cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“Crowding in” or “crowding out”? An examination of the impact of the welfare state on generalized social trust

Generalized social trust is correlated with increased levels of civic engagement, lower crime rates, and greater economic growth. Many scholars believe that equality provides the conditions in which social trust can flourish. Thus, welfare programs might be one way to generate social trust. However, the relationship between social spending and trust is contested: Some argue it is negative, while others argue it is positive. This study examined the effects of total social welfare expenditures on social trust in 18 OECD countries, holding constant individual characteristics, country characteristics, and country and year effects. Fixed effects analyses indicate that every additional percent of gross domestic product spent on social expenditures 5 years prior is associated with a 4.7 percent increased likelihood that respondents of that country will endorse trusting other people. Further testing for reverse causality found no significant association between trust and later social expenditures, supporting the claim that expenditures drive trust instead of the reverse.
ERROR ANALYSIS OF THE MINIMUM DISTANCE ENERGY OF A POLYGONAL KNOT AND THE MÖBIUS ENERGY OF AN APPROXIMATING CURVE

Energy minimizing smooth knot configurations have long been approximated by finding knotted polygons that minimize discretized versions of the given energy. However, for most knot energy functionals, the question remains open on whether the minimum polygonal energies are "close" to the minimum smooth energies. In this paper, we determine an explicit bound between the Minimum-Distance Energy of a polygon and the Mobius Energy of a piecewise-C2 knot inscribed in the polygon. This bound is written in terms of the ropelength and the number of edges and can be used to determine an upper bound for the minimum Mobius Energy for different knot types.
Expression of multiple Na+,K+-adenosine triphosphatase isoform genes in human hematopoietic cells. Behavior of the novel A3 isoform during induced maturation of HL60 cells.

Abstract Multiple isoenzymes of the Na+,K+-ATPase (alpha, alpha+, and alpha 3) have been identified by molecular cloning (Shull, G. E., J. Greeb, and J. B. Lingrel. 1986. Biochemistry. 25:8125-8132; and Schneider, J. W., R. W. Mercer, and E. J. Benz, Jr. 1987. Clin. Res. 35:585A. [Abstr.]). At least one of these, the alpha 3 chain, represents a novel form for which protein products and enzymatic activities are just beginning to be defined in rodents. We have recently demonstrated that expression of alpha 3 is largely confined to neuromuscular tissues of fetal and adult rats (Schneider, J. W., R. W. Mercer, M. Gilmore-Hebert, M. F. Utset, C. Lai, A. Greene, and E. J. Benz, Jr. 1988. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 85:284-288). We now report that certain human leukemia cell lines including HL60, HEL, and Molt 4 express mRNA for both alpha and alpha 3 isoforms of Na+,K+-ATPase; mRNA was not detected in several other cell lines, including K562 and U937; no cell lines expressed alpha+ mRNA. In uninduced HL60 cells, alpha 3 mRNA comprised 20-30% of total Na+,K+-ATPase mRNA. Furthermore, in HL60 and HEL cells, both alpha and alpha 3 mRNA declined after induction of maturation by DMSO, retinoic acid, or hemin. However, the reduction in alpha 3 mRNA was far more dramatic. alpha 3 mRNA virtually disappeared, but alpha mRNA declined by only approximately 50%. In contrast, when maturation of HL60 cells along the monocyte/macrophage lineage was induced by exposure to phorbol esters, alpha 3 mRNA remained abundant. Moreover, mRNA for the beta subunit of the Na+,K+-ATPase increased dramatically. Our results demonstrate that the alpha 3 isoform, formerly thought to be confined to neuromuscular tissues, is expressed in restricted lineages of hematopoietic origin. These leukemia cell lines should provide a useful model for analyzing regulation of the alpha 3 isoform gene and characterization of alpha 3 isoform activities.
Buckling of angle-ply laminated circular cylindrical shells

This Note presents closed-farm solutions for axisymmetrical and axially unsymmetrical buckling of angle-ply laminated circular cylindrical shells under axial compression. The axisymmetrical and axially unsymmetrical buckling stress are found to be different from each other, and the best lamination angles which give the highest buckling stress are obtained.
The effect of lithium on vitamin D metabolism.

Affective disorders tend to be associated with perturbations in calcium homeostasis, as witnessed in, for example, the major clinical entities of hyperor hypoparathyroidism (Denko and Koelbing 1962; Hecht and Gershberg 1975). The mood disorders accompanying these diseases are effectively terminated with successful treatment of the underlying endocrinopathy (Anderson 1968; Fourrnan et al. 1976). In addition, significant shifts in calcium levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum occur in depressed patients undergoing treatment with electroshock, lithium, or sleep deprivation. Moreover, a positive correlation exists between the severity of the depressive state (bipolar and unipolar) and CSF levels of calcium (Carmen et al. 1977; Gerner et al. 1978; Jimerson et al. 1979). Lithium, which favorably affects manic and depressive states, acts on a multiplicity of calcium-dependent systems controlling intracellular processes, serving neuronal transmission and transduction by inhibiting or disinhibiting one or another of these systems. For example, lithium inhibits adenylcyclase, tryptophan hydroxylase, inositol-I-phosphatase neurotransmitter release on the one hand, and activates calciumadenosine triphosphatase (Ca-ATPase) on the other (Meltzer 1986). Lithium increases serum parathyoid hormone (PTH) levels, resulting in a modest elevation of serum calcium and mag-
Energy management for the Nereus hybrid underwater vehicle

The hybrid vehicle Nereus employs an energy efficient architecture to enable novel modes of remote operation. Available energy is limited by the capacity of Nereus's on-board batteries. Nereus's energy design was developed by first creating representative dive profiles for candidate missions, and then developing an energy budget for each mission. The design of energy intensive subsystems, including the propulsion thrusters, manipulator arm, and lights, was optimized to reduce energy consumption while delivering adequate performance. Performance of Nereus's energy systems during its first three expeditions is reported.
Variation in dental occlusion and arches among melanesians of bougainville island, papua New Guinea. I. Methods, age changes, sex differences and population comparisons†

Population studies of malocclusion lack comparability because of the subjective criteria employed in the definition of malocclusion. Alternatively, individual characteristics of occlusion can be quantified and compared within and between populations. Measurements were taken from the dental cases of 319 male an 359 female Melanesians from Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. The cross-sectional age changes from 12 to 68 years of age included an increase in intermolar arch width, a decrease in arch length and intercanine arch width, and increased crowding and malalignment. Neither age nor sex accounted for a large proportion of the differences among individuals. When compared to industrialized groups, the Bougainville population had a slight reduction in variance for most characteristics. Only the sagittal molar relationship was markedly less variable on Bougainville. The results emphasize that a quantitative evaluation of individual occlusal variables may reveal differences within and between populations not detected when simple malocclusion frequencies are reported.
Electrokinetic Studies of Bacteria I: Effect of Nature, Ionic Strength, and pH of Buffer Solutions on Electrophoretic Mobility of Streptococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli

The characteristics of the exterior surface of bacteria are important because it is the first region of the cell with which dissolved nutrients and drugs come into contact. The electrical properties of the outer layer of the cell wall were studied in detail for the Gram‐positive Streptococcus faecalis by microelectrophoresis. A few experiments were made with the Gram‐negative Escherichia coli. Incubation time had only a minor effect on the electrophoretic mobility, even when comparing bacteria during the exponential growth phase and during the stationary phase. Increasing concentrations of buffer electrolytes reduced the mobility. When the mobility of S. faecalis was measured as a function of pH between 2.5 and 10.8 at constant ionic strength with phosphate, acetate, and biphthalate buffer systems, all points fell on a single curve, indicating the absence of specific ion effects. The curve had a plateau between the pH values of 4 and 7. It dropped sharply at lower pH and rose slowly at higher pH. The extrapolated isoelectric point was at pH 2.3. S. faecalis was negatively charged over the entire pH range studied. According to the apparent ionization constant, the group responsible for that charge was the carboxyl group. The charge density at the outer portion of the cell wall was one carboxyl group per (48 A)2. For E. coli, the value was one carboxyl group per (31 A)2.
Cigarette smoke condensate-induced level of adenomatous polyposis coli blocks long-patch base excision repair in breast epithelial cells.

Cigarette smoke condensate-induced level of adenomatous polyposis coli blocks long-patch base excision repair in breast epithelial cells
Relating White-Light Coronal Images to Magnetic Fields and Plasma Flow

The solar magnetic field is key to a detailed understanding of the Sun's atmosphere and its transition to the solar wind. However, the lack of detailed magnetic field measurements everywhere except at the photosphere has made it challenging to determine its topology and to understand how it produces the observed plasma properties of the corona and solar wind. Recent progress based on the synthesis of diversified observations has shown that the corona is highly filamentary, that the coronal magnetic field is predominantly radial, and that the ability of closed fields to trap plasma at the base of the corona is a manifestation of how the solar field controls the solar wind. In this paper, we explain how these results are consistent with the relationship between density structure of white-light images and fields and flow. We point out that the ‘shape’ of the corona observed in white-light images is a consequence of the steep fall-off in density with radial distance, coupled with the inherent limitation in the sensitivity of the observing instrument. We discuss how the significant variation in radial density fall-off with latitude leads to a coronal shape that is more precisely revealed when a radial gradient filter is used, but which also gives a false impression of the tracing of highly non-radial fields. Instead, the coronal field is predominantly radial, and the two magnetic features that influence the shape of the corona are the closed fields at the base of the corona, and the polarity reversal forming the heliospheric current sheet in the outer corona.
Intracellular fate mapping in a basal metazoan, the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, reveals the origins of mesoderm and the existence of indeterminate cell lineages.

Ctenophores are marine invertebrates that develop rapidly and directly into juvenile adults. They are likely to be the simplest metazoans possessing definitive muscle cells and are possibly the sister group to the Bilateria. All ctenophore embryos display a highly stereotyped, phylum-specific pattern of development in which every cell can be identified by its lineage history. We generated a cell lineage fate map for Mnemiopsis leidyi by injecting fluorescent lineage tracers into individual blastomeres up through the 60-cell stage. The adult ctenophore body plan is composed of four nearly identical quadrants organized along the oral-aboral axis. Each of the four quadrants is derived largely from one cell of the four-cell-stage embryo. At the eight-cell stage each quadrant contains a single E ("end") and M ("middle") blastomere. Subsequently, micromeres are formed first at the aboral pole and later at the oral pole. The ctene rows, apical organ, and tentacle apparatus are complex structures that are generated by both E and M blastomere lineages from all four quadrants. All muscle cells are derived from micromeres born at the oral pole of endomesodermal precursors (2M and 3E macromeres). While the development of the four quadrants is similar, diagonally opposed quadrants share more similarities than adjacent quadrants. Adult ctenophores possess two diagonally opposed endodermal anal canals that open at the base of the apical organ. These two structures are derived from the two diagonally opposed 2M/ macromeres. The two opposing 2M/ macromeres generated a unique set of circumpharyngeal muscle cells, but do not contribute to the anal canals. No other lineages displayed such diagonal asymmetries. Clones from each blastomere yielded regular, but not completely invariant patterns of descendents. Ectodermal descendents normally, but not always, remained within their corresponding quadrants. On the other hand, endodermal and mesodermal progeny dispersed throughout the body. The variability in the exact complements of adult structures, along with previously published cell deletion experiments, demonstrates that cell interactions are required for normal cell fate determination. Ctenophore embryos, like those of many bilaterian phyla (e.g., spiralians, nematodes, and echinoids), display a highly stereotyped cleavage program in which some, but not all, blastomeres are determined at the time of their birth. The results suggest that mesodermal tissues originally evolved from endoderm tissue.
Potato Response to a Polymer-Coated Urea on an Irrigated, Coarse-Textured Soil

Controlled release fertilizers, especially polymer-coated urea (PCU), have been shown to reduce nitrate (NO 3 ) leaching while maintaining potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yields, but cost has been prohibitive. A new type of PCU (Environmentally Smart Nitrogen, Agrium, Inc., Calgary, AB) is less costly than previous PCUs, but its effectiveness on potato production has not been extensively studied. A 2-yr field study was conducted on loamy sand to evaluate the effect of this PCU on Russet Burbank tuber yield and to determine if it is economically comparable to soluble N sources. Several N rates of PCU applied at emergence were compared with two split applications of soluble N at equivalent rates. Additional treatments examined N application timing of PCU and a fertigation simulation with urea/ammonium nitrate. Petioles and midseason soil samples were collected to determine N status during the season. Overall, PCU and soluble N at equivalent N rates were found to have similar total and grade A yields and net monetary returns. The optimal N rate that resulted in maximum net returns was 251 and 236 kg N ha ―1 as soluble N and PCU, respectively. Petiole NO 3 concentrations were typically higher with soluble N early in the season and higher with PCU later in the season. Soil NO 3 determined in samples collected in late June was found to be a better predictor of yield and potential N need than those collected in mid- to late July. Overall, PCU may reduce or eliminate the need for split applications of N on coarse-textured soils.
QUALITY QUANDARIES∗The Impact of Measurement Error on Specifications∗

(1998). QUALITY QUANDARIES∗The Impact of Measurement Error on Specifications∗. Quality Engineering: Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 331-335.
Factors Affecting the Context for Motivation in Public Organizations

A comparative framework is used to assess the present understanding of the motivational context in public organizations. Comparative public-private research on individual, job, work environment, and external variables affecting motivation is reviewed. In light of this research, the efficacy of four motivational techniques—monetary incentives, goal setting, job design, and participation—is discussed. An agenda is offered for future research, focusing on topics such as the measurability of performance, goal clarity, and job security.
The influence of ion beam sputtering geometry on metastable (Ni81Fe19)O/Ni81Fe19 exchange biased bilayers

Abstract Metastable polycrystalline permalloy monoxide films (Ni 81 Fe 19 )O or PyO, with NiO-type rocksalt crystalline have been fabricated by reactive dual ion beam sputtering (RDIBS). These materials were characterized with high angle X-ray diffraction (HAXRD), X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Permalloy monoxide films ranging in thickness from 30 to 100 nm were investigated. The crystalline and magnetic properties of these metastable oxide films are found to depend on (1) the choice of specular versus non-specular RDIBS geometric placement of the ion beam target sputtering source, target and substrate; (2) the use of Ar + (lighter) or Kr + (heavier) sputter ions; and (3) the choice of substrate temperature during sputtering. In addition, the use of modest 500 K post-deposition vacuum anneals in a static magnetic film were also observed to greatly improve the magnetic properties of exchanged biased PyO/Py bilayer structures (Py=Ni 81 Fe 19 ). When optimally processed, RDIBS fabricated permalloy monoxide films can be used to fabricate exchange biased PyO/Py bilayers with improved coercivity characteristics than previously found in equivalent magnetron sputtered PyO/Py or similarly ion beam sputtered NiO/Py bilayer samples.
A California air standard to protect vegetation from ozone.

Evidence shows that the current national primary ambient air quality standard, if attained, would still permit substantial injury to vegetation. Thus, in March 1987, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) began consideration of the evidence for the effects of ozone (O3) on vegetation, and of several possible state ambient air quality standards designed to protect vegetation, especially crops, from O3 injury. In its review, the CARB addressed a number of issues relevent to such a standard. One issue considered by the CARB is the relationship of an ambient air quality standard to natural background levels of O3, which would greatly influence the practicality of attainment. Attainment of a standard close to natural background could entail excessive costs. Another issue considered is the occurrence of oxidants other than O3 that can damage vegetation. Throughout much of California, O3 accounts for over 90% of the oxidant air pollutants, and the CARB considered whether, in keeping with current practice, O3 should be used as a surrogate for total oxidant air pollutants. A major new piece of information presented to the CARB was an assessment of the economic effects of several potential standards. This assessment, produced by University of California scientists at Riverside and Davis, calculaed the benefits of the potential standards in comparison to current O3 levels and estimated natural O3 background. This assessment was developed using field chamber response data, local crop data, and local O3 concentration data as inputs to the California Agricultural Resources Model, which accounts for both supply and demand effects. Because of California's varied climate, agricultural production occurs on a year-round basis, with overlapping growing seasons for many crops. Over long periods of time, O3 levels may vary markedly because of the influence of various factors, and a 1-h standard may not be an accurate indicator of growing season O3 exposure. A moving three-month averaging time has been proposed as a way to approximate the growing seasons of California's 200 crops. However, a sufficiently stringent 1-h standard would serve as a surrogate for a growing season standard. The CARB reviewed evidence supporting both long-term and short-term standards. Agriculture dominates the economies of some regions within California but is a minor components of other regional economies. Because the San Joaquin Valley is California's most important agricultural area, the CARB reviewed evidence for a regional standard for this area that would be more stringent than standards for other parts of the state.
Cardiac magnetic resonance of single ventricles.

The assessment of the patient with a single ventricle is an enormous challenge to medical science. Not only are there are varied types of single ventricles, nearly all patients require either heart...
Adrenergic and cholinergic nerve terminals in the rat parotid gland. Electron microscopic observations on permanganate-fixed glands.

The innervation of the acinar cells of the rat parotid gland was studied using potassium permanganate fixation. Adrenergic terminals, characterized by the presence of small granular vesicles, and cholinergic terminals, containing small agranular vesicles, made close contact with the acinar cells. Both adrenergic and cholinergic terminals were observed in contact with the same cell, and subsurface cisterns of endoplasmic reticulum were found in relation to the contact areas of both types of endings. In addition, both adrenergic and cholinergic axons were found within the same Schwann cell sheath in the connective tissue spaces.
Volume of the hippocampal subfields in healthy adults: differential associations with age and a pro-inflammatory genetic variant

The hippocampus is one of the most age-sensitive brain regions, yet the mechanisms of hippocampal shrinkage remain unclear. Recent studies suggest that hippocampal subfields are differentially vulnerable to aging and differentially sensitive to vascular risk. Promoters of inflammation are frequently proposed as major contributors to brain aging and vascular disease but their effects on hippocampal subfields are unknown. We examined the associations of hippocampal subfield volumes with age, a vascular risk factor (hypertension), and genetic polymorphisms associated with variation in pro-inflammatory cytokines levels (IL-1β C-511T and IL-6 C-174G) and risk for Alzheimer’s disease (APOEe4) in healthy adult volunteers (N = 80; age = 22–82 years). Volumes of three hippocampal subfields, cornu ammonis (CA) 1–2, CA3–dentate gyrus, and the subiculum were manually measured on high-resolution magnetic resonance images. Advanced age was differentially associated with smaller volume of CA1–2, whereas carriers of the T allele of IL-1β C-511T polymorphism had smaller volume of all hippocampal subfields than CC homozygotes did. Neither of the other genetic variants, nor diagnosis of hypertension, was associated with any of the measured volumes. The results support the notion that volumes of age-sensitive brain regions may be affected by pro-inflammatory factors that may be targeted by therapeutic interventions.
A lab implementation of SYN flood attack and defense

A "denial-of-service" attack is characterized by an explicit attempt by attackers to prevent legitimate users of a service from using that service. SYN flood attack is one of the most common types of DoS. In this lab, we model and simulate a real world network, and we launch a SYN attack against our web server. Through this, we study the nature of the attack and investigate the effectiveness of several approaches in defending against SYN attack. This lab will allow students to anatomize the SYN flooding attack and defense in the lab environment and obtain data and parameters of DoS resilience capability.
The impact of human activities on sediments of San Francisco Bay, California: an overview

This note introduces a set of eight papers devoted to a detailed study of two sediment cores from San Francisco Bay with an overview of the region and a chronology of human activities. Data used in this study to constrain the range of sediment ages at different depths include , and concentrations in the sediment and the age of shell fragments. In order of first detectable appearance in the record, the indicators of contamination that were analyzed include PAHs>Hg>Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn>DDT, PCB>foraminiferal Cd/Ca. This study also documents a large memory effect for estuarine contamination caused by sediment mixing and resuspension. Once an estuary such as San Francisco Bay has been contaminated, decades must pass before contaminant levels in surface sediment will return to background levels, even if external contaminant inputs have been entirely eliminated.
Unconventional Method of Conductor Installation to Solve Shallow Water Flow Problems

In the Gulf of Mexico, in water depths from about 2,000 to 4,000 ft, a number of wells have experienced serious problems with high flow rate shallow water flows from over-pressured aquifers, typically at depths from 400 to 2,000 ft below mud line. The resulting erosion of the wellbore can cause serious borehole enlargement. Continued erosion by the water flows can result in the conductor (or structural) casing losing its support, thereby sliding downwards, causing the next casing or any inner casings to buckle, sometimes resulting in well failure that requires abandonment. One of the potential solutions to shallow water flow problems is to drive the conductor casing(s) to about 2,000 ft below mud line. This paper presents evaluation of the technical feasibility of implementing the above method using wave equation analysis. It also includes evaluation of remolded miniature vane shear soil strength in the Gulf of Mexico for depths down to 2,000 ft below mud line. Cost analysis comparison to conventional drilling procedures is given. The initial objective of driving the 30-inch conductor to a depth of 2,000 ft in one pass is technically feasible but time and cost would be unacceptably high with current technology. In most cases it is possible to drive a 30-inch conductor to a depth of 800 ft below mud line at a cost below half a million dollars. This amount of penetration should provide sufficient support to hang all subsequent casing strings, and to prevent downhole buckling resulting from settling or subsidence.
A Plasma Model with Quantum Treatments for Femtosecond Laser Ablation of Glasses

In this article, a plasma model with quantum treatments is proposed to predict ablation threshold, depth, and crater shape in femtosecond laser ablation of glasses at peak intensities on the order of 1013 ~ 1014 W/cm2. Impact ionization and photoionization are the two major competing mechanisms considered for plasma generation using the flux-doubling model. Using a modified free electron plasma model, the proposed model considers the time and space dependent optical properties of ionized glass. The quantum treatment based on the Fermi-Dirac distribution is employed to investigate the free electron heating. The free electron relaxation time is calculated by using a quantum model derived from the Boltzmann transport equation. The predicted threshold fluence and ablation depth for barium aluminum borosilicate and fused silica are in excellent agreement with published experimental data. The model greatly improves the prediction precision of ablation depth and can predict the crater shape in femtosecond ablation of glasses. Some interesting phenomena observed experimentally, such as the bottom of the ablation crater by a femtosecond Gaussian beam could be rather flat under special ablation conditions, are well explained by the proposed model.
Electromagnetic Interactions in a Shielded PET/MRI System for Simultaneous PET/MR Imaging in 9.4 T: Evaluation and Results

We previously integrated a magnetic resonance-(MR-) compatible small-animal positron emission tomograph (PET) in a Bruker 9.4 T microMRI system to obtain simultaneous PET/MR images of a rat's brain and of a gated mouse-heart. To minimize electromagnetic interactions in our MR-PET system, viz., the effect of radiofrequency (RF) pulses on the PET, we tested our modular front-end PET electronics with various shield configurations, including a solid aluminum shield and one of thin segmented layers of copper. We noted that the gradient-echo RF pulses did not affect PET data when the PET electronics were shielded with either the aluminum- or the segmented copper-shields. However, there were spurious counts in the PET data resulting from high-intensity fast spin-echo RF pulses. Compared to the unshielded condition, they were attenuated effectively by the aluminum shield (~97%) and the segmented copper shield (~90%). We noted a decline in the noise rates as a function of increasing PET energy-discriminator threshold. In addition, we observed a notable decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio in spin-echo MR images with the segmented copper shields in place; however, this did not substantially degrade the quality of the MR images we obtained. Our results demonstrate that by surrounding a compact PET scanner with thin layers of segmented copper shields and integrating it inside a 9.4 T MR system, we can mitigate the impact of the RF on PET, while acquiring good-quality MR images.
A simple, efficient tool for assessment of mice after unilateral cortex injury

A refined battery of neurological tests, SNAP (Simple Neuroassessment of Asymmetric Impairment), was developed and validated to efficiently assess neurological deficits induced in a mouse model of traumatic brain injury. Four to 7-month old mice were subjected to unilateral controlled cortical impact or sham injury (craniectomy only). Several behavioral tests (SNAP, beam walk, foot fault, and water maze) were used to assess functional deficits. SNAP was unique among these in that it required no expensive equipment and was performed in less than 5 min per mouse. SNAP demonstrated a high level of sensitivity and specificity as determined by receiver-operator characteristics curve analysis. Interrater reliability was good, as determined by Cohen's Kappa method and by comparing the sensitivity and specificity across various raters. SNAP detected deficits in proprioception, visual fields, and motor strength in brain-injured mice at 3 days, and was sensitive enough to detect magnitude and recovery of injury. The contribution of individual battery components changed as a function of time after injury, however, each was important to the overall SNAP score. SNAP provided a sensitive, reliable, time-efficient and cost-effective means of assessing neurological deficits in mice after unilateral brain injury.
Independent Commissions as Settings for Civil–Military Deliberation: The Case of Women in the Military

US combat operations involving women and revelations of sexual abuse in the US military have periodically sparked intense political debates about women’s military roles. In the midst of these debates, US policy makers have repeatedly created independent advisory commissions on issues concerning women in the military. This article uses qualitative case studies of three such commissions to evaluate whether commissions can foster meaningful civil–military dialogue on contentious matters involving the military and society. This article finds that commission deliberations have sometimes led military professionals to change their views of sensitive issues, but that commissioners have been less open to deliberation if they have been affiliated with an organization possessing a distinct political agenda on women in the military. More broadly, the findings suggest that independent advisory bodies can provide valuable mechanisms for civil–military dialogue, so long as policy makers appoint to them individuals who a...
Carcinoid tumors of the colon (exclusive of the rectum): Review of the literature

A thorough review of the literature in regard to carcinoid tumors of the colon (exclusive of the rectum) has been made in order to organize all pertinent data so that an understanding of the life history of this tumor in the colon might be better appreciated.
Neighborhood context of attitudes toward crime and reentry

While much recent attention has been focused on the impact of incarceration on ex-prisoners, less has been paid to the general public’s informal attitudes and responses to crime and offenders. This article begins to fill this void by exploring the impact of individual and neighborhood characteristics on attitudes toward crime and prisoner reentry. The article is based on two phases of data collection. During phase one, residents of four Massachusetts communities were surveyed about their attitudes and experiences with crime and prisoner reentry. During phase two, qualitative interviews and participant observation were used to explore how crime and reentry issues are framed across community context. The survey data suggest both that individual-level predictors (e.g. political affiliation, sex, parenthood, and several crime-related factors) of punitiveness are significant, and that there is a neighborhood context to these beliefs. The focus in analyzing the qualitative data is on two contrasting communities. These data suggest varying ways of framing ‘the crime problem’ that help explain the neighborhood context of these attitudes. Specifically, a localized framing shapes less punitive attitudes, while a focus on a general crime problem contributes to greater punitiveness.
Organization Analysis and Social Maladjustment Third Invited Reaction to the Maag and Howell Paper

This reaction is a brief examination of social maladjustment from the perspective of political-cultural values and organizational theory, which Maag and Howell claim are the proper vantage points from which to argue the issues and seek resolution of the controversy. This analysis reveals that, when carried to its logical conclusion, the Maag and Howell perspective is oversimplistic and naive about organizational structures and processes and the problem of change in school organization, an exercise in “macrofu tility.”
Integrable systems from gauged matrix models

Abstract We show that integrable systems of the Calogero type and its generalizations can be obtained from gauged one-dimensional matrix models including a fermionic part and a Chern-Simons term. The hermitian matrix model gives rise to the inverse square potential system, while the unitary matrix model gives rise to the inverse sine square potential. For the quantum version of these models to exist, we find that the coefficient of the interaction potential must be quantized to l(l+1), with l an integer. These are exactly the values that, in the absence of an external potential, make the system equivalent to a collection of free fermions or free bosons.
Substrate preference and oxygen requirement for cyanophycin synthesis by recombinant Escherichia coli

Abstract Cyanophycin (CGP) is a bacterial bioproduct having a straight-chain poly(aspartic acid) as a backbone with arginine pendant groups attached to it. It has many potential industrial applications in the areas of water softening, hydrogel, metal–ion chelation, and nutriceuticals. Biotechnological production of CGP employs as producing strains the recombinant organisms that express heterologous cyanophycin synthase (cph) gene. A systematic study of fermentation parameters influencing CGP synthesis by a recombinant Escherichia coli expressing a cphA of Synechocystis sp. showed that high aeration conditions as provided by 400 rpm stirrer speed and 1.0 L/min air flow in a Sixfors vessel (450 mL culture working-volume) resulted in high yields of cell biomass and crude CGP product. Glycerol substrate was found to yield 1.8-times higher crude CGP than glucose did under similar conditions. With glycerol as substrate, we found that a simplified fermentation scheme consisting of a straight 48-h fermentation at 37 °C (without a 30–37 °C temperature-shifting induction step) yielded compatible or higher amounts of crude CGP as those obtained under various temperature-shifting conditions. By studying the effects of glycerol concentration on CGP yields and analyzing glycerol consumption patterns, we demonstrated that substrate-to-product conversion could be increased by at least 15% and that costly leftover of unused substrate could be alleviated. The results yielded valuable information for optimization of fermentative production of CGP using glycerol that could be obtained as surplus coproduct from biodiesel production.
Studies of the degradation products of nisin, a peptide antibiotic, using capillary electrophoresis with off-line mass spectrometry

The utility of capillary electrophoresis (CE) for assessing the purity and stability of pharmaceutical peptides is investigated. The degradation of nisin, a pentacyclic peptide antibiotic, depends upon sample preparation and storage conditions and is followed by CE. With conventional UV detection, peaks are not identified and unresolved components are not detected. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) of isolated CE fractions provides molecular mass information that aids in identification of the nisin degradants and determination of peak purity. The purity of pure and degraded nisin in the absence of any separation is also determined using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and MALDI-TOFMS.
Genetic susceptibility testing from a stress and coping perspective

Four theories of health behavior and of stress and coping are reviewed for their ability to illuminate interest in uptake and outcomes of genetic testing for adult-onset diseases. These theories are the Health Belief Model, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Common Sense Model of Self-regulation (CSM), and the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (TMSC). Basic concepts of each theory are discussed, followed by evidence from the literature supporting the relevance of these concepts to the understanding of genetic testing for four adult-onset diseases: Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, hereditary breast/ovarian cancer, and hereditary colorectal cancer. Emphasis is placed on the finding that a decision to undergo genetic testing may be considered as a way to cope with both the cognitive and affective concerns that arise from living at increased risk of developing a disease in the future. The potential value of genetic testing for reducing uncertainty about and gaining a sense of control over one's risk of developing a chronic disease is highlighted. We argue that theories which focus on stress and coping provide a useful framework for future studies of genetic testing decisions for adult-onset disease risk.
Altered Gallbladder Bile Acidification with Long-Term Total Parenteral Nutrition

Abstract Background. An important function of the gallbladder is to acidify and concentrate bile. Acidification helps protect against the precipitation of calcium salts, which promote gallstone formation. Altered acidification may result in pigment gallstones. We investigated gallbladder composition in a model of TPN-associated pigment gallstones to test whether changes in acidification may be important in this gallstone model. Materials and methods. Ten miniswine were intravenously fed for 21 to 27 days (mean 23 days). Ten fed pig chow with intravenous infusion of saline served as controls. Gallbladder and hepatic bile electrolytes, lipids, pH, and pCO 2 were measured. Results. All animals remained healthy and gained weight. Hepatic bile electrolytes and pH were similar among all animals. Pigs on TPN had a higher gallbladder pH and the [H + ] was half the value of controls [8.1 ± 1.6 × 10 −8 meq/liter (control) versus 3.9 ± 0.7 × 10 −8 meq/liter (TPN)]. Gallbladder bile pCO 2 , sodium (Na), and potassium were higher in controls. Biliary lipids [bile salts (BS), phospholipids, and cholesterol] with TPN were decreased in both hepatic and gallbladder bile. Conclusions. Unlike short-term TPN where gallbladder pH and [BS] are similar, with long-term TPN pH is higher with lower [H + ], [Na], and [BS]. Despite a presumed longer residence time in the gallbladder, intravenous feeding without oral intake results in gallbladder bile that is less concentrated and acidified. Enteral stimulation may be an important stimulus for gallbladder acidification and periods without feeding may promote gallstone formation by increasing the pH of gallbladder bile.
Comments on “Bubble motion in aqueous surfactant solutions”

The numerical simulations of bubble motion in dilute surfactant solutions reported previously by two of the authors contained a serious numerical inaccuracy. In agreement with experiments, single bubbles released from rest were predicted to reach a maximum speed before slowing to a terminal speed. However, subsequent experiments demonstrated that, in the simulations, the bubbles reached their terminal speed too quickly. The source of the discrepancy is an inaccuracy associated with the numerical algorithm used to solve the surfactant transport equation on the bubble surface. After correcting the problem, the simulations agree much better with the experiments.
Crossover behavior of transport properties of dilute polymer solutions: Renormalization group approach. III

Detailed results of the renormalization group calculation for the crossover behavior (e.g., temperature dependence) of transport properties of dilute polymer solutions are given. Universal plots are proposed which can be directly compared with experimental results without any adjustable parameter. The comparison of these plots with existing experimental results is satisfactory in some cases, but, generally, the wild scattering of existing data calls for more accurate and systematic experiments.
Ligand-induced nuclear translocation of S1P1 receptors mediates Cyr61 and CTGF transcription in endothelial cells

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor subtype 1 (S1P1), a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), regulates many biological activities of endothelial cells (ECs). In this report, we show that S1P1 receptors are present in the nuclei of ECs by using various biochemical and microscopic techniques such as cellular fractionation, immunogold labeling, and confocal microscopic analysis. Live cell imaging showed that plasma membrane S1P1 receptors are rapidly internalized and subsequently translocated to nuclear compartment upon S1P stimulation. Utilizing membrane biotinylation technique further supports the notion that nuclear S1P1 receptors were internalized from plasma membrane S1P1 after ligand treatment. Moreover, nuclear S1P1 is able to regulate the transcription of Cyr61 and CTGF, two growth factors functionally important in the regulation of vasculature. Collectively, these data suggest a novel S1P–S1P1 signaling axis present in the nuclear compartment of endothelial cells, which may regulate biological responses of endothelium.
Pion charge-exchange reactions with nuclei

Abstract Elastic pion charge-exchange reactions are examined within the framework of a coupled-channel optical model. Several new effects are studied for their influence on charge-exchange reactions. The most interesting result is the predicted dominance of two-nucleon short-range correlations near 100 MeV.
Probable Collective Responses to Ecological Scarcity How Violent

Natural systems have limits of tolerance that produce an ensemble of interacting constraints on human action. This ensemble, ecological scarcity, presses people and nations toward zero-sum competition. Over the past nine decades, collective behavior theory has advanced enough to show us the social dilemmas and structurally conducive conditions for targeted hostility we can expect in an era of carrying capacity deficit. After centuries of economic and social development, mankind now faces sharp reversal, making revolutions likely within nations, and wars over access to scarce resources likely between nations. People have been slow to recognize the vulnerability of ecosystems and the seriousness of pressures to overload them, but such awareness may be an essential basis for a critical ability needed to protect us from panic and from resort to catastrophic violence.
Sea-ice thickness and roughness in the Ross Sea, Antarctica

Sea-ice thickness and roughness data collected on three cruises in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, showed interseasonal, regional and interannual variability. Variability was reduced to season, or age of ice floe, when sea-ice roughness values from around Antarctica were compared. There were statistically significant correlations between mean snow elevation and mean ice thickness; snow surface roughness and mean ice thickness; and snow surface roughness and ice bottom roughness, which appeared to be independent of season, geographical location and deformation history of ice floes. Our field data indicate that ice thickness can be predicted from snow elevation measurements with higher accuracy in summer. The feasibility of using snow surface roughness to infer ice thickness and ice bottom roughness is promising, and can provide us with a means to study the thickness and underside of Antarctic sea ice at good spatial and temporal resolution.
Spectrophotometric methods for determination of cholinesterase activity.

Abstract Two spectrophotometric methods for cholinesterase determination which utilize thiocholine chloride esters as substrates were developed. The disappearance of the C-S bond at 229 mμ during the enzymic hydrolysis of the thiocholine chloride esters, permitted the measurement of the rate and activity of the enzyme samples. The reduction of indophenol by the thiocholine liberated during the enzymatic hydrolysis made the evaluation of enzyme activity feasible in the visible spectrum at 600 mμ. These methods are simple, rapid, and accurate in analyzing cholinesterase activity or inhibition. They also serve to measure the cholinesterase activity of as little as 0.01–0.001 ml samples of blood, serum, or tissue extracts.
Microwave Stethoscope, a new noninvasive multiple vital signs sensor: Human clinical trials

In this paper, preliminary human clinical trial results for the Microwave Stethoscope (MiSt) are presented. Benchmarking results using a Food and Drug Administration approved medical device, Propaq LT, have shown the feasibility of accurately detecting the heartbeat and respiration rates from a single measurement using the MiSt. Additionally and more importantly, the MiSt allows the non-invasive capturing of internal patient data such as the changes in the lung water content as well as the accurate heartbeat waveform that correlates very well with the electrocardiogram (ECG). All these encouraging results suggest that the MiSt has capabilities to monitor multiple vital signs including heart rate and respiration rate, and replace multiple sensors used to monitor heart rate and respiration rate.
Self-concept clarity: Exploring its role in consumer behavior

Abstract Even two decades later since Self-Concept Clarity (SCC) first emerged in the psychology literature, this important concept has escaped the attention of consumer psychologists. Distinguished in the psychology literature from the concept of self-esteem, our study examines the role of SCC in selected consumer behaviors. A survey of 301 consumers established that SCC contributes to consumers’ general satisfaction with life and its absence leads to such consumer behaviors as susceptibility to interpersonal influence, materialism, post purchase doubt, shopping as escape, and use of products as identity bolsters. This last set of results shows that low SCC consumers, who by definition are inflicted with self-confusion and concomitant anxiety, use the marketplace as a coping resource. These results suggest the concept’s utility in extending our understanding of certain important consumer behaviors.