cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Real-time Monitoring of Ligand-receptor Interactions with Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer

FRET is a process whereby energy is non-radiatively transferred from an excited donor molecule to a ground-state acceptor molecule through long-range dipole-dipole interactions1. In the present sensing assay, we utilize an interesting property of PDA: blue-shift in the UV-Vis electronic absorption spectrum of PDA (Figure 1) after an analyte interacts with receptors attached to PDA2,3,4,7. This shift in the PDA absorption spectrum provides changes in the spectral overlap (J) between PDA (acceptor) and rhodamine (donor) that leads to changes in the FRET efficiency. Thus, the interactions between analyte (ligand) and receptors are detected through FRET between donor fluorophores and PDA. In particular, we show the sensing of a model protein molecule streptavidin. We also demonstrate the covalent-binding of bovine serum albumin (BSA) to the liposome surface with FRET mechanism. These interactions between the bilayer liposomes and protein molecules can be sensed in real-time. The proposed method is a general method for sensing small chemical and large biochemical molecules. Since fluorescence is intrinsically more sensitive than colorimetry, the detection limit of the assay can be in sub-nanomolar range or lower8. Further, PDA can act as a universal acceptor in FRET, which means that multiple sensors can be developed with PDA (acceptor) functionalized with donors and different receptors attached on the surface of PDA liposomes.
The meteorology of Jupiter

The visible features of the giant planet reflect the circulation of its atmosphere. A model reproducing those features should apply to other planetary atmospheres, including the earth's.
Opioid receptors and signaling on cells from the immune system.

This review discusses the criteria for determining whether a binding site or functional response is directly mediated by either the mu, delta, or kappa opioid receptors. In 1988, Sibinga and Goldstein published the first review that addressed whether cells from the immune system express opioid receptors. The criteria that they used, namely, structure–activity relationships, stereoselectivity, dose- and concentration-dependence, and saturability are still relevant criteria today for determining if an immunological response is mediated by either the mu, delta or kappa opioid receptors. Radioligand receptor binding studies and functional studies that clearly show the presence of an opioid receptor on immunocytes are presented. Selective agonists and antagonists for the mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors are discussed, and the need for their use in experiments is emphasized. Conditions used in functional assays are very important. Receptor desensitization and downregulation occur within minutes after the application of an agonist. However, many immunological assays are applying an agonist for days before measuring an immunological effect. The results obtained may reflect changes that are results of receptor desensitization and/or downregulation instead of changes that are observed with acute activation of the receptor. The future of receptor pharmacology lies in the crosstalk and dimerization of G protein-coupled receptors. In transfected systems, opioid receptors have been shown to dimerize with chemokine and cannabinoid receptors, resulting in crosstalk between different types of receptors.
Measurements show the need for a rapid response to space weather disturbances

“Storms” in space may significantly damage power grids and other sensitive technological systems.The onset of storm effects is related to the spread of disturbances in the near-Earth space environment. Studies are showing that disturbances spread more rapidly than previously thought. Knowing just how rapidly will help determine how fast steps must be taken to protect such systems when a storm appears imminent. The source of energy for space weather disturbances is the continuous stream of plasma directed outward from the Sun called the solar wind.The magnetosphere is the region of space that is shielded from the solar wind by the Earth's magnetic field.The portion of the magnetosphere lying at altitudes of 100–600 km is the ionosphere. Space weather effects are more readily observed there by groundbased instruments than in the outer reaches of the magnetosphere. An important manifestation of the coupling between the solar wind and magnetosphere is the circulation, or convection, of ionospheric plasma at high latitudes.
A Novel Approach for Modeling Chemical Reaction in Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program

The Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) is a computer code developed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center for analyzing steady state and transient flow rates, pressures, temperatures, and concentrations in a complex flow network. The code, which performs system level simulation, can handle compressible and incompressible flows as well as phase change and mixture thermodynamics. Thermodynamic and thermophysical property programs, GASP, WASP and GASPAK provide the necessary data for fluids such as helium, methane, neon, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, fluorine, hydrogen, water, a hydrogen, isobutane, butane, deuterium, ethane, ethylene, hydrogen sulfide, krypton, propane, xenon, several refrigerants, nitrogen trifluoride and ammonia. The program which was developed out of need for an easy to use system level simulation tool for complex flow networks, has been used for the following purposes to name a few: Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump Secondary Flow Circuits, Axial Thrust Balance of the Fastrac Engine Turbopump, Pressurized Propellant Feed System for the Propulsion Test Article at Stennis Space Center, X-34 Main Propulsion System, X-33 Reaction Control System and Thermal Protection System, and International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System design. There has been an increasing demand for implementing a combustion simulation capability into GFSSP in order to increase its system level simulation capability of a liquid rocket propulsion system starting from the propellant tanks up to the thruster nozzle for spacecraft as well as launch vehicles. The present work was undertaken for addressing this need. The chemical equilibrium equations derived from the second law of thermodynamics and the energy conservation equation derived from the first law of thermodynamics are solved simultaneously by a Newton-Raphson method. The numerical scheme was implemented as a User Subroutine in GFSSP.
High Dietary Intake of Vitamin E Causes Lowered Total Plasma Oxidation In Hypercholesterolemic Rats

Abstract Oxidative stress appears to play a key role in the development of atherosclerosis. Patients with cardio-vascular diseases have increased plasma lipid peroxides. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) in plasma must undergo oxidative modification before giving rise to foam cells, one of the earliest stages in the development of atherosclerosis. Epidemiological evidence suggests that high dietary intake of vitamin E may protect plasma from oxidation, thereby reducing the risk for heart disease. To test this hypothesis, five groups of hypercholesterolemic rats were fed diets containing various amounts of vitamin E, ranging from zero milligrams (deficient diet) to 2400 milligrams (high level supplementation). Total plasma oxidation was determined by measuring the formation of malondialdehyde (a lipid peroxidation product) at baseline and after inducing iron-catalyzed lipid peroxidation. The results are summarized below:Vitamin EMalondialdehyde formation(mg/kg diet)(nmol/ml plasma)BaselineOxidationGroup I603.6365.395Group II06.67323.197Group III3008.25222.358Group IV6007.53215.864Group V24008.39213.896(Group I - no cholesterol control diet) KEY FINDINGS: Upon iron-induced oxidation, MDA formation from baseline values was highest in the animals that were vitamin E deficient (group II). The formation of MDA decreased steadily from baseline values as vitamin E levels went higher. Decreased MDA formation in group I could be due to the low cholesterol substrate levels available for oxidation. It appears that high levels of vitamin E supplementation may exert a protective effect by decreasing lipid peroxidation, thereby reducing the oxidative stress.
Quantum efficiency of a back-illuminated CCD imager: an optical approach

We have developed an optical approach for modeling the quantum efficiency (QE) of back-illuminated CCD optical imagers for astronomy. Beyond its simplicity, it has the advantage of providing a complete fringing description for a real system. Standard thin-film calculations are extended by (a) considering the CCD itself as a thin film, and (b) treating the refractive index as complex. The QE is approximated as the fraction of the light neither transmitted nor reflected, which basically says that all absorbed photons produce e-h pairs and each photoproduced e or h is collected. Near-surface effects relevant to blue response must still be treated by standard semiconductor modeling methods. A simple analytic expression describes the QE of a CCD without antireflective (AR) coatings. With AR coatings the system is more easily described by transfer matrix methods. A two-layer AR coating is tuned to give a reasonable description of standard thinned CCDs, while the measured QE of prototype LBNL totally depleted thick CCDs is well described with no adjustable parameters. Application to the new LBNL CCDs indicates that these device swill have QE > 70 percent at (lambda) equals 1000 nm and negligible fringing in optical system faster than approximately f4.0.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Risk factors for neonatal mortality among extremely-low-birth-weight infants.

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine characteristics associated with neonatal mortality among extremely low-birth-weight infants (≤1000 g). Study design A population-based, case-control study using linked Missouri birth and death certificates from 1989 to 1997 was conducted. Cases (n = 835) were defined as extremely low-birth-weight infants that died within 28 days of birth. Controls (n = 907) were randomly selected from extremely low-birth-weight infants that were alive at 1 year and were frequency matched to subjects by birth year and birth weight. Results Infants born with severe congenital anomalies and at the youngest gestational ages were at greatest risk for neonatal mortality. Other significant risk factors included maternal age ( 34 years), vaginal delivery, nontertiary hospital care, malpresentation, male gender, and small for gestational age. Black race and preeclampsia were protective against early death. Conclusions The risk of neonatal mortality among extremely low-birth-weight infants was associated with several maternal, infant, and obstetric factors, some of which may be preventable.
Effects of lithium doping on the formation and microstructure of bulk BiSrCaCuO

The effects of Li doping on Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O x pellets has been studied by considering Li substitution for Sr and Cu and Li additions to stoichiometric Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O x . As the Li substitution reduces the melting temperature by as much as 160°C, melting studies were performed to determine the sintering conditions for melt-quenching. While a variety of stoichiometries all exhibited S N transitions above 80 K, the transition of Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca(Cu 0.55 Li 0.45 ) 2 O x was significantly narrower than other cation combinations. However, Li did not increase T c relative to Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O x [1–4]. Microstructural analysis by SEM and SIMS indicated that the Bi, Sr, Ca and Cu are all distributed uniformly throughout the pellet, while the Li distribution is quite inhomogeneous. Furthermore, SIMS depth profiling into the Ag/BSCCOLi interface showed that although the Bi:Sr:Ca:Cu ratio remains relatively constant, the Bi:Li ratio increases by over 100%, indicating that the Li penetrates the Ag interface to a greater extent than the other cations and that Li doping may effect the behaviour at the BSCCO/Ag interface.
717 THE EFFECT OF SELENIUH (Se) ON THE GROWTH OF SUCKLING RAT PUPS

The optimal dose for health and the toxic dose of Se are not widely separated. Very little information is available about the toxic effects of Se during perinatal period, particularly on growth. We studied 13 group (A) and 15 group (B) suckling rat pups by providing sodium selenite in the drinking water of their corresponding mothers, dam A and dam B, at the concentration of 0 and 3 ppm Se, respectively. After the first 3 weeks of exposure, 6 of the dam B pups were adopted by dam A who had no Se in drinking water (C). Experiment was carried out during the first 6 veeks post partum. Percent change in wt from the baseline values (Ao and Bo) follows: Se concentrations were higher in every tissue of B compared to A. Two of the B pups died although their dams were not intoxicated. Se obtained through breast milk may have a toxic influence on suckling rat pups including a retarding effect on growth despite the absence of an effect on the corresponding dam which nay be indicative of a relative increase of susceptibility. The effect on growth seems to be partially reversible.
Pattern and error in landscape ecology: A commentary

Familiarity with landscape ecology and the concepts it represents is no longer restricted to a small group of scientists. Rather, landscape ecology is entering the mainstream of academic and political awareness. The term "landscape management" is now commonly used in conservation and government circles, often in conjunction with politically and emotionally charged topics such as biodiversity, conservation, global change, and sustainable development. At the same time, increased availability of remotely sensed data and geographic information systems (GIS) has brought landscape-scale concepts to life in a multitude of thematic maps. Various government and private organizations are spending large sums of money acquiring and classifying remotely-sensed data to produce land use, land cover, and other thematic GIS databases. Analyses of these data will be used to make landscape management decisions that will affect all of us, as well as many other organisms. While remote sensing and GIS have the potential to further our understanding of broad-scale landscapes, they have limitations that must be considered. In this commentary, I raise the issue of classification error in thematic GIS representations of remotely-sensed data. Landscape ecologists have been using such data to calculate measures of broadscale landscape pattern, but have devoted no effort to quantifying the uncertainty in these measures. Yet without statistical confidence in the measures
Gut motility, sphincters and reflex control

Abstract Gastrointestinal movements and secretions are controlled by the enteric nervous system. The two types of movement in the gastrointestinal tract are propulsive or peristaltic and mixing movements or local constrictive movements. Food is chewed to break it down into smaller pieces. These are swallowed and passed down to the stomach, which has three main motor functions (storage, mixing and emptying). In the small intestine, contractions mix chyme with small intestinal secretions and help to propel it distally. Peristalsis spreads chyme throughout the absorptive surface of the small intestine and propels it towards the ileocaecal valve. The ileocaecal valve slows the flow from the ileum to the caecum and prevents backflow. Movements in the proximal colon are slow, which promotes the reabsorption of fluid and electrolytes. In the distal colon, peristaltic waves move the faeces towards the rectum. Several hormones influence gastrointestinal motility and secretions. The two main families of hormones are gastrin and and secretin. The functions of gastrin, cholecystokinin and secretin are summarized in a table.
Purification and physical characterization of colicin 0 111

Abstract A colicin isolated from a strain of Escherichia coli 0 111:B4:H2 has been purified by a combination of molecular sieve chromatography on Sephadex G-200 and ion-exchange chromatography on CM-Sephadex C50. The protein is homogeneous by the criteria of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 4.5, 8.5, and 10.0, by dodecyl sulfate acrylamide gel electrophoresis, and by isoelectric focusing. The colicin has a molecular weight of 69,000, a sedimentation coefficient of 4.2 S, and a frictional ratio of 1.49. Isoelectric focusing indicated a p I of 9.50.
The roles of chloride ions in the direct formation of H2O2 from H2 and O2 over a Pd/SiO2 catalyst in a H2SO4/ethanol system

Hydrogen peroxide was produced directly from H 2 and 02 over a Pd/SiO2 catalyst in a slurry of ethanol that had been acidified with H 2 SO 4 . All reactions were carried out at atmospheric pressure and at 10 °C. The effects of chloride ions on the reactions involving the formation of H 2 O 2 , as well as the formation of water via the combustion of H 2 and the reduction or decomposition of H 2 O 2 , were investigated by adding small amounts of HCl to the system. In the absence of chloride ions, the net rate of H202 formation was very small, because the combustion reaction was dominant. At a Cl- concentration of 4 ×10 -4 M, the formation of H 2 O 2 proceeded at a reasonable rate, with a selectivity of ca. 45% based on H2 conversion. During the early stages of the reaction, hydrogen was consumed both in the formation of H 2 O 2 and in the combustion reaction, but as more peroxide was formed, the reduction of H 2 O 2 became a significant reaction. The positive effect of Cl - on the surface Pd appears to result from the inhibition of 0-0 bond breaking in both dioxygen and hydrogen peroxide. The former effect limits the combustion reaction, and the latter limits the decomposition and reduction reactions. Chloride ions also inhibit the dissolution of palladium in H 2 SO 4 ; in the presence of small amounts of CF - , the loss of Pd was generally <20% of the total amount in the catalyst.
Design of a 460 GHz Continuous-Wave Gyrotron Operating at TE 11,2 Mode

Dynamic nuclear polarization enhanced nuclear magnetic resonance (DNP/NMR) requires a high power continuous-wave (CW) electromagnetic wave source in the submillimeter wavelength range to obtain significant enhancements in spin spectra from biological samples. Having the ability to generate very high power at submillimeter wavelengths, gyrotrons are well suited for use in DNP/NMR spectrometers1. A 460 GHz CW gyrotron for DNP enhanced 700 MHz NMR spectroscopy has been developed", and day-long stable operation has been demonstrated1 at MIT. In this presentation, an upgraded design of the 460 GHz gyrotron will be discussed. To produce higher and more stable output with the present 12 kV electron gun, TE11.2 mode is selected. This design is capable of lowering the starting oscillation current to 26 mA with the 30 mm long cavity. From simulations using a nonlinear gyrotron code, MAGY, above 60 watts of output power is predicted with the beam current of 100 mA. A Vlasov-tvpe launcher with a helical cut is designed for the coupling of the whispering-gallery mode. High power radiation with good spectral and spatial characteristics from this tube should provide NMR spectrometers with high signal enhancement. Besides experimental progress to implement the DNP/NMR spectrometer, other possible applications to utilize this powerful CW submillimeter-wave source, will also be discussed.
Tumor necrosis factor as a mediator of inflammation in influenza A viral pneumonia

The role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) in the pathogenesis of influenza A viral pneumonia was examined. CD-1 male mice were challenged intranasally with influenza A virus A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) and administered rabbit anti-mouse TNF alpha-specific-neutralizing antibodies intraperitoneally. The effect of treatment on virus titer, TNF alpha levels, morbidity, mortality, and on pathologic lung lesions were compared with sham-treated controls. The severity of gross and histologic lung lesions positively correlated with the peak bronchoalveolar TNF alpha levels and was ameliorated with anti-TNF alpha treatment. Survivorship was prolonged in mice given a lethal dose of virus by treatment with TNF-alpha neutralizing antibodies. Reduction of TNF alpha levels by treatment with TNF alpha-antibodies did not affect virus titers in the lung. These results suggest that TNF alpha is a mediator of pulmonary inflammation during influenza A viral pneumonia, but may not play a significant anti-viral role in influenza pneumonia.
Origins of tensile stress-induced circumferential cracking of waterwall tubes in boilers

AbstractThe leakage and rupture of boiler tubes in power plants is a serious problem that can lead to unscheduled and costly outages. The predominant failure location of current concern is circumferential cracking on the fireside of waterwall tubes in the furnace waterwall section of a boiler. Although there is basic agreement that cracking results from a combination of thermal fatigue and corrosion, a complete explanation of the basic phenomena needed to establish the root causes of this problem is lacking. The purpose of the present study was to analyse the sources of the tensile stress responsible for initiating circumferential cracking and to identify the key parameters controlling this tensile stress. The results of analytical modelling suggested that a combination of increasing tube wall temperature with increasing thickness of internal oxide layers, and temperature spiking due to deslagging events eventually may result in tensile stresses sufficient to crack the fireside oxide and initiate the deve...
Statistical model for the redistribution of resonantly scattered light

We outline a statistical model for the cross section characterizing the integrated intensity of the redistributed radiation resonantly scattered from a localized scattering center coupled to a thermal bath. The theory exploits a formal analogy between the resonant scattering of light and nuclear scattering in the compound-nucleus regime. Using statistical models developed for the nuclear problem, we express the cross sections describing the quasielastic scattering and the redistributed Raman scattering in terms of parameters which can be extracted from measurements of the coherent-scattering cross sections.
TH-A-116-01: A Statistical Approach to Quantification and Visualization of Setup and Range Uncertainties for Proton Plan Verification

Purpose: Proton therapy is more sensitive to both setup and beam range uncertainties than the conventional photon therapy due to the finite range of protons. For the purpose of evaluation of plan robustness in the face of such uncertainties, we developed a method to quantify and visualize the uncertainties in proton plans using comprehensive statistical analysis. The application of the proposed method is shown for selected patients in various clinical sites. Methods: Clinically approved 20 lung, 10 prostate, and a brain cases were retrospectively analyzed. For a selected volume of interest, probability density function (PDF) describing variation in point dose value for every tissue element under setup and range uncertainties was computed based on over 600 dose calculations per plan. The expected dose‐volume histogram (E‐DVH) was calculated by weighting the probability of each tissue element receiving a specified dose level. Similarly, standard deviation of the E‐DVH was calculated (SD‐DVH). Furthermore for each volume element, their probability of receiving greater dose than the dose constraint was visualized as color‐wash, mapped onto the patients CT images for spatial visualization and assessment. Results: The E‐DVH value of target coverage under the uncertainties was consistently lower than that of the nominal value, with a mean difference of−1.1% (−0.9% for breath‐hold), −0.3%, and −2.2% for lung, prostate, and a brain cases respectively. The organs that were most sensitive to the uncertainties were esophagus and spinal cord for lung, rectum for prostate, and brain stem for brain cancer. Conclusion: A clinically feasibly plan robustness analysis tool based on statistical simulation has been developed for proton therapy plans. The passively scattered beam lung plans and scanning beam prostate plans appears to be robust in terms of target coverage. However, structures that are small in volume or located near the target area showed greater sensitivity to uncertainties. This project is supported by grant P01CA021239 from the National Cancer Institute.
Activation of the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products Triggers a p21 ras -dependent Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Pathway Regulated by Oxidant Stress

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) exert their cellular effects on cells by interacting with specific cellular receptors, the best characterized of which is the receptor for AGE (RAGE). The transductional processes by which RAGE ligation transmits signals to the nuclei of cells is unknown and was investigated. AGE-albumin, a prototypic ligand, activated p21 ras in rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells that express RAGE, whereas nonglycated albumin was without effect. MAP kinase activity was enhanced at concentrations of AGE-albumin, which activated p21 ras and NF-κB. Depletion of intracellular glutathione rendered cells more sensitive to AGE-mediated activation of this signaling pathway. In contrast, signaling was blocked by preventing p21 ras from associating with the plasma membrane or mutating Cys118 on p21 ras to Ser. Signaling was receptor-dependent, because it was prevented by blocking access to RAGE with either anti-RAGE IgG or by excess soluble RAGE. These data suggest that RAGE-mediated induction of cellular oxidant stress triggers a cascade of intracellular signals involving p21 ras and MAP kinase, culminating in transcription factor activation. The molecular mechanism that triggers this pathway likely involves oxidant modification and activation of p21 ras .
Modulation of cardiac mitochondrial membrane fluidity by age and calorie intake

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of dietary restriction (DR) on the age-related changes in membrane fluidity, fatty acid composition and free radical damage of mitochondrial membranes obtained from the rat left ventricle. Mitochondrial membrane preparations were obtained from the left ventricles of 6- and 24-month-old, male, Fischer 344 rats that were allowed to eat throughout their life either ad lib (Group A) or only 60% of the amount consumed by the ad lib fed group (Group B). Our results show that the membrane fluidity of the 24 month Group A hearts was less than that of the 6 month group A hearts. No differences in membrane fluidity were observed between the 6 and 24 month DR groups. The fatty acid composition of the mitochondrial membranes of the two ad lib fed groups differed: the long-chain polyunsaturated 22:4 fatty acid was higher in the older group, although linoleic acid (18:2) was lower. DR eliminated the differences. No statistically significant difference in the overall polyunsaturated fatty acid content was noted. However, the peroxidizability index was higher in the membranes of the 24 month Group A hearts but not in the 24 month Group B hearts. Finally, the degree of lipid damage, as assessed in vitro by the induced production of reactive oxygen species, was elevated in the 24 month Group A hearts. No difference was observed between the young and old DR groups. Considered together, these results suggest that DR maintains the integrity of the cardiac mitochondrial membrane fluidity by minimizing membrane damage through modulation of membrane fatty acid profile.
Immediate denture service.

Abstract Immediate denture service is most rewarding to both patients and dentists. The dentist can reproduce natural tooth arrangements and shading so that the dentures appear lifelike in appearance. The patient avoids the embarrassment of being without natural teeth and need not lose time from work or social events. His normal diet need not be substantially affected; therefore a better mental attitude toward his dentures is developed. Immediate denture service is the result of the cooperation of the patient, the dentist, the oral surgeon, and the dental laboratory technician. Several methods for constructing immediate dentures were compared and their indications and contraindications were discussed.
The effects of reserpine on renal necrosis and urinary catecholamines of choline-deficient rats.

Abstract Renal necrosis due to a choline-deficient diet was induced in a group of male weanling Sprague-Dawley rats. A control group was given Purina rat chow, and another group was given a choline chloride supplement (150 mg/100 ml in tap water) in addition to the choline-deficient diet. Reserpine, an agent that reduces catecholamines, was given subcutaneously (0.1 mg/kg) daily to one-half of each group. After 16 days the choline-deficient rats given reserpine had significantly less renal necrosis and excreted less catecholamines than choline-deficient rats. Reserpine had no effect on hepatic fatty infiltration due to choline deficiency.
Successful Vocational Rehabilitation for Individuals with Significant Mental Disabilities

ABSTRACT Individuals with significant mental disabilities (SMD) frequently have scattered work histories (Finch, 1997; Tan, 1996). Often the SMD consumer is unable to find competitive employment or, if a job is secured, termination repeatedly ensues because of impaired interpersonal skills, faulty behaviors such as the inability to interact with coworkers, inadequate follow-through such as not reporting to work, and poor hygiene (Tan, 1996). The services provided to SMD consumers in this study were designed to address a cadre of support needs that would foster job retention and increase the number of successful employment closures. This cross-sectional exploratory study sampled 211 SMD consumers who received vocational rehabilitation support services through a vocational rehabilitation center in Columbus, Ohio. The SMD consumers sampled experienced both successful and unsuccessful employment closures.
Forest roads and landscape structure in the southern Rocky Mountains

Roadless areas on public lands may serve as environmental baselines against which human-caused impacts on landscape structure can be measured. We examined landscape structure across a gradient of road densities, from no roads to heavily roaded, and across several spatial scales. Our study area was comprised of 46,000 ha on the Roosevelt National Forest in north-central Colorado. When forest stands were delineated on the basis of seral stage and covertype, no relationship was evident between average stand size and road density. Topography appeared to exert a greater influence on average stand size than did road density. There was a significant positive correlation between the fractal dimension of forest stands and road density across all scales. Early-seral stands existed in greater proportions adjacent to roads, suggesting that the effects of roads on landscape structure are somewhat localized. We also looked at changes in landscape structure when stand boundaries were delineated by roads in addition to covertype and seral stage. Overall, there was a large increase in small stands with simple shapes, concurrent with a decline in the number of stands > 100 ha. We conclude that attempts to quantify the departure from naturalness in roaded areas requires an understanding of the factors controlling the structure of unroaded landscapes, particularly where the influence of topography is great. Because roads in forested landscapes influence a variety of biotic and abiotic processes, we suggest that roads should be considered as an inherent component of landscape structure. Furthermore, plans involving both the routing of new roads and the closure of existing ones should be designed so as to optimize the structure of landscape mosaics, given a set of conservation goals.
Optimization of annular fins on a horizontal tube

A combination of uniform-thickness annular fins evenly spaced on a tube is a common extended-surface heat exchanger configuration. An analytical model is developed and is verified by comparing total heat transfer predicted by the model to available experimental data. A direct-pattern search technique is applied to the model to optimize the fin/ tube geometry. Optimum dimensions and spacing of fins are established to provide the maximum free convection heat transfer from a fin/tube combination. The optimum arrangement is dependent on fin thermal conductivity, tube diameter, volume of fin material per unit length of tube, and temperature difference between the tube and the surrounding air. Calculated results indicate that a fin in the optimum fin/tube system is shorter and thicker than an isolated fin optimized for minimum material (with no consideration of the effects of fin spacing).
Excitation of Coaxial and Twinaxial Cables by High Intensity X-Rays: Source Term Calculations

Calculations of source terms that drive replacement currents in coaxial and twinaxial cables with gaps are presented. Various levels of emitted charge density from the cable conductors have been considered; these levels are typical of many problems of interest where x-rays irradiate cables. In particular, high radiation levels, at which electric fields in the cable gaps affect photo compton electron trajectories, have been studied. Comparisons of source terms are made between the two cable types. Effects of air pressure on the source terms for a coaxial cable are examined.
Ion Penetration of the Water-Oil Interface

Ions typically pass with difficulty from water into organic phases because of water9s superior solvation power. This inhibits such processes as ion transport in batteries or in lipid bilayers of cells. Ion penetration across such an interface was studied with unusual structural control. Hydronium ions were soft-landed at 1 electron volt on cold films of 3-methylpentane (“oil”) on a metal substrate. The field produced by these ions drove them through the films when warmed. Coadsorption of water (0.14 to 35 bilayers) inhibited the ion penetration by creating a solvation energy trap. A Born solvation model successfully predicted the trapping energies (0 to 38 kilojoules per mole).
Pushing the boundaries in adolescent health and disease.

Much has been learned in the past several decades about basic adolescent development and adolescent conditions, but much remains to be determined about the effect of biopsychosocial and environmental influences on health and disease. This new series on adolescent health and disease is timely as we learn more and impart this information to our readers. The first article illustrates the complexity, both conceptual and practical, of the issues related to male reproductive health.1 Adolescence is the stage of development marking the transition between childhood and adulthood when rapid biological, cognitive, and behavioral changes occur. Genes, the brain, and the environment largely govern the ultimate expression of growth and maturity. The timing of the profound adolescent changes in biology and behavior is independent, even though biology moderates behavior and behavior moderates biology. We do not understand why puberty begins in any 1 … Address correspondence to Elizabeth R. McAnarney, MD, Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Avenue, PO Box 777, Rochester, NY 14642. E-mail: elizabeth_mcanarney{at}urmc.rochester.edu
Colchicine potentiates beta-adrenoreceptor-stimulated cyclic AMP in lymphoma cells by an action distal to the receptor.

THE cellular cytoskeleton, composed of microtubules and microfilaments, seems to regulate cell surface receptors for a number of membrane-active agents, including lectins1, immunoglobulins2 and polypeptide hormones3. Patching and capping of membrane receptors is controlled by the activity of microfilaments and microtubules, and, in addition, the cytoskeletal elements may be involved in stabilising the fluidity of the cell surface4,5. Colchicine, an inhibitor of microtubular assembly, and presumably, therefore, of microtubule-associated functions, has been used experimentally to study cellular events thought to be regulated by microtubules5, and clinically in the treatment of gout and other inflammatory disorders6. Evidence from several laboratories indicates that increases in cellular adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) alter the assembly of micro-tubules7–12. It has been suggested that colchicine augments hormone-stimulated cyclic AMP synthesis in target cells for some13,14, but not all15,18, hormones. To study this latter action of colchicine on a well-defined hormonal system, we have examined the augmentation by colchicine of β-adrenergic amine-stimulated cyclic AMP levels in S49 mouse lymphoma cells, a model system for studying the synthesis of cyclic AMP and the actions of β-adrenergic amines17,18. We report here that colchicine potentiates β-adrenergic-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in S49 cells and that this potentiation results from events occurring beyond the interaction of β-adrenergic agonists with β-adrenoreceptors.
A Conceptual Course on LASERS for General Education

It is important to improve the technological skills and scientific understanding of students who are not pursuing scientific and technological degrees because they are indirectly asked to support science. To be supportive, they need to be able to evaluate scientific information as portrayed by the media. The difficulty is to find a topic which will stimulate and hold their interest in science. One such topic is LASERs. LASERs hold a fascination for students. LASERs are used in a wide array of technological devices and procedures. To understand LASERs requires an understanding of light and optics; of how light interacts with matter and with the structure of matter. Therefore, a course about LASERs can entice students who typically avoid science classes, and in particular physics classes, into taking a physics class, thereby giving us the opportunity to improve their understanding of science, their critical thinking skills and developing their appreciation of basic physics. Such a course can establish a sense of confidence in these students' ability to understand.
Should we test the life cycle—permanent income hypothesis with food consumption data?

Abstract Most household consumption studies use food consumption data. I show that in aggregate data one cannot reject the life cycle hypothesis using food, but can reject it using other goods. Existing micro tests of the life cycle hypothesis thus may have low power.
Image von Umweltorganisationen

Um neue Mitglieder zu akquirieren und die vorhandenen zu binden, sollten Umweltorganisationen wie Greenpeace oder der WWF viele und von den Zielpersonen positiv bewertete Assoziationen auslosen. Daruber hinaus durfte auch der Erfolg bei der Einwerbung von Sponsorenmitteln, sofern ein solcher von den Organisationen uberhaupt anstrebt wird, davon abhangen, welches Image sie in den Zielgruppen haben. Es ist in der letzten Zeit allerdings festzustellen, dass die Medien seltener oder in kurzeren Beitragen als noch vor einigen Jahren uber die Aktivitaten von Umweltorganisationen berichten. Deshalb erscheint es von Interesse zu untersuchen, welches Image die Umweltorganisationen haben. Es wird anhand eines von Grunert vorgeschlagenen Verfahrens analysiert, welche Gedachtnisinhalte in der Bevolkerung hinsichtlich Umweltorganisationen bestehen. Falls fur einzelne Organisationen festzustellen ist, dass ihr Name nur noch wenige wunschenswerte Assoziationen auslost, besteht die Gefahr, dass aufgrund einer sinkenden Mitgliederanzahl und der Probleme bei der Akquisition von Sponsoren immer weniger Mittel zur Finanzierung ihrer Umweltvorhaben zur Verfugung stehen. Die hier vorgestellte Fallstudie konnte auch Anregung sein, das Image von Unternehmen oder Marken und die Werbewirkung von Werbemitteln mit dem hier verwendeten Verfahren zu untersuchen.
Heart rate variability abnormalities in young patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Heart rate variability (HRV) has become the conventionally accepted term for describing variations in both instantaneous heart rate and R–R intervals. In the pediatric age group, HRV has been investigated in healthy children, diabetics, respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn, and sudden infant death syndrome. This study aimed to evaluate HRV in pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and to compare it with that of age-matched normal subjects. The study evaluated 21 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: 11 females (mean age, 7 ± 4 years; range, 2–17 years) and 10 males (mean age, 10 ± 6 years; range, 2–18 years). Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) was diagnosed according to commonly accepted criteria after a noninvasive cardiologic examination, echocardiography, and 24-h Holter monitoring (MR45 and MR45-3 Oxford recorder). The patients were divided into six groups according to age, sex, and type of cardiomyopathy. Heart rate variability was recorded and analyzed in the time domain. The patients with DCM showed an abnormal HRV pattern. Particularly in the 5–6-year-old male patient group, the HRV values all were significantly increased (p = 0.05). In the 2–6-year-old female patient group, the mean cycle length, the standard deviation of all normal sinus R–R intervals during 24 h (SDNN), and the standard deviation of the average normal sinus R–R intervals for all 5-min segments (SDANN) were significantly increased (p = 0.05). The 13–18-year-old female patient group showed a significant reduction in SDNN and the mean of the standard deviation of all normal sinus R–R intervals for all 5-min segments (SDNNi) (p = 0.05). The modification of the HRV pattern in the time domain, partially age- and gender-dependent modification, may reflect an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system in children who show a delayed or reduced activity, such as pediatric patients with DCM.
Emerging Technologies in Distance Education for Business

Abstract The development of high-performance computing and communications is creating new media, such as the World Wide Web and virtual realities. The innovative kinds of pedagogy engendered by these emerging media, messages, and experiences make possible a transformation of conventional distance education—which replicates traditional classroom teaching across barriers of distance and time—into an alternative instructional paradigm: distributed learning. This article describes leading edge research in three technologies well suited for distributed teaching and learning in business-related education: computer-supported collaborative learning, multimedia/hypermedia, and experiential simulation.
Latent infection of the peripheral ANS with herpes simplex virus.

IN both experimentally infected animals1,2 and in asymptomatic human subjects3,4 herpes simplex virus (HSV) can establish a latent infection in the sensory ganglia of the nervous system. It is probably the periodic reactivation of virus within these ganglia that gives rise to recurrent herpetic eruptions on epithelial surfaces innervated by the infected ganglia. The ganglia of the peripheral autonomic nervous system seem to share a common embryogenesis with sensory ganglia5. Although it has been shown that acute infection of autonomic ganglia with HSV6 and the related herpesvirus, pseudorabies virus7–9, can occur, it has not been established that the peripheral autonomic nervous system (ANS) can support a latent infection with these or other viruses. We report here a marine model of latent infection of the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) of the sympathetic division of the ANS.
Assessment and Management of Shoulder Stiffness: A Biomechanical Approach

T he problem of motion, as described in Butterfield's The Origin of Modern Science, relates to the 17th-century dilemma of understanding motion or, more specifically, inertia from a mechanistic viewpoint. 1 As we near the 21st century, health care professionals continue to be confronted with the problem of motion or, more specifically, the lack of motion in our patients' joints. Unlike Calileo's contemporaries, today's clinicians are comfortable with biomechanical descriptions of the force, motion, and strength of biologic tissues. However, intellectual hurdles pertaining to motion continually need to be cleared. Despite the fact that restoring functional, painfree range of motion (ROM) to stiff joints is one of the most common clinical endeavors of therapists, there is a great discrepancy among treatment approaches. 2 This may be due in part to the lack of objective clinical comparisons of treatments for shoulder stiffness. It may also be due to the manual therapy approach for managing stiffness, which has evolved from an eclectic set of evaluation and treatment procedures. 3 Consequently, the treatment of patients who have stiff shoulders traditionally comprises a variety of treatments. These vary from ROM activities and soft-tissue/joint mobilization techniques5,6 to continuous passive motion (CPMf,8 and splinting of the shoulder. 9 Hand therapists deal with joint stiffness on a
A comparison of data-parallel and message-passing versions of the Miami Isopycnic Coordinate Ocean Model (MICOM)

Abstract A two-pronged effort to convert a recently developed ocean circulation model written in Fortran-77 for execution on massively parallel computers is described. A data-parallel version was developed for the CM-5 manufactured by Thinking Machines, Inc., while a message-passing version was developed for both the Cray T3D and the Silicon Graphics ONYX workstation. Since the time differentiation scheme in the ocean model is fully explicit and does not require solution of elliptic partial differential equations, adequate machine utilization has been achieved without major changes to the original algorithms. We developed a partitioning strategy for the message passing version that significantly reduces memory requirements and increases model speed. On a per-node basis (a T3D node is one Alpha processor, a CM-5 node is one Sparc chip and four vector units), the T3D and CM-5 are found to execute our “large” model version consisting of 511 × 511 horizontal mesh points at roughly the same speed.
Pre-flare association of magnetic fields and millimeter-wave radio emission

Observations of radio emission at 3.3 mm wavelength associated with magnetic fields in active regions are reported. Results of more than 200 regions during the years 1967-1968 show a strong correlation between peak enhanced millimeter emission, total flux of the longitudinal component of photospheric magnetic fields and the number of flares produced during transit of active regions. For magnetic flux greater than (10 to the 21st power) maxwells flares will occur and for flux of (10 to the 23rd power) maxwells the sum of the H-alpha flare importance numbers is about 40. The peak millimeter enhancement increases with magnetic flux for regions which subsequently flared. Estimates of the magnetic energy available and the correlation with flare production indicate that the photospheric fields and probably chromospheric currents are responsible for the observed pre-flare heating and provide the energy of flares.
A Cauchy index approach for zero location of polynomials with respect to the unit circle

We give an alternative proof for a recently proposed stability test for counting the zeros location of a polynomial with respect to the unit circle. A correspondence is shown between the symmetric polynomials in the new stability formulation and a Sturm sequence of polynomials over the real interval [-1, 1] after which the alternative proof is obtained by the index theory of Cauchy.