cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A naturalistic functional analysis of binge eating

A naturalistic functional analysis of self-monitoring records was used to investigate the time of day, day of week, social context, physical context, hunger, and mood prior to eating as antecedent conditions to binge eating in binge eating disordered (BED) individuals, non-clinical binge eaters (NCB), and normal control subjects (NRM). An analysis of reported binge episodes found that BED subjects reported 36.2% of their food intakes as binges, compared to 23.2% for NCB subjects, and 12.1% for NRM subjects. Important similarities as well as differences in the overall eating and binging patterns of the three groups of subjects were identified. The frequency and pattern of meals were very similar and binging occurred primarily in the evening at supper or at later snacks. All three groups also displayed a pattern of binge eating in response to negative emotions, with NRM subjects also binging in response to positive emotions. Furthermore, the abstinence violation effect was observed in all three groups.
Epitaxy of Binary Compounds and Alloys

The present work aims at constructing a theoretical framework within which to address the issues of morphological instabilities (one-dimensional step bunching and two-dimensional step meandering), alloying, and phase segregation in binary systems in the context of (physical or chemical) vapor deposition. The length scale of interest, although nanoscopic, is sufficiently large that the steps on a vicinal surface can be viewed as smooth curves and, correspondingly, the theory is a continuum one. In a departure from theories inaugurated by Burton, Cabrera, and Frank [The growth of crystals and the equilibrium structure of their surfaces. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. A243 (1951) 299–358] the steps are endowed with a thermodynamic structure whose main ingredients are a step free-energy density and edge species chemical potentials. Moreover, crystal anisotropy, with its altering of the dynamics of steps and the associated morphological instabilities, is accounted for – in a manner consistent with the second law – both in the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of terraces and, more importantly, of steps. Additionally, in contrast with most of the literature on the subject (cf. [J. Krug, Introduction to step dynamics and step instabilities. In: A. Voigt (ed.) Multiscale Modeling in Epitaxial Growth. Birkhausser, Berlin (2005)]), adsorption–desorption along the steps, bulk atomic diffusion, and chemical reactions (both on the terraces and along the step edges) are incorporated and coupled to the other mechanisms, e.g., terrace adatom diffusion and step attachment–detachment kinetics, whose interplay governs the evolution of steps on vicinal surfaces. Importantly, aided by the concept of configurational forces for which a separate balance law is postulated Configurational Forces as Basic Concepts of Continuum Physics. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York (2000)]), the proposed theory allows the steps to evolve away from local equilibrium thus contributing to a general treatment of the dynamics of steps. Finally, a specialization to the epitaxy of binary compounds and alloys is afforded, yielding a generalization of the classical Gibbs–Thomson relation in the former and novel evolution equations for an individual step in the latter.
A note on the simple fluid

In 1957 Green and Rivlin [1] discussed the restrictions which can be imposed on the constitutive equation for a material with memory, in which the stress is assumed to be a functional of the deformation gradient history for all times up to and including the instant at which the stress is measured. Certain of these restrictions result from considerations of the manner in which the stress is changed by the superposition on the assumed deformation of an arbitrary time-dependent rigid rotation.
IMAGING THIN AND THICK SECTIONS OF BIOLOGICAL TISSUE WITH THE SECONDARY ELECTRON DETECTOR IN A FIELD-EMISSION SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE

A field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) equipped with the standard secondary electron (SE) detector was used to image thin (70-90 nm) and thick (1-3 microns) sections of biological materials that were chemically fixed, dehydrated, and embedded in resin. The preparation procedures, as well as subsequent staining of the sections, were identical to those commonly used to prepare thin sections of biological material for observation with the transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results suggested that the heavy metals, namely, osmium, uranium, and lead, that were used for postfixation and staining of the tissue provided an adequate SE signal that enabled imaging of the cells and organelles present in the sections. The FESEM was also used to image sections of tissues that were selectively stained using cytochemical and immunocytochemical techniques. Furthermore, thick sections could also be imaged in the SE mode. Stereo pairs of thick sections were easily recorded and provided images that approached those normally associated with high-voltage TEM.
Adaptive color subsampling of images

New methods for the subsampling of color images are presented. A block-based orthogonalizing transform is used to represent the RGB image in an efficient domain. This transformation offers substantial advantages when preceded by a segmentation of the image based on chrominance content. An adaptive scheme, based on a threshold test on the local variance, is proposed for subsampling the resulting chrominance-related components. The proposed subsampling scheme outperforms conventional methods based on transforms such as the YCRCB, in terms of an improved quality versus sample-rate (or bit-rate) trade-off. It is possible to achieve 4:4:4 quality at near 4:2:0 rates. A block-based strategy to code the resulting color image components is also presented, which is based on the JPEG Baseline method.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mu Transpososome Architecture Ensures that Unfolding by ClpX or Proteolysis by ClpXP Remodels but Does Not Destroy the Complex

The Clp/Hsp100 ATPases are protein unfoldases that both alter protein conformation and target proteins for degradation. An unresolved question has been how such seemingly destructive enzymes can "remodel" some protein substrates rather than destroy them. Here, we investigate the products of ClpX-mediated remodeling of a hyper-stable protein-DNA complex, the Mu transpososome. We find that although an oligomeric complex is maintained, release of some subunits accompanies ClpX action. Replacement of transposase's endogenous ClpX-recognition sequence with an exogenous signal reveals that the mechanism of remodeling is independent of both the recognition signal and the identity of the unfoldase. Finally, examination of the transposase-DNA contacts reveals only a localized region that is altered during remodeling. These results provide a framework for protein remodeling, wherein the physical attributes of a complex can limit the unfolding activity of its remodeler.
Inhibition of Adipogenesis Through MAP Kinase-Mediated Phosphorylation of PPARγ

Adipocyte differentiation is an important component of obesity and other metabolic diseases. This process is strongly inhibited by many mitogens and oncogenes. Several growth factors that inhibit fat cell differentiation caused mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase-mediated phosphorylation of the dominant adipogenic transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and reduction of its transcriptional activity. Expression of PPARγ with a nonphosphorylatable mutation at this site (serine-112) yielded cells with increased sensitivity to ligand-induced adipogenesis and resistance to inhibition of differentiation by mitogens. These results indicate that covalent modification of PPARγ by serum and growth factors is a major regulator of the balance between cell growth and differentiation in the adipose cell lineage.
Attention Mechanisms in Children with Anxiety Disorders and in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Implications for Research and Practice

Inattention is among the most commonly referred problems for school-aged youth. Research suggests distinct mechanisms may contribute to attention problems in youth with anxiety disorders versus youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study compared children (8–17 years) with anxiety disorders (n = 24) and children (8–16 years) with ADHD (n = 23) on neurocognitive tests of both general and emotion-based attention processes. As hypothesized, children with ADHD demonstrated poorer selective and sustained attention, whereas youth with anxiety disorders demonstrated greater attentional bias toward threatening faces on a visual probe task. Findings suggest the neuropsychological differentiation of attention problems in anxious and ADHD children, despite potentially similar phenotypes.
Six-lepton Z' resonance at the Large Hadron Collider.

New physics models admit the interesting possibility of a ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ weak boson associated with an extra $U(1)$ gauge symmetry and a Higgs boson that is heavy enough to decay into a pair of $Z$ bosons. Then ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ production and decay via ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}ZH\ensuremath{\rightarrow}ZZZ$ has a distinctive LHC signal that is nearly background-free and reconstructs the $H$ and ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ masses and widths. The ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ decay to 3 pairs of leptons is especially distinctive. The $ZH$ decay mode exists even if the ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ is decoupled from leptons, which motivates an independent 6-lepton resonance search regardless of the dilepton search results.
Portal imaging practice patterns of children's oncology group institutions: Dosimetric assessment and recommendations for minimizing unnecessary exposure.

Purpose: To determine and analyze the dosimetric consequences of current portal imaging practices for pediatric patients, and make specific recommendations for reducing exposure from portal imaging procedures. Methods and Materials: A survey was sent to approximately 250 Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institutions asking a series of questions about their portal imaging practices. Three case studies are presented with dosimetric analysis to illustrate the magnitude of unintended dose received by nontarget tissues using the most common techniques from the survey. Results: The vast majority of centers use double-exposure portal image techniques with a variety of open field margins. Only 17% of portal images were obtained during treatment, and for other imaging methods, few centers subtract monitor units from the treatment delivery. The number of monitor units used was nearly the same regardless of imager type, including electronic portal imaging devices. Eighty-six percent imaged all fields the first week and 17% imaged all fields every week. An additional 1,112 cm 3 of nontarget tissue received 1 Gy in one of the example cases. Eight new recommendations are made, which will lower nontarget radiation doses with minimal impact on treatment verification accuracy. Conclusion: Based on the survey, changes can be made in portal imaging practices that will lower nontarget doses. It is anticipated that treatment verification accuracy will be minimally affected. Specific recommendations made to decrease the imaging dose and help lower the rate of radiation-induced secondary cancers in children are proposed for inclusion in future COG protocols using radiation therapy.
Radiotracer study of adsorption of HSO−4 and SO2−4 ions on a smooth copper electrode in acid and neutral media

Abstract The adsorption of 35S labeled HSO4 and SO2−4 ions was studied in acid (0.1 mol dm−3 HClO4) and neutral (0.05 mol dm−3 KClO4) media at a smooth copper electrode. The experimental results obtained in acid medium and the character of adsorption closely coincide with those reported for copper electrodes with high real surface area. However, the work with the smooth surface shows that absorption is fast, and most probably controlled by diffusion of sulfates to the electrode. In neutral solutions, the extent of absorption does not differ from that obtained in acids despite the fact that in the former environment the anions interact predominantly with a copper oxide or hydroxide surface layer, rather than with a clean metal electrode.
Localization of immunoreactive tyrosine hydroxylase in the goldfish brain

This report describes the distribution of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive (TH-ir) structures in the brain of the goldfish (Carassius auratus). The localization of TH-ir cell groups revealed by immunocytochemical techniques is largely in accordance with catecholamine distribution previously reported in teleosts by using monoamine fluorescence; however, in the telencephalon and diencephalon, several new cell groups are elucidated. In the telencephalon, TH-ir cell bodies are observed in the olfactory bulb, area ventralis telencephali, and the central zone of the area dorsalis telencephali. TH-ir fibers and terminals are moderately dense throughout the telencephalon except for a sparse innervation of the area dorsalis, pars medialis. Immunostained cells are present in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and magnocellular and parvicellular components of the preoptic nucleus. Immunoreactive fibers from preoptic cells can be traced caudally in two main tracts to the infundibulum. Dense immunoreactivity around cells in the pituitary provides anatomical support for catecholamine involvement in the neuroendocrine axis probably via preopticohypophysial connections. At middiencephalic levels, immunoreactive cells are present in the ventral thalamus, nucleus pretectalis periventricularis, pars ventralis, and paraventricular organ pars anterioris. In the caudal diencephalon, TH-ir cells are seen within the posterior tuberal nuclei and dorsal to posterior recess. No immunostained cells are observed in the midbrain. In the hindbrain, tyrosine hydroxylase containing cells comprise three groups similar to that described using Falck-Hillarp histofluorescence (Parent et al., ′78), i.e., isthmal, central medullary, and medullospinal groups. Tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity is interpreted as evidence for the presence of catecholamines and not only provides an anatomical basis for the functional significance of catechol amines in teleosts, but may be useful in elucidating homologous structures in tetrapod vertebrates, although certain sites of immunoreactivity may prove to be unique to teleosts.
MedGem hand-held indirect calorimeter is valid for resting energy expenditure measurement in healthy children.

Objective: To assess the validity of a new hand-held indirect calorimeter [MedGem (MG)] in the determination of resting energy expenditure (REE; kilocalories per day) in children. Research Methods and Procedures: One hundred male (n = 54) and female (n = 46) children (10.6 ± 3.2 years, 43.9 ± 19.0 kg, 146.1 ± 18.8 cm, 19.6 ± 4.9 kg/m2) participated. Children arrived at the University of Oklahoma body composition laboratory between 5:30 am and 6:15 am after an overnight fast. On arrival, subjects voided and remained quietly in the supine position for 15 minutes before testing. REE was measured by indirect calorimetry (in random order), with both the MG (sitting upright) and the criterion Delta Trac II (DT) (supine). Data are reported as the mean ± standard deviation. Results: The mean MG REE (1452 ± 355 kcal/d) was significantly higher than DT REE (1349 ± 296 kcal/d, p < 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis revealed a mean bias (MG − DT) of 104 kcal/d, with limits of agreement of −241 to +449 kcal/d. To examine the difference in subject positioning, an independent sample of 38 subjects performed the MG in its normal position (sitting) and holding the MG in a supine position. REE by the MG in the sitting position (1475 ± 350 kcal/d) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the MG in the supine position (1419 ± 286 kcal/d). Discussion: The mean difference in REE between MG and DT was relatively small (103 kcal/d) but significant; however, a portion of this difference may have been related to differences in subject positioning. These preliminary data indicate that the MG shows promise as a valid tool in the assessment of REE in children.
Interests of Engineering Graduates According to Undergraduate Curricula

This report describes a study of the interests of students who graduated from different engineering specialties at the University of Maine. 90 graduates in each of 5 specialties were selected for study. The Strong Vocational Interest Blank was the measure of interests. Analysis of variance and Duncan's Multiple Range Test were the statistical procedures employed. The study shows that the interests of students in engineering differ statistically among the curriculum specialties. The study also reveals the nature of these differences. Some practical applications of the data are suggested.
Analysis of Supercapacitor Energy Loss for Power Management in Environmentally Powered Wireless Sensor Nodes

This paper analyzes supercapacitor energy loss and investigates its impact on power management in environmentally powered wireless sensor nodes that use supercapacitor-based energy storage systems. While supercapacitor self-discharge is usually taken into account for system design and power management in wireless sensor nodes, supercapacitor charge redistribution and the associated energy loss have not been considered. In an environmentally powered wireless sensor node, supercapacitor charge redistribution may have more significant impact on power management than self-discharge. This paper analyzes supercapacitor energy loss during charge redistribution based on the variable leakage resistance (VLR) model. It is concluded that supercapacitor energy loss is dependent on charge redistribution time and supercapacitor initial state, which is defined as the initial voltages across the capacitors in the VLR model. The impact of supercapacitor energy loss on power management is studied by considering the task scheduling problem. A set of simulation cases that covers various supercapacitor initial state and energy harvesting capability is designed to investigate the impact of supercapacitor energy loss on task scheduling policy. It is demonstrated that greedy or lazy scheduling policy is preferred depending on supercapacitor initial state and energy harvesting capability in terms of two performance evaluation metrics.
Uptake of36Cl-toxaphene in mosquito fish,Gambusia affinis

The toxicity syndrome of toxaphene to G.affinis was divided into 5 stages, and the residue level at each stage was determined. By the time fish were exhibiting the first toxicity response (stage 2), 90.3% of the mean fatal residue level had been sorbed. Regression analysis indicated that sorption of toxaphene is a linear function with respect to time. Excretion was not observed following an 8 hour exposure to 2ppm toxaphene. Metabolic alteration of toxaphene during the experiments appeared to be minimal. Differences in individual mortality-appeared to be due to differences in uptake rather than differences in ability to tolerate particular body loads of toxaphene.
Effectiveness of Social and Correctness Reinforcers with Different Aged Children

The effectiveness of two classes of verbal reinforcers, correctness and social, were examined among 108 second-, fifth-, and eighth-grade, middle-class children using a marble-sorting task. Results indicated that correctness reinforcement was more rewarding across all levels of age than social approval; however, a post hoc analysis of the age by treatment effect indicated a significant reinforcer effect for only the eighth-grade Ss.
Opportunistic scheduling: generalizations to include multiple constraints, multiple interfaces, and short term fairness

We consider several scheduling problems for packet based systems with time-varying channel conditions. Designing scheduling mechanisms that take advantage of time-varying channel conditions, which are different for different users, is necessary to improve system performance; however this has to be done in a way that provides some level of fairness among the users. Such scheduling mechanisms are termed opportunistic. We generalize the opportunistic scheduling mechanisms in the literature on three fronts. First, we formulate and solve an opportunistic scheduling problem with multiple general long term QoS constraints and a general system objective function. The solution of this opportunistic scheduling problem is an index policy. Then, we generalize this problem to include multiple interface systems in which several users can be served simultaneously. Apart from the long term QoS constraints specified by each user, multiple interface systems are constrained with other physical limitations imposed by the system. We show that the structure of the optimal opportunistic scheduling policy is carried over to the problem with general constraints and multiple interfaces. We also study the stability of the multiple interface systems and propose a throughput optimal scheduling rule for such systems. We then formulate an opportunistic scheduling problem with short term processor sharing fairness constraints as an optimization problem where fairness is guaranteed over a finite time window. In its most general form, this problem cannot be solved analytically. Hence observing the form of the optimal policies for special cases, we propose a heuristic scheduling policy. We illustrate the effectiveness of the policies via simulation.
Searching the state space: a qualitative study of API protocol usability

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) often define protocols -- restrictions on the order of client calls to API methods. API protocols are common and difficult to use, which has generated tremendous research effort in alternative specification, implementation, and verification techniques. However, little is understood about the barriers programmers face when using these APIs, and therefore the research effort may be misdirected. To understand these barriers better, we perform a two-part qualitative study. First, we study developer forums to identify problems that developers have with protocols. Second, we perform a think-aloud observational study, in which we systematically observe professional programmers struggle with these same problems to get more detail on the nature of their struggles and how they use available resources. In our observations, programmer time was spent primarily on four types of searches of the protocol state space. These observations suggest protocol-targeted tools, languages, and verification techniques will be most effective if they enable programmers to efficiently perform state search.
Locating, using, and developing teaching and research resources on the Web

The use of the World Wide Web in engineering education and research holds both promise and frustration for would-be users. This article details some of the best current applications on the Web for chemical engineering research and education and offers some suggestions about what currently works well and what doesn't. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 6: 137–144, 1998
Applications of integrated circuit technology to microwave frequencies

Integration techniques suitable for microwave circuits have been developed. Various aspects of the technology of integration of microwave circuits are reviewed and the reasons for choosing the hybrid approach instead of the monolithic approach and thin-film metallization instead of thick-film are discussed. Design data relating circuit performance to substrate roughness and thickness of thin-film metal adhesion layers are presented. Propagation and radiation characteristics of microstrip lines are discussed. Design equations for thin-film lumped-element passive components are given. Exampies of various microwave integrated circuits are shown.
Long wave cycles of sociotechnical change and innovation: A macropsychological perspective

Sociotechnical and other interventions in organization design and management have not always survived over time or lived up to expectations. The success rate of these interventions may be decreasing in spite of the spread of the associated paradigms. Lack of success may be due more to evolutionary changes in the economic or socio-technical macrosystem than to local organizational factors. The concept of long waves or Kondratieff cycles can help explain changes in both societal and organizational behaviour and performance. Several long wave theories are briefly reviewed and contrasted. Particular attention is paid to cycles of psychological, social and technological change and innovation. The mutually causal nature of the evolving macro-system is stressed, but particular attention is paid to macropsychological factors as a basic driving force of the long waves. A rough synthesis of factors contributing to the four phases of the long wave is made. Characteristics of the present downturn are briefly reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the possible mismanagement of advanced information technology. Several interpretations and recommendations are made with regard to the fit between organizational interventions and the state of the organization during the present recession/depression.
Mathematics, Models and Metaphors

‘Full time’, sketched in my target article (Rudolph, 2006a), was intended to be a mathematical model of psychological time based on the mathematical structures known as ‘simplicial complexes’. Here I give a somewhat more detailed—but still sketchy—outline of how mathematical models based on finite simplicial complexes might be used to study other psychological phenomena
Continuous high purity hydrogen generation from a syngas chemical looping 25 kWth sub-pilot unit with 100% carbon capture

Abstract The syngas chemical looping (SCL) process circulates iron-based oxygen carrier particles through three reactors, namely the reducer, the oxidizer, and the combustor, to perform reduction–oxidation reaction cycles for converting gaseous fuels to highly concentrated discrete streams of hydrogen (H 2 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The counter-current moving-bed operation of the reducer enhances the extent of oxygen carrier conversion, which facilitates the generation of hydrogen as confirmed in lab and bench scale studies. The 25 kW th sub-pilot SCL unit represents an integrated continuous demonstration of all 3 reactor sections. Previous studies have analyzed the design criteria, construction, and preliminary demonstration of the sub-pilot unit with promising results. In this study, the results from extended demonstrations conducted using two reactor configurations and two oxygen carrier types differing in size and iron composition are presented. In each demonstration, the solids and syngas flow rates are varied to analyze the effect on the unit performance. Steady profiles of 99.99% H 2 production and nearly 100% syngas conversion are achieved. Post-experiment solids analysis on the oxygen carrier particles revealed no deterioration in oxygen carrier performance after the extended demonstration and highlights the longevity of the oxygen carrier. Additionally, the abraded oxygen carrier fines collected during operation could be reprocessed to match the fresh particle performance, making solids make-up more economically viable. Multistage equilibrium moving bed model reducer studies are conducted to compare the experimental syngas conversions for each test condition with the theoretical thermodynamic results. The experimental results matched well with the model results. A total of over 300 h of integrated sub-pilot unit demonstration have been conducted with a longest continuous run of 3 days validating the reliable performance of the SCL process for cogenerating high-purity H 2 and electricity with 100% CO 2 capture.
Functional significance of allelic variation at methuselah, an aging gene in Drosophila.

Background Longevity and age-specific patterns of mortality are complex traits that vary within and among taxa. Multiple candidate genes for aging have been identified in model systems by extended longevity mutant phenotypes, including the G-protein coupled receptor methuselah (mth) in D. melanogaster. These genes offer important insights into the mechanisms of lifespan determination and have been major targets of interest in the biology of aging. However, it is largely unknown whether these genes contribute to genetic variance for lifespan in natural populations, and consequently contribute to lifespan evolution. Methodology/Principle Findings For a gene to contribute to genetic variance for a particular trait, it must meet two criteria: natural allelic variation and functional differences among variants. Previous work showed that mth varies significantly among wild populations; here we assess the functional significance of wild-derived mth alleles on lifespan, fecundity and stress resistance using a quantitative complementation scheme. Our results demonstrate that mth alleles segregating in nature have a functional effect on all three traits. Conclusions/Significance These results suggest that allelic variation at mth contributes to observed differences in lifespan and correlated phenotypes in natural populations, and that evaluation of genetic diversity at candidate genes for aging can be a fruitful approach to identifying loci contributing to lifespan evolution.
Assessing Appropriateness of Coronary Angiography: Another Step in Improving Quality

In this issue, Hemingway and associates assessed the reliability and validity of patient-specific appropriateness criteria for coronary angiography in patients with suspected stable angina pectoris...
oblique‐incidence ionospheric data and the Lorentz polarization term

The force on an electron in an ionized medium may be written E + 4πaP, where E is the electric force, P is the polarization of the medium, and a is a quantity which theoretically should have either the value 1/3 (Lorentz theory) or 0 (Sellmeyer theory). A clear-cut distinction exists between maximum usable frequencies for radio sky-wave transmission as calculated from vertical-incidence ionospheric data on the basis of the two theories. This distinction between the two theories has a more general application and is less subject to ambiguous interpretation than is the case with most of the radio experiments, bearing on the question, that have previously been reported.
Barriers to colorectal cancer screening in rural primary care.

Abstract Background . Residents of rural communities may face unique barriers to obtaining colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, including reduced access to services. This study assessed the impact of patient, physician, and practice characteristics on rural primary care patient receipt of CRC screening. Methods . We surveyed patients ( N = 801) over 50 years of age and primary care physicians ( N = 36) in rural practices. Medical students administered surveys to assess patient demographics, self-reported CRC screening, practice features, local availability of endoscopy, and physician screening test preferences. We used multivariable logistic regression analyses to investigate associations between independent variables, and (1) patient CRC screening status and (2) adequacy of CRC discussions between physicians and patients. Results . Fifty-seven percent of patients reported being up-to-date with colorectal cancer screening and most in this group had received FOBT and endoscopy. A minority of patients (39%) reported adequate time to discuss CRC screening, and this was positively associated with being up-to-date with CRC screening in a multivariable analysis. Endoscopy was available in 58% of the practices and 44% of the practices had local gastroenterologists available on at least a monthly basis. The availability of endoscopic procedures and gastroenterological services were not associated with CRC screening or with use of endoscopy as a screening method. Conclusions . CRC screening among rural primary care patients is related to adequacy of physician CRC screening discussions but not access to endoscopic procedures. Efforts to improve CRC screening should focus on improving physician–patient discussions of CRC.
First-line chemotherapy with paclitaxel and platinum for advanced and recurrent cancer of the cervix--a phase II study.

Abstract Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the role of first-line chemotherapy with paclitaxel and platinum in the treatment of advanced or recurrent cervix cancer. Methods. Twenty patients with advanced or recurrent cancer of the cervix with no prior chemotherapy and measurable disease were entered in a phase II trial from September 1995 to September 1998. Seventeen patients were treated with paclitaxel at 135 mg/m 2 over 24 h followed by cisplatin at 75 mg/m 2 every 4 weeks. Three patients with impaired renal function were treated with paclitaxel at 135 mg/m 2 over 3 h with carboplatin at 300 mg/m 2 . Results. A clinical response rate of 45% was noted (two complete responses and seven partial responses) with a median duration of 6 months (range: 1.5–9). The median progression-free interval and overall survival in patients with a clinical response was 10.5 and 13 months, respectively, compared to 4 ( P = 0.015) and 6 months in the nonresponders ( P = 0.14). Seven of nine patients (77.8%) with a clinical response are alive. Patients with recurrences outside the radiation field had twice the response rate (60%) than that of those within the radiated field. The chemotherapy was well tolerated; the most significant toxicity was grade 3/4 neutropenia (55%). No patient had discontinuation of chemotherapy due to toxicity. Conclusions. First-line chemotherapy with paclitaxel and platinum for advanced and recurrent cervix cancer is promising and deserves consideration for large phase III trials.
Dynamic Thermomechanical Modeling of a Wet Shape Memory Alloy Actuator

This paper presents combined thermal and mechanical models of a wet shape memory alloy (SMA) wire actuator. The actuator consists of a SMA wire suspended concentrically in a compliant tube. Actuation occurs as hot and cold water that are alternately pumped through the tube to contract and extend the wire, respectively. The thermomechanical model presented in this paper accounts for the nonuniform temperature change of the SMA wire due to alternating the temperature of the flow along the wire. The thermal portion of the model consists of analysis of the heat transfer between the fluid and the SMA wire. Heat loss to the environment and the temperature change of the fluid through the actuator are taken into account. Based on this analysis, the temperature of the wire at segments along its length can be determined as a function of time. The mechanical portion of the model approximates the strain-martensite fraction and martensite fraction-temperature relationships. By combining the thermal and mechanical models, the displacement of the wire can be determined as a function of time. The combined thermomechanical model will be useful for predicting the performance of wet SMA actuators in a variety of applications.
Creating Desirable Organizational Characteristics: How Organizations Create a Focus on Results and Managerial Authority

What are the factors that lead to desirable organizational characteristics? This paper examines this question by proposing a model to explain the ability of some organizations to create a focus on results and high levels of managerial authority. The New Public Management literature points to these two organizational characteristics as key steps for improving public performance and providing results-based accountability. Employing a national survey of U.S. state government health and human service agency managers we find that political support for the organization and purposeful reform efforts do lead to desirable organizational characteristics. In addition, strong internal communication fosters a focus on results, and organizational culture shapes the decision-making authority of managers.
Crystal structures of human group-VIIA phospholipase A2 inhibited by organophosphorus nerve agents exhibit non-aged complexes.

The enzyme group-VIIA phospholipase A2 (gVIIA-PLA2) is bound to lipoproteins in human blood and hydrolyzes the ester bond at the sn-2 position of phospholipid substrates with a short sn-2 chain. The enzyme belongs to a serine hydrolase superfamily of enzymes, which react with organophosphorus (OP) nerve agents. OPs ultimately exert their toxicity by inhibiting human acetycholinesterase at nerve synapses, but may additionally have detrimental effects through inhibition of other serine hydrolases. We have solved the crystal structures of gVIIA-PLA2 following inhibition with the OPs diisopropylfluorophosphate, sarin, soman and tabun. The sarin and soman complexes displayed a racemic mix of P{sub R} and P{sub S} stereoisomers at the P-chiral center. The tabun complex displayed only the P{sub R} stereoisomer in the crystal. In all cases, the crystal structures contained intact OP adducts that had not aged. Aging refers to a secondary process OP complexes can go through, which dealkylates the nerve agent adduct and results in a form that is highly resistant to either spontaneous or oxime-mediated reactivation. Non-aged OP complexes of the enzyme were corroborated by trypsin digest and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry of OP-enzyme complexes. The lack of stereoselectivity of sarin reaction was confirmed by gas chromatography/massmore » spectrometry using a chiral column to separate and quantitate the unbound stereoisomers of sarin following incubation with enzyme. The structural details and characterization of nascent reactivity of several toxic nerve agents is discussed with a long-term goal of developing gVIIA-PLA2 as a catalytic bioscavenger of OP nerve agents.« less
George Herbert Who? A Critique of the Objectivist Reading of Mead*

Lewis (1972, 1976, 1979), Lewis and Smith (1981), and McPhail and Rexroat (1979) have presented a new reading of George H. Mead's work. They argue that Mead's principal epis-temological position was realist (Lewis and Smith, 1981) and that his theories are convergent with objective, experimental methods (McPhail and Rexroat, 1979). They argue further that the symbolic interactionists misinterpret Mead in their naturalist (Blumer, 1969) methodologies. This objectivist reading of Mead contains two fundamental errors: (1) a faulty conceptualization of epistemology that forces the dichotomy of realism and nominalism; and (2) a misrepresentation of Mead's epistemological concerns as a narrow, prescriptive methodology. The present study attempts to reconcile the new reading of Mead with the old by focusing on the problem of objectivity in Mead.
Output, employment and inventories under general excess supply

Abstract The paper examines how the results of the Barro-Grossman (1971, 1976) model are modified when inventories are added to their framework. As inventories are introduced, the demand for labor becomes sensitive to the real wage even when there exists general excess supply, and it becomes less sensitive to aggregate demand than in the Barro-Grossman model. A cut in real wage can increase output and employment in this same framework a result that runs counter to the conclusion in the existing Keynesian literature. The demand multiplier comes out to be weaker than in the no-inventory case.
Altered Hepatic Lipid Metabolism Contributes to Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Leptin-Deficient Ob/Ob Mice

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is strongly linked to obesity, insulin resistance, and abnormal hepatic lipid metabolism; however, the precise regulation of these processes remains poorly understood. Here we examined genes and proteins involved in hepatic oxidation and lipogenesis in 14-week-old leptin-deficient Ob/Ob mice, a commonly studied model of obesity and hepatic steatosis. Obese Ob/Ob mice had increased fasting glucose, insulin, and calculated HOMA-IR as compared with lean wild-type (WT) mice. Ob/Ob mice also had greater liver weights, hepatic triglyceride (TG) content, and markers of de novo lipogenesis, including increased hepatic gene expression and protein content of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1), as well as elevated gene expression of PPARγ and SREBP-1c compared with WT mice. While hepatic mRNA levels for PGC-1α, PPARα, and TFAM were elevated in Ob/Ob mice, measures of mitochondrial function (β-HAD activity and complete (to CO(2)) and total mitochondrial palmitate oxidation) and mitochondrial OXPHOS protein subunits I, III, and V content were significantly reduced compared with WT animals. In summary, reduced hepatic mitochondrial content and function and an upregulation in de novo lipogenesis contribute to obesity-associated NAFLD in the leptin-deficient Ob/Ob mouse.
An Otx-Related Homeodomain Protein Binds an LHβ Promoter Element Important for Activation During Gonadotrope Maturation

The hormone-secreting cell types of the anterior pituitary differentiate in a specific spatial and temporal manner. The alpha-subunit of the glycoprotein hormones appears at embryonic d 11.5 in the mouse, followed by steroidogenic factor-1, which distinguishes the gonadotrope progenitor cells, around embryonic d 14. Gonadotrope maturation is marked by the onset of LHbeta-gene expression 2 d later. The alphaT3-1 and LbetaT2 immortalized mouse pituitary cell lines correspond to these later sequential stages of gonadotrope differentiation. In addition to the early markers of the gonadotrope lineage present in alphaT3-1 cells, LbetaT2 cells also express markers of a mature gonadotrope, including LHbeta and FSHbeta. Using transient transfections to compare expression among gonadotrope and nongonadotrope-derived cell types, we show that the rat 1.8-kb LHbeta promoter directs reporter gene expression specifically to the mature gonadotrope LbetaT2 cell line. Promoter truncation and mutagenesis analyses indicate that the homeodomain (HD) element located at approximately -100 bp relative to the transcriptional start site is essential for this selectivity to LbetaT2 cells when compared with alphaT3-1 cells. In EMSAs, this HD site binds a protein present in LbetaT2 but not other gonadotrope-derived cells. Antibody supershift and competition experiments indicate that this LbetaT2 nuclear protein is a K50 HD protein related to the Otx family, though it is not a known pituitary homeobox transcription factor protein. These studies indicate a role for a novel Otx-related HD protein in gonadotrope maturation during development.
Plasma vitamin D metabolite levels in pregnant and nonpregnant ewes.

Abstract 1. 1. Maternal calcium homeostasis during pregnancy is strained due to fetal mineral requirements for bone formation. 2. 2. In most species, the mother adjusts to the mineral requirements of the fetus with alterations in her metabolism of vitamin D that include a decrease in plasma 25-(OH)D levels and an increase in circulating levels of the hormone, 1,25-(OH) 2 D. 3. 3. Plasma 25-(OH)D and 1,25-(OH) 2 D levels in adult male, adult female and pregnant sheep were measured by specific radioreceptor binding assays. 4. 4. Pregnancy did not alter circulating levels of 25-(OH)D or 1,25-(OH) 2 D in the sheep. 5. 5. The pregnant ewe differs from all species studied to date in that maternal plasma 1,25-(OH) 2 D levels do not rise as a result of pregnancy.
Effect of K+ and K+ gradients on accumulation of sugars by isolated intestinal epithelial cells.

The role played by transmembrane K+ gradients in providing an energy input for Na+-dependent monosaccharide transport systems was evaluated with the use of isolated intestinal epithelial cells. Experimentally imposing a K+ gradient in a sense reversed from normal did not lead to extrusion of sugar from cells which had been pre-equilibrated with14C-3-OMG, even in situations where a reversed Na+ gradient was also imposed. Furthermore, cells preloaded with K+ have no better ability to accumulate 3-OMG than do cells depleted of K+, when the two populations are compared under identical incubation conditions. Fluxes of K+ associated with the sugar carrier could not be detected in terms of suspected sensitivity to agents which immobilize the sugar carrier. In addition, fluxes of sugar in response to imposed K+ gradients were not demonstrable in cells de-energized by preincubation with DNP, no matter in which direction the K+ gradient was imposed. Finally, the severe inhibitory effects of K+ on Na+-dependent sugar transport by the cells disappears in de-energized cells, despite the fact that Na+-dependent carrier-mediated sugar entry still occurs. All of these facts are difficult to reconcile with a significant role for cellular K+ gradients in supporting active sugar transport as envisioned by the ion gradient hypothesis. We have suggested instead a fundamental Na+-dependent energy transductive event which depends on ATP, and which can generate a membrane-bound energized intermediate which serves to support a variety of active transport events. An analogy is drawn between this concept for animal cell plasma membranes and the better documented phosphotransferase system for sugar transport described for certain microorganisms.
Valley-Orbit Interaction in Semiconductors

We consider the hypothesis that the valley-orbit interaction provides a sizable contribution to the observed splittings of the donor ground state in many-valley semiconductors. The effects of this interaction on the ground state of group-V donors in Si and Ge are estimated within the effective-mass theory and compared to central-cell corrections. It is shown that intervalley scattering effects are comparable in magnitude to central-cell corrections for donors in Si, whereas the latter are much more important for donors in Ge.
Are the apple maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella , and blueberry maggot, R. mendax , distinct species? Implications for sympatric speciation

Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) and R. mendax (Curran) (Diptera : Tephritidae) are major economic pests of apple and blueberry fruits, respectively, in eastern North America. The taxonomic status of these flies as distinct species has been in dispute because of their close morphological similarity, broadly overlapping geographic distributions and inter-fertility in laboratory crosses. Starch gel electrophoresis of soluble proteins was performed to establish the extent of genetic differentiation and levels of gene flow between blueberry infesting populations of R. mendax and apple and hawthorn infesting populations of R. pomonella. R. mendax and R. pomonella were found to be genetically distinct sibling species as eleven out of total of twenty-nine allozymes surveyed possessed species specific alleles. Data from three sympatric apple and blueberry fly populations in Michigan indicated that these flies do not hybridize in nature and gave no evidence for nuclear gene introgression. Differences in host plant recognition were implicated as important pre-mating barriers to gene flow between R. pomonella and R. mendax; a result supporting a sympatric mode of divergence for these flies.