cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Transitions to Family Caregiving on Well-Being: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study.

Background/objectives Few studies have rigorously examined the magnitude of changes in well-being after a transition into sustained and substantial caregiving, especially in population-based studies, compared with matched noncaregiving controls. Design We identified individuals from a national epidemiological investigation who transitioned into caregiving over a 10- to 13-year follow-up and provided continuous in-home care for at least 18 months and at least 5 hours per week. Individuals who did not become caregivers were individually matched with caregivers on age, sex, race, education, marital status, self-rated health, and history of cardiovascular disease at baseline. Both groups were assessed at baseline and follow-up. Setting REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke study. Participants A total of 251 incident caregivers and 251 matched controls. Measurements Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), 10-Item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D), and 12-item Short-Form Health Survey quality-of-life mental (MCS) and physical (PCS) component scores. Results Caregivers showed significantly greater worsening in PSS, CES-D, and MCS, with standardized effect sizes ranging from 0.676 to 0.796 compared with changes in noncaregivers. A significant but smaller effect size was found for worsening PCS in caregivers (0.242). Taking on sustained caregiving was associated with almost a tripling of increased risk of transitioning to clinically significant depressive symptoms at follow-up. Effects were not moderated by race, sex, or relationship to care recipient, but younger caregivers showed greater increases in CES-D than older caregivers. Conclusion Persons who began substantial, sustained family caregiving had marked worsening of psychological well-being, and relatively smaller worsening of self-reported physical health, compared with carefully matched noncaregivers. Previous estimates of effect sizes on caregiver well-being have had serious limitations due to use of convenience sampling and cross-sectional comparisons. Researchers, public policy makers, and clinicians should note these strong effects, and caregiver assessment and service provision for psychological well-being deserve increased priority.
FPGA-based Low-Latency Digital Servo for Optical Physics Experiments

We propose a general-purpose dual-channel field-programmable gate array (FPGA) based digital servo with a minimum latency around 200 ns. This servo implements a proportional, dual-integration and derivative (PIID) controller along with internal numerical controlled oscillators (NCO), a phase detector (PD) utilizing a fast in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) detection algorithm (80 ns), NCO modulator, network analyzer, auto-locker, ramp generator, and low pass filters. A web interface and/or Python commands over TCP/IP allows full control and monitoring. The servo has been successfully used to lock Pound-Drever-Hall cavities, phase-locked loops and optical frequency combs. A simple experiment phase-locking two dielectric resonator oscillators (DRO) has been set up to demonstrate a 1 MHz closed-loop bandwidth.
Convolutions for Stirling numbers, Lah numbers, and binomial coefficients.

We present various identities in the form of convolutions involving Stirling numbers of both kinds, Lah numbers, and binomial coefficients. Certain convolution polynomials are discussed also. The proofs are based on several series transformation formulas.
“The Dream of Three Lifetimes”: Barks, Fuchs, Rosa, and Artistic Hybridity in Donald Duck Comics

Carl Barks, Erika Fuchs, and Don Rosa all used Donald and the other ducks to achieve something unique to each of them, even though these were often preexisting characters. Each of these creators built on the work of others, and each arrived at a different version of the same characters, growing their own respective fan communities in time. The modern states of the German Donaldists and American fandom are elaborated upon here as well, though they have diverged even further since the 1980s heyday. Of specific interest is Carl Barks’s visit to Europe in 1994, during which he met with the then-retired Erika Fuchs, which became a milestone event in the development of the cultural exchange around these comics.
The Prosecutorial Origins of Defense Counsel in the Eighteenth Century: The Appearance of Solicitors

In the 1730s English criminal procedure abandoned its centuries-old rule forbidding the defendant in cases of felony to be assisted by counsel at trial. The judges began to allow counsel to examine and cross-examine witnesses for the defendant, presaging the beginnings of the distinctive Anglo-American adversary system of criminal trial. This article points to two innovations in pretrial practice in the early decades of the eighteenth century that motivated the judges' decision: (1) the increasing influence of solicitors in investigating and preparing witnesses for institutional and private prosecutors; and (2) the growing danger of false witness in prosecutions arising from the series of reward statutes enacted from 1692 onward. These developments -- one-sided lawyerization and the incentive for false prosecution -- unbalanced the old lawyer-free criminal trial and induced the judges to allow the assistance of counsel to offset the dangers of the new prosecutorial techniques.
Adoption of a Cross-Campus Community of Practice for the Implementation of Equity-Focused Faculty Development

To improve classroom climate specific to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to assist faculty in developing spaces that foster student belonging, the authors collaborated across academic disciplines and student affairs through a community of practice (CoP) with a focus on better understanding the student experience in order to implement an inclusive and equity-centered approach to faculty development. This chapter discusses the potential of using a CoP for faculty development to improve equity and inclusion in classroom environments and pedagogy to develop students’ sense of belonging. Utilizing CoP learning theory, the authors discuss the place it holds in faculty development and its possibilities for impact on diversity, equity, and inclusion work. Through self-written narratives, they share their unique experiences as members of a CoP, brought together by a desire and duty to improve the classroom learning experience for minoritized students on a predominantly white, heteronormative, and Christian-centric campus. The authors discuss their collaborative work centered around understanding the student experience through focus groups to help faculty recognize and remove the barriers that exist to achieving student belongingness. They share recommendations for creating and nurturing inclusive classroom spaces that result in safe learning environments for all students.
Recent Research on the Harmonic Recirculating Planar Magnetron

High power microwave sources find utility in applications including counter electronics and electronic warfare. Sources that radiate numerous frequencies concurrently are particularly valuable to these objectives because they provide variable target coupling across the electromagnetic spectrum. At the University of Michigan, the Recirculating Planar Magnetron (RPM)1 was designed as a novel high power microwave source. The Multi-Frequency Recirculating Planar Magnetron (MFRPM)2 built on the RPM concept by introducing two oscillators at different frequencies into the same vacuum chamber. The two oscillators are labeled the L-Band Oscillator (LBO) and S-Band Oscillator (SBO), designed for approximately 1 and 2 GHz, respectively. Both the RPM and MFRPM were driven by MELBA-C, applying - 300 kV for 0.3-1.0 $\mu \mathrm{s}$ , under a magnetic field of 0.11-0.3 T.
Chapter 11 Protoplast Fusion and Somatic Hybridization

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the results of somatic hybridization that are limited to model plants predominantly from the genera, Nicotiana, Petunia, Daucus , and Datura . Several model systems are described in the chapter, which show that intra- and inter-specific flowering somatic hybrids can be obtained by protoplast fusion. Such flowering somatic hybrids, in some cases, show the same genetic behavior as sexual hybrids. Also, prezygotic ( P. parodii + P. inflata ) and embryo–endosperm (for example, D. innoxia + D. strumonium ) incompatibility can be overcome by protoplast fusion. The regeneration of dihaploid and tetraploid protoplasts of S. tuberosum is discussed in the chapter. Potato is a crop plant that is extensively cultivated in the northern hemisphere. Successful fusion experiments are carried out with potato and tomato, which demonstrates the applicability of this technique for potato. A breeding scheme for potato is reviewed in the chapter that combines classical breeding methods with parthenogenetic and androgenetic induction of dihaploids and somatic hybridization.
Chapter 12 The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and the functional neuroanatomy of visceromotor responses to stress

Publisher Summary This chapter summarizes the anatomical and functional organization of neural systems involved in effecting integrated visceromotor responses to stress, with an emphasis on hypothalamic neuroendocrine mechanisms. Implications for the nature of the interaction with the neural mechanisms subserving aspects of emotional experience and expression are discussed. The advent of “functional mapping” based on the induced expression of c-fos and other transcription factors has provided an extraordinarily powerful tool with which to glean a high-resolution profile of individual neurons and extended systems that are responsive to significant or “stressful” environmental events. Owing to the fact that no cellular immediateearly gene (cIE) is a perfect marker of synaptic and/or transcriptional activity, and uncertainties as to the significance of cIE expression at a cellular/molecular level under most circumstances, this technology seems best suited for use as a starting point from which to formulate hypotheses concerning situation-specific functional relatedness, which can then be tested experimentally. Such an approach has been most forthcoming in providing an initial level of definition of stress-specific operational circuits in several paradigms.
Methods for determining the modification of protein thiols by reactive lipids.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the techniques involved in the preparation, characterization, and quantitation of biotin-tagged lipids, as well as the use of biotin reagents to analyze thiols in biological samples. There are four major advantages of biotin—the high affinity of avidin and streptavidin for biotin makes this a very sensitive and specific way to detect the tag; the binding of streptavidin, unlike an antibody, is not readily affected by flanking residues at the site of protein modification; affinity resins are available for the purification of lipid–protein adducts; and the biotin tag can be quantitated easily and accurately using biotinylated standards. One of the most versatile techniques is to attach biotin covalently to thiol-reactive molecules and label thiol-containing proteins. After separation by proteomics methods, the biotin tag can be detected at a level of sensitivity in the picomole range, using Western blot analysis and horseradish peroxidase-coupled streptavidin. The chapter presents two protocols for labeling. The high-pH protocol will deprotonate and allow biotinylated iodoacetamide (BIAM) to label most free protein thiols. This is useful for global analysis and screening of a wide population of thiol containing proteins. The low-pH protocol is useful for analyzing the redox state of a subset of highly reactive protein thiols. Due to their low pK a , they will remain deprotonated and susceptible to biotin tagging at low pH. The chapter also describes biotin-based methods for the quantitation of protein thiols and adduct formation with electrophilic lipids. These methods can be used in a variety of applications, including the assessment of modification of an individual protein.
Nivel mineral existente en suelos, forrajes y ganado bovino en Nicaragua. II. Macrominerales y composición orgánica de forrajes

Este estudio fue conducido para determinar el nivel de macrominerales en ganado bovino en seis regiones ganaderas de Nicaragua. Se evaluo un total de 14 fincas en seis regiones durante la epoca lluviosa y un total de ocho fincas en dos regiones durante la epoca seca. Las regiones comprendieron los siguientes departamentos: I (Esteli), II (Leon y Chinandega). III (Managua), IV (Granada y Rivas), V (Boaco y Chontales), y VI (Matagalpa y Jinotega). De cada finca se obtuvieron 14 muestras de suelo y de forrajes, y 30 muestras de sangre de ganado vacuno (vacas lactantes, novillas y terneros) para determinar el contenido de macrominerales y componentes organicos de los forrajes. El contenido de materia organica (MO) en el suelo fue mas bajo (P
Tennis After Total Hip Arthroplasty

The purpose of this study was to characterize patients who play tennis after undergoing hip arthroplasty in terms of their functional abilities and degree of satisfaction. A questionnaire was sent to all United States Tennis Association member associations in a tri-state area to identify players who had undergone a hip arthroplasty. The study group had 50 men and 8 women with a mean age of 70 years (range, 47 to 89). Only 14% of the patients' surgeons approved this tennis activity, with 34% of the surgeons recommending only doubles. Three patients required revision surgery after a mean of 8 years. One year after arthroplasty, players played both singles and doubles approximately three times per week. All tennis players were extremely satisfied with their hip arthroplasties and their increased ability to participate in their favorite sport. Because this study was confined to association members, further studies are needed to assess the general effect of tennis on total hip arthroplasty. Until future studies are performed, the authors would recommend that physicians advise caution in tennis activities and to carefully follow their patients yearly to see if osteolysis is occurring prematurely.
Striatal Nitric Oxide Signaling Regulates the Neuronal Activity of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons In Vivo

A major component of the cortical regulation of the nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) system is known to occur via activation of striatal efferent systems projecting to the substantia nigra. The potential intermediary role of striatal nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-containing interneurons in modulating the efferent regulation of DA neuron activity was examined using single-unit recordings of DA neurons performed concurrently with striatal microdialysis in anesthetized rats. The response of DA neurons recorded in the substantia nigra to intrastriatal artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) or drug infusion was examined in terms of mean firing rate, percent of spikes fired in bursts, cells/track, and response to electrical stimulation of the orbital prefrontal cortex (oPFC) and striatum. Intrastriatal infusion of NOS substrate concurrently with intermittent periods of striatal and cortical stimulation increased the mean DA cell population firing rate as compared with ACSF controls. This effect was reproduced via intrastriatal infusion of a NO generator. Infusion of either a NOS inhibitor or NO chelator via reverse microdialysis did not affect basal firing rate but increased the percentage of DA neurons responding to striatal stimulation with an initial inhibition followed by a rebound excitation (IE response) from 40 to 74%. NO scavenger infusion also markedly decreased the stimulation intensity required to elicit an IE response to electrical stimulation of the striatum. In single neurons in which the effects of electrical stimulation were observed before and after drug delivery, NO antagonist infusion was observed to decrease the onset latency and extend the duration of the initial inhibitory phase induced by either oPFC or striatal stimulation. This is the first report showing that striatal NO tone regulates the basal activity and responsiveness of DA neurons to cortical and striatal inputs. These studies also indicate that striatal NO signaling may play an important role in the integration of information transmitted to basal ganglia output centers via corticostriatal and striatal efferent pathways.
A Resource Guide on Racial Profiling Data Collection Systems: Promising Practices and Lessons Learned

This guide is a blueprint that police and communities can use to develop data collection systems. It offers practical information about implementing these systems and analyzing the data. The guide is not intended to serve as a comprehensive and thorough inventory of all existing data collection systems. It focuses on providing detailed descriptions of data collection efforts in a few selected sites: San Jose, California, which has designed a simple letter-code system allowing information to be collected verbally (via radio) or by computer; San Diego, California, which utilizes an online data collection system; North Carolina, the first state to collect data on traffic stops pursuant to state legislation; Great Britain, which uses a paper- based system to collect information on both traffic and pedestrian stops and searches; and New Jersey, which is collecting information on traffic- stops pursuant to a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). These sites were first identified by DOJ in preparation for the conference and represent various population sizes and geographic locations.
Effect of Pixel Histogram Distribution on Perceived Anatomical Landmark Clarity of Photostimulable Phosphor Cephalograms

Objective Anatomic landmark clarity of 16 bit photostimulable phosphor cephalograms may be improved by histogram modification and image enhancement. The perceived effects of pixel histogram distribution modifications was investigated. Methods Photostimulable phosphor (PSP) cephalograms were obtained from (n = 40) orthodontic patients using a DenOptix 16 bit instrument. The resulting images were classified according to image histogram characteristics; namely single versus double peak. These images were viewed in random order as baseline, and with embossed, colorized and colorized embossed enhancements. Viewing by ten observers was simultaneous but independent. The clarity of selected soft tissue and hard tissue landmarks and of overall image quality was rated. Repeat images were included to ascertain intra operator reliability in making ratings. Results The observed images differed according to histogram characteristics across a narrow exposure range, and outcomes were not predictable in advance by the operator. Perceived image quality in terms of clarity of selected anatomic details was reduced when a “single peak” histogram image was produced rather than a “double peak” histogram distribution. Emboss and pseudo color enhancements were perceived to aid landmark identification and also improved perception of overall image quality of photostimulable phosphor cephalograms. Emboss enhancement was rated as being best utilized for hard tissue landmarks while pseudo color enhancement was rated to be best utilized for soft tissue landmarks. Conclusions Proprietary PSP systems can substantially reduce the normally wide exposure latitude usually associated with this modality and histogram modification can have influence image quality with significant effects on perception of anatomic landmarks in digital cephalograms.
Multiple solutions of systems of fractional boundary value problems

The authors discuss the existence of multiple solutions of the system of fractional boundary value problems of the formwhere , is a parameter, , and are, respectively, the left and right Riemann–Liouville fractional integrals of order , and is a given function. Using critical point theory, sufficient conditions are found under which the above problem has at least two or infinitely many nontrivial solutions.
Nasal obstruction: an alternative to ostiomeatal complex dysfunction in sinus disease.

Objectives: Ostial patency is thought to be essential to the function of the maxillary sinus. Ostiomeatal complex dysfunction has been implicated as a major factor in the pathogenesis of sinus disease. However, recent work in our laboratory has indicated that other factors may also contribute to this process. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of nasal obstruction in maxillary sinus gas composition, independent of its effect on ostial ventilation. Study Design: Prospective controlled animal study. Method: Independent models of nasal obstruction and ostial occlusion in contralateral sinuses were established. Ipsilateral models of nasal obstruction and ostial occlusion were also created. Gas samples from each of the manipulated sinuses were analyzed on a gas chromatogram and compared. Results: Results revealed a dramatic and highly significant increase in antral carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations in the sinuses ipsilateral to either an occluded ostium or an obstructed nostril, compared with the controls. These effects on CO 2 concentrations were additive when ipsilateral nasal obstruction and ostial occlusion were created. Furthermore, the effect of nasal obstruction in modulation of antral CO 2 levels was found to be beyond its effect on hypoventilation of the sinus and to be independent of ostial functional status. Conclusions: We have established independent models of nasal obstruction and ostial occlusion in the same animal. Our findings suggest that ostiomeatal complex dysfunction might not be the sole underlying factor in the pathogenesis of sinus disease in all individuals. Integrity of nasal airflow seems to have a significant effect on the maintenance of the aerobic antral environment, essential to the maintenance of normal sinus function. Modulation of maxillary sinus gas composition by nasal airflow, independent of ostial patency, may be explained by the possible presence of flow-sensitive receptors in the upper respiratory tract mucosa. Work to identify such receptors is currently in progress.
A dynamically reconfigurable multiprocessor system for high-order bidirectional associative memory-based image recognition

Abstract A High-Order Bidirectional Associative Memory (HOBAM) based image recognition system and a dynamically reconfigurable multiprocessor system that achieves real-time response have been utilized to recognize corrupt images of human faces (faces obscured by hats, glasses, masks or slight translation and scaling effects). In addition, the HOBAM, in conjunction with edge detection techniques, has been used to recognize isolated objects within multiple-object images. Successful recognition rates have been achieved in both cases. A dynamically reconfigurable multiprocessor system and parallel software have been developed to achieve real-time response for image recognition. The system consists of Inmos transputers and cross-bar switches (IMS C004) with communication links dynamically connected by circuit switching. The use of transputers and cross-bar switches combined to form a low-cost multiprocessor system connected by a switching network is reported. Moreover, the switching network, which makes message routing unnecessary, simplifies the design of the communication in parallel software. Although the HOBAM is a fully connected network, the algorithm minimizes the amount of information that needs to be exchanged between processors using a data compression technique. The detailed design of both hardware and software are discussed, as well as the use of parallel processing to significantly increase the speed ratio. The architecture of the experimental system is a cost-effective design for an embedded system for neural network applications on computer vision.
A case for evidence-based levee management using sensor technology

Flooding from rivers and seas is one of the most destructive natural disasters and affects around 100 million people globally on average per year. Worldwide climate change is increasing the risk of flooding due to sea-level rise and extreme rainfall events. Urbanization is causing more people and economic activity to move into flood-prone areas, increasing the impact of flooding. The economic consequences of flooding are not limited to the affected region alone. As supply chains have become globally distributed, a regional disruption may have worldwide economic impact. Mitigating these threats by structurally improving flood defenses, such as levees, is costly. Governments worldwide already commit increasing funds to improve the flood protection infrastructure. However, governments generally seek to reduce costs and find more cost-efficient solutions. Levee monitoring has the potential to provide an efficient solution to improve levee quality and to become more flood-resilient by providing increasingly reliable insight into the condition of levees. This research presents a reference architecture for an evidence-based levee management system, a financial cost-benefit model, and a case study.
Primary Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma of the Prostate

Nine patients treated with primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the prostate were identified among 29,783 cases of prostate cancer evaluated at Mayo Clinic from January 15, 1970, until January 2, 2009. A PubMed search of the English-language literature published from January 1, 1980, to January 1, 2010, was then performed using the key words signet ring cell and prostate, identifying 42 cases. This study reviews those cases, along with the additional 9 reported herein, and evaluates clinical characteristics, histologic diagnoses, treatment modalities, and outcomes. Mean age at diagnosis was 68 years (range, 50-85 years), and mean prostate-specific antigen level was 95.3 ng/mL (range, 1.9-536.0 ng/mL; to convert to μg/L, multiply by 1). Most patients (66%) had non–stage IV carcinoma, the most common Gleason sum was 8 (33%), and mean survival was 29 months. The presence of a primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the prostate was best confirmed by negative findings on gastrointestinal work-up, a positive stain for prostate-specific acid phosphatase, and negative carcinoembryonic antigen test results.
Role of Surface Modifications in Ovalbumin Interacting with Lipid Membranes

Recent electrophysiology studies in our laboratory suggest that some proteins from the Serine Protease Inhibitor (SERPIN) family cross cell membranes without regulated uptake mechanisms. Since these proteins do not structurally resemble typical membrane proteins, questions arise about the factors governing interactions between lipid and protein of this family. Previous studies of ovalbumin_a chicken protein of the SERPIN family_indicate that both glycosylation and phosphorylation play vital regulatory roles. Combining UV-visible and phosphorus NMR spectroscopy offers information on these posttranslational modifications. Proteins crossing the cell membrane must enter the central region of lipid tails. This hydrophobic environment causes the proteins to change conformation and altering the absorbance and resonance spectra. In UV-spectroscopy, environmental hydrophobicity cause phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan peaks to shift. In P31 NMR, the hydrophobic interactions lead to changes in phosphorus chemical shifts. Combining information from both these methods reveals the interactions of phosphorylated glycoproteins and lipid bilayers.
Evaluation of an empirical equation for annual evaporation using field observations and results from a biophysical model

Abstract An empirical equation for annual evaporation (E) of the form, E=P/{1+(P/Rn)α}1/α, where P is the annual precipitation, Rn the water equivalent of annual net radiation, and α an adjustable parameter, is evaluated using field observations (water balance, and micrometeorologic measurements for areas ca. 1 km2) at eight locations having different types of vegetation, and results from a biophysical process-based model for four years (1987–1990) for ten river basins (areas larger than 106 km2). For the field observations, minimum value of the mean absolute error (MAE) was 33 mm (4% of the mean observed evaporation) obtained for α=2.6, and the empirical equation was able to explain 99% of the variance under linear least square regression, with a slope of 0.99, intercept of 16 mm, and standard error of estimate (SEE) of 46 mm. For evaporation from the river basins, minimum value of the MAE was 36 mm (5% of the mean evaporation) obtained for α=1.8, and the empirical equation was able to explain 97% of the variance, with linear regression slope of 1.01, intercept of −11 mm, and SEE of 45 mm. The effect of spatial variations in P and Rn in determining evaporation from the empirical equation is analyzed to develop an understanding of the differences in the value of α for the field observations and the river basins.
Indicative Conditionals Are Truth-Functional

I could easily be somewhere else now if I hadn't been in Belbo's office that day. I could be-who knows ?-selling sesame seeds in Samarkand, or editing a series of books in Braille, or heading the First National Bank of Franz Josef Land. Counterfactual conditionals are always true, because the premise is false. But I was there that day, so now I am where I am. -Umberto Eco, Foucault's Pendulum, p. 132
Conceptualising customers' Online Community Experience (OCE): an experimental study

Online or web-based product communities are 'social spaces' and customers could go through various experiences when they visit and interact in such communities. What is the nature, or what are the dimensions, of 'customer experience' in such online communities? Can positive customer experiences be proactively facilitated by companies? This study proposes a new theoretical construct, Online Community Experience (OCE), to enhance our understanding of customers' interactions in online product communities and to address the above questions. We draw on diverse theoretical areas including computer-mediated communication, consumer psychology, information processing and brand communities to identify the critical antecedents of OCE. The research model was validated using an experimental study involving 108 subjects. The study findings offer strong support to the research model and imply the importance of OCE as a construct in studies of online product communities and consumer behaviour. The key implications for future research and managerial practice are discussed.
ASYMPTOTIC ANALYSIS OF THE THERMAL STRESSES IN A TWO-LAYER COMPOSITE WITH AN ADHESIVE LAYER

The room temperature stresses induced in a composite structure after cool-down from a high temperature are studied within the framework of linear thermoelasticiry. The equations governing a one-dim...
Reform of the Health Care System and Professional Liability

Without much doubt, sometime in the not-too-distant future, this country is going to undertake some sort of reform of the health care system through federal legislation. Although the nature of that...
Circular dichroism spectra and ethidium bromide binding of 5-deoxybromouridine-substituted chromatin.

Abstract Changes in CD spectra of 5-deoxybromouridine (brUdRib)-substituted chromatin depend on the extent of thymidine replacement by brUdRib. With 20 and 14 per cent replacement, a blue shift and a marked increase in positive ellipticity are reported in the CD spectra of brUdRib-substituted chromatin, while with 4.9 per cent replacement little effect is noticed. BrUdRib-substitution does not affect the number of ethidium bromide primary binding sites of chromatin.
Strategic customer development in China

Abstract With a population of 1.2 billion people, the People's Republic of China will be a driving economic force in the 21st century. This article will provide examples of the pertinent issues in any strategic customer development effort in China and discusses current sales, marketing and strategic customer development opportunities in China. The article is based on the author's visits and interviews at corporations and organizations including Motorola's offices in Tianjin and Beijing as recently as June 1996 and on the authors survey of various corporations and organizations conducting business in China and other global markets.
Selective Removal of Cr(VI) Oxyanions with a New Anion Exchanger

Commercial anion exchangers are unable to selectively remove dissolved chromate or CrO42- at neutral to alkaline pH in the presence of other competing anions, namely, sulfate, chloride, bicarbonate, and nitrate. This study reports the results of a new anion exchanger, referred to as polymeric ligand exchanger or PLE, which shows very high chromate affinity under otherwise identical conditions. Laboratory results indicate that the PLE is also amenable to efficient regeneration and chemically stable in the presence of sorbed chromate species.
Middle East city networks and the “new urbanism”

Contemporary analysts of Middle East cities have been slow to take up new urbanism’s challenge to perceive the region’s cities via a social network lens. Yet a tenuous body of work does exist, most of it employing the network-as-metaphor, with some authors delving more deeply in exciting and promising ways to examine city networks, their implications, and the resultant regional system of cities. This essay highlights a number of the major network concepts available, including connectivity, centrality, black holes, brokers, levels of analysis, city system and density. Contributions by a range of regional specialists are presented in the context of the ongoing search for understanding of the evolving nature of city networks in the Middle East. The essay concludes with a discussion of insights network analysis might contribute to questions of the distribution of power, community, hierarchy and change across the longue duree.
Regulation of axon guidance and extension by three-dimensional constraints

Axons in vivo are guided by molecular signals acting as attractants and repellents, and possibly by physical constraints encountered in the extracellular environment. We analyzed the ability of primary sensory axons to extend and undergo guidance in three-dimensional (3-D) environments generated using photolithography. Confinement of neurons in fully enclosed square chambers decreased the percentage of neurons establishing axons as a function of chamber width. However, the ability to extend an axon in one or more directions allowed axons to form and extend similarly to those on two-dimensional (2-D) substrata. Live imaging of growth cones interacting with the walls of chambers or corridors revealed that growth cones respond to contact with a 3-D constraint by decreasing surface area, and circumvent constraints by repeated sampling of the constraint until an unobstructed path is encountered. Analysis of the ability of axons to turn around corners in corridors revealed that the angle of the corner and corridor width determined the frequency of turning. Finally, we show that the length of axons can be controlled through the use of 3-D constraints. These data demonstrate that 3-D constraints can be used to guide axons, and control the extent of axon formation and the length of axons.
Effect of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 3-isobutyl 1-methylxanthine, upon the stimulatory effect of human follicle-stimulating hormone and human luteinizing hormone upon cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate accumulation by porcine granulosa cells.

SummaryIn order to examine a possible role of phosphodiesterase in mediation of the action of LH and FSH upon granulosa cell cAMP levels, porcine (GC) from small (1-2 mm), medium (3-5 mm), and large (6-12 mm) follicles were incubated with human FSH (hFSH) and LH (hLH) for 30 and 60 min in the absence or presence of 3-isobutyl 1-methylxanthine (MIX), a potent phosphodiesterase inhibitor. Subsequently, the intracellular and incubation medium cAMP contents were determined by a protein binding assay. During a 30-min incubation, 10 μg of hFSH alone brought about an 11-fold, 5-fold, and 2-fold increase in intracellular cAMP accumulation and a 16-fold, approximately 4-fold, and 4-fold increase in incubation medium cAMP levels in GC from small, medium, and large follicles, respectively. Addition of 0.2 va.M MIX exerted a nonsignificant (P > 0.05) potentiating effect upon hFSH stimulation of intracellular cAMP accumulation in cells obtained from the three types of follicles. In the case of cells obtained from smal...
A political trilemma? International security, environmental protection and human rights in the British Indian Ocean Territory

This article analyses political questions pertaining to the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory). In particular, it highlights the interrelatedness of various public policy issues that the extant academic literature has treated as distinct: (i) the US military presence on Diego Garcia; (ii) UK efforts to protect the natural environment of the Chagos Islands; and (iii) the human rights of the exiled Chagossians, the indigenous people of the Chagos Archipelago. The concept of a trilemma is used to illustrate the unhelpful way in which the interrelatedness of these issues currently is portrayed by the relevant political actors. The article concludes with recommendations for how the trade-offs between military security, environmental and human rights objectives could be made less stark in the interests of all concerned.
Portal venous and aortic glucose and lactate changes in a chronically catheterized rat.

ABSTRACI'. A method for portal venous, aortic, and gastric cannulation in the rat is described. Changes in mean portal venous and aortic blood glucose and lactate concentrations after an intragastric infusion of d-glucose to chronically catheterized rats (after regaining preoperative weight) were compared to those of acutely catheterized rats (1 h after catheter placement). Both portal venous and aortic catheters were patent for blood sampling in 67% of rats 8 days after catheter placement and 42% after 14 days. After intragastric infusion of 10 ml of 0.29 M dextrose, mean aortic blood glucose and lactate concentrations in chronically catheterized rats increased 80 and 73%, respectively, 15 min after infusion and decreased to preinfusion concentrations by 60 min. In acutely catheterized rats, mean aortic glucose and lactate concentrations increased linearly for 60 min. The concentration differences between portal venous and aortic blood glucose and lactate concentrations in chronically catheterized rats were not significantly different than baseline differences. The portal venous glucose concentrations were significantly greater than aortic concentrations in acutely catheterized rats 15, 30, and 45 min after the glucose infusion when compared to baseline differences. These data suggest that the rate of glucose uptake and metabolism to lactate is significantly altered in acutely catheterized rats when compared to chronically catheterized animals. (Pediatr Res 23: 235240,1988) Abbreviation AVC, area under the curve. (4); manual manipulation of the bowel can alter mesenteric blood flow and anesthesia can alter mesenteric blood flow and intestinal perfusion (5). These factors can alter intestinal perfusion and oxygen delivery. In contrast, studies that use the technique of chronic catheterization avoid these artifacts (6). We have developed a rat model in which the portal vein, aorta, and stomach are catheterized chronically. Using this preparation, we serially determined in vivo portal venous and aortic blood concentrations of glucose, lactate, and alanine after a bolus intragastric infusion of glucose in nonstressed animals. We also determined the effects of surgery and anesthesia on portal venous and aortic blood glucose, lactate, and alanine concentrations.
Reserve mobilization, dry matter partitioning and specific leaf area in seedlings of African rice cultivars differing in early vigor

Abstract Rice breeding for weed competitiveness requires improved screening tools. An ongoing breeding program uses O. glaberrima as genetic donor for growth vigor and weed competitiveness. This study investigates morphophysiological characteristics relevant to seedling vigor, namely, the kinetics of reserve mobilization, dry matter partitioning among organs, and specific leaf area (SLA). Five diverse cultivars (O. glaberrima upland rice, improved and traditional tropical O. sativa japonica upland rices, an improved O. sativa indica cultivar and an interspecific progeny) were grown in the screenhouse for 18 days on wet soil. Dry matter fractions of plant organs were measured daily, leaf area (LA) and SLA were measured 9, 14 and 18 days after seed soaking (DAS). SLA measurements were repeated using crowded populations simulating farmers' seedbed nurseries. Seedlings achieved photo-autotrophic growth between 7.6 and 9.3 DAS, and had compensated for respiration losses during heterotrophic growth at 10.3–12.4 DAS, with O. glaberrima and improved indica cultivars requiring shorter periods than tropical japonica cultivars. For all cultivars, dry matter partitioning coefficients (PC) for roots were initially large but dropped temporarily to near zero during the transition from heterotrophic to autotrophic growth. The O. glaberrima cultivar had the largest PC for laminae and the largest SLA among the cultivars. It is concluded that the superior early growth vigor of the O. glaberrima cultivar, as documented in previous studies, is partly due to (1) early onset of autotrophic growth, (2) high PC for leaves, and (3) large SLA. Based on the previous observation that SLA is correlated with weed competitiveness, it appears that SLA measured at about 14 days after germination might be employed as a rapid screen for weed competitiveness.
Transforming the practice of management.

Traditional resource-based organizations are giving way to knowledge-based organizations, a fundamental change that requires a transformation of the practice of management. Knowledge-creating companies will require distributed leadership built on a four-level foundation of philosophy, attitudes and beliefs, skills and capabilities, and tools (artifacts).
Can instructional technology enhance the way we teach students and teachers

THIS ARTICLE SYNTHESIZES RESEARCH on technology integration in education with specific attention to the effects of computer-mediated environments on cognitive development, technology utilization in schools, and infusing technology in pre-service teacher education. The article identifies inadequate teacher preparation as the critical factor constraining effective technology deployment in schools and summarizes main ideas for transforming teacher-education institutions into 21st Century learning environments
Using web-based instruction to improve large undergraduate biology courses: an evaluation of a hybrid course format

We developed a hybrid course format (part online, part face-to-face) to deliver a high-enrollment, introductory environmental biology course to resident (living on or near campus), non-science majors at a large, public university. The hybrid course was structured to include bi-weekly online assignments and weekly meetings in the lecture hall focused on active-learning exercises. To evaluate the effectiveness of the web-based component of the hybrid course, we taught the hybrid course simultaneously with a traditional course in which we used passive lectures to cover material in the online assignments. Both courses received the same active-learning activities in class. Students in the hybrid course reported that the quality of interaction with the instructor was high, that they read the text more often and studied in groups more frequently. Performance on a post-course assessment test indicated that the hybrid course format was better or equivalent to the traditional course. Specifically, online assignments were equivalent to or better than passive lectures, and that active-learning exercises were more effective when coupled with online activities. Performance gains were greater for upperclassmen than for freshmen, indicating that hybrid course formats might be a superior option for upperclassmen when satisfying general science requirements.
The ties that bind: Linking religious organizational segregation to the individual level closure of close friendship network's☆

Abstract Understanding the consequences of organizational membership has long been of concern to social scientists and the degree to which these belongings affect individual behaviors is often at the heart of this concernment. This study introduces a conceptual framework through which structural conditions associated with religious segregation is examined in relation to its manifestation as micro-level consequences. The literature is spattered with acknowledgements of segregation in religion at the organizational level through the proclamation that religion is “Divided by Faith” and that it creates “Closed Communities”. Drawing on data from the Panel Study on American Race and Ethnicity (PS-ARE), these conditions are linked to variations in the diversity of individual-level small group social networks, nested within a multidimensional, and newly developed, measurement of religiosity as an indicator of the strength of the tie the individual has to the organization to which they belong. The results suggest that the strength of the tie one feels with their religious organization is both multidimensional and denominationally specific in its explanation of variations in the diversity of close friendship networks. At a broader level these results suggest a linkage of micro behaviors to macro conditions that exists in a top-down hierarchy in which individual behaviors are shaped by structural conditions, but to what degree depends on the strength of the relationship between person and organization.
The Quantitative Relationship Between Treated Blood Pressure and Progression of Diabetic Renal Disease

Abstract Antihypertensive therapy reduces the rate at which glomerular filtration rate (GFR) declines (AGFR) in diabetic nephropathy; however, the optimal blood pressure is unknown. The quantitative relationship between treated blood pressure and AGFR was analyzed retrospectively in 59 patients with established diabetic nephropathy and treated hypertension using weighted univariate and weighted multivariate regression. The GFR was calculated using the Cockcroft and Gault formula. More rapid GFR loss correlated most strongly with higher diastolic blood pressures ( r = 0.70; P r = 0.50; P r = 0.30; P r = 0.59; P GFR . In multivariate analysis, neither these indices of disease severity nor the initial GFR explained the correlation between AGFR and diastolic blood pressure. Age, sex, race, type of diabetes, and percentage of glycosylated hemoglobin did not correlate with Δ GFR .
Electric breakdowns and breakdown mechanisms in ultra-thin silicon oxides

Abstract It was found that the breakdown times measured using time-dependent-dielectric-breakdown (TDDB) distributions could be shifted to shorter times when the amount of energy available during the breakdown event was increased. The TDDB distributions were non-unique and breakdown models must account for both electrical breakdowns and dielectric breakdown. A novel approach for obtaining breakdown distributions will be presented. This approach uses a small number of oxides to obtain a time-dependent-electric-breakdown (TDEB) distribution, which will be shown to provide complementary information to that obtained from (TDDB) distributions. While the observation of dielectric breakdown in ultra-thin dielectrics may be difficult using standard test conditions, it will be shown that electric breakdowns are relatively easy to observe.