cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Instrumental Unification: Optical Apparatus in the Unification of Dispersion and Selective Absorption

Unification has long been regarded by many, both philosophers and scientists, as a highly respectable goal of scientific research. According to a widely received account, which was proposed first by William Whewell in the 19th century, unification can establish the truth. Whewell (1847, vol.2, p.285) believed that „when the explanation of two kinds of phenomena, distant, and not apparently connected, leads us to the same cause, such a coincidence does give a reality to the cause, . . . This coincidence of propositions inferred from separate classes of facts, is . . . one of the most decisive characteristics of a true theory . . . ‟. The assumption behind Whewell‟s admiration of unification is that a unifying theory possesses a higher degree of confirmation because of the increase in both explanatory and predictive power. Many contemporary philosophers of science, like Friedman and Glymour, also adopt this assumption and believe that unifying theories are more likely to be true (Friedman 1983, pp.241-245; Glymour 1980, pp.31-50). Following this line of reasoning, many philosophers of science define unification as a logical process that takes the form of explanation or prediction. Unification is achieved when a theory can explain two or more classes of known facts, when it can predict cases that are different from those the theory was designed to explain, or when it can predict unexpected facts. Some recent works in both history and philosophy of science raise doubts about the Whewellian assumption that equates unification to truth discovery. In her fine analysis of the unification achieved by Maxwell‟s electromagnetic theory,
Does value congruence between nurses and supervisors effect job satisfaction and turnover

Aim The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of congruency of leadership support and value of patient outcomes between nurses and nurse managers and nurses’ job satisfaction and turnover intent. Background Turnover most often has a negative effect on an organization. Leadership support and patient outcomes have been identified as important factors, but congruency has not been studied in great detail. Method(s) This quantitative non-experimental study included registered nurses (92) and nurse managers (21) in five non-magnet hospitals in the United States. Results Value congruence on leadership support was correlated with job satisfaction: Satisfaction in Nursing Scale (SINs) – Workload Barriers (r = 0.327, Administrative Support r = 0.544 and Collegiality = 0.920, P 0.05) was noted. Conclusion Value congruence of leadership support is related to job satisfaction and may be a factor in turnover intent. Implications for nursing management Nurse Administrators can use these results to develop policies to address the turnover especially in the area of leadership support.
Developmental expression of Toll-like receptors-2 and -4 in preterm baboon lung.

Summary Preterm babies are susceptible to respiratory infection due to immature lung and immune system. Immune cells express Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which may be important in local host defense of preterm infants. We studied the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in lung tissues of fetal baboons delivered at 125, 140, and 175 days of gestation (dGA; term=185±2 days) and preterm baboons that became naturally infected with bacterial/fungal pathogens. The TLR-mRNA and protein were quantified by Northern and Western blotting, respectively. The expression of both TLRs was significantly low at 125 and 140 dGA. At 175 dGA, the levels reached equivalent to those in adult baboons. However, in naturally infected baboons, the TLR4-mRNA was reduced ( p
Spectroscopic properties of excited states of ions in glass measured using laser-induced fluorescence line narrowing

Laser-induced fluorescence-line-narrowing techniques are extended to measure site-to-site variations in the spectroscopic properties of excited states of optically active ions in glass. The crystalline Stark splitting associated with the initia excited state, rather than the terminal fluorescence state, is observed. The process is illustrated for ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{3+}$ in a lithium-borate glass by exciting the $^{5}D_{1}$ state and observing $^{5}D_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{7}F_{J}$ fluorescence. The measured crystal-field splitting of $^{5}D_{1}$ is in good agreement with that predicted from the splitting of $^{7}F_{1}$. Conditions necessary for obtaining fluorescence line narrowing in excited states are discussed.
Hemodynamic effects of ketamine in children undergoing cardiac catheterization.

Ketamine is used to supplement sedation during cardiac catheterization. We studied ketamine-induced circulatory changes in 28 acyanotic children (18 of whom had left-to-right shunts), aged 4–161 months (mean, 33 months). Oxygen consumption (\(\dot VO_2\)) was measured continuously.
Prototyping an expert system for diagnosis of potato diseases

Abstract A prototype expert system (ES) was developed to investigate the potential of ES's for managing seed potato production. The prototype addressed one component of production management, emulation of human expertise in potato disease diagnosis based on various symptoms. The ES was developed with the shell (Software Artistry, Inc.) PC Expert Professional and is operable on PC-compatibles. Its 127 rules diagnose eleven pathogenic diseases and six nonpathogenic diseases, and it utilizes eight knowledge bases (KB's) accessed via an agenda in a Pascal environment. The knowledge acquisition process involved two knowledge engineers and five domain experts in potato disease diagnosis. Development required six iterations. Project activities consisted of knowledge acquisition interviews, building a demo ES to show to potato growers, upgrading the demo to a prototype, and intermittent reviews of the KB's by the experts. The KB's were constructed to permit easy review by the experts, rapid processing by the inference engine, and user friendliness. Experience with the prototype revealed excellent potential for ES application in managing the disease component of seed potato production. Factors viewed as evidence include commercial grower interest, standard knowledge representation, easy KB review, utility of prototype, relevance of team approach, and need. Frames are recommended for expansion of the prototype.
Alkali-Treated Forage for Early Lactation Dairy Cows: Effect on Lactation Performance and Nutrient Digestibility

Abstract Our objective was to determine the effect of sodium hydroxide treatment (4g NaOH/100g forage DM) of an alfalfa-orchardgrass forage and its subsequent utilization by early lactation dairy cows. Forage was harvested as hay. Complete mixed diets consisted of 55% control or treated hay and 45% concentrate (DM basis) and were fed to eight early lactation Holstein cows in a crossover design. Chemical composition of hays and complete diets were similar. Intake of dry matter was greater when cows were fed treated hay (23.4 vs. 22.2 kg/d), as was milk yield (32.3 vs. 30.9 kg/d). Yield of 4% FCM, however, did not differ between diets (27.8 vs. 27.4 kg/d). Cows fed the treated hay diet had increased concentrations of total rumen volatile fatty acids and ruminal acetate, decreased ruminal isobutyrate concentration and pH, and increased apparent digestibility of NDF, ADF, hemicellulose, and lignin. Sodium hydroxide treatment also increased the proportion of potentially digestible DM and NDF compared with that of untreated forage. Alkali treatment improved the utilization of medium quality forage in the early lactation dairy cow.
Providing Therapy to Children and Families in Foster Care: A Systemic‐Relational Approach

Foster care is a system created to protect children from an unsafe home environment yet multiple foster home placements, conflictual or nonexistent relationships between foster parents and birth parents, long, drawn out court battles, and living in an on-going state of not knowing when or if they will be going home are just some of the challenges many children in care are expected to manage. This paper presents a guide for therapists working with families involved in foster care. Utilizing ideas from the postmodern therapies and structural family therapy, suggestions will be provided about who needs to talk to whom about what, when to have these necessary conversations, and how to talk to people in a way that mobilizes adults to take action for the children, with the goal of minimizing postplacement trauma, strengthening and repairing relational bonds, and moving children out of foster care and into permanent homes as quickly as possible.
Providing the right environment

Motivation of employees is an important role of managerial staff. This article gives a survey of some of the factors which can affect motivation at work, particularly among engineers
Analysis of creep deformation under cyclic loading conditions

Abstract A mathematical model for creep deformation under cyclic loading is reformulated with the objective of achieving more quantitative comparison with experimental results. Introduction of a more general creep relation and inclusion of a cyclic hardening effect in the improved model lead to prediction of creep behavior in good agreement with experimental results. Experimental methods are indicated whereby materials constants appearing in the formulations can be independently determined and used in the prediction of cyclic creep behavior. The application of this improved model is demonstrated for the case of interstitial free iron at room temperature.
The Interaction of Wear and Dynamics of a Simple Mechanism

Analysis of a simple yoke mechanism provides closed form expressions which show that consideration of the interaction of wear induced shape changes and coupled dynamic loading can result in predictions of mechanism wear that exceed those resulting when evolution of the dynamic loading cycle is neglected
In vivo expression of the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) receptor in congenital pigmented nevi.

Growth of normal melanocytes, nevus cells and primary melanoma cells is enhanced by insulin/insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in vitro. It has been shown that a melanoma cell line possesses the IGF-I receptor which plays a role in activation of the chemotactic response. Little is known about the in vivo expression of the IGF-I receptor and its role in melanocytic lesions. In an immunohistochemical study, we investigated the expression of IGF-I receptor in frozen sections of congenital pigmented nevi from 10 patients (ages 8 months to 4 yrs) using the monoclonal antibody αIR 3 , which specifically recognizes the extracellular alpha subunit of the IGF-I receptor. The proliferative activity of the nevus cells was examined by staining with Ki67 monoclonal antibody (reactive with all actively cycling cells). IGF-I receptor was found to be widely expressed by the cell surface of the nevus cells. Membrane staining was occasionally stronger in the superficial portion of the congenital pigmented nevi. In contrast, Ki67-positive cells were only sparsely scattered throughout the nevi with some tendency to localization to the superficial portion. This study indicates that in vivo the IGF-I receptor is widely expressed by congenital pigmented nevus cells. As opposed to keratinocytes, in which IGF-I receptor expression defines the proliferation pool of the normal and disordered epidermis, the IGF-I receptor is expressed by all nevus cells, irrespective of their proliferative status. Further studies are needed to assess whether the IGF-I receptor expression can serve as a marker for increased risk for development of malignancy in various types of benign melanocytic lesions.
Free PKC catalytic subunits (PKM) phosphorylate tau via a pathway distinct from that utilized by intact PKC.

Protein kinase C (PKC) is reversibly activated at the plasma membrane by the generation of diacylglycerol (DAG) coupled with the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. PKC is also irreversibly activated by calpain-mediated PKC cleavage of the regulatory and catalytic subunits; resultant free PKC catalytic subunits are termed “PKM”. Unlike PKC, PKM is co-factor-independent, remains active following diffusion away from the membrane, and can theoretically phosphorylate targets inaccessible to, and inappropriate for, PKC. We examined the downstream consequences of PKC activation by the phorbol ester TPA and by ionophore A23187-mediated calcium influx (which experimentally correspond to DAG-mediated and calpain-mediated activation, respectively) on phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Both methods increased phospho-tau immunoreactivity, and neither was inhibited by lithium or olomoucin (inhibitors of tau kinases GSK-3β and cdk5, respectively). The TPA-mediated increase, and not the ionophore-mediated increase, was blocked by co-treatment with the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase inhibitor PD98059. These findings indicate that PKC phosphorylates tau via the MAP kinase pathway, but that PKM can bypass this requirement, therefore demonstrating that distinct intracellular pathways can be mediated by PKC and PKM. PKM generation may therefore trigger one or more additional pathways contributing to tau phosphorylation following inappropriate calcium influx.
Ontogeny of biogenic amines in respiratory nuclei of the rabbit brainstem.

Abstract The concentrations of the biogenic amines, norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin, were determined in 5 respiratory-related brainstem regions by use of a micropunch technique and a sensitive enzymatic isotopic assay. Samples were taken from rabbits at different ages (term fetuses, 3, 7, 14, 21 days and 2-year-old adults). All brain regions contained norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin in measurable amounts, but the distribution was not uniform. Norepinephrine and dopamine remained relatively low (
Radiation therapy and breast conservation: Cosmetic results and complications

Although the oncologic results of breast-conserving therapy are highly satisfactory, its possible superiority to mastectomy as a treatment option depends to a great extent on offering the patient an esthetic and functional result superior to that obtained by total mastectomy and breast reconstruction, while minimizing the risk of complications. It is the responsibility of the radiation oncologist to be aware of the cosmetic results and potential complications associated with current techniques and to take into account the factors known to contribute to an unfavorable outcome. Only the well-informed radiation oncologist is in a position to tailor the technique of radiotherapy and its coordination with other treatment modalities to match the oncologic risk faced by the individual patient.
Mutations in Drosophila Induced by a Carcinogen

NUMEROUS attempts have been made by several geneticists to induce mutations in Drosophila by treating either eggs, larvae, pupae or adults with various chemicals. The first unquestionably positive results were obtained by C. Auerbach and J. M. Robson, who induced genetic changes in the sperm of males by exposure to the vapours of various mustards. There is very little doubt that the method of treatment developed by Auerbach and Robson contributed significantly to their success. This method can be used with chemical substances that can be handled as vapours.
Psychogenic nonepileptic “seizures” or “attacks”? It's not just semantics: Attacks

Since the phrase "psychogenic nonepileptic seizures" has been the term of choice, it has become clear that the word "seizure" here creates confusion. Beyond theoretical arguments, the confusion it creates is detrimental to patients' and families' understanding of the diagnosis, which in turn has a negative impact on treatment.
Activation of the Na+, K(+)-ATPase in Narcine brasiliensis.

Abstract The in vivo activation and turnover rates of the sodium pump (Na+, K(+)-ATPase) were investigated in the electrocytes of the electric organ of the elasmobranch Narcine brasiliensis. The Narcine electric organ appears to be an excellent model for the study of sodium pump activation in an excitable tissue. The sodium transmembrane gradient and high-energy phosphagens were concurrently measured by 23Na and 31P NMR spectroscopy. The resting electric organ, which depends primarily on anaerobic metabolism, displays a high concentration of phosphocreatine (PCr). It has an intracellular sodium concentration ([Na+]i) of 20 +/- 10 milliequivalents/liter as estimated by NMR. Electrical stimulation of the nerves innervating the electric organ results in an increase in [Na+]i in the electrolyte and rapid depletion of PCr. Ouabain causes an 85% decrease in utilization of high-energy phosphagens, indicating that rapid PCr turnover in this tissue is mainly due to Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity. From these data we can determine that the rate of sodium pump turnover increases by greater than 3 orders of magnitude within several hundred milliseconds. In excised unstimulated electric organ slices, changes in [Na+]i equivalent to those occurring with stimulation, but induced by hyperosmolar conditions, do not result in increased PCr hydrolysis. We conclude that cholinergic stimulation of the electric organ causes a rapid and extremely large increase in sodium pump turnover, which is regulated predominantly by factors other than [Na+]i.
Approximating parabolic boundary control problems with delayed actuator dynamics

In this paper we consider a control problem for the convection diffusion equation and investigate the impact of including actuator dynamics with delays. The problem is motivated by applications to control of energy efficient buildings where actuation is provided by a HVAC system. The basic model is governed by a parabolic partial differential equation (PDE) with boundary inputs. The boundary inputs are assumed to be the output of an actuator governed by a delay differential equation. Thus, one augments the PDE with a delay equation model of an actuator with delays. The combined system is described by a coupled delay partial differential equation. We show that under suitable conditions, the coupled delay PDE system is well posed in a standard Hilbert space and we use this corresponding abstract formulation to construct numerical methods for control design. We apply these results to a simple 1D boundary control system to illustrate the ideas and numerical methods.
Three-State, Conformational Probe for Hydrophobic, π-Stacking Interactions in Aqueous and Mixed Aqueous Solvent Systems: Anisotropic Solvation of Aromatic Rings

The conformational equilibrium of α,α‘-m-xylylene-N,N‘-bis-2-phenylpyridinium (1a) is analyzed as a three-state system and is herein proposed as a minimalist conformational probe to assay the stabi...
Numerical simulation of the X-ray stress analysis technique in polycrystalline materials under elastic loading

In this article, the correlation between the local stress distributions and the average stresses obtained by X-ray measurement is studied through numerical modeling. The finite element method (FEM) is used to simulate the local stress distributions within a three-dimensional random aggregate of anisotropic and isotropic single crystals under uniaxial elastic tension. The local stresses are calculated for polycrystalline W, Al, or Cu slabs with the same geometry and crystallite distribution. The stress/strain values in the crystallites that satisfy the diffraction condition are then used to simulate the X-ray data that would be obtained if the diffraction peaks from such aggregates were actually measured. In particular, the 200, 222, and 420 reflections are analyzed. The correlations between the far-field stress, the local stresses, and the average stresses determined through X-ray analysis are presented.
Accelerated Reendothelialization, Increased Neovascularization and Erythrocyte Extravasation after Arterial Injury in BAMBI−/− Mice

Background Intimal injury rapidly activates TGFβ and enhances vascular repair by the growth of endothelial (EC) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). The response to the TGFβ family of growth factors can be modified by BAMBI (BMP, Activin, Membrane Bound Inhibitor) acting as a non-signaling, competitive antagonist of TGFβ type I receptors such as ALK 1 and 5. In vivo the effect of BAMBI will depend on its cell-specific expression and of that of the ALK type receptors. We recently reported EC restricted BAMBI expression and genetic elimination of BAMBI resulting in an in vitro and in vivo phenotype characterized by endothelial activation and proliferation involving alternative pathway activation by TGFβ through ALK 1. Methodology/Principal Findings To test the hypothesis that BAMBI modulates arterial response to injury via its effects on endothelial repair and arterial wall neovascularization we used a model of femoral arterial denudation injury in wild type (WT) and BAMBI−/− mice. Arterial response was evaluated at 2 and 4 weeks after luminal endothelial denudation of femoral arteries. The BAMBI−/− genotype mice showed accelerated luminal endothelial repair at 2 weeks and a highly unusual increase in arterial wall neovascularization compared to WT mice. The exuberant intimal and medial neovessel formation with BAMBI−/− genotype was also associated with significant red blood cell extravasation. The bleeding into the neointima at 2 weeks transiently increased it’s area in the BAMBI−/−genotype despite the faster luminal endothelial repair in this group. Vascular smooth muscle cells were decreased at 2 weeks in BAMBI−/− mice, but comparable to wild type at 4 weeks. Conclusions/Significance The absence of BAMBI results in a highly unusual surge in arterial wall neovascularization that surprisingly mimiks features of intra-plaque hemorrhage of advanced atheroma in a mechanical injury model. This suggests important effects of BAMBI on arterial EC homeostasis that need to be further studied in a model of inflammatory atherosclerosis.
The Science of brown dwarfs

This review summarizes the current status of both brown dwarf theory and the searches for these elusive substellar objects. The conceptual continuity between the brown dwarf and the well-studied M dwarf branches is emphasized throughout. The physics of their atmospheres and interiors is reviewed and an analytic model of both brown dwarf evolution and the lower edge of the hydrogen main sequence is presented. An extensive discussion of brown dwarf searches in the field, in binaries, around white dwarfs, in clusters, in the solar neighborhood, in the galactic halo, and using proper-motion catalogs is provided, as is a tentative list of candidates in the field. The theory near and below the edge of the main sequence, while sophisticated, is only now being successfully challenged by optical and infrared observations. The near future promises a productive explosion in our knowledge of this problematic galactic population.
Modeling Relations among Discrete Developmental Processes: A General Approach to Associative Latent Transition Analysis

To understand one developmental process, it is often helpful to investigate its relations with other developmental processes. Statistical methods that model development in multiple processes simultaneously over time include latent growth curve models with time-varying covariates, multivariate latent growth curve models, and dual trajectory models. These models are designed for growth represented by continuous, unidimensional trajectories. The purpose of this article is to present a flexible approach to modeling relations in development among two or more discrete, multidimensional latent variables based on the general framework of loglinear modeling with latent variables called associative latent transition analysis (ALTA). Focus is given to the substantive interpretation of different associative latent transition models, and exactly what hypotheses are expressed in each model. An empirical demonstration of ALTA is presented to examine the association between the development of alcohol use and sexual risk ...
The Combination of High Fruit and Vegetable and Low Saturated Fat Intakes Is More Protective against Mortality in Aging Men than Is Either Alone: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

Saturated fat (SF) intake contributes to the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality. Recently, the protective effects of fruit and vegetable (FV) intake on both CHD and all-cause mortality were documented. However, individuals consuming more FV may be displacing higher-fat foods. Therefore, we investigated the individual and combined effects of FV and SF consumption on total and CHD mortality among 501 initially healthy men in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). Over a mean 18 y of follow-up, 7-d diet records were taken at 1-7 visits. Cause of death was ascertained from death certificates, hospital records, and autopsy data. After adjustment for age, total energy intake, BMI, smoking, alcohol use, dietary supplements, and physical activity score, FV and SF intakes were individually associated with lower all-cause and CHD mortality (P or =5 servings of FV/d and 12% SF. Men consuming either low SF or high FV, but not both, did not have a significantly lower risk of total mortality; but did have 64-67% lower risk of CHD mortality (P < 0.05) relative to those doing neither. These results confirm the protective effects of low SF and high FV intake against CHD mortality. In addition, they extend these findings by demonstrating that the combination of both behaviors is more protective than either alone, suggesting that their beneficial effects are mediated by different mechanisms.
Modeling and Analysis of Multipulse Uncontrolled/Controlled AC-DC Converters

This paper deals with input current shaping of uncontrolled and controlled rectifiers using multipulse current shaping concept. The rectifier circuits investigated in this paper feed R-L loads. The developed mathematical model of multipulse converters emulates the behavior of various multipulse current shaping methods. The mathematical model is capable of replicating the operating behavior for converters with any number of rectifiers; 6-, 12-, 18-, 24-, 36-, and 48-pulse diode/thyristor converters. The comparative study given in this paper covers cases on uncontrolled and controlled rectifiers. As part of the simulated results on converter performance, data related to the Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), ripple in the output voltage, and power efficiency is provided.
Exploring the relationships between students' academic motivation and social ability in online learning environments

This research explicates the construct of social ability and describes the relationship between students' academic motivation and social ability in online learning environments. Findings reveal perceived peers social presence, perceived written communication skills, perceived instructor social presence, comfort with sharing personal information, and social navigation as the five factors that define social ability. In addition, the multivariate multiple regression analyses indicate that different motivational constructs vary in their relationships with the multiple social ability factors. Intrinsic goal orientation is related to perceived peers social presence. Self-efficacy explains the variance of perceived instructor social presence and comfort with sharing personal information. Task value is associated with social navigation and both perceived peers and instructor social presence. Additional studies are needed to replicate the current findings and further explicate social ability in online learning, to continue to improve the social ability instrument, and to examine the value of other academic motivation beliefs in predicting social ability as well as that of social ability in predicting learning outcomes.
Interservice Competition and the Political Roles of the Armed Services

“Conventional wisdom” (to purloin a phrase from Galbraith) holds that interservice competition necessarily undermines economy, efficiency, and effective central control in the military establishment. The remedy is further unification, possibly even the merger of the services into a single uniform. The conventional wisdom also holds that political action by military groups necessarily threatens civilian control. The remedy is to “keep the military out of politics.” The pattern of American military politics and interservice rivalry since World War II, however, suggests that the conventional wisdom may err in its analysis of their results and falter in its prescription of remedies. Service political controversy between the world wars had two distinguishing characteristics. First, on most issues, a military service, supported, perhaps, by a few satellite groups, struggled against civilian isolationists, pacifists, and economizers. The Navy and the shipbuilding industry fought a lonely battle with the dominant forces in both political parties over naval disarmament. The Army lost its fight for universal service after World War I, and throughout the Twenties clashed with educational, labor, and religious groups over ROTC and with other groups over industrial mobilization preparation. In the annual budget encounters the issue usually was clearly drawn between service supporters who stressed preparedness and their opponents who decried the necessity and the legitimacy of substantial military expenditures. To the extent that the services were in politics, they were involved in conflicts with civilian groups.
Host DNA Repair Proteins in Response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Lung Epithelial Cells and in Mice

Although DNA repair proteins in bacteria are critical for pathogens' genome stability and for subverting the host defense, the role of host DNA repair proteins in response to bacterial infection is poorly defined. Here, we demonstrate, for the first time, that infection with the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa significantly altered the expression and enzymatic activity of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) in lung epithelial cells. Downregulation of OGG1 by a small interfering RNA strategy resulted in severe DNA damage and cell death. In addition, acetylation of OGG1 is required for host responses to bacterial genotoxicity, as mutations of OGG1 acetylation sites increased Cockayne syndrome group B (CSB) protein expression. These results also indicate that CSB may be involved in DNA repair activity during infection. Furthermore, OGG1 knockout mice exhibited increased lung injury after infection with P. aeruginosa, as demonstrated by higher myeloperoxidase activity and lipid peroxidation. Together, our studies indicate that P. aeruginosa infection induces significant DNA damage in host cells and that DNA repair proteins play a critical role in the host response to P. aeruginosa infection, serving as promising targets for the treatment of this condition and perhaps more broadly Gram-negative bacterial infections.
Orthostatic Factors in Pulsus Alternans

Ventricular alternans was present in three cardiac patients only in the erect or semierect position and disappeared with recumbency. The phenomenon which was regularly reproduced in the standing posture was prevented or minimized by exercise, digitalis, infusions of blood and norepinephrine and by application of external vascular support. Ventricular alternation in the supine patient was noted only after phlebotomy, or venous pooling combined with Valsalva maneuvers. The observations suggest that in the mechanism of this type of pulsus alternans there is an important peripheral hemodynamic factor which exerts its effect by changes in diastolic length of an injured ventricular muscle.
A Designed Probe for Acidic Phospholipids Reveals the Unique Enriched Anionic Character of the Cytosolic Face of the Mammalian Plasma Membrane

It is generally accepted that the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane of mammalian cells is enriched in acidic phospholipids due to an asymmetric distribution of neutral and anionic phospholipids in the two bilayer leaflets. However, the phospholipid asymmetry across intracellular membranes is not known. Two models have been proposed for the selective targeting of K-Ras4B, which contains a C-terminal farnesyl cysteine methyl ester adjacent to a polybasic peptide segment, to the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane. One involves electrostatic interaction of the lipidated polybasic domain with anionic phospholipids in the plasma membrane, and the other involves binding of K-Ras4B to a specific protein receptor. To address this issue, we prepared by semi-synthesis a green fluorescent protein variant that is linked to a farnesylated, polybasic peptide corresponding to the K-Ras4B C terminus as well as a variant that contains an all-D amino acid version of the K-Ras4B peptide. As expected based on electrostatics, both constructs showed preferential in vitro binding to anionic phospholipid vesicles versus those composed only of zwitterionic phospholipid. Both constructs fully targeted to the plasma membrane when microinjected into live Chinese hamster ovary and Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Because the all-D amino acid peptide should be devoid of binding affinity to a putative highly specific K-Ras membrane receptor, these results support an electrostatic basis for the targeting of K-Ras4B to the plasma membrane, and they support an intracellular landscape of phospholipids in which the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane is the most enriched in acidic phospholipids.
Inbreeding Depression Varies with Investment in Sex in a Facultative Parthenogen

The reproductive mode of facultative parthenogens allows recessive mutations that accumulate during the asexual phase to be unmasked following sexual reproduction. Longer periods of asexual reproduction should increase the accumulation of deleterious mutations within individuals, reduce population-level genetic diversity via competition and increase the probability of mating among close relatives. Having documented that the investment in sexual reproduction differs among populations and clones of Daphnia pulicaria, we ask if this variation is predictive of the level of inbreeding depression across populations. In four lake populations that vary in sex investment, we raised multiple families (mother, field-produced daughter, laboratory-produced daughter) on high food and estimated the fitness reduction in both sexually produced offspring relative to the maternal genotype. Inbred individuals had lower fitness than their field-produced siblings. The magnitude of fitness reduction in inbred offspring increased as population-level investment in sex decreased. However, there was less of a fitness reduction following sex in the field-produced daughters, suggesting that many field-collected mothers were involved in outcross mating.
Nutri One-on-One: The Assessment and Evaluation of a Brief One-on-One Nutritional Coaching in Patients Affected by Metabolic Syndrome

Nutri One-on-One was a program with the aim to positively modify medical clinic patients’ nutritional habits and lifestyles through a brief one-on-one health coaching session. Each session was conducted by utilizing motivational interviewing techniques to allow for tailored nutrition education and goal setting. These sessions were followed by a phone call to participants at 1 month following the session. The outcomes assessed were participant perception of achieving personal nutrition and lifestyle goals, retention of knowledge, and participants’ satisfaction with the program. Physicians working in the clinic were assessed for satisfaction with the program. Most of the physicians were generally satisfied with the program and found it to be an asset to their practice. Participants perceived that they achieved their goals, were pleased with the program, and retained knowledge.
Isoprostanes: Free Radical–Generated Prostaglandins With Constrictor Effects on Cerebral Arterioles

Background and Purpose Isoprostanes are generated by cyclooxygenase-independent free radical attack of arachidonic acid and are potent constrictors of the peripheral vasculature. Traumatic brain injury stimulates oxygen radical production and is associated with cerebral blood flow reduction. However, no specific vasoconstrictor has been identified as the cause of posttraumatic blood flow reduction. The purpose of this study was to determine whether isoprostanes constrict cerebral arterioles. Methods The effects of 10−9 to 10−5 mol/L 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α), 8-iso-prostaglandin E2 (8-iso-PGE2), and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) on pial arteriolar diameter were measured in anesthetized rats using a closed cranial window and in vivo microscopy. Results All prostanoids produced vasoconstriction. Of these, 8-iso-PGF2α produced the greatest vasoconstriction (34%±2), followed by 8-iso-PGE2 (25%±4) and PGF2α (20%±2). After six cerebrospinal fluid washouts of the cranial window, both 8-iso-PGF2α– and 8-iso-PGE2–treated vessels remained slightly constricted, whereas the PGF2α-treated vessels returned to control diameter. Coapplication of the semiselective thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 receptor antagonist SQ29548 completely blocked the vasoconstriction induced by 8-iso-PGF2α and 8-iso-PGE2. Conclusions Isoprostanes are potent constrictors of cerebral arterioles and appear to act at a receptor that is similar to the thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 receptor. Isoprostanes may play a role in the reduction of cerebral blood flow that occurs after brain injury and subsequent oxygen radical production.
China's New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme and Underutilization of Medical Care Among Adults Over 45: Evidence From CHARLS Pilot Data

Purpose With its population rapidly aging, China needs prompt action to facilitate the middle-aged and senior citizens' utilization of health care. The New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS), a health care reform initiative started in 2003, is currently China's primary insurance program for the rural population. Methods With a 2-province pilot sample (Gansu, the poorest province, and Zhejiang, one of the richest) of people over age 45 from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this paper used logistic regressions to examine the association between the coverage of New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme and the underutilization of medical care. Findings Among those who had a need to visit a health care provider during the previous month, people covered by NCMS were more likely to underutilize outpatient care than the uninsured (Odds Ratio = 5.610, 2.035-15.466). As for those who had a need to be hospitalized in the past year, the association between NCMS coverage and the underutilization of inpatient care was not statistically significant (Odds Ratio = 1.907, 0.335-10.862). Low total household expenditure per capita, living in the inland province of Gansu, and being an urban resident were also associated with underutilizing outpatient care. Conclusion Further research is needed to understand the negative association between NCMS coverage and outpatient care utilization.
Changing expectations of care among older Tibetans living in India and Switzerland

Using interview data from 30 Tibetan elders living in India and Switzerland, the paper explores the support they received, their perception of intergenerational relationships, and their acceptance of different levels of intergenerational exchange. All of the sample had aged in either India or Switzerland and so provide excellent comparison groups, from respectively a developing and a developed country, by which to study changing filial piety with time, context and socio-economic conditions. With limited resources in old age, most of the participants in India needed financial support. Among them, parents with many children and children in developed countries received better financial support and collective care than those with one child or all children living in India. In contrast, the participants in Switzerland were entitled to state old-age benefits, and so required mainly affirmation and emotional support. A consequence of living in a developed nation was dissatisfaction when the children adopted western values and the family's cultural continuity was threatened. The findings support two recommendations: in developing countries, the provision of old-age benefits to ensure a minimum level of financial security and independence among older adults; and in developed countries, the promotion of a mutual understanding of filial piety among different generations of older refugees and immigrants to help ameliorate intergenerational differences.
Role of EBNA-1 in Arresting Replication Forks at the Epstein-Barr Virus oriP Family of Tandem Repeats

Abstract The 20-member family of 30-bp tandem repeats located within the oriP region of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can act as a transcriptional enhancer in the presence of EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1). A replication fork barrier and a termination site of plasmid replication in human B cells is also found within or near the EBV tandem repeats. Within each tandem repeat is a consensus binding sequence for the EBNA-1 protein that is required for extrachromosomal maintenance of oriP-containing plasmids. To investigate the factors that contribute to the arrest of replication forks and termination in the region of the family of repeats, we have used an in vitro replication system in which replication of EBV recombinant plasmids is initiated from the simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA replication origin in the presence of SV40 T antigen and soluble extracts prepared from human cells. The system can support bidirectional replication, initiating from the SV40 DNA origin with termination occurring in a region opposite the origin. Using two-dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis, we observed a barrier to replication forks in the presence of EBNA-1 in the region of the EBV repeats. Termination occurs at or near the tandem repeats in a manner similar to that observed in vivo (T.A. Gahn and C.L. Schildkraut, Cell 58:527-535, 1989). Reducing the number of repeats from 20 to 6 had little effect on the strength of the replication fork barrier. In the absence of EBNA-1, replication forks also arrested at the EBV repeats, but at a much lower efficiency. The addition of competitor DNA containing the EBV family of repeats can almost completely abolish the replication barrier produced in the presence of EBNA-1.
Converter systems for hybrid electric vehicles

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have achieved a great success in the last few years. Power converter is one of the key technologies in HEVs. This paper discusses the technologies of converter systems in the hybrid electric vehicles. With all these technologies, lower cost, higher fuel efficiency, and higher reliability are achievable.
Psychological Interventions in Forensic Settings

In previous chapters, we have discussed the various mental health issues that can arise after a defendant is charged with a criminal offense (e.g., is he or she competent to proceed to trial, was he or she lacking criminal responsibility due to a mental disease or defect). In this chapter we will discuss some of the ways the criminal justice system intervenes in these prisoners’ lives. The above vignette about Tom unfortunately is a common response by prison staff, many of whom do not appreciate the desperation of a mentally ill inmate. Some question the ability of prison officials to ever adequately understand or provide for the needs of the mentally ill, stating that the goals of the prison system are to punish the offender and protect society rather than rehabilitate and reform. Yet, look at the statistics of who ends up in prison; certainly those from the underbelly of society, lending support to the classical thinkers who believe that crime is based on ‘weak’ genes or other failures of strong will to avoid temptation as juxtaposed to the reformers who want to treat them more kindly given their backgrounds filled with abuse and despair. Prisons have the largest population of adult illiterates suggesting that both education and psychological treatment might reduce recidivism and produce better citizens when offenders return to society.
Advances in Amplification Technology for the Agile Optical Network

The evolution of optical amplifier technology and functionality are described, as designs have merged with novel network functionality and requirements of the Agile optical network.
A new multistack radiation boundary condition for FDTD based on self-teleportation of fields

In [Electromagnetics 23 (2003) 187], a technique for injecting perfect plane waves into finite regions of space in FDTD was reported. The essence of the technique, called Field Teleportation, is to invoke the principle of equivalent sources using FDTDs discrete definition of the curl to copy any field propagating in one FDTD domain to a finite region of another domain. In this paper, we apply this technique of Field Teleportation to the original domain itself to create a transparent boundary across which any outward traveling FDTD field produces an exact negative copy of itself. When this copied field is teleported one cell ahead and one cell forward in time it causes significant self-cancelation of the original field. Illustrative experiments in two-dimensions show that a two-layer (10-cell thick) multi-stack Radiation Boundary Condition (RBC) with a simplest Huygens's termination readily yields reflection coefficients of the order of -80 dB up to grazing incidence for all the fields radiated by a harmonic point source (@l=30 cells) in free space located 20 cells away from the boundary. Similarly low levels of artificial reflection are demonstrated for a case in which the RBC cuts through five different magnetodielectric materials.
Automatization in second language sentence processing: A partial, conceptual replication of Hulstijn, Van Gelderen, and Schoonen's 2009 study

This study investigates the automatization of sentence processing using the coefficient of variation (CV), a measure of intraindividual processing stability (Segalowitz & Segalowitz, 1993). A smaller CV (i.e., standard deviation to reaction time [RT] ratio) and a positive CV-RT correlation are taken to index increased automatization. Hulstijn, Van Gelderen, and Schoonen (2009) were the first to try to validate the use of CV at the sentence level; however, they did not find any evidence for automatization in their CV analyses. Forty Korean English as a second language students (20 intermediate, 20 advanced) and 20 native speakers performed three speeded tasks in English: a semantic classification task, a sentence verification task, and a sentence construction task. The results revealed that, consistent with findings from previous word recognition studies, the CV in the sentence-level tasks decreased as participants’ proficiency level increased. Although the CV-RT correlation in the sentence verification task was not always significant, no counterevidence against Segalowitz and Segalowitz’ (1993) hypothesis was found. The sentence construction task discriminated better between groups than the sentence verification task. We argue that the CV may be a valid measure of automatization at the sentence level, provided the tasks used target lower-level processes such as word recognition, parsing, and semantic proposition formation.