cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alternative measures of output in global economic-environmental models: Purchasing power parity or market exchange rates?

The study examines the question of the use of purchasing power parity versus market exchange rates in constructing global economic models. It compares three approaches: MER accounts, world-price PPP accounts, and superlative PPP accounts. It concludes that the best approach is to use superlative PPP accounts. This approach uses cross-sectional PPP measures for relative incomes and outputs and relies on national accounts price and quantity indexes for time-series extrapolations. Under ideal circumstances, this approach will provide accurate and consistent cross-sections and time series. This approach will require relatively little change in model structure from ones using MER accounts. The main concern would be to ensure that behavioral and reduced-form relationships in the models have been correctly estimated.
Three-dimensional echo-guided beating heart surgery without cardiopulmonary bypass: Atrial septal defect closure in a swine model

Objective In this study, we tested 3 techniques of atrial septal defect closure under real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography guidance in a swine model. Methods The operations were conducted under the sole guidance of a modified real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography guidance system with a ×4 matrix transducer (Sonos 7500, Philips Medical Systems, Andover, Mass). Eighteen swine were anesthetized, and after median sternotomy, the echo probe was applied directly to the surface of the right atrium. To create an atrial septal defect, balloon atrial septostomy and atrial septal defect enlargement were performed. Subsequently, 3 different techniques of atrial septal defect closure were attempted: group I, direct suture closure; group II, closure of the atrial septal defect using the Amplatzer device (AGA Medical Corp, Golden Valley, Minn); and group III, patch closure of the atrial septal defect (n = 6 each). Results Real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography guidance provided sufficient spatial resolution and a satisfactory frame rate to provide a "virtual surgeon's view" of the relevant anatomy during the entire procedure. All atrial septal defects were enlarged, and the mean final size was 8.5 ± 1.8 mm. Atrial septal defect closure was successfully accomplished with all the 3 surgical techniques examined. In groups I and III, the needles (1-3 sutures) and staples (6-12 staples) penetrated the tissue and patch material consistently, whereas in group III, the Amplatzer atrial septal defect device was easily deployed. There was no incident device/staple embolization or air introduction. Neither intraoperative 2-dimensional color Doppler echocardiography nor postmortem macro-evaluation revealed any residual shunts. Conclusions Beating heart atrial septal defect closure under real-time 3-dimensional echocardiographic guidance is feasible and, unlike catheter-based devices, applicable for any type of secundum atrial septal defect.
Comparison of AERMOD and WindTrax dispersion models in determining PM10 emission rates from a beef cattle feedlot.

Reverse dispersion modeling has been used to determine air emission fluxes from ground-level area sources, including open-lot beef cattle feedlots. This research compared Gaussian-based AERMOD, the preferred regulatory dispersion model of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and WindTrax, a backward Lagrangian stochastic-based dispersion model, in determining PM10 emission rates for a large beef cattle feedlot in Kansas. The effect of the type of meteorological data was also evaluated. Meteorological conditions and PM10 concentrations at the feedlot were measured with micrometeorological/eddy covariance instrumentation and tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) PM10 monitors, respectively, from May 2010 through September 2011. Using the measured meteorological conditions and assuming a unit emission flux (i.e., 1 µg/m2-sec), each model was used to calculate PM10 concentrations (referred to as unit-flux concentrations). PM10 emission fluxes were then back-calculated using the measured a...
T WAVE SLOPES: A NOVEL METHOD FOR ASSESSMENT OF REPOLARIZATION DISPERSION FROM SURFACE ECGS WITH PROLONGED QT AS COMPARED TO NORMAL ECGS

The normal (NL) T wave in health is asymmetric [gentler initial slope (TInit Sl), steeper terminal slope (TTerm Sl)]. The T Peak – T End (TP-TE) interval reflects repolarization dispersion; a prolonged QTc (LQT, Bazett) is associated with TP-TE prolongation and increased arrhythmic risk. We
Primary immunolocalization of androgen target cells in the human anterior cruciate ligament

To identify androgen target cells in the human anterior cruciate ligament, immunohistochemical localization of the androgen receptor was performed in 31 specimens of the ligament. All of the specimens were obtained at surgery. Seventeen specimens were from women, and 14 were from men: the average age of the patients was 45.2 years (range: 18-78 years). An immunoperoxidase method using monoclonal antibodies to the androgen receptor was employed to identify androgen target cells in the ligament. Consistent staining of the androgen receptor was demonstrable in six specimens obtained from young men 18-24 years old, and equivocal positive staining was seen in two other specimens from young men. No receptors were demonstrated by this method in any of the specimens from women or older men. Androgen receptors were localized to synoviocytes in the synovium and under the synovial lining, fibroblasts in the ligament stroma, and cells lining the blood-vessel walls of the anterior cruciate ligament. The demonstration of androgen receptors in the cells of the anterior cruciate ligament strongly suggests that male sex hormones may have an effect on the structure and composition of this ligament in young men.
Implications of angle of incidence in SEU testing of modern circuits

Simulations show that ignoring the angular dependence of proton SEU cross sections produces errors in predictions of SEU rates in space. Moreover, they suggest that devices with thin sensitive volumes may upset to protons at grazing incidence despite high threshold LET values (>80 MeV cm/sup 2/) at normal incidence. Incorporating angular effects in space predictions requires accurate knowledge of the dimensions of the sensitive volume associated with the SEU-sensitive junction, especially the thickness. A method is proposed for using proton SEU measurements at different angles and energies combined with simulations to determine the thickness of the sensitive volume and to test the reliability of the predictions. >
Hausdoff measure estimates of a free boundary for a minimum problem

(1983). Hausdoff measure estimates of a free boundary for a minimum problem. Communications in Partial Differential Equations: Vol. 8, No. 13, pp. 1409-1454.
Impact of Trapping of Residual Oil by Mobile Water on Recovery Performance in Miscible Enhanced Oil Recovery Processes

In this paper the authors examine how residual oil trapping by mobile water affects the recovery performance of miscible EOR processes. The objectives of the study are (1) to develop a multiphase, numerical model to investigate factors affecting water-blocking and the release of oil from dendritic states; (2) to evaluate performance of miscible processes and forecast displacement efficiency and recovery under a variety of operating conditions, and (3) to determine the ``optimum`` water-solvent ratio to be used in a miscible Water-Alternate-Gas (WAG) process. Using the multiphase flow model, the authors considered the oleic phase as two parts, a mobile phase and a trapped phase, and studied the effects of capillary forces, solvent viscosity, fraction of trapped oil, dispersion and mass transfer coefficients on recovery performance. Guidelines for determining the optimum water-solvent ratio to be used in a miscible WAG process are discussed.
USING CENTER HOLE HEAT TRANSFER TO REDUCE FORMATION TIMES FOR CERAMIC WASTE FORMS FROM PYROPROCESSING

The waste produced from processing spent fuel from the EBR II reactor must be processed into a waste form suitable for long term storage in Yucca Mountain. The method chosen produces zeolite granules mixed with glass frit, which must then be converted into a solid. This is accomplished by loading it into a can and heating to 900 C in a furnace regulated at 915 C. During heatup to 900 C, the zeolite and glass frit react and consolidate to produce a sodalite monolith. The resultant ceramic waste form (CWF) is then cooled. The waste form is 52 cm in diameter and initially 300 cm long but consolidates to 150 cm in length during the heating process. After cooling it is then inserted in a 5-DHLW/DOE SNF Long Canister. Without intervention, the waste takes 82 hours to heat up to 900 C in a furnace designed to geometrically fit the cylindrical waste form. This paper investigates the reduction in heating times possible with four different methods of additional heating through a center hole. The hole size is kept small to maximize the amount of CWF that is processed in a single run. A hole radius of 1.82 cm was selected which removes only 1% of the CWF. A reference computation was done with a specified inner hole surface temperature of 915 C to provide a benchmark for the amount of improvement which can be made. It showed that the heatup time can potentially be reduced to 43 hours with center hole heating. The first method, simply pouring high temperature liquid aluminum into the hole, did not produce any noticeable effect on reducing heat up times. The second method, flowing liquid aluminum through the hole, works well as long as the velocity is high enough (2.5 cm/sec) to prevent solidification of the aluminum during the initial front movement of the aluminum into the center hole. The velocity can be reduced to 1 cm/sec after the initial front has traversed the ceramic. This procedure reduces the formation time to near that of the reference case. The third method, flowing a gas through the center hole, also works well as long as the product of heat capacity and velocity of the gas is equivalent to that of the flowing aluminum, and the velocity is high enough to produce an intermediate size heat transfer coefficient. The fourth method, using an electric heater, works well and heater sizes between 500 to 1000 Watts are adequate. These later three methods all can reduce the heatup time to 44 hours allowing production to be doubled and a more uniform heating.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
A qualitative study to support a blind photography mobile application

Both sighted and visually impaired people value having a photographic memento of a place or an event. However, due to the visually oriented nature of photography and the lack of non-visual cues to indicate the content of the photo, the common belief is that it is difficult for people with limited vision to take, organize and share pictures. However, we did not find a structured study on the photographic practice of those with limited vision. We ran a survey among 54 totally blind, light perception, and legally blind participants to investigate their photo taking, browsing, and online sharing. Based on this survey, we developed a mobile app to help blind persons take and recognize picture content using non-visual cues. The application was tested with five legally and totally blind persons with mostly positive results.
An Automated Virtualization Performance Analysis Platform

This research compares three traditional categories of virtualization to a technique known as hybrid virtualization. Each technique is evaluated in terms of both capability and performance. The tra...
The myth of mental retardation: paradigm shifts, disaggregation, and developmental disabilities.

In a recent issue of Mental Retardation, I recounted a story told by Professor Ignacy Goldberg during my doctoral studies at Teachers College, Columbia University (Smith & Mitchell, 2001). I offer this memory again here as an introduction to my invited remarks on the term mental retardation. I share this recollection also as a token of my affection and respect for a wonderful mentor and loving person. Dr. Goldberg passed away last spring.
Multistable switches and their role in cellular differentiation networks

Abstract Background Cellular differentiation during development is controlled by gene regulatory networks (GRNs). This complex process is always subject to gene expression noise. There is evidence suggesting that commonly seen patterns in GRNs, referred to as biological multistable switches, play an important role in creating the structure of lineage trees by providing stability to cell types. Results To explore this question a new methodology is developed and applied to study (a) the multistable switch-containing GRN for hematopoiesis and (b) a large set of random boolean networks (RBNs) in which multistable switches were embedded systematically. In this work, each network attractor is taken to represent a distinct cell type. The GRNs were seeded with one or two identical copies of each multistable switch and the effect of these additions on two key aspects of network dynamics was assessed. These properties are the barrier to movement between pairs of attractors (separation) and the degree to which one direction of movement between attractor pairs is favored over another (directionality). Both of these properties are instrumental in shaping the structure of lineage trees. We found that adding one multistable switch of any type had a modest effect on increasing the proportion of well-separated attractor pairs. Adding two identical switches of any type had a much stronger effect in increasing the proportion of well-separated attractors. Similarly, there was an increase in the frequency of directional transitions between attractor pairs when two identical multistable switches were added to GRNs. This effect on directionality was not observed when only one multistable switch was added. Conclusions This work provides evidence that the occurrence of multistable switches in networks that control cellular differentiation contributes to the structure of lineage trees and to the stabilization of cell types.
Vibration analysis of a completely free elliptical plate

The Ritz method is applied to the variation analysis of a completely free elliptical plate as an efficient alternative to a procedure using a truncated series of regular and modified Mathieu functions. It is shown that a solution as accurate as desired can be obtained with the Ritz method in solving thin plate vibration problems with difficult geometries.
Membrane binding of peptides containing both basic and aromatic residues. Experimental studies with peptides corresponding to the scaffolding region of caveolin and the effector region of MARCKS.

We have studied the binding of peptides containing both basic and aromatic residues to phospholipid vesicles. The peptides caveolin(92−101) and MARCKS(151−175) both contain five aromatic residues, but have 3 and 13 positive charges, respectively. Our results show the aromatic residues insert into the bilayer and anchor the peptides weakly to vesicles formed from the zwitterionic lipid phosphatidylcholine (PC). Incorporation of a monovalent acidic lipid (e.g., phosphatidylserine, PS) into the vesicles enhances the binding of both peptides via nonspecific electrostatic interactions. As predicted from application of the Poisson−Boltzmann equation to atomic models of the peptide and membranes, the enhancement is larger (e.g., 104- vs 10-fold for 17% PS) for the more basic MARCKS(151−175). Replacing the five Phe with five Ala residues in MARCKS(151−175) decreases the binding to 10:1 PC/PS vesicles only slightly (6-fold). This result is also consistent with the predictions of our theoretical model: the loss of...
A Wheelchair Transfer Board: An Aid for Patients without the Use of the Lower Limbs

A transfer board is used for transferring a patient from wheelchair to bed, commode or toilet, bath or chair — and vice versa. The aim is to make patients more independent, to improve concentration and strengthen upper limbs. It also eases the physical work of staff.
An Electronic Case Manager for Diabetes Control

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the usage and safety of an electronic case manager (ECM) system designed to facilitate the task of glycemic control. Sustained improvement in blood glucose control is the proven treatment outcome that will reduce or eliminate the long-term complications of diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A customized microcomputer system served as the ECM. Located at the clinic, this voice-interactive system required the remote patient to need only a touch-tone telephone. Patients accessed the system to report daily selfmeasured glucose levels or hypoglycemic symptoms together with associated lifestyle events. System beta-testing was in an open-case series ( n = 184) in an academic diabetes center with the goal of evaluating the ECM in terms of utilization, frequency of crises, and fiscal matters. RESULTS Of the patients, 58% ( n = 107) actively used the ECM for their daily diabetes care, accumulating 788 patient-months of follow-up. Over 45,000 telephone calls were received by the ECM during the start-up year. Each call was processed instantly and automatically. Patients benefited from having 24-h access to the ECM. Prevalence of diabetes-related crises (hyperglycemia =400 mg/dl [22 mmol/1] or hypoglycemia P 1c of 0.8% at 6 months ( n = 45, P = 0.024) and 0.9% at 12 months ( n = 30, P = 0.044). The ECM provided 24-h on-line assistance in adjusting daily insulin and/or tablet therapy, automatic generation of standardized medical reports, electronic medical-legal documentation, as well as a marked reduction in the time spent on the phone with patients. Clinic visits in managing complex diabetes were reduced approximately twofold ( P CONCLUSIONS Patients with diabetes who accessed the ECM system received timely, cost-effective, and reliable medical intervention. This reduced the incidence of diabetic crises and the need for frequent clinic visits. The ECM empowers case managers to provide safer and superior diabetes care.
Wireless infrastructure protection using low-cost radio frequency fingerprinting receivers

Low-data-rate wireless networks incorporated in critical infrastructure applications can be protected through 128-bit encryption keys and address-based access control lists. However, these bit-level credentials are vulnerable to interception, extraction and spoofing using software tools available free of charge on the Internet. Recent research has demonstrated that wireless physical layer device fingerprinting can be used to defend against replay and spoofing attacks. However, radio frequency (RF) fingerprinting typically uses expensive signal collection systems; this is because fingerprinting wireless devices with low-cost receivers has been reported to have inconsistent accuracy. This paper demonstrates a robust radio frequency fingerprinting process that is consistently accurate with both high-end and low-cost receivers. Indeed, the results demonstrate that low-cost software-defined radios can be used to perform accurate radio frequency fingerprinting and to identify spoofing attacks in critical IEEE 802.15.4-based infrastructure networks such as ZigBee.
Cryptococcal infection of a prosthetic dialysis fistula

Fungal infections of prosthetic dialysis fistulae are rare. We report the first case of infection of a polytetrafluoroethylene dialysis access graft with the yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. Therapy with antifungal agents alone failed to cure the infection and significant improvement was observed only when all prosthetic material was surgically removed. This case emphasizes the potential for fungal infection of prosthetic dialysis fistulae and the importance of removal of intravascular foreign material in conjunction with antifungal therapy for treatment of fungal prosthetic graft infections.
Sore Losers: News Frames, Policy Debates, and Emotions

This study examined whether news framing of policy debates shapes audience members’ emotions. An experiment revolving around the issue of campaign finance reform tested the effects of conflict and ...
The existence theorem of approximate multibeta representation for multifactor pricing models with unobservable omitted variables: A technical note

Abstract This paper extends the approximate multibeta representation of Reisman [Reisman, H. (1988), A general approach to the APT, Econometrica, 56, 473–476, Reisman, H. (1992), Reference variables, factor structure, and the approximate multibeta representation, Journal of Finance, 47(4), 1303–1314] with insufficient information. An existence theorem is presented that if the projection error (when regressing the excess returns on a presumed information set of reference variables with linearity) follows the dependence conditions of a mixing random field, there exists an approximate multibeta representation for the risk premium. This result holds even though the linearity is an incorrect specification and/or that the included variables are not sufficiently informative for the model. In particular, the theorem includes omitted (dynamic) factor(s) which may cause unknown inter-temporal or cross-sectional memory in projection errors. An alternative model selection approach is suggested for the specification of risk premium in empirical finance.
A cosmic book

A system of assigning odds to the basic elements of cosmological theories is proposed in order to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the theories. A figure of merit for the theories is obtained by counting and weighing the plausibility of each of the basic elements that is not substantially supported by observation or mature fundamental theory. The magnetized strong model is found to be the most probable. In order of decreasing probability, the ranking for the rest of the models is: (1) the magnetized string model with no exotic matter and the baryon adiabatic model; (2) the hot dark matter model and the model of cosmic string loops; (3) the canonical cold dark matter model, the cosmic string loops model with hot dark matter, and the baryonic isocurvature model; and (4) the cosmic string loops model with no exotic matter.
Cytokine Convection Affects Cancer Metastasis by a Shear Rate Dependent Mechanism

Malignant melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer due to its propensity to spread, or metastasize. No current treatment exists that is effective against melanoma metastasis [1,2].Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Cytidine photohydration in R17 RNA.

A reductive assay for the determination of cytidine photohydrates (6-hydroxy-5,6-dihydrocytidine) in ultraviolet-irradiated RNA has been developed. The assay is based on the transformation of the unstable photohydrate into the stable reduction product N 1 -ribosyl- N 3 -( γ -hydroxypropyl)-urea in the irradiated RNA. The irradiated and reduced RNA is enzymically hydrolyzed and the hydrolysate is analyzed by ion-exchange chromatography. Our results with R17 RNA show that cytidine photohydration occurs with 10 to 15 times lower efficiency than uridine photohydration. It is estimated that, at D 37 (i.e. the ultraviolet dose necessary to decrease the infectivity to 37%) R17 RNA contains only about 0.1 cytidine photohydrate.
Photochemical hydrogen production from a water-methanol mixture with small particles of iron oxide suspensions

Photochemical hydrogen production has been detected from small particles of doped iron oxide in a methanol-water (1:1) mixture. The systems studied consisted of a pure n-type semiconductor, Fe2−xNbxO3 (x=0.02), a pure p-type semiconductor, La1−xSrxFeO3 (x=0.25), and Mg-doped α-Fe2O3. This system was found to be heterogeneous, consisting of both spinel and corundum phase iron oxides, and shows a much higher activity than the pure single phase systems, with either corundum (α-Fe2O3) or spinel (Fe3−xMgxOy) structure. The efficiency of the reaction increased substantially when the powders were loaded with Pt. Hydrogen production from these Mg-doped iron oxides is photo-ocatalytic and occurs mainly as a result of bandgap irradiation, but also occurs with sub-bandgap illumination in small amounts. There is a linearly increasing dependence of the H2 production with increasing light intensity.
The effect of thermal cycling on the resistance and morphology of InBi single crystals and polycrystals

Abstract The resistivity of single crystals of InBi has been measured at 295 K, 77 K and again after warming at 295 K. There was no evidence of hysteresis or morphology change. The apparent resistivity of polycrystals decreases with temperature but has an irreversible increase over the original room temperature value when warmed back to 295 K. Accompanying the increase of resistance with thermal cycling is the appearance of cracks on the surface of the sample, which may be explained by assuming that InBi has a large anisotropy in thermal expansion coefficients.
Behavioral and neurotransmitter abnormalities in mice deficient for Parkin, DJ-1 and superoxide dismutase.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of neurons in the substantia nigra that project to the striatum and release dopamine. The cause of PD remains uncertain, however, evidence implicates mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Although most cases of PD are sporadic, 5-10% of cases are caused by inherited mutations. Loss-of-function mutations in Parkin and DJ-1 were the first to be linked to recessively inherited Parkinsonism. Surprisingly, mice bearing similar loss-of-function mutations in Parkin and DJ-1 do not show age-dependent loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons or depletion of dopamine in the striatum. Although the normal cellular functions of Parkin and DJ-1 are not fully understood, we hypothesized that loss-of-function mutations in Parkin and DJ-1 render cells more sensitive to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. To test this hypothesis, we crossed mice deficient for Parkin and DJ-1 with mice deficient for the mitochondrial antioxidant protein Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD2) or the cytosolic antioxidant protein Cu-Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1). Aged Parkin-/-DJ-1-/- and Mn-superoxide dismutase triple deficient mice have enhanced performance on the rotorod behavior test. Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase triple deficient mice have elevated levels of dopamine in the striatum in the absence of nigral cell loss. Our studies demonstrate that on a Parkin/DJ-1 null background, mice that are also deficient for major antioxidant proteins do not have progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons but have behavioral and striatal dopamine abnormalities.
Alcohol Use Disorders in Adolescents

1. Hoover Adger Jr, MD, MPH, MBA* 2. Shonali Saha, MD† 1. *Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. 2. †Fellow, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. * AUDIT: : Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test COAs: : children of alcoholics Alcohol is the drug of choice among youth, with 12% of 8th-graders, 22% of 10th-graders, and 29% of 12th-graders reporting heavy episodic drinking. Although prevalence rates are at historic lows, alcohol use continues to be widespread among adolescents, and pediatricians must screen for underage and family alcohol use in health assessment visits. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Discuss the epidemiology of alcohol use in youth and identify problems associated with underage use. 2. Identify the biological and developmental impact of alcohol use in youth. 3. Discuss the health effects of alcohol use and describe the hallmarks of problem drinking. 4. Discuss approaches to screening and assessment for alcohol use disorders and alcohol-related problems. National surveys make it clear that the use of alcohol among adolescents is both widespread and harmful. By the 12th grade, close to three-quarters of adolescents in high school report ever having an alcoholic drink, and more than one-quarter report having their first drink before age 13 years. Data from Monitoring the Future, an annual survey of youth in the United States, show that 71% of high school seniors reported some experience with alcohol in the past; 41% reported use in the last 30 days and, of great concern, 3% reported daily use. More than one-half (58%) of 10th-graders and more than one-third (36%) of 8th-graders report having consumed alcohol at some point in their lives, and more than one-third of 10th-graders (37%) and one of six 8th-graders (16%) report having been drunk in the past. (1) The good news is that the use of alcohol by teens, as well as the use of many of …
When protons attack: Microbial strategies of acid adaptation

Inducible tolerance to acidic and alkaline environments is recognized as an important survival strategy for many prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. Recent developments in understanding this phenomenon include the identification of regulatory genes, specific tolerance mechanisms and genes associated with tolerance. In addition, there is significant evidence linking pH responses with virulence.
Stimulus-response compatibility for mixed mappings and tasks with unique responses.

For two stimulus locations mapped to two keypresses, reaction time is shorter when the mapping is compatible than when it is not (the stimulus–response compatibility, SRC, effect). A similar result, called the Simon effect, occurs when stimulus location is irrelevant, and colour is relevant. When compatibly mapped trials are intermixed with incompatibly mapped trials or Simon task trials, the compatibility effect is eliminated, and the Simon effect is influenced by the location mapping. In five experiments, we examined whether similar mixing effects occur when the two spatial mappings or location-relevant and location-irrelevant tasks use distinct keypresses on the left and right hands. Mixing had considerably less influence on the SRC and Simon effects than it does when the intermixed trial types or tasks share the same responses, even though response time was lengthened to a similar extent. Mixing two tasks for which stimulus location was irrelevant yielded no within-task Simon effect, but the effect wa...
SHOULD CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS BE UNIVERSALLY AVAILABLE

At current incarceration rates, roughly 9% of all males born today will serve time in prison at some point in their lives. By race and ethnicity, the comparable figures are 4% for white males, 16% for Hispanic males, and 28% for black males (U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1997). Ample research now documents that having spent time in prison worsens one’s employment prospects through several potential channels. First, employers are strongly averse to hiring ex-offenders, a finding that has been born out in both audit studies (Pager, 2003) as well as employer interviews (Holzer et al., 2004). Second, spending time in prison may prohibit the accumulation of valuable work experience and even erode one’s labor market skills. In conjunction with the large increases in U.S. incarceration rates in recent decades, these facts suggest that criminal history records represent an increasingly important barrier to employment for young, less-skilled men. Moreover, given racial disparities in incarceration rates, the increasing salience of this characteristic is likely to exacerbate racial inequality in employment and earnings. In their provocative analysis, Kurlychek et al. (2006) raise the important question of whether unfettered employer access can be justified by the legitimate concerns of employers. More specifically, they assess whether the rate at which young offenders desist from offending with time since the last offense merits limiting employer access to arrest and conviction information for sufficiently distant past offenses. This question is important and timely given the large increase in the pool of ex-offenders (by some estimates nearly 5% of the adult male population). Moreover, as policies governing access have liberalized and information systems have advanced to the point where now several private firms offer cheap and quick criminal background checks, employers are checking the criminal history records of applicants at rates that are historically unprecedented (Holzer et al., 2004). Kurlychek et al. (2006) demonstrate that for a cohort of young men in Philadelphia the likelihood of a repeat offense declines precipitously with the time that has elapsed since the last offense. This pattern is consistent with both a causal effect of staying clean as well as a remaining population of former offenders that becomes increasingly selected with time since the
A comparative study of the binding and inhibition of four copper-containing amine oxidases by azide : Implications for the role of copper during the oxidative half-reaction

Copper amine oxidases (CuAOs) catalyze the oxidative deamination of primary amines operating through a ping-pong bi-bi mechanism. In this work, azide (an exogenous monodentate ligand) was used to probe the role of copper during the oxidative half-reaction of CuAO catalysis. The effects of azide on both the reductive and oxidative half-reactions of pea seedling amine oxidase (PSAO), the recombinant human kidney diamine oxidase (rhDAO), Arthrobacter globiformis amine oxidase (AGAO), and Pichia pastoris amine oxidase (PPLO) have been examined. For the reductive half-reaction, defined as the oxidation of amine substrate to an aldehyde, azide was discovered to exhibit either noncompetitive or competitive inhibition with respect to the amine, depending on the enzyme source. With regard to the oxidative half-reaction, defined as the reoxidation of the enzyme via reduction of O2 to H2O2, azide has been determined to exhibit competitive inhibition with respect to O2 in PSAO with a calculated Ki value that is in ex...
Feedback fridge: tangible visualization of nutritional data with preventive effect

The Feedback Fridge is a system that makes the visualization of nutritional data tangible and thereby more understandable to the user. Using RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology and one inflatable airbag inside every compartment of a refrigerator the fridge reacts on the kind of food that is put into it. Is the food healthy or unhealthy? Low in fat or high in fat? By inflating or deflating the airbags correspondingly the user is shown how nutritious or healthy his food is. This visualization also has a certain preventive effect by pushing food out of the fridge if the airbags get too big. The Feedback Fridge can thereby help enhance people's health and lead them to a balanced and nutritious diet.
Hydrolysis of β-d-glucopyranosyl fluoride to α-d-glucose catalyzed by Aspergillus niger α-d-glucosidase

Abstract Aspergillus niger α- d -glucosidase, crystallized and free of detectable activity for β- d -glucosides, catalyzes the slow hydrolysis of β- d -glucopyranosyl fluoride to form α- d -glucose. Maximal initial rates, V, for the hydrolysis of β- d -glucosyl fluoride, p-nitrophenyl α- d -glucopyranoside, and α- d -glucopyranosyl fluoride are 0.27, 0.75, and 78.5 μmol.min−1.mg−1, respectively, with corresponding V/K constants of 0.0068, 1.44, and 41.3. Independent lines of evidence make clear that the reaction stems from β- d -glucosyl fluoride and not from a contaminating trace of α- d -glucosyl fluoride, and is catalyzed by the α- d -glucosidase and not by an accompanying trace of β- d -glucosidase or glucoamylase. Maltotriose competitively inhibits the hydrolysis, and β- d -glucosyl fluoride in turn competitively inhibits the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl α- d -glucopyranoside, indicating that β- d -glucosyl fluoride is bound at the same site as known substrates for the α-glucosidase. Present findings provide new evidence that α-glucosidases are not restricted to α- d -glucosylic substrates or to reactions providing retention of configuration. They strongly support the concept that product configuration in glycosylase-catalyzed reactions is primarily determined by enzyme structures controlling the direction of approach of acceptor molecules to the reaction center rather than by the anomeric configuration of the substrate.
Low-input sustainable agriculture using ecological management practices☆

Abstract The use of chemicals for high crop productivity and compensation for soil, water and biological resource degradation contribute to the high production costs and other problems of U.S. agriculture. This has prompted strong interest by U.S. farmers in low-input sustainable agriculture. The principles that underlie a low-input sustainable agricultural system are: (1) adapting the agricultural system to the environment of the region, including soil, water, climate and biota present at the site; (2) optimizing the use of biological and chemical/physical resources in the agroecosystem. In this investigation, it was demonstrated that high corn yields could be maintained and input costs reduced by adaptive management of soil, water, energy and biological resources. For example, soil erosion was reduced from 18 t ha −1 year to 1 t ha −1 year −1 and pest control accomplished without the use of pesticides. This reduced the costs of corn production 33% while reducing fossil energy inputs by about 50%.
Stochastic reinforcement benefits skill acquisition

Learning complex skills is driven by reinforcement, which facilitates both online within-session gains and retention of the acquired skills. Yet, in ecologically relevant situations, skills are often acquired when mapping between actions and rewarding outcomes is unknown to the learning agent, resulting in reinforcement schedules of a stochastic nature. Here we trained subjects on a visuomotor learning task, comparing reinforcement schedules with higher, lower, or no stochasticity. Training under higher levels of stochastic reinforcement benefited skill acquisition, enhancing both online gains and long-term retention. These findings indicate that the enhancing effects of reinforcement on skill acquisition depend on reinforcement schedules.
Sodium Nitroprusside for Advanced Low-Output Heart Failure

Objectives This study was designed to examine the safety and efficacy of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) for patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and low-output states. Background Inotropic therapy has been predominantly used in the management of patients with ADHF presenting with low cardiac output. Methods We reviewed all consecutive patients with ADHF admitted between 2000 and 2005 with a cardiac index ≤2 l/min/m2 for intensive medical therapy including vasoactive drugs. Administration of SNP was chosen by the attending clinician, nonrandomized, and titrated to a target mean arterial pressure of 65 to 70 mm Hg. Results Compared with control patients (n = 97), cases treated with SNP (n = 78) had significantly higher mean central venous pressure (15 vs. 13 mm Hg; p = 0.001), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (29 vs. 24 mm Hg; p = 0.001), but similar demographics, medications, and renal function at baseline. Use of SNP was not associated with higher rates of inotropic support or worsening renal function during hospitalization. Patients treated with SNP achieved greater improvement in hemodynamic measurements during hospitalization, had higher rates of oral vasodilator prescription at discharge, and had lower rates of all-cause mortality (29% vs. 44%; odds ratio: 0.48; p = 0.005; 95% confidence interval: 0.29 to 0.80) without increase in rehospitalization rates (58% vs. 56%; p = NS). Conclusions In patients with advanced, low-output heart failure, vasodilator therapy used in conjunction with optimal current medical therapy during hospitalization might be associated with favorable long-term clinical outcomes irrespective of inotropic support or renal dysfunction and remains an excellent therapeutic choice in hospitalized ADHF patients.
Mass media strategies targeting high sensation seekers: what works and why.

OBJECTIVES: To examine strategies for using the mass media effectively in drug prevention campaigns targeting high sensation seekers. METHODS: Both experimental lab and field studies were used to develop a comprehensive audience segmentation strategy targeting high sensation seekers. RESULTS: A 4-pronged targeting strategy employed in an antimarijuana media campaign yielded significant drops in 30-day marijuana use by adolescents. Other research demonstrates how high and low sensation seekers process antidrug ads differently. CONCLUSIONS: Mass mediated anti-drug campaigns aimed at high sensation seekers are effective tools for drug prevention. Language: en
Cognitive interference from background television: Structural effects on verbal and spatial processing

Recent research has demonstrated that television‐as‐background can interfere with performance on several types of difficult cognitive processing tasks. Armstrong and Greenberg (1990) argue that these effects are most likely the result of competition between TV and a primary task for central processing resources (capacity interference). An alternative hypothesis is that observed effects result from competition for more specific types of processing resources, rather than general capacity limits. It was hypothesized that background television would produce structural interference specifically with semantic memory and visuo‐spatial processing tasks. Controlling for prior abilities as assessed by pretests using parallel test forms, background television had a significant deleterious effect on a geometric analogies and completions task involving visuo‐spatial processing, while performance on a parallel verbal analogies test was marginally improved. Concurrent TV exposure had no influence on a test of semantic m...
Multivariate analysis of factors affecting waiting time to heart transplantation

Background. The growing clinical success of cardiac transplantation has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of patients referred and subsequently listed for cardiac transplantation. Paradoxically, in the presence of a limited donor organ pool, such expansion has increased both the waiting time for transplantation and the number of patients dying while on the waiting list. Methods. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses of the waiting times of 301 patients listed for transplantation using a Cox proportional hazards model to evaluate the simultaneous effect of multiple variables on the waiting time of heart transplant candidates. Variables considered included age, sex, race, blood type, weight at listing, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) status at listing, UNOS status at transplantation, and proportion of time on the waiting list as UNOS status 1. Results. The mean waiting time for patients ultimately having transplantation was 170.2 ± 206.0 days; the median waiting time was 103.5 days. Age, sex, weight, blood type, and percent of time as UNOS status 1 all had a significant impact on waiting time in the univariate analysis. By multivariate analysis, proportion of time as UNOS status 1, lower weight at listing, and blood type AB were all highly associated as predictors of a shorter waiting time. Weight at listing represented a continuous variable whose risk ratio for a shorter waiting time correlated in such a way that the risk of a longer waiting time increased 2.3 per 22.5-kg (50-pound) increase in weight. Blood types A and B, although associated with a shorter waiting time, correlated less strongly than the other three variables. Conclusions. Our findings from this multivariate analysis demonstrate that UNOS status, blood type, and weight were the variables that most strongly affected overall waiting time for transplantation. It is our hope to define more accurately a group of patients with both a high likelihood of a long waiting time and a prohibitive risk of death while on the waiting list, who therefore may benefit from surgical alternatives to transplantation.
Novel Cooled Sliding Chamber Elucidates Origins of Action Potential Modulated Birefringence

A specimen chamber for crustacean nerve experiments was newly designed to maintain physiological temperatures and allow observation along the length of the specimen. The resulting data elucidate the origins of action potential-induced changes in birefringence.
Survival strategies in the aquatic and terrestrial world: The impact of second messengers on cyanobacterial processes

Second messengers are intracellular substances regulated by specific external stimuli globally known as first messengers. Cells rely on second messengers to generate rapid responses to environmental changes and the importance of their roles is becoming increasingly realized in cellular signaling research. Cyanobacteria are photooxygenic bacteria that inhabit most of Earth’s environments. The ability of cyanobacteria to survive in ecologically diverse habitats is due to their capacity to adapt and respond to environmental changes. This article reviews known second messenger-controlled physiological processes in cyanobacteria. Second messengers used in these systems include the element calcium (Ca2+), nucleotide-based guanosine tetraphosphate or pentaphosphate (ppGpp or pppGpp, represented as (p)ppGpp), cyclic adenosine 3’,5’-monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP), cyclic guanosine 3’,5’-monophosphate (cGMP), and cyclic dimeric AMP (c-di-AMP), and the gaseous nitric oxide (NO). The discussion focuses on processes central to cyanobacteria, such as nitrogen fixation, light perception, photosynthesis-related processes, and gliding motility. In addition, we address future research trajectories needed to better understand the signaling networks and cross talk in the signaling pathways of these molecules in cyanobacteria. Second messengers have significant potential to be adapted as technological tools and we highlight possible novel and practical applications based on our understanding of these molecules and the signaling networks that they control.
Loose coupling in the bacterial flagellar motor.

Physiological properties of the flagellar rotary motor have been taken to indicate a tightly coupled mechanism in which each revolution is driven by a fixed number of energizing ions. Measurements that would directly test the tight-coupling hypothesis have not been made. Energizing ions flow through membrane-bound complexes formed from the proteins MotA and MotB, which are anchored to the cell wall and constitute the stator. Genetic and biochemical evidence points to a “power stroke” mechanism in which the ions interact with an aspartate residue of MotB to drive conformational changes in MotA that are transmitted to the rotor protein FliG. Each stator complex contains two separate ion-binding sites, raising the question of whether the power stroke is driven by one, two, or either number of ions. Here, we describe simulations of a model in which the conformational change can be driven by either one or two ions. This loosely coupled model can account for the observed physiological properties of the motor, including those that have been taken to indicate tight coupling; it also accords with recent measurements of motor torque at high load that are harder to explain in tight-coupling models. Under loads relevant to a swimming cell, the loosely coupled motor would perform about as well as a two-proton motor and significantly better than a one-proton motor. The loosely coupled motor is predicted to be especially advantageous under conditions of diminished energy supply, or of reduced temperature, turning faster than an obligatorily two-proton motor while using fewer ions.