cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
3D Interactive Model of HERA to support ECLSS anomaly resolution using a Virtual Assistant

In future long-duration exploration missions (LDEMs), communication with mission control will be significantly delayed. Crews will often need to react to time-sensitive issues or hazards without relying on mission control for assistance. The need for a higher degree of crew autonomy without direct oversight from mission control introduces the implementation of virtual assistants (VAs) to aid the crew; however, we must first create standards and guidelines for VAs in this context. For this purpose, we have developed a VA called Daphne-AT (Anomaly Treatment) to investigate the interaction between astronauts and virtual assistants in the context of anomaly resolution related to the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS). A series of experiments will be conducted in a laboratory environment and at the Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) to study user's performance, situational awareness, cognitive workload, and trust in Daphne-AT. Subjects in a simulated LDEM will be given several ECLSS anomalies to identify and solve with and without the support of Daphne-AT. We based the scenarios we developed on existing ECLSS hardware and pre-existing anomaly resolution procedures from the HERA environment. Solving an anomaly requires the subject to complete the correct anomaly resolution procedure(s) for the appropriate anomaly, which could include various tasks such as swapping out component parts and activating or deactivating ECLSS systems. In experiment sessions without Daphne-AT, subjects will rely on telemetry feeds as well as background knowledge and training to solve anomalies. However, during experiment sessions with Daphne-AT, the VA will also assist subjects in detecting and diagnosing these anomalies. We conducted an initial set of experiments at Texas A&M University (TAMU) prior to those at HERA. However, the subject must complete anomaly resolution procedures during an experiment that require access to hardware and components not available at the TAMU location. To emulate the HERA ECLSS hardware elements in our laboratory at TAMU, we recreated a virtual 3D representation of HERA and its ECLSS systems using the game engine Unreal Engine 4 (UE4). This virtual model will act as an analog for subjects who are tested on TAMU's campus to complete relevant ECLSS procedures. All subsystems featured in the UE4 model are interactive and allow the user to perform steps in an anomaly resolution procedure similar to how the user would do it in HERA. The UE4 model allows the user to complete more than 20 anomaly resolution procedures, thus increasing the TAMU experiment's fidelity compared to those conducted at HERA. This paper describes the development of the UE4 model and how we used it to validate the experimental protocol implemented at HERA. The results of these experiments will inform future guidelines for VAs deployed on LDEMs.
Impact of Institutionalization of Party Systems, Electoral Rules, and Economic Factors on Political Representation in Latin America

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which party system institutionalization, electoral rules, and national economic performance affect political representation in Latin America. Political representation is measured by the citizen-representative congruence in two issues: support for democracy and political ideology. The general assumption is that higher/lower levels of political representation correspond to higher/lower levels of institutionalization, less/more permissive electoral rules, and better/worse economic performance. Countries included in the study are Mexico, Chile, Argentina, El Salvador, Bolivia, Honduras, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Paraguay, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Peru, Uruguay, and Panama. According to the results, the citizen-representative congruence in support for democracy model was not significant. However, the same factors included in such model did have something to do with the citizen-representative correspondence in political ideology, although two variables, gender quota and ballot structure, were not statistically significant.
Enzymatic Interconversion of Oleic Acid, 10-Hydroxyoctadecanoic Acid, and trans-Δ10-octadecenoic Acid REACTION PATHWAY AND STEREOSPECIFICITY

Abstract A soluble enzyme preparation from Pseudomonas sp. NRRL B-3266 catalyzes the interconversion of cis-Δ9-octadecenoic acid (oleic acid), trans-Δ10-octadecenoic acid, and 10-d-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid. Oleic acid and 10-d-hydroxy-octadecanoic acid are directly interconvertible by hydration and dehydration. The cis and trans unsaturated fatty acid isomers are interconvertible by direct isomerization of the double bond. trans-Δ10-Octadecenoic and 10-d-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid do not undergo direct interconversion without the intermediate formation of (enzyme-bound) oleic acid. Both hydration and isomerization reactions are very specific for a cis-Δ9 double bond, but the isomerization reaction is much more sensitive to changes in the hydrocarbon tail of the substrate distal to the double bond. The isomerization proceeds stereospecifically, with the 11-l (Pro-R) hydrogen of oleic acid being removed and a hydrogen from the medium being added at carbon 9 in the l (Pro-R) configuration. In the reverse reaction the 9-l (Pro-R) hydrogen is removed and a hydrogen from the medium is added at carbon 11. Primary kinetic isotope effects are seen for the removal of the 9-l and 11-l hydrogens. There is a marked discrimination against tritium in the addition of the 11-l hydrogen from the medium. The hydration of oleic acid and the isomerization of trans-Δ10-octadecenoic acid to oleic acid proceed more slowly in highly enriched 2H2O than in H2O, but the isomerization of oleic acid to trans-Δ10-octadecenoic acid is slightly faster in 2H2O.
Decreased Leukotriene C4 Synthesis Accompanies Adherence-Dependent Nuclear Import of 5-Lipoxygenase in Human Blood Eosinophils

The enzyme 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) catalyzes the synthesis of leukotrienes (LTs) from arachidonic acid (AA). Adherence or recruitment of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) induces nuclear import of 5-LO from the cytosol, which is associated with enhanced LTB4 synthesis upon subsequent cell stimulation. In this study, we asked whether adherence of human eosinophils (EOS) causes a similar redistribution of 5-LO and an increase in LTC4 synthesis. Purified blood EOS examined either in suspension or after adherence to fibronectin for 5 min contained only cytosolic 5-LO. Cell stimulation resulted in activation of 5-LO, as evidenced by its translocation to membranes and LTC4 synthesis. As with PMN, adherence of EOS to fibronectin for 120 min caused nuclear import of 5-LO. Unexpectedly, however, adherence also caused a time-dependent decrease in LTC4 synthesis: EOS adhered for 120 min produced 90% less LTC4 than did cells adhered for 5 min. Adherence did not diminish the release of [3H]AA from prelabeled EOS or reduce the synthesis of the prostanoids thromboxane and PGE2. Also, inhibition of LTC4 production caused by adherence could not be overcome by the addition of exogenous AA. Adherence increased, rather than decreased, LTC4 synthase activity. However, the stimulation of adherent EOS failed to induce translocation of 5-LO from the nucleoplasm to the nuclear envelope. This resistance to activation of the nuclear pool of 5-LO with diminished LT production represents a novel mode of regulation of the enzyme, distinct from the paradigm of up-regulated LT synthesis associated with intranuclear localization of 5-LO observed in PMN and other cell types.
Argon metastable densities in radio frequency Ar, Ar/O2 and Ar/CF4 electrical discharges

The spatial distributions of excited states in radio frequency electrical gas discharges have been observed to be dynamic functions of gas mixture, pressure, and applied voltage. Recent measurements of two-dimensional profiles of excited states in the Gaseous Electronics Conference reference cell (GECRC) [McMillin and Zachariah, J. Appl. Phys. 77, 5538 (1995); 79, 77 (1996)] have shown that the spatial distribution of the Ar(4s) density varies considerably with operating conditions. The peak density of Ar(4s) systematically shifted in position, as well as changed in magnitude, with variations in pressure, applied voltage, and gas mixture. In this article, we present results from a two-dimensional computer simulation of Ar, Ar/O2, and Ar/CF4 discharges sustained in the GECRC with the intent of investigating the experimental trends. The simulations, performed with the Hybrid Plasma Equipment Model, agree well with experiments. They show that the shift in Ar(4s) densities is largely explained by the reductio...
Does Fundamental Analysis Produce More Value-Relevant Summary Measures?

In this study, I investigate how financial details (e.g., footnotes to the financial statements and 10-K supplementary schedules) disclosed concurrently with financial statements are priced by market participants. I test, not only the value-relevance of footnotes and supplementary data, but also the hypothesis that such disclosures are used by investors to restate bottom-line (GAAP-based) summary measures reported in a financial statement (e.g., total assets or total liabilities). The data of interest are disclosures that describe financial statement representations (e.g., explanatory information on inventory accounting practices), offer information that has not met GAAP-based recognition criteria (e.g., operating lease disclosures), or provide disaggregated information on financial statement representations.I use the pedagogy in financial statement analysis textbooks and these disclosures to adjust GAAP-based indicators of firms' resources and obligations. I produce adjustments to financial statements for firms in five industries. The adjustments to firms' disclosures of resources and obligations are related to intangible capital, contingent liabilities, as well as net values of property plant & equipment, pension obligations, other post-employment benefit obligations, and operating leases. In the first step, I estimate a cross-sectional valuation model with multiple covariates (i.e., GAAP-based measures of assets and liabilities and the six adjustment variables) and find evidence that all six adjustments are priced by investors.In the second step, I aggregate each adjustment to its related financial statement measure of total assets or total liabilities to produce adjusted measures of firms' resources and obligations. The goal is to find which of two competing models (i.e., reported versus adjusted summary measures) better represents the data generating process in the market values of common equity. I find that adjusted summary measures are significantly more associated with market values than reported GAAP-based summary measures.
The Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson was a lifelong Democrat and slave owner who won a place alongside Abraham Lincoln on the 1864 Republican ticket in order to gain the support of pro-war Democrats. Johnson was fiercely pro-Union and had come to national prominence when, as a Senator from the important border state of Tennessee, he denounced secession as treason. In May, 1868, the Senate came within a single vote of taking the unprecedented step of removing a president from office. Although the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson was ostensibly about a violation of the Tenure of Office Act, it was about much more than that. Also on trial in 1868 were Johnson's lenient policies towards Reconstruction and his vetoes of the Freedmen's Bureau Act and the Civil Rights Act. The trial was, above all else, a political trial.
Supporting Storytelling in a Programming Environment for Middle School Children

Storytelling Alice and Looking Glass are programming environments that are designed to motivate middle school students, particularly girls, to learn basic computer programming. Rather than presenting programming as an end in and of itself, both systems present computer programming as a means to the end of creating animated stories. In this talk, I will share some lessons learned about how to support middle school students in finding and realizing their story ideas.
Obesity in children.

INTRODUCTION Obesity is the result of long-term energy imbalances, where daily energy intake exceeds daily energy expenditure. Along with long-term health problems, obesity in children is associated with short-term psychosocial problems, including social marginalisation, low self-esteem, and impaired quality of life. Most obese adolescents stay obese as adults. Obesity is increasing among children and adolescents, with 14% of boys and 17% of girls in the UK aged 2-15 years obese in 2004. METHODS AND OUTCOMES We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical question: What are the effects of lifestyle interventions for the treatment of childhood obesity? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library and other important databases up to August 2006 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). RESULTS We found 10 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions. CONCLUSIONS In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: behavioural interventions, diet, multifactorial interventions, and physical activity.
Does Gender Matter? University Library Access and Career Preparedness

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine how the gender of distance learning students related to variables such as the perception of the availability of library resources, technology available at home and work, technology provided by a university for distance learning, and career preparedness. A total of 166 master’s students in the last semester of their degree program submitted answers to a self-administered online survey designed to collect information about their degree program experiences. The results of the study indicated that female students felt more prepared by their degree programs when they felt library resources were accessible. Females were also more likely to feel library materials were available if they believed the university’s distance learning technology was reliable and that web-based technology provided by the university was adequate. Both genders were more likely to feel they had access to library resources when they felt they had adequate information technology at home or work. Based on these results, it is recommended that faculty collaborate with librarians to market library services so that students are aware of the resources that are available to them. Moreover, implementing strategies such as differentiated learning and optional gender-based library training sessions that utilize learning styles preferred by each gender may be beneficial for students.
Theology in Post-Democracy

This essay confronts the problem of how theology is to respond to conditions of post-democracy in the United States. Building off the distinction between "politics" and "the political" in the work of Sheldon Wolin, this article asserts that his notion of "fugitive" democracy provides a useful tool to calibrate democratic engagement. The argument here identifies evangelicalism as the most historically relevant theological worldview for American politics. The analysis identifies three strands of evangelicalism: conservative, progressive and emergent. By tracing the theological foundations of each type of evangelicalism, this essay evaluates the capacity of each to speak to conditions of the fugitive in post-democracy
Predictors and concomitants of changes in drug use patterns among teenagers.

Abstract A longitudinal study on drug usage was conducted to examine the differences among teenagers who were stable nonusers, decreased to nonuse, decreased to alcohol and marijuana use only, increased to drug use, and were stable users. Three surveys given to the sample of 123 adolescents over a two-year period included measures of drug use, perceived drug use of friends, relationships with mother and father, self-esteem, attitudes toward social interdependence, and level of moral reasoning. The results indicate that number of friends using drugs and quality of relationships with parents were most frequently related to drug use patterns. Attitudes toward social interdependence and self-esteem were somewhat related to pattern of drug use. Level of moral reasoning was found to be independent of drug use patterns.
Hormesis: Implications for Cancer Risk Assessment

Current guidelines for cancer risk assessment emphasize a toxicant's “mode of action”, rather than its empirically derived dose-response relationship, for determining whether linear low-dose extrapolation is appropriate. Thus, for reasons of policy, demonstration of hormesis is generally insufficient to justify a non-linear approach, although it may provide important insights into the actions of toxicants. We evaluated dose-response characteristics of four carcinogens reported to have hormetic dose-response curves: cadmium chloride; ionizing radiation; PAHs; and, 2,3,7,8-TCDD. For each, the study that documented hormesis in one organ also provided evidence of non-hormetic dose-responses in other organs or non-hormetic responses for seemingly similar carcinogens in the same species and organs. Such inconsistency suggests toxicologic reasons that the finding of hormesis alone is not sufficient to justify use of non-linear low-dose extrapolations. Moreover, available data in those examples are not sufficient to know whether hormesis is a property of the toxicants, the target organ, or the exposed species. From the perspectives of cancer risk assessment, the greatest informational value of hormesis may be that it provokes mechanistic studies intended to explain why hormesis occurs.
Product Strength and Orientation Manipulation via Vibration-Assisted Injection Molding

This investigation focuses on determining why polystyrene ASTM specimens exhibit an increase in tensile strength when processed by vibration assisted injection molding (VAIM) while polycarbonate parts do not. VAIM is one of several polymer processing methods that attempt to improve product properties via manipulation of the polymer melt. Observation of birefringence patterns in VAIM processed polystyrene samples show a significant impact on molecular orientation. The same studies were conducted on opaque polycarbonate and were unable to determine the degree of molecular orientation via birefringence measurement. It was theorized that VAIM did not produce significant orientation due to its higher thermal conductivity and stiffer backbone. It has been determined by this investigation that VAIM processing does impart significant molecular orientation in polycarbonate specimens but still does not increase its UTS. It is proposed that increased molecular orientation induced by VAIM processing inhibits crazes from growing into cracks. VAIM therefore favors polymers that fail by crazing (e.g., polystyrene) rather than those that fail by shear yielding (e.g., polycarbonate).Copyright © 2002 by ASME
The medium of exchange in mergers and acquisitions

Abstract This study examines the role of the medium of exchange in the explanation of returns and the distribution of wealth between parties in mergers and acquisitions. The wealth changes of shareholders of acquiring and acquired firms is examined for 272 mergers consummated between 1980 and 1986. We find that the distribution of the wealth gains does not differ among mergers using different mediums of exchange and that the relative size of the two parties is the primary determinant of the distribution of wealth changes.
Tolerance of Sexual Harassment: A Laboratory Paradigm

The present study attempted to develop a laboratory analogue for the study of tolerance for sexual harassment by using an online speed-dating paradigm. In that context, the relation between participants’ sexual harassment attitudes, perpetrator attractiveness, perpetrator status, and perceived dating potential of the perpetrator were examined as factors influencing participants’ tolerance of sexually harassing behavior. Participants were 128 female college students from a small northeastern public university. Results indicated that attractiveness, high social status, and attitudinal beliefs about sexual harassment were all predictive of tolerance for sexual harassment, providing preliminary support for the validity of this paradigm. In addition, participants’ self reported likelihood to date a bogus male dating candidate was also predictive of tolerance for sexual harassment, over and above the aforementioned variables, suggesting that dating potential can play a role in perceptions of sexual harassment. Further, this experiment demonstrated that perceptions of sexual harassment can be assessed using the in vivo measurement of behavior. In addition, using an online environment not only provides a contemporary spin and adds a greater degree of external validity compared to other sexual harassment analogues, it also reduces any risk of potential physical sexual contact for participants.
Two-dimensional shape optimal design†

This paper treats shape optimal design of two-dimensional structures. Sensitivity of cost and constraint functions to changes in the shape of the structure are obtained by applying theorems from the calculus of variations and by using consistent first-order approximations of functions arising in an optimal design problem. A generalized steepest descent algorithm is presented for determination of the optimum shape. The method is applied to a load carrying shear plate that models a component of the high pressure seal in a gun launched high velocity projectile.
Overriding atrioventricular valves. An angiographic-anatomical correlate

An analysis of 6 patients with overriding atrioventricular valve was performed in order to correlate the anatomic and angiographic features of this malformation. The atrial arrangement was usual (situs solitus) in each patient. The ventricular chambers were normally related in 4 and the mirror image of normal in 2. The atrioventricular connexion was concordant in parallel fashion in 4, discordant in 1 and double inlet left ventricle in 1 heart. In 2 of 4 hearts with concordant atrioventricular connexion, the right atrioventricular valve (tricuspid) overrode the septum and connected partially to the left ventricle. In 2, the left atrioventricular valve (mitral) overrode the septum and partially connected with the right ventricle. One heart with discordant atrioventricular connexion had its right atrioventricular valve (mitral) overriding the septum. The remaining heart with double inlet left ventricle had an overriding left atrioventricular valve. Each overriding atrioventricular valve had its "septal" leaflet (the one committed to the contralateral ventricle) divided into 2 segments by a large cleft. Ventricular septal defects at different locations were present in all cases. The ventriculoarterial connexion was double outlet right ventricle in 5 patients and was discordant in 1. Malalignment of the atrial and ventricular septa was present to some degree in all cases. This was well depicted on ventriculograms in four chamber view in those with an overriding tricuspid valve. It was not detected in those with an overriding mitral valve. The displaced leaflets of the overriding and/or stradding valve had a vertical motion on cineangiograms similar to those observed in atrioventricular septal defects. Abnormal morphology and motion of the septal leaflet of the overriding atrioventricular valve and malalignment of the atrial and ventricular septal structures were the most important angiographic findings in this series.
Exotic dihedral actions on homology 3-spheres

Abstract Exotic actions of dihedral groups on S 2 k +1 are constructed using 3-dimensional techniques.
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae SPT14 gene is essential for normal expression of the yeast transposon, Ty, as well as for expression of the HIS4 gene and several genes in the mating pathway.

To investigate the role of the trans-acting transcription factor encoded by the essential SPT14 (SPT=Suppressor of Ty insertion mutations) gene, we have cloned, mapped and sequenced the gene. From the analysis of the effect of spt14 mutations on expression of various genes, we conclude that the SPT14 product has an important role in activation of Ty transcription as well as in the regulation of other genes including HIS4 and several of the a- and α-specific mating type genes. Similarities in the phenotypes of spt14 and spt13 mutants (suppression of Ty insertion mutations but not δ insertion mutations), lead to the suggestion that the SPT14 gene and the previously characterized SPT13/GAL11 gene might encode transcriptional regulators with related functions. Our current findings show that in contrast to SPT13/GAL11, which appears negatively to regulate Ty transcription, SPT14 plays a role in the activation of Ty transcription. Thus, despite the similarities in the suppression phenotype exhibited by spt13 and spt14 mutants, SPT13/GAL11 and SPT14 probably differ in their transcriptional roles.
Monetary information and monetary neutrality

Abstract The monetary theory of business fluctuations in market clearing models constructed under the rational expectations assumption — as advanced by Lucas and others — involves the idea that suppliers and demanders will typically misinterpret movements in the general level of prices as representing more or less favorable relative opportunities for real activities. The present paper examines the consequences of agents' possessing contemporaneous monetary information — of a potentially noisy variety — for the non-neutrality of unanticipated monetary events, within such an equilibrium business cycle model. This modification of the information structure has the strong testable implication that real activity will be uncorrelated with contemporaneous monetary data.
George Perle’s Twelve–Tone Tonality: Some Developments for CAC using PWGL

This paper presents a description and some developments on Perle’s theory and compositional system known as Twelve-Tone Tonality , a system that, because of its characteristics and fundamentals, is currently associated with Schoenberg dodecaphonic system. Some research has been made in the last few decades in order to develop his model in a Computer Assisted Composition (CAC) environment. After some efforts in order to analyse these prototypes, we realize that in general they were discontinued or outdated. A three-scope proposal is so outlined: Firstly, to simplify the grasp of a system that presents an easily understandable starting premise but afterwards enters a world of unending lists and arrays of letters and numbers; Secondly, to present the implementation process already started using PWGL [1] (see Laurson, 1996; Laurson, 2003; Laurson, 2009). Finally, the model is applied in a short original compositional work, and it is presented and analysed emphasizing the standpoints properties of the system. Some further considerations were made regarding the continuity of this project where the construction of a dedicated PWGL library of Perle’s model reveals a pre-compositional necessary tool. PWGL software was selected due to its specific fitting features: it is based on Common Lisp - perfectly powerful and suitable to process lists of integers — and it is specialized in CAC.
Application of support vector regression in removing Poisson fluctuation from pulse height gamma-ray spectra

Analysis of pulse height gamma-ray signals is crucial in a variety of applications regarding safeguards and homeland security. Because of the inherent random nature of radiation measurements, the spectra obtained from gamma-ray sources exhibit a high variance that can be modeled as Poisson fluctuation. This variance imposes serious difficulties to spectrum analysis and isotope identification algorithms. To that end, artificial intelligence offers a variety of tools for automated, accurate, and the fast processing of gamma-ray signals. This paper discusses the use of a support vector regression (SVR) based methodology for removing Poisson fluctuation from pulse height radiation spectra. The proposed methodology utilizes an interval based smoothing of the spectrum and subsequently suppresses the variance. Methodology performance is tested on gamma-ray spectra taken with a low-resolution sodium iodide detector having a length of 1024 bins. Furthermore, this SVR technique is benchmarked against the 3-point and 7-point simple moving average methods. The results of this benchmarking demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in removing Poisson fluctuation over the other methods tested.
Endothelin receptor A blockade enhances taxane effects in prostate cancer.

Endothelin (ET) 1 is important in the growth of prostate cancer cells through the activation of the endothelin A (ETA) receptor. ET receptor blockade is a new therapeutic target in treating advanced prostate cancer. This study investigates the impact of the combination of the ETA antagonist atrasentan (ABT-627) and taxane chemotherapy on prostate cancer cell survival in vitro and on the delay of prostate cancer in a xenograft mouse model. In vitro, PPC-1 cells transfected with an ETA-overexpressing vector were treated with ABT-627, paclitaxel/docetaxel, or both. Clonogenic viability and cell death assays were used to determine cell survival and apoptosis, respectively. ABT-627 and docetaxel combination treatment was used in vivo to treat mice with established ETA-overexpressing PPC-1 xenograft tumors, and tumor growth rates were assessed. Cell proliferation and vascularity were determined with Ki-67 and CD31 staining, respectively. Cells treated with combination therapy had significantly fewer viable cells and more programmed cell death than cells given monotherapy. Xenograft tumor growth rates were significantly lower in mice treated with combination therapy than in animals given a single agent. Ki-67 immunostaining demonstrated significantly fewer proliferative cells following combination therapy than following monotherapy. This study demonstrates ABT-627 to have additive antitumor effects when used in combination with taxane drugs both in vitro and in vivo.
Q&A: Circuit capacity

A Boston University biomedical engineer, Collins reprograms organisms to endow them with novel or improved functions. Nature Outlook asks him how things are evolving.
Democritus on the nature and perception of `black' and `white

In spite of the amount of information about Democritus' teaching on perception and colors in Theophrastus' De Sensibus, there still is much vagueness about this teaching. Many commentators provide nothing more than mere summaries or paraphrases of Theophrastus' account without an attempt to coordinate all the information available into a coherent system.2 Few also attempt to take into consideration the role of light and air in the process of vision and the sensations of color, although both seem to Theophrastus to be essential parts of Democritus' explanations. Besides, too little has been done with the information which can be gleaned from Theophrastus' criticisms of Democritus' teaching, from those very passages in which he takes issue with what seem to him important parts of Democritean atomism. Neglect of these passages, as well as a reluctance to coordinate all the information available, seems to result in vagueness in accounts of Democritus' teaching; and that fails to satisfy. What is proposed here is an account of Democritus' teaching on the perception of black and white, written under the conviction that his teaching here was basically consistent, concrete, and ostensibly workable. Such an account is, of necessity, speculative at certain points, for Theophrastus' own account is incomplete. Where speculation is necessary, it will be consistent with the text of Theophrastus and with the more explicit doctrines of later atomism apparently derived from Democritus. While this account of Democritus represents a break at certain points from the traditional interpretation, it does, unlike the traditional interpretation, have the advantage of concreteness, clarity, and consistency. In order to lay a more proper foundation for an account of Democritus' theory of sensations of black and white, and in order to clear up any prior misunderstandings, it will be best first to survey what we know of Democritus' teaching on the mechanics of visual perception (50-5 1).
Metabolic studies of transient tyrosinemia in premature infants.

The recently developed technique of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry supported by computer has considerably improved the analysis of physiologic fluids. This study attempted to demonstrate the value of this system in the investigation of metabolite patterns in urine in two metabolic problems of prematurity, transient tyrosinemia and late metabolic acidosis. Serial 24-hr urine specimens were analyzed in 9 infants. Transient tyrosinemia, characterized by 5- 10-fold increases over basal excretion of tyrosine, p-hydroxyphenyllactate, and p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate in urine, was noted in five of the infants. Late metabolic acidosis was seen in four infants, but bore no relation to transient tyrosinemia.
One Rare Side Effect of Zolpidem—Sleepwalking: A Case Report

Zolpidem is an imidazopyridine agent indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia. Sleepwalking is a rare side effect of zolpidem. A review of the literature produced only 2 cases. We report a case of a male rehabilitation inpatient in his mid fifties with a history of alcoholism and traumatic brain injury who had undergone a right hip hemiarthroplasty. He had no history of somnambulism or insomnia but walked in his sleep on 2 nonconsecutive nights after taking zolpidem. He had exhibited no such behavior before taking zolpidem, on the intervening night that was he was not given medication, and after the medication was discontinued. We conclude that zolpidem can cause sleepwalking, and patients who have suffered a brain injury may be more susceptible to this side effect. Here we describe the clinical presentation and review the relevant literature on zolpidem and sleepwalking.
Sol-gel films with tailored microstructures

The refractive index and porosity of silicate films formed by dip-coating were tailored by varying the aging time of a two-step acid- and base-catalyzed sol to control the size and structure of the polymeric species prior to coating. {sup 29}Si NMR showed that there was a 2% increase in the total number of bridging oxygens with sol age, consistent with a cluster-cluster growth mechanism. However, several percent monomer remained regardless of aging. Dip-coated films were characterized by ellipsometry before and after heating to moderate temperatures at three rates. Sol aging prior to film deposition leads to greater film porosity, consistent with the concept of aggregation of fractal clusters, but only after a heat treatment to remove the organic species associated with incompletely hydrolyzed monomers from the pores.
Mints as adaptors. Direct binding to neurexins and recruitment of munc18.

Mint1 (X11/human Lin-10) and Mint2 are neuronal adaptor proteins that bind to Munc18–1 (n/rb-sec1), a protein essential for synaptic vesicle exocytosis. Mint1 has previously been characterized in a complex with CASK, another adaptor protein that in turn interacts with neurexins. Neurexins are neuron-specific cell surface proteins that act as receptors for the excitatory neurotoxin α-latrotoxin. Hence, one possible function for Mint1 is to mediate the recruitment of Munc18 to neurexins. In agreement with this hypothesis, we now show that the cytoplasmic tail of neurexins captures Munc18 via a multiprotein complex that involves Mint1. Furthermore, we demonstrate that both Mint1 and Mint2 can directly bind to neurexins in a PDZ domain-mediated interaction. Various Mint and/or CASK-containing complexes can be assembled on neurexins, and we demonstrate that Mint1 can bind to Munc18 and CASK simultaneously. Our data support a model whereby one of the functions of Mints is to localize the vesicle fusion protein Munc18 to those sites at the plasma membrane that are defined by neurexins, presumably in the vicinity of points of exocytosis.
Coverage of Older Adults and HIV/AIDS: Risk Information for an Invisible Population

The goal of this study was to determine how HIV and AIDS risk was framed in newspaper coverage of older adults. A content analysis was performed on articles published from 1989 to 2005 in urban newspapers. The findings were then compared with relevant information on the actual risks facing older adults. The results indicate a discrepancy in coverage between articles, including sources in the affected group. Articles omitting the affected sources inaccurately framed risk, emphasizing salacious topics rather than more important concerns. These findings suggest available risk information regarding HIV and AIDS and older adults distorts risk information for a population already underserved by health educators, which could contribute to rising infection rates.
THE SHORT-TERM INCREASES OF IGF-I AND IGFBP-3 DURING GH TREATMENT PREDICT THE LONG-TERM GROWTH RESPONSE IN SHORT CHILDREN

The treatment of short children without GH deficiency (GHD) poses a major question: whether or not short-term changes of GH-dependent parameters could predict the long-term growth response to GH treatment. For this purpose, scrum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were studied in short prepubcrtal children without “classical” GHD as defined by a peak GH level above 20 mU/L in the arginine-insulin-tolerance test (5 girls, 33 boys, age 8.9±1.9 yr) receiving 0.1 IU rhGH per kg body weight daily. Height velocity (HV) was determined during a 1-yr pretreatment period and during the 1st (n=38) and 2nd (n=32) year of treatment. IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were measured by specific RIAs at start of therapy (index 0) and after 1 month (index 1m).
Participation-Ratio Entropy and Critical Fluctuations in the Thermodynamics of Pancake Vortices

We report on a study of the thermodynamics of the Ginzburg-Landau model for two-dimensional type-II supeconductors near the transition from the normal state to the Abrikosov-lattice state. We couch our analysis in terms of the participation-ratio entropy {ital s}({ital P}), which completely determines the thermodynamics of the system. We report on results for {ital s}({ital P}) obtained analytically using perturbation expansion methods and numerically using Monte Carlo simulation methods and discuss the weak first-order phase transition which occurs in this system in terms of the properties of {ital s}({ital P}).
The influence of agarose-DNA affinity on the electrophoretic separation of DNA fragments in agarose gels

Abstract The effects of DNA concentration, buffer composition, added “carrier” DNA, and chemical modification of agarose on the electrophoretic separation of DNA restriction fragments in agarose gels were tested. Electrophoretic zones of migrating DNA were found to broaden by trailing as sample load was decreased, and this effect was found to be more pronounced for species of higher molecular weight. As DNA sample load was increased, DNA fragments were found to move faster in the direction of electrophoresis (front forward). Sharp, well-resolved electrophoretic zones were obtained at very low DNA loads only when a high-salt, high-pH, high-EDTA buffer was employed or when “carrier DNA” having a broad and uniform molecular weight distribution was included in the sample. Moreover, DNA in high concentration was found to displace DNA in low concentration from a given gel region. Unmodified agaroses were found to differ only slightly in their effectiveness in retarding DNA fragments at a given agarose concentration. However, hydroxyethylated agarose was much more effective in retarding DNA, at a given gel concentration, than the unmodified agaroses tested. These results show that it is useful to consider the agarose gel matrix as possessing the properties of both a molecular sieve and a chromatographic adsorbent when designing electrophoretic separation techniques for DNA. A model for these separations which includes the effects of DNA-agarose interaction and molecular sieving is discussed.
THERMODYNAMICALLY CONSISTENT ENERGY TRANSFER

We address the problem of the thermodynamically consistent descrip- tion of energy transfer in condensed media and exhibit results f or a two-level system. We construct quantum Langevin equations which are in general non- Markovian, nonlinear, and contain o perator (rather than c-number) fluctuations. Thermodynamic consistency is manifest by the existence of relations between dissipative terms and correlation functions of the fluctuations. Under ap- propriate conditions we are able to rewrite our equations in the form of a stochastic Liouville equation (SLE), permitting a comparison between existing theories and our new approach. The approach provides t emperature dependences for the SLE coefficients and predicts temperature-dependent spectral andtrans- port properties.
Development of an optical instrument for measuring temperature and emissivity of a hot surface

This paper describes an improvement of a two color pyrometer which provides for near simultaneous multi-point measurements, reduced dependence on electronic circuits, and a greatly enhanced data display system. Important reasons for our development of this system include the need to make simultaneous measurements at widely separated points and the measurement of both surface temperature and emissivity. Finally, the data measured by this system is stored on magnetic media and can be correlated with other measurements on the system under study.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
In Vitro Reconstitution of Two Essential Steps in Wall Teichoic Acid Biosynthesis

Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are anionic polymers that decorate the cell walls of many gram-positive bacteria. These structures are essential for survival or virulence in many organisms, which makes the enzymes involved in their biosynthesis attractive targets for the development of new antibacterial agents. We present a strategy to obtain WTA biosynthetic intermediates that involves a combination of chemical and enzymatic transformations. Using these intermediates, we have reconstituted the first two committed steps in the biosynthetic pathway. This work enables the exploration of WTA-synthesizing enzymes as antibiotic targets.
Production of chemotactic peptides by neutrophil degradation of heparin cofactor II.

This study investigated the reaction of heparin cofactor II (HCII) with stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). We have expanded upon previous studies showing that HCII can be degraded by stimulated PMN (Sie, P., Dupouy, D., Dol, F., and Boneu, B., Thromb. Res. 47, 657-664, 1987), and that chemotactic activity is produced when HCII is partially proteolyzed with purified leukocyte elastase or cathepsin G (Hoffman, M., Pratt, C.W., Brown, R.L., and Church, F.C., Blood, 73, 1682-1695, 1989). We found that HCII was proteolyzed by stimulated PMN, generating peptides with chemotactic activity. Both proteolysis and generation of chemotactic activity were inhibited by a specific leukocyte elastase inhibitor and by more general proteinase inhibitors. Leukocyte elastase activity was lost upon addition of either inhibitor. Heparin and dermatan sulfate altered the pattern of proteolysis. Our results suggest that HCII may be involved not only in functions related to thrombin inhibition but also in regulating acute inflammation.
Optical digital logic operations by two-beam coupling in photorefractive material.

The nonlinear phenomena of signal beam saturation, pump beam depletion, and optically controlled coupling coefficient of two-beam interaction in photorefractive materials are analyzed. Applications of these phenomena to digital logic operations is discussed and supported by experimental results obtained in photorefractive BaTiO3.
Effects of plasmas on porous low dielectric constant CVD SiOCH films

Plasma etch and ash processes can alter surface and bulk properties in porous low-k films leading to poor device performance and reliability. Plasma-induced changes in film surface chemistries and topographies can result in increased water absorption, surface roughness, and metal intrusion. In this work, the effects of oxidizing and reducing plasmas on film surface roughness, porosities and chemistries are examined in a CVD porous low-k dielectric. Film surface chemical compositions were studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Water and diiodomethane contact angle measurements were used to determine the polar and dispersive components of film surface energies. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to measure changes in surface roughness after ashing. Surface roughnesses were described by both vertical amplitudes and horizontal wavelengths, thus, creating ''real'' topographic film description. Changes in film densities were measured using spectroscopic ellipsometry. To study moisture adsorption, these films were exposed to liquid and vapor D"2O. The extent of D"2O adsorption was monitored by FTIR. Both oxidizing and reducing ashes appear to densify the top layer of the low-k film, but oxidizing ashes do not adsorb measurable quantities of D"2O while reducing ashed samples show significant deuterium oxide uptake.
The essential nonlinearity ofN-level quantum thermodynamics

This paper explores the possibility that linear dynamical maps might be used to describe the energy-conserving, entropy-increasing motions which occur in closed thermodynamic systems as they approach canonical therntal equilibrium. For N-level quantum systems with N > 2, we prove that no such maps exist which are independent of the initial state.
Effects of quinine on K+ transport in heart mitochondria.

Quinine inhibits the respiration-dependent extrusion of K+ from Mg2+-depleted heart mitochondria and the passive osmotic swelling of these mitochondria in K+ and Na+ acetate at alkaline pH. These observations concur with those of Nakashima and Garlid (J. Biol. Chem. 257, 9252, 1982) using rat liver mitochondria. Quinine also inhibits the respiration-dependent contraction of heart mitochondria swollen passively in Na+ or K+ nitrate and the increment of elevated respiration associated with the extrusion of ions from these mitochondria. Quinine, at concentrations up to 0.5 mM, inhibits the respiration-dependent42K+/K+ exchange seen in the presence of mersalyl, but higher levels of the drug produce increased membrane permeability and net K+ loss from the matrix. These results are all consistent with an inhibition of the putative mitochondrial K+/H+ antiport by quinine. However, quinine has other effects on the mitochondrial membrane, and possible alternatives to this interpretation are discussed.