cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Researchers say changes needed in recruitment policies for NIH trials.

Toxicity studies involving pesticides and humans were accepted by the EPA until 1998 when the agency imposed the moratorium, citing scientific and ethical concerns that began emerging in the 1980s. The action, along with passage of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (which reduced allowable pesticide levels in children by yet another variable uncertainty factor) prompted pesticide manufacturers to file a lawsuit against the EPA to force the agency to lift the moratorium. Oral arguments in that suit are scheduled to begin in March. While the legal process unfolds, the NAS committee’s work continues. Harold Vanderpool, PhD, a research ethicist with the Institute for the Medical Humanities, University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston questions whether the NAS can find ethical justification for human toxicity testing that would be sufficient to lift the EPA moratorium. “One criterion for human research has to be a balance of benefits and harms,” said Vanderpool. “Also, there is a duty to do good and a duty not to do harm. The duty not to do harm is a more stringent requirement, and I’m not sure this toxicity testing can be defended.” The NAS committee is expected to release its recommendations in December. The EPA, working under no mandated deadline, will then consider the group’s advice and make a decision whether to include human toxicity studies into the chemical approval process.
Teaching Music Appreciation: A Cultural Approach

In this paper, the authors argue that an introduction to music course is a different animal not only from history courses for music majors, but also from more focused topical courses for non-majors. We believe that after taking a music appreciation course students should be equipped with powerful tools to distill fundamental understandings from all of their musical experiences, beginning from the here and now and extending to the there and then, that is, from Beyonce to Bach.
pcp: Internet Latency Estimation Using CDN Replicas

Interactive mobile Internet applications have become increasingly common and necessary to perform everyday tasks such as augmented reality, online gaming, video chat, and cloud-based voice recognition. These applications speed up their communications by connecting users to the closest servers and clustering nearby users together. In replica server selection and client clustering, determination of the closest host quickly and accurately is crucial to interactive application responses and the satisfaction of users' expectations. Researchers commonly use latency as the primary metric of network proximity and have developed various latency approximation tools. However, these tools do not yet offer an attractive balance of measurement accuracy, scalability, and maintainability. In this paper, we propose a new latency estimation system for arbitrary hosts using host-to-CDN latency measurements. Compared to existing latency estimation tools, our technique offers superior coverage of the IP address space and latency estimation accuracy. With improved coverage and accuracy of latency estimation it will become easier to establish low latency connections between hosts in a network, improving the responsiveness of interactive Internet applications.
Angiotensin II induces cellular hypertrophy in cultured murine proximal tubular cells

In the present study we demonstrate that a murine proximal tubular cell line (MCT cells), expressing angiotensin II (ANG II) receptors [dissociation constant (Kd) = 0.89 nM; receptor density (R0) = 46,900 receptors/cell] in culture, can be induced to hypertrophy after the daily addition of exogenous ANG II (10(-8) M). This hypertrophic response was characterized by an increase in total cellular protein content, by an enhancement of [3H]leucine incorporation into precipitable proteins, and by an augmentation in cell size by cytofluorography. This ANG II effect producing MCT cell enlargement was demonstrable in the absence of cellular proliferation. Proliferation of MCT cells, however, could be induced by epidermal growth factor (EGF) or platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and pretreatment of rested MCT cells with ANG II further enhanced EGF-induced cell division. ANG II-induced hypertrophy in MCT cells was factor specific, in that it could be blocked with saralasin, and not induced by angiotensin I (ANG I). This hypertrophic response was also independent of prostaglandin E2 synthesis but was transducible by pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins and involved, to some extent, the activation of Na(+)-H+ exchange. ANG II, as well as EGF and/or PDGF, moreover, could induce the cellular oncogenes c-fos, c-myc, c-N-ras, but not c-cis, which suggests that early gene activation is probably not a specific prerequisite for hypertrophy. Our findings demonstrate that ANG II, in culture, can be a single-factor event capable of inducing hypertrophy in proximal tubular cells.
Retention of immunolabels by Diorhabda carinulata, a biological control agent of saltcedar

Marking biological control agents facilitates studies of dispersal and predation. This study examines the feasibility of marking the various life stages of a weed biological control agent, Diorhabda carinulata (Desbrochers) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), by submersion in rabbit or chicken immunoglobulin G (IgG) protein solutions. We determined whether externally applied IgGs are effective labels of the various lifestages, whether IgGs can be retained between D. carinulata lifestages, and to what extent abiotic factors associated with field conditions mediate label retention. The presence of the labels on the various lifestages of the beetles was detected by IgG-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Duration of each immunolabel was measured on eggs and larvae in laboratory studies and on adults in laboratory and field studies. For adults, both labels showed high (>80%) retention for ca. 14 days after marking under field and laboratory conditions. Temperature and type of label (rabbit or chicken) had only a minimal effect on marker retention. Externally marked eggs exhibited high (100%) retention for both proteins over the entire duration of the egg stage. Interestingly, some larvae emerging from externally labeled eggs contained both external and internal IgG marks. To our knowledge, this is the first case of an IgG being transferred from the egg to larva of an insect. Age of eggs at the time of label application affected the intensity of the external label on neonates. For instance, larvae that emerged from eggs that were >1 day old when labeled exhibited stronger label retention than larvae that emerged from eggs that were 1 day old when labeled. For larvae, retention of rabbit IgG was greater than retention of chicken IgG. Label retention declined as larvae aged; larvae >3 days old retained significantly less label than did neonate larvae. Both IgG labels were retained from the first to second instar, but at a very low rate of <10%. Overall, our study demonstrates that protein-marking technology has potential for use in studies of dispersal and predator–prey associations for D. carinulata.
Intermediates in the melting transitions of aluminum nanoclusters

The author uses heat capacity data for aluminum cluster ions, Aln+, obtained in the laboratory of Breaux et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 17340 (2005)] to determine whether or not intermediate species are present in the transition from the solidlike form of the clusters present at low temperatures to the liquidlike form present at high temperatures. He gives a general method on how to test for the presence of such intermediates and how to calculate their probabilities and thermodynamics as a function of temperature. In addition he uses energy distribution functions, using the maximum-entropy method that he developed previously, to substantiate the presence or absence of intermediates. As examples of the method he treats n=53 and n=79 clusters both of which exhibit marked maxima in the temperature dependence of their heat capacity curves, indicating strong order-disorder transitions. He find that in the melting transition n=53 clusters have no intermediates while the melting of n=79 clusters is dominated by intermediate species.
Geometry of neonatal neurones and the regulation of synapse elimination.

In the ciliary ganglion of adult rabbits, ganglion cells lacking dendrites are generally innervated by a single axon, whereas cells with one or more dendrites are innervated by a number of different axons that increases in proportion to the complexity of their dendritic arbor1 (see also refs 2–4). We have now explored the basis of this correlation by comparing the dendritic arborizations of cells receiving different numbers of axons during and after the period of synapse elimination that occurs early in postnatal life5 (see also ref. 6). Our results suggest that the geometry of neonatal neurones influences the competitive interaction between the several axons that initially innervate the same cell. This finding in turn implies that an important function of dendrites is to regulate the number of different axons that ultimately innervate each neurone.
Enhancement of vapor–liquid separation in vertical impact T-junctions for vapor compression systems with flash gas bypass

Abstract As an extension of the previous work studying vapor–liquid separation in vertical impact T-separator ( Tuo and Hrnjak, 2013a ), this paper presents experimental study of several design options to enhance liquid separation. Five modifications on the baseline T-separator with horizontal inlet are explored using both R134a and R410A as working fluids: inlet inclination angle, dual-inlet as pre-separation, inlet tube diameter, cross-sectional shape and location with respect to the vertical tube. The objective is to avoid or at least delay transition from mist to churn flow by reducing and changing the direction of liquid phase inertia force, and decreasing liquid and vapor force interaction. In addition, a few practical issues are discussed when implementing T-separator in real A/C systems, such as liquid level control, system configuration effect, and periodic reverse flow in microchannel evaporators.
Linking Objective and Subjective Features: Contrasting Measurements:

This research concerned testing the relationship between objective features (seven) and subjective features (three). Findings indicate that selected objective features were associated significantly with each of the subjective features. The research is based on data collected from 184 undergraduate university students, and the stimulus object was a clock radio.
RESTORATION OF DISCRETE FOURIER SPECTRA USING LINEAR PROGRAMMING.

A method of restoring the discrete-Fourier-transform (DFT) spectrum of a diffraction-limited (DL) image from a narrow-observation segment of the DL image is presented. The DL spectral-restoration process is the dual of the more common DL image-restoration process with the roles of the frequency and space reversed. Applications of a spectrum restoration include increasing the field of view of existing imaging systems and extracting precise frequency components of a large DL image by using only a small segment of the entire image. This method could also be employed for image data compression, which is of interest in digital video applications. Several differences between the implementations of the image- and the spectrum-restoration processes are described. The estimate is constrained to have an upper bound on the number of frequency components contained in the Fourier spectrum. The bound is the number of samples acquired at the Nyquist rate for the length of the image. The magnitude of the DFT spectrum is also bounded. These constraints define a large number of possible solutions. The desired solution is then selected such that the distance, defined in a function-theoretic sense, between the measured and the estimated images is an optimum. A number of such measures are investigated. Numerical experiments show that this approach yields results that are highly immune to measurement noise.
High performance InP JFETs grown by MOCVD using tertiarybutylphosphine

Indium phosphide channel junction field effect transistors were fabricated by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition using tertiarybulylphosphine (TBP) as the alternative source for phosphine. At growth temperatures of 600°C, InP with specular surface morphology and mobilities as high as 61000 cm2/V s at 77Khas been achieved using trimethylindium and TBP. To improve device isolation, pinch-off characteristics, and output transconductance, we employ a high resistivity (1 × 108 Ω-cm) semi-insulating InP buffer layer using ferrocene as the Fe-dopant. Devices with gate lengths of 1 urn exhibit very high extrinsic transconductance of 130 mS/mm, gate-drain breakdown voltage exceeding 20 V, maximum current density of >450 mA/mm with record high fT and fmax of 15 GHz and 35 GHz, respectively. These results indicate: that InP JFETs are promising electronic devices for microwave power amplification, and that TBP is capable of device quality materials.
Critical behavior of m -component magnets with correlated impurities

We study the critical behavior of an $m$-component classical spin system with quenched impurities correlated along an ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{d}$-dimensional "line" and randomly distributed in $d\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{d}$ dimensions ($d=4\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\epsilon}$). The presence of this line of impurities makes the system anisotropic and the interactions highly nonlocal. The renormalization group (RG) is used to approach the critical region and the quantities of interest are calculated in a double $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$, ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{d}$ expansion. A two-loop calculation is needed to expose fully the divergent structure, and the theory is proved to be renormalizable up to this order. A consequence of the double $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$, ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{d}$ expansion is the fact that the RG functions and consequently the critical exponents depend on the ratio $\frac{{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{d}}{(\ensuremath{\epsilon}+{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{d})}$. The solution of the RG equations leads to the existence of two correlation lengths: parallel to the "line" and perpendicular to it, with critical exponents ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}$, respectively, with the relation ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}=z{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}$. The exponent $z$ results from the presence of anisotropy in the system. New scaling laws are found for the critical exponents: $\ensuremath{\gamma}={\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}(2\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\eta})$ and $\ensuremath{\alpha}=2\ensuremath{-}(d\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{d}){\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{d}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}$. We establish a relation between our model and a quantum model in one less dimension with random pointlike impurities. For this system we predict a quantum-to-classical crossover at finite temperature with cross-over exponent ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$.
Hemoglobin oxygen saturations in phantoms and in vivo from measurements of steady-state diffuse reflectance at a single, short source-detector separation.

We present a method for the analysis of steady state diffuse reflectance spectra obtained from vascularized tissue or from tissue simulating phantoms at a single, short source-detector separation. This method uses reasonable assumptions about the structure of the reduced scattering spectrum and basis absorption spectra for oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin, which dominate tissue absorption in the visible region of the spectrum. Using a hybrid P 3 -diffusion description of light propagation, described originally by Hull and Foster [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 18, 584–599 (2001)] and suitable for short (∼1 mm) source-detector separations and optical properties of tissue at visible wavelengths, we create a forward model of the diffuse reflectance with four free parameters. We demonstrate that this model is able to recover accurately the hemoglobin concentrations and scattering properties from synthetic data generated by Monte Carlo simulation and from reflectance spectra acquired from tissue-simulating phantoms containing intact human erythrocytes. We show also that the method is capable of monitoring carbogen-induced changes in murine tumor oxygenation in vivo. The successful implementation of single, short detector separations enables the measurement of intratumor heterogeneities in hemoglobin oxygen saturation and responses to carbogen using a simple fiber-based probe design.
An unusual eruptive fever involving the skin and mucous membranes

Summary A case of an unusual eruptive fever associated with conjunctivitis, stomatitis,nasopharyngitis, and urethral meatitis is presented. A history of contact with sick dogs is reported, apparently for the first time, in this group of cases. Studies to incriminate the herpes virus as the etiologic agent were negative. The status of the so-called Stevens-Johnson disease is reviewed and defined more clearly. The conclusion is reached that Stevens-Johnson disease is only a form of erythema multiforme exudativum (Hebra) and not a distinct entity. The hypothesis is put forward that, with regard to much of the erythema multiforme group, that we are dealing with an infection by organisms of a similar type, probably viral in nature. The multiform cutaneous lesions may be, in truth, merely manifestations of the same systemic infection.
Help seeking for substance use problems in two American Indian reservation populations.

Objectives This study examined the extent and types of help seeking (biomedical, traditional, and 12-step groups) for substance use problems in two American Indian reservation populations by using data from the American Indian Service Utilization, Psychiatric Epidemiology, Risk, and Protective Factors Project (AI-SUPERPFP). This study also sought to understand the correlates of such help seeking, including measures of need, demographic characteristics, spirituality, and ethnic identity. Methods AI-SUPERPFP, completed between 1997 and 2000, was a cross-sectional probability sample survey. Altogether 2,825 tribal members, aged 18 to 54 years, representing two tribal groups living on or near their home reservations, were randomly sampled from the tribal rolls. Response rates averaged 75.3 percent. The primary outcome measure was help seeking in the past year for substance use problems, which was further divided into help seeking from biomedical services, traditional healing sources, and 12-step programs. Results Help-seeking rates were high, with 13 percent of the population and 38 percent of those with diagnoses of substance use disorders in the past year having sought services for alcohol or drug problems in the preceding 12 months. Correlates of help seeking included variables related to need for services (substance use disorders, tobacco use, and mental and physical health problems), marital status, and spirituality. Slightly more than half of service users sought help from formal biomedical providers; use of traditional healing and 12-step programs was also common. Need and spirituality variables best differentiated among the users of the three modalities. Conclusions Help seeking for alcohol and drug problems was common in these communities, with traditional healing and 12-step resources as essential components of the local service ecologies.
Determinants of Serum Total and Free Testosterone Levels in Women over the Age of 65 Years

Context: Little is known about testosterone (T) levels and their determinants in women of late postmenopausal age. Objective: We describe levels of total and free T and selected factors that influence these levels in a random sample of older women. Design: Levels of serum total T and free T by microdialysis were measured using ultrasensitive assays in 347 community-dwelling women aged 65–98 yr enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Cross-sectional analyses were performed to define factors associated with total and free T levels. Results: In adjusted models: 1) total T levels declined with age until 80, whereas free T levels did not vary by age; 2) women with bilateral oophorectomy had 23% lower total T and 16% lower free T levels than those with at least one intact ovary; 3) oral estrogen users had total and free T levels that were 47% lower than never users; 4) obese women had 47% higher total T and 20% higher free T levels, and overweight women had 24% higher total T and 14% higher free T levels, ...
Thermodynamics and the griffith criterion for brittle fracture

Abstract The Griffith criterion for fracture, considered within the framework of nonlinear thermoelasticity, is shown to be a necessary condition for crack initiation, provided the underlying strain energy is properly interpreted, and provided the initial temperature is continuous at the crack tip.
An ab initio study of DNA base pair hydrogen bonding: a comparison of plane-wave versus Gaussian-type function methods

Abstract We have computed ab initio binding energies, optimum geometries, and electrostatic moments for several DNA base pairs by gradient-corrected density functional theory (DFT) using basis sets consisting of plane-wave or Gaussian-type functions. Our findings demonstrate that even with modest periodic cell dimensions and plane-wave cutoff energies, the plane-wave method yields equivalent results to Gaussian basis DFT using very large basis sets and counterpoise corrections.
High density type I collagen gels for tissue engineering of whole menisci

This study investigates the potential of high density type I collagen gels as an injectable scaffold for tissue engineering of whole menisci, and compares these results with previous strategies using alginate as an injectable scaffold. Bovine meniscal fibrochondrocytes were mixed with collagen and injected into micro-computed tomography-based molds to create 10 and 20mgml(-1) menisci that were cultured for up to 4weeks and compared with cultured alginate menisci. Contraction, histological, confocal microscopy, biochemical and mechanical analysis were performed to determine tissue development. After 4weeks culture, collagen menisci had preserved their shape and significantly improved their biochemical and mechanical properties. Both 10 and 20mgml(-1) menisci maintained their DNA content while significantly improving the glycosaminoglycan and collagen content, at values significantly higher than the alginate controls. Collagen menisci matched the alginate control in terms of the equilibrium modulus, and developed a 3- to 6-fold higher tensile modulus than alginate by 4weeks. Further fibrochondrocytes were able to reorganize the collagen gels into a more fibrous appearance similar to native menisci.
Metabolic profiling of late-term turkey embryos by microarrays

ABSTRACT The last stages of embryonic development are crucial for turkeys as their metabolism shifts to accommodate posthatch survival and growth. To better understand the metabolic change that occurs during the perinatal period, focused microarray methodology was used to identify changes in the expression of key genes that control metabolism of turkey embryos from 20 d of incubation (E) until hatch (E28). Gene expression patterns were evaluated in liver, pectoral muscle, and hatching muscle and were associated with measured embryonic growth and tissue glycogen concentration. Within the studied period, the expression of 60 genes significantly changed in liver, 53 in pectoral muscle, and 51 in hatching muscle. Genes related to lipid metabolism (enoyl-CoA hydratase, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase, 3-hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, lipoprotein lipase, and thyroxine deiodinase) had reduced expression between E22 and E26, corresponding to the period of expected limited oxygen supply. In contrast, genes related to opposing pathways in carbohydrate metabolism, such as glycolysis and gluconeogenesis (hexokinases, glucose-6 phosphatase, phosphofructokinases, glucose 1–6 phosphatase, pyruvate kinase, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), or glycogenesis and glycogenolysis (glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase) had rather static expression patterns between E22 and E26, indicating their enzymatic activity must be under posttranscriptional control. Metabolic survey by microarray methodology brings new insights into avian embryonic development and physiology.
Comparison of spiral CT and conventional CT in 3D visualization of facial trauma: work in progress

Abstract Spiral computed tomography (SCT) differs from conventional CT (CCT) in that regions of the body can be rapidly imaged via continuous scanning. This is accompanied by simultaneous advancement of the patient, thus allowing volumetric data acquisition of up to 60 cm in less than a minute. Thus motion is minimized and slice misregistration is minimized when multiplanar and three dimensional reconstructions are performed. This paper compares the utility of SCT and CCT in facial trauma. A total of six patients were studied with either CCT or SCT of the face after trauma. SCr scans were obtained using a Siemens Somatom Plus-S Cr scanner (2 mm thick collimation and 3 mm/sec table feed for 32 s). Three-dimensional (3D) and multiplanar reconstruction images of the facial bones were generated after appropriate thresholds were selected by the radiologist; similar images generated with a CCT (GE quick 9800) were compared using a three point scale with kappa analysis. SCT is able to generate axial and reformatted images of comparable quality to CCT (k = 0.47–0.89) in less than half the time to perform an examination (26 min vs 63 min). SCT can rapidly produce (3D) and multiplanar reformatted images of facial trauma with minimal motion, or misregistration artifact when compared to CCT.
Codimension one spheres in Rn with double tangent balls

Abstract In contrast to the situation in R 3, where a 2-sphere with double tangent balls at each point must be tamely embedded in R 3, there exist wild (n−1)-spheres in R n for n>3 with this same geometric property. However, if the sphere Σ is tame moduio a subset X that lies in a polyhedron P that is tame in Σ, the dimension of P is less than n−2, n>4, and Σ has double tangent balls over X, then Σ must be tame in R n. Also if the tangent balls extend over P and are pairwise congruent, the dimensional restriction on P can be dropped. Examples are given to support the necessity of the hypotheses of the included theorems.
Measurement of Growth Kinetics in a Heteroepitaxial System: Pb on Cu(100).

The kinetically driven low temperature growth of Pb on Cu(100) has been investigated using helium beam scattering. Up to 16 equivalent layers (monolayers, ML), a complex growth pattern is the result of the non-negligible Pb mobility, the large lattice mismatch, and the square symmetry substrate. Subsequently, growth shows characteristics of dynamical scaling. The growth and roughness exponents are measured to be $\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\simeq}0.3$ and $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\simeq}1$. The growth of the interface width saturates at about 40 ML due to the influence of the typical size of the mosaic of Pb(100) domains.
Electrochemical Sensing Platform Based on the Carbon Nanotubes/Redox Mediators-Biopolymer System

A new electrochemical sensing platform was developed that relied on synergy between carbon nanotubes (CNT) and redox mediators that were co-immobilized in the biopolymer chitosan (CHIT). To demonstrate the concept, the redox mediator Toluidine Blue O (TBO) and CNT were integrated in CHIT and used for the determination of a reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). As compared to CHIT-TBO, the CHIT-TBO/CNT films displayed large amplification of a current due to the TBO-mediated oxidation of NADH at −0.10 V. This was discussed in terms of the TBO/CNT synergy that resulted in the improved charge propagation through the CHIT-TBO/CNT matrix.
Chromophore and spectrum of the glycogen-iodine complex

The experimental UV-vis spectrum of the glycogen-iodine (GI) complex shows certain features remarkably similar to that of the amylopectin-iodine (API) complex [J. Polymer. Chem. 32, 2257 (1994)], suggesting a strong similarity between the API and the GI structures. As in the API complex, a nearly linear polyiodine unit, I4, at an interiodine distance of around 3 A is expected to exist within the helix of 11 anhydroglucose units (AGUs). There are several other spectral features that suggest the presence of another similar but more loosely bound iodine species with a longer interiodine distance of 3.1 A. These findings suggest the involvement of two different types of glycogen chains in binding iodine molecules. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Internet use intention and adoption among Chinese older adults: From the expanded technology acceptance model perspective

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how various factors intertwine to affect Chinese older adults' decisions to adopt the Internet by applying the expanded technology acceptance model (TAM). Perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), subjective norm (SN), and facilitating conditions (FC) were four key predictors. Gender and age were included in the proposed model as factors to moderate the effect of two key TAM components (PU and PEU) on adoption behaviors. The results indicate that PU, PEU, and SN were significant predictors of Internet adoption among Chinese older adults, while PU, SN, and FC were significant predictors of Internet use intention. The effect of PEU on Internet use intention was also found to be stronger for older seniors than younger seniors. Implications for future research and practices are discussed.
A general-purpose computer system for behavioral conditioning and neural recording experiments

A computer system designed to control the delivery of stimuli and data acquisition during behavioral conditioning and neural recording experiments is described. This IBM-PC-compatible system is programmed in C++ and is capable of controlling stimulus presentations to four independently operating conditioning chambers while collecting one channel of analog and two channels of digital data from each of the chambers. This system is currently being used in a variety of learning and memory experiments involving rats, rabbits, and humans.
Methodology for evaluating static six-degree-of-freedom (6DoF) perception systems

In this paper, we apply two fundamental approaches toward evaluating a static, vision based, six-degree-of-freedom (6DoF) pose determination system that measures the position and orientation of a part. The first approach uses groundtruth carefully obtained from a laser tracker and the second approach doesn't use any external groundtruth. The evaluation procedure focuses on characterizing both the system's accuracy and precision as well as the effect of object viewpoints.For the groundtruth method, we first use a laser tracker for system calibration and then compare the calibrated output with the surveyed pose. In the method without external groundtruth, we evaluate the effect of viewpoint factors on the system's performance.
The step payload and experiment

Abstract The foundation of modern gravitational theory is the Equivalence Principle. General Relativity is incompatible with theories of other fundamental forces such as QED, suggesting that it is incomplete. For example, there may be additional forces coupled to baryon number or spin. In this case the Equivalence Principle may be violated below the experimentally verified level of one part in 10 12 . A violation could provide crucial information for new theories. A team of US and European scientists has assembled to do the Satellite Test of the Equivalence Principle (STEP) with the goal of improving this measurement to 1 part in 10 18 . In STEP two or more test masses “fall” around the earth in a drag free satellite. A difference in the rate of fall appears as a periodic difference in their acceleration. The test masses are cooled to less than 2K and are supported by frictionless superconducting bearings. Ultra-sensitive SQUID position sensors measure their relative motion and their common motion is removed by adjustments during acceleration maneuvers. Any Equivalence Principle signal is separated from major disturbances by rotation of the spacecraft. STEP is planned to be launched by 2004, with nominal mission lifetime of 6 months.
Free Choice Permission is Strong Permission

Free choice permission, a crucial test case concerning the semantics/ pragmatics boundary, usually receives a pragmatic treatment. But its pragmatic features follow from its semantics. We observe that free choice inferences are defeasible, and defend a semantics of free choice permission as strong permission expressed in terms of a modal conditional in a nonmonotonic logic.
An effective surrogate for impact studies

Nineteen unembalmed (fresh) cadavers were used in 21 experiments to test restraint systems in automobile impact studies. Some were mounted in a rearward firing sled; others were placed in standard cars during collisions. Prior to and after testing, each cadaver was evaluated. After each experiment a postmortem examination was performed. High-speed registering cameras (1,000 to 2,000 frames per second) were used and multiple telemetric recordings were made. The radiographic and pathologic changes were similar to those seen in patients following high-velocity accidents. Results were compared with those of car accident victims admitted dead on arrival to one of our hospitals. This study is a progress report. The results are being used to improve existing restraint systems and to evaluate experimental models.
John Bulkley Perry and the Taconic Question

The Taconic controversy involved the most able minds and the most powerful egos of post-Wernerian geological science. Although John Bulkley Perry was as familiar with the "Taconic" rocks as his more famous contemporaries, his contributions have been overlooked by scholars of American geological history. During the years 1855-1870, Perry studied the Taconic strata, particularly in northwestern Vermont, and through the discovery of fossils, through fieldwork and correspondence with the principal Taconic proponent, Jules Marcou, and later via his few publications, Perry made original and significant contributions to the development of thought regarding the Taconic system of Ebenezer Emmons. The nature and timing of his publications, his extreme humility, his ultimate concern for theological questions, and his death at an early age were all factors in obscuring Perry's role in the history of the Taconic question.
The saltwater-freshwater interface in the Tertiary limestone aquifer, southeast Atlantic outer-continental shelf of the U.S.A.

Abstract Hydrologic testing in an offshore oil well abandoned by Tenneco, Inc., determined the position of the saltwater-freshwater interface in Tertiary limestones underlying the Florida-Georgia continental shelf of the U.S.A. Previous drilling (JOIDES and U.S.G.S. AMCOR projects) established the existence of freshwater far offshore in this area. At the Tenneco well 55 mi. (∼88 km) east of Fernandina Beach, Florida, drill-stem tests made in the interval 1050–1070 ft. (320–326 m) below sea level in the Ocala Limestone recovered a sample with a chloride concentration of 7000 mg l −1 . Formation water probably is slightly fresher. Pressure-head measurements indicated equivalent freshwater heads of 24–29 ft. (7.3–8.8 m) above sea level. At the coast (Fernandina Beach), a relatively thin transition zone separating freshwater and saltwater occurs at a depth of 2100 ft. (640 m) below sea level. Fifty-five miles (∼88 km) offshore, at the Tenneco well, the base of freshwater is ∼1100 ft. (∼335 m) below sea level. The difference in approximate depth to the freshwater-saltwater transition at these two locations suggests an interface with a very slight landward slope. Assuming the Hubbert interface equation applies here (because the interface and therefore freshwater flow lines are nearly horizontal) the equilibrium depth to the interface should be 40 times the freshwater head above sea level. Using present-day freshwater heads along the coast in the Hubbert equation results in depths to the interface of less than the observed 2100 ft. (640 m). Substituting predevelopment heads in the equation yields depths greater than 2100 ft. (640 m). Thus the interface appears to be in a transient position between the position that would be compatible with present-day heads and the position that would be compatible with predevelopment heads. This implies that some movement of the interface from the predevelopment position has occurred during the past hundred years. The implied movement is incompatible with the hypothesis that the freshwater occurring far offshore in this area is trapped water remaining since the Pleistocene Epoch.
Psychological Processes Underlying Cultivation Effects Further Tests of Construct Accessibility

This study tested whether the accessibility of information in memory mediates the cultivation effect (i.e., the effect of television viewing on social perceptions), consistent with the availability heuristic (Tversky & Kahneman, 1973). Accessibility was operationalized as the time needed to generate frequency estimates of the real-world prevalence of crime, marital discord, and particular occupations. The independent variable was amount of soap opera viewing, and the study used only very heavy (5 or more hours per week) and very light (zero hours per week) viewers. Heavy viewers gave significantly higher frequency estimates (cultivation effect) and responded significantly faster (accessibility effect) than did light viewers, replicating the findings of Shrum and O'Gunn (1993). Soap opera viewing also had an indirect effect on the frequency estimates of crime and occupational prevalence through its effect on response latency, supporting the notion of accessibility as a mediating variable. No such mediating effect was noted for marital discord estimates.
Share price reaction to plant-closing announcements

A plant closing can be good news: a positive-NPV abandonment decision. We split a plant-closing sample according to the reasons given. Closings pursuant to a strategic objective are called aggressive. Those due to management's failure to achieve an objective are defensive. Aggressive closings were associated with significant positive price reactions. Defensive closings had no lasting share price effect. Market reaction was negative for closings following other closings. Plant-closing firms have below average profitability, but three years after the closing our sample firms had above-average ROEs.
385 ABNORMALITIES IN GROWTH HORMONE SECRETION AFTER CRANIAL IRRADIATION IN PRIMATES

Abnormalities of GH secretion have previously been reported in children given cranial irradiation for CNS prophylaxis in acute lymphocytic leukemia or for brain tumors. To better define these neuroendocrine abnormalities, prospective longitudinal studies of GH secretion were performed in young adult male rhesus monkeys (N=4 in each group). Two doses of cranial irradiation were given (2400 or 4000 rad in 10 fractions over 2 weeks). Three consecutive provocative tests of GH secretion were used (arginine infusion, insulin induced hypoglycemia and L-Dopa stimulation) prior to radiation and 10, 30 and 50 weeks after radiation. The 2400 rad group at 10 weeks had an excessive and prolonged GH response to arginine (GH at 30, 60 and 90 min was 15±15, 37±11 and 30±11 ng/ml vs 22±4, 15±4 and 6±1 ng/ml for 13 controls, mean ± SE) and insulin (GH at 30 and 60 min was 46±13 and 49±7 ng/ml vs 40±9 and 8±1.5 ng/ml for 9 controls). In subsequent studies, GH responses to arginine and L-Dopa were normal, but GH response to insulin was blunted. In the 4000 rad group the arginine and L-Dopa tests were normal throughout, but the response to insulin was consistently blunted. In conclusion, there are abnormalities of GH secretion after cranial irradiation with doses frequently used in clinical practice, but their clinical significance is not yet clear. This may be a useful model for the study of neuroendocrine regulation of GH secretion.
Ultrastructural localization of lectin receptors on the bone‐marrow sinusoidal endothelium of the rat

The bone-marrow sinusoidal endothelium is a cellular barrier that separates developing blood cells in the extravascular space from the peripheral circulation. Mature blood elements enter the circulation via transendothelial migration pores. In the present study, monosaccharide constituents on the bone marrow endothelium were examined using lectin-affinity cytochemistry. With lectin-horseradish and lectin-ferritin conjugates, mannosyl, N-acetylglucosaminyl, galactosyl, N-acetylgalactosaminyl, and sialic acid were localized to the luminal plasmalemma, bristle-coated pits and diaphragmed fenestrae. These were conspicuously reduced on the abluminal plasmalemma. When the tissue was treated with biotinylated lectins followed by avidin-ferritin, only a localization with wheat-germ agglutinin (sialic acid; N-acetylglucosaminyl) was observed. Pretreatment of the bone marrow with neuraminidase enabled the localization of the other monosaccharide components by the biotin-avidin method. Accumulations of carbohydrate residues were identified near the endothelium subjacent to migrating cells. Fucosyl moieties marked by Ulex europaeus agglutinin ( UEA ) reagents on the endothelium were not present. All binding was abolished by incubation of tissue and lectin conjugates with specific hapten sugars. labeling was also not present after Pronase E treatment, indicating that the identified monosaccharides are components of glycoproteins rather than glycolipids. The possible function of endothelial-surface glycoproteins as receptors for the surfaces of mature blood cells and their role in transmural migration are discussed.
deltaT/T limits from the UCSB South Pole degree-scale experiment and constraints on the large-scale deviations from the Hubble flow

The limits to the cosmic microwave background radiation (CBR) temperature anisotropy derived from the results of the University of California at Santa Barbara South Pole degree-scale experiment are translated into upper bounds on large-scale deviations from the Hubble flow. The lack of measurable CBR anisotropy in this experiment implies very low upper bounds upon the rms amplitude V(R) of the streaming motion within a Gaussian window of radius R: Vmax(R is greater than 4000 km/s) less than 200 km/s, and Vmax(R is greater than 7500 km/s) is less than 100 km/s. Thus, the smoothness of the CBR at about 1-2 deg and the apparent large-amplitude (about 500 km/s) deviations from pure Hubble flow at R greater than about 4000 km/s cannot be simultaneously explained in the framework of usual large-scale structure formation models based on the assumptions involved in this calculation.
TREATMENT OF ESTROGEN DEFICIENCY WITH ESTRADIOL PELLETS

THE subcutaneous implantation of pure estradiol is a highly efficient method of producing estrogenic effects, both experimentally (1–7) and in the clinical management of menopausal and hypogonadal patients (8–13). In previous studies, estradiol or its esters and various other estrogens have been implanted in the form of crystals, tablets or pellets. The present report deals with a somewhat larger series of patients than hitherto described, in which clinical benefit has been marked and the duration of estrogenic effect considerably greater than anticipated from earlier studies. The prevailing concept of pituitary ovarian relationships is exemplified in a general way, but the findings include discrepancies of theoretic importance. The allowable dosage range is redetermined and the side actions to be expected are described. MATERIAL One hundred menopausal or hypogonadal women were treated by the subcutaneous implantation of 25-milligram pellets of pure estradiol, using either 1 or 2 pellets at each implantat...
Urokinase for restoring patency of malfunctioning or blocked central venous catheters in children with hemato-oncological diseases

Goals of work To evaluate differences in success rate between two dosages of intraluminal urokinase (IL-UK) for treatment of withdraw occlusion in central venous catheters (CVC) and to confirm the efficacy of a salvage protocol with low-dose systemic urokinase (S-UK) in case of failure of IL-UK or of complete catheter obstruction.
The radioallergosorbent test in the diagnosis of canine atopic disease

The radioallergosorbent test (RAST) was adapted for use in the dog employing purified anti-canine IgE. The agreement between positive RAST and positive skin test ranged from 82% for ragweed to only 12.5% for dandelion. Agreement between negative tests in the case of all allergens was 100%. Further developmental studies of canine RAST are warranted in view of the value of the dog as an experimental model of atopic disease.
Physiologic and pathophysiologic relevance of T-type calcium-ion channels : Potential indications for T-type calcium antagonists

The family of voltage-gated calcium-ion (Ca2+) channels is critical in the role of transmembrane signaling of excitable cells throughout the body. Within the cardiovascular system, two types of Ca2+ channels have been identified: the L-type channel and the T-type channel. These two types of Ca2+ channels have distinct electrophysiologic identities, and although the roles of the T-type Ca2+ channels have not been firmly established, there are many reasons for believing that the roles of the T-type and L-type Ca2+ channels are distinct. T-type Ca2+ channels have the appropriate characteristics to generate pacemaker activity in the sinoatrial node. In vascular smooth muscle, they appear to be involved in maintenance of coronary and peripheral vasomotor tone and control of vascular growth and remodeling. Characterization of the T-type Ca2+ channels will be facilitated by the availability of mibefradil, a novel calcium antagonist that selectively blocks T-type Ca2+ channels. Mibefradil is associated with a reduction in heart rate but not with negative inotropic effects or neurohormonal stimulation. It is thought that the unique pharmacologic effects of mibefradil are related to blockade of T-type Ca2+ channels, and it is hypothesized that this action will have a positive impact on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality via cardioprotective and renoprotective effects. However, much work needs to be done to fully test this hypothesis.
Behavioral performance in the validation of an assertiveness scale

The study was concerned with validation of a self-report measure of assertiveness against behavioral performance criteria. Low, moderate, and high scorers on the College Self Expression Scale role played five short situations which required assertive behaviors. Planned nonorthogonal multivariate comparisons revealed significant differences between the low group and the combined moderate and high group and the low and high groups, respectively, on a linear combination of four dependent variables—assertive content, eye contact, subjective anxiety, and response latency. Univariate comparisons indicated significant differences between the low and high groups on assertive content and eye contact and between the low group and the combined moderate and high group on eye contact. Differences on the anxiety measure approached significance.