cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigating the base of the mantle using differential travel times

Abstract Several techniques using differential seismic travel times to map lateral structure in the lowermost mantle are discussed. Results are shown for recent studies involving the established techniques of core-reflected phases (ScS-S and PcP-P) and diffracted phase profiles (Sdiff), and new techniques involving the differential times of both core-transmitted and core-diffracted phases (PKP-Pdiff and Sdiff-SKS-SKKS) are described. The recent databases of digital seismograms have allowed for a study of D″ velocities in the Eastern Hemisphere using ScS-S and sScS-sS differential times from the many Western Pacific earthquakes. The result is an image at a resolution of a few hundred kilometers of a slow velocity anomaly of 2500 km width beneath Micronesia (−2% relative to the Preliminary Reference Earth Model (PREM)) that is surrounded on three sides by fast D″ rock that is 3% faster than PREM. A study using the differential arrivals of core-diffracted S waves (Sdiff) from digital records is providing information about long-wavelength variations in D″ shear velocities, though the rigorous earthquake-station geometry requirements limit the study to particular regions of the globe. Another study is using over 40 000 PcP-P differential travel times as reported to the International Seismological Centre to map global P velocities at the base of the mantle, and it shows that global coverage of the core-mantle boundary (CMB) is very poor. Though there are some regions (Northern Asia, Northern Pacific, Central America) with enough data sampling to allow a quantification of average D″ P velocities (with a total robust range of 4% lateral variation), they cover only a small portion of the total CMB. As a means of increasing our understanding of the long-wavelength variations of seismic velocities, a description is given of two techniques that will take advantage of totally different sets of earthquake-station geometries from the core-reflected phase studies. In the distance range from 120° to beyond 165° the differential times of PKP and Pdiff can be used to map long-wavelength D″ P velocities. These two phases are very different in shape and frequency content, so the differential times are found by a waveform cross correlation with reflectivity synthetic counterparts. In the distance range from 105° to beyond 135° the differential times of Sdiff, SKS, and SKKS can be examined simultaneously to test models of velocity structure above and below the CMB, also through comparison with synthetic counterparts.
Is phylloquinone an obligate electron carrier in photosystem I

Comparative quantitative analysis of phylloquinone content and photochemically competent P-700 has been performed on photosystem I particles subjected to photolysis with ultraviolet irradiation. Nonirradiated control particles exhibit a phylloquinone/P-700 stoichiometry of 1.9 +/- 0.2. Photolysis of the photosystem I particles induces a progressive depletion of phylloquinone, however, photochemistry as assayed at room temperature by the photooxidation of P-700 is unaffected. These data are not consistent with the assignment of phylloquinone as a functional intermediate at room temperature between P-700 and the iron-sulfur clusters, center A and center B.
Influence of conformational asymmetry on the surface enrichment of polymer blends II

We reexamine the influence of statistical segment length asymmetry on the surface segregation of homopolymer blends in a mean field thread model of polymer melts. By developing numerical self-consistent field solutions of the Edwards-Helfand equations, we demonstrate that the component with the smaller value of the parameter β 2 = α 2 /(6υ) (α is the statistical segment length and υ is the segment volume) is enriched at a neutral, impenetrable surface. Qualitatively, this finding is in agreement with our earlier analytical work and with experiment. However, in contrast to our earlier work, we find that the absolute magnitude of the segregation is a sensitive function of the chain lengths of the two species and of the compressibility of the system. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Spiritual Practices on College and University Campuses: Understanding the Concepts - Broadening the Context

AbstractIn examining the changing landscape of spirituality and spiritual practice on college and university campuses today, questions need to be considered about both the core concept of spirituality and the context in which spirituality relates to education. This article examines both the concept of and context for spirituality in higher education and seeks to describe the broad world of spiritual practices on today’s campuses both in terms of what people are practicing and where these practices are taking place. An example of a week of spiritual practices at Wellesley College during fall 2012 illustrates the dramatic changes that have taken place on many campuses across the country related to the diversity of spiritual practices in the lives of students, faculty, and staff. The concept of spirituality- defined as those humanistic, religious, and spiritual beliefs and practices through which a person seeks to find meaning and purpose as they deepen their understanding of self, other and world-is explore...
Ultrastructural analysis of normal and immunized spleen of the snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentine

In the ultrastructural comparison of normal, unimmunized spleens with immunized spleens at key intervals after antigenic stimulation with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), we noted cellular and cytological features which reflect the cellular kinetics of the primary immune response, particularly with respect to plasma cell production. Although lymphoblasts and mature plasma cells are present in the white and red pulp, respectively, intermediate stages of the plasma cell line are rarely found in normal spleen. Following antigenic challenge, we found a marked increase in lymphoblasts in the white pulp, most of them containing short segments of rough endoplasmic reticulum suggesting initial differentiation toward plasma cells. Following an apparent migration of cells from the white to the red pulp, we found plasma cells in various stages of maturation in the red pulp cords and sinuses. The ultrastructural features of these cells reflect 'the differentiation of lympho blasts into mature plasma cells. Both immature and mature plasma cells usually possess dilated cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum, suggesting that they are capable of producing and storing a secretory product, presumably antibody. We also noted a large number of immature macrophages and monocytes in immunized spleens. These cellular events and their cytological characteristics are compared to those described in other vertebrate classes.
Risk Management in Herd Sire Portfolio Selection: A Comparison of Rounded Quadratic and Separable Convex Programming

Abstract Quadratic programming, which does not guarantee integer solutions, may be used to consider risk when herd sires are selected. Because semen cannot be purchased in partial units, two alternatives were investigated: separable convex programming (a linear approximation of quadratic programming) and rounded quadratic programming. Expected net revenue and its variance were calculated for 383 Holstein bulls. Expected net revenue was based on semen price; PTA dollars for milk, fat, and protein; and three linear type traits: foot angle, udder depth, and teat placement. Maximization of utility (expected net revenue less its variance times a risk aversion factor) was subject to constraints: lots of 5 units, maximum average price per lot, minimum number of lots from bulls that transmit calving ease, and minimum number of different sires of selected bulls. Multiple formulations for expected net revenue, constraint combinations, and risk aversion factors were used. Twenty-two of 60 pairs of sire portfolios from rounded quadratic and separable convex programming were identical. Semen price per lot and lots from bulls that transmit calving ease were influential constraints. At the two lowest amounts of risk aversion examined, results supported common recommendations of selection of three to seven herd sires, regardless of herd size.
Strategic behavior and the impact of unions on wage incentive plans

This paper analyzes optimal wage incentive plans in situations in which firms make capital investments and employees supply work effort. An efficient contract will take workers’ response into account in its design, leading to a competitive contract that takes the form of a lump sum penalty and full marginal rewards to workers, or equivalently, a base wage and a piece rate above a quota. A union optimizing worker welfare will alter this lump sum amount rather than attempt to control worker effort or the marginal rewards for additional output. The greater utilization of piece rate systems in capital-intensive industries is correctly predicted by the analysis.
Applying fractography and fracture mechanics to the energy and mass of crack growth for glass in the mirror region

Abstract The mirror region following the fracture initiation site is considered by applying fracture mechanics principles along with experimental observations of the crack velocity at the formation of the mirror mist boundary. Several issues regarding this crack growth in glass are addressed after considering the terminal velocity of crack growth and the mirror mist boundary information on silicate glasses. A strain energy release rate criterion is applied to estimate the kinetic energy of an advancing crack in glass at the mirror/mist boundary. This energy is then utilized to estimate the effective mass of the crack at the mirror/mist boundary. It is compared with material volumes in the vicinity of the crack.
Measuring communicative functioning in community‐dwelling stroke survivors: Conceptual foundation and item development

Background: Studies employing item response theory methods to evaluate communicative functioning assessment items have found that a broad range of communication tasks and activities may fit a unidimensional measurement model, but that additional item content is needed to extend the range of ability effectively measured by the small subset of items that have been evaluated. Aims: To describe the item identification, evaluation, and development process used to substantiate the content relevance and representativeness of a set of communicative functioning assessment items targeting community‐dwelling stroke survivors. Methods & Procedures: Electronic and secondary references were searched to identify assessment tools with item content designed to measure communicative functioning in adults with neurogenic communication disorders. Candidate items were evaluated using face‐to‐face interviewer‐assisted survey groups conducted independently with communicatively impaired stroke survivors (n = 59) and their commun...
Another look at compensating differentials

Abstract Empirical tests of the theory of compensating differentials using a wage-change formulation have had mixed success in providing support for the theory. Previous studies have differed with respect to the measurement and type of working conditions, the sample of workers examined, and the inclusion of firm- specific information. To isolate the role of the differences between previous studies in providing support for the theory, the author estimates a wage-change model using data from a broad sample of workers with self-reported job characteristics. The conclusion is that the general theory of compensating differentials be revised to include firm-specific information. However, it is not clear if any test of the theory can be supported over a broad range of occupations in the short run.
Smoothing random noise from human head scan data

In obtaining human head range data with a laser scanner, noise results from system errors and rough surfaces. The noise can be reduced with a suitable filter. Two aspects need to be considered in smoothing head scan data: one is finding a filter to eliminate noise without creating new artifacts; the other is determining the parameters of this filter to achieve optimal smoothing. The Gaussian filter has been shown to have unique characteristics which preserve the integrity of the data. A cross-validation method based on regularization theory has been derived for estimating the correct filter size for smoothing head range data. The authors discuss the justification and implementation of the statements above. Generalized cross-validation is derived in the two-dimensional case. Experimental results are presented that show the technique is effective and robust.
Effects of the Dt2 and S Alleles on Agronomic Traits of F1 Hybrid Soybean

Agronomic evaluation of F 1 hybrid soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] will be useful for germplasm evaluation, recurrent selection, and estimating heterosis. We anticipated that vegetative heterosis, commonly observed in soybean, could increase early lodging and pod abortion, reducing grain yield. Under these circumstances, observed hybrid grain yield would not reflect the true potential of the hybrid as expressed in later generations. The Dt 2 (semideterminate stem type) and S (short internode stem type) alleles have been shown to reduce excessive vegetative growth and lodging in narrow-row production of inbred soybean. Our objectives were (i) to determine the per se effects and effects on heterosis, for agronomic traits, of the semideterminate (Dt 2― ) and short (S―) stem types in hybrid soybean, (ii) to assess their potential in facilitating germplasm evaluation and recurrent selection, and (iii) to determine if either stem type would be agronomically desirable in commercial hybrid soybean production. Near-isogenic inbred lines and hybrid (F 1 ) lines were evaluated in replicated three-row plots. The Dt 2 and S alleles affected agronomic traits of hybrids and inbreds similarly. The Dt 2 and S alleles hastened maturity, decreased plant height and lodging, and increased harvest index per se values. The Dt 2 allele decreased seed weight and protein content. Both the per se and heterosis data suggest that the Dt 2 and S alleles would not be consistently beneficial to germplasm evaluation or recurrent selection. The per se data suggest that the S allele might be useful for both inbred and commercial hybrid soybean.
Diagonal Prikry extensions

§1. Introduction. It is a well-known phenomenon in set theory that problems in infinite combinatorics involving singular cardinals and their successors tend to be harder than the parallel problems for regular cardinals. Examples include the behaviour of cardinal exponentiation, the extent of the tree property, the extent of stationary reflection, and the existence of non-free almost-free abelian groups. The explanation for this phenomenon lies in inner model theory, in particular core models and covering lemmas. If W is an inner model of V then1. W strongly covers V if every uncountable set of ordinals is covered by a set of the same V -cardinality lying in W.2. W weakly covers V if W computes the successor of every V-singular cardinal correctly.Strong covering implies weak covering.In inner model theory there are many theorems of the general form “if there is no inner model of large cardinal hypothesis X then there is an L-like inner model Kx which Y covers V”. Here the L-like properties of Kx always include GCH and Global Square. Examples include1. X is “0# exists”, Kx is L, Y is “strongly”.2. X is “there is a measurable cardinal”, Kx is the Dodd-Jensen core model, Y is “strongly”.3. X is “there is a Woodin cardinal”, Kx is the core model for a Woodin cardinal, Y is “weakly”.
Precise nucleotide location of the 5' ends of RNA-primed nascent light strands of mouse mitochondrial DNA.

Abstract The mouse mitochondrial DNA origin of light-strand replication has been defined as a 32-nucleotide region located among five transfer RNA genes in the genomic sequence. A distinctive feature of this origin is its potential to form a perfectly complementary stem and 11-nucleotide loop structure. Previous studies have demonstrated that the 5′ ends of nascent light strands map within this region and a major trinucleotide ribosubstitution site in closed circular mouse mitochondrial DNA has been mapped within the stem sequence. Direct analysis and precise localization of the 5′ ends of nascent light strands indicate that essentially all 5′ ends are ribonucleotides mapping in the originspecific dyadic structure. The major 5′ end identified is the rG at position 5187 in the genomic sequence. Priming of replication most likely occurs within the loop portion of the potential dyad and continues for 2 to 16 nucleotides with a sharply defined switch to deoxyribonucleotide synthesis. This functional transition point is identical in map position to the trinucleotide ribosubstitution site in mature, closed circular mitochondrial DNA.
Pharmacy data identify poorly adherent patients with schizophrenia at increased risk for admission.

Background. Health care organizations may be able to use pharmacy data to identify patients with schizophrenia and poor antipsychotic adherence.Objective. To determine whether a pharmacy-based measure of outpatient adherence, the medication possession ratio (MPR), is associated with adverse outcomes
Population Structure of Red Snapper from the Gulf of Mexico as Inferred from Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA

Abstract Variation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was examined among 707 red snapper Lutjanus campechanus representing 16 samples taken during 3 years from localities in the northern and western Gulf of Mexico. Ninety-two composite mtDNA haplotypes were revealed by 13 restriction enzymes (representing 93 inferred restriction sites). Significant heterogeneity (P = 0.042) in mtDNA haplotype frequencies was detected among the 16 samples; however, homogeneity tests of mtDNA haplotype frequencies between or among samples taken in different years at the same locality and among samples at different localities within the same year, were not significant. No phylogeographic structure of haplotypes was evident, nor were rare haplotypes clustered geographically. Spatial autocorrelations did not differ significantly from those expected when no correlation exists. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that a single breeding population of red snapper inhabits the northern Gulf of Mexico. Intrapopulational mtDN...
Wall Shear at a Three-Dimensional Stagnation Point with a Moving Wall

1 Lees, L. and Reeves, B. L., "Supersonic Separated and Reattaching Laminar Flows: 1 General Theory and Application to Adiabatic Boundary Layer/Shock Wave Interactions," AIAA Journal, Vol. 2, No. 11, Nov. 1964, pp. 1907-1920. 2 Gautier, B. G. and Ginoux, J. J., "A Theoretical Study of Wall Cooling Effects upon Shock Wave-Laminar Boundary Layer Interaction by the Method of Lees-Reeves-Klineberg," TN 71, May 1971, von Karman Institute, Rhode-St-Genese, Belgium. 3 Stewartson, K., "Further Solutions of the Falkner-Skan Equation," Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Vol. 50, 1954, pp. 454-465. 4 Rogers, D. F., "Reverse Flow Solutions for Compressible Laminar Boundary-Layer Equations," The Physics of Fluids, Vol. 12, No. 3, March 1969, pp. 527-533. 5 Keller, H. B. and Cebeci, T., "An Inverse Problem in BoundaryLayer Flows: Numerical Determination of Pressure Gradient for a Given Wall Shear," Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 10, No. 1, Aug. 1972, pp. 151-161. 6 Libby, P. A. and Liu, T. M., "Some Similar Laminar Flows Obtained by Quasilinearization," AIAA Journal, Vol. 6, No. 8, Aug. 1968, pp. 1541-1548. 7 Wortman, A. and Mills, A. F., "Separating Self-Similar Laminar Boundary Layers," AIAA Journal, Vol. 9, No. 12, Dec. 1971, pp. 2449-2451. Table 1 Wall values for several values of the parameter c
Fluorescence Visualization of Hypersonic Flow Past Triangular and Rectangular Boundary-layer Trips

Planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) flow visualization has been used to investigate the hypersonic flow of air over surface protrusions that are sized to force laminar-to-turbulent boundary layer transition. These trips were selected to simulate protruding Space Shuttle Orbiter heat shield gap-filler material. Experiments were performed in the NASA Langley Research Center 31-Inch Mach 10 Air Wind Tunnel, which is an electrically-heated, blowdown facility. Two-mm high by 8-mm wide triangular and rectangular trips were attached to a flat plate and were oriented at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the oncoming flow. Upstream of these trips, nitric oxide (NO) was seeded into the boundary layer. PLIF visualization of this NO allowed observation of both laminar and turbulent boundary layer flow downstream of the trips for varying flow conditions as the flat plate angle of attack was varied. By varying the angle of attack, the Mach number above the boundary layer was varied between 4.2 and 9.8, according to analytical oblique-shock calculations. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations of the flowfield with a laminar boundary layer were also performed to better understand the flow environment. The PLIF images of the tripped boundary layer flow were compared to a case with no trip for which the flow remained laminar over the entire angle-of-attack range studied. Qualitative agreement is found between the present observed transition measurements and a previous experimental roughness-induced transition database determined by other means, which is used by the shuttle return-to-flight program.
Vibrational spectroscopic characterization of rigid rod polymers: IV. Crystalline modifications of poly(p‐phenylene terephthalamide)

Infrared spectroscopy (4000–50 cm−1) was used to characterize the two crystalline modifications of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide). Polarized studies revealed that hydrogen bonds are oriented primarily perpendicular to the film plane in both forms. We also found that the crystalline modification coagulated in water could be transformed into the other form by annealing at high temperatures.
A laser calibration system for the STAR TPC

Abstract A Time Projection Chamber (TPC) is the primary tracking detector for the STAR experiment at RHIC. A laser calibration system was built to calibrate and monitor the TPC tracking performance. The laser system uses a novel design which produces ≈500 thin, ionizing beams distributed throughout the tracking volume. This new approach is significantly simpler than the traditional ones, and provides complete TPC coverage at a reduced cost. The laser system was used during the RHIC 2000 summer run to measure drift velocities with about 0.02% accuracy and to monitor the TPC performance. Calibration runs were made with and without a magnetic field to check B field map corrections.
The hydration of carrageenans in mixed electrolytes

Abstract The hydration of a carrageenan is dependent on the temperature, shear rate and ionic environment of the medium in which it is being evaluated. Optimum cold water thickening can be achieved by applying shear to the system after swelling has begun — in some cases heat and/or shear is required to initiate the swelling process. For maximum cold swelling, salts should be added to the system after swelling has occurred. Certain applications may require low viscosities during initial processing. For these applications, the hydration of carrageenan can be inhibited by dispersing it into a salt environment at ambient temperatures (20°C and below). Generally, the hydration/dispersion characteristics of a carrageenan can be controlled by adjusting the media temperature and ionic environment.
Hexamethylmelamine as first-line chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced or recurrent carcinoma of the endometrium: A phase II trial of the Gynecologic Oncology Group

Thirty-eight patients with advanced or recurrent carcinoma of the endometrium who had received no prior chemotherapy were placed on study by the Gynecologic Oncology Group. One was deemed histologically ineligible. Three patients had insufficient trials to evaluate response. Of the remaining 34 who received hexamethylmelamine 280 mg/m2 orally daily on Days 1 through 14 of each 4-week course, there were only three objective responses, two complete and one partial. Although toxicity was tolerable, hexamethylmelamine has minimal activity in advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma at the dose and schedule tested.
Aging: changes in cardiac α1-adrenoceptor responsiveness and

Several investigators have reported a diminished responsiveness of senescent cardiac muscle to norepinephrine and beta-adrenoceptor agonists. In contrast, relatively little is known regarding the effects of aging on myocardial actions mediated specifically by alpha-adrenoceptor stimulation. Thus, the current study examined aging-dependent changes in: (a) the inotropic response to methoxamine, an alpha-adrenoceptor agonist; (b) characteristics of myocardial alpha 1-adrenoceptors as monitored by specific [3H]prazosin binding; and (c) steady state levels of alpha 1-adrenoceptor mRNA as determined by Northern blot analysis. Cardiac preparations were isolated from 4-, 14-, and 25-month-old F344 rats. An aging-associated decline was observed in the maximum positive inotropic effect elicited by methoxamine in right ventricular strips (160 +/- 23, 134 +/- 13 and 79 +/- 26% increase above control developed tension in 4, 14 and 25 months, respectively) with no change in ED50 values. [3H]Prazosin binding to ventricular sarcolemmal membranes revealed a reduction in receptor number (82 +/- 7, 69 +/- 6 and 59 +/- 5 fmol/mg protein in 4, 14 and 25 months, respectively); the apparent dissociation constant was not affected. Steady state levels of alpha 1-adrenoceptor mRNA decreased progressively between 4 and 25 months of age (14- and 25-month levels were approximately 71 and 38% of 4 months, respectively), while steady state levels of beta-actin mRNA did not change with age. These results suggest that the aging-related decline in alpha 1-adrenergic responsiveness in rat ventricular muscle is mediated, at least in part, by a decrease in cardiac alpha 1-adrenoceptor density.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Damage monitoring of refractory wall in a generic entrained-bed slagging gasification system

AbstractThe main cause of performance degradation in entrained-bed slagging gasification systems is attributed to evolution of structural damage in the refractory walls. Early detection of such damage is necessary to avert unscheduled shutdown of a gasification plant. This paper develops an integrated computer simulation model of a generic entrained-bed slagging gasifier for formulation of a damage prediction algorithm with the objective of real-time degradation monitoring and condition-based maintenance of refractory walls. The integrated simulation model yields: (a) quasi-steady-state spatial temperature profiles at any cross-section of the gasification system, and (b) dynamic response of the refractory wall temperature that is measured by an array of sensors installed at specified locations on the external surface of the gasifier wall. The key idea for early detection of refractory-wall damage is built upon the fact that a local anomaly (i.e. deviation from the nominal condition) is likely to influence...
Trust Development: Testing a New Model in Undergraduate Roommate Relationships

ABSTRACTInterpersonal trust is a vital component of social relationships. In this study the roles of parental attachment, perceived similarity of trustee to self, and social exchange processes in trust development were investigated longitudinally with randomly assigned, same-sex undergraduate roommates during emerging adulthood. A total of 214 first-year students completed weekly self-report measures during the first 5 weeks of the fall semester. Perceived similarity measured the second week and social exchange with roommates across the 5 weeks predicted participants’ trust in their roommate, with social exchange mediating the relation between perceived similarity and trust. Results highlight interrelations of social exchange and trust in established relationships.
Safety and feasibility of outpatient transcatheter hepatic arterial embolization for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose To evaluate the feasibility and safety of performing image-guided bland embolization and chemoembolization as an outpatient-based procedure in selected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods This is a retrospective review of the authors' experience with outpatient embolization and chemoembolization from January 2005 to June 2006. Patients with nonresectable HCC not eligible for liver transplantation were enrolled. Patients with Child-Pugh class A and early class B liver disease were treated by using the outpatient protocol, patients with Child-Pugh class C and late class B liver disease and those with elevated bilirubin or creatinine levels were excluded and treated as inpatients or denied embolization therapy. One hundred thirty-three bland embolizations or chemoembolizations were performed in 77 patients on an outpatient basis during the study period. Results Patients were discharged home on the same day after 131 of the 133 procedures (99%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: ±2%), in two cases (2%, 95% CI: ±2%), patients were admitted the day of the procedure. In two of the 131 cases (2%, 95% CI: ±2%), patients discharged home returned to the emergency department 1–6 days after the procedure. One hundred twenty-nine of the 133 cases (97%, 95% CI: ±3%) were successfully treated by using the outpatient embolization or chemoembolization protocol, with subsequent hospitalization needed in only four of 133 cases (3%, 95% CI: ±3%). Conclusions Image-guided hepatic bland embolization and chemoembolization performed with an outpatient protocol in carefully selected patients with HCC with aggressive follow-up is safe, with relatively few complications and few requirements for admission or revisitation to the emergency department.
John Hick on Logical and Ontological Necessity

A number of writers have recently taken fresh looks at the many centuries-old ontological proof of Anselm.1 Three of these writers seem to agree with me that traditional ways of treating this topic have been inadequate and that the proof, whether or not it is a sufficient reason for belief, is not without important bearings for philosophy of religion. These writers are Malcolm, Findlay, and Plantinga. With each of these I find considerable common ground, and they have all indicated to me that they are aware of this. In the present article on the topic, however, I wish to discuss a fourth writer, who differs rather sharply from the other three and particularly from me. Since Hick's views are shared in certain respects by what I take to be a main stream of contemporary thought, particularly in Britain, it seems worth while to accept the challenge he offers.
The secretion of apolipoprotein E by human monocytederived macrophages

Abstract The secretion of newly synthesized apolipoprotein E (apo E) by human monocytederived macrophages (HMD macrophages) was measured in the medium of cells which had been incubated for 24 h with or without either native or acetylated lowdensity lipoproteins (LDL or AcLDL, respectively), and subsequently with [ 35 S ]methionine in the presence of high-density lipoproteins (HDL, 350 μg/ml) for 24 h, by isolating the lipoprotein fraction by centrifugation for 48 h at a density adjusted with KBr to 1.21 g/ml (d = 1.21). The d
The world trade center clean up and recovery worker cohort study: respiratory health amongst cleanup workers approximately 20 months after initial exposure at the disaster site.

Objective: Respiratory health among cleanup workers at the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster site was evaluated approximately 20 months after the initial exposure to assess the risk of lower respiratory symptoms. Methods: In 2003 a self-administered questionnaire requesting information about site experience, current respiratory and historical health, and smoking was sent to 4546 workers employed at the site (response 25%), and 2103 workers who were never at the WTC (response 12%). Results: As compared with those never at the site, WTC workers were more than three times as likely to report any lower respiratory symptoms (rate ratio = 3.40, 95% confidence interval: 2.33–4.94). Conclusions: These results suggest an impact on respiratory health related to work experience at the WTC and indicate further monitoring to address potential long-term effects.
Calcareous disease of the aortic valve

Abstract Calcareous disease of the aortic valve is not rare. We found that it constituted 18.1 per cent of all healed valvular defects. The criteria heretofore outlined for clinical recognition of calcareous stenosis of the aortic valve apply only to the advanced forms of the disease. However, the physical signs of even minimal and moderate degrees of calcareous stenosis and calcification of the aortic valve are sufficiently clearly defined to allow of clinical recognition, especially because it is possible to obtain confirmation by expert fluoroscopic means during the life of the patient. The frequency with which a history of rheumatic fever is obtained and stigmas of rheumatic infection are found is too great to be regarded merely as a casual and not a causative factor. There is convincing evidence that the lesion may be present in a clinically recognizable form for many years. Its very gradual progression, however, speaks for an initially mild valvulitis with even less involvement of the myocardium and of the other valves. Cardiac hypertrophy is present in a high percentage of cases and closely parallels the degree of aortic stenosis. Atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels and aorta occurs in inverse proportion to the degree of stenosis of the aortic valve, and coronary occlusion is extremely rare. Angina pectoris, however, is frequently a symptom and seems to depend more on the stenotic process than on coronary sclerosis. Death is associated with congestive failure in about a third of the cases. Sudden death occurs in about a fifth of the cases and, in considering all grades of stenosis, death results from noncardiac causes in about half of the cases. The presence of mitral stenosis seriously militates against maintenance of cardiac function. The more mitral stenosis plays a part, the closer will the case conform to the more conventional forms of rheumatic heart disease. Blood pressure and pulse pressure readings need not be low. Well-recognized laws of electrocardiographic behavior determine the electrocardiographic pattern in calcareous disease of the aortic valve. Auricular fibrillation is relatively rare when the electrocardiogram gives evidence of predominance of the left ventricle. The prognosis varies considerably, depending largely on the degree of stenosis and on the presence of complicating factors, especially mitral stenosis. Absence of the second aortic sound usually means that marked stenosis exists.
'Culture' in culture-bound syndromes: the case of anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa is presently considered a Western culture-bound syndrome. A cultural focus on dieting and ideals of thinness for women are assumed to be implicated in the disorder. While research indicates that the majority of non-anorectic women in the United States are preoccupied with body weight and dieting, it is not clear what 'thinness' means to anorectics themselves or that norms about dieting are always involved in subjective experiences of anorexia. Meaning-centered studies of anorectics--especially those in non-clinical settings--are needed to clarify the cultural contexts of the disorder. Case studies of two anorectic women from Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota, show that for some anorectics self-starvation is encoded in religious idioms and symbols about the body, food, and self. A review of the literature illustrates a long-standing relation between self-starvation and religious ideals in Western culture and points to an association between contemporary anorexia nervosa and asceticism. The case studies presented here demonstrate that this asceticism may be subjectively expressed through religious concepts about the body and food and suggest that future research formally investigate the religious practices and beliefs of anorectics seen clinically. The author explores the implications of these findings for definitions of 'normality' and 'abnormality,' key issues in ethnopsychiatry. These findings also suggest that future cross-cultural research might examine asceticism about the body and food in religions other than Judeo-Christian, cultural groups with rituals of fasting and vomiting, and the presence of fundamentalist churches and missionaries in those non-Western cultures for which there are recent reports of eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa's designation as a syndrome limited to Western cultures or to those cultures influenced by them may reflect unexamined assumptions on the part of researchers that dieting and secular ideals of slimness are primarily involved in the disorder.
Interpreting bodily changes as illness : A longitudinal study of older adults

Research on elders' health behavior has largely ignored the stage between experiencing a bodily change and defining it as an illness. This paper addresses the question of what explains such definitions of bodily complaints as illness symptoms. The issue is examined in a longitudinal study with a random sample of 350 community dwelling persons aged 65 and over. Multiple regression was used to analyze the effects of external stresses, psychological factors and health attitudes as well as contextual variables, on three types of illness representations. These consisted of giving the bodily changes an illness label, initiating contact with a physician, and/or using some form of self care. These illness representations were treated as outcome variables singularly and in combination. The findings revealed that the overall frequency of a person's bodily changes was the best predictor of an illness designation. Other significant predictors at Time 4 of the study included belief in the seriousness of a complaint, the occurrence of prior illness representations and self-assessed health. This research study on the elderly is unique in that it seeks to explain, within a longitudinal design, the intermediate step between the experience of a bodily change and the definition of the change as an illness.
A class of parametrically excited calcium oscillation detectors

Intracellular Ca2+ oscillations are often a response to external signals such as hormones. Changes in the external signal can alter the frequency, amplitude, or form of the oscillations suggesting that information is encoded in the pattern of Ca2+ oscillations. How might a cell decode this signal? We show that an excitable system whose kinetic parameters are modulated by the Ca2+ concentration can function as a Ca2+ oscillation detector. Such systems have the following properties: (1) They are more sensitive to an oscillatory than to a steady Ca2+ signal. (2) Their response is largely independent of the signal amplitude. (3) They can extract information from a noisy signal. (4) Unlike other frequency sensitive detectors, they have a flat frequency response. These properties make a Ca(2+)-sensitive excitable system nearly ideal for detecting and decoding Ca2+ oscillations. We suggest that Ca2+ oscillations, in concert with these detectors, can act as cellular timekeepers to coordinate related biochemical reactions and enhance their overall efficiency.
Control of multiphoton excited emission and phase retardation in Kleinman-disallowed hyper-Rayleigh scattering measurements

We describe improvements to the Kleinman-disallowed hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) measurement technique, which can be used to measure all of the rotationally invariant figures of merit for the first molecular nonlinear optical hyperpolarizability tensor βijk. As multiphoton excited fluorescence continues to be an accuracy-limiting factor in any HRS experiment, we have implemented time-resolved single photon counting in HRS using a Ti:sapphire laser. We show, however, that spectral analysis is necessary to ensure that the fluorescence and second harmonic are emitted on different time scales in order to allow temporal separation and thus improved accuracy. We also demonstrate how an electrically controlled liquid-crystal phase retarder can be used to vary the polarization state of the probe light in order to determine the second-order nonlinear response tensor. It was found that results agree with those obtained using a rotating quarter-wave plate to control the polarization state and demonstrate improved precision and reproducibility.
Stimulation of the hexose monophosphate shunt in rabbit lens in response to the oxidation of glutathione.

The stimulation of hexose monophosphate shunt (HMS) activity in rabbit lens has been investigated during exposure to t-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP), an oxidant for glutathione (GHS). Exposure of lenses to 1·0 m m -TBHP produced maximum stimulation of HMS activity as measured by the oxidation of 14C-labeled glucose, labeled in either the C-1, C-2 or C-6 position. A significant increase in the oxidation of both C-1 and C-2 labeled glucose was observed. Removal of TBHP from the medium resulted in a rapid decrease in the rate of oxidation. The maximum rate of liberation of CO2 from the HMS pathway was estimated to be 0·75 μmol/g wet wt/hr, which was 7·7 times the control value. The generation of NADPH at maximum stimulation was estimated to be 1·5 μmol/g wet wt/hr which corresponded to a complete turnover of NADP+ to NADPH in the lens every 48 sec. This rate of generation of NADPH was sufficient to result in a reduction of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) at the rate of 26% of total glutathione in the lens per hour. Exposure of lenses to 0·10 m m -TBHP stimulated shunt activity by three times the control. However, under these conditions only minimal accumulation of GSSG was detected in the lens and no effect was observed on the uptake or efflux of 86Rb. Higher levels of TBHP resulted in a significant accumulation of GSSG in the lens and impaired cation transport. The distribution of the activity of the HMS pathway was determined in homogenates of various regions of rabbit lens. It was found that 65% of the total activity was present in the equatorial cortex, which made up 45% of the total weight. The results indicate that a direct link exists between the rate of formation of GSSG in the lens and the stimulation of HMS activity. In addition, the findings exemplify the ability of the lens to protect itself against oxidative damage through an interrelationship of the shunt, glutathione peroxidase, GSH, NADPH and glutathione reductase.
Correlates of subjective and objective burden among caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder

Objective: We examined the relationship between mood symptoms and episodes in patients with bipolar disorder and burden reported by their primary caregivers. Method: Data on subjective and objective burden reported by 500 primary caregivers for 500 patients with bipolar disorder participating in the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) were collected using semistructured interviews. Patient data were collected prospectively over 1 year. The relationship between patient course and subsequent caregiver burden was examined. Results: Episodes of patient depression, but not mood elevation, were associated with greater objective and subjective caregiver burden. Burden was associated with fewer patient days well over the previous year. Patient depression was associated with caregiver burden even after controlling for days well. Conclusion: Patient depression, after accounting for chronicity of symptoms, independently predicts caregiver burden. This study underscores the important impact of bipolar depression on those most closely involved with those whom it affects.
Antagonists of excitatory amino acids and endogenous opioid peptides in the treatment of experimental central nervous system injury

Trauma to the central nervous system can lead to primary injuries occurring at the time of impact as well as secondary or delayed injury processes that can result from cellular hypoxia, oligemia/ischemia, edema and swelling, and intracranial hypertension that are manifested over a period of hours to weeks after the initial event. Although the mechanisms underlying delayed tissue injury are poorly understood, they appear to be associated with endogenous neurochemical changes resulting from traumatic nervous system injury. These neurochemical changes may include excessive neurotransmitter release, deregulation of ion homeostasis, and the synthesis, release, or activation of various "autodestructive" neurochemical factors. Experimental studies over the past decade indicate that these alterations mediate important components of the neurochemical cascade leading to central nervous system injury. Furthermore, pharmacologic manipulations of these neurochemical changes have been reported to attenuate secondary central nervous system damage, ameliorate neuronal death, and promote functional recovery after central nervous system injury. This article focuses on the role of excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters, endogenous opioid peptides, and magnesium in the pathophysiology of central nervous system injury and on the therapeutic manipulation of these systems to improve functional outcome after central nervous system injury.
Different isoforms of fasciclin II play distinct roles in the guidance of neuronal migration during insect embryogenesis.

During the formation of the enteric nervous system (ENS) of the moth Manduca sexta, identified populations of neurons and glial cells participate in precisely timed waves of migration. The cell adhesion receptor fasciclin II is expressed in the developing ENS and is required for normal migration. Previously, we identified two isoforms of Manduca fasciclin II (MFas II), a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-linked isoform (GPI-MFas II) and a transmembrane isoform (TM-MFas II). Using RNA and antibody probes, we found that these two isoforms were expressed in cell type-specific patterns: GPI-MFas II was expressed by glial cells and newly generated neurons, while TM-MFas II was confined to differentiating neurons. The expression of each isoform also corresponded to the motile state of the different cell types: GPI-MFas II was detected on tightly adherent or slowly spreading cells, while TM-MFas II was expressed by actively migrating neurons and was localized to their most motile regions. Manipulations of each isoform in embryo culture showed that they played distinct roles: whereas GPI-MFas II acted strictly as an adhesion molecule, TM-MFas II promoted the motility of the EP cells as well as maintaining fasciculation with their pathways. These results indicate that precisely regulated patterns of isoform expression govern the functions of fasciclin II within the developing nervous system.
Interaction of ethanol and pyrazole with hepatic microsomes

Binding of ethanol to hepatic microsomes is inhibited by compounds which produce a type 2 binding spectrum, whereas it is unaffected by those whose binding yields a type 1 spectrum. Pyrazole inhibits hepatic microsomal drug metabolizing enzymes and binds to the hemoprotein, resulting in a type 2 spectrum (trough 394, peak 430 nm). Both ethanol and pyrazole inhibit the reduction of cytochrome P450. The data indicate that ethanol shares certain characteristics with other agents which produce a type 2 spectrum. The interaction of pyrazole with hepatic microsomes should be noted when it is used to study in vivo metabolism of ethanol.