cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
When Belief Creates Reality

Publisher Summary It is a basic and an undeniable fact of social life that one form impressions of other people whom they encounter in the day-to-day lives. As a direct result of generations of theory and research on impression formation and person perception, investigators have learned a great deal about the way individuals process information to form beliefs and impressions of other people. Accordingly, there exists considerable knowledge about the antecedents of social beliefs. The practical implications of these reality-constructing consequences of social beliefs are considerable, both at the level of individual lives and at the level of society. This chapter highlights that the processes of social thought are intimately woven into the fabric of social interaction and interpersonal relationships. The events of the lives are very much a reflection of one's beliefs about other people in the social worlds. Finally, it is in this sense that beliefs can and do create reality.
The lived experience of breast cancer patients and couple distress

Purpose: A major trend in research has focused on identification of couple characteristics and dynamics against the backdrop of life-threatening or chronic illness. Awareness of these factors may lead to identification of couples at high risk for severe relationship distress. The researchers obtained an emic perspective of the impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on womens’ couple relationships and the response by healthcare providers to such psychosocial issues. Data Sources: This was a phenomenological study of the lived experience of breast cancer patients using a purposive sample of seven women in individual psychotherapy with a history of breast cancer and a focus group of five women from a breast cancer support group. Data analysis was conducted following Colaizzi's framework with five emergent themes identified. Interrater reliability was achieved with data analysis by two other researchers. Conclusions: Results confirmed that breast cancer may have a profound impact on the couple relationship from diagnosis through survivorship. Relationships with healthcare providers disclosed significant disparities in identification and response to couple distress. Implications for practice: Healthcare providers need to be sensitive to the “silent suffering” that exists for some breast cancer patients and incorporate consistent methods to identify and respond to couple distress.
Expression, purification, and structural analysis of the trimeric form of the catalytic domain of the Escherichia coli dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase

The dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase (E2o) component of the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex catalyzes the transfer of a succinyl group from the S-succinyldihydrolipoyl moiety to coenzyme A. E2o is normally a 24-mer, but is found as a trimer when E2o is expressed with a C-terminal [His]6 tag. The crystal structure of the trimeric form of the catalytic domain (CD) of the Escherichia coli E2o has been solved to 3.0 A resolution using the Molecular Replacement method. The refined model contains an intact trimer in the asymmetric unit and has an R-factor of 0.257 (Rfree = 0.286) for 18,699 reflections between 10.0 and 3.0 A resolution. The core of tE2oCD (residues 187-396) superimposes onto that of the cubic E2oCD with an RMS difference of 0.4 A for all main-chain atoms. The C-terminal end of tE2oCD (residues 397-404) rotates by an average of 37 degrees compared to cubic E2oCD, disrupting the normal twofold interface. Despite the alteration of quaternary structure, the active site of tE2oCD shows no significant differences from that of the cubic E2oCD, although several side chains in the active site are more ordered in the trimeric form of E2oCD. Analysis of the available sequence data suggests that the majority of E2 components have active sites that resemble that of E. coli E2oCD. The remaining E2 components can be divided into three groups based on active-site sequence similarity. Analysis of the surface properties of both crystal forms of E. coli E2oCD suggests key residues that may be involved in the protein-protein contacts that occur between the catalytic and lipoyl domains of E2o.
Validation of PyMBMS as a High-throughput Screen for Lignin Abundance in Lignocellulosic Biomass of Grasses

Pyrolysis molecular-beam mass spectrometry (PyMBMS) was tested as a high-throughput method for relative abundances of guaiacyl and syringyl lignin in lignocellulosic cell-wall materials from stems of a population of maize intermated B73 × Mo17 (IBM) recombinant inbred lines. Variations of up to twofold across the population in phenylpropanoid abundance were observed. Several histochemical and quantitative biochemical assays were used to validate the mass spectrometric data for lignin, hydroxycinnamic acids, crystalline cellulose, non-cellulosic glucans, and xylans. We demonstrate PyMBMS to be a valid high-throughput screen suitable for analysis of lignin abundance in large populations of bioenergy grasses. Pentose from xylans and hexose from cellulosic and non-cellulosic glucans also varied substantially across the population, but abundances of diagnostic fragments for these monosaccharides were not well correlated with the abundance of cell-wall polysaccharides.
Identical "feeding" and "rewarding" systems in the lateral hypothalamus of rats

Electrodes were implanted in the lateral hypothalamic feeding system; animals were subjected to both feeding and motivational tests. All animals that demonstrated stimulus-bound feeding behavior also showed high self-stimulation rates. As it was impossible to produce the feeding response without simultaneously producing the rewarding effect of hypothalamic stimulation, it was concluded that the feeding system of the lateral hypothalamus is one among a larger group of places where stimulation causes primary rewarding effects. With electrodes in these same areas, food deprivation often caused a major increment in the self-stimulation rate.
Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Axilla: Review of the World Literature

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the axilla is rare; indeed, 70 axillary BCCs have been described in 69 patients. Using the PubMed database, an extensive literature search was performed on BCC, axilla, and axillary. Relevant papers were reviewed and the characteristics of individuals with BCC of the axilla were summarized. The calculated prevalence of axillary BCC was 0.17 %. They occurred predominantly in Caucasians. The majority of patients had no obvious BCC-associated risk factors. They were observed 1.2 times more often in men than in women and twice as often in the right axilla than the left axilla. They frequently presented as an asymptomatic nodule; however, associated features have included elongation of the tumor along the axillary skin lines, ulceration, and pigmentation. The axillary tumor was typically associated with either the superficial or the nodular histologic subtype of BCC. The prognosis for these patients was usually excellent following complete removal or destruction of the tumor. In conclusion, axillary BCC is a rare clinical variant of this type of skin cancer that usually presents as an asymptomatic nodule in an individual who does not have any traditional risk factors for this malignancy. The cancer was typically associated with a non-aggressive histologic subtype. Recurrence or metastasis was uncommon following treatment of the primary tumor.
Anti-tumor immunity generated by photodynamic therapy in a metastatic murine tumor model

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a modality for the treatment of cancer involving excitation of photosensitizers with harmless visible light producing reactive oxygen species. The major biological effects of PDT are apoptosis of tumor cells, destruction of the blood supply and activation of the immune system. The objective of this study is to compare in an animal model of metastatic cancer, PDT alone and PDT combined with low-dose cyclophosphamide (CY). Since the tumor we used is highly metastatic, it is necessary to generate anti-tumor immunity using PDT to both cure the primary tumor and prevent death from metastasis. This immunity may be potentiated by low dose CY. In our model we used J774 cells (a Balb/c reticulum cell sarcoma line with the characteristics of macrophages) and the following PDT regimen: benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A (BPD, 2mg/kg injected IV followed after 15 min by 150 J/cm2 of 690-nm light). CY (50 mg/kg i.p.) was injected 48 hours before light delivery. BPD-PDT led to complete regression of the primary tumor in more than half the mice but no permanent cures were obtained. BPD-PDT in combination with CY led to 60% permanent cures. CY alone gave no permanent cures but did provide a survival advantage. To probe permanent immunity cured animals were rechallenged with the same tumor cell line and the tumors were rejected in 71% of mice cured with BPD-PDT plus CY. We conclude that BPD-PDT in combination with CY gives best overall results and that this is attributable to immunological response activation in addition to PDT-mediated destruction of the tumor.
Constitutionalism and Presidential Prerogative: Jeffersonian and Hamiltonian Perspectives

Scholars, the courts, and the public have been ambivalent about prerogative, the power of presidents to take extraordinary actions without explicit legal authorization in emergencies, because it seems to defy core principles of liberal constitutionalism. This article examines the relation between prerogative and liberal constitutionalism by comparing the approaches of two Founders with different conceptions of executive power, Jefferson and Hamilton. Although they both endorsed a Lockean conception of prerogative that makes it possible to secure vital substantive ends that might be imperiled by strict adherence to ordinary legal forms in an emergency, they disagreed over the constitutionality of prerogative. Whereas Hamilton located the authority for prerogative within the implied powers of the Constitution, Jefferson expected presidents to admit wrongdoing and seek post-hoc approval from the public, a difference with important implications for both democracy and constitutional practice that can be traced back to ambiguities in Locke's theory of prerogative.
Evaluation of proposed limits for intermittent noise exposures with temporary threshold shift as a criterion.

Standard limits of noise exposure have been proposed for coal mine operations. A key feature of the proposal is the provision to take account of intermittent exposure to noise. Specifically, limiting combinations of noise level, number of noise occurrences, and total daily exposure time are prescribed as a safeguard against permanent hearing loss. The intent of our study was to examine the amount of protection afforded by these limits, using temporary threshold shift as the criterion. An additional objective was to evaluate the definition of noise interruption or “quiet periods.” The results of the study indicate that the validity of the proposed limits is questionable.
Postnatal glucocorticoid-induced hypomyelination, gliosis, and neurologic deficits are dose-dependent, preparation-specific, and reversible

Postnatal glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used in the prevention of chronic lung disease in premature infants. Their pharmacologic use is associated with neurodevelopmental delay and cerebral palsy. However, the effect of GC dose and preparation (dexamethasone versus betamethasone) on short and long-term neurological outcomes remains undetermined, and the mechanisms of GC-induced brain injury are unclear. We hypothesized that postnatal GC would induce hypomyelination and motor impairment in a preparation- and dose-specific manner, and that GC receptor (GR) inhibition might restore myelination and neurological function in GC-treated animals. Additionally, GC-induced hypomyelination and neurological deficit might be transient. To test our hypotheses, we treated prematurely delivered rabbit pups with high (0.5mg/kg/day) or low (0.2mg/kg/day) doses of dexamethasone or betamethasone. Myelin basic protein (MBP), oligodendrocyte proliferation and maturation, astrocytes, transcriptomic profile, and neurobehavioral functions were evaluated. We found that high-dose GC treatment, but not low-dose, reduced MBP expression and impaired motor function at postnatal day 14. High-dose dexamethasone induced astrogliosis, betamethasone did not. Mifepristone, a GR antagonist, reversed dexamethasone-induced myelination, but not astrogliosis. Both GCs inhibited oligodendrocyte proliferation and maturation. Moreover, high-dose dexamethasone altered genes associated with myelination, cell-cycle, GR, and mitogen-activated protein kinase. Importantly, GC-induced hypomyelination, gliosis, and motor-deficit, observed at day 14, completely recovered by day 21. Hence, high-dose, but not low-dose, postnatal GC causes reversible reductions in myelination and motor functions. GC treatment induces hypomyelination by GR-dependent genomic mechanisms, but astrogliosis by non-genomic mechanisms. GC-induced motor impairment and neurodevelopmental delay might be transient and recover spontaneously in premature infants.
Failure of folic acid antagonist to interfere with the action of testosterone propionate on the combs and testes of young cockerels.

THE failure to obtain growth of the female reproductive tract after treatment with estrogen in the absence of folic acid has been well established. Since the initial report of Hertz and Sebrell (1944) on the inability of estrogen to stimulate growth of the oviduct of folic acid deficient chicks, confirmation has been obtained with the use of both synthetic diets and folic acid analogues. This inhibition of the growth promoting action of estrogen on the female reproductive tract has been observed in the frog (Goldsmith, Schreiber and Nigrelli, 1948), the chick (Hertz and Sebrell, 1944; Hertz, 1945, 1948; Andrus and Zarrow, 1949), the rat (Hertz and Tullner, 1949) and the monkey (Hertz, 1948; Zarrow, Hisaw and Salhanick, 1949). The role of folic acid in androgen induced growth of the male accessories has not been so clearly defined. Goldsmith, Black and Nigrelli (1949) have reported a failure to obtain androgen stimulated growth of the prostate in folic acid deficient mice,
WaveAR: A software tool for calculating parameters for water waves with incident and reflected components

The ability to determine wave heights and phases along a spatial domain is vital to understanding a wide range of littoral processes. The software tool presented here employs established Stokes wave theory and sampling methods to calculate parameters for the incident and reflected components of a field of weakly nonlinear waves, monochromatic at first order in wave slope and propagating in one horizontal dimension. The software calculates wave parameters over an entire wave tank and accounts for reflection, weak nonlinearity, and a free second harmonic. Currently, no publicly available program has such functionality. The included MATLAB^(R)-based open source code has also been compiled for Windows^(R), Mac^(R) and Linux^(R) operating systems. An additional companion program, VirtualWave, is included to generate virtual wave fields for WaveAR. Together, the programs serve as ideal analysis and teaching tools for laboratory water wave systems.
A reaction-based river/stream water quality model: Model development and numerical schemes

Summary This paper presents the conceptual and mathematical development of a numerical model of sediment and reactive chemical transport in rivers and streams. The distribution of mobile suspended sediments and immobile bed sediments is controlled by hydrologic transport as well as erosion and deposition processes. The fate and transport of water quality constituents involving a variety of chemical and physical processes is mathematically described by a system of reaction equations for immobile constituents and advective–dispersive–reactive transport equations for mobile constituents. To circumvent stiffness associated with equilibrium reactions, matrix decomposition is performed via Gauss–Jordan column reduction. After matrix decomposition, the system of water quality constituent reactive transport equations is transformed into a set of thermodynamic equations representing equilibrium reactions and a set of transport equations involving no equilibrium reactions. The decoupling of equilibrium and kinetic reactions enables robust numerical integration of the partial differential equations (PDEs) for non-equilibrium-variables. Solving non-equilibrium-variable transport equations instead of individual water quality constituent transport equations also reduces the number of PDEs. A variety of numerical methods are investigated for solving the mixed differential and algebraic equations. Two verification examples are compared with analytical solutions to demonstrate the correctness of the code and to illustrate the importance of employing application-dependent numerical methods to solve specific problems.
Platelet–collagen interactions: membrane receptors and intracellular signalling pathways

Platelet adhesion to and activation by exposed subendothelial collagen plays a critical role in normal haemostasis and pathological thrombosis. Recent advances in elucidating the mechanisms underlying platelet-collagen interaction support a 'two-site, two-step' model. Direct platelet binding to integrin alpha2beta1 mainly sustains adhesion and allows recognition of glycoprotein VI. The latter interaction is responsible for characteristic intracellular signalling events leading to p72Syk and PLCgamma2 activation. The present review describes the known collagen receptors on platelets and discusses the current understanding of signal transduction promoted by collagen.
Electrocatalysis and amperometric detection of aliphatic aldehydes at platinum-palladium alloy coated glassy carbon electrode

Abstract Aliphatic aldehydes undergo an electrocatalytic oxidation at a platinum-palladium (Pt-Pd) alloy coated glassy carbon electrode. The alloy modification offers a highly sensitive and stable, constant (+0.35 V) potential detection of simple aldehydes. The drastically enhanced catalytic response of the alloy deposit, compared to the single component metals, is attributed to synergistic effect associated with changes in the adsorption features of the surface. The influence of the alloy deposition conditions upon the amperometric response is assessed. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and elemental distribution mapping offer useful insights into the microstructure and composition of the alloy deposit. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and propionaldehyde were detected in flow-injection analysis at levels as low as 0.9, 6.4 and 6.5 ng (30, 160 and 120 pmol), respectively. Such operation offers lower operating potentials and detection limits compared to the recently developed mixed-valent ruthenium coated detector for aldehydes [2].
Native code process-originated migration in a heterogeneous environment

Dynamic migration has been investigated in several research efforts as a vehicle for load sharing, resource sharing, communication overhead reduction, failure robustness, and several other contexts. This paper presents a summary of related work in dynamic migration, and suggests motivations for considering heterogeneous migration. Next a design for heterogeneous migration, along with its restrictions is presented. A prototype implementation is described. Conclusions are drawn and future work is suggested.
Design and operation of a 30KWe/2KWth downward facing beam ARC image furnace

Abstract Fabrication and operation of a bench scale solar simulator are described in this paper. Many components of the system are off-the-shelf items. The furnace is capable of providing an intense light beam with total power of 2000 Wth and a peak flux density of 10 7 W/m 2 (10,000 suns). This is the most intense downward facing light beam currently available in the U.S.A. The system was designed so that the total power delivered to the test section could be varied continuously. The technical approach used in fabricating this solar simulator is explained with sufficient detail to enable other researchers to design and operate similar systems. Utilization of the downward facing beam arc image furnace offers an inexpensive alternative to the use of intermediate size, solar thermal test facilities, which are few and often very costly to maintain and operate.
Mortality in Burned Children With Acute Renal Failure

Background During the past 13 years, mortality from acute renal failure in burned children has been on the decline. Objective To determine which new burn therapies contributed to the decrease in mortality. Design The medical records of burned children admitted from February 1966 to January 1997 were reviewed, and the outcome of changes in the treatment of burned children were compared. Patients and Methods Sixty children with acute renal failure were identified. These children were divided into those admitted from 1966 to 1983 (n=24) and those admitted from 1984 to 1997 (n=36). They were compared with matched control subjects from the same period without renal failure. Values are presented as means±SEMs. Statistical analysis was by the Student t test or χ 2 analysis. Results Mortality rates in burned children with acute renal failure decreased from 100% before 1983 to 56% after 1984 ( P P P P P P P Conclusion Early adequate fluid resuscitation, early wound excision, and better infection control may reduce mortality in burned children with acute renal failure.
An improved procedure for the biological assay of androgens by direct application to the combs of baby chicks.

Experiments on improvement of the biological assay method for androgens by direct application to the combs of baby chicks led to five successive modifications in procedure, each of which was put into practice and evaluated for precision, minimum effective dose (m.e.d.), and convenience. A total of 162 assays and experiments using approximately 20,000 baby chicks was involved. In other experiments it was shown (1) that when the volume of solution applied to the comb daily was reduced from 0.05 ml. to 0.01 ml., the m.e.d. was lowered markedly, (2) that absolute ethanol was substantially as effective (at a volume of 0.01 ml.) as well as more convenient than ether as the vehicle for application of androgen, (3) that 7 daily applications produced more precise results than 5 applications, and (4) that there was a hump at the lower end of the log dose-response curve that could be avoided, thus improving the precision of the assay.
Research of Machining Process on 17-4PH Stainless Steel Superfine Deep-Hole Drilling

Through the analysis of superfine deep-hole drilling process, we used the combination of gun drill and BTA deep-hole drilling process for 17-4PH (0Cr17Ni4Cu4Nb) stainless steel deep-hole drilling test. We measured wall thickness point by point, and calculated the conversion of the eccentricity in a deviation axis line. Which fully embodies the advantage of this process for stainless steel 17-4PH, and provides a new method in super hardness material deep-hole drilling field.
Fabrication Of Machined Optics For Precision Applications

This paper will discuss the current state of optical fabrication employing precision machining. While it is a perspective based upon both our own work and that of others, it lays no claim to being a comprehensive survey.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Inhibition of adenosine deaminase leads to enhanced antibody responses in the mouse

Inhibition of adenosine deaminase activity leads to decreased cellular immunity. The effect of deoxycoformycin (DCF), a potent inhibitor of adenosine deaminase, on the ability of mouse spleen cells to generate antibody responses in vitro has been examined. With either continuous exposure to or pretreatment of the cells with deoxycoformycin, there was a decrease in cell survival and an increase in antibody-producing cells in the surviving cell population. To identify the cell population most susceptible to the inhibitor, the spleen was separated into B-cell, and T-cell, and macrophage components and each population was pretreated with deoxycoformycin before combination with its complementary treated or untreated population. Deoxycoformycin pretreatment had no effect on macrophages or B cells; however, pretreatment of the T cells resulted in increased antibody responses. When T cells and B cells were both pretreated and combined, there was a synergistic increase in the antibody response. In addition, supernatants from cultures in which both B cells and T cells had been pretreated with DCF were capable of enhancing antibody responses in cultures containing DCF-treated T cells. Though adenosine was increased in the stimulatory culture supernatants, adenosine alone did not enhance antibody responses in either untreated or DCF-treated cultures.
Dinuclear Complexes and a One-dimensional Chain Involving Difunctional Ligands Containing the Acetylacetonate Functionality

Systems containing two acetylacetonate (acac) ligands separated by an aromatic spacer (1–3) react with Cu(II) in the presence of bidentate nitrogen ligands to form crystalline, capped, dinuclear (zero-dimensional) structures (6–8). Noncovalent interactions between stacked aromatic ligands on adjacent molecules in 7 and 8 produce one-dimensional chains in the crystal. Molecules 1–3 fail to produce crystalline, one-dimensional chains with covalent metal-organic bonding on reaction with Cu(II) alone. System 5, which contains a single acac ligand and a pyridyl nitrogen, forms a crystalline, one-dimensional chain on reaction with Cu(II) in the presence of a bidentate nitrogen ligand (9). The covalent bonding ribbon of the chain passes from acac to Cu(II) to the pyridyl nitrogen and back to acac. The phenanthroline ligands in 9 provide noncovalent bonding with adjacent chains in the crystal to produce a two-dimensional layered structure. Dinuclear Complexes and a One-dimensional Chain Involving Difunctional Ligands Containing the Acetylacetonate Functionality Joseph B. Lambert and Zhongqiang Liu Two acetylacetonate ligands separated by an aromatic spacer react with Cu(II) in the presence of bidentate nitrogen ligands to form crystalline, capped, dinuclear (zero-dimensional) structures, whereas acetylacetonate linked to pyridine forms a crystalline, one-dimensional chain on reaction with Cu(II) with phenanthroline ligands on adjacent chains noncovalently bonded to form a two-dimensional layered structure in the crystal.
Enhanced anion exchange for selective sulfate extraction: overcoming the Hofmeister bias.

In this communication, a new approach to enhancing the efficacy of liquid−liquid anion exchange is demonstrated. It involves the concurrent use of appropriately chosen hydrogen-bond-donating (HBD) anion receptors in combination with a traditional quaternary ammonium extractant. The fluorinated calixpyrroles 1 and 2 and the tetraamide macrocycle 4 were found to be particularly effective receptors. Specifically, their use allowed the extraction of sulfate by tricaprylmethylammonium nitrate to be effected in the presence of excess nitrate. As such, the present work provides a rare demonstration of overcoming the Hofmeister bias in a competitive environment and the first to the authors’ knowledge wherein this difficult-to-achieve objective is attained using a neutral HBD-based anion binding agent under conditions of solvent extraction.
Comparative antimicrobial activity of gatifloxacin tested against Campylobacter jejuni including fluoroquinolone-resistant clinical isolates.

Abstract Campylobacter jejuni is an important pathogen that causes gastroenteritis, as well as other disease states such as meningitis and septic arthritis. In this study, the Etest (AB BIODISK, Solna, Sweden) results were compared to a reference agar dilution method using gatifloxacin, a new 8-methoxyfluoroquinolone. A total of 53 strains of C. jejuni initially isolated from patients in California and Mexico were tested. Results demonstrated a high correlation (r = 0.88) between the two utilized in vitro dilution methods. In addition, gatifloxacin activity was compared to that of ciprofloxacin, metronidazole, amoxicillin, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, tetracycline, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole using the Etest. Gatifloxacin (MIC 90 , 4μg/ml) was approximately eight- to 16-fold more potent than ciprofloxacin (Mic 90 , > 32 μg/ml), a commonly used fluoroquinolone for Campylobacter infections. Eight strains highly resistant to ciprofloxacin (MIC 90 , > 32 μg/ml) were tested for cross resistance against the newer fluoroquinolones (gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, trovafloxacin) and the rank order of potency was: gatifloxacin (MIC 50 , 16 μg/ml) > trovafloxacin=levofloxacin (MIC 50 , > 32 μg/mL). However, only 25% ciprofloxacin-resistant strains were inhibited by ≤ 1 μg/mL of gatifloxacin or trovafloxacin. These results for gatifloxacin against C. jejuni strains must be further assessed in the context of in vivo trials before the clinical role of this new fluoroquinolone can be determined. The Etest appears to be a simple and precise susceptibility test method for testing C. jejuni isolates against fluoroquinolones and other alternative therapeutic agents.
Molecular connectivity and total response surface optimization

Abstract The relation between biological activity and molecular structure may be viewed mathematically as a surface. The maximum or minimum position on the surface is associated with optimum activity and structure parameters. A useful approach to QSAR is to identify the optimum structure and relate it to drug design. Such an approach has been applied to the neurotoxicity of 21 substituted phosphorus compounds using molecular connectivity indexes. Two-variable transformations are used. The first, not directly related to surface optimization, introduces the sum and difference of the first order chi indexes. These transformed variables are shown to represent size and electronic effects, respectively. Using these variables in the full five-variable quadratic expression, excellent statistics are achieved: r = 0.979, s = 0.18, F = 68, n = 21. The second transformation, moving the origin to the surface extremum, reduced the equation to three variables while retaining the high quality statistics. Detailed discussion of interpretation is presented.
Step On It! Workplace Cardiovascular Risk Assessment of New York City Yellow Taxi Drivers.

Multiple factors associated with taxi driving can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in taxi drivers. This paper describes the results of Step On It!, which assessed CVD risk factors among New York City taxi drivers at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Drivers completed an intake questionnaire and free screenings for blood pressure, glucose and body mass index (BMI). 466 drivers participated. 9 % had random plasma glucose values >200 mg/dl. 77 % had elevated BMIs. Immigrants who lived in the US for >10 years had 2.5 times the odds (CI 1.1–5.9) of having high blood pressure compared to newer immigrants. Abnormalities documented in this study were significant, especially for immigrants with greater duration of residence in the US, and underscore the potential for elevated CVD risk in this vulnerable population, and the need to address this risk through frameworks that utilize multiple levels of intervention.
Where Public and Private Intersect: The Intermingling of Spheres in Christa Wolf's Ein Tag im Jahr

In Ein Tag im Jahr 1960–2000 (2003), Christa Wolf offers readers another example of her pursuit of ‘subjective Authentizitat.’ Wolf's compilation of diary-like texts records routine daily activities, including notes about her dreams, references to newspaper headlines and global events, and conversations with friends, family, and important political functionaries. Interwoven with the mundane are detailed descriptions of the writing process as well as constant reassessments of prior fictional texts and essays. Through the juxtaposition of objective and subjective moments and the recording of routine external details coupled with extensive introspection, Wolf intermingles her private domain with the public sphere of GDR culture. This essay addresses the way that this text ruptures the traditional genre boundaries of diary and autobiography, expands pre-conceived notions of the public sphere and substantively contributes to a redrawing of Wolf's public image. The autobiographical nature of this work enables an investigation of the intersection of Wolf's private life with the public sphere of GDR culture, adding a new dimension to prior understandings of her literary texts within an autobiographical context, making apparent how indivisible the public and private are for understanding Wolf and her works.
Calcium Channelopathy Mutants and Their Role in Ocular Motor Research

: Thanks to technical advances in eye movement recording, the mouse is destined to become increasingly important in ocular motor research. An advantage of this species is the wide range of existing mutant strains and techniques to generate new mutations affecting specific cell types. Mutations of ion channels may be used to modulate the intrinsic properties of neurons, and this approach may generate insight into the degree to which neuronal computations depend upon those intrinsic properties as opposed to the properties of circuits of neurons. Dendritic calcium currents carried by P-type voltage-activated calcium channels have been widely postulated to perform important computational functions in cerebellar Purkinje cells. Mutations of this channel lead to human diseases, and several ataxic strains of mice are now known to harbor mutations of this calcium channel. Murine P-channel mutants such as rocker are ataxic, but have normal or near-normal numbers of cerebellar Purkinje cells and thus offer the opportunity to study the effects of biophysical perturbations as opposed to outright cell destruction or inactivation. Initial studies of rocker mice reveal an array of ocular motor abnormalities, including static hyperdeviation of the eyes and an attenuation of vestibulo-ocular reflex gains at high stimulus frequencies. The pattern of gain and phase abnormalities is entirely different in lurcher, an ataxic mutant in which Purkinje cells degenerate. The ocular motor abnormalities of rocker progress with animal age, underscoring the importance of careful attention to animal age when performing ocular motor studies in this short-lived species.
Effect of diethylaminoethyl diphenylpropyl-acetate hydrochloride (SKF-525A) on the norepinephrine-depleting actions of d-amphetamine.

The effect of SKF-525A (diethylaminoethyl diphenylpropylacetate hydrochloride) on norepinephrine depletion caused by amphetamine was examined. SKF-525A substantially reduced the depletion of cardiac norepinephrine caused by d- and -l-amphetamine but had no effect on the depletion in the brain caused by d-amphetamine. The levels of d-amphetamine in both tissues were substantially elevated by SKF-525A while metabolite levels were reduced. Since SKP-525A was found to have no direct action on the nerve ending, the results suggest that the depleting actions of d-amphetamine on the heart and brain are different, and that the effect on the heart is due to one or more of the metabolites of d-amphetamine.
Trading Volume and Market Volatility: Developed versus Emerging Stock Markets

We investigate the relation between volatility and volume in 22 developed markets and 27 emerging markets. Compared to developed markets, emerging markets show a greater response to large information shocks and exhibit greater sensitivity to unexpected volume. We find a negative relation between expected volume and volatility in several emerging markets, which can be attributed to the relative inefficiency in those markets. Previous research reports that the persistence in volatility is not eliminated when lagged or contemporaneous trading volume is considered. Our findings show that, when volume is decomposed into expected and unexpected components, volatility persistence decreases.
On learning of sigmoid neural networks

The Probably Approximately Correct (PAC) learning theory creates a framework to assess the learning properties of static models for which the data are assumed to be independently and identically distributed (i.i.d.). One important family of dynamic models to which the conventional PAC learning can not be applied is nonlinear Finite Impulse Response (FIR) models. The present article, using an extension of PAC learning that covers learning with m-dependent data, the learning properties of FIR modeling with sigmoid neural networks are evaluated. These results include upper bounds on the size of the data set required to train FIR sigmoid neural networks, provided that the input data are uniformly distributed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Association of bidirectional ventricular tachycardia with familial sudden death syndrome

Abstract Bidirectional ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a rare arrhythmia most commonly reported with digitalis toxicity. 1 Its association with familial sudden death syndrome has been reported only once, in 2 siblings with a fatal outcome. 2 We report the management and long-term followup of a Filipino woman with bidirectional VT and a strong family history of sudden death.
Learning by Blogging: Understanding Salespeople's Learning Experiences on Social Media

We examined 200 salespeople's blogs using netnography method. Drawing on social learning theory and real salespeople's blogs, we illustrate how and why sales people can learn by using blogging, both reading and writing. For example, blogging, writing and reading blogs, can keep salespeople networked with their peers within and across industries and help salespeople learn a greater variety of things from their peers. Our findings illustrate that writing and reading blogs can be a helpful learning tool for many salespeople. Our findings also suggest that companies should not ignore blogging as a sales training tool. In addition, Information Systems and Sales should not ignore netnography as a research method. We conclude our paper with avenues for future research.
Insect populations respond to fluctuating environments

Models of populations inhabiting regularly fluctuating environments suggest that the nature of the population fluctuation is determined by the relative sizes of the characteristic response time of the population, TR, and the period of the environmental variation. For example, May's1 model of a density-regulated population inhabiting a sinusoidally varying environment showed that when the characteristic response time was long relative to the period of environmental fluctuation, Y, the population averaged out environmental fluctuations, whereas for TR short relative to Y, the population tended to track environmental variations. Characteristic response time is a measure of how quickly a system returns to equilibrium following a disturbance, and for the logistic model and its immediate relatives, TR equals the inverse of population growth rate, r. The present study investigated the responses of populations of the flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, cultured in a series of regularly fluctuating environments. Responses to environmental fluctuations were striking at all periods of environmental fluctuations, but population density declined as environmental period lengthened.
The thermal analysis of polymers at high pressures

The extension of two techniques of thermal analysis into the region high pressures (50–100 MPa) are discussed. One is the extension of dilatometry (thus becoming pressure-volume-temperature measurements, PVT). This technique has been well established over the past few years. Some results obtained on typical polymer systems are presented and discussed. The second is the extension of the differential thermal analysis (DTA) principle to high pressures, trying to maintain some of the advantages of the DTA technique when compared to the PVT method, such as small sample size and productivity. DTA determinations of the pressure dependence of the melting points of pure metals and polymers are presented and compared with results from the PVT technique. Satisfactory agreement is obtained. The advantages and limitations of our current high-pressure DTA method are discussed.
Air Pressure-Assisted Centrifugal Dewatering of Concentrated Fine Sulfide Particles

An air pressure-assisted centrifugal dewatering method was developed and used for the dewatering of concentrated finesulfide particles, such as sphalerite, galena, and chalcopyrite. This filtration method was mainly designed to increase the filtration rate during the drainage cycle and, hence, produce drier filter cakes, which in turn could reduce the cost and emission problems/concerns of thermal dryers in the preparation plants. Several dewatering parameters, including applied pressure, centrifugal force (G-force), spin time, cake thickness, and surface hydrophobization, were tested to optimize the processing conditions. Test results showed that, at higher air pressure and centrifugal force, the cake moisture reduction was more than 70%, depending on the testing conditions. As a result, it can be-concluded that the novel filtration method effectively works on the dewatering of fine particles (–150 μm).
Projected Hartree-Fock Wave Functions

We have shown that the projected Hartee-Fock wave function can be considerably different from a projected Slater determinant that gives the maximum overlap with the exact shell-model wave function. We illustrate this by performing a calculation for 18O and 18F.
Microwave spectrum, structure and dipole moment of difluoropropadienone

Abstract The microwave spectra of the normal and two monosubstituted isotopomers of difluoropropadienone were observed and assigned in the 26.5–40.0 GHz frequency region. For the normal species, the rotational constants were determined to be A = 11 558.126±0.004, B =2023.911±0.001 and C =1720.649±0.001 MHz. Comparably precise results were obtained for the carbonyl 13 C and 18 O species. Stark effect measurements led to a total electric dipole moment of μ T =0.671±0.012 D with components of μ a =0.418±0.013 D and μ b =0.525±0.003 D. In contrast with the parent propadienone molecule, the difluoro species shows no evidence of large amplitude tunneling motions. However, the data show clearly that the molecule is strongly distorted from C 2v symmetry with a cumulenone chain that is bent similarly to that in propadienone.
Synthesis of 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octaethylphthalocyanine

Synthese a partir de diethyl-1,2 benzene via les derives dibromo-4,5 et dicyano-4,5 et via la diimine du diethyl-5,6 phtalimide. Spectre visible
Unitary Conductance Variation in Kir2.1 and in Cardiac Inward Rectifier Potassium Channels

Kir2.1 (IRK1) is the complementary DNA for a component of a cardiac inwardly rectifying potassium channel. When Kir2.1 is expressed in Xenopus oocytes or human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells (150 mM external KCl), the unitary conductances form a broad distribution, ranging from 2 to 33 pS. Channels with a similarly broad distribution of unitary conductance amplitudes are also observed in recordings from adult mouse cardiac myocytes under similar experimental conditions. In all three cell types channels with conductances smaller, and occasionally larger, than the ~30 pS ones are found in the same patches as the ~30 pS openings, or in patches by themselves. The unitary conductances in patches with a single active channel are stable for the durations of the recordings. Channels of all amplitudes share several biophysical characteristics, including inward rectification, voltage sensitivity of open probability, sensitivity of open probability to external divalent cations, shape of the open channel i-V relation, and Cs(+) block. The only biophysical difference found between large and small conductance channels is that the rate constant for Cs(+) block is reduced for the small-amplitude channels. The unblocking rate constant is similar for channels of different unitary conductances. Apparently there is significant channel-to-channel variation at a site in the outer pore or in the selectivity filter, leading to variability in the rate at which K(+) or Cs(+) enters the channel.
The initial crack development in teflon surfaces under energetic particle bombardment

Abstract The development of the initial surface topography on the surface of Teflon® (polytetrafluoroethylene) during low-keV heavy atom bombardment was studied. The growth of isolated microfissures into a dense crack-network and subsequent splitting of the material into individual filament-like structures has been observed. Similar topography development was observed due to local heating when a 17 keV. 150 μA electron beam was used on identical Teflon® samples. Applied mechanical stress on the surface layer of a Teflon® sample leads to a highly oriented crack-network with the preferred orientation being perpendicular to that of the applied stress.
role of intralesional vinblastine administration in treatment of intraoral Kaposi's sarcoma in AIDS

Abstract The purpose of this clinical study was to determine the effect of intralesional vinblastine administration on intraoral Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in AIDS patients. One hundred and forty-four KS lesions in 50 HIV-positive homosexual males (mean CD4 count 64/mm 3 ) were treated periodically with intralesional vinblastine injection (0.1 mg/cm 2 ) until lesion resolution or no further reduction in lesional area. The most common lesion sites were: palate 56% (hard palate 42%, soft palate 14%); gingiva 22% (maxillary 15%, mandibular 7%); and maxillary tuberosity 6%. The mean lesion area was 4.6 cm 2 (range = 0.1–35 cm 2 ). Complete resolution occurred in 74%. The mean reduction in lesional area was 93% for all lesions. Lesions with only a partial response (26%) to vinblastine had a mean reduction in the lesional area of 69%. The mean number of treatments was 2.4 (range = 1–6). The recurrence rate was 26% with a mean disease-free period of 12.9 weeks. Recurrence rates were highest for nodular (40%) and purple macular lesions with focal nodularity (36%). The most frequent complications were transient pain (72%), superficial mucosal ulceration (22%) and transient paresthesia (12%). Intralesional vinblastine administration produced complete resolution in a substantial number of intraoral KS lesions and represents a well-tolerated treatment regimen for localised control of intraoral KS lesions. Owing to a 25% recurrence rate, re-evaluation is necessary for treatment of recurrent and new Kaposi's sarcoma lesions.
Post-metamorphic growth of the arms in Ophiophragmus filograneus (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from Tampa Bay, Florida (USA)

Juveniles of the burrowing amphiurid Ophiophragmus filograneus from Tampa Bay, Florida (USA) exhibit a growth pattern unreported in the ophiuroid literature. Two nonadjacent arms grow at a greater rate than the other three arms. This phenomenon might be a developmental adaptation to avoid salinity and temperature fluctuations in surface waters of the shallow-water environment which O. filograneus inhabits. It is proposed that concentration of growth into 2 of the 5 arms permits earlier descent of the disc into the substratum with continued ability to feed on the surface with the arm tips. Larger specimens show a gradual equalization of arm lengths. Changes in growth rates and cropping of the longer arms by breakage and predation might account for such eventual equalization.