cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Omnibus Two‐Sample Test Procedures with Randomly Censored Data

Versions of the KOLMOGOROV-SMIRNOV, KUIPER, and cRAMeR-VON MISES statistics are introduced for the problem of comparing the underlying survival distributions of two populations when observations are subject to random censorship, and a two-sided alternative is of interest. These statistics are shown to have readily amenable asymptotic distributions; furthermore, the statistics reduce to their classical counterparts in the absence of censorship. Data pertaining to a cancer chemotherapy experiment are examined with these statistics.
Implementation of a Hospital-Wide Employee Influenza Vaccination Program

ISSUE: Influenza can be community or occupationally acquired by healthcare staff and transmitted to patients and coworkers. Immunization of US healthcare workers against influenza has usually been based on voluntary compliance and fewer than 40% are vaccinated each year. APIC is currently recommending mandatory vaccination of all direct patient care staff with deferral for some circumstances. The CDC estimates that hospitals should vaccinate at least 80% of direct patient care staff. PROJECT: In 2005/06, Bronson Methodist Hospital, a 308-bed community hospital, implemented a mandatory influenza vaccination program for direct patient care employees with allowable deferral for documented vaccine contraindications and warnings and for religious reasons. The program was implemented as a component of Bronson's patient safety goals. Vaccination was made easy to obtain, a significant education program was done, and both intranasal and intramuscular vaccine were provided. It was not previously known how well employees would accept influenza vaccination as a minimum work requirement, and to what extent deferrals would reduce participation. RESULTS: A total of 4152 Bronson employees were considered for designation as direct patient care staff or non-patient care. A total of 3201 (77%) of these employees were designated as direct patient care. Hospital-employed physicians were included in this group; non-hospital employed physicians and all other staff were vaccinated voluntarily but vaccination was not required. Of this total, LESSONS LEARNED: For a hospital-wide influenza vaccination program to succeed, the program must have the strong and unwavering support of the medical staff and the hospital administration. The hospital must have a strong preexisting culture of patient and employee safety, and the program must be presented as an essential component of a culture of safety. The program must be easy for the staff to comply with. The program should be accompanied by staff education on influenza disease and epidemiology and the role of immunization in controlling the disease.
A constitutive relation for passive right-ventricular free wall myocardium.

We applied the pseudostrain energy function of Humphrey et al. [J. biomech. Engng112, 333–346 (1990a, b)] to characterize the passive biaxial mechanical properties of the right ventricle free wall myocardium [Sacks and Chuong, J. biomech. Engng115, 202–205 (1993)]. The myocardium was assumed to be incompressible, pseudoelastic, and transversely isotropic, with transmural variations in fiber orientation within test specimens accounted for by the strain energy function. Using nonlinear regression, material constants were determined for the right ventricle free wall myocardium from the sinus and conus regions. The pseudostrain energy function was found to model the biaxial mechanical data well (r2 > 0.99). Transmural variations in Cauchy stresses, as well as the magnitude of the in-plane shear stress, were found to be small. Although comparisons with the left ventricle midwall myocardium data [Humphrey et al., J. biomech. Engng112, 340–346 (1990b)] show clear quantitative differences, there is an overall qualitative similarity in the mechanical behavior of ventricular myocardium.
END-PRODUCT INHIBITION OF ASPARTATE TRANSCARBAMYLASE IN VARIOUS SPECIES.

Abstract The activity of aspartate transcarbamylase (ATCase) from Escherichia coli is known to be regulated by feed-back inhibition. The catalytic and end-product inhibition characteristics of this enzyme from various species were compared. The enzyme from lettuce seedlings is best inhibited by uridylic acid. The inhibition is noncompetitive with regard to both aspartate and carbamyl phosphate, the substrates for the enzyme; it can be relieved specifically by ribose-5-phosphate without enzyme activity being impaired. The ATCase from Pseudomonas fluorescens is inhibited by various pyrimidine and purine derivatives, both in crude and 50-fold purified extracts. The most potent inhibitor is uridine-5′-triphosphate (UTP) but adenosine-5′-triphosphate also inhibits strongly. The degree of inhibition by UTP increases with decreasing carbamyl phosphate concentration and is independent of aspartate concentration. The enzyme could not be “desensitized” toward the inhibition by UTP by a variety of treatments without a parallel decrease in enzyme activity. ATCase from Bacillus subtilis is not inhibited by a large number of pyrimidine derivatives. The enzyme is inhibited by phosphate (product inhibition) competitively with regard to CAP. In this bacterium the synthesis of the ATCase is regulated by feed-back repression. The possible meaning of the differences in the characteristics of ATCase from the various organisms was discussed.
Calculated potential energy surfaces for the electronic states of NCNO that dissociate to the products CN(X̃ 2Σ+)+NO(X̃ 2Π)

Abstract Ab initio configuration interaction calculations with full geometric optimization have been carried out for the electronic states of NCNO which dissociate to the ground states of CN and NO. Relative to the dissociation limit, barriers to dissociation of 2134 and 6986 cm−1 are found for the a 3A″ and A 1A″ states respectively.
Low Impact Development Practices: A Review of Current Research and Recommendations for Future Directions

The low impact development (LID) approach has been recommended as an alternative to traditional stormwater design. Research on individual LID practices such as bioretention, pervious pavements, and grassed swales has increased in recent years. Bioretention cells have been effective in retaining large volumes of runoff and pollutants on site, and consistently reduced concentrations of certain pollutants such as metals. However, retention of certain pollutants such as nitrate–nitrogen and phosphorus has been problematic. Porous pavements have been extremely effective in infiltrating stormwater runoff. Concerns have been raised about groundwater contamination, but research has shown that this is not a problem in most settings. Green roofs have been found to retain a large percentage of rainfall (63% on average) in a variety of climates. A common thread across bioretention, green roofs and grassed swales was found: the export of phosphorus. The issue appears to be linked to high phosphorus levels in the soil media, or possibly to fertilization of turf or planted areas. Solutions to this problem have been recommended. Contrary to popular belief, research has shown that bioretention and pervious pavements continue to infiltrate even with frost in the ground. Although issues have been identified with retention of certain pollutants, the LID approach has been found to result in increased retention of stormwater and pollutants on site, mimicking pre-development hydrologic function. Future research needs have also been identified.
Ultrastructural and electrophysiological maturation of the chick tegmentum vasculosum

We have examined the ultrastructural and electrophysiological events associated with the embryonic development of the tegmentum vasculosum, the ion-transporting epithelium in the chick cochlear duct. The cytodifferentiation of the light and dark cells in the epithelium from embryonic day 6 through post-hatching day 7 was studied with transmission electron microscopy. The predominant ultrastructural change in the developing tegmentum vasculosum was the elaboration of the complex basolateral infoldings on the dark cells from embryonic day 11 through post-hatching day 7. The relationship between the development of the endocochlear transepithelial electrical potential difference (PD) and the cytodifferentiation of the tegmentum vasculosum was examined with in vitro studies. Microelectrode impalements of the scala media showed that the positive endocochlear PD was first detectable on embryonic day 20 but did not reach a mature value of +16 mV until post-hatching day 7. Maturation of the endocochlear PD paralleled the time during which the dark cells in the tegmentum vasculosum displayed the most extensive increase in basolateral infoldings. This correlation suggests that the development of the endocochlear PD may result from an increase in the number of Na+-K+ pump sites located on the basolateral infoldings of the dark cells.
Application of the Sexual Health Model in the Long-Term Treatment of Hypoactive Sexual Desire and Female Orgasmic Disorder

Using the Sexual Health Model as a framework, this case study illustrates the treatment of female orgasmic and low desire disorder in a long-term case with numerous complexities and other co-morbid mental health diagnoses. Derived from a sexological approach to education, the Sexual Health Model defines 10 key components posited to be essential aspects of healthy human sexuality: talking about sex, culture and sexual identity, sexual anatomy and functioning, sexual health care and safer sex, challenges to sexual health, body image, masturbation and fantasy, positive sexuality, intimacy and relationships, and spirituality. The client was selected because of the commonality of her initial presenting concerns and the etiological and treatment complexity of the case, which necessitated the use of all the sexual health treatment modalities provided at our center—individual, couple, and group therapy, sexual medicine, and psychiatric care. Her case is distinct in that her sexual dysfunctions and negative cognitions, while common, occurred in the context of serious relational, family sexual abuse, depression, and life-threatening medical problems, which necessitated long-term treatment. This case illustrates the multifactoral etiology of complex sexual dysfunctions requiring treatment that deals with varied psychosocial and biological factors.
Drinking behavior from high school to young adulthood: differences by college education.

Background: Recent serious alcohol-related events have raised public awareness of the prevalence of at-risk alcohol use among college undergraduates, but heavy alcohol consumption during late adolescence and young adulthood is not limited to college students. Alcohol consumption typically peaks in young adulthood regardless of education level, and risks related to alcohol misuse are shared by young adults, regardless of their educational choices. Differences in alcohol risk between college-attending and non-college-attending young adults are generally small, and emphasize the need for research examining the drinking patterns of both of these groups. Methods: To better understand patterns of at-risk alcohol use and its association with education, this study compared at-risk alcohol use from 12th grade to young adulthood (age 24) in a sample of never-married young adults. Three groups were formed based on completed education when the survey was administered in young adulthood: high school or less, postsecondary education without a four-year college degree, and completed college. Results: Men who completed college experienced the greatest increase in at-risk drinking from grade 12 to young adulthood; however, their at-risk alcohol use did not differ markedly from men in the other education groups in young adulthood. Men who did not complete college had high levels of alcohol risk in 12th grade and maintained or increased those levels in young adulthood, demonstrating a pattern of prolonged risk. Women whose completed education was high school or less experienced the fewest increases in at-risk alcohol use. Education group differences were not explained by place of residence or employment status. Conclusions: These results emphasize the need to intervene early to prevent at-risk alcohol use, and emphasize that at-risk alcohol use is neither unique, nor necessarily the highest among individuals who complete college.
Issues in theoretical and experimental approaches to research on listening and comprehension

Music has been studied recently from the perspective of a number of disciplines, including experimental psychology, artificial intelligence and neuroscience. These disciplines compliment more traditional approaches to understanding music, such as music theory, music analysis, and musicology. Despite their common interest in music, the various disciplines have distinctive theoretical commitments and methodologies. This paper attempts to characterize those of experimental psychology. In particular it considers why it is that certain kinds of problems appear to be more amenable to experimental analysis than others. It discusses basic problems in experimental design, including the selection of stimulus materials, participants and experimental tasks. In addition, it treats briefly the application of analytical techniques to experimental data to uncover underlying regularities and reach theoretical generalizations. The paper closes by considering the problems and potential advantages of interdisciplinary resear...
The Role of Self-Control in College Student’s Perceived Risk and Fear of Online Victimization

College student use of the internet for online social networking purposes is increasing in popularity. Facebook is a social networking website used by college students, with estimates of over 7.5 million users spanning over 2,000 colleges and universities. Unfortunately, Facebook users can encounter some detrimental consequences, including fear of victimization. The purpose of the present study is to examine the correlates and structure of potential fear from using Facebook. Using self-report data from 224 college students at a southeastern university during the spring 2007 semester, we examine the link that low self-control has with perceived risk and with fear of online victimization among Facebook users. The results of the present study are discussed in the context of policy implications.
Growth and Determinants of Access in Patient E-mail and Internet Use

Objectives To measure the rate of access to and use of the Internet and e-mail, to determine sociodemographic predictors of access, and to measure the change in Internet and e-mail access over a 1-year interval. Design Survey study. Comparison of data with those from a similar survey from 1998. Setting Emergency department of a large urban pediatric teaching hospital. Participants Primary caretakers of pediatric patients or the patients themselves if aged 16 years or older. Main Outcome Measures Use of and access to the Internet or e-mail. Results We surveyed 214 individuals: 72.8% use or have access to the Internet, e-mail, or both, an increase from 52.2% in the 1998 survey (P Conclusions During the past year, many patients have gained access to the Internet and e-mail, although rates of regular use have remained steady. This access is often from outside the home. Furthermore, access is directly related to income and is unevenly distributed across racial and ethnic groups.
Real-Time Seismic Warning with a Two-Station Subarray

One of the most basic problems in seismology is earthquake location. In particular, the ability to quickly locate a large, potentially devastating earthquake is of fundamental importance in a real-time warning system where speed is a key factor in determining the level of success of such systems. We have developed a simple method that uses only the two earliest P -wave arrival times in a seismic array. Assuming a simple velocity model, these arrivals are used to construct a hyperbolic curve on which the approximate epicenter of the earthquake is expected to lie. Epicentral location along this hyperbola is further constrained by using the fact that the P waves arriving at the other stations in the array are not first arrivals. When applied to P -wave seismic data from the Hector Mine earthquake in California and a smaller event in the central United States, model results show agreement with actual earthquake locations. Although there is an inherent uncertainty in the subarray method of locating large earthquakes, this may be an acceptable trade-off in an early warning system in view of the time (a few to tens of seconds) saved by not waiting for other P arrivals. Whereas the main goal of this report is to present the location method, we also show that the station closest to the Hector Mine earthquake had recorded about 0.3 and 1 mm of ground motion within 2 and 3 sec, respectively, of the arrival of the P waves, thus indicating that a large event had occurred. Manuscript received 18 September 2003.
Increased prevalence of temporary cardiac pacing in people with epilepsy

Abstract Introduction Even though ictal tachyarrhythmias are more common, ictal brady-asystole is more likely to be fatal, and yet is potentially preventable with pacemaker (PM) implantation. We sought to quantify the degree of association of PM placement in people with and without epilepsy, including neurological and cardiovascular cohorts. Methods Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the National Hospital Discharge database using International Classification of Diseases Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. We identified people with and without epilepsy between 1990 and 2006. The epilepsy cohort was compared to patients without epilepsy and other cardiovascular and central nervous system (CNS) disease cohorts. Results People with epilepsy had higher odds of temporary PM (TPM; OR 1.6) than patients without epilepsy, especially amongst males (OR 2.0), young- (OR 4.6) and middle-aged (OR 4.3) patients. The epilepsy cohort had significantly higher odds of TPM than demyelinating disease (OR 7.9) and migraine (OR 9.1) cohorts. Compared to stroke, people with epilepsy had higher odds of TPM in the male (OR 1.6) and middle-age (OR 2.4) subgroups. No significant association was seen with permanent PM (PPM). Conclusions Our study demonstrates the high likelihood of TPM placement in epilepsy patients as compared to cohorts without epilepsy. Significant associations were seen especially in males and young- and middle-aged patients. Since demyelinating and migraine cohorts are somewhat similar to epilepsy patients in age and sex characteristics, the higher odds of TPM in epilepsy patients may be related to the disease mechanism causing brady-asystole; however this requires further study.
Interleukin-12 Induces Interferon-γ Expression and Natural Killer Cytotoxicity in Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells

Interleukin-12 Induces Interferon-γ Expression and Natural Killer Cytotoxicity in Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells1
Industry-wide energy saving by complex separation networks

Abstract Different column configurations in a distillation network can achieve the same ultimate products, with different amounts of energy to do so. Only recently, methods have been discovered for the systematic generation and evaluation of all possible complex column configurations for the separation of multi-component mixtures. However, there is a lack of robust methods for the globally optimal design of complex column sequences. This presentation reviews recent advances to tackle the challenges of synthesizing complex column networks with computer-aided design algorithms. An automatic procedure to generate optimal column sequences based on a thermodynamic problem transformation called temperature collocation is discussed and its current capabilities and limitations illustrations with the help of two realistic case studies.
Anabolic Agents and Bone Quality

Background The definition of bone quality is evolving particularly from the perspective of anabolic agents that can enhance not only bone mineral density but also bone microarchitecture, composition, morphology, amount of microdamage, and remodeling dynamics.
Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk): key for signaling via Toll-like receptor 8

[Comment on Sochorova et al, page 2553][1]The contribution of Btk to innate immune responses of myeloid cells is poorly understood. In this issue of Blood , Sochorova and colleagues demonstrate that deficient Btk function selectively impairs dendritic cell cytokine induction in response to viral
Packaging of an AAV vector encoding human acid α-glucosidase for gene therapy in glycogen storage disease type II with a modified hybrid adenovirus-AAV vector

We have developed an improved method for packaging adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors with a replication-defective adenovirus-AAV (Ad-AAV) hybrid virus. The AAV vector encoding human acid alpha-glucosidase (hGAA) was cloned into an E1, polymerase/preterminal protein-deleted adenovirus, such that it is packaged as an Ad vector. Importantly, the Ad-AAV hybrid cannot replicate during AAV vector packaging in 293 cells, because of deletion of polymerase/preterminal protein. The residual Ad-AAV in the AAV vector stock was reduced to <1 infectious particle per 10(10) AAV vector particles. These modifications resulted in approximately 30-fold increased packaging of the AAV vector for the hybrid Ad-AAV vector method as compared with standard transfection-only methods. Similarly improved packaging was demonstrated for pseudotyping the AAV vector as AAV6, and for AAV vector packaging with a second Ad-AAV vector encoding canine glucose-6-phosphatase. Liver-targeted delivery of either the Ad-AAV hybrid or AAV vector particles in acid alpha-glucosidase-knockout (GAA-KO) mice revealed secretion of hGAA with the Ad-AAV vector, and sustained secretion of hGAA with an AAV vector in hGAA-tolerant GAA-KO mice. Further development of hybrid Ad-AAV vectors could offer distinct advantages for gene therapy in glycogen storage diseases.
Turkey's Democracy: A Model for the Troubled Middle East?

A U.S. political geographer with extensive field experience in Turkey provides insights into Turkey's role as a possible model of secular democracy for Muslim-majority states. More specifically, the author addresses the question of whether Turkey has successfully incorporated political Islam into a secular state structure (and more fundamentally the relationship between secularism and Islamism in Turkey) and discusses two axes of contention in the country's domestic politics. These involve questions of "who are the democrats"— i.e., tensions between Turkey's ruling Islamist political party AKP and secularist parties and forces (the military)—and "who is the middle class"—i.e., challenges stemming from the juxtaposition of secular and Islamist middle class lifestyles. She concludes by arguing that economic change and complex lifestyle politics are central to an understanding of modern Turkey.
Systematic corrections to the measured cosmological constant as a result of local inhomogeneity

We explicitly calculate the lowest order systematic inhomogeneity-induced corrections to the cosmological constant that one would infer from an analysis of the luminosities and redshifts of type Ia supernovae, assuming a homogeneous universe. The calculation entails a post-Newtonian expansion within the framework of second-order perturbation theory, wherein we consider the effects of subhorizon density perturbations in a flat, dust-dominated universe. Within this formalism, we calculate luminosity distances and redshifts along the past light cone of an observer. The luminosity distance-redshift relation is then averaged over viewing angles and ensemble averaged, assuming that density fluctuations at a given cosmic time are a homogeneous random process. The resulting relation is fit to that of a homogeneous model containing dust and a cosmological constant, in order to deduce the best-fit cosmological constant density ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$. We find that the luminosity distance-redshift relation is indeed modified, even for large sample sizes, but only by a very small fraction, of order ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ for $z\ensuremath{\sim}0.1$. This lowest order deviation depends on the peculiar velocities of the source and the observer. However, when fitting this perturbed relation to that of a homogeneous universe, via maximizing a likelihood function, we find that the inferred cosmological constant can be surprisingly large, depending on the range of redshifts sampled. For a sample of supernovae extending from ${z}_{\mathrm{min}﻿}=0.02$ out to a limiting redshift ${z}_{\mathrm{max}﻿}=0.15$, we find that ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\ensuremath{\approx}0.004$. The value of ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ has a large variance, and its magnitude tends to get progressively larger as the limiting redshift ${z}_{\mathrm{max}﻿}$ gets smaller, implying that precision measurements of ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ from nearby supernova data will require taking this effect into account. This effect has been referred to in the past as the ``fitting problem,'' and more recently as subhorizon ``backreaction.'' We find that it is likely too small to explain the observed value ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\ensuremath{\approx}0.7$. There have been previous claims of much larger backreaction effects. In contrast to those calculations, our work is directly related to how observers deduce cosmological parameters from astronomical data.
Search for hepatitis C virus extrahepatic replication sites in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: Specific detection of negative-strand viral rna in various tissues

The existence of extrahepatic reservoirs of hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication remains highly controversial. We searched for the presence of HCV-RNA negative strand in various tissues from eight HCV-infected patients who died of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related complications. Negative-strand RNA was detected by a Tth-based reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), which was optimized for sensitivity and strand specificity on synthetic RNA templates. This assay was capable of detecting about 10(2) genomic Eq molecules of the correct strand while unspecifically detecting >/=10(8) genomic Eq molecules of the incorrect strand. Negative-strand viral RNA was detected in all but one liver, in lymph nodes (5 cases), in pancreas (5 cases), in adrenal gland (2 cases), in thyroid (2 cases), in bone marrow (1 case), and in spleen (1 case). These data suggest a possible presence of HCV replication sites outside the liver, at least in AIDS patients. Whether these findings relate to various extrahepatic manifestations of HCV infection remains to be determined.
Chlorophyll meter as nitrogen management tool in malting Barley

Abstract Variable precipitation in many regions makes it difficult to predict yield goals and nitrogen (N) rates for malting grade barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). During years with below normal growing season precipitation, barley fertilized at the recommended rate often exhibits grain protein concentrations exceeding what is acceptable for malting. A study was conducted to evaluate the chlorophyll meter as a N management tool. Barley was grown under several N rates in the field. Chlorophyll meter readings and N additions were made at the Haun 4 to 5 growth stage, and grain yield and protein concentrations were evaluated at maturity. Chlorophyll meter readings, normalized as meter reading from treatment plot divided by that from a plot receiving a full N treatment at the Haun 4 to 5 growth stage, were correlated with grain yield (r2=0.67). Stands having normalized chlorophyll meter readings below 95% responded to N additions with yields equivalent to the fully fertilized stand and grain protein concentration...
Oral Communication in TESOL: Integrating Speaking, Listening, and Pronunciation

This article discusses the teaching of oral communication skills (that is, speaking, listening, and pronunciation) in programs of English as a Second Language. The article is addressed to teachers who conduct courses in this area for ESL students in secondary schools, colleges, and universities although the guidelines presented can be adapted to other ESL contexts (e.g., continuing education, private tutorials). Speaking and listening are discussed as major skill areas; pronunciation is presented as a subset of both speaking and listening development. This article argues that attention to these three components of oral communication is viewed as indispensable to any coherent curriculum design. Although relative degrees of emphasis may vary for particular courses, speaking, listening, and pronunciation are characterized as reciprocally interdependent oral language processes.
A pressure-induced amorphous phase transition in magnesium-substituted β-tricalcium phosphate

Abstract Synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction was used to determine the equation of state and phase transition in magnesium-substituted β -tricalcium phosphate ( β -TCMP). It was observed that β -TCMP undergoes a phase transformation from a rhombohedral unit cell to an amorphous structure. This pressure-induced amorphization is reversible from ∼32 GPa under quasi-hydrostatic conditions and irreversible when quenched from ∼57 GPa in non-hydrostatic conditions. Based upon the quasi-hydrostatic equation of state, the bulk modulus for the crystalline phase of the material was calculated to be 80.6±3.1 GPa.
SexEd.com: Values and norms in web‐based sexuality education

The sexual values and norms transmitted to adolescents through school‐based sexuality education programs have been noted and critiqued by an interdisciplinary pool of researchers. With the increasing availability of the Internet to many American adolescents, the opportunities it provides for discreet and independent exploration, and the virtual lack of regulation of information provided by web sites, the Internet is emerging as a unique and critical site of sexuality education. This work analyzes the values and norms transmitted to adolescents via 52 sexuality education web sites, drawing parallels to its school‐based counterpart and interrogating the reliance of all forms of sexuality education on a problem‐focused, gendered, and narrowly‐bounded discourse of adolescent sexuality.
Pre-exposure to heat shock inhibits peroxynitrite-induced activation of poly(ADP) ribosyltransferase and protects against peroxynitrite cytotoxicity in J774 macrophages

Abstract The reaction of nitric oxide (NO) with superoxide yields the cytotoxic oxidant peroxynitrite, produced during inflammation and shock. A novel pathway of peroxynitrite cytotoxicity involves activation of the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP) ribosyltransferase, and concomitant ADP-ribosylation, NAD + consumption and exhaustion of intracellular energy stores. In the present report we provide evidence that pre-exposure of J774 macrophages to heat shock reduces peroxynitrite-induced activation of poly(ADP) ribosyltransferase and protects against the peroxynitrite-induced suppression of mitochondrial respiration. The protection was significant at 8 h after heat shock, but was absent at 24 h after heat shock. Thus, the protection showed a temporal correlation with the expression of heat shock protein 70, the expression of which was maximal at 8 h. Exposure to heat shock did not alter the expression of poly(ADP) ribosyltransferase over 24 h. In summary, the heat shock phenotype or heat shock proteins may protect against peroxynitrite induced cytotoxicity.
Behavioural processes affecting development: Tinbergen's fourth question comes of age

Interest in relationships between behaviour and development has been spurred by research on related topics, including phenotypic plasticity, parental effects, extragenetic inheritance, individual differences and trait syndromes. Here, I consider several emerging areas of research in the interface between behaviour and development, with a focus on behavioural processes that are likely to affect the development and maintenance of interindividual variation in a wide array of morphological, physiological and behavioural traits. Using a norm of reaction approach, I introduce and illustrate the complexities of phenotypic development. Next, I consider the implications of environmental selection and niche construction for phenotypic development, and consider why these behavioural processes are likely to encourage the development and maintenance of repeatable, stable individual differences and trait syndromes. Parental effects involving behaviour also affect the development of a wide array of phenotypic traits; differential allocation is a currently underappreciated type of parental effect, by which males can affect the development of their offspring via nongenetic means, even if those males have no contact with their young. Behavioural parental effects also contribute to extragenetic inheritance, and recent studies suggest that this phenomenon may be more widespread than previously suspected. The effects of behavioural processes on phenotypic development have interesting implications for problems in related disciplines (e.g. ecology, evolution and conservation biology), providing additional impetus for future research on the effects of behavioural mechanisms on the development of behavioural and other traits. Copyright 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
Access to Bank Loans in a Transition Economy: The Case of Hungary

Abstract This paper examines the access of small private-sector firms in Hungary to bank credit in 1991. Firms whose owners had business experience or who were past members of the nomenklatura obtained bank loans more easily than did other firms. Firms that leased their plant had more difficulty in getting loans than other firms, while firms that faced limited competition had an easier time obtaining loans. J. Comp Econom., February 1997, 24 (1), pp. 79–89. Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas 67260; University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee 38152; and University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602.
Framework for optical millimetre-wave generation based on tandem single side-band modulation

A novel scheme for optical millimetre-wave (mm-wave) generation based on tandem sub-carrier multiplexing in hybrid communication systems is suggested. The method is analysed mathematically for optimum settings. The tandem single side-band (TSSB) method is tolerant to fibre chromatic dispersion. However, the TSSB technique is prone to critical interference of unwanted harmonics which may result in poor data transmission bit error rate (BER). Based on the proposed mathematical derivation for TSSB modulation, a framework is provided to enhance the mm-wave generation system performance. Up to 2 Gb/s data transmission over multiple 60 GHz sub-bands is considered. The model includes a single-mode fibre with chromatic dispersion factor of 16 ps/(nm km). Two cascaded dual electrode Mach–Zehnder modulators are used to generate TSSB 60 GHz sub-bands. Three oscillators are required to generate two tandem mm-wave signals. A proper selection of these three frequencies is vital to guarantee a successful data transmission. Mathematical analysis is carried out to verify the proposed scheme and a summary of appropriate frequency sets is presented and discussed. The BER curves are obtained. The results verify that the TSSB-based mm-wave generation framework proposed in this study guarantees data transmission with an acceptable BER.
Measurements Of Off-Axis Rejection In Imaging Systems

One of the basic concerns of Exoatmospneric R.diometry is the spatial rejection of naturally present background radiation while viewing a low intensity source. This paper presents the technique for assessing this sensor quality as well as the associated problems. The basic measurement technique utilizes a CO2 laser operating at 10.6 micro-meters. The beam is expanded and recollimated to a 13 inch diameter. The focal plane sampling system utilizes a mercury cadmium telluride detector cooled to 77 degrees kelvin. Detection data is sam led with a lock-in voltmeter synchronized to the chopped laser beam. Results from two sensors are presented and demonstrate a m easurement capability of 12 orders of magnitude dynamic range.© (1978) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Optical Mapping of the Human Atrioventricular Junction

Fluorescent optical mapping of cardiac electrophysiology in animal models has produced a wealth of information about the function of the cardiac pacemaking and conduction system. However, expanding optical mapping studies to the human conduction system will significantly increase our understanding of clinically relevant phenomena, such as atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia, that are difficult to fully reproduce in animal models. In this report, we present the first instance of optical mapping data recorded from the human atrioventricular junction, revealing its dual pathway electrophysiology, which is the basis of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia. Explanted human hearts (n=2) were obtained at the time of cardiac transplantation and perfused with cardioplegic solution. The atrioventricular junction was cannulated, isolated from the rest of the heart, immobilized with the excitation-contraction uncoupler blebbistatin (10 μmol/L),1 and optically mapped using the voltage sensitive dye Di-4-ANEPPS and a 16×16 photodiode array. In the first heart, explanted because of idiopathic cardiomyopathy, successful perfusion of the His bundle and ventricular septum, but not the atrioventricular (AV) node, was achieved. In this preparation, a junctional rhythm of 55 bpm originated from the His bundle (Figure 1). Optical action potentials (OAPs) from the His displayed diastolic depolarization and a slow upstroke with the maximum derivative of the fluorescent signal dF/dtmax=2.8±0.5 U/s. Pacing the surrounding working ventricular myocardium produced a sharper upstroke (dF/dtmax=37±11, P <0.001 versus His OAPs) and longer action potential duration (APD) than the His (APD80: 315±23 ms in His versus 410±3ms in ventricle, P <0.001). The activation map of the His junctional rhythm demonstrated slow conduction (7 cm/s) transversely along the His bundle (Figure 1). These data provide the first optical recordings of the human His bundle. Figure 1. Junctional rhythm in the His bundle with schematic of the atrioventricular junction shown in the …
Genetic control of autoantibody production to spermatozoa in vasectomized rats.

: Previous studies from our laboratory using vasectomized rats of different inbred strains have suggested that MHC-linked genes do not play a major role in the formation of autoantibodies to spermatozoa. In the present paper, we demonstrate that sperm autoantibody production is not influenced by genes in the major histocompatibility complex, using vasectomized congenic rats and various crosses between high and low responder strains. We also show that autoimmune responses to spermatozoa are not influenced by genes on the Y-chromo-some.
Exploring Rape Myths, Gendered Norms, Group Processing, and the Social Context of Rape Among College Women A Qualitative Analysis

The purpose of this research is to explore the negotiation strategies of college women as they interpret ambiguous rape scenarios. In focus groups, 1st- and 4th-year college women were presented with a series of three vignettes depicting incidents that meet the legal criteria for rape yet are ambiguous due to the presence of cultural rape myths, contexts involving alcohol consumption, varying degrees of consent, and a known perpetrator. These contexts are critical in understanding how college women define rape. Key findings indicated many of these college women utilized rape myths and norms within their peer groups to interpret rape scenarios.
Competency of nurse educators in genetics/ genomics knowledge

Background: The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice and The Essentials of Genetic and Genomic Nursing: Competencies, Curricula Guidelines, and Outcome Indicators both include competencies expected of nurses working in the 21st century. This research study investigates whether professors currently teaching in baccalaureate programs in the United States possess the knowledge needed to educate nursing students about essential genetics/genomics concepts. Methods: A random sampling of baccalaureate schools of nursing in the United States was performed. Nurse educators teaching in those schools were asked via three email contacts to complete a 15 item multiple choice questionnaire aimed at testing their knowledge of genetics/genomics. Of the 650 potential subjects, 117 baccalaureate educators completed the questionnaires. Descriptive analyses were performed on the data. Results: The percent of the 15 items that each of the 117 subjects correctly answered was calculated: mean – 53.3%, median – 53.3%, standard deviation – 14.4. Only 4 of 15 questions were answered correctly by more than 75% of the total subject pool. Although the sample sizes were small, the t -test result was significant ( p = 0.005) between the scores of 26 faculty who responded that they had taken a course in genetics beyond general college biology and the 91 faculty who had not received additional genetics/genomics education. Conclusion: In general, the educators exhibited a paucity of genetic information, much of which is important for nursing care and practice. This study’s findings support the need for nursing faculty to improve their genetics/genomics knowledge base. It was clear from the survey results that taking an additional genetics course beyond biology positively influenced the knowledge of those who responded.
Sb-based interband cascade lasers to cover the 3–5 μm spectral window

Semiconductor laser sources for the critical 3–5 um spectral range are evolving and improving rapidly, with significant advancements reported within the last year for three fundamentally different approaches: the intersubband quantum cascade laser (QCL),1 the type-I quantum well (QW) diode laser,2 and the interband cascade laser (ICL).3 Of these three, the most promising candidate to cover the entire wavelength range is the antimonide-based type-II ICL as designed and grown at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). Broad area devices have already demonstrated threshold power densities (P th = current density × voltage) which will enable room temperature (RT) continuous-wave (CW) operation from 2.9 out to 4.6 μm (Fig. 1). The ICL architecture appears uniquely poised not only to offer complete spectral coverage (3–5 μm) but also to operate with low power dissipation. Some of the most recent ICLs display P th th reported to date for QCLs operating at the same temperature. For this reason, the ICL approach is favored for applications demanding low power and excess heat dissipation, e.g., for long battery lifetimes in the field.
African American children in the child welfare and kinship system: from exclusion to over inclusion

Abstract African American children have had a unique relationship to the development of the formal child welfare system. Originally excluded from the system, their numbers grew in later years of the system's development. Currently, as a group they represent the largest proportion of children in out-of-home care nationally. This pattern of overrepresentation has extended to the emerging practice of kinship care. Attention is needed to insure that these children are served in a manner that reflects sensitivity to culture as well as serious consideration for the support and permanency of children in kinship families. The purpose of this paper is to describe the relationship of African American children and families to the formal child welfare system and to the practice of kinship care as an integral part of foster care planning in the child welfare system. In addition, it encourages social workers to become more culturally competent practitioners. The evolution of kinship care policy is reviewed and the implication for culturally competent social work practice to enhance the potential for effective permanency planning is considered within an ecological theoretical perspective.
College Administrators as Public Servants

This article deploys Q methodology in an exploration of the public service orientation in the context of American postsecondary leadership. Thirty-seven senior college administrators were asked to rank a series of statements regarding the administrative values, motives, and attitudes that underlie their own subjective views on administrative conduct. Analysis proceeded in two stages: (1) factor analysis of the administrative perspectives offered by participants and (2) qualitative comparison of these perspectives to extant scholarly portrayals of the public service orientation. Results indicate the existence of two dominant perspectives among participants. Factor 1, Societal Trusteeship, is fundamentally oriented toward the needs of external society and expresses a willingness to leverage institutional resources to improve the human condition. Factor 2, Organizational Stewardship, by contrast, is an internally oriented perspective that emphasizes institutional performance. Importantly, the factors are not dichotomous and suggest considerable cognitive complexity in the professional orientations of college executives.
Interactions between aging and cortical cholinergic deafferentation on attention

Pre-existing trauma to basal forebrain corticopetal cholinergic neurons has been hypothesized to render this system vulnerable to age-related processes. The present longitudinal study assessed the interactions between the effects of partial cortical cholinergic deafferentation and aging on sustained attention performance. After pre-surgical training, animals were given sham-surgery or bilateral infusions of the immunotoxin 192 IgG-saporin into the basal forebrain. The lesion was intended to yield a limited loss of cortical cholinergic inputs and thus to produce minor immediate effects on sustained attention performance. All animals were tested continuously until age 36 months. The attentional performance of lesioned and sham-lesioned animals did not dissociate until age 31 months, when the lesioned animals exhibited an impairment in overall sustained attention performance. Importantly, this impairment interacted with the effects of time-on-task, and thus reflected a specific impairment in attentional processes. These results support the notion that pre-existing damage to the basal forebrain corticopetal cholinergic neurons yields age-related impairments in the attentional capabilities that depend on the integrity of this neuronal system.