cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhanced polarization in zirconia-P(VDF-TrFE) laminar composite dielectrics

Zirconia-P(VDF-TrFE) double-layered laminar composites are experimentally investigated to understand inorganic–organic interfacial effects in composite dielectrics. The DC and AC electrical response of the individual phases were characterized in addition to the zirconia-P(VDF-TrFE) composite. The measured real part of permittivity for the laminar composite is found to be higher than theoretically calculated values using series mixing rules for zirconia and P(VDF-TrFE). Additional polarization of the composite structure can be attributed to either the presence of interfacial polarization of zirconia and P(VDF-TrFE) or modification of polymer. Impedance spectroscopy has shown that dielectric properties of laminar composites are dominated by zirconia thin films in low frequency region. The impedance spectroscopy shows that zirconia blocks charge carrier motion and hence partially contribute towards additional interfacial polarization in the laminar composite. The dielectric response of the laminar composite was also modeled through a Maxwell–Wagner interfacial polarization mechanism, which was found to inadequately describe the polarization response. Equivalent circuit modeling of the composite has revealed an additional interfacial circuit element for the additional polarization, suggesting a structurally modified polymer at the interface.
Calcitonin Decreases Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone-Stimulated Prolactin Release through a Mechanism That Involves Inhibition of Inositol Phosphate Production*

Calcitonin is present in both the hypothalamus and pituitary of the rat, and normal rat anterior pituitary cells express calcitonin receptors. Calcitonin has been reported to inhibit or to stimulate PRL release from rat anterior pituitary cells. We have investigated the effects of salmon calcitonin on basal and stimulated PRL release from rat anterior pituitary cells and have studied the effects of this peptide on the intracellular biochemical pathways involved in PRL release. Salmon calcitonin had no significant effect on basal PRL release, but inhibited (P less than 0.01) TRH-stimulated PRL release without affecting PRL release promoted by angiotensin II, neurotensin, phorbol myristate acetate (a protein kinase C activator), or maitotoxin (a calcium channel activator). Salmon calcitonin had no effect on the increase in PRL release and intracellular cAMP concentration after exposure of pituitary cells to vasoactive intestinal peptide or forskolin. Salmon calcitonin significantly decreased (P less than 0.01) the TRH-stimulated rise in inositol phosphates without affecting the angiotensin II-stimulated increase in inositol phosphates. Similarly, salmon calcitonin decreased the TRH-stimulated increase in cytosolic calcium and arachidonate liberation by pituitary cells. We conclude that salmon calcitonin selectively decreases TRH-stimulated PRL release by a mechanism that involves a decrease in inositol phosphate production, as well as a subsequent reduction in cytosolic calcium levels and in arachidonate liberation.
Factors related to suicide via firearms and hanging and leaving of suicide notes.

One of the common causes of unnatural death for men is suicide. The intent of the current research is to add to the understanding of men’s suicides involving the two most common methods of suicide the use of firearm and hanging. As the results of this study show, identification of predictors of whether men kill themselves via fire arm or hanging suggest that younger men are more likely to use firearms and older men use hanging with prior consumption of drugs and alcohol. The only statistically significant difference between men who do and do not leave suicide notes is that those who do are likely to be older and less likely to use a gun.
Studies of an interface relaxation domain decomposition technique using finite elements on a parallel computer

Studies are presented for an interface relaxation domain decomposition technique using finite elements on an iPSC/2 D5 Hypercube Concurrent computer. The general type of problem to be solved is one governed by a partial differential equation. The application of the approach, however, will be extended to a free boundary value problem by appropriate modification of the numerical scheme. Using the domain decomposition technique, the computation domain is subdivided into several subdomains. In addition, on the interfaces between two adjacent subdomains are imposed a continuity condition on one side and an equilibrium condition on the other side. Successive overrelaxation iterative processes are then carried out in all subdomains with a relaxation process imposed on the interfaces. With this domain decomposition technique, the problem can be solved parallelly until convergence is reached both in the interiors and on the interfaces of all subdomains. Moreover, the formulation includes a simple domain decomposer that automatically divides a finite element mesh into a list of subdomains to guarantee load balancing. Furthermore, it is shown, through numerical experiments performed on an example problem of free surface seepage through a porous dam, how the values of the relaxation parameters, the choice of imposed boundary conditions, and the number of subdomains (i.e., the number of processors used) affect the solution convergence in this parallel computing environment. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Radiation Characteristics of Glass Containing Gas Bubbles

In many materials processing and manufacturing situations such as steel, aluminum, ceramics and glass, gas bubbles can form in liquid and solid phases. The presence of such bubbles affects the thermophysical properties and radiation characteristics of the two-phase system and hence the transport phenomena. This paper presents a general formulation of the radiation characteristics of semitransparent media containing large gas bubbles (bubble radius is much larger than the wavelength of radiation). Sample calculations for the spectral absorption and extinction coefficients and single scattering albedo of soda-lime silicate glass containing bubbles are discussed. Particular attention is paid to the effect of the volumetric void fraction and the bubble size distribution. Results clearly show that the presence of bubbles strongly affects the radiation characteristics of the semitransparent media containing entrapped gas bubbles, particularly if bubbles, void fractions, and spectral absorption coefficient of the continuous phase are small.
Is there a role for survivorship care plans in advanced cancer

The Institute of Medicine (2006) has recommended that cancer survivors completing treatment receive a survivorship care plan (SCP). The survivorship needs in advanced cancer have been overlooked and understudied. The potential role of SCPs for survivors with advanced or metastatic cancer is unknown and was explored in this study. We conducted two focus groups of survivors with advanced or metastatic cancer. Participants reviewed a sample JourneyForward™ SCP modified for advanced cancer. Sessions were audiotaped and transcribed; transcripts and field notes were evaluated using inductive content analysis. Sixteen survivors with metastatic cancer participated: 12 (75 %) were female, 15 (94 %) were white, and median age was 66 (range 55–80); 9 participants had breast cancer, 4 colon, 2 prostate, and 1 ovarian cancer. Participants believed that an SCP would be most helpful after initial diagnosis and treatment, but not as helpful once the cancer progressed. They thought a “cancer care plan” focusing solely on the current management would be better to concisely summarize the treatment plan and time frame for the next segment of care for those with advanced cancer. Most participants endorsed the need to have written information to reinforce verbal information received during medical visits since it was difficult to remember information provided. Participants expected their oncologist to assume primary responsibility for coordination of the care plan, but anticipated an important supportive role for primary care providers. To this end, they emphasized the need for better communication between providers. A cancer care plan developed by the oncologist, similar to an SCP but more focused on current management, may be more useful for survivors with advanced cancer. Exploring this topic in larger groups of more diverse survivors with advanced cancer will help to elucidate the details a written plan of care should contain, and how to promote effective coordination between oncology and primary care providers. There are many transitions of care along the cancer journey. A written plan of care, similar to an SCP, may be useful for survivors with advanced cancer.
Recent Trends in Sino-Soviet Relations and the Strategic Triangle

(1986). Recent Trends in Sino-Soviet Relations and the Strategic Triangle. American Foreign Policy Newsletter: Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 1-5.
Sexual acts and references on prime‐time TV: A two‐year look

A two‐year content analysis of prime‐time network television revealed a substantial increase in sex on television from 1978 to 1979. The largest increase occurred in sexual acts, which most frequently involved unmarried partners. Intercourse appeared minimally as an implied behavior. Sex on television continued predominantly as reference and not overt action. Although sex was most often treated humorously, the portrayal of sex within dramatic forms has increased. Males and females do not fare equally in sexual encounters: While no sex bias appeared in the initiator of sexual acts, males were shown to use sexual language more, and females were more often the target of verbal innuendo. The family viewing hour contained as much sex as later evening hours. And, lastly, ABC featured more sex in its programming than did the other major networks.
FAST Observations of inertial alfvén waves and electron acceleration in the dayside aurora

Abstract A prevailing feature of small scale (k⊥ c/ωpe ∼≥1) Alfven waves observed from the FAST spacecraft is an association of the impulsive wavefield with bursts of field-aligned electrons with energies of the order of 1 2 meV2A. The accelerated distributions have broad energy spectra up to a few 100 eV and are predominantly directed downwards although upward accelerated beams are sometimes observed. Observations show that the direction of acceleration is correlated with the direction of the wave Poynting flux and anti-correlated with the direction of the field-aligned current carried by the wave. The accelerated portion of the distribution in some cases carries all the field-aligned current since the thermal population is depleted. These observations are compared with the predictions of a 1-D MHD model (with an inertial correction) (Chaston, 2000) and a fluid-kinetic model (Clark and Seyler, 1999) for waveforms where k⊥ c/ωpe ∼1 and k⊥ c/ωpe>>1 respectively.
To Treat or Not to Treat

Rosenfeld’s recent commentary “Otitis, Antibiotics, and the Greater Good”1 focuses on the importance of the paradigm shift that lies at the core of the new American Academy of Pediatrics clinical practice guideline2 for acute otitis media (AOM). This paradigm shift, referred to as the observation option, allows selected children to receive analgesics rather than antibiotics in the first few days after diagnosing AOM in the hope that their infection will resolve spontaneously. It is important to emphasize that this option is intended for a very limited set of children, including only those at least 2 years of age with either nonsevere symptoms or an uncertain diagnosis of AOM.2 Some of the current literature3 regarding the utility of antibiotic therapy in AOM, including Rosenfeld’s commentary,1 reflects an increasingly popular view that is largely based on the results of several recently published meta-analyses.4–6 These meta-analyses are reported to support the conclusion that antibiotics exert only a modest benefit compared with placebo for children with AOM and that there has been no demonstrable superiority of any antibiotic compared with amoxicillin in the treatment of this condition.7 To appreciate the conclusion of these … Address correspondence to Ellen R. Wald, MD, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3705 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. E-mail: ellen.wald{at}chp.edu
On the progressive and the perfective

Socrates: Thirdly, that it is impossible that a thing should ever be what it was not before without having become and without any process of becoming? Theaetetus: Yes, I think so.
Adaptive Self-Regulation: Meeting Others' Expectations of Leadership and Performance

Abstract The authors used longitudinal multisource field data to examine core aspects of the adaptive self-regulation model (A. S. Tsui & S. J. Ashford, 1994) in terms of linkages between self-monitoring, discrepancy in manager match-to-position, 5 measures of leadership, and manager performance. At Time 1,64 superiors of focal managers rated the managers' matches to their positions within the organization; at Time 3, they rated the managers' performance. At Time 2, the 64 focal managers completed a measure of self-monitoring, and 192 subordinates rated the focal managers' leadership behaviors. Results of partial least squares analysis revealed that discrepancy in manager match-to-position was associated with reductions in laissez faire and passive management-by-exception behaviors and increases in transformational leadership behavior. Self-monitoring was positively associated with all 5 leadership behaviors. Performance was related positively to transformational leadership behavior and negatively to pass...
Physiological and biochemical changes in frog sciatic nerve during anoxia and recovery.

— Frog (Rana pipiens) sciatic nerve was incubated, with and without stimulation, in an oil bath. The correlation between changes in the magnitude of the compound action potential (α and β) and changes in metabolites, particularly energy reserves, during anoxia and recovery from anoxia was studied. The time to extinction of the action potential in anoxia was frequency-dependent. The action potential could not be restored, nor its extinction delayed, by washing the nerve in O2-free Ringer's solution. Therefore, in this system extracellular K+ accumulation was not a significant factor in blocking impulse conduction. At the time of complete nerve block resulting from anoxia (90 min at rest), ATP, P-creatine and glucose were 30, 10 and 10 per cent, respectively, of initial levels. Glycogen did not fall below 42 per cent of control levels even after 5 h of anoxia. Changes in the levels of energy reserves during anoxia were used to calculate the metabolic rate of nerves at rest and during stimulation. In one series of experiments, the resting metabolic rate was 0·12 mequiv. of ‘high-energy phosphate’ (∼P)/kg/min. Stimulation increased the metabolic rate to 0·22 mequiv. of ∼P/kg/min at 30 Hz and to 0·29 mequiv. of ∼P/kg/min at 100 Hz. The change in metabolic rate when the nerve passed from the resting to the stimulated state was quite abrupt, an observation suggesting that the slow transition observed with methods monitoring O2, consumption was largely instrumental. In nerve stimulated to exhaustion in the absence of O2, neither ATP nor P-creatine had fully recovered within 60 min after O2, was readmitted, although the action potential reached supranormal levels 15 min after return to O2. The ratio of lactate: pyruvate, which increased as expected during anoxia, paradoxically increased even further after O2, was readmitted. The rate of energy utilization during recovery was 0·30 mequiv. of ∼P/kg/min. Nerves stimulated at 100–200 Hz in O2, exhibited no changes in levels of P-creatine, ATP or lactate, an observation implying that the nerve could not be made to use ∼P faster than oxidation of glucose could provide it. This meant that the maximal metabolic rate was not limited by the rate of supply of chemical energy. Instead, the limitation may have arisen as a result of a limited rate at which ionic imbalance can result from stimulation or a limited pump capacity of the axonal membrane. Nerves stimulated at 200 Hz in O2 for 20 min and then transferred to an O2-free environment without further stimulation exhibited an increase in the rate of energy utilization (nearly two-fold) over the resting rate, a finding that suggested a metabolic (ionic?) debt as a result of activity which could not be met even though the energy supply was adequate. Therefore, restriction of energy expenditure by a limiting pumping rate seemed to be the most likely explanation. The resting metabolic rate of frog sciatic nerve was only one-quarter to one-third of the rate for rat sciatic nerve, when compared at the same temperature (25°C).
Role of Biochemical and Biophysical Factors on Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transformation

The prevalence of calcific aortic valve disease is rising and is only treatable by surgical replacement of the stenotic valve. There is currently no biomarker or pharmacological therapy available for the treatment of early aortic valve disease and this is largely due to our limited understanding of the disease mechanisms. One potential mechanism of valve repair and potentially early valve disease is endothelial-to-mesenchymal transformation (EndMT), the initiating event of valvulogenesis. Our preliminary work has shown that extracellular matrix (ECM) composition that mimics diseased valve conditions strongly stimulates mesenchymal transformation. EndMT may be a mechanism for signaling valve interstitial cells toward either valve regeneration or disease and growing evidence indicates that communication between the interstitial cells and the endothelial cells is essential for valve homeostasis. Unfortunately, there is currently no known unifying mechanism of valve disease that connects endothelial cell dysfunction, interstitial cell differentiation, and pathological matrix remodeling. Our research seeks to reveal this mechanism using novel, unique to our laboratory tools, greatly facilitating the discovery and new clinical strategies for controlling early-detected valve disease with minimally invasive interventions.
Charge Transfer Complexes of Lipids with Iodine

THERE is much interest in the role of charge transfer interactions in biology1. In a study of the semiconductive properties of lipids in the solid state, Rosenberg and Jendrasiak (ref. 2 and unpublished work) have shown that when lipid molecules, such as egg lecithin and synthetic lecithin, are exposed to iodine vapour, they exhibit a large increase in electrical conductivity with a concomitant decrease in the activation energy from the dry state value. They suggest that a charge transfer mechanism may be involved. Because they also found that iodine added to the aqueous media surrounding lipid bilayers (egg lecithin or oxidized cholesterol) increased the bilayer conductivity also by a factor of more than 104, it was suggested that a charge transfer mechanism might also be involved in this case. It was with the intention of investigating these possible charge transfer mechanisms that we undertook the work reported here.
Quality control as a management tool: Organization of quality control as a management tool

DURING the war years the development of new designs, new machines, new methods, and processes to meet customers' demands for better service and higher quality products was accelerated far beyond any previous advancement. These new developments, as well as the rise of standardization and interchangeability of parts requiring stricter tolerance conformance, have accelerated, of necessity, the development of the statistical method of controlling quality.
The effects of opioid antagonists on ingestive behavior in the domestic fowl.

Abstract The effects of opioid antagonists on food and water intake in commercial stocks of chickens were investigated. Four experiments were conducted to examine the effects of naloxone (N-allylnoroxymorphone) and naltrexone (N-cyclopropylnoroxymorphone) in broiler and Single-Comb White Leghorn cockerels. Birds were injected intramuscularly with either naloxone HCl or naltrexone HCl at doses from 2.5 to 10 mg/kg. Food and water were offered ad lib 15 min post-injection. In broilers, naloxone dose-dependently attenuated food and water consumption for 300 min, while in Leghorns naloxone attenuated food and water intake for 240 and 300 min, respectively. Naltrexone dose-dependently reduced food and water consumption for 300 min in both broilers and Leghorns. Neither naloxone nor naltrexone significantly altered food or water intake at 24 hr. A fifth experiment was conducted to verify the specificity of opioid antagonism for water intake. Broiler cockerels received an intraperitoneal injection of either isotonic saline (0.15 M NaCl) or hypertonic saline (2.5 M NaCl) followed by an intramuscular injection of either isotonic saline or naloxone HCl (5 mg/kg). Food was withheld for theentire experiment while water was offered ad lib 15 min following the second injection. Naloxone significantly attenuated drinking in normally hydrated and osmotically challenged birds for 150 min. The results suggest a role for endogenous opioid peptides in the regulation of food and water intake in meat and egg-laying stocks of chickens.
A transient elevated irisin blood concentration in response to prolonged, moderate aerobic exercise in young men and women.

Irisin, a newly discovered, PGC-1α dependent myokine, has recently been shown to increase in circulation in response to sprint exercise. This study examined the effect of prolonged exercise on irisin concentrations in young men (n=7) as well as in young women (n=5) during different stages of the menstrual cycle. Seven young men completed 90 min of treadmill exercise at 60% of VO2max and a resting control trial. Five women completed the same exercise protocol in two different trials: during the early follicular phase and mid-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for irisin concentrations immediately before exercise, at 54 and 90 min of exercise, and at 20 min of recovery (R20). Findings revealed that by 54 min of a 90 min treadmill exercise protocol at 60% of VO2max, irisin concentrations significantly increased 20.4% in young men and 20.3% as well as 24.6% in young women during the early follicular and mid-luteal phases of the menstrual cycle, respectively. However, by 90 min of exercise as well as R20, irisin concentrations were no longer elevated. Stage of the menstrual cycle did not affect responses in young women. Findings indicate that prolonged aerobic exercise produces a transient increase in irisin concentrations during the first hour of exercise for both genders and suggest that this form of moderate exercise may be helpful in improving fat metabolism.
Matrix Differencing as a Concise Expression of Test Variance: A Computer Implementation

The operation of matrix differencing is introduced as a concise method for the computation of test variance. This procedure is viewed in contrast to complex computational methods utilized with the traditional analysis of variance framework. The operation of matrix differencing allows for straightforward matrix algebra formulation of the proportions of variance explained. Supplemental computer software is described providing an interactive approach to computer-assisted instruction within the framework of standard statistics, and of both educational and psychological measurement curricula.
Intracellular response of caudate neurons to variable frequency stimulation of motor cortical areas in dog

The intracellular response to electrical stimulation of motor cortex was studied in 77 neurons recorded in the head of the caudate (Cd) nucleus of dog. Single pulse stimulation of either medial, intermediate or lateral precruciate cortex produced a response in 69 neurons, 59% of which responded to more than one cortical area. Most intracellular responses were complex potentials consisting of an initial depolarization (E) followed by a longer duration hyperpolarization (I) or E-I response complex. When stimulated with trains of low frequency pulses (10 Hz), the stimulus-generated I potentials reduced the absolute amplitude of the evoked E's, often to a level below resting potential. However, at higher frequencies (50 Hz), the I potentials were attenuated and the E potentials summated into a prolonged depolarization lasting the duration of the stimulus train. A computer model of the response to multiple stimuli was generated assuming that the E-I response to each stimulus pulse in the train should temporally summate with previous responses. As the frequency of stimulation was increased, this model consistently predicted greater summation of the I potentials than was experimentally observed. These data suggest that inhibition of Cd neurons is input frequency dependent such that as the frequency of cortical input increases there is a decrease of input-generated inhibition of Cd neurons. Thus, inhibition may modulate the response of Cd neurons such that cortical input must reach a critical firing frequency before being relayed through the Cd nucleus.
13C and 2H kinetic isotope effects and the mechanism of bromination of 1-pentene under synthetic conditions.

The 13C and 2H kinetic isotope effects for the bromination of 1-pentene with Br2 in CCl4 were determined and interpreted with the aid of calculationally predicted isotope effects. The isotope effects observed are consistent with rate-limiting bromonium ion formation and do not fit with either rate-limiting production of a π complex or reaction of a reversibly formed bromonium ion. This rules out some of the mechanistic complexities suggested for other brominations, though the identity of the brominating reagent(s) under these synthetic conditions remains uncertain.
Parent–Adolescent Decision Making: Embracing Dialogical Complexity

Contemporary research on parent–adolescent decision making has been concerned with decision outcomes and has viewed these outcomes as indicators of adolescent autonomy. We offer an alternative, dialogical perspective, which directs attention to how adolescents and parents co-construct a decision. The analysis is based on parent and daughter narrations of an important school choice—the decision to apply to a new college-preparatory middle school for girls. By highlighting the decision process in three families, we illustrate how co-construction of a decision can differ even among families who would be classified in the same way on the commonly used outcome assessment. We also question the concept of adolescent decision-making “autonomy” in that it has fostered a disregard for the rich dialogical context of all decision making.
A nonneuronal 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 3 induces chloride secretion in the rat distal colonic mucosa

Background: The 5-HT 3 receptor is a serotonin receptor believed to reside on enteric neurons. However, several studies belie an exclusive neural localization. Our hypothesis is that the 5-HT 3 receptor agonist, 2-methyl-5-HT (2Me5HT), induces chloride secretion despite neural blockade, which can be blocked by a 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist. Methods: Rat distal colon was stripped of its muscularis, mounted as mucosal sheets in Ussing chambers, and short-circuited. Adjacent sheets were pretreated with 1 μmol/L of the neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin, and incubated with 2Me5HT (50 μmol/L) alone or with a 5-HT 3 (0.3 μmol/L ondansetron or 0.3 μmol/L tropisetron) or a 5-HT 4 (0.3 μmol/L GR11808) receptor antagonist. Short-circuit current (I sc ) was measured continuously. Results: 2Me5HT caused an increase in I sc , which was significantly (P <.01, repeated measures analysis of variance) inhibited by ondansetron (n = 8) and tropisetron (n = 5) but not by GR11808. Conclusions: A 5-HT 3 receptor is present at the mucosal level that mediates chloride secretion by a nonneural pathway.
CURRENT CONCEPTS IN INTERVERTEBRAL DISK RESTORATION

A current focus of treatment for degenerative disk disease is the restoration of the intervertebral disk. This article summarizes the structure and function of the intervertebral disk, the pathogenesis of its degeneration, and the clinical relevance of degenerative disk disease. Current literature relating to intervertebral disk replacement and regeneration is reviewed.
Hematopoietic Origin of Pathological Grooming in Hoxb8 Mutant Mice

SUMMARY Mouse Hoxb8 mutants show unexpected behavior manifested by compulsive grooming and hair removal, similar to behavior in humans with the obsessive-compulsive disorder spectrum disorder trichotillomania. As Hox gene disruption often has pleiotropic effects, the root cause of this behavioral deficit was unclear. Here we report that, in the brain, Hoxb8 cell lineage exclusively labels bone marrowderived microglia. Furthermore, transplantation of wild-type bone marrow into Hoxb8 mutant mice rescues their pathological phenotype. It has been suggested that the grooming dysfunction results from a nociceptive defect, also exhibited by Hoxb8 mutant mice. However, bone marrow transplant experiments and cell type-specific disruption of Hoxb8 reveal that these two phenotypes are separable, with the grooming phenotype derived from the hematopoietic lineage and the sensory defect derived from the spinal cord cells. Immunological dysfunctions have been associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, but the causative relationships are unclear. In this mouse, a distinct compulsive behavioral disorder is associated with mutant microglia.
SNOMED as a Standard Nomenclature (Problems and Potential for a Computer Based Information System)

The practice of medicine is largely an information management task. The gap between existing knowledge and Its practical applications to the care of patients can be successfully closed by using modern information services. Current antiquated clinlcal methods, chaotic records, Intuitive Judgement and reliance on fallible memory contributes to a growing health care crisis that cannot be solved without the help of Information science and the computer.
The Intercalated Disc Protein, mXinα, Is Capable of Interacting with β-Catenin and Bundling Actin Filaments

Targeted deletion of mXinα results in cardiac hypertrophy and cardiomyopathy with conduction defects (Gustafson-Wagner, E., Sinn, H. W., Chen, Y.-L., Wang, D.-Z., Reiter, R. S., Lin, J. L.-C., Yang, B., Williamson, R. A., Chen, J. N., Lin, C.-I., and Lin, J. J.-C. (2007) Am. J. Physiol. 293, H2680-H2692). To understand the underlying mechanisms leading to such cardiac defects, the functional domains of mXinα and its interacting proteins were investigated. Interaction studies using co-immunoprecipitation, pull-down, and yeast two-hybrid assays revealed that mXinα directly interacts with β-catenin. The β-catenin-binding site on mXinα was mapped to amino acids 535-636, which overlaps with the known actin-binding domains composed of the Xin repeats. The overlapping nature of these domains provides insight into the molecular mechanism for mXinα localization and function. Purified recombinant glutathione S-transferase- or His-tagged mXinα proteins are capable of binding and bundling actin filaments, as determined by co-sedimentation and electron microscopic studies. The binding to actin was saturated at an approximate stoichiometry of nine actin monomers to one mXinα. A stronger interaction was observed between mXinα C-terminal deletion and actin as compared with the interaction between full-length mXinα and actin. Furthermore, force expression of green fluorescent protein fused to an mXinα C-terminal deletion in cultured cells showed greater stress fiber localization compared with force-expressed GFP-mXinα. These results suggest a model whereby the C terminus of mXinα may prevent the full-length molecule from binding to actin, until the β-catenin-binding domain is occupied by β-catenin. The binding of mXinα to β-catenin at the adherens junction would then facilitate actin binding. In support of this model, we found that the actin binding and bundling activity of mXinα was enhanced in the presence of β-catenin.
Facilitation, GSS, and Training as Sources of Process Restrictiveness and Guidance for Structured Group Decision Making: An Empirical Assessment

Structured decision techniques have been a mainstay of prescriptive decision theory for decades. Group Support Systems GSSs automate many of the features found in decision techniques, yet groups often choose to ignore both the technique and the technology in favor of more familiar decision processes. This research empirically tests propositions and hypotheses for a specific instantiation of Adaptive Structuration Theory. A controlled laboratory experiment tests the ability of three appropriation mediators e.g., facilitation, GSS configuration, and training to directively affect group decision making through guidance and restrictiveness. The experiment used a hidden-profile task and structured decision technique which directed group members to reach a decision by identifying the problem, choosing criteria, and selecting a solution. The results supported the proposition that appropriation mediators can increase the faithful use of structured decision techniques and that faithful use can improve decision quality.
Regulation of the rulAB Mutagenic DNA Repair Operon of Pseudomonas syringae by UV-B (290 to 320 Nanometers) Radiation and Analysis of rulAB-Mediated Mutability In Vitro and In Planta

The effects of the rulAB operon of Pseudomonas syringae on mutagenic DNA repair and the transcriptional regulation of rulAB following irradiation with UV-B wavelengths were determined. For a rulB::Km insertional mutant constructed in P. syringae pv. syringae B86-17, sensitivity to UV-B irradiation increased and UV mutability decreased by 12- to 14-fold. rulAB-induced UV mutability was also tracked in phyllosphere populations of B86-17 for up to 5 days following plant inoculation. UV mutability to rifampin resistance (Rifr) was detected at all sampling points at levels which were significantly greater than in nonirradiated controls. In P. aeruginosa PAO1, the cloned rulAB determinant on pJJK17 conferred a 30-fold increase in survival and a 200-fold increase in mutability following a UV-B dose of 1,900 J m−2. In comparative studies using defined genetic constructs, we determined that rulAB restored mutability to the Escherichia coli umuDC deletion mutant RW120 at a level between those of its homologs mucAB and umuDC. Analyses using a rulAB::inaZ transcriptional fusion in Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf5 showed that rulAB was rapidly induced after UV-B irradiation, with expression levels peaking at 4 h. At the highest UV-B dose administered, transcriptional activity of the rulAB promoter was elevated as much as 261-fold compared to that of a nonirradiated control. The importance of rulAB for survival of P. syringae in its phyllosphere habitat, coupled with its wide distribution among a broad range of P. syringae genotypes, suggests that this determinant would be appropriate for continued investigations into the ecological ramifications of mutagenic DNA repair.
OVERFLOW RISK ANALYSIS FOR STORM WATER QUALITY CONTROL BASINS

The operational cycle of a storm water quality control basin can be divided into the waiting period between events and the filling and draining period during an event. In this study, an inherent overflow risk is defined as the probability of having a large event exceed the basin storage capacity. Such a probability is prescribed by the basin storage capacity and the local distribution of rainfall event depths. An operational overflow risk is defined as the probability of having the basin overwhelmed by a subsequent storm event during the draining process. An operational risk is found to be dependent on watershed runoff coefficient, basin drain time, local average rainfall event depth, and average rainfall interevent time. In practice, the selection of a basin drain time is a tradeoff between the removal of suspended solids in storm water and the overflow risk. The concept of “the longer, the better “applies to the sedimentation process, but concern for the overflow risk requires that the basin drain as fast as possible. This paper presents a design method by which the overflow risk associated with a basin storage volume can be evaluated for various drain times. The mathematical models developed to describe the distribution of rainfall interevent time and the runoff capture curve provide good agreement with the long-term continuous rainfall data recorded in seven metropolitan areas in the United States. The risk-based approach developed in this study provides a quantifiable basis for making the decision on the operation of a storm water quality control basin.
Deletion and anergy of polyclonal B cells specific for ubiquitous membrane-bound self-antigen

B cell tolerance to self-antigen is critical to preventing antibody-mediated autoimmunity. Previous work using B cell antigen receptor transgenic animals suggested that self-antigen–specific B cells are either deleted from the repertoire, enter a state of diminished function termed anergy, or are ignorant to the presence of self-antigen. These mechanisms have not been assessed in a normal polyclonal repertoire because of an inability to detect rare antigen-specific B cells. Using a novel detection and enrichment strategy to assess polyclonal self-antigen–specific B cells, we find no evidence of deletion or anergy of cells specific for antigen not bound to membrane, and tolerance to these types of antigens appears to be largely maintained by the absence of T cell help. In contrast, a combination of deleting cells expressing receptors with high affinity for antigen with anergy of the undeleted lower affinity cells maintains tolerance to ubiquitous membrane-bound self-antigens.
Dynamic regulation of transcription factors by nucleosome remodeling

The chromatin landscape and promoter architecture are dominated by the interplay of nucleosome and transcription factor (TF) binding to crucial DNA sequence elements. However, it remains unclear whether nucleosomes mobilized by chromatin remodelers can influence TFs that are already present on the DNA template. In this study, we investigated the interplay between nucleosome remodeling, by either yeast ISW1a or SWI/SNF, and a bound TF. We found that a TF serves as a major barrier to ISW1a remodeling, and acts as a boundary for nucleosome repositioning. In contrast, SWI/SNF was able to slide a nucleosome past a TF, with concurrent eviction of the TF from the DNA, and the TF did not significantly impact the nucleosome positioning. Our results provide direct evidence for a novel mechanism for both nucleosome positioning regulation by bound TFs and TF regulation via dynamic repositioning of nucleosomes.
American adaptation: Social factors affecting new developments to address climate change

Abstract Climate change and extreme weather events are expected to increase in frequency and intensity in the United States. The social factors that drive cities to adapt to and/or prepare for these impacts are largely unknown. Sixty-five qualitative interviews were conducted with multi-sectoral decision-makers to assess factors driving adaptation in six cities across the United States: Tucson, Arizona; Tampa, Florida; Raleigh, North Carolina; Boston, Massachusetts; Portland, Oregon; and Los Angeles, California. We find that there are three type of factors that affect adaptation: (1) swing—characteristics of or events within localities that can lead toward or away from action; (2) inhibitors—ways of thinking and framing climate change available to decision-makers that slow, but do not necessarily stop change; and (3) resource catalysts—types of information and moral grounding that provide a rationale for change. These factors often intersect such that swing factors are only influential in cities with some political acceptance of climate change. In cities where public acceptance of climate change is slowly shifting, resource catalysts are more influential. This is the first qualitative study of climate change adaptation in American cities.
Regulating the Use of Prescription Drug Databases in Health Insurance Underwriting

This paper examines the use of commercially-available prescription drug profiles in the underwriting of individual and small-group health insurance plans. It explains how these profiles are developed and used by insurers and analyzes their potential advantages and disadvantages to both insurers and consumers. Current and pending legislation and regulations governing the use of these prescription databases are also explained.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy A Patient Perspective

Affecting approximately one in every 500 people, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a unique disease in which there is an abnormal increase in the thickness of the heart muscle. Although the cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was unknown in the past, it is now recognized that people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have a gene mutation that causes this abnormality. Most people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are relatively asymptomatic and able to maintain a normal lifestyle, but there are some who become severely limited by symptoms of shortness of breath and chest pain. There is also a small number of people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who may die suddenly. However, proper diagnosis and treatment of this disorder can relieve symptoms and prolong life. In people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the muscular wall of the main pumping chamber of the heart (left ventricle) is abnormally thickened (Figure 1). This increased thickness is called hypertrophy, and it usually involves the muscular wall between the right and left ventricles (the ventricular septum), but it may occur in any part of the left ventricle. Figure 1. Schematic diagram of a patient with a normal heart (left) and a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (right). There is a marked increase in the thickness of the walls of the heart in the patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The heart muscle is usually able to pump well despite the hypertrophy, and thus most people do not have limiting symptoms. However, for some people, the thickened heart muscle is abnormally stiff. Therefore, when the left ventricle fills with blood, the stiffness of the muscle increases the pressure inside the left ventricle, and this high pressure is reflected back into the lungs, causing symptoms of shortness of breath. In some cases, the increase in the thickness of the ventricular septum occurs just below the aortic valve and may block …
Associative memory design via perceptron learning

In the present paper, a new synthesis approach is developed for associative memories based on the perceptron learning algorithm. The design (synthesis) problem of feedback neural networks for associative memories is formulated as a set of linear inequalities such that the use of perceptron learning is evident. The perceptron learning in the synthesis algorithms is guaranteed to converge. To demonstrate the applicability of the present results, a specific example is considered.
Superficial Fungal Infections

Superficial fungal infections grow in dark and moist areas and invade various parts of the body. These infections are easily treatable in immunocompetent individuals. In immunosuppressed individuals, the presentation can be quite severe, requiring use of more potent antifungal agents. The treatment for these conditions consists of topical antifungal agents, creams, and oral systemic medications. The use of prednisone can alter the appearance of superficial fungal infections, making them difficult to diagnose. It is important for primary care providers to become adept at understanding the epidemiology, transmission, clinical presentation, diagnosis techniques, and treatment options available.
Inclusive Governance in Africa’s Democratizing Countries

Recent power sharing agreements in Kenya and Zimbabwe highlight a new set of issues relating to the broader practice of “inclusive governance” in Africa. In particular, power sharing pacts present a problematic solution to flawed elections in an environment of “forced trust.” This paper begins by arguing that inclusive governance varies in three significant ways: (1) origin distinguishes extra-constitutional pacts from coalitions produced by more stable institutions; (2) function contrasts post-war cases from scenarios where the state itself it not at risk; and (3) time horizon refers to dilemmas that require weighing long term costs versus short term advantages. The benefits of inclusive governance for conflict mitigation are well known, and a large literature debates the successes and failures. However by promoting representation at the expense of other democratic goals and values, Africa’s recent experiments with inclusive governance present other understudied risks. They undermine vertical relationships of accountability between citizens and governments, enable budgetary irresponsibility, and create the conditions for bargaining gridlock. The paper’s conclusion suggests that the drawbacks of inclusive governance can be moderated by sunset clauses linked to democratic transition plans, by paying careful attention to human rights issues, and by providing support for institutions that counterbalance executive authority, which is typically buttressed through pacts.
The Influence of Small States upon the Superpowers: United States-South Korean Relations as a Case Study, 1950–53

One of the important developments in world politics during the cold-war era was the relationship between the superpowers and small nation-states. In contrast to the period before the cold war, small nation-states had considerable latitude for maneuvering in pursuit of their own interests. This phenomenon was largely rooted in the imperatives of the cold war. The relationship between the United States and the Republic of Korea during the period of the Korean War is critically analyzed in light of the new reality in international relations. South Korea tried to influence the conduct of the United States in Korea by employing five techniques: (1) a public call for assistance; (2) a public call for mutual cooperation against the common enemy; (3) a calculated policy proposal for bargaining advantage; (4) refusal to cooperate; and (5) moral suasion. These techniques are examined, with the conclusion that of the five, (1) and (2) were effective; (3) and (4) were least effective; and (5) was most effective.
On Measuring the Root-Mean-Square Value of a Finite Record Length Periodic Waveform.

An analysis of the uncertainty in measuring the root-mean-square, rms or Rq, value of a periodic waveform which results from the use of a finite record length is presented. Even though the results of the analysis are somewhat as expected, i.e., that the uncertainty is inversely proportional to the number of periods in the record, the explicit relationship between the magnitude of the uncertainty and properties of the waveform does not appear to be available in the literature. The paper first presents an introductory example in terms of the reasonably well known case of bandwidth limited Gaussian waveform to introduce definitions. Following this is an analysis of the periodic waveform using the same approach. It is shown that for a large number of periods, n, in the record length, the normalized three standard deviation of the rms value is given by 3/(8πn).