in an inverted U-shaped relationship: Optimal performance is reached at intermediate levels of arousal and impeded by high and low levels. Thus, a powerful test of the emotional-reactivity hypothesis is to compare cognitive performance in dog populations that have been bred and trained based in part on their arousal levels. We therefore compared a group of pet dogs to a group of assistance dogs bred and trained for low arousal (N = 106) on a task of inhibitory control involving a detour response. Consistent with the Yerkes-Dodson law, assistance dogs, which began the test with lower levels of baseline arousal, showed improvements when arousal was artificially increased. In contrast, pet dogs, which began the test with higher levels of baseline arousal, were negatively affected when their arousal was increased. Furthermore, the dogs' baseline levels of arousal, as measured in their rate of tail wagging, differed by population in the expected directions. Low-arousal assistance dogs showed the most inhibition in a detour task when humans eagerly encouraged them, while more highly aroused pet dogs performed worst on the same task with strong encouragement. Our findings support the hypothesis that selection on temperament can have important implications for cognitive performance.
Walking pilgrimage as caritas action in the world.

This essay draws on the personal experiences of a spiritual pilgrimage in northern Spain. Using pilgrimage as metaphor and the experience of walking a portion of the famous Spanish El Camino, (the way), the author raises questions such as: How do we walk through life? How do we get our footing to bring artistry of caring into our lives and work and world? What steps do we take that speak to who we are and our raison d'etre? This perspective is grounded in Newman's health as evolving consciousness, Rogers's science of unitary being, Quinn's view of sacred space, and Watson's caritas (cosmic loving consciousness) as the highest form of consciousness, and the infinite source of healing/wholeness. A walking spiritual pilgrimage serves as metaphoric invitation for nurses and nursing to engage in conscious, creative, artful steps, imprinting self and society with caritas in our lives, our work, and our world.
Toward a framework of “athlete citizenship” in professional sport through authentic community stakeholder engagement

Purpose – While there is extant research regarding corporate citizenship, the literature negates the micro level of analysis as it only concentrates on macro and/or meso levels. Utilizing sport as a context, more specifically, professional athletes, the purpose of this paper is to introduce a concept termed athlete citizenship. The author defines athlete citizenship as the manner in which a professional athlete conducts himself or herself (on and away from competition) and makes a positive impact on society. The author centralizes community stakeholder engagement as one method of exemplifying athlete citizenship qualities. In doing so, the author attempts to provide professional athletes and their managers with a framework to engage community stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – Given the scope of what is asked of professional athletes in the current age, the author adopts Sequeira and Warner's (2007) framework on how organizations can engage community stakeholders and applies it to professional at...
Altered pressure flow relationship in the diabetic foot

Abstract This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between blood pressure and flow to the foot of diabetics as compared with a control nondiabetic population matched in age and degree of macrovascular disease involvement. Nineteen nondiabetic controls and 20 diabetic patients were investigated. The diabetic group was further subdivided into long (greater than 10 years) and short (less than 10 years) duration of disease. Foot blood flow was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography at rest and during reactive hyperemia. Systolic blood pressure at the ankle and great toe was assessed by noninvasive techniques. Peripheral resistance at rest and during hyperemia was clearly increased in the diabetic group when compared with the control subjects. In addition, for an equal level of foot blood pressure, the diabetics exhibited a lesser flow response compared to their nondiabetic counterparts. The changes were more marked in the long duration diabetic subgroup.
Cyclic 3',5'-AMP phosphodiesterase in Physarum polycephalum. I. Chemotaxis toward inhibitors and cyclic nucleotides.

Abstract The effect of several inhibitors of the enzyme cyclic 3′,5′-AMP phosphodiesterase as chemoattractants in Physarum polycephalum was examined. Of the compounds tested, 4-(3-butoxy-4-methoxybenzyl)-2-imidazolidinone (Roche 20-1724/001) and 1-ethyl-4-(isopropylidinehydrazino)-1H-pyrazolo-(3,4-b)-pyridine-5-carboxylic acid ethyl ester, hydrochloride (Squibb 20009) were the most potent attractants. 3-Isobutyl-1-methyl xanthine, theophylline, and morin (a flavanoid) were moderate attractants and sometimes gave negative chemotaxis at high concentrations. Cyclic 3′,5′-AMP was an effective, but not potent attractant. A repellent effect following the positive chemotactic action was sometimes observed with cyclic 3′,5′-AMP at concentrations as high as 1 · 10−2 M. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP appeared to be a somewhat more potent attractant than cyclic 3′,5′-AMP. The 8-thiomethyl and 8-bromoderivatives of cyclic AMP, which are poorly hydrolyzed by the phosphodiesterase, were not attractants in Physarum. Possible participation of cyclic 3′,5′-AMP in the directional movement in P. polycephalum is discussed.
The Invisible College of Art Therapy Professionals.

(2000). The Invisible College of Art Therapy Professionals. Art Therapy: Vol. 17, Is art therapy a profession or an idea?, pp. 4-6.
Turkish–Russian Relations after the Cold War (1992–2002)

Abstract This article examines the increasing and intensified cooperation between Russia and Turkey as a central feature of Central Eurasia’s post‐Cold War restructuring, and seeks to explain their cooperation with reference to major theories of international relations. It argues that the diminution of the Russian threat is what allowed for the possibility of Turkish–Russian cooperation.
Recognition and Management of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura and Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia in the Emergency Department

Children who present with immune thrombocytopenic purpura or autoimmune hemolytic anemia require emergent recognition and treatment in close consultation with a pediatric hematologist and blood bank. Treatment decisions need to be individualized to the patient and their clinical condition rather than based on a certain platelet or hemoglobin value. Severe bleeding, including intracranial hemorrhage, is rare in immune thrombocytopenic purpura. Primary treatment options include observation only, corticosteroids, or intravenous immunoglobulin. Platelet transfusions are reserved for life-threatening emergencies. Patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia may present with profound anemia, for which corticosteroids are the mainstay of therapy. Involving the blood bank early is crucial because finding compatible blood for transfusion may be challenging.
Effects of degree of deacetylation on enzyme immobilization in hydrophobically modified chitosan

Abstract Chitosan is a deacetylated form of the polysaccharide chitin. Over the last decade, researchers have employed reductive amination to hydrophobically modify chitosan to induce a micellar structure. These micellar polymers have been used for a variety of purposes including drug delivery and enzyme immobilization and stabilization. However, commercial sources of chitosan vary in their degree of deacetylation and there remains a paucity of information regarding how this can impact the modified polymer’s functionality for enzyme immobilization. This paper, therefore, evaluates the effect that the degree of deacetylation has on the hydrophobic modification of medium molecular weight chitosan via reductive amination with long chain aldehydes and the resulting changes in enzyme activity after the immobilization of glucose oxidase in the micellar polymeric structure. The chitosan was deacetylated to differing degrees via autoclaving in 40–45% NaOH solutions and characterized using NMR, viscosity measurements, and differential scan calorimetry. Results suggest that a high degree of deacetylation provides optimal enzyme immobilization properties (i.e. high activity), but that the deacetylation method begins to significantly decrease the polymer molecular weight after a 20 min autoclave treatment, which negatively affects immobilized enzyme activity.
The Beatles as Place Makers: Narrated Landscapes in Liverpool, England

Forty years after their rise to international fame, the Beatles continue to be a presence on the cultural landscape. More than any other place, Liverpool remains intrinsically linked with the Beatles' legacy. This paper explores the ways in which the Beatles continue to affect the meaning of places in Liverpool. Framed by both commercial and governmental agencies as a tourist landscape, the places associated with the Beatles are represented to visitors through narratives that selectively employ particular discourses related to the Beatles. The fieldwork for this research suggests that the landscape of Beatles places in Liverpool is composed of a patchwork of authentic, replicated or historically unrelated commercial and vernacular places. Narratives forwarded by the local tourism industry weave the places together as a unified landscape and locate visitors in relation to it. This research draws from and expands upon literatures of music geographies, and the commodification of experience through heritage t...
Collapse and winding of an asymmetric annulus of vorticity

The dynamics of an asymmetric annulus of vorticity in an incompressible, inviscid twodimensional fluid are experimentally studied using a pure electron plasma. A strict fluid analogy requires that the plasma system behave like an ideal fluid in a frictionless cylindrical container. For certain parameters the asymmetric annulus undergoes a complex evolution which is quite different from that of a symmetric annulus. During the first ‘active’, phase the symmetries grow until the annulus collapses, leaving a large vortex at the device centre. In the second, ‘passive’, phase the remainder of the annulus winds around this central vortex into an ever tighter spiral. Finally, slow shear instabilities destroy the structure of the highly evolved spiral.
Human Dental Development, Morphology, and Pathology—A Tribute to Albert A. Dahlberg.

Edited by John R. Lukacs. 1998. Eugene: University of Oregon Anthropological Papers (Number 54). 447 pp. ISBN 0-87114-060-8. $39.95 (paper).
Pleas from the New World: The structure of directive head acts in Colonial Spanish familiar letters

This article examines the types of syntactic mitigators employed in directive head acts in familiar letters written during the Spanish Colonial period (sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries). In addition to analysis of the head-act-internal verbal modifiers used in Early Modern Spanish epistolaries, a primary focus of this paper is the question of where the language used in these letters falls on the oral–literate continuum. The directive speech acts noted in the corpus are categorized according to Koike’s (1992) hierarchy of illocutionary force and analyzed using Brown and Levinson’s (1987) theory of face mitigation. The results reveal that the directives issued differ greatly in both nature and structure from those seen in studies of modern (spoken) Spanish as well as those noted in literary corpora of early varieties of the language. A general caution is therefore issued regarding the treatment of letters as manifestations of language that approximates orality.
Long-term effects of interventions to improve survival in mixed populations.

Abstract This analysis uses the concept of mixed populations—that is, ones among whose members the probability of loss varies, either in its baseline value or in its response to an intervention. Losses from such heterogeneous populations will be skewed in a systematic manner; members with high loss probabilities will be disproportionately represented among early dropouts. Similarly, such populations will respond to an intervention designed to postpone losses in a manner that reflects any differential in benefits afforded members at varying risk levels. Traditional assessments of interventions are systematically biased, for they fail to take adequate account of variability in risk among members of a population. A general methodology is developed here for inferring the structure of a mixed population to the extent possible, for predicting accurately its response to an intervention and for extending existing models of mortality. The methodology is applied to data drawn from a number of health-related examples. For hernia recurrence, an outstanding fit is achieved when individuals at the 10th percentile are assigned 100 times the 5-yr recurrence risk of those at the 90th percentile. A blood pressure control example shows that traditional assessments overstate mortality reductions at age 75 by 16%. Cross-population comparisons of life expectancy (by nation and by race) exhibit crossovers in remaining life expectancy with increasing age. The mixed-population approach can be useful whenever there are heterogeneous populations with dropouts. Whether the populations at issue consist of college students, satisfactory housing units, reformed criminals or patients receiving hernia repairs, attention to the variability of risk among individuals will strengthen our understanding of the dynamic processes at work, thereby enhancing our predictive powers.
Group III Secretory Phospholipase A2 Enhances Alpha-Secretase-Dependent Amyloid Precursor Protein Processing Through Alterations in Membrane Fluidity

Phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) are responsible for maintenance of phospholipids homeostasis in cell membrane and implicated in neurodegenerative disease including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among many types of secretory PLA2s, type III secretory PLA2 (sPLA2-III) is expressed in neuronal cells and contributes to cell differentiation and survival. Yet the role of sPLA2-III in AD has not been explored. We studied the effects of sPLA2-III and its hydrolyzed products, including arachidonic acid (AA), palmitic acid (PA) and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), on cell membrane fluidity in relations to amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing, which is an important cellular process in AD to produce either neuroprotective α-secretase-cleaved soluble APP (sAPPα) or neurotoxic amyloid-β peptide (Aβ). Differentiated human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y cells) treated with sPLA2-III and AA, not PA and LPC, was found to increase sAPPα secretion and these changes were accompanied by increased membrane fluidity and accumulation of APP at the cell surface. All the treatments altered neither total APP expression nor expression of α-secretases, including ADAM 9, 10, and 17. Taken together, our results support the hypothesis that sPLA2-III enhances sAPPα secretion through its action to increase membrane fluidity and recruitment of APP at the cell surface. This study provides insights into potential therapeutic approaches for AD treatment.
Optimization, Simulation and Fabrication of a Microgyroscope

This paper presents an optimized method for microgyroscope design. A lumped dynamic model is presented to optimize the microgyroscope performances. The parameters are categorized into function variables and style variables to reduce optimization cost. The maximum sensitivity and minimum area of the device are selected and weighted as the combined multiple objective functions. The optimization is conducted with a solver in Excel 9.5TM Finite element simulation is used to verify these optimized results. Simulation results show good agreement with the calculation. The optimized microgyroscope was fabricated. The resonant characteristic from experiment is compared with the optimized results and simulation results.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Spouse concordance of plasma cholesterol and triglyceride.

Spouse concordance for plasma cholesterol and triglyceride was studied in 1971 spouse pairs including 545 spouse pairs married 40 or more years. Both lipids showed modest but statistically significant age corrected Kendall Tau-B correlations; 0.046 (P = 0.005) for cholesterol and 0.070 (P = 0.0001) for triglycerides. Concordance was not explained by season of sampling or by selective mortality. Relative weight was positively correlated in spouse pairs and appeared to explain much of the observed correlations in cholesterol and triglycerides. Spouse pairs also showed positive correlations for cigarette smoking and egg and milk consumption, though these behavioral variables explained little of the concordance for cholesterol and triglycerides. Lipid concordance was highest in marriages of the shortest (1–9 yr) and longest (40+ yr) durations, as was relative weight concordance, suggesting an interaction between duration of marriage and environmental and/or selective factors affecting plasma lipids.
The pancreas in experimental hypercholesterolemia in normal and in subdiabetic rabbits

Light and electron microscopic pancreatic changes were studied in 47 metabolically normal and in 59 subdiabetic rabbits that had received a diet containing 1% cholesterol for periods ranging from two weeks to 12 months. Subdiabetes had been induced by small doses of alloxan alone or by appropriate, sequentially administered injections of cortisone and alloxan. Nine animals served as normal controls. In keeping with the low avidity of rabbit pancreatic tissue for cholesterol as demonstrated biochemically by others (Ho and Taylor, 1968, 1971), the observed pancreatic lesions in normal and in subdiabetic, hypercholesterolemic animals were generally much less severe and less extensive than were alterations in other organs, such as the kidneys and parts of the cardiovascular system, of these same rabbits. Membrane-bound vacuolar inclusions harboring granular, membranous and amorphous material and giving the cytoplasm a foamy appearance were noted in the exocrine pancreatic acinar cells, and similar vacuoles as well as occasional cholesterol clefts were present in several endocrine A and B cells. Atheromatous plaques were much rarer in pancreatic blood vessels than in the arterio-arteriolar systems of the kidney and of the heart, and they were nearly always localized and nonocclusive. Comparatively more histologic lesions were noted in rabbits fed cholesterol for longer periods of time. There were no differences in the incidence of pancreatic alterations between metabolically intact and subdiabetic animals. it is concluded that all tissue components of the rabbit pancreas (exocrine and endocrine parenchyma, interstitium, and blood vessels) display a greater resistance towards the development of morphologically demonstrable lesions in hypercholesterolemia than do most other organs of this animal.
The Threshold Effects of Nd and Ho:YAG Laser-induced Surface Modification on Demineralization of Dentin Surfaces

Laser irradiation alters the structure of dentin and produces surface layers that give the appearance of being more enamel-like. The laser-modified surface may be more resistant to demineralization; hence, many investigators are proposing continued development of the laser as a possible preventive treatment for caries. The purpose of this study was to explore the morphological changes that occur in dentin when treated at threshold illuminance with two clinically interesting laser wavelengths, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the laser-treated surface at resisting demineralization in an acid-gel solution. The Nd:YAG laser (wavelength 1060 nm) produced significant recrystallization and grain growth of the apatite, without the formation of second phases such as β-tricalcium phosphate. This recrystallized surface layer showed resistance to demineralization; however, the layer did not provide protection of the underlying dentin from demineralization because of cracks and macroscopic voids that allowed for ...
Clubfoot: Etiology and Treatment Ignacio V. Ponseti, MD, 1914–

This biographical sketch of Ignacio V. Ponseti, MD, corresponds to the historic text, The Classic: Congenital Club Foot: The Results of Treatment, available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-009-0720-2 and The Classic: Observations on Pathogenesis and Treatment of Congenital Clubfoot, available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-009-0721-1.
A comparison of age and growth of the Bering skate, Bathyraja interrupta (Gill and Townsend, 1897), from two Alaskan large marine ecosystems

Abstract The Bering skate, Bathyraja interrupta , is commonly found in both the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, where skates are a regular bycatch in commercial long line and bottom trawl fisheries. This is the first study to examine the age and growth of B. interrupta , and one of the few studies to directly compare growth parameters of a skate species between management regions. Ages were estimated based on band counts using the standard gross-sectioning method of vertebral centra preparation. Additionally, a preliminary investigation was conducted into the utility of the histological method. Several growth models were compared and the best-fit model for both regions was identified as the logistic model using the Akaike's Information Criterion approach. No significant difference was detected between sexes for any model in either region; however, a slight but significant difference was found between regions. The parameters of the logistic growth model based on the gross-sectioned preparation were L ∞ = 82.80 cm TL and k −1 yr = 0.23 for the eastern Bering Sea and L ∞ = 86.94 cm TL and k −1 yr = 0.20 for the Gulf of Alaska. Age estimates from the gross sectioned vertebral centra provided a minimum longevity of 19 years and 21 years, respectively. Estimates based on the histologically prepared samples provide overall slightly higher age estimates, but the same maximum age of 21 years.
A threshold representation for the strength distribution of a complex load sharing system

Abstract In many reliability contexts, the distribution, P(T⩽t), for a combination of k components with strengths (or lifetimes) X =(X 1 ,…,X k ) , is a first passage probability of the form P(T⩽t)=P( X ∈tC) for t⩾0, where C is a cone containing the origin. For example, in a load sharing system, a load sharing rule describes how load is transferred from a failed component to the collection of unfailed components as the pattern of breaks evolves. The rule quantifies the component interactions leading to failure and, with the component breaking patterns, characterize certain conical regions in the nonnegative orthant of Rk which define the system strength. In this paper we show that, for independent component strengths (or lifetimes) having exponential distributions, T has a threshold representation, S/θ, where S and θ are independent random variables with S having a gamma distribution with unit scale and shape parameter depending on the structure of the cone. The consequent mixture representation has two noteworthy implications: First, failure rate relationships are established between the distributions of θ and T which are related to some recent work on mixtures of increasing failure rates resulting in a decreasing failure rate. Second, it makes tools such as the EM-algorithm and the gradient function applicable for data analytic purposes. A methodology for analyzing this model and based on these tools is proposed and illustrated on some data sets.
A Duplication CNV That Conveys Traits Reciprocal to Metabolic Syndrome and Protects against Diet-Induced Obesity in Mice and Men

The functional contribution of CNV to human biology and disease pathophysiology has undergone limited exploration. Recent observations in humans indicate a tentative link between CNV and weight regulation. Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS), manifesting obesity and hypercholesterolemia, results from a deletion CNV at 17p11.2, but is sometimes due to haploinsufficiency of a single gene, RAI1. The reciprocal duplication in 17p11.2 causes Potocki-Lupski syndrome (PTLS). We previously constructed mouse strains with a deletion, Df(11)17, or duplication, Dp(11)17, of the mouse genomic interval syntenic to the SMS/PTLS region. We demonstrate that Dp(11)17 is obesity-opposing; it conveys a highly penetrant, strain-independent phenotype of reduced weight, leaner body composition, lower TC/LDL, and increased insulin sensitivity that is not due to alteration in food intake or activity level. When fed with a high-fat diet, Dp(11)17/+ mice display much less weight gain and metabolic change than WT mice, demonstrating that the Dp(11)17 CNV protects against metabolic syndrome. Reciprocally, Df(11)17/+ mice with the deletion CNV have increased weight, higher fat content, decreased HDL, and reduced insulin sensitivity, manifesting a bona fide metabolic syndrome. These observations in the deficiency animal model are supported by human data from 76 SMS subjects. Further, studies on knockout/transgenic mice showed that the metabolic consequences of Dp(11)17 and Df(11)17 CNVs are not only due to dosage alterations of Rai1, the predominant dosage-sensitive gene for SMS and likely also PTLS. Our experiments in chromosome-engineered mouse CNV models for human genomic disorders demonstrate that a CNV can be causative for weight/metabolic phenotypes. Furthermore, we explored the biology underlying the contribution of CNV to the physiology of weight control and energy metabolism. The high penetrance, strain independence, and resistance to dietary influences associated with the CNVs in this study are features distinct from most SNP–associated metabolic traits and further highlight the potential importance of CNV in the etiology of both obesity and MetS as well as in the protection from these traits.
Psychopathy and Suicidality in Female Offenders: Mediating Influences of Personality and Abuse

The influence of personality and childhood abuse on suicidal behaviors and psychopathy was examined among female prisoners. Scores on the affective/interpersonal component (Factor 1; F1) and the antisocial deviance (Factor 2; F2) component of psychopathy were obtained from the Psychopathy Checklist--Revised (R. D. Hare, 1991). Suicide attempt and childhood physical and sexual abuse history were coded from interviews and prison files, and personality was assessed using the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (A. Tellegen, in press). Suicide attempts were positively associated with F2 and negatively associated with F1, and each factor accounted for unique variance in suicidality. Path analyses demonstrated that personality mediated the effects of physical abuse on F2, but sexual abuse accounted for unique variance in both suicide attempts and F2. Abuse and personality accounted for minimal variance in F1. These results are discussed in relation to the identification of individuals at risk for both self- and other-harm behaviors.
Religious Orientation, Incentive, Self-Esteem, and Gender as Predictors of Academic Dishonesty: An Experimental Approach

It is widely assumed that religion is responsible for dictating and guiding moral behavior. This study investigated that claim and its relationship to monetary incentive, self-esteem, and gender within the context of academic dishonesty. A sample of 65 undergraduate students (32 men; 33 women) were assessed using a revision of Allport's Religious Orientation Scale (Gorsuch & McPherson, 1989) and then monitored for cheating on a computerized version of the Graduate Records Exam under different experimental conditions. Self-esteem (high, average, low) and monetary incentive ($5, nothing) were manipulated, and gender was selected to measure their effect on cheating behavior. Results of this study found that: (1) participants' religious orientation was not related to their tendency to cheat in any way; (2) participants cheated significantly more when receiving monetary incentive for their performance than when they did not; (3) participants with induced low self-esteem cheated significantly more than those with induced high self-esteem; and (4) men cheated more than women at a level that bordered on significance ( p < .06). Academic performance (GPA) was not found related to academic cheating. Findings are discussed in the context of existing literature.
C60 inflation: production of C62, C64, …

Abstract The fullerenes, C 60 and C 70 , incorporate multiple C 2 groups into the cage when the solid is bombarded by a kiloelectron volt polyatomic ion beam. In the case of C 60 , C 62 to at least C 74 are produced but there is no enhanced formation of C 70 . The C 2 groups are derived from fullerene fragmentation and addition apparently occurs with subsequent cage expansion. This new process of fullerene inflation was recently predicted by ab initio molecular dynamics methods (Yi and Bernholc, Phys. Rev. B, 48 (1993) 5724).
132: TGF-β polymorphisms, gender and age and their effect on acute cardiac rejection

determinant of this discrimination was differential expression of 2 corticosteroid responsive genes, IL1R2 and FLT3. We have expanded these observations by analyzing 55 genes regulated by corticosteroids or immune genes that may influence corticosteroid responsiveness. Methods and Materials: A cohort of 73 patients (30-180 days post transplant; no current ACR) underwent RT-PCR gene expression analysis for 55 genes as above. Of these, 28 patients suffered 2R rejection in the next 12 weeks while 45 remained free of significant rejection. Results: 16 of 55 genes (including 13 not previously tested) significantly discriminated patients with future rejection from those without (p 0.05). Expression of 7 steroid responsive genes was significantly decreased in those with future rejection, whereas 4 T-cell activation genes were increased. The Il-1 pathway showed particular significance as IL1R1 and IL1R2 were decreased with future rejection, whereas IL1-beta was increased (all 0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that RT-PCR analysis of corticosteroid regulated and alloimmune and inflammatory pathway genes allows for refined prediction of future occurrence of cardiac allograft rejection. These observations will serve to develop metrics to monitor corticosteroid adequacy and may allow preemptive modulation to prevent future rejection.
A Framework for Describing Developmental Change Among Older Adults

Interviews were conducted with 74 persons over age 60 for the purpose of gathering information describing their experiences across the older adult lifespan. Data were analyzed using a grounded theo...
A practical method for resolution of two β-emitting radionuclides by liquid scintillation counting

Abstract A practical method for resolution of mixtures of two β-emitting radionuclides is described utilizing liquid scintillation counting procedures which combine simplicity of quench correction with the reliability of the “Discriminator ratio” method of double-label counting. A channel is set for each radionuclide, allowing 10 per cent overlap of the lower energy member into the channel set for the higher energy member, and quench correction standards and experimental samples are counted with and without an external standard. Simultaneous equation solutions are used which make optimal use of channels ratio data available by direct print-out. If RA and RB equal net cpm in channels A and B, Ra and Rb equal net cpm for radionuclides a and b, and Fa∼ and the channels ratio A B for radionuclides a and b, and Ra = (FbRB − RA/ (FaFb − 1) and Rb = (FaRA − RB)/FaFb − 1). Values for F and counting efficiency (to convert cpm to dpm), as functions of the channels ratio A B for the external standard, amy graph made using counting data for the graphically derived from the quench correction standtards. quench correction standards. Absence of restrictions and ease of adaptation make the method applicable to any pair of β-emitting radionuclides sufficientlly different diffrecent in Energy to be accurately resolved; this can be determined from a plot of per cent error in resolution of each radionuclide as a function of the ratio of the amounts of each member present in the mixture.
An ultrastructural survey of cryptomonad periplasts using quick-freezing freeze fracture techniques

A quick-freezing technique for freeze fracturing was used to determine periplast plate types in 20 cryptomonads. With this technique cells are frozen so rapidly that major artifacts are eliminated. We propose that periplast plates are attached to the cell membrane by intramembrane particles (IMP's), consequently plate shapes are outlined by IMP distribution in fractured membranes. Round to oval, sometimes slightly angular, plates occur in Cryptomonas ovata, Cryptomonas tetrapyrenoidosa, Cryptomonas parapyrenoidifera, Cryptomonas obovata, Cryptomonas erosa and two unidentified species of Cryptomonas; large rectangular plates occur in Chroomonas pochmannii, Chroomonas coerulea and Hemiselmis sp.; small rectangular plates were found in Cryptomonas sp. (Strain SDB); square to slightly rounded plates occur in Cryptomonas chrysoidea and a single continuous plate or sheet, perforated by ejectisome pores, was observed in Cryptomonas caudata, Cryptomonas rostratiformis, Cryptomonas marssonii, Cryptomonas platyuris, Cryptomonas curvata, Cryptomonas ozolini, Chilomonas paramecium and Rhodomonas sp. Oval and square plates are described for the first time in Cryptomonas. Plate IMP's may be morphologically modified in size and shape, depending upon their location in relation to the plate, the plate ridges, and ejectisome chambers. Conformational changes in plate shapes, to form hexagons or polygons, may be induced when cells are subjected to fixation, desiccation, cryoprotectants or centrifugation.
Competition in a Status Goods Market

Abstract Consumers value status goods because of the impression status-product ownership makes on other consumers, and this impression depends on the actual distribution of ownership in population. Explicitly modeling consumer value of status products as coming from the information the product ownership conveys to other consumers, the authors show that a status-product manufacturer can benefit from a competitor's cost reduction because of the competitor's price reduction associated with it. In other words, they show that two status products that are (imperfect) substitutes in the consumer utility function may be complements in the profit function. As a consequence, competition could lead to higher prices than the optimal ones under monopoly ownership of both products. The authors confirm the assumptions that consumer value of a status good depends positively on the proportion of desirable type among owners and negatively on the proportion of the desirable type among nonowners in one experiment. Moreover, ...
DENSITY AND CAPTIVITY IN PUBLIC TRANSIT SUCCESS: OBSERVATIONS FROM THE 1995 NATIONWIDE PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION STUDY

The new millennium provides a good time to reflect on transportation-industry trends in some fundamental external factors that influence transportation behavior and planning response. In the public-transit industry, urban density and transit captivity have long been fundamental conditions driving transit planning and service and facility investment decisions. In light of demographic and economic changes, it is useful to revisit the issue of the importance of these factors to the transit market. Findings from a comprehensive analysis of the 1995 Nation-wide Personal Transportation Study (NPTS), which explored current transit-travel behavior, are reported. Two key findings reflect on two historical axioms in transit: (a) the extent to which density influences transit use and (b) the importance of the transit-dependent market. The research findings reiterate the significant influence that development density has on public transit mode share and bring to light some revealing data on the influence of urban-are...
A new method to estimate average hourly global solar radiation on the horizontal surface

Abstract A new model, Global Solar Radiation on Horizontal Surface (GSRHS), was developed to estimate the average hourly global solar radiation on the horizontal surfaces ( G h ). The GSRHS model uses the transmission function ( T f,ij ), which was developed to control hourly global solar radiation, for predicting solar radiation. The inputs of the model were: hour of day, day (Julian) of year, optimized parameter values, solar constant ( H 0 ), latitude, and longitude of the location of interest. The parameter values used in the model were optimized at a location (Albuquerque, NM), and these values were applied into the model for predicting average hourly global solar radiations at four different locations (Austin, TX; El Paso, TX; Desert Rock, NV; Seattle, WA) of the United States. The model performance was assessed using correlation coefficient ( r ), Mean Absolute Bias Error (MABE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and coefficient of determinations ( R 2 ). The sensitivities of parameter to prediction were estimated. Results show that the model performed very well. The correlation coefficients ( r ) range from 0.96 to 0.99, while coefficients of determination ( R 2 ) range from 0.92 to 0.98. For daily and monthly prediction, error percentages (i.e. MABE and RMSE) were less than 20%. The approach we proposed here can be potentially useful for predicting average hourly global solar radiation on the horizontal surface for different locations, with the use of readily available data (i.e. latitude and longitude of the location) as inputs.
Age-associated reduction of nuclear protein import in human fibroblasts.

Age-dependent decreases in the protein concentrations of the nucleocytoplasmic transport factors karyopherin alpha2, CAS, and RanBP1 were found by comparing fibroblast cultures obtained from young, mature, and old human donors. Karyopherin beta1 levels do not change with age and present very little variation among donors. The decrease in the concentration of transport factors is accompanied by a reduction in the protein import rate in fibroblasts from old donors, as detected by a change in the intracellular localization of a test transport substrate that shuttles between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Measurements of concentrations of the same import factors in organs and tissues of old mice revealed a decrease of CAS in kidney, lung, and spleen. The import reduction in old age is expected to lead to impaired activity of proteins whose functions depend on timely import into the nuclei.
Coping profiles common to older African American cancer survivors: Relationships with quality of life

Abstract Context Cancer survivors use distinct sets of coping behaviors that vary in their associations with psychological health and quality of life. However, existing research has largely focused on Caucasian and middle-class subjects. Objectives This study explores whether clusters with differing coping profiles could be identified among older African American cancer survivors and whether these profiles varied on cultural factors and physical, psychological, and relationship well-being. Methods Four hundred forty-nine older African American cancer survivors recruited from outpatient oncology clinics completed a questionnaire booklet containing the Ways of Helping Questionnaire (WHQ), the Brief Index of Race-Related Stress, the Religious Involvement Scale, Mutuality Scale, and the Short Form-12 Health Survey Questionnaire. A k-means cluster analysis was conducted using the WHQ. Results Four distinct coping profiles were identified and labeled as high coping, low encouraging healthy behaviors, low coping, and strong/distracting behaviors. Coping profiles were associated with participant's gender, age, and living-alone status. Controlling for these demographic differences, the coping profiles were associated with religiosity; experiences with racism; and physical, psychological, and relationship well-being. Conclusions The findings from this study lend support for examining coping profiles and health outcomes among African American cancer survivors. This research also suggests that these profiles vary on cultural factors. This information should prove useful to researchers as they develop culturally appropriate interventions for this underserved population.
Failure of managed care or failure to manage the care

(1995). Failure of Managed Care or Failure to Manage the Care? Harvard Review of Psychiatry: Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 341-346.