cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Induction of c-fos in rat brain by acute cocaine and fenfluramine exposure: a comparison study

Abstract Although cocaine shares the ability of fenfluramine to inhibit the synaptic reuptake of serotonin, previous observations from our group suggest that the genomic effects of fenfluramine in the rat striatum are primarily mediated by dopaminergic rather than serotonergic mechanisms. To compare and further understand the nerve cell type(s) targeted by psychotropic drugs, we studied, by use of immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization, changes in c-fos in brain nerve cells of the caudate putamen and hypothalamus following acute cocaine or fenfluramine exposure. Predictably, both drugs (20 mg/kg; i.p.) evoked rapid but transient increases in c-fos in the caudate putamen. In addition, double labeling immunocytochemistry indicated that Fos-like protein was expressed preferentially in striatal neurons containing the protein phosphatase inhibitor, DARPP-32. In contrast, fenfluramine, but not cocaine, elicited c-fos mRNA and Fos-like protein in the neuroendocrine paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus despite the fact that both drugs are known to be equally capable to stimulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This difference is discussed in terms of serotonergic, dopaminergic and DARPP-32 input to hypothalamic neurons and tanycytes associated with adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) secretion. To further identify the phenotypes of nerve cells expressing c-fos by fenfluramine in the PVN, it was demonstrated that the immediate-early gene was induced in a subpopulation of neurons constitutively expressing nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Taken together, we identified a number of common and disparate actions of cocaine and fenfluramine in striatal and hypothalamic tissue, thereby suggesting that c-fos induction in these two brain structures is differentially regulated by intrinsic events in addition to neuronal phenotype. We propose that the genomic effects produced by these two drugs represent part of a general dopaminergic and glutamatergic mechanism by which monoamine reuptake inhibitor drugs affect specific brain nerve cells.
Educational Backgrounds and Quality of Training of Surgeons Performing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Procedures in the State of Florida in 2010

Quality of care is in part a result of the medical education practitioners receive. To date, little research has been conducted to assess the relationship between type, quantity, and quality of postgraduate residency and fellowship training and patient outcomes. This article explores the relationship of physician training and certification and surgical outcomes of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting procedures in Florida during 2010. The data set includes 246 surgeons who, as a group, trained at nearly 48% of all thoracic surgery residency programs in the country. There were significant differences in board certifications for general surgery and thoracic surgery among physicians in different quality segmentations. Additionally, statistically significant differences were observed for mortality as a percentage of surgical volume as well as length of stay. These differences in characteristics and outcomes among segmentations of physicians warrant future exploration to identify underlying cont...
Connecting older adults to quality health information on the internet: a selective annotated bibliography

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an annotated listing of studies that focus on older adults and, second, to describe methods by which librarians can provide the necessary tools needed to identify quality web sites that provide reliable health information found on the internet. Individuals are taking more interest in their own health care. The internet is becoming an increasingly important and influential source of health information for the public. Unlike some of the traditional approaches to acquiring health information in the past, the internet is accessible 24/7 to anyone who owns a computer and has an internet connection.Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a review of the literature that examines how older adults search for health information on the internet and what assistance they need is conducted. Several criteria are used to identify the works that are included in this annotated bibliography. In total, 24 studies meet the criteria.Findings – Older adults are rapidly ...
Radon Plateout on Synthetic Fibers as a Possible Risk Factor in Breast Cancer

This letter to the editor reviews background information and background studies of the possible risks of plateout of radon on woman`s clothing particularly brassiers, composed almost exclusively of synthetic fibers. 5 refs.
Effect of fluoride and phosphate on yield and mineral composition of barley grown on three soils

Abstract In a greenhouse experiment, the effect of fluoride (F) and phosphorus (P) addition on the growth and mineral composition of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was studied in three different soils, Cahaba sandy loam (acid), Weld loam (neutral), and Haverson silty loam (alkaline calcareous). Four levels of F [0, 100, 400, and 1,000 mg kg‐1 soil as hydrogen fluoride (HF)] and three levels of P [50, 150, and 550 mg kg‐1 soil as phosphoric acid (H3PO4)] were used. The effect of P addition on the native soil F and the capacity of soil to sorb added F was investigated. Addition of P released some of the native F from the soil samples that did not receive any F. The amount of F released ranged from 0.135 to 1.860 mg kg‐1 soil. The amount of F released from the soils decreased with increasing P addition. Most of F added was sorbed by the soil solid phase. The amount of F sorbed ranged between 74.0% and 96.3% of the added F. For both the acid and neutral soils, increasing P addition increased F sorption at all F ...
Pure legal advocates and moral agents: Two concepts of a lawyer in an adversary system

(1985). Pure legal advocates and moral agents: Two concepts of a lawyer in an adversary system. Criminal Justice Ethics: Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 38-59.
Control of SO2 emissions from power plants: A case of induced technological innovation in the U.S.

Abstract This paper investigates how the details of government actions induce innovation—the overlapping activities of invention, adoption and diffusion, and learning by doing—in “environmental technology,” products and processes that either control pollutant emissions or prevent emissions altogether. It applies multiple quantitative and qualitative measures of innovation to a case subject to several “technology-push” and “demand-pull” instruments: sulfur dioxide control technology for power plants. The study employs analyses of public RD technology-push instruments appear to be less effective at prompting invention than demand-pull instruments; and regulatory stringency focuses inventive activity along certain technology pathways. Increased diffusion of the technology results in significant and predictable operating cost reductions in existing systems, as well as notable efficiency improvements and capital cost reductions in new systems. Government plays an important role in fostering knowledge transfer via technical conferences, as well as affecting the pattern of collaborative relationships within the technical research community via regulatory changes that affect the market for the technology. Finally, the case provides little evidence for the claim that cap-and-trade instruments induce innovation more effectively than other instruments.
Medication Adherence in Psychopharmacologically Treated Adults with ADHD.

Objective: One of the potential causes of residual symptoms of ADHD in adults can be difficulties with consistent adherence to medications.Method: This formative study examined self-reported medication adherence in adults with ADHD with clinically significant symptoms despite medication treatment.Results: Mean adherence for the two-week period prior to the assessment point was 86%, with 18% of the sample reporting less than 80% adherence, and 43% less than 90% adherence. Adherence correlated with ADHD symptoms but not anxiety or depression. Those with less than 80% adherence had higher ADHD severity compared to those whose adherence was at least 80%.Conclusion: These data suggest that self-report of adherence to ADHD medications may be a useful and expedient way of assessing adherence, and that assessment and counseling about adherence may be an important part of treatment. Future research using an objective indicator of adherence is needed to follow up on these findings.
Heat shock proteins do not provide thermoprotection to normal cellular protein synthesis, α‐amylase mRNA and endoplasmic reticulum lamellae in barley aleurone layers

Heat shock in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Himalaya) aleurone layers induces the synthesis of heat shock proteins (hsps) and suppresses the synthesis and secretion of α-amylase, the principal secretory protein. This is accompanied by the destabilization of α-amylase mRNA and a concomitant dissociation of ER lamellae. In the absence of heat shock α-amylase mRNA is extremely stable (Belanger et al. 1986. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83: 1354-1358). In most organisms there is a direct correlation between the synthesis of hsps and thermotolerance. The ability of hsps to provide thermoprotection to secretory protein synthesis, α-amylase mRNA and ER lamellae was analyzed. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS -PAGE) of pulse-chased, [ 35 S]-methionine-labeled proteins revealed that the half-life of hsps in barley aleurone cells recovering from heat shock was approximately 12 h. Within approximately 6 h, there was a recovery of α-amylase mRNA and a reformation of ER lamellae. Heat shock protein synthesis was induced by either heat shock (40°C) or arsenite, the cells were allowed to recover for 8 h, then were re-exposed to heat shock. Results from SDS-PAGE showed that, despite the presence of hsps, α-amylase synthesis was suppressed. Northern blot hybridizations showed that α-amylase mRNA levels were reduced in heat-shocked tissues. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that ER lamellar structures were dissociated. The synthesis of hsps did not enable barley aleurone cells to sustain the synthesis of any proteins at lethal temperature. In contrast, similar conditions established thermotolerance and provided thermoprotection to protein synthesis in germinating barley embryos. Our findings suggest that the aleurone layer does not become thermotolerant following the induction of hsp synthesis.
Linear and Lipschitz similarity

Abstract We give a sufficient condition for two Lipschitz similar orthogonal maps to be linearly similar.
Efficient mart-aided modeling for microarchitecture design space exploration and performance prediction

Computer architects usually evaluate new designs by cycle-accurate processor simulation. This approach provides detailed insight into processor performance, power consumption and complexity. However, only configurations in a subspace can be simulated in practice due to long simulation time and limited resource, leading to suboptimal conclusions which might not be applied in a larger design space. In this paper, we propose an automated performance prediction approach which employs state-of-the-art techniques from experiment design, machine learning and data mining. Our method not only produces highly accurate estimations for unsampled points in the design space, but also provides interpretation tools that help investigators to understand performance bottlenecks. According to our experiments, by sampling only 0.02% of the full design space with about 15 millions points, the median percentage errors, based on 5000 independent test points, range from 0.32% to 3.12% in 12 benchmarks. Even for the worst-case performance, the percentage errors are within 7% for 10 out of 12 benchmarks. In addition, the proposed model can also help architects to find important design parameters and performance bottlenecks.
Continuous Wave Milliwatt Power AlGaN Light Emitting Diodes at 280 nm

We report on deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes using AlGaN multiple quantum well active regions and with peak emission at 280 nm. A new buffer layer and active region design resulted in flip-chip devices with continuous wave powers as high as 0.85 mW for a pump current of 20 mA and a record external quantum efficiency over 1%. The power saturated at 5 mW for a dc pump current of 200 mA.
The use of the cathode ray for recording heart sounds and vibrations III. Total cardiac vibrations in one hundred normal subjects

Abstract The usual study of heart sounds is limited to the recording of the sound vibrations only, with little attention to other vibrations produced by the beating heart. In this investigation, all of the cardiac vibrations at the usual auscultation areas in 100 normal young adults were recorded by means of a cathode-ray vibrocardiograph. The intensity and duration of the first and second sound vibration groups were studied in relation to the length of the systolic and diastolic phases of the cardiac cycle. With this method, murmurs are reproduced at the intensity with which they occur, and, if faint, may appear diminutive in comparison with the deflections which represent the heart sounds. Most interesting are the low-frequency vibrations, below the auditory level, which occur in systole and diastole and possibly indicate myocardial motion alone.
Class, work and family in women's lives

Interviews with white, working professional and working class mothers suggest that these women share values about work, family and on-the-job sociality. Respondents draw from a common value system, and many of the statements voiced by one group are echoed in the other. Work and motherhood are important paths to the development of individual identity for both working class and professional women. Differences in jobs, however, lead to differences in the actualization of values in their lives. Professional women are pulled in two directions and face continuing dilemmas in balancing careers which extract strong commitments from them and the demands of motherhood. Working class women's jobs do not require the same intensity of commitment, and they find it easier to meet their families' demands on their time. But conceptualizing their work as meaningful becomes more difficult than it is for professional women. Sociality is the third area of concern. Women in this study emphasized sociality because it allowed them to complete their work more effectively. It also served expressive functions; some women made friends at work. Some de-emphasized sociality if it interfered with their work identities. The importance of sociality was not necessarily dependent upon respondents' class location.
The female athlete triad.

I. Definition: Triad of amenorrhea, osteoporosis, and disordered eating in a female participating in sports and/ or fitness training II. A “New” Diagnosis? A. Increase in sports participation by females 1. Recreational 2. Organized team sports 3. More opportunities for the pre-teen and teenage athlete in school environment B. 1972, Title IX of Federal Education Assistance Act 1. Equal sports for males and females at school level 2. Many health benefits for female athletes 3. Potential for both shortand long-term health problems recently recognized 4. Need for education of athletes, coaches, and parents III. The Female Athlete A. Increasing number of females participate in competitive sports B. Distorted perception of optimal physique 1. Athletes may be at particular risk in sports emphasizing leanness (gymnastics, ballet, figure skating, long-distance runners) 2. All female athletes have potential for developing the triad C. Inaccurate view that athletes “training more intensely” should not menstruate 1. Regular menses implies optimal energy supply balancing energy demand from sports participation 2. Preparation and ongoing participation in organized sports should include assessment about menstrual periods and nutrition D. Pressure within sports for future academic and financial success E. Failure to differentiate specific health needs of the female athlete
A framework of enterprise crisis management: determinants, processes, and outcomes

Crises are multi-faceted and have been approached by various academic disciplines using different perspectives and theoretical underpinnings. This lack of integration hampers the development of an effective framework that can be applied to various situations. To remedy this fragmentation, we developed a framework, entitled enterprise crisis management framework (ECMF). Determinants, processes, and outcomes are identified from multiple academic domains, and are further strengthened with the assertion from the activity theory. We propose a systematic framework to make sense of, reflect on, and analyse a crisis based on a theory, and how a crisis can be responded to by an organisation using technology and support from its environment or community for preparedness. A case study exemplifies the utility of this framework: organisations can not only identify and understand issues in crises reactively but also can better respond to and prepare for crises proactively. Our propositions highlight possible directions of future research.
Development of the Tri-Level Variable Rate Trajectory With Discretely Vanishing Shock for Optimum Design

The tri-level variable rate trajectory is a general motion which can be applied to programmable controllers, robotic manipulators, mechanisms, and mechanical devices where the input crank orientation, velocity, and acceleration vary with time. In the work presented here, the tri-level variable rate trajectory is an extension of the variable-rate trans-symmetric motion developed by the first author in 1984. That motion and the one developed here consist of discrete segments of constant and linearly varying accelerations occurring over specified time intervals, thereby providing versatile programmable trajectories with several advantages over the constant acceleration motion, simple harmonic motion, cycloidal motion, and the popular polynomial trajectories used in robotics. The tri-level variable-rate trajectory allows much more control of the acceleration contour of the motion and as a result, there is a decrease in the power required, a decrease in the operating cost, and a decrease in dynamic responses such as shock, vibration, and shaking force and virtual elimination of the overshoot problem that sometimes accompanies the polynomial segment motions. This is a general method which can be applied to many applications. The results of applying this trajectory to a complex machine controller are presented as an example.
LIBSA--a method for the determination of ligand-binding preference to allosteric sites on receptor ensembles.

Incorporation of receptor flexibility into computational drug discovery through the relaxed complex scheme is well suited for screening against a single binding site. In the absence of a known pocket or if there are multiple potential binding sites, it may be necessary to do docking against the entire surface of the target (global docking). However no suitable and easy-to-use tool is currently available to rank global docking results based on the preference of a ligand for a given binding site. We have developed a protocol, termed LIBSA for LIgand Binding Specificity Analysis, that analyzes multiple docked poses against a single or ensemble of receptor conformations and returns a metric for the relative binding to a specific region of interest. By using novel filtering algorithms and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the relative ligand-binding frequency at different pockets can be calculated and compared quantitatively. Ligands can then be triaged by their tendency to bind to a site instead of ranking by ...
The Risk‐Return Paradox in Local Government Investing

This study contrasts expected utility theory in the form of modern portfolio theory (MPT) with a descriptive psychological analysis in the form of prospect theory. For local government investment managers, the assumptions underlying MPT are violated in the manner predicted by prospect theory. Findings confirm the notion that local government investment managers are risk-averse when facing an investment gain and risk-seeking when facing an investment loss. Although a number of researchers have appealed to prospect theory to explain firm and industry risk patterns, the utility of prospect theory in public sector organizations is questioned. This study finds that irrespective of their personal disposition toward risk, local government chief investment officers defer to a compelling public interest when making investment decisions for their organization.
Facile synthesis of N-glycosyl amides using a N-glycosyl-2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonamide and thioacids

N-Glucosyl-2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonamide was prepared from N-acetyl-d-glucosamine and 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride. Amidation of several thioacids using the N-glucosylsulfonamide donor proceeded smoothly to give the desired N-glucosylamides in good to high yields. The amidation reactions were carried out at room temperature, under mild conditions, and were completed in a very short time.
Diagnostic value of iron indices in hemodialysis patients receiving epoetin

Diagnostic value of iron indices in hemodialysis patients receiving epoetin. Background Iron deficiency remains a common cause of hyporesponsiveness to epoetin in hemodialysis patients. However, considerable controversy exists regarding the best strategies for diagnosis and treatment. Methods As part of a multicenter randomized clinical trial of intravenous versus subcutaneous administration of epoetin, we made monthly determinations of serum iron, total iron binding capacity, percentage transferrin saturation, and serum ferritin. If a patient had serum ferritin Results Eighty-seven percent of the 208 patients required parenteral iron to maintain adequate iron stores at an average dose of 1516mg over 41.7 weeks, or 36 mg/week. Only two of 180 patients experienced serious reactions to intravenous iron administration. Two thirds of the patients receiving parenteral iron had a decrease in their epoetin requirement of at least 30 U/kg/week compared with 29% of patients who did not receive iron ( P = 0.004). The average dose decrease 12 weeks after initiating iron therapy was 1763 U/week. A serum ferritin Conclusions Iron deficiency commonly develops during epoetin therapy, and parenteral iron administration may result in a clinically significant reduction in epoetin dose. The use of transferrin saturation or serum ferritin as an indicator for parenteral iron administration has limited utility.
EMPIRICAL SUPPORT FOR AND THE EVALUATION OF AN INTERVENTION MODEL FOR ELDERLY CONSUMERS

This paper reports the development and evaluation of a consumer education intervention model for elderly consumers. Data on the consumer decision making patterns of married elderly were analysed to ascertain the correlates of a specialized or syncratic decision pattern. No differences were found relative to the type or intensity of consumer problems. Additionally, no support was observed for a resource theory of consumer decision-making power. T-test and analysis of covariance suggested that the educational model was effective. Suggestions for future research are offered.
Different mental representations for place recognition and goal localization

Determining one’s current location and locating a goal relative to one’s position are important components of successful human navigation in familiar environments. Several prominent cognitive theories of human spatial memory (e.g., McNamara, 2003; Sholl, 2001; Wang & Spelke, 2002) assume that both behaviors access the same enduring mental representations of the environment. Participants in the present experiment learned the locations of seven objects within a room from two views, and were then tested in a separate room using scene recognition and judgments of relative direction (JRD). Scene recognition results indicated that two viewer-centered representations of the layout of objects were preserved in long-term memory, whereas JRD showed evidence of a single orientation-dependent long-term mental representation. The challenges of incorporating the present findings into existing theories of human spatial memory are discussed.
SU-E-T-428: A Comparative Study of Conventional Radiotherapy, Hypofractionation, and SBRT in Prostate Cancer Using Biological Effective Dose

Purpose: Patient setup in SBRT treatments typically involves specialized immobilization devices to mitigate the greater risk of target under‐dosing due to inter‐fraction positional differences. However there is little evidence of their necessity for prostate treatments. Here we evaluate for prostate SBRT treatments the potential consequences of inter‐fraction motion on biologically effective doses to prostate and normal tissue. Methods: The original planning scan and daily CBCT scans for a patient treated with conventional prostate radiotherapy were used as simulated phantoms for this study. On the patient's original planning scan, a 2 Gy/fx VMAT plan was created in accordance with RTOG 0938. The plan was then transferred to each daily CBCT and recalculated to represent a daily “delivered” dose. BEDs for rectum, bladder and prostate were calculated for each day and summed to a full‐course BED. The plan was then renormalized into hypofractionated (4.3Gy) and SBRT (7.25Gy) plans and recalculated on each CBCT. For the hypothetical SBRT and hypofractionation courses, each CBCT was viewed as a possible setup scan during the course of treatment. As such, all possible full‐course BEDs for each tissue were found by selecting all possible combinations of 12 treatment days from 44 for the hypofractionated plan, and all possible combinations of 5 treatment days for the SBRT plan. Results: Conventional treatment delivered a prostate dose of 159.3Gy over 44 fractions, versus an average of 175.1Gy and 182.2Gy over all possible hypofractionated and SBRT courses respectively. Conventional rectal doses were 80.8Gy, versus an average of 68.1Gy for hypofractionation and 61.8Gy for SBRT. Conclusion: For every possible combination of fractions, SBRT rectal and bladder doses proved lower than their conventional counterparts, while prostate doses increased and remained consistent for all combinations. Intra‐fraction motion notwithstanding, it appears that conventional immobilization techniques are sufficient for high dose per fraction treatments.
Neonatal infection with Neisseria meningitidis: analysis of a 97-year period plus case study.

ABSTRACT Neisseria meningitidis is one of the major causes of meningitis in children and adolescents, but it is rarely found during the neonatal period. Here, we describe a neonate with meningococcal sepsis who was admitted to the hospital on postnatal day 10, and we discuss the clinical features of neonatal infection with N. meningitidis in relation to the literature (analysis of a 97-year period).
ADOLESCENTS' COMPREHENSION AND CONTENT AREA EDUCATION STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS: BENEFITS FROM ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING

In this research study the authors analyzed the effectiveness of content-area education students tutoring adolescents and documented changes in the attitudes of the education students over time. Tutors tested the reading comprehension of both the students they tutored (treatment group) and students they did not (comparison group). The authors used a repeated measures ANOVA to evaluate the effects of the tutorial program on reading for the two groups. The dependent variable was pre- and post-reading scores as measured by the Bader Reading & Language Inventory for both groups. The main effect was significant for the tutored group. In addition, the authors utilized the “preservice teachers' perception/attitude survey” using a Likert scale to document changes in the attitudes of the education students toward implementing literacy strategies within their content areas. To test the effects of the semester-long experience, the authors employed a repeated measures ANOVA to determine significance between the pre/p...
When a Rose Is Just a Rose: The Illusion of Taxonomies in Infant Categorization.

The terms basic, superordinate, subordinate, and global are often used to describe the categories formed by infants. However, although infants' categories appear externally to match those formed by adults, it is not clear that they are grounded in an organized hierarchical system that embodies relations within and between domains; that is, a taxonomy. To assess whether it is appropriate to consider infants' categories as taxonomies, 3 criteria are examined: (a) similarity to adults' choice of category members, (b) hierarchical understanding, and (c) agreement with adults' bases for classification. It is argued that infants' categories do not meet these criteria and that it may be erroneous to apply the same labels to categories formed in the first 2 years as those in later life. To do so may be to hold an illusion of taxonomies about infants' categories.
Tar yield and collection from the pyrolysis of large biomass particles

Abstract Tar yield collection from the pyrolysis of relatively large particles of biomass are investigated using the model of Miller and Bellan (1997).A variety of feedstocks are considered by varying the ratios of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin within the biomass. Effectsof secondary tar reactions, quenching, temperature, particle size and carrier gas are assessed. Secondary tar reactions occuring in both the particle's interior and the exterior boundary layer strongly reduce the potential amount of tar available for collection compared to the maximum given by kinetic predictions. The primary effect of these reactions is the existence of an optimal reactor temperature range for maximizing tar yields. This range is a function of both the quenching location and the initial particle size. For rapid qvenching near the particle surface, tar collection is maximized at high temperatures for small particles, and at low temperatures for large particles. For delayed quenching, low temperatures slow the second...
Ballistocardiographic response to nitroglycerin in coronary artery disease.

Abstract In studies on subjects with coronary artery disease, the exercise test caused angina pectoris in several instances. Nitroglycerin provided relief. Ballistocardiograms were recorded at the moment angina had subsided and compared with traces taken under basal conditions. Striking improvement in the ballistocardiogram was noted after nitroglycerin in the majority of cases; occasional subjects demonstrated no ballistocardiographic improvement after using the drug.
The Cytoprotective Effects of the Glycoprotein 130 Receptor-coupled Cytokine, Cardiotrophin-1, Require Activation of NF-κB

Many cell types mount elaborate, compensatory responses to stress that enhance survival; however, the intracellular signals that govern these responses are poorly understood. Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), a stress-induced cytokine, belongs to the interleukin-6/glycoprotein 130 receptor-coupled cytokine family. CT-1 is released from the heart in response to hypoxic stress, and it protects cardiac myocytes from hypoxia-induced apoptosis, thus establishing a central role for this cytokine in the cardiac stress response. In the present study, CT-1 activated p38 and ERK MAPKs as well as Akt in cultured cardiac myocytes; these three pathways were activated in a parallel manner. CT-1 also induced the degradation of the NF-κB cytosolic anchor, IκB, as well as the translocation of the p65 subunit of NF-κB to the nucleus and increased expression of an NF-κB-dependent reporter gene. Inhibitors of the p38, ERK, or Akt pathways each partially reduced CT-1-mediated NF-κB activation, as well as the cytoprotective effects of CT-1 against hypoxic stress. Together, the inhibitors completely blocked CT-1-dependent NF-κB activation and cytoprotection. A cell-permeable peptide that selectively disrupted NF-κB activation also completely inhibited the cytoprotective effects of CT-1. These results indicate that CT-1 signals through p38, ERK, and Akt in a parallel manner to activate NF-κB and that NF-κB is required for CT-1 to mediate its full cytoprotective effects in cardiac myocytes.
Reconfigurable Antennas, Preemptive Switching and Virtual Channel Management

This article considers the performance of wireless communication systems that utilize reconfigurable or pattern-dynamic antennas. The focus is on finite-state channels with memory and performance is assessed in terms of real-time behavior. In a wireless setting, when a slow fading channel enters a deep fade, the corresponding communication system faces the threat of successive decoding failures at the destination. Under such circumstances, rapidly getting out of deep fades becomes a priority. Recent advances in fast reconfigurable antennas provide new means to alter the statistical profile of fading channels and thereby reduce the probability of prolonged fades. Fast reconfigurable antennas are therefore poised to improve overall performance, especially for delay-sensitive traffic in slow-fading environments. This potential for enhanced performance motivates this study of the temporal behavior of point-to-point communication systems with reconfigurable antennas. Specifically, agile wireless communication schemes over erasure channels are analyzed; situations where using reconfigurable antennas yield substantial performance gains in terms of throughput and average delay are identified. Scenarios where only partial state information is available at the receiver are also examined, naturally leading to partially observable decision processes.
Polyblends of poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene) and polystyrene. I. Mechanical properties

Abstract Kraton 1101, a styrene—butadiene—styrene triblock copolymer (SBS), was blended with homopolymers of styrene (PS) of various molecular weights by dissolving in mutual solvents. All polyblends cast from mixed solvents of tetra-hydrofuran and methyl ethyl ketone were found to be plasticlike. Stress-strain curves of these materials all exhibited a yield point and a flat drawing region. Samples can be stretched beyond 500% strain without fracture. Blends containing high amounts of added PS (>40%) showed stress-whitening effects. Most samples undergo necking when strained beyond the yield point. However, the necked regions are rubbery and exhibit high elasticity rather than irreversible drawing. Dynamic mechanical data of stretched and unstretched polyblends show that the former have enhanced loss tangent region between the primary glass transition loss peaks of styrene and butadiene blocks. The increased loss tangent is due to the decreased storage modulus values of the stretched samples, while the lo...
Inhibiting transcription factor/DNA complexes using fluorescent microgonotropens (FMGTs).

Abstract Fluorescent microgonotropens (FMGTs) are A/T selective, minor groove-binding bisbenzimidazole ligands. Basic side chains extending from these agents electrostatically contact the major groove side of the phosphodiester backbone of DNA, endowing them with high binding affinity. Here, we evaluate the potential of these agents as inhibitors of transcription factor (TF) binding to DNA and explore whether their ability to contact both grooves enhances their inhibitory activity. A series of FMGTs (L2–L5), with polyamine tails of varying lengths and degrees of branching, were compared to an analog lacking these basic side chains (L1), and the classical bisbenzimidazole Hoechst 33342 for effects on TF complex formation on the c-fos serum response element (SRE). Although L1 could not inhibit TF/SRE interactions, L2–L5 did so at submicromolar concentrations. Moreover, the FMGTs were up to 50 times more potent than Hoechst 33342 in inhibiting TF complex formation in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. The FMGTs also inhibited c-fos promoter-driven cell-free transcription and topoisomerase II activity in nuclei. These studies establish the potential of FMGTs as TF/DNA complex inhibitors in cell-free systems, provide insight into the relationship between their structure and biological activities, and demonstrate the benefits of functionalizing minor groove binding-agents with major groove-contacting groups.
Marketing in developing countries: The new frontier

Abstract The macro role of marketing is widely viewed as one of promoting economic growth, and macromarketing as being concerned with designing an efficient and fair marketing system to facilitate an economy's flow of goods from producers to consumers and accomplish the objectives of society. While empirical evidence is generally supportive of numerous economic and societal benefits resulting from marketing activities, concern regarding the underdeveloped state of marketing systems in Third World countries, and their inability to fully exploit the potentialities of marketing as an instrument for economic development has been widely expressed in marketing literature. In light of the above, the merits in viewing marketing as a formative influence on economic development and the potential role of the government in improving marketing systems and processes in Third World countries are discussed in this paper.
Cryoelectron microscopy and EPR analysis of engineered symmetric and polydisperse Hsp16.5 assemblies reveals determinants of polydispersity and substrate binding.

We have identified sequence and structural determinants of oligomer size, symmetry, and polydispersity in the small heat shock protein super family. Using an insertion mutagenesis strategy that mimics evolutionary sequence divergence, we induced the ordered oligomer of Methanococcus jannaschii Hsp16.5 to transition to either expanded symmetric or polydisperse assemblies. A hybrid approach combining spin labeling EPR and cryoelectron microscopy imaging at 10A resolution reveals that the underlying plasticity is mediated by a packing interface with minimal contacts and a flexible C-terminal tether between dimers. Twenty-four dimeric building blocks related by octahedral symmetry assemble into the expanded symmetric oligomer. In contrast, the polydisperse variant has an ordered dimeric building block that heterogeneously packs to yield oligomers of various sizes. Increased exposure of the N-terminal region in the Hsp16.5 variants correlates with enhanced binding to destabilized mutants of T4 lysozyme, whereas deletion of this region reduces binding. Transition to larger intermediates with enhanced substrate binding capacity has been observed in other small heat shock proteins including lens α-crystallin mutants linked to congenital cataract. Together, these results provide a mechanistic perspective on substrate recognition and binding by the small heat shock protein superfamily.
Integrated Theory and Crimes of Trust

The integrated theory first proposed by Elliott et al. (1979), combining strain, social control, and social learning (and sometimes social disorganization) theories, has been repeatedly tested and consistently supported for a wide range of behaviors including licit and illicit substance use, violence, and other forms of illegal behavior. It has not, however, been tested for a class of illegal behaviors best described as crimes of trust, which include different types of fraud, workplace theft, and income tax evasion. This category of offending includes offenses commonly regarded as white collar crime, and also offenses that have been more or less marginal to the study of white collar crime. The present paper tests the integrated theory specifically for crimes of trust in the National Youth Survey Family Study, a national, multigenerational sample of individuals whose focal respondents were 11–17 years old in 1976–1977, and who are now in middle adulthood. Relying on structural equation modeling (SEM), parallel tests are performed for two generations, the focal respondents in early middle age (ages 38–45) and their adult offspring (ages 18–24) for the period 2002–2004.
Genes expressed during conidiation in Neurospora crassa: molecular characterization of con-13

Abstract Asexual development in Neurospora crassa proceeds through a series of discrete morphological stages that culminate in the production of dormant spores called conidia. Changes in the pattern of gene expression parallel the morphological transformations associated with conidiation. As a prerequisite to the analysis of developmental gene expression in N. crassa, several genes of unknown function that are preferentially expressed during conidiation were isolated [Berlin and Yanofsky, Mol. Cell. Biol. 5 (1985) 849–855]. The molecular structure and nucleotide sequence of one of these genes, designated con-13, is presented. The con-13 gene specifies a relatively rare 1.35-kb message which is first detected about 8 h following the induction of conidiation. Sequence analysis of both cDNA and genomic clones indicates that the con-13 gene consists of three exons divided by two small introns. It encodes a polypeptide of 340 amino acid residues (37.1 kDa). The Con-13 protein is weakly acidic and hydrophilic. A comparison of the regions upstream from the con-8, con-10, and con-13 genes revealed several short sequence motifs which may be important in developmental gene regulation.
Specific allergen-induced Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-positive B cells from patients with chronic-active Epstein-Barr virus infections

Enriched B cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with chronic-active Epstein-Barr virus (CA-EBV) infections and subjects with mild and moderate allergies were cultured in vitro with specific allergens known to cause allergic reactions. A significant increase in Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen+ cells occurred only in the B cells obtained from patients with CA-EBV when cells were stimulated with the specific antigen. Results indicate an association between EBV-transformed cells and B cells with idiotypic expressions and may help to explain the association between CA-EBV and allergy in these patients.
RNA Polymerase Backtracking in Gene Regulation and Genome Instability

RNA polymerase is a ratchet machine that oscillates between productive and backtracked states at numerous DNA positions. Since its first description 15 years ago, backtracking—the reversible sliding of RNA polymerase along DNA and RNA—has been implicated in many critical processes in bacteria and eukaryotes, including the control of transcription elongation, pausing, termination, fidelity, and genome instability.
Balancing the decision of cell proliferation and cell fate

The control of cellular proliferation is key in the proper development of a complex organism, the maintenance of tissue homeostasis and the ability to respond to various hormonal and other inducers. Key in the control of proliferation is the retinoblastoma (Rb) protein which regulates the activity of a family of transcription factors known as E2Fs. The E2F proteins are now recognized to regulate the expression of a large number of genes associated with cell proliferation including genes encoding DNA replication as well as mitotic activities. What has also become clear over the past several years is the intimate relationship between the control of cell proliferation and the control of cell fate, particularly the activation of apoptotic pathways. Central in this connection is the Rb/E2F pathway that not only provides the primary signals for proliferation but at the same time, connects with the p53-dependent apoptotic pathway. This review addresses this inter-connection and the molecular mechanisms that control the decision between proliferation and cell death.
Response to Intervisit Blood Pressure Variability and Outcome: Is Heart Rate a Missing Confounder?

We thank Drs Ben-Dov, Cahan, and Bursztyn1 for their interest in our article and thoughtful letter. It is well established that antihypertensive medication classes affect heart rate and that heart rate is associated with mortality.2,3 As it relates to our study,4 heart rate is an important determinant of blood pressure regulation and, thus, may be associated with visit-to-visit variability of blood pressure.5 Although an association has been demonstrated between heart …
Muon g-2 Anomaly and Dark Leptonic Gauge Boson

One of the major motivations to search for a dark gauge boson of MeV--GeV scale is the long-standing ${g}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{-}2$ anomaly. Because of active searches such as fixed target experiments and rare meson decays, the ${g}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{-}2$ favored parameter region has been rapidly reduced. With the most recent data, it is practically excluded now in the popular dark photon model. We overview the issue and investigate a potentially alternative model based on the gauged lepton number or $U(1{)}_{L}$. The ${g}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{-}2$ favored parameter region of the $U(1{)}_{L}$ survives all the constraints that were critical in the dark photon case, yet it is disfavored by the new constraints from the large flux neutrino experiments.
Content of mercury in leaves of Spartina alterniflora Loisel. in Georgia, U.S.A.: an update

Spartina leaves from industrially polluted and undeveloped marsh sites were analysed for content of mercury and eight other elements (B, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Pb, Zn). The industrially polluted site had been identified six years earlier as a heavily mercury-impacted area. Although other metals now do not show elevated levels in leaves of Spartina, high leaf-mercury contents have persisted, despite cessation of discharge of mercury in 1972.
Analysis of experimentally generated friction related acoustic emission signals

Abstract Acoustic emission signals generated by sliding friction between two flat steel surfaces are characterized. A test fixture to simulate the reciprocating motion between the two surfaces under controlled conditions is developed. Sliding friction under several combinations of surface roughness, relative velocity, and normal pressure was examined. Wideband AE sensors and instrumentation were used for acquiring and analyzing the acoustic emission signals. Acoustic emission events occurred primarily during the slip portion of the stick-slip cycles. AE waveform features obtained during these experiments were indicative of the tribological conditions. Frequency components in excess of 700 kHz were seen during these experiments. The characteristics of the experimentally observed acoustic emission signals were in general agreement with earlier numerical predictions. Friction related acoustic emission signals were distinguishable from those from other sources such as fatigue crack growth. The characterization of friction related acoustic emission signals is likely to be of value in many tribological and structural health monitoring applications.
The solitary side of life: An examination of the time people spend alone from childhood to old age.

Abstract From childhood to old age people spend increasing amounts of their waking hours alone. This paper examines this enlarging solitary part of daily life as a distinct “experiential niche” having unique potentials and liabilities. The paper synthesizes a program of research in which people of different ages have provided reports on their experiences at random times during the day, including times when they are alone. Findings show that the immediate experience of daily solitude is usually one of loneliness and passivity. This is particularly true in adolescence; for older samples aloneness becomes both more common and less emotionally negative. At the same time, adolescents who spend at least some portion of their time alone appear to be better adjusted, perhaps because solitude facilitates the adolescent developmental tasks of individuation and identity formation, while in adulthood and old age, spending large amounts of time alone is more likely to be correlated with poor adjustment.