cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What matters when doctors die: A qualitative study of family perspectives.

Background The challenges of supporting the end-of-life preferences of patients and their families have often been attributed to poor understanding of the patient’s condition. Understanding how physicians, as patients, communicate their end-of-life care preferences to their families may inform shared decision making at end of life. Objectives The purpose of this study was to understand what matters to families of physicians when decision making with and for a physician who is approaching the end of life. Design Cross-sectional qualitative design. Participants We conducted interviews with family members of deceased physicians. Approach We analyzed the data using the constant comparison method to identify themes. Key results Family members (N = 26) rarely were unclear about the treatment preferences of physicians who died. Three overarching themes emerged about what matters most to physicians’ families: (1) honoring preferences for the context of end-of-life care; (2) supporting the patient’s control and dignity in care; and, (3) developing a shared understanding of preferences. Families struggled to make decisions and provide the care needed by the physicians at the end of life, often encountering significant challenges from the healthcare system. Conclusions Even when disease and prognosis are well understood as in this group of physicians, families still experienced difficulties in end-of-life decision making. These findings highlight the need to specifically address preferences for caregiver, care setting and symptom management in shared end-of-life decision making conversations with patients and families.
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) impaired reproduction and altered offspring physiological functions in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Abstract Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), a shorter chain Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) cognate of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), has been used as replacement for the toxic surfactant PFOS. However, emerging evidences suggest safety concerns for PFBS and its effect on reproductive health is still understudied. Therefore, the current work aimed to investigate the effect of PFBS, in comparison to PFOS, on reproductive health using Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo animal model. PFOS (≥10 μM) and PFBS (≥1000 μM) significantly impaired the reproduction capacity of C. elegans, represented as reduced brood size (total egg number) and progeny number (hatched offspring number), without affecting the hatchability. Additionally, the preconception exposure of PFOS and PFBS significantly altered the embryonic nutrient loading and composition, which further led to abnormalities in growth rate, body size and locomotive activity in F1 offspring. Though the effective exposure concentration of PFBS was approximately 100 times higher than PFOS, the internal concentration of PFBS was lower than that of PFOS to produce the similar effects of PFOS. In conclusion, PFOS and PFBS significantly impaired the reproductive capacities in C. elegans and the preconception exposure of these two compounds can lead to offspring physiological dysfunctions.
An Analysis of Statewide Anti-bullying Laws Employing the Iowa Safe Schools Law as a Case Study

School bullying is a pervasive social problem that has been linked to severe mental health consequences for students. Though 50 states have adopted anti-bullying policies, research into the effectiveness of these policies has suggested that many such policies are not effective in reducing rates of bullying in schools. This paper aims to identify strategies for policy makers and social workers to reduce bullying in schools. This paper focuses on the Iowa Safe Schools Law as a case study for better understanding the strengths and limitations of statewide anti-bullying laws. Consistent with general evaluations of statewide anti-bullying laws, comparisons of rates of bullying before and after the passage of the Iowa Safe Schools Law reveal no reductions in rates of bullying. Through an examination of the extant academic and popular literature, this analysis identifies several critiques of the policy, namely that such policies infringe upon freedom of expression and that such policies focus on individual behavior modification rather than on changing underlying social norms that contribute to hostile environments. This paper presents several recommendations for advancing the prevention of bullying. Future research should identify underlying factors that render these policies ineffective and common factors of policies that have been found to be more effective. Bullying prevention policies should include funding allocated to these efforts and components that have been empirically linked to reductions in bullying. Social workers hold a key role in advocating for funding for this policy and offering institutional and individual-level interventions to reduce bullying.
The Impact of Employee Engagement on Productivity: A Case of the Egyptian Public Sector

There has been a significant lack of Employee engagement study in the academic literature, which in return resulted in lack of knowledge about its consequences on the governmental sector “Alan M. Saks, (2006)”. It was found that engaged employees tend to be energetic and considerably enthusiastic about their work and in result higher organization’s productivity is achieved “Bakker & Demerouti, 2008”. A positive relationship between organization’s productivity and employee engagement was found, meaning that the more engaged the employee, the better he performs; and thus the better the organization’s overall performance “Alan M. Saks, (2006)”. After careful consideration of the Egyptian sector and its status, it was found that an examination of the the employee engagement’s impact on Egyptian Public sector is highly needed. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the employee engagement’s impact on Egyptian Public sector.
Active Query of Private Demographic Data for Learning Fair Models

Learning a fair prediction model is an important research problem with profound societal impacts. Most approaches assume free access to the sensitive demographic data, whereas these data are becoming restricted to use by privacy regulations. Existing solutions are broadly based on multi-party computation or demographic proxy, but each direction has its own limits in certain scenarios. In this paper, we propose a new direction called active demographic query. We assume sensitive demographic data can be queried with cost, e.g., a company may pay to get a customer's consent on using his private data. Building on Dwork's decoupled fair model, we propose two active query strategies: QmCo queries for the most controversial data maximally disagreed by the decoupled models, and QmRe queries for the most resistant data maximally deteriorating fairness of the current model. In experiment, we show both strategies efficiently improve model fairness on three data sets.
Toxicity of hydraulic fracturing wastewater from black shale natural-gas wells influenced by well maturity and chemical additives

Hydraulic fracturing of deep shale formations generates large volumes of wastewater that must be managed through treatment, reuse, or disposal. Produced wastewater liberates formation-derived radionuclides and contains previously uncharacterized organohalides thought to be generated within the shale well, both posing unknown toxicity to human and ecological health. Here, we assess the toxicity of 42 input media and produced fluid samples collected from four wells in the Utica formation and Marcellus Shale using two distinct endpoint screening assays. Broad spectrum acute toxicity was assessed using a bioluminescence inhibition assay employing the halotolerant bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri, while predictive mammalian cytotoxicity was evaluated using a N-acetylcysteine (NAC) thiol reactivity assay. The acute toxicity and thiol reactivity of early-stage flowback was higher than later produced fluids, with levels diminishing through time as the natural gas wells matured. Acute toxicity of early stage flowback and drilling muds were on par with the positive control, 3,5-dichlorophenol (6.8 mg L−1). Differences in both acute toxicity and thiol reactivity between paired natural gas well samples were associated with specific chemical additives. Samples from wells containing a larger diversity and concentration of organic additives resulted in higher acute toxicity, while samples from a well applying a higher composition of ammonium persulfate, a strong oxidizer, showed greater thiol reactivity, predictive of higher mammalian toxicity. Both acute toxicity and thiol reactivity are consistently detected in produced waters, in some cases present up to nine months after hydraulic fracturing. These results support that specific chemical additives, the reactions generated by the additives, or the constituents liberated from the formation by the additives contribute to the toxicity of hydraulic fracturing produced waters and reinforces the need for careful consideration of early produced fluid management.
Reply letter to "response to article by Johnna Perdrizet et al." by Gomez and colleagues.

This communication seeks to address the questions and criticisms issued by Gomez and colleagues in their letter on our original study “Cost-effectiveness analysis of replacing the 10-valent pneumoc...
Impact of Overnight Formal Ultrasound on the Diagnosis of Ectopic Pregnancy (EP) Among Symptomatic Pregnancies of Unknown Location (PUL)

Study Objective To assess changes in performance characteristics of the initial diagnoses established during a gynecologic consult for PUL after implementation of overnight formal ultrasound. Design This retrospective cohort study compares pre-intervention (2017) and post-intervention (2019) periods in a convenience sample. Setting Urban academic tertiary-care hospital, single institution. Patients or Participants Reproductive-aged women were included if they underwent a gynecologic consult for symptomatic PUL in the Emergency Department during after-hours (18:00-08:00). A total of 325 of 810 (40%) screened patients met inclusion criteria. For primary outcome analysis, 97 of 147 (66%) patients in 2017 and 111 of 178 (63%) patients in 2019 completed follow-up to final diagnosis. Interventions Overnight formal ultrasound was implemented Monday through Friday night in 2018 and was performed before or during a gynecologic consult. Measurements and Main Results Primary outcomes were gynecologic consult performance characteristics (eg- sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values). Quality measures relevant to early diagnosis of EP were also investigated. Descriptive statistics and significance were calculated using T-Test, Fisher's Exact, or Chi-square where appropriate (alpha=0.05). Fewer patients at the initial consult were discharged with a diagnosis of PUL, from 55% in 2017 to 30% in 2019, p=0.0002. Accurate initial diagnosis of EP increased from 52% to 76% of all EP, p=0.046. Positive predictive value for initial EP diagnosis improved from 79% to 97%, p=0.047. Populations were similar in baseline characteristics, admission for observation, and management of EP. Conclusion Overnight formal ultrasound increased accurate diagnosis of EP at the initial consult. Ongoing quality assessment should be considered for emergency gynecologic care.
Finding the Good in Holmes' Bad Man

This Article critically examines Holmes’ widely influential but controversial “bad man” theory of law from its inception during a speech Holmes gave for the dedication of a new hall of the Boston University School of Law in 1897, through its development over the next century, to its current influence over legal fields as diverse as contract law, tort law, and modern punitive damages jurisprudence. Despite its extraordinary influence, this Article will argue that Holmes’ theory has been widely misunderstood, and can be more profitably understood, by both supporters and critics alike, not as supporting the bad man but the good, by providing an effective counterpart to the traditional positivist theory of law for which Holmes’ bad man theory of law has so often been associated. Indeed, Holmes’ theory, which has been portrayed by some as supporting the argument for the strict separation of law and morality, has been attacked by its critics both descriptively (as providing an incomplete picture of the law) and normatively (as providing an immoral or, at best, amoral theory of law), and has been accused of artificially driving a wedge between law, on the one hand, and justice or morality, on the other. Far from overlooking this relationship, however, a careful reading of Holmes suggests that he was himself well aware of the intimate relationship between law and morality, and seems to have recognized, somewhat surprisingly, that only by engaging in an analytical separation of these two concepts can they then be normatively reunited in an intellectually consistent and satisfying manner. In short, Holmes’ theory supports the idea that only by recognizing the differences between the concepts of law and justice, rather than by stressing their similarities, can the two be brought together and integrated into the social fabric upon which law must necessarily rest.
Role of monopoles in a gluon plasma

We study the role of magnetic monopoles at high enough temperature $Tg2{T}_{c}$, when they can be considered heavy, rare objects embedded into matter consisting mostly of the usual ``electric'' quasiparticles, quarks, and gluons. We review available lattice results on monopoles at finite temperatures. Then we proceed to classical and quantum charge-monopole scattering, solving the problem of gluon-monopole scattering for the first time. The explicit calculations are performed in the framework of the Georgi-Glashow model; the results that we obtain are nevertheless quite general. Connections to QCD are carefully discussed. We find that, while the gluon-monopole scattering hardly influences thermodynamic quantities, it does produce a large transport cross section, significantly exceeding that for pQCD gluon-gluon scattering up to quite high $T$. Thus, in spite of their relatively small density at high $T$, monopoles are extremely important for quark-gluon plasma transport properties, keeping viscosity small enough for hydrodynamics to work at the LHC.
Partners versus Strangers: Random Rematching in Public Goods Experiments

This chapter was originally published in the book Handbook of Experimental Economics Results. The copy attached is provided by Elsevier for the author’s benefit and for the benefit of the author’s institution, for noncommercial research, and educational use. This includes without limitation use in instruction at your institution, distribution to specific colleagues, and providing a copy to your institution’s administrator.
Spiritual quality of life in advanced cancer patients receiving radiation therapy

Objective The aim of this randomized controlled trial for patients with advanced cancer receiving radiation therapy was to determine the effect of a multidisciplinary intervention on spiritual quality of life (QOL) at the end of the intervention (week 4) and at two follow-up time points (weeks 26 and 52). Methods One hundred thirty-one persons were randomized to either the intervention or control (forms only) groups. The intervention included six 90-min in-person sessions based on the physical, emotion, social, and spiritual domains of QOL. Three sessions included the spiritual component. Caregivers were present for four sessions, one which included a spiritual component. Ten follow-up phone calls were made to the patients in the intervention group during the 6-month follow-up period. Patients completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy: General Scale, the Linear Analog Self-Assessment which includes an assessment of spiritual QOL, and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp) at enrollment, and weeks 4, 27, and 52. Results Following the intervention, the intervention group demonstrated improved spiritual QOL on the FACIT-Sp, whereas the spiritual QOL of the control group decreased, resulting in significant mean changes between groups (total score: 1.7 vs. −2.9; p < 0.01; meaning/peace subscale: 1.0 vs. −3.5; p < 0.01; faith subscale: 3.1 vs. −1.7; p = 0.04). Conclusions The results indicate that a multidisciplinary intervention which includes a spiritual component can maintain the spiritual QOL of patients with advanced cancer during radiation therapy. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermal runaway due to symmetry breaking in parallel-connected battery cells

SUMMARY A battery energy system consists of networks of cells. This paper considers the coupling among the cells that are connected in parallel. Cells are designed to react uniformly in response to charging and discharging. We study the possible occurrence of symmetry breaking when small perturbation leads to further deviation from uniform responses. By including coupling among the cells to the existing battery models, we formulate a dynamical system governing the rate of change of thermal and electrical quantities of the cells. Limited numerical solution using fourth-order Runge–Kutta method was carried out, and stability criteria are obtained from algebraic analysis. The results show that a much more stringent effort in thermal management is required to prevent thermal runaway initiated by cells interacting with each other due to asymmetric perturbations. The increased heat transfer between the two cells serves to offset the undesirable effect of the parallel connection, but the stabilizing effect could be greatly compromised if the cell incorporates three parallel units as in some commercial Li-ion battery cells. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Regulation of Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone Secretion from Frog Skin*

The regulation of TRH secretion from skin fragments of the leopard frog, Rana pipiens, was examined under various conditions. TRH secretion is under dual neurotransmitter control with stimulatory noradrenergic and inhibitory dopaminergic components; other neurotransmitters were generally without effect. Membrane-depolarizing conditions required the presence of calcium to cause TRH release consistent with a stimulus-secretion coupling mechanism. However, the norepinephrine-stimulated response appeared to be independent of external Ca++. TRH secretion was unresponsive to somatostatin, T3, and dibutyryl cAMP, substances which may affect TRH secretion in the mammalian hypothalamus. Anuran skin is a complex secretory tissue, but the presence of large quantities of TRH and other biologically active neuropeptides makes this tissue an attractive model to study the regulation of neuropeptide secretion.
Influence of phenobarbital on factors responsible for hepatic clearance of indocyanine green in the rat: Relative contributions of induction and altered liver blood flow

Abstract The influence of phenobarbital, 3,4-benzpyrene and 3-methylcholanthrene on the clearance of indocyanine green (ICG) in the rat was investigated. ICG clearance following rapid i.v. administration of 1, 10 and 50 mg/kg, body wt was dose-dependent and pretreatment for 10 days with the inducing agents produced an increase in clearance only in the case of phenobarbital. All three inducers when given in this manner have been reported to produce equivalent increases in ligandin, consequently, this protein cannot be a major rate-limiting factor for hepatic ICG removal in the rat. Of the three inducing agents studied, only phenobarbital increases liver blood flow. The relative contribution of this change versus any increase in the liver's intrinsic ability to remove ICG was estimated using a perfusion-limited model of hepatic elimination. Although the influence of the altered flow decreased with increasing ICG dose, the changes in both flow and intrinsic clearance were directly proportional to the increase in liver mass produced by phenobarbital. It may be concluded, therefore, that the influence of phenobarbital on ICG clearance in the rat is due to a larger liver with a proportionate increase in blood flow and not a consequence of the induction of any specific uptake protein.
Abstract 1610: Curcumin inhibition of the functional interaction between integrin α6β4 and the epidermal growth factor receptor

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL The functional interaction between integrin α6β4 and growth factor receptors has been implicated in key signaling pathways important for cancer cell function. However, few attempts have been made to selectively target this interaction for therapeutic intervention. Previous studies showed that curcumin, a yellow pigment isolated from tumeric, inhibits integrin α6β4 signaling important for breast carcinoma cell motility and invasion, but the mechanism is not currently known. To address this issue, we tested the hypothesis that curcumin inhibits the functional interaction between α6β4 and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In this study, we found that curcumin disrupts functional and physical interactions between α6β4 and EGFR, and blocks α6β4/EGFR dependent functions of carcinoma cells expressing the signaling competent form of α6β4. We further demonstrated that curcumin inhibits EGF dependent mobilization of α6β4 from hemidesmosomes to the leading edges of migrating cells such as lammelipodia and filopodia, and thereby prevents α6β4 distribution to lipid rafts where functional interactions between α6β4 and EGFR occur. These data suggest a novel paradigm in which curcumin inhibits α6β4 signaling and functions by altering intracellular localization of α6β4, thus preventing its association with signaling receptors such as EGFR. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1610. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1610
Localization of transcripts produced in vivo and in vitro on phage SP82 genome

Abstract RNAs pulse-labeled 2–4 min, 8–10 min and 18–20 min after infection of Bacillus subtilis with phage SP82 were hybridized to fragments of SP82 DNA produced by treatment with Hpa II which were separated by electrophoresis on agarose gels and transferred to membrane filters. Of the 37 fragments produced by Hpa II, only 3 complexed with RNA which was labeled 2–4 min after infection. All but 10 bands complexed RNAs which were labeled 8–10 min after infection and all but 3 were labeled by hybridization with RNAs synthesized 18–20 min after infection. RNAs synthesized in vitro by unmodified B. subtilis polymerase and by modified polymerases isolated 8 and 20 min after infection showed similar patterns of hybridization. These results are discussed in relation to the temporal classes of RNA detected earlier by competition-hybridization experiments with isolated strands of SP82 DNA.
Improving Undergraduate Online Retention through Gated Advisement and Redundant Communication.

The University of West Georgia implemented a successful research-based initiative, Project DEW (Developing eCore Winners) to improve retention in its eCore courses. eCore courses are those offered ...
Three-dimensional analysis of a radiant furnace-application to nitric oxide decomposition

The objectives of this investigation are to (1) analyze the three-dimensional steady-state fluid flow and temperature patterns in an experimental magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) radiant furnace; (2) use these results, together with a transient three-dimensional tracer simulation, to develop a one-dimensional temperature/flow model for characteristic residence times and temperatures; and (3) use this model to interpret experimental nitric oxide (NO) decomposition data. Calculated results from two three-dimensional thermal hydraulics computer programs indicate highly three-dimensional flow patterns. The high velocity gas stream entering the furnace from the diffuser hits the slag screen and flows downward, splitting into two characteristic flow paths: one close to the slag screen and one much further below it. The gas along these two flow paths then flows upward through the staggered tubes forming the lower section of the slag screen. 17 references.
Cooperation of two ADAMTS metalloproteases in closure of the mouse palate identifies a requirement for versican proteolysis in regulating palatal mesenchyme proliferation

We have identified a role for two evolutionarily related, secreted metalloproteases of the ADAMTS family, ADAMTS20 and ADAMTS9, in palatogenesis. Adamts20 mutations cause the mouse white-spotting mutant belted (bt), whereas Adamts9 is essential for survival beyond 7.5 days gestation (E7.5). Functional overlap of Adamts9 with Adamts20 was identified using Adamts9+/–;bt/bt mice, which have a fully penetrant cleft palate. Palate closure was delayed, although eventually completed, in both Adamts9+/–;bt/+ and bt/bt mice, demonstrating cooperation of these genes. Adamts20 is expressed in palatal mesenchyme, whereas Adamts9 is expressed exclusively in palate microvascular endothelium. Palatal shelves isolated from Adamts9+/–;bt/bt mice fused in culture, suggesting an intact epithelial TGFβ3 signaling pathway. Cleft palate resulted from a temporally specific delay in palatal shelf elevation and growth towards the midline. Mesenchyme of Adamts9+/–;bt/bt palatal shelves had reduced cell proliferation, a lower cell density and decreased processing of versican (VCAN), an extracellular matrix (ECM) proteoglycan and ADAMTS9/20 substrate, from E13.5 to E14.5. Vcan haploinsufficiency led to greater penetrance of cleft palate in bt mice, with a similar defect in palatal shelf extension as Adamts9+/–;bt/bt mice. Cell density was normal in bt/bt;Vcanhdf/+ mice, consistent with reduced total intact versican in ECM, but impaired proliferation persisted in palate mesenchyme, suggesting that ADAMTS-cleaved versican is required for cell proliferation. These findings support a model in which cooperative versican proteolysis by ADAMTS9 in vascular endothelium and by ADAMTS20 in palate mesenchyme drives palatal shelf sculpting and extension.
What missing link

Reports of huge gaps in the fossil record have been greatly exaggerated. We have an astonishingly comprehensive record of the key transitions in animal evolution
Stimulation of phagocytosis by sulforaphane

Sulforaphane, a major isothiocyanate derived from cruciferous vegetables, protects living systems against electrophile toxicity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and radiation. A major protective mechanism is the induction of a network of endogenous cytoprotective (phase 2) genes that are regulated by transcription factor Nrf2. To obtain a more detailed understanding of the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of sulforaphane, we evaluated its effect on the phagocytosis activity of RAW 264.7 murine macrophage-like cells by measuring the uptake of 2-μm diameter polystyrene beads. Sulforaphane raised the phagocytosis activity of RAW 264.7 cells but only in the absence or presence of low concentrations (1%) of fetal bovine serum. Higher serum concentrations depressed phagocytosis and abolished its stimulation by sulforaphane. This stimulation did not depend on the induction of Nrf2-regulated genes since it occurred in peritoneal macrophages of nrf2(-/-) mice. Moreover, a potent triterpenoid inducer of Nrf2-dependent genes did not stimulate phagocytosis, whereas sulforaphane and another isothiocyanate (benzyl isothiocyanate) had comparable inducer potencies. It has been shown recently that sulforaphane is a potent and direct inactivator of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), an inflammatory cytokine. Moreover, the addition of recombinant MIF to RAW 264.7 cells attenuated phagocytosis, but sulforaphane-inactivated MIF did not affect phagocytosis. The inactivation of MIF may therefore be involved in the phagocytosis-enhancing activity of sulforaphane.
Oral ciramadol in the treatment of postoperative pain.

The efficacy and safety of single oral 15, 30, and 60 mg doses of ciramadol, an investigational agonist/ antagonist analgesic, were studied in a postoperative pain model and compared with aspirin, 325 and 650 mg. Two visual analog pain assessment scales were also compared. Results showed that a pain relief score of moderate or better was reported at some time during the 6-hour observation period by 76% of the patients who took 15 mg ciramadol, by 60% of those who took 30 mg ciramadol, by 59% of those who took 60 mg ciramadol, and by 38% and 92% of the patients who took the low and high doses of aspirin, respectively. From 1 to 4 hours after drug dosing, 15 mg ciramadol generally produced higher scores, indicative of greater pain relief, on the three pain intensity efficacy scales used (verbal, linear analog, and curvilinear analog) than did the other two ciramadol doses, but these differences were generally not significant. The differences between 15 mg ciramadol and 650 mg aspirin were generally not significant, although the higher aspirin dose had some advantages over 15 mg ciramadol. The most frequently reported adverse effect was dizziness/vertigo in 22% of patients taking 60 mg ciramadol, in 17% of those taking 30 mg ciramadol, in 13% of those taking 15 mg ciramadol, in 4% of those taking high aspirin doses, and in none of those who received the low aspirin doses. The correlation coefficient for the linear and curvilinear pain analog intensity scales was 0.955, indicating a highly significant correlation (P < 0.001). Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1985) 38, 176–182; doi:10.1038/clpt.1985.155
Cultural Politics and the Reading of Job

Throughout the book of Job there is a rivalry between different ways of talking. As important as it is to pay attention to what everybody is talking about, there are also important issues to be uncovered in attending to how these ways of using language differ and what is at stake in setting them over against one another. Since every way of talking implies a moral and social world, the book of Job presents readers with alternative models of character and community. The rival discourses within the book can be compared with contemporary discourses of neo-traditionalism, critical modernism, and post-modernism. Although arguments can be made for a neo-traditionalist and a post-modernist reading of the book as a whole, neither argument decisively triumphs over the other. The book may be likened to a Gestalt drawing that can be seen in two irreconcilable ways.
Refining the Prediction of Effort: Brehm's Distinction between Potential Motivation and Motivation Intensity

It is self-evident that resource allocation is better understood when a distinction is made between what people are willing to do to achieve a purpose and what they will do to achieve the purpose. Yet, motivation theorists have largely ignored this distinction in attempting to understand effort aspects of motivated behavior. An exception is Brehm, who has distinguished potential motivation from motivation intensity. Potential motivation refers to the upper limit of what people would be willing to do to satisfy a motive. It is proposed to vary with factors traditionally thought to determine motive strength (importance). Motivation intensity refers to effort and is proposed to vary proximally with the difficulty of instrumental behavior, first rising and then falling precipitously. In this article, I discuss Brehm's distinction and elaborate on its significance.
Development and maintenance of dendrite bundles after cordotomy in exercised and nonexercised cats

Alpha motoneuron dendrite bundle formations were examined in the lumbar cord of kittens which had experienced T12 transection at either 2 or 12 weeks of age. Animals in both age groups were maintained on the average of 4 months postcordotomy and further subdivided as follows: one group experienced daily treadmill exercise for 20 to 30 min; the other group was unexercised. The effect of cordotomy on degree and complexity of bundling in all four groups was observed. Bundle complexity was also compared with ability to walk on a motorized treadmill. The dendrite bundles at the lumbar level of all kittens spinalized at 2 weeks were immature while bundles at the cervical level had matured normally. The dendrite bundles at the lumbar level for the cats spinalized at 12 weeks showed signs of degeneration. Neither exercise training nor walking ability was correlated with the complexity of dendrite bundling at the lumbar level. These results indicate that an intact cord is necessary for the maturation of bundles in the kittens spinalized at 2 weeks and for maintenance of existing bundle formations.
On the Visualization of Time-Varying Structured Grids Using a 3D Warp Texture

We present a novel scheme to interactively visualize time-varying scalar fields defined on a structured grid. The underlying approach is to maximize the use of current graphics hardware by using 3D texture mapping. This approach commonly suffers from an expensive voxelization of each time-step as well as from large size of the voxel array approximating each step. Hence, in our scheme, instead of explicitly voxelizing each scalar field, we directly store each time-step as a three dimensional texture in its native form. We create the function that warps a voxel grid into the given structured grid. At rendering time, we reconstruct the function at each pixel using hardware-based trilinear interpolation. The resulting coordinates allow us to compute the scalar value at this pixel using a second texture lookup. For fixed grids, the function remains constant across time-steps and only the scalar field table needs to be re-loaded as a texture. Our new approach achieves excellent performance with relatively low texture memory requirements and low approximation error.
An immunoassay for Leu-enkephalin based on a C-terminal aequorin-peptide fusion.

Recently we demonstrated that the fusion of an octapeptide to the C-terminus of a cysteine-free mutant of aequorin showed no inhibitory effect on the luminescence activity of the photoprotein. This observation is of particular importance when the use of aequorin as a label in the development of immunoassays for peptides whose activity lies in their C-terminal region or the epitope for antibody recognition is at their C-terminus is desired. In the case of opioid peptides, antibodies are directed toward their C-terminus as they differ from each other at this terminus. The goal of this study was to develop an immunoassay for Leu-enkephalin, a mammalian opioid peptide, using a C-terminal aequorin−peptide fusion protein. For that, the N-terminus of Leu-enkephalin was genetically fused to the C-terminus of a cysteine-free mutant of aequorin. It was observed that the C-terminal conjugated aequorin maintained its luminescence activity. An immunoassay for Leu-enkephalin was then developed using the aequorin−Leu-en...
Function spaces over GO-spaces: Part I

Abstract We describe the structure of spaces of continuous step functions over GO-spaces. We establish a relation between the Dedekind completion of a GO-space L and properties of the space of continuous functions from L to 2 with finitely many steps. We use the established relation to prove that a countably compact GO-space L has Lindelof C p ( L ) iff the Dedekind remainder of L is Lindelof and every compact subspace of L is metrizable. Or equivalently, a countably compact GO-space L has Lindelof C p ( L ) iff every compact subspace of L is metrizable and a G δ -set in L. Other results are obtained.
Benz[cd]indol-2(1H)-one at 298 and 100 K.

Weakly diffracting crystals of benz[cd]indol-2(1H)-one (naphtholactam), C(11)H(7)NO, were unsuitable for data collection by early photographic methods. However, a diffractometer data set collected at room temperature in 1989 was solved and refined. The peak scans were broad, and the results indicated disorder or a satellite crystal. Recent data collection (on another crystal from the same sample) with an area detector at 100 K revealed the same disorder, and made it possible to refine two different, more complete, disorder models. Both models assume an occasional 180° rotation of the nearly planar centrosymmetric cis-lactam dimer. The refinements differ, especially in the anisotropic displacement parameters for the -C(=O)-NH- portion of the molecule. Both models at 100 K give a C-N (`amide') bond distance of 1.38 A, about 0.04 A longer than the average distance in saturated γ-lactams in the Cambridge Structural Database. Cohesive packing interactions between molecules include opposing-dipole dimers; the packing may explain the 10:1 ratio favoring the major-occupancy molecule.
The secretion of bioactive and immunoreactive follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) throughout the menstrual cycle of the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta).

The present study provides the first evaluation of related changes in serum levels of bioactive FSH (Bio FSH) and immunoreactive FSH (iFSH), and concurrent dynamics of LH and FSH bioactivity throughout the menstrual cycle of the rhesus monkey. Mean concentrations of Bio FSH were elevated on days 0 and 1 (n = 7; P < 0.05; day 0 = preovulatory LH surge). Data from individual animals revealed that an average (± SEM) of 1.43 ± 0.29 and 2.71 ± 0.61 discrete surges of Bio FSH occurred in each monkey's follicular and luteal phase, respectively. Analysis of the collective data indicated that periods of increased Bio FSH secretory activity spanned days -1 to 1 and 8 to 10 (P < 0.025). Increases in serum Bio FSH and iFSH concentrations were not precisely correlated on a daily basis (38.9%), although 72.2% of the peaks of Bio FSH and iFSH surges occurred within a day of one another. Similarly, only 36.1% of the Bio FSH surges were accompanied by elevations in bioactive LH (Bio LH). A significant rise in Bio LH, but not Bio FSH, occurred on day -1 (P < 0.01). Concentrations of Bio LH, but not Bio FSH, were elevated in the early luteal phase (P < 0.01). The bioactivity/immunoactivity ratios (Bio/I) of LH and FSH were maximal on the day of the preovulatory surge (P < 0.01). On day -1, LH Bio/I significantly increased (P < 0.05), but no change in FSH Bio/I was detected. The Bio/I of LH, but not FSH, remained elevated in the early luteal phase. In summary: the relative increase in Bio FSH exceeds iFSH during the preovulatory surge. Surges of Bio FSH occur during the follicular and luteal phases which potentially could support follicle selection/maturation. Divergencies between circulating LH and FSH biopotency may reflect a differential regulation of secretion and/or biosynthesis of these hormones. The prolonged early luteal elevation of LH Bio/I is consistent with the idea of a functional role of elevated LH biopotency in the maintenance of the corpus luteum.
AGONIST-RECEPTOR-ARRESTIN, AN ALTERNATIVE TERNARY COMPLEX WITH HIGH AGONIST AFFINITY

The rapid decrease of a response to a persistent stimulus, often termed desensitization, is a widespread biological phenomenon. Signal transduction by numerous G protein-coupled receptors appears to be terminated by a strikingly uniform two-step mechanism, most extensively characterized for the beta2-adrenergic receptor (beta2AR), m2 muscarinic cholinergic receptor (m2 mAChR), and rhodopsin. The model predicts that activated receptor is initially phosphorylated and then tightly binds an arrestin protein that effectively blocks further G protein interaction. Here we report that complexes of beta2AR-arrestin and m2 mAChR-arrestin have a higher affinity for agonists (but not antagonists) than do receptors not complexed with arrestin. The percentage of phosphorylated beta2AR in this high affinity state in the presence of full agonists varied with different arrestins and was enhanced by selective mutations in arrestins. The percentage of high affinity sites also was proportional to the intrinsic activity of an agonist, and the coefficient of proportionality varies for different arrestin proteins. Certain mutant arrestins can form these high affinity complexes with unphosphorylated receptors. Mutations that enhance formation of the agonist-receptor-arrestin complexes should provide useful tools for manipulating both the efficiency of signaling and rate and specificity of receptor internalization.
On the accuracy of gravimetric geoids and the recovery of oceanographic signals from altimetry

The accuracy of measurements of gravity over the North Atlantic is assessed. The effect of errors due mainly to aliasing, of the distribution of available data, and of the unresolved geoid power on geoidal estimates is determined. A crude estimate of circulation in the North Atlantic is obtained by using the simplest of preconceptions: a reasonable rms value of zeta prime, the component of the surface expression of seawater motion corresponding to the general circulation.
Synthesis of optically active diether phosphinate analogs of lecithin.

Abstract Syntheses are described of the optically active diether phosphinate analogs of lecithin l -ROCH 2 CH(OR)CH 2 CH 2 P(O) (O−)CH 2 CH 2 +(CH 3 ) 3 and l -ROCH 2 CH(OR)-CH 2 CH 2 (O) (O−)CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 N+(CH 3 ) 3 (R = C 18 H 37 ), which are respectively partially and completely isosteric, and of the same enantiomeric form, as the natural phospholipid. The following synthetic route was used: 1, 2, 5, 6-diisopropylidene d -mannitol → D-mannitol 3,4-di( p -methylbenzyl) ether → D-mannitol 1,2,5,6-tetraoctadecyl-3,4-di-( p -methylbenzyl) ether → D-mannitol 1,2,5,6-tetraoctadecyl ether → D-2,3-dioctadecoxyglyceraldehyde → l -3,4-dioctadecoxy-I-butene → L-3,4-dioctadecoxy-I-butanol → L-3,4-dioctadecoxy-I-bromobutane. From the l -bromo intermediate the lecithin analogs were prepared by procedures previously reported for the corresponding racemic compounds.
Ion-molecule condensation reactions: a mechanism for organic synthesis in ionized reducing atmospheres.

The CH3 + ion, formed in ionized methane, undergoes consecutive eliminative condensation reactions with methane to form the carbonium ions C2H5 +, i-C3H7 + and t-C4H9 +. AtT<500°K, $$N_{CH_4 } $$ ≳1016 cm−3 these ions react with NH3 in competitive condensation-H+ transfer reactions, e.g. $$\begin{gathered} C_2 H_5 ^ + + NH_3 \xrightarrow{M} C_2 H_5 NH_3 ^ + \hfill \\ - - - \to NH_4 ^ + + C_2 H_4 \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ At particle densities of $$N_{CH_4 } $$ <1016 cm−3 proton transfer is the only significant reaction channel. At $$N_{CH_4 } $$ >1017 cm−3 condensation constitutes 5–20% of the overall reactions. The product of the condensation reaction further associates with CO2 to form C2H5NH3 +·CO2; the atomic composition of this cluster ion is identical with the protonated amino acid alanine. The carbonium ions i-C3H7 + and t-C4H9 + condense also with HCN to yield protonated isocyanides. HCNH+ also appears to condense with HCN atT>570°K, and form cluster ions with HCN at lower temperatures. The rate constants of the condensation reactions vary with temperature and pressure in a complex manner. Under conditions similar to those on Titan at an altitude of 100 km (T=100–150°K, $$N_{CH_4 } $$ ≈1018 cm−3), with a methane atmosphere containing 1% H2 and traces of NH3 and H2O, ion-molecule condensation reactions followed by H+ transfer are expected to lead to the atmospheric synthesis of C2H6, C3H8, CH3OH, C2H5OH and the terminal ions NH4 +, CH3NH3 + and C2H5NH3 +. At higher temperatures (250°K<T<400°K), the synthesis of i-C4H10, i-C3H7OH and t-C4H9OH and of the ions i-C3H7NH3 + and t-C4H9NH3 + is also expected. Electron recombination of the terminal ions may yield amines, imines and nitriles. Cycles of protonation and dissociative recombination of the alkanes and alcohols produced in condensation reactions will also produce unsaturated hydrocarbons, ketones and aldehydes in the ionized atmosphere.
The design, specification and performance of high-voltage surge diverters

The paper describes those characteristics of lightning surges and system insulation and those electrical characteristics of systems which influence the design of surge diverters consisting of spark-gaps and non-linear resistors. The design of representative diverters of this kind is described and proposals for a British Standard for Surge Diverters are put forward. Methods of making and evaluating tests upon surge diverters are next considered, and details of the circuits and adjustment of the test equipment are given. The paper concludes with Sections on the installation and maintenance of surge diverters and upon surge counters.
IL-3 dependence of a Thy-1lo, B220+, IL-3 receptor-positive antigen-specific DTH-initiating clone.

Abstract The elicitation of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions in mice is due to the sequential action of two different antigen-specific Thy-1 + cells. We have previously cloned the early-acting DTH-initiating cell from nude mice that were immunized and boosted by contact sensitization with oxazolone (OX). This clone WP-3.27 produces an antigen-specific factor, OX-F, that acts in an Ag-specific manner to initiate DTH. The clone was phenotyped as a Thy-1 + , B220 + , CD3 − , CD4 − , CDS − cell. In this report, we further detail the characteristics of this unusual Ag-specific DTH-initiating cell clone. By flow cytometry analysis, WP-3.27 is Thy-1 lo , Lyt-1 + (CD5 + ), but CD3 − , TCR-αβ − , and TCR-γδ − . Moreover, WP-3.27 does not express surface immunoglobulins but expresses B220 (CD45RA), and also some macrophage markers such as Mac-1, F4-80, and MHC class II after γ-IFN treatment. Interestingly, this clone also expresses IL-3 receptors (IL-3R) and not IL-2R. In addition to the Ag-specific DTH-initiating factor, WP-3.27 constitutively produces IL-3. Inhibition of proliferation of WP-3.27 with an anti-mouse IL-3 monoclonal antibody suggests that the clone WP-3.27 is IL-3-dependent, at least partially. WP-3.27 also constitutively produces IL-1 and IL-6, but not TNF-α. LPS activation of the clone resulted in a net increase of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α production. Thus, this Ag-specific DTH-initiating cell clone makes a unique set of cytokines. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that clone WP-3.27 transcribes mRNA encoding IL-1, IL-3, IL-6, and TNF-α, but not for TNF-β (lymphotoxin). The nature of this unusual cell, which displays characteristics of more than one cell lineage, is discussed.
Evolutionary implications for interactions between multiple strains of host and parasite

The interaction between multiple parasite strains within different host types may influence the evolutionary trajectories of parasites. In this article, we formulate a deterministic model with two strains of parasites and two host types in order to investigate how heterogeneities in parasite virulence and host life-history may affect the persistence and spread of diseases in natural systems. We compute the reproductive number of strain i (Ri) independently, as well as the (conditional) ‘‘invasion’’ reproductive number for strains i (R j i, jai) when strain j is at a positive equilibrium. We show that the disease-free equilibrium is locally asymptotically stable if Rio1 for both strains and is unstable if Ri41 for one stain. We establish the criterion R j i41 for strain i to invade strain j. Subthreshold coexistence driven by coinfection is possible even when Ri of one strain is below 1. We identify conditions that determine the evolution of parasite specialism or generalism based on the life-history strategies employed by hosts, and investigate how host strains may influence parasite persistence. r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.