cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Urinary lead concentration and composition of the adult gut microbiota in a cross-sectional population-based sample

Abstract Background Lead (Pb) is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant with an array of detrimental health effects in children and adults, including neurological and immune dysfunction. Emerging evidence suggests that Pb exposure may alter the composition of the gut microbiota, however few studies have examined this association in human populations. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between urinary Pb concentration and the composition of the adult gut microbiota in a population-based sample of adults. Methods Data used in this study were collected as part of the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) and its ancillary microbiome study. The SHOW is a household-based health examination survey of Wisconsin residents, collecting a variety of survey data on health determinants and outcomes, as well as objective measurements of body habitus, and biological specimens including urine. The ancillary microbiome study added additional questions and biological specimen collection, including stool, from participants age 18+. Pb concentration was analyzed in urine samples, and gut microbiota composition was assessed using DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4 region, extracted from stool samples. Data processing and statistical analyses were performed in mothur, Python, R, and SAS. Results Of 696 participants, urinary Pb concentration was highest in those age 70+, females, those with a high school diploma or lower, current and former smokers, and those without indoor pets. In adjusted models, increasing urinary Pb levels were associated with increases in microbial α-diversity (p = 0.071) and richness (p = 0.005). Differences in microbial β-diversity were significantly associated (p = 0.003) with differences in urinary Pb level. Presence of Proteobacteria, including members of the Burkholderiales, was significantly associated with increased urinary Pb. Conclusion These results suggest that Pb exposure is associated with differences in the composition of the adult gut microbiota in a population-based human sample. Further investigation of this association is warranted.
Heavy‐Atom Tunneling in Organic Reactions

In the past few years, numerous investigations have been reported on the role of heavy-atom tunneling in the area of pericyclic reactions, π-bond-shifting, and other processes. These studies illustrate unique strategies for the experimental detection of heavy-atom tunneling and the increased use of calculations to predict it. This Minireview focuses primarily on carbon tunneling in ground-state processes but also highlights nitrogen tunneling and the first example of excited-state heavy-atom tunneling. Salient features of these reactions along with potential limitations are discussed, as well as challenges and directions for future investigation.
CHAPTER 2 – TRANSDUCERS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the physical system that converts signals from one physical form to another. This usually means converting physical variables of interest into electrical or sometimes pneumatic signals for observing output data, or from electrical to some form of mechanical, thermal, or pneumatic signal with which to excite the system. The devices employed in such a manner are called transducers and represent a very highly developed branch of control-system engineering. In principle, passive transducers simply relay the signal without requiring any external power, other than that inherently present in the signal, while active transducers make use of an external power source in the conversion operation. The transducer is inevitably a series element in a measuring process, so that the primary requirement of a transducer is accuracy. This usually implies linearity and consistency of static calibration. Each transducer application must be considered on its merits, and considerable care is needed in the selection of a suitable transducer for a given task.
Towards Fair Truth Discovery from Biased Crowdsourced Answers

Crowdsourcing systems have gained considerable interest and adoption in recent years. One important research problem for crowdsourcing systems is truth discovery, which aims to aggregate noisy answers contributed by the workers to obtain the correct answer (truth) of each task. However, since the collected answers are highly prone to the workers' biases, aggregating these biased answers without proper treatment will unavoidably lead to discriminatory truth discovery results for particular race, gender and political groups. To address this challenge, in this paper, first, we define a new fairness notion named θ-disparity for truth discovery. Intuitively, θ-disparity bounds the difference in the probabilities that the truth of both protected and unprotected groups being predicted to be positive. Second, we design three fairness enhancing methods, namely Pre-TD, FairTD, and Post-TD, for truth discovery. Pre-TD is a pre-processing method that removes the bias in workers' answers before truth discovery. FairTD is an in-processing method that incorporates fairness into the truth discovery process. And Post-TD is a post-processing method that applies additional treatment on the discovered truth to make it satisfy θ-disparity. We perform an extensive set of experiments on both synthetic and real-world crowdsourcing datasets. Our results demonstrate that among the three fairness enhancing methods, FairTD produces the best accuracy with θ-disparity. In some settings, the accuracy of FairTD is even better than truth discovery without fairness, as it removes some low-quality answers as side effects.
Digitalization and the Modern Economy in the COVID-19 Age: Speed or Timing, Which is More Important? (Presentation Slides)

The Modern Economy and more precisely, the Digital Economy, has profoundly shaped the financial landscape in recent years. With the rapid expansion and success of E Commerce, as characterized by Amazon, whose founder recently became the first global trillionaire, as well as overtaking Microsoft, according to reports on assets and revenue, it also appears that recent developments, namely the COVID-19 outbreak, are about to impact and define the influence of digital products and e commerce in the Modern Economy. This presentation aims to highlight why, in the light of above mentioned events, objectives and goals in the efforts to successfully contain the recent outbreak , as well as learning to live with it, will necessitate timely incorporation and implementation of digital techniques and procedures. More importantly, the paper illustrates the relevance of timing and speed at different cycles of the outbreak.
Pilot Study of Compassion Meditation Training to Improve Well-being Among Older Adults

Compassion meditation (CM) training has demonstrated potential in improving well-being and psychosocial functioning. However, most prior studies of CM training have focused on younger adults. The g...
Reframing School Culture through Project-Based Assessment Tasks: Cultivating Transformative Agency and Humanizing Practices in NYC Public Schools:

Background/ContextIn the last two decades, high-stakes testing policies have proliferated exponentially, radically altering the broader educational landscape in the United States. Although these po...
Jade Mountains and Cinnabar Pools: The History of Travel Literature in Imperial China: James M. Hargett, Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2018. 280 pp. US$30.00 (PB). ISBN 9780295744476

Dr. Hargett's new book, Jade Mountains and Cinnabar Pools, is a welcome, refreshing contribution to East Asian literary history. The genre it treats, travel literature, youji 遊記, is as varied as it...
Integrating urban traffic models with coastal flood maps to quantify the resilience of traffic systems to episodic coastal flooding.

Abstract Sea level rise and coastal floods are disrupting coastal communities across the world. The impacts of coastal floods are magnified by the disruption of critical urban systems such as transportation. The flood-related closure of low-lying coastal roads and highways can increase travel time delays and accident risk. However, quantifying the flood-related disruption of the urban traffic system presents challenges. Traffic systems are complex and highly dynamic, where congestion resulting from road closures may propagate rapidly from one area to another. Prior studies identify flood-related road closures by spatially overlaying coastal flood maps onto road network models, but simplifications within the representation of the road network with respect to the coastline or creeks may lead to an incorrect identification of flooded roads. We identify three corrections to reduce potential biases in the identification of flooded roads: 1. We correct for the geometry of highways; 2. We correct for the elevation of bridges and highway overpasses; and 3. We identify and account for road-creek crossings. Accounting for these three corrections, we develop a methodology for accurately identifying flooded roads, improving our ability to quantify flood impacts on urban traffic systems and accident rates.
Correction to: Boundary Integral Formula for Harmonic Functions on Riemann Surfaces

We present a corrected proof of Proposition 2.3 in the article “Boundary integral formula for harmonic functions on Riemann surfaces” [2].
Hegel as Historian of Philosophy

Although Hegel’s Lectures on the History of Philosophy have long provided a source of trenchant quotations illustrating Hegel’s philosophical views, and despite the fact that more than one author has pointed out that the best way to begin studying Hegel is with these Lectures, rarely do we find any study of just what he is trying to do in treating the history of philosophy and how he goes about doing it. That Hegel himself attached great importance to the history of philosophy is attested to by the fact that he repeated the course so often, revising the course, particularly the introductory lectures, over and over again.1 Nevertheless, we should look in vain were we to seek in the three posthumously published volumes of these Lectures a scholarly presentation or interpretation of past philosophical positions. Hegel was not the sort of historian who gives a disinterested account of exactly what each philosopher said.2 His task, as he conceived it, was rather to show that the development of pure thought so elaborately worked out in his Science of Logic has its exact counterpart in the empirically verifiable development of philosophy from the first faltering steps of Thales to the elaboration of Hegel’s own system. If the Phenomenology of Spirit, a “historical” account of the development of consciousness — not of philosophy — can be looked on as Hegel’s introduction to his Logic, so too can the History of philosophy be considered a different sort of introduction to the same Logic — not exhibiting the development of consciousness to the point where pure speculative thinking can begin but presenting an historical account of the development of speculative thinking itself.3
Teaching motivational interviewing to nurse practitioner students: A pilot study

AbstractPurpose:This quasi-experimental study examined the outcomes of a brief educational module for graduate nursing students as to using motivational interviewing (MI)-consistent counseling skills.Data sources:Pre- and posttest narrative and video-taped data, surveys, and self-report.Conclusions:
Behavioral Sciences and Computing

This article presents an overview of behavioral science research on human–computer interactions. The research is peresented according to the following three categories: (1) antecedent-consequence effects, (2) model building, and (3) individual-social perspectives. The first category, antecedent-consequent effects, asks questions such as follows: How does variability in human abilities, traits, and prior performance affect computer use? How does use of computers affect variability in human abilities, traits, and subsequent performance? The second category, model building, consists of research on the nature of human abilities and performance using metaphors form computer science and related fields. Here, the behavioral scientist is primarily interested in understanding the nature of human beings but uses computer metaphors as a basis for describing and explaining human behavior. Model building can also start with assumptions about the nature of human beings, for example, limitations of human attention or types of motivation that serve as the basis for the development of new products and applications for human use. The third category, individual-social perspective, investigates the effects of increased access to and acceptance of computers in everyday life on human social relations. Questions addressed here are those such as follows: Do computers serve to isolate or connect persons to one another? What are the implications of lack of either access or acceptance of computers in modern cultures? Given the sheer quantity of empirical invesigations in behavioral sciences computing research, the reader should appreciate the highly selective nature of this article. Keywords: personality factors; gender and computer use; attitudes and computers use; models of cognition; human–computer interaction
Nonlinear acceleration sensitivity of quartz resonators

The nonlinear effects of initial stress/strain of the quartz plate resonator on its acceleration sensitivity was studied. Finite element models were developed using a theory of small deformations superposed on finite initial deformations in a Lagrangian formulation. AT- and SC-cut quartz circular plate resonators were studied. The plates were respectively subjected to diametrical compression force and bending force. The initial strains due to the application of diametrical force represented initial strains due to in-plane acceleration, while the initial strains due to bending force represented initial strains due to out-of-plane acceleration. Our model results using nonlinear initial strains showed good agreement with measured data by Ballato, Mingins, and Fletcher and Douglas. The model results using linear initial strains compared well only with the measured data for plates subjected to diametrical force but not for plates subjected to bending forces. Hence our model results showed that for accurate prediction of out-of-plane acceleration sensitivity the nonlinear initial strains must be used. The linear initial stress/strain cannot fully capture rotation and bending effects. The acceleration sensitivity model using linear initial strains could only be employed for in-plane acceleration, or for very low g out-of-plane acceleration. The SC-cut crystals showed better linearity of frequency change with respect to applied bending forces than the AT-cut crystals. The principle of superposition for out-of-plane acceleration sensitivity in AT-cut crystals is in general not valid, especially in cases of high g accelerations.
Sustained virologic response to standard interferon or pegylated interferon and ribavirin in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 5: systematic review and meta-analysis of ten studies and 423 patients

Interferon (IFN)-free therapy has vastly improved therapeutic options for those with hepatitis C virus infection (HCV). However, the lack of data and the expense limit its use for lesser known genotypes such as HCV-5, especially in countries with financial limitations. Previous reports estimate sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in HCV-5 to be ~40–70 %. Our goal was to estimate pooled SVR rates for HCV-5 treatment-naive patients treated with IFN or peginterferon (PEG IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy for 48 weeks. We conducted a literature search to identify articles with HCV-5 patients treated with IFN/PEG IFN + RBV. Pooled SVR rates were reported by random effects modeling with 95 % confidence intervals. Heterogeneity was defined by the Cochrane Q-statistic p ≤ 0.05 and I 2 statistic ≥50 %. A total of 423 patients from ten studies were included in the analysis. The pooled SVR rate for HCV-5 patients treated with IFN/PEG IFN + RBV for 48 weeks was 58.0 % (CI 53.1 %–62.7 %). There was no evidence of heterogeneity (I 2 = 0, p = 0.61) or publication bias (Egger’s test = 0.26). Pooled analysis of HCV-5 patients treated with PEG IFN + RBV was 55.0 % (CI 49.4–61.5 %). There was no evidence of heterogeneity (I 2 = 0.00, p = 0.75) or publication bias (Egger’s test = 0.71). Combination therapy with IFN/PEG IFN + RBV had a pooled EVR of 90.2 % (CI 76.8–96.2 %). SVR for HCV-5 treated with combination therapy (IFN/PEG-IFN + RBV for 48 weeks) was approximately 60 %. Current data are insufficient to evaluate variable duration of treatment (24 vs. 48 weeks), presence or absence of cirrhosis, effects of high versus low viral loads, or degree of fibrosis. The optimal treatment duration for HCV-5 patients with IFN-based combination remains to be established. Data and drug access are needed for treatment for HCV-5 in more resource-limited areas.
Adolescent attitudes toward psychiatric medication: the utility of the Drug Attitude Inventory

Background: Despite the effectiveness of psychotropic treatment for alleviating symptoms of psychiatric disorders, youth adherence to psychotropic medication regimens is low. Adolescent adherence rates range from 10–80% (Swanson, 2003; Cromer & Tarnowski, 1989; Lloyd et al., 1998; Brown, Borden, and Clingerman, 1985; Sleator, 1985) depending on the population and medication studied. Youth with serious mental illness face increased potential for substance abuse, legal problems, suicide attempts, and completed suicide (Birmaher & Axelson, 2006). Nonadherence may increase the potential for negative outcomes. The Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI) was created to measure attitudes toward neuroleptics and to predict adherence in adults (Hogan, Awad, & Eastwood, 1983). No studies have been identified that have used this instrument in adolescent psychiatric populations. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the utility of the DAI for measuring medication attitudes and predicting adherence in adolescents diagnosed with mental health disorders. Method: Structural equation modeling was used to compare the factor structure of the DAI in adults with its factor structure in adolescents. The relationship between adolescent DAI scores and adherence was examined also. Results: The adult factor structure demonstrated only “fair” fit to the adolescent data (RMSEA = .061). Results indicated a low, but significant positive correlation (r = .205, p < .05) between DAI scores and adherence. Conclusions: Lack of optimal model fit suggests that DAI items may require alteration to reflect adolescent experiences with psychiatric medication more accurately. Differences between adolescents and adults in developmental stage, symptom chronicity, diagnosis, and medication class may explain why the adult model demonstrated only “fair fit” to the adolescent data and why the correlation between DAI scores and adherence was low. The DAI may be improved for use with adolescents by creating items reflecting autonomy concerns, diagnostic characteristics, treatment length, and side effect profiles relevant to adolescent experiences.
Challenges in Implementing Genomic Medicine: The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine

The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine (CIM) is designed to discover and integrate the latest in genomic, molecular, and clinical science into personalized care for patients across a multiple-site academic medical center. Despite a highly integrated structure, fully electronic medical record, and strong administrative support, achievement of this goal has had challenges. This article will describe the activities of the CIM, with emphasis on the strategy being used to clinically implement genomics.
Shock and Law

What if a fire erupted in a large retail store and no attempt was made by the employees to quench the still small fire because fire extinguisher use was restricted to trained firefighters only? Or, some state laws protected only fire department–trained responders from potential liability? Or, owning a fire extinguisher brought with it a concomitant requirement for fire department supervision? And what if every state had a different law? Although these scenarios seem preposterous, they do accurately reflect the current environment in the United States for automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Despite the intuitive design of modern AEDs, and the clear relationship between sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survival and time to defibrillation, AEDs are not extensively disseminated in public places. In this report, we describe how disparate state laws impede AED adoption, and we present a blueprint for a national legislative initiative to facilitate widely accessible public access defibrillation. Despite the manifold advances in cardiovascular medicine over the past 2 decades, survival from out-of-hospital SCA remains unlikely; it varies regionally in the United States from 3.0% to 16.3%.1 In 1991, in an effort to improve SCA outcomes, the American Heart Association introduced the “chain of survival” concept stressing 4 “links”: early activation of emergency medical services (EMS), early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), early defibrillation, and early advanced cardiovascular care.2 The most crucial of these links appears to be prompt defibrillation, because, in the early minutes following SCA, the culprit arrhythmia most often is ventricular fibrillation. In a series of 157 patients who experienced SCA while wearing an ambulatory ECG monitor, 84% of patients were found to have a ventricular arrhythmia, usually ventricular fibrillation.3 The survival rate for ventricular fibrillation–related SCA is time-dependent. Every minute in delay to defibrillation results in a 7% to 10% decline in survival.4 …
On the selection of aquaculture species: A case study of marine molluscs

Abstract An overview of marine mollusc culture in the Pacific Ocean reveals a rich variety of species in culture, physical environments where culture is effected, and technological, social, and economic backgrounds of the participating individuals. Despite this variety a few basic criteria have, until recently, dictated which molluscan species are prime candidates for aquaculture. It is the purpose of this article to illustrate how innovative thinking has influenced the historical development of mollusc culture and how advancing culture technology has influenced, and potentially will influence, the future choice of prime aquaculture species. The criteria for selection of aquaculture species, first documented by Fan Lee nearly 2500 years ago in a treatise devoted to pond culture of freshwater fishes, stated that high priority should be given to species that grow rapidly, are tasty, not cannibalistic, hardy, and inexpensive to culture. It was not until the twentieth century that more intensive or extensive culture efforts made apparent the need to append this list to include adequate availability of seed from natural sources and good market value of final product. Two somewhat unrelated efforts were, however, to provide additional options for present and future efforts in molluscan culture. Both efforts gained momentum during the early decades of this century. The first effort was the establishment of a reproducing population of Crassostrea gigas on the northwest coast of the North American continent through active introduction of breeding stock. The second effort was the development of controlled or manipulated environment hatcheries for seed production, mostly of oysters and mostly on the U.S. east coast. In combination these resulted in the aquaculturist being able to choose a candidate species from a global rather than local endemic pool and to uncouple the problem of seed or juvenile stock availability from natural biological fluctuations and seasonality. We are now able to raise and maintain, through one or more generations, species that have only a marginal rating by Lee's original criteria, but that command high market prices from natural fisheries. A dichotomy in future development is evident. Where the primary stimulus is large volume production for consumption purposes, through a combination of intensive juvenile production and extensive grow-out methods, an appended listing of Lee's criteria is applicable irrespective of the economic and social background of the group being served. In contrast, where the primary stimlus is economic, and focuses on the culture of one of the aforementioned marginally appropriate but highly priced species, then equal or greater consideration must be given to the biological, engineering, and financial limitations of culturing large numbers of seed to adult size in a controlled environment.
The relation between the geminal method and the multi-configuration SCF approach

Abstract The relationship between the MC SCF method and the Geminal method are discussed in this paper. Both methods surpass the Hartree-Fock limit by taking into account the intrapair correlation. A geminal wavefunction can be identified as the MC SCF wavefunction plus higher order terms. Strong orthogonality of the geminal model is justified in terms of the MC SCF formalism. The localized orbitals that are the characteristic of the geminal model also appear in the MC SCF wavefunction.
Influence on LSI package wireability of via availability and wiring track accessibility

In this paper, experiments are reported which use automatic global and line-packing wiring routines, supplemented by a restricted maze runner, to evaluate the overall influences of several important physical variables upon the wireability of several logic-circuit package types. The logic circuits are contained in subpackages (e.g., modules carrying chips), which are inserted, using pins, into the carrier package in a regular array of holes otherwise available as vias interconnecting the wiring planes. Over a range of connection counts from several hundred to several thousand, it is found that “overflows” (connections not wired by the program) amounting to as much as 10 or 15% of the wires can be substantially reduced in number by careful design. This can be done by using a sufficient number of programmable vias (greater than one per used pin) and by using a track grid ensuring maximum global track accessibility to all pins, or by a combination of both of these tactics in conjunction with suitable wiring algorithms. Some simple theoretical arguments are given which characterize the design problem in the light of the results.
Past inflation variability and the stability of the demand-for-money function in Nigeria

The view that the demand-for-money function is characterized by a stable relationship is subjected to four objective statistical tests. The results suggest that for the period 1961–62 through 1981–82, the demand-for-money function became unstable around 1970–71. The past variability of the rate of inflation was found to be an important variable in the money-demand function of Nigeria.
Nitrous oxide in the oxygen minimum of the eastern tropical North Pacific: evidence for its consumption during denitrification and possible mechanisms for its production

Investigation of the nitrous oxide (N2O), oxygen, and nutrient distributions in the eastern tropical North Pacific Ocean (ETNP) indicated biochemical N2O consumption around the core of the oxygen minimum where denitrification takes place. Subsurface N2O minima were found at stations where intermediate waters contained near-zero oxygen concentrations and well-developed secondary nitrite maxima, characteristic of denitrification. The N2O minima were absent at stations where there was little or no evidence for denitrification. Surface waters of the ETNP were on the average 110% saturated with N2O relative to a marine air content of 287 ppbv N2O. The area appears to be a source for atmospheric N2O with an average magnitude of 0.14 pg N2O cm−2s−1. Except for the oxygen-deficient layer where the N2O minima were found, N2O is highly supersaturated at all stations from just below the mixed layer to about 1000 m. Supersaturations varied from 224 to 600% in shallow waters above the base of the pycnocline and from 120 to 250% in deep waters below 1000 m. Possible mechanisms for biochemical N2O production in the ocean were examined and it is concluded that in the ETNP, nitrification is the most important.
Latency and activation in the control of TGF-beta.

The biological activity of the transforming growth factor-β's (TGF-β)3 is tightly controlled by their persistance in the extracellular compartment as latent complexes. Each of the three mammalian isoform genes encodes a product that is cleaved intracellularly to form two polypeptides, each of which dimerizes. Mature TGF-β, a 24 kD homodimer, is noncovalently associated with the 80 kD latency-associated peptide (LAP). LAP is a fundamental component of TGF-β that is required for its efficient secretion, prevents it from binding to ubiquitous cell surface receptors, and maintains its availability in a large extracellular reservoir that is readily accessed by activation. This latent TGF-β complex (LTGF-β) is secreted by all cells and is abundant both in circulating forms and bound to the extracellular matrix. Activation describes the collective events leading to the release of TGF-β. Despite the importance of TGF-β regulation of growth and differentiation in physiological and malignant tissue processes, remarkably little is known about the mechanisms of activationin situ. Recent studies of irradiated mammary gland reveal certain features of TGF-β1 activation that may shed light on its regulation and potential roles in the normal and neoplastic mammary gland.
Evaluation of Line and Continuum Sources for Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry Using a Low-Powered Argon Microwave-Induced Plasma

An atomic fluorescence spectrometry system employing a low-powered, highly efficient MIP as the atom cell (MIP-AFS) has been developed and is evaluated with the use of direct aqueous nebulization. The MIP-AFS system employs hollow cathode lamp and Xe-arc lamp excitation sources. Detection limits of 14 elements were studied and compared to results for ICP-AFS. Linear working ranges of at least 5 orders of concentration magnitude were found. Interelement effects (i.e., vaporization, ionization, and scatter interferences) were also investigated.
Equivalence of oligomycin and 2-chloro-4′,4″-di (2-imidazolin-2-yl)terephthalanilide in their effects on mitochondrial swelling

Abstract 2-Chloro-4′,4″-di(2-imidazolin-2-yl)terephthalanilide (NSC 60339) has been compared with oligomycin and 2,4-dinitrophenol in its effects on a rat liver mitochondrial swelling system. The substituted phthalanilide and oligomycin are equivalent in their effects in the following swelling experiments. Neither alters spontaneous or calcium- or phosphate-induced swelling; both inhibit succinate-induced swelling; both prevent ATP inhibition of calcium- and phosphate-induced swelling; and both inhibit ATP reversal of calcium-induced swelling in fresh or aged mitochondria. The known binding ofphthalanilides to specific phospholipids and the inhibitory effects described suggest that NSC 60339 may be useful in studies on the nature and role oflipids in mitochondrial swelling and oxidative phosphorylation.
Mechanisms for arrhythmias.

Abstract Two broad descriptors have been applied to the genesis of cardiac arrhythmias: abnormalities of impulse initiation and abnormalities of propagation. The first category includes arrhythmias that are automatic, arising over a wide range of membrane potentials, and those that are triggered by early or delayed afterdepolarizations. Among conduction abnormalities, the mechanisms most widely referred to are reentry and reflection. Although it is relatively easy to distinguish among mechanisms at the cellular electrophysiologic level, distinction is far more difficult in the intact heart and in the clinic. The patterns of response to electrical stimulation of the heart are reviewed to demonstrate the confusion that can occur when one attempts to distinguish mechanisms. In addition, means to aid in the process of distinction are suggested.
Hydrophobic Side Chain Requirements for Lauric Acid and Progesterone Hydroxylation at Amino Acid 113 in Cytochrome P450 2C2, a Potential Determinant of Substrate Specificity

To determine the requirements for hydrophobic amino acids at position 113 in cytochrome P450 2C2, a series of hydrophobic and uncharged polar amino acids was substituted for isoleucine in P450 2C2 and in C2MstC1, a chimera of P450 2C2 and P450 2C1. Lauric acid hydroxylase activity was determined in COS1 cells transfected with P450 2C2 mutants and both lauric acid and progesterone hydroxylase activities were determined for C2MstC1 variants. In P450 2C2, 40 to 120% of the wild type (omega-1) lauric acid hydroxylase activity was retained in all hydrophobic mutants, but activity was reduced to near background by substitutions of the polar amino acids, tyrosine and cysteine. Likewise, in C2MstC1 mutants, hydrophobic substitutions were 20 to 50% as active as wild type for lauric acid hydroxylation, and polar amino acids again resulted in strong reductions of activity. In contrast, a different pattern of activity for progesterone C21-hydroxylase was observed for C2MstC1 mutants. A valine substitution had a modest effect on activity but substitutions of leucine and alanine reduced progesterone C21-hydroxylase activity 5- to 7-fold, respectively, and the large hydrophobic amino acid, phenylalanine, reduced activity about 30-fold. No changes in the regiospecificity of progesterone hydroxylation were observed for any of the mutants. Similar steady-state levels of immunoprecipitated, radiolabeled protein were observed for each mutant except for the glycine substitution which resulted in degradation of the protein. The different patterns of the effects of the mutations on progesterone and lauric acid hydroxylase activity provide additional support for the critical role of residue 113 in substrate recognition. The low activities in mutant proteins with hydrophilic amino acid substitutions indicate that the hydrophobic nature of this residue is important. The hydrophobic requirements are more stringent for a larger, more rigid steroid substrate than for a saturated fatty acid with a flexible hydrocarbon tail.
The inverse problem for convex bodies.

Abstract A completely rigorous study of the high frequency asymptotics for the scattering matrix in the exterior of convex bodies is developed. These results are then applied to a variety of inverse problems for convex bodies.
Characterization of recombinant heparin cofactor II expressed in insect cells.

Abstract Recombinant human heparin cofactor II (rHCII) was expressed as a fully active protein in the High-Five insect cell line. A maximal protein concentration of 6 μg/10 6 cells was achieved 2 days postinfection. Approximately 40 μg of partially purified rHCII was routinely recovered from 50 ml of media after sequential heparin- and Q-Sepharose affinity adsorption. rHCII had a slightly lower apparent molecular weight than blood plasma HCII (pHCII) due to differences in N-glycosylation. Like pHCII, rHCII formed a stable bimolecular complex with thrombin when assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The thrombin and chymotrypsin inhibitory properties of rHCII and pHCII were quite similar. In the absence of glycosaminoglycan, the thrombin inhibition rate ( k 2 × 10 −4 M −1 min −1 ) was 2.29 ± 0.36 for rHCII and 3.38 ± 0.34 for pHCII. Chymotrypsin inhibition rates ( k 2 × 10 −5 M −1 min −1 ) were 6.2 ± 2.0 for rHCII and 8.0 ± 2.6 for pHCII. In the presence of glycosaminoglycans, the maximal thrombin inhibition rate ( k 2 × 10 −8 M −1 min −1 ) for rHCII was 10.4 ± 2.5 at 100 μg/ml heparin and 16.0 ± 4.3 at 1000 μg/ml dermatan sulfate compared to 9.0 ± 0.7 at 200 μg/ml heparin and 18.5 ± 5.3 at 1000 μg/ml dermatan sulfate for pHCII. HCII inhibition of thrombin was blocked by a synthetic sulfated hirudin peptide in both the presence and the absence of glycosaminoglycan. The present report describes for the first time the expression and characterization of HCII in a baculovirus system and demonstrates the feasibility of using this system to obtain adequate amounts of biologically active rHCII for future structure–function studies.
The Trinity Plan for Language Teaching

IN order that the reader may have an understanding of the Trinity plans for the teaching of languages and literatures, he must first know something of the general role of languages in our university and something of our philosophy of languages. A brief introductory background is, therefore, in order. Since space is necessarily limited, I shall not yield to the temptation to discuss many intriguing side issues, attendant problems, and the pros and cons of the subject, which are well known to the profession. Indeed, for the reader to have a complete understanding of our plans, it would be necessary to give a demonstration of how they work and how we teach. We realize full well that every plan has its merits and demerits, but we believe that the virtues of our plan outweigh its defects. Trinity University has a student body of approximately 1200. The department of foreign languages has a staff of eight regular members and an enrollment of between five hundred and six hundred students, or about fifty per cent of the student body. This is a relatively high percentage when compared with that of many other institutions. We offer courses in Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Latin and Greek, giving majors only in Spanish and French and minors in all but Portuguese. Trinity requires eighteen semester hours of one language for graduation with the B. A. degree, twelve hours for the B. S. degree. A major consists of thirty semester hours, and students taking a minor in a language have a choice between a long-minor of twenty-four semester hours or two shortminors of eighteen semester hours each. In addition to the required thirty hours, language majors must complete six hours in a history course dealing with the country whose language they are studying. Our department also cooperates with the history department in offering a major in inter-American studies.
Logout and Login

After seven years and 32 columns, the Electronic Seismologist (ES) may have blown a fuse, short-circuited, or just powered down. There ain't no more juice in the circuits. The bit bucket is empty. The do-loop is done. Syntax error and the core-dump file is zero-length. It's time to pass the keyboard to someone with an object-oriented approach; with massive pushdown stacks, megabytes of memory, and an eight-pipe, parallel processor. Now in shutdown mode, the ES produces his last column. However, before your eyes glaze over and you go back to doing something useful, check out the report by the new ES that follows my ramblings. This time you get two ES's for the price of one. Such a deal! As I retire from the publish-or-get-nagged business of providing columns for SRL every other month or so, I feel the need to look back to see how it all started. Don't worry, I won't get maudlin. A quick glance through some of my early columns reveals just how transitory much of this geeky computer stuff really is. My first column in early 1995 was published in the early days of the “World Wide Web” and …
Constitutive modeling of the nonlinearly viscoelastic response of asphalt binders; incorporating three-dimensional effects

A dynamic shear rheometer is again used to characterize the nonlinearly viscoelastic properties of asphalt binders at intermediate or high temperatures. In our previous work, the dynamic shear rheometer test results showed that, under certain conditions, a compressive normal force was generated in an axially constrained specimen subjected to cyclic torque histories. This normal force could not be solely attributed to the Poynting effect and was also related to the tendency of the asphalt binder to dilate when subjected to shear loads. The generated normal force changed the state of stress and interacted with the shear behavior of asphalt binder. This effect was considered to be an “interaction nonlinearity” or “three-dimensional effect.” The concept is explored further in this paper by developing a fundamental approach to modeling the observed behavior. In this approach, the octahedral shear stress is used to represent the three-dimensional stress state in Schapery’s model of nonlinearly viscoelastic behavior. The model was successfully validated for several different loading histories. These results highlight the importance of modeling the mechanical behavior of asphalt binders based on the three-dimensional stress state of the material.
Identification of Aging Effects on the Control of Upright Stance Using a Local Maximum Wavelet Transform Method

The purpose of this study was to investigate aging effects on the mechanisms of postural control during upright stance, and specifically the use of proprioceptive feedback on this control. Thirty-two healthy individuals participated, equally divided among younger (19–22 years) and older groups (54–68 years) and genders. Experimental trials involved several sessions of quiet stance on a firm surface with eyes closed. Center of pressure (COP) data were obtained from a force platform and processed using a new local maximum wavelet transform method. The critical time interval (CTI) derived from this method was proposed to describe the activation period of proprioceptive function, which is mainly influenced by the proprioceptive feedback loop. A reduced CTI was assumed to indicate poorer control based on proprioceptive input. Results showed that younger participants' CTI significantly increased from the first experimental session to consecutive experimental sessions in both the mediolateral (ML) and anteropost...
Effect of temperature on viscosity of amylose

Viscosity parameters were obtained for maize maylose (molecular weight of 107,000) in 1N KOH at 25, 30, 35, and 40°C. Intrinsic viscosity continuously decreased and Huggins' constant k' continuously increased with increasing temperature. The temperature dependence of intrinsic viscosity, d[η]/dT, was −2.12 × 10−2/°C.
Referrals to a hospital-based child abuse committee: a comparison of the 1960s and 1990s.

Abstract Objective: Although reports of child maltreatment have increased yearly since national data were first collected in 1976, little information is available about changes in the characteristics of children reported. Therefore, to examine changes over time in recognition and reporting in a medical setting, we compared referrals to a hospital-based child abuse committee in the late 1960s and early 1990s. Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional review of medical records and logs of the hospital’s child abuse committee. Settings: Ambulatory, emergency, and inpatient services at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Patients: Medical records were reviewed for 101 of the 165 children referred to the child abuse committee in 1968–1969 (early group) and 107 of the 843 children referred in 1990–1991 (late group). Cases of sexual abuse were excluded. Results: Referrals for nonsexual abuse cases increased from 80 children per year in the early group to 181.5 per year in the late group; the late group was characterized by a larger number of newborn referrals (1% vs. 52%, p Conclusions: A substantial change has occurred in referrals to the hospital’s child abuse committee for abuse or neglect. Most referrals have become socially high-risk newborns and children or children with minimal injuries. This shift is likely due to broader definitions of maltreatment and earlier recognition of troubled families.
STRUCTURAL BASIS FOR BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE

Abstract : In summary, the role of DMSO in reacting with free radicals has been repeatedly emphasized in numerous publications dealing with tumor-inhibition as well as protection against radiation damage to cellular materials. Its ability to react with hydroxyl radicals has also been demonstrated adequately. However, what has not been demonstrated is whether all of such reactions lead to the formation of methane or formaldehyde or methyl radicals or peroxymethyl radicals under all circumstances. It is also not quite clear whether DMSO annihilates hydroxyl radicals by a radical-quenching pathway, or by its reaction with hydroxyl radicals, it produces other free radicals which can multiply the number of ways the original free radical species can interact with cellular components. There appears to be a clear and immediate need for characterizing the products of the reaction of DMSO with hydroxyl radicals.
Institutional Failure, Monetary Scarcity, and the Depreciation of the Continental

The efforts of some American colonials, who complained of monetary scarcity and advocated increased government involvement in supplying paper money, were valid attempts to improve economic welfare and facilitate transactions. The potential for improvement depended crucially on the fiscal and monetary policies of colonial governments. This approach to monetary scarcity is useful for explaining variation in the real supply of money across colonies and over time. The role of fiscal and monetary policies in determining the changing value of the continental, and the consequences for real currency supply during and after the Revolution, are examined in detail.
Ultrastructure of the attachment of Pyrsonympha to the hind-gut wall of Reticulitermes tibialis

Abstract Protozoa of the genus Pyrsonympha are found attached to the cuticular lining of the hind-gut wall of the termite Reticulitermes tibialis by a specialized anterior structure referred to here as the ‘attachment organelle’. The structure of the hind-gut, the attachment organelle, and the nature of the attachment are described using light and electron microscopy. The attachment organelle is a highly folded membranous structure containing large 20 to 26 nm filaments. Although no unambiguous functional significance can presently be assigned to this attachment, it may serve to prevent loss of the protozoa from the intestinal tract or it may be involved in the nutritional symbiosis between termite and protozoa.
Corporate policy and the ethics of competitor intelligence gathering

Competitor intelligence, information that helps managers understand their competitors, is highly valued in today's marketplace. Firms, large and small, are taking a more systematic approach to competitor intelligence collection. At the same time, information crimes and litigation over information disputes appear to be on the rise, and survey data show widespread approval of unethical and questionable intelligence-gathering methods. Despite these developments, few corporations address the ethics of intelligence gathering in their corporate codes of conduct. Neither managers nor management educators have paid sufficient attention to this topic. From a review of questionable intelligence-gathering practices reported in various literatures, the author identifies some important ethical principles to help managers draw the line between legitimate and illegitimate methods of information acquisition. The paper also discusses the costs of failure to heed these principles and suggests steps managers can take to provide ethical leadership in this area.