cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of self-monitoring and self-reported consistency on the consistency of personality judgments made by strangers and intimates

Abstract How consistent are strangers' and intimates' judgments of stimulus people's personalities, and how is this interjudge consistency affected by stimulus persons' assessed self-monitoring and self-reported behavioral consistency? To answer these questions, 38 stimulus subjects rated themselves on the personality dimensions of extraversion and anxiety and also rated their cross-situational consistency on these dimensions. Strangers, friends, mothers, and fathers of stimulus persons also rated them on extraversion and anxiety. The results indicated that: For judgments of anxiety there was lower interjudge consistency for high than for low self-monitoring stimulus subjects. For judgments of extraversion there was no difference in interjudge consistency for low and high self-monitoring stimulus subjects. The results also showed that anxiety was a more “private” trait in that intimates' but not strangers' judgments correlated with stimulus subjects' self-reported anxiety ( r = .50 and r = .11, respectively), while extraversion was a more “public” trait in that both intimates' and strangers' judgments correlated with stimulus subjects' self-reported extraversion ( r = .42 and r = .51, respectively). These results suggest that self-monitoring of stimulus persons affects interjudge consistency of peroonality judgments particularly for “private” traits such as anxiety, which are most subject to expressive control and inhibition.
Hospital transaction prices and managed-care discounting for selected medical technologies

It is generally assumed that managed care has been successful at capturing discounts from medical providers, but the implications have been a matter of debate. Critics argue that managed-care organizations attain savings by reducing intensity of services, while others have argued that savings are “real” and are a consequence of discounts per unit of care rather than reduced intensity. Because medical services tend to be bundled together into episodes of care, separating out prices and quantities can be difficult. Given available data, past studies focused on an “average” price for the aggregate hospital, calculated from total revenue divided by the number of inpatient days or cases (e.g., Glenn A. Melnick et al., 1992; Emmett B. Keeler and Melnick, 1999). David Dranove and Richard Ludwick, (1999) caution that these methods provide approximations of actual prices and are subject to measurement error due to unobservable differences in service mix. Examining treatment episode for acute myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), David Cutler et al. (2000) infer that discounts attained by managedcare plans are only partly due to reductions in intensity. Here, we employ data that enable us to observe transaction prices (i.e., actual payments borne by the payer and received by the hospital) for major procedures on an “unbundled” basis. Our analysis differs from previous studies in several important dimensions. Among these is the focus on pricing differences between various insurers and employers rather than differences within a single large insurer; as a consequence, we derive an empirical specification based on the bargaining framework due to John M. Brooks et al. (1997), rather than their insurerbased model. Moreover, to identify pure unit discounts we focus on the narrowly defined procedure. Like Cutler et al., we focus on coronary heart disease, a leading cause of death. We examine a major procedure used to treat this disease, one that is costly and relatively common. In bypass surgery (more fully, coronary arterial bypass graft, or CABG) healthy segments of artery are surgically inserted around the diseased arteries. In 2002 about 344,000 CABG’s were performed in the United States, with expenditures exceeding $21 billion. Other economists have focused on these procedures to examine market phenomena such as the hospital’s entry decision (Michael Chernew et al., 2002) or information diffusion (Dranove et al., 2003), yet the pricing decision was not treated fully.
Extraordinary starvation resistance in Temnothorax rugatulus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) colonies: Demography and adaptive behavior

Ant colony mortality has not been sufficiently studied, even though it is crucial for understanding social insect population biology and can serve as an important model for general aging and mortality processes. Particularly, studies on proximate mechanisms on mortality and stress resistance of ant colonies are lacking. This study explores the long-term colony starvation resistance of the small myrmecine ant Temnothorax rugatulus. We report extraordinary starvation resistance in the 21 colonies investigated, as most survived the eight months of total starvation. Furthermore, we studied demographic and behavioral changes over the experimental period. Brood decline began first (after two months) and mortality was highest, worker decline was intermediate, and queen mortality started latest and remained lowest. We found brood (its relative change during the first four months and the level of brood relative to colony size) to be the only significant predictor of colony starvation resistance, but not the degree of polygyny. As expected, rates of trophallaxis increased during the starvation period while colony activity bouts occurred more frequently but were much shorter, leading to an overall decrease in activity levels. This study is the first to comprehensively study mechanisms of starvation resistance in ant colonies, linking demography and behavior.
Comparison of secondary compounds in Heterozostera tasmanica from Australia and Chile

Abstract Leaves of Heterozostera tasmanica (Martens ex Aschers.) den Hartog from both Australia and Chile lack the sulfated flavones that are characteristics of Zostera . Similar phenolic compounds are present in leaves of both Australian and Chilean plants of Heterozostera , but none of the numerous flavonoids (sulfated or non-sulfated) that occur in Zostera were detected in two-directional chromatograms of the Heterozostera leaves. The nearly identical patterns of secondary compounds in leaves from Australia and Chile support their position in the same species.
Observations of currents on the West Florida Shelf Break

Year-long measurements by five acoustic Doppler current profilers moored across the central West Florida Shelf (WFS) and shelf break reveal new information on the local velocity structure and its temporal evolution. The moorings were between the 30 and 300 m isobaths. At depths greater than about 100 m the currents were sometimes directly affected by the deep ocean. During the measurement period the Loop Current (LC) directly impacted the central WFS three times, amounting to a total of about 13% of the year. For the remainder of the year the shelf break currents had equal likelihood of flowing northward or southward. Northward currents achieved over 70 cm/s and the southward currents (driven by the LC) achieved 120 cm/s. Neighboring instruments recorded strong (∼30 cm/s) currents flowing in opposite directions. Current reversals, in one case totally nearly 100 cm/s within a few days, were also found.
Mucormycosis in an HIV-infected renal transplant patient: A case report and review of the literature.

Patient: Female, 15 Final Diagnosis: Mucormycosis Symptoms: Lower extremity swelling • respiratory failure • short of breath Medication: — Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Infectious Diseases Objective: Rare disease
BCR/ABL and chromosomal instability: debate resolved

In this issue of Blood , Chakraborty and colleagues provide conclusive proof that primary chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells from patients in chronic phase demonstrate chromosomal instability after DNA damage, suggesting that BCR/ABL, among its myriad described functions, dysregulates
Opiate receptors and beyond: 30 years of neural signaling research

Abstract Identification of opiate receptors some 30 years ago provided tools that brought major new insights into how these drugs act and led to the discovery of a novel group of atypical neurotransmitters, the peptide enkephalins being the first. The ligand binding techniques that were used to identify opiate receptors were employed to characterize receptors for all of the major neurotransmitters in the brain leading to additional insights into the actions of many drugs, such as neuroleptics. These techniques also permitted characterization of intracellular signaling systems such as the IP3 receptor and immunophilins. Even more novel than the enkephalins have been the gaseous neurotransmitters NO and CO and d -serine.
Effect of oxygen/argon gas ratio on the structure and optical properties of sputter-deposited nanocrystalline HfO2 thin films

Abstract Nanocrystalline hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ) thin films have been produced under variable reactive oxygen (O 2 ) fractionation ( Г ) employing Hf metal for reactive sputter-deposition. The effect of Г on the HfO 2 compound formation, structure, morphology and optical properties has been evaluated. Without oxygen, the films of hexagonal phase of Hf metal were grown. Films grown at different O 2 pressure are nanocrystalline, monoclinic HfO 2 with ( 1 ¯ 11 ) texturing. The optical properties of HfO 2 films have been evaluated using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The optical constants and their dispersion profiles indicate that the best optical-quality HfO 2 films are formed at O 2 ratio of ≥0.2. The index of refraction ( n ) profiles derived from SE measurements follow the Cauchy dispersion relation. The correlation between oxygen-fraction and optical properties in HfO 2 films is established.
Toxicological potency of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin relative to 100 other compounds: a relative potency analysis of in vitro and in vivo test data.

A common definition of relative potency is the dose of a reference compound required to cause a particular incidence of a specific toxic response divided by the dose of a test compound needed to cause an equal incidence of that same effect. In this simple manner, toxicological assessments for a chemical of concern can be made in terms of another compound about which much is known from a human health perspective. Relative potency factors were used to compare 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin CAS # 1746-01-6 (TCDD) with 100 other compounds both individually and collectively. All results were standardized to a common scale that spanned many orders of magnitude and was indexed to an arbitrary potency of unity for benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P]. From comparisons between 2,771 pairs of bioassay results (i.e., matched experimental design conditions) for TCDD compared with the 100 other compounds, it was found that TCDD is about 600 times as toxic as B(a)P (interquartile range of 130 to 1,900). The distribution of relative potency values is fitted accurately with a log-normal distribution function having an untransformed mean of 550 and an untransformed slope (i.e., the inverse of the standard deviation of the distribution) of 140. These factors combined with (a) a reference lifetime carcinogenic risk level of 1/100,000 and (b) a universal, potency-dependent risk coefficient (estimated from the collection of epidemiologically-based carcinogens) yielded estimates that equally toxic concentrations for TCDD should be in the range of 13 pg/m3 and 7 pg/L in air and water, respectively.
PINNULARIA ALDENII SP. NOV., A DIATOM FROM ACIDIC HABITATS IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN

A new species of Pinnularia (P. aldenii) is described from the surface sediment samples of brown-water, acidic lakes and bogs in the upper-peninsula of Michigan (USA) based upon light and scanning electron microscopy examination. Survey of existing environmental data suggests this taxon is an acidobiont found mainly in waters with high levels of dissolved organic carbon.
Improving the measurement of service quality

SERVQUAL, which involves the calculation of the differences between expectations and perceptions on a number of prespecified criteria, is currently the most popular measure of service quality. However, there are some serious problems in conceptualizing service quality as a difference score; these are reviewed and empirically investigated in this paper. An alternative method for measuring service quality is found to have favorable psychometric properties and to be more efficient than SERVQUAL.
Biological Control and Refuge Theory

REFERENCES tions arising from the intluences of host and parasitoid phenologies (3). Single values cannot characterize host-parasitoid interactions, and maximum values are unlikely to be typical over longer times or in different areas (4). 4) Contrary to the prediction made by Hawkins et al., successful biological control can result from the use of agents that are characterized by low rates of parasitization in their native habitat (5). Natural enemies that are rare in their native habitat may have superior potential as control agents when released in exotic habitats (6). 5) Hawkins et al. attribute seven cases of high parasitization (above 60%) in unsuccessful biological control projects to climatic mist,natch between parasitoids and hosts. We question how such high rates of parasitization could be achieved if clima tic factors "reduce parasitoid reproduction, survivorship, or host synchrony ..." (1, p. 1431). Variation in the susceptibility of insects to predators, parasitoids, and disease is important. Mechanisms for encapsulating parasitoids, hiding from predators, and resisting disease influence the impacts of natural enemies in native and exotic habitats, but measuring refuge size from the observed maximum parasitization of successful biological control programs does not yield new understanding or predictability to the practice of biological control. 1. B. A. Hawkins, M. B. Thomas, M. E. Hochberg, Science 262, 1429 (1993). 2. B. P. Beirne, Can. Entomo/. 107,225 (1975). 3. R. G. van Driesche, Environ. Entorno/. 12, 1611 (1983). 4. A. McPhee, A. Newton, K. B. McRae, Can. Entomo/.120, 73 (1988); l. A. Pearsall and S. J. Walde, Eco/. Entorno/. 19, 190 (1994). 5. J. Ro)and, in Popu/ation Dynamics of Forest /nsects, A. D. Watt, S. R. Leather, M. D. Hunter, N. A. C. Kidd, Eds. (Intercept, Andover, United Kingdom, 1990), pp. 289-302. 6. J. Myers, C. H. Higgins, E. Kovacs, Environ. Entorno/. 18, 541 (1989)
Fabrication process responsible for fundamentally improving Silicon X-ray microcalorimeter arrays

Abstract We have developed an improved microcalorimeter array that will be used on the AstroE-2 satellite mission. The 6×6 array consists of a grid of 36 suspended pixels. Each 1.5 μm thick pixel has an ion-implanted thermometer, four thermal links (support beams), and four X-ray absorber support tabs. Improvements in Silicon micro-machining capabilities and the availability of custom Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) wafers has enabled us to precisely control pixel geometry, lead widths, and develop a more compact array. Knowing the silicon thickness, we can calculate a precise implant dose for the thermometer. Using a high-temperature anneal, we can uniformly diffuse the implant throughout the depth of the top layer of the SOI wafer. Defining the length, width, and thickness of the support beams, we can control the thermal conductance of the pixel. Advancements in polymer-photo resists have enabled us to develop a new absorber support tab attachment scheme resulting in more controlled heat dissipation from the absorber to the thermometer on the pixel. An overview of fabrication improvements focusing on these topics will be discussed.
Sodium currents in single cardiac Purkinje cells.

The sodium (Na) channel is the fundamental unit of excitability in heart muscle. This channel has been very difficult to study in detail, because the major experimental tool, the voltage clamp, has been difficult to use in multicellular tissue. In the absence of more direct studies in the heart, it has been assumed that the sodium channel in the heart was the same as that in nerve tissue, where it could be studied quantitatively. However, the sodium channel is not likely to be the same as in nerve, because it responds differently to local anesthetics and to other drugs such as tetrodotoxin. It is essential to learn the details of the cardiac sodium channel, because it is the membrane process that underlies many lethal cardiac arrhythmias, and it is the molecular site of action of the most effective antiarrhythmic drugs. Single cardiac Purkinje cells were dialyzed at room temperature through a large bore pipette, and their Na+currents were studied under voltage clamp control. The peak currents were 0.5 to 1.0 mA/cm2, assuming a 1 µufarad/cm2membrane. Peak currents near 0 mV were achieved in less than 1 ms. The decay of the Na+current did not correspond to a single exponential process. This result and the observation that recovery from inactivation occurred with a latency are inconsistent with the original Hodgkin-Huxley model, but they qualitatively fit a model with two sequential inactivated states or a model with two kinetically different types of Na+channels. The steady state inactivation curve shifted in the negative direction after initiation of intracellular dialysis, stabilizing with a half-availability voltage of -115 mV.
Computer-Stored Medical Records: Their Future Role in Medical Practice

Over the next few years, computer-stored medical records will become technically and economically feasible on a broad scale. Hybrid systems that include computer and traditional paper versions of the medical record and obtain their data from existing ancillary service systems will soon be widely available. Completely electronic medical records will follow. However, standards for exchanging clinical information between independent computers are needed to eliminate the reentry or interfacing costs otherwise required to obtain data from computerized ancillary services. Three kinds of benefits may be expected: (1) improved logistics and organization of the medical record to speed care and improve care givers' efficiency, (2) automatic computer review of the medical record to limit errors and control costs, and (3) systematic analysis of past clinical experience to guide future practices and policies. (JAMA1988;259:3433-3440)
PGE2 release from tryptase-stimulated rabbit ventricular myocytes is mediated by calcium-independent phospholipase A2γ.

Inflammation is associated with cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, myocarditis and congestive heart failure. Mast cells have been implicated in inflammation, but their precise role in cardiac inflammation remains unclear. Mast cells contain a variety of pre-formed granule-associated mediators, including tryptase. We have previously demonstrated that the majority of the phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity in isolated rabbit ventricular myocytes is membrane-associated, calcium-independent and selective for plasmalogen phospholipids. We hypothesized that tryptase stimulation of rabbit ventricular myocytes would increase iPLA2 activity, leading to increased arachidonic acid and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release. Isolated rabbit ventricular myocytes were stimulated with tryptase and iPLA2 activity, arachidonic acid and PGE2 release were measured. Tryptase stimulation increased iPLA2 activity after 5 min. Activation of iPLA2 was accompanied by increased arachidonic acid and PGE2 release in tryptase-stimulated myocytes. However no increase in platelet activating factor was observed with tryptase stimulation. To distinguish between different iPLA2 isoforms in the myocardium, we pretreated ventricular myocytes with the (R)- and (S)-enantiomers of bromoenol lactone (BEL) to selectively inhibit iPLA2γ and β respectively. Pretreatment with (R)-BEL resulted in complete inhibition of tryptase-stimulated iPLA2 activity, arachidonic acid and PGE2 release, suggesting the iPLA2γ is the predominant myocardial isoform activated by tryptase. These studies demonstrate that PGE2 release from tryptase stimulated rabbit ventricular myocytes is mediated primarily by iPLA2γ.
Milton, Homer, and Hyacinthus: Classical iconography and literary allusion inparadise lost 4.300-303

Milton’s initial description of Adam atParadise Lost 4.288-303 exhibits three separate but concurrent tendencies: a commitment to depict Adam’s physical constitution as distinct from, but representative of, the divine image in which he has been made; a tendency to model Adam’s physical appearance upon Milton’s own; and a fondness for mythological references that place Adam’s appearance in a tradition of heroic beauty exemplified by his “Hyacinthin locks” (4.301). In concert, these tendencies associate Milton himself with the iconography of classical myth, while endowing the poet’s presentation of Adam with homoerotic overtones.
Stability of Interdigitated Microelectrodes of Flexible Chemiresistor Sensors

One of the main challenges in flexible sensors is their performance degradation under different environmental conditions. In this work, high cycle bending fatigue experiments were conducted on a flexible sensor array deposited on a Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) substrate. These sensors were designed and fabricated for detecting different types of chemical vapors. Molecularly-mediated thin film assemblies of gold nanoparticles were deposited on interdigitated microelectrodes with different line widths and spaces. The behavior of the sensor array was studied under repeated mechanical and thermal loadings. This work focuses on studying the failure modes when such devices are subjected to bending fatigue stresses, high temperature, and high humidity environments. The initial results showed that these devices were very stable under mechanical, thermal, and environmental loadings.
Using Distance Learning to Increase Literacy Among TANF Participants

Technology and Education for Career Heights (Project TECH) was designed to help Temporary Assistance to Needy Families participants enhance their literacy through distance learning as a means to promote job retention and career advancement. The evaluative research presented in this report was intended to gather information from the participants of Project TECH about their experience with distance learning training curriculum. The report describes Project TECH and what happens when participants who are low-income workers are given a computer, basic training software, Internet access, and training coupled with instruction form a instructor who met with them face to face weekly and provided daily online coaching and instruction. It highlights participants' experience with online instruction and the use of computers in their homes, and it concludes with lessons learned from the project. The information is useful for those wanting to design and develop a distance learning program to increase adult literacy for...
A genomic approach to predict synergistic combinations for breast cancer treatment

We leverage genomic and biochemical data to identify synergistic drug regimens for breast cancer. In order to study the mechanism of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors valproic acid (VPA) and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) in breast cancer, we generated and validated genomic profiles of drug response using a series of breast cancer cell lines sensitive to each drug. These genomic profiles were then used to model drug response in human breast tumors and show significant correlation between VPA and SAHA response profiles in multiple breast tumor data sets, highlighting their similar mechanism of action. The genes deregulated by VPA and SAHA converge on the cell cycle pathway (Bayes factor 5.21 and 5.94, respectively; P-value 10(-8.6) and 10(-9), respectively). In particular, VPA and SAHA upregulate key cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors. In two independent datasets, cancer cells treated with CDK inhibitors have similar gene expression profile changes to the cellular response to HDAC inhibitors. Together, these results led us to hypothesize that VPA and SAHA may interact synergistically with CDK inhibitors such as PD-033299. Experiments show that HDAC and CDK inhibitors have statistically significant synergy in both breast cancer cell lines and primary 3-dimensional cultures of cells from pleural effusions of patients. Therefore, synergistic relationships between HDAC and CDK inhibitors may provide an effective combinatorial regimen for breast cancer. Importantly, these studies provide an example of how genomic analysis of drug-response profiles can be used to design rational drug combinations for cancer treatment.
Mechanisms of acute increases in airway responsiveness caused by environmental chemicals

Inhalation of inhaled environmental chemicals has long been recognized as a cause of acute increases in airway responsiveness. Extensive studies of the mechanisms of action of two of these chemicals, ozone and toluene diisocyanate, have been conducted during the past decade. The results of these studies suggest that acute airway inflammation plays an important role in the effect of inhaled chemicals but that the specific aspects of the inflammatory response that lead to the development of airway hyperresponsiveness are different for different stimuli and among different mammalian species. These observations suggest that in vivo airway hyperresponsiveness can arise via several different mechanisms and is thus not likely to reflect a single underlying defect.
Photodynamic therapy and anti-tumour immunity

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses non-toxic photosensitizers and harmless visible light in combination with oxygen to produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species that kill malignant cells by apoptosis and/or necrosis, shut down the tumour microvasculature and stimulate the host immune system. In contrast to surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy that are mostly immunosuppressive, PDT causes acute inflammation, expression of heat-shock proteins, invasion and infiltration of the tumour by leukocytes, and might increase the presentation of tumour-derived antigens to T cells.
The effects of sampling design on estimating the magnitude and distribution of contaminated sediments in a large reservoir

We simulated the sampling of 137 Cs inventory (pCi/cm 2 ) in Lower Watts Bar Reservoir to evaluate the effects of different sampling designs on the estimation of the magnitude of 137 Cs contamination in the reservoir and to determine if the spatial pattern of contamination affected the performance of alternative sampling designs. Sampling designs evaluated were random, stratified random, systematic, and transect. These sampling designs were evaluated by creating multiple realizations of each design and sample size, and comparing the bias, variance, mean squared error (MSE), and per cent error in estimates of mean 137 Cs inventory, 95th percentile of 137 Cs inventory, and percentage of bottom sediments having 137 Cs level > 400 pCi/cm 2 . Two alternative spatial maps of 137 Cs inventory were used because the spatial distribution of 137 Cs is uncertain. Increasing sample size beyond 250 for random and systematic designs resulted in little further reduction in MSE, variance, or bias of estimates of the three parameters. Variance generally contributed to MSE more than bias for random and systematic designs, whereas bias was important with transect sampling. The performance of random and systematic sampling varied minimally between the two maps. Transect sampling yielded inconsistent results due to bias not decreasing with increasing sample size. Stratification did not result in substantial reductions in MSE compared to simple random or systematic sampling. The per cent error of estimates of the percentage > 400 pCi/cm 2 were larger than estimates of the mean or 95th percentile of 137 Cs inventory. A staged sampling approach is recommended, with the first stage being determination of the spatial heterogeneity of the parameter of interest.
The differentiation of surgical and medical groups of jaundice

1. Attention is called to the desirability of making early differential diagnoses between “medical” and “surgical” jaundice.
Improving the Prediction of Kinase Binding Affinity Using Homology Models

Kinases are a class of proteins very important to drug design; they play a pivotal role in many of the cell signaling pathways in the human body. Thus, many drug design studies involve finding inhibitors for kinases in the human kinome. However, identifying inhibitors of high selectivity is a difficult task. As a result, computational prediction methods have been developed to aid in this drug design problem. The recently published CCORPS method [3] is a semi-supervised learning method that identifies structural features in protein kinases that correlate with kinase binding affinity to inhibitors. However, CCORPS is dependent on the amount of available structural data. The amount of known structural data for proteins is extremely small compared to the amount of known protein sequences. To paint a clearer picture of how kinase structure relates to binding affinity, we propose extending the CCORPS method by integrating homology models for predicting kinase binding affinity. Our results show that using homology models significantly improves the prediction performance for some drugs while maintaining comparable performance for other drugs.
Attempts to promote residential water conservation with educational, behavioral and engineering strategies

The water meters of 129 residences were read for 70 consecutive days. After five weeks of baseline, state-of-the-art education, feedback, and engineering interventions were applied according to the factorial design: 2(Education versus No Education) × 2(Daily Consumption Feedback versus No Feedback) × 2(Low Cost Conservation Devices versus No Devices). Significant water savings occurred following only the installation of low cost water conservation devices, although the amount of water saved with these devices (a daily average of 17 gallons) was much less than expected. The findings are discussed with reference to the development of cost-effective water conservation programs.
Bypassing Numerical Difficulties Associated with Updating Simultaneously Mass and Stiffness Matrices

In a model updating problem, design parameters or entries of the finite element mass and stiffness matrices are tuned so that the adjusted structural dynamics model matches a set of identified modal parameters as closely as possible. Numerical difficulties are known to arise during this process because of the inverse nature of the problem. In this paper, we show that ill conditioning results from the disproportion between the mass derived and stiffness derived equations of the correction system. We discuss the effect of the resulting numerical difficulties on a class of sensitivity-based updating methods, and propose a two-step strategy to bypass them. In the first step, the correction system is nondimensionalized before it is solved in order to prevent large stiffness perturbations from masking mass errors. In the second step, the implementation of the singular value decomposition factorization is revisited to filter out all nonphysical contributions to the adjustment solution. The potential of this two-step strategy is demonstrated with the model refinement of a recently published planar frame benchmark problem that exhibits erroneous density parameters. Results obtained via the sensitivity-based element-by-element updating method are compared with those generated by a commercially available updating software.
New directions in glycoprotein engineering

Abstract Semisynthetic protein engineering techniques can be employed to overcome classic bottlenecks in the total synthesis or recombinant production of proteins bearing natural or unnatural post-translational modifications. Glycoproteins are particularly suited to semisynthesis as homogeneous samples for biological analyses are not readily available using traditional recombinant techniques. Here we report the use of expressed protein ligation for the construction of semi-synthetic glycoproteins, which are assembled when recombinantly derived peptide α-thioesters are covalently joined with synthetic glycopeptides with clustered O-linked glycans by native chemical ligation. We demonstrate how this approach may be employed for the construction of glycoproteins bearing mucin-like domains.
Distribution of lymphocyte subsets in rat milk from normal and Trichinella spiralis-infected rats.

Abstract We have shown that T. spiralis -specific T lymphocytes can mediate maternal-to-neonatal immunity during lactation. This study addresses the change of lymphocyte populations in rat milk during normal and disease conditions. Two color flow cytometric analysis was performed for milk lymphocytes. T cells (OX19 + ) made up 45% of rat milk lymphocyte population. T helper cells (Th) composed 35% of total T cells while T cytotoxic/suppressor (Tcs) cells constituted 34%, giving a Th/Tcs ratio of 1.03. The corresponding ratio Th/Tcs in peripheral blood was 2.8. Approximately 21% of OX8 + cells in rat milk were OX19 − natural killer (NK) cells. When using the monoclonal antibody 3.2.3 (NKR-P1), 43% of lymphocytes in control rat milk and 14% of blood lymphocytes were NK cells. This indicates a selective passage of these cells into milk. In T. spiralis -immunized rats, the percentage of total T cells was slightly decreased; however, Th and Tcs cells were consistent as compared to control milk. The percentage of NK cells (OX8 + OX19 − ) in milk from T. spiralis -immunized rats was significantly higher than that from control milk (65% vs. 21%, respectively, P P T. spiralis infection induces an increase of NK cells in milk.
Analysis of tissue plasminogen activator specificity using peptidyl fluorogenic substrates.

A series of 54 fluorogenic substrates have been synthesized and evaluated for tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) hydrolysis in an attempt to create efficient sensitive substrates for tPA and to investigate substrate structure−efficiency correlations. All substrates contain the 6-amino-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (ANSN) leaving group, Arg in the P1 position, various amino acids in the P2 and P3 positions, and various substituents in the sulfonamide moiety of the leaving group (P‘ position). The majority of substrates have relatively low KM values (<100 μM), reaching as low as 2.6 μM, and reasonably high kcat values (up to 3.6 s-1). These substrates have higher affinity, higher hydrolysis rates, and higher efficiency for two-chain tPA than for the single-chain form of this enzyme. Analysis of the P3 structure influence on substrate efficiency demonstrates that compounds which contain d-isomers of N-blocked bulky amino acids, such as Phe, Leu, and Val, in this position are more efficient for tPA than subst...
The geographic distribution of radionuclide deposition across the continental US from atmospheric nuclear testing

For the first time, calculations for the more than 3000 counties of the US have been completed that estimate the average deposition density (Bq m(-2)) of more than 40 radionuclides in fallout from atmospheric nuclear weapons tests conducted in the US (1951-1962) and 19 radionuclides from tests conducted elsewhere in the world (1952-1963). The geographic pattern of deposition across the US, as well as the amount of fallout deposited, varied significantly depending on whether the tests were conducted within or outside of the US. Fallout deposited from the Nevada Test Site (NTS) varied geographically as a result of dispersion and dilution in the atmosphere, the wind patterns following each test, and the occurrence of localized rainfall events. In general, states immediately east of the NTS received the highest deposition from tests conducted there. In contrast, the variation in deposition across the country from global fallout was less than for NTS fallout primarily reflecting variations in annual precipitation across larger regions. Hence, in the eastern and mid-western US, where rainfall is above the national average, higher levels of global fallout were deposited than in the more arid southwestern states. This paper presents a summary of the methods used and findings of our studies on fallout from NTS and global fallout, with emphasis on two of the most important radionuclides, (131)I and (137)Cs.
Violence Prevention in United States Society of Jesus Secondary Schools

Using data from a representative number of Society of Jesus secondary schools, the researcher reports what these schools are doing to prevent violence, and tests an explanatory model of school violence he created. The researcher proposes that this model can be used to explain and prevent school violence by identifying and addressing the school-based factors that are related to serious violence. This study found that the model of school violence created by the researcher can be used to prevent violent incidents from occurring at school.
Nuclear properties of 246Am and 247Am

Abstract Two isotopes, 247Am and a high-spin isomer of 246Am, were produced by 4He irradiations of 244Pu. The beta decay half-lives were found to be 39 ± 3 min and 20 ± 4 min for 246Am and 247Am, respectively. Gamma rays of 99·5, 127·4, 153·5, 205, 630, 680, 757, 782 and 835 keV were associated with the decay of 246Am, and 227- and 285-keV γ-rays were emitted by 247Am. The 99·5-, 153·5- and 205-keV γ-rays are transitions between members of the ground state band. Coincidence studies established levels at 1181 and 1053 keV, the former being an 8—state and the latter having a spin of 6 or 7. The γ-rays of energy 127·4, 630, 782, and 835 keV are not definitely assigned.
Large-Scale Hierarchical Organization of Nanowires for Functional Nanosystems

We review recent studies of solution-based hierarchical organization of nanowire building blocks. Nanowires have been aligned with controlled nanometer to micrometer scale separation using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, transferred to planar substrates in a layer-by-layer process to form parallel and crossed nanowire structures over centimeter length scales, and then efficiently patterned into repeating arrays of controlled dimensions and pitch using photolithography. The hierarchically-organized nanowires open up key opportunities in several general areas of nanoscale science and technology. First, hierarchically-assembled nanowire arrays have been used as masks to define nanometer scale metal lines and surface features over large areas. Second, hierarchically-assembled nanowire arrays have been used to fabricate fully-scalable centimeter size arrays of field-effect transistors in high yields without requiring alignment of individual nanowires to output electrodes. Diverse applications of this approach for enabling a broad range of functional nanosystems, including macroelectronic and sensing applications, are described.
Disease-Associated Mutations That Alter the RNA Structural Ensemble

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) often identify disease-associated mutations in intergenic and non-coding regions of the genome. Given the high percentage of the human genome that is transcribed, we postulate that for some observed associations the disease phenotype is caused by a structural rearrangement in a regulatory region of the RNA transcript. To identify such mutations, we have performed a genome-wide analysis of all known disease-associated Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) from the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) that map to the untranslated regions (UTRs) of a gene. Rather than using minimum free energy approaches (e.g. mFold), we use a partition function calculation that takes into consideration the ensemble of possible RNA conformations for a given sequence. We identified in the human genome disease-associated SNPs that significantly alter the global conformation of the UTR to which they map. For six disease-states (Hyperferritinemia Cataract Syndrome, β-Thalassemia, Cartilage-Hair Hypoplasia, Retinoblastoma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Hypertension), we identified multiple SNPs in UTRs that alter the mRNA structural ensemble of the associated genes. Using a Boltzmann sampling procedure for sub-optimal RNA structures, we are able to characterize and visualize the nature of the conformational changes induced by the disease-associated mutations in the structural ensemble. We observe in several cases (specifically the 5′ UTRs of FTL and RB1) SNP–induced conformational changes analogous to those observed in bacterial regulatory Riboswitches when specific ligands bind. We propose that the UTR and SNP combinations we identify constitute a “RiboSNitch,” that is a regulatory RNA in which a specific SNP has a structural consequence that results in a disease phenotype. Our SNPfold algorithm can help identify RiboSNitches by leveraging GWAS data and an analysis of the mRNA structural ensemble.
Time- and energy-dependent response of Cs in a strong electric field

The results of a theoretical study of Cs atoms in a strong and static electric field are compared to experiment. The atoms are excited from the ground state to m5 0o r m 51 states above the classical ionization threshold. Regularities in the spectra seem to be caused by simple physical mechanisms. The systems are studied in the time domain using two different methods, recurrence spectroscopy and the ejected time dependent flux, and in the energy domain using two different methods, photoionization cross section and expectation values of the energy shift operator. Each of these methods provides some additional insight into the dynamics.
Pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic carcinoma after complicated open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery: an alternative approach to reconstruction.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic carcinoma after complicated open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery: an alternative approach to reconstruction Ioannis Theodoropoulos, M.D.*, Charles Franco, M.D., James E. Gervasoni Jr, Ph.D., M.D. Department of Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Department of Surgery, Saint Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick, New Jersey Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases 8 (2012) 648–650
The Design Considerations for a Secure Gateway Switch to Support Network Survivability and Multiple Network Interconnection

Military interoperability requirements have resulted in the selection by the US DoD in an internet datagram host gateway approach to network interconnections. These gateways can be viewed as forming a network of gateway packet switch nodes. These nodes must interface networks at various single security levels as well as MLS networks. This network of gateways provides the ability to utilize the public data network to provide enhanced survivability for the DoD networks. This paper examines some of the design considerations for this MLS gateway network. These include the security requirements and gateway routing. A unique distributed microprocessor architecture is presented which was specifically developed to support secure switch systems based layered protocols.
Multivariate regression metamodel: a DSS application in industry

Abstract A materials handling system simulation (written using GPSS/H) was developed to predict the Automated Guided Vehicle requirements necessary for a major manufacturer to maintain desired levels of production in one of its automobile assembly plants. Rather than use the simulation as a representational DSS and risk complicating the user interface, validated simulation outputs were collected and used to produce a multivariate regression metamodel. This metamodel formed the centerpiece of a narrow-scope suggestion model DSS used on the factory floor to aid in day to day allocations of resources. This article looks at the metamodel development methodology and offers this technique as an effective means of producing a suggestion model DSS from a more complex representational DSS.
Impact of group cooperation over competitive secondary subnetworks

In this paper, we examine dynamic spectrum sharing between several networks of licensed and unlicensed users wherein the unlicensed user subnetworks compete against other unlicensed subnetworks for spectrum access while nodes belonging to the same subnetwork cooperate with each other. In such a hostile transmission environment, we observe that spectrum sharing schemes based on the assumption of strict user conformity will not perform as well relative to cooperative schemes in which the overall performance enhancement is achieved via the collective efforts of the nodes belonging to the same subnetwork. As an example case, a cooperation scheme based on opportunistic decode-and-forward is employed in this paper in order to demonstrate the effects of intra-group cooperation in an underlay spectrum sharing network and its impact on enhancing group performance. Moreover, the effect of intra-group cooperation on other unlicensed subnetworks operating within the same geographical and spectral vicinity is studied within the context of inter-group competition for spectrum access. Our results show that those secondary systems employing group cooperation can achieve a significant advantage over the secondary systems made of fully competitive selfish users in terms of successful spectrum coexistence.
Is perception of 3-D surface configurations cognitively penetrable?

Among Pylyshyn's most important questions is determining the boundaries of early vision. A simple stimulus illustrates that, in addition to the dominant percept, most observers can perceive alternative interpretations of 3-D surface layout only after provided with suggestions. These observations may indicate that cognitive influences reach the stages of visual processing where 3-D surface configurations are resolved.
Comparative Value of Dobutamine and Adenosine Stress in the Detection of Coronary Stenosis With Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography

Background—Controversy continues as to whether adenosine or dobutamine is the superior pharmacological stress agent for myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE). Methods and Results—We compared real-time MCE refilling curves and wall thickening during adenosine and dobutamine stress in 14 open-chest dogs with left anterior descending and left circumflex coronary artery stenoses that reduced hyperemia by 40% to 60% and 70% to 90% (mild and severe non–flow-limiting stenosis, NFLS) and resting flow by 10% to 30% and 35% to 50% (mild and severe flow-limiting stenosis, FLS). MCE was performed with low-energy imaging during Optison infusion. After high-energy bubble destruction, time-intensity data from risk beds were fitted for an exponential function as y=A(1−e−bt), from which the rate of intensity increase (b) and maximal plateau intensity (A) were derived. Although severe NFLS and greater stenoses decreased b with both dobutamine and adenosine, with mild NFLS it was reduced in 58% of animals with dobutami...
Stability models for high-T/sub c/ superconducting conductors

As the properties of high-T/sub c/ superconducting tapes improve, practical design considerations require more detailed analysis. Here, the authors report investigations of the stability of high-T/sub c/ superconducting tapes for magnet applications operating at 4.2 K. As a result of the broad range of temperature during a transition and the strong temperature dependence of the material properties of both the superconductor and the stabilizer, the finite element method (FEM) is used to solve the heat conduction equation. Analytic solutions for particular operating modes are also included. >