cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of differential display polymerase chain reaction to the study of neoplasms of feral marine bivalves

Pathological conditions, especially neoplasms, in feral animals have been shown to be indicators of environmental degradation by pollutants. A gonadal neoplasm in soft shell clam (Mya arenaria) has been identified among certain populations of clams in Maine, but the etiology of these neoplasms is unknown. We have undertaken a study of these neoplasms to determine whether they may be a result of exposure to contaminants. One approach we have taken is to identify genes that are differentially expressed by neoplastic cells. Such genes may be part of the molecular pathway that is responsible for the neoplastic phenotype, and their identification could shed light on the etiology of the neoplasm. By using differential display polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR), we found at least four genes that are involved in biosynthetic activities related to cell growth and proliferation. These findings demonstrate that ddPCR can be a useful tool to study neoplasms in feral animals, especially for species that have not been genetically well characterized.
Schrödinger Theory from the Perspective of ‘Classical’ Fields Derived from Quantal Sources

In order to understand quantal density functional theory (Q-DFT), it is necessary to first understand Schrodinger theory [1] from the perspective of ‘classical’ fields and their quantal sources [2]. The terminology ‘classical’ is employed in the original sense of fields as pervading all space, and not necessarily as solutions of Maxwell’s equations. The description of a quantum system, and of its energy and energy components in terms of fields, provides a new perspective on Schrodinger theory, one that is physically tangible. This different perspective, however, still lies within the rubric of the theory’s probabilistic description of a quantum system in that the sources of the fields are quantum mechanical expectations of Hermitian operators taken with respect to the system wavefunction. Thus, these fields may be thought of as being inherent to the quantal system, (just as the solution to Maxwell’s equations are inherent to an electromagnetic system), with each field, or sum of fields, contributing to a specific energy component. This chapter is a description of Schrodinger theory from this perspective of fields and quantal sources. The equivalence of Schrodinger theory as described by its field perspective to the corresponding Euler equation of Quantum Fluid Dynamics is also derived.
Surgery for Carcinoma of the Esophagus: The Case for Transhiatal Esophagectomy.

The long-term outlook for most patients with esophageal carcinoma remains poor, but surgery continues to provide excellent palliation and the best chance for cure. Careful preoperative staging and patient selection, combined with a well-performed operation, lead to low surgical morbidity and mortailty with good functional results. The long-term survival of these patients continues to be determined by the advanced state of most of these tumors by the time they are recognized and treated. The advantages of preoperative chemotherapy and radiation remain unproved; however, several nonradominzed trials suggest a survival advantage in patients who show a complete response to preoperative adjuvant therapy.
Structural Studies on the N2A-Is Region of Titin

Sarcomeres, the basic units of striated muscle cells, are built of a highly ordered filament system which includes myosin, actin, and titin. Titin is the largest known protein with ∼34800 amino acids which gives muscles some of its elastic properties [1]. Titin is also involved in several signaling pathways via interactions with a number of proteins. Its interaction with MARPs proteins is very important as these interactions are involved in stretch signal in muscle [2]. The MARP proteins, specifically MARP2 is present in sarcomere of skeletal muscles and binds to N2A region of titin [3]. The N2A region consists of four Ig domains I-80 to I-83 and intervening/unique sequence ‘IS’ between Ig domains I-80 and I-81. The structure of N2A region is currently unknown but critical for stress sensing. MARP2 binds to the N2A-IS region in a relaxed state and is dissociated when a muscle is overstretched [2]. This binding is also disrupted in case of the murine mdm deletion [4] which deletes part of the I-83 Ig domain and part of the PEVK region. We are characterizing the N2A-IS region using a combination of CD, FRET and solution state NMR as well as in silico methods. The in silico analysis showed that N2A-IS region consists of α-helices and some of the regions are disorder. These results were also confirmed by CD experiments, which confirmed the α-helical nature of this region. Ongoing solution state NMR studies on U-15N and U-13C labelled N2A-IS constructs will provide high-resolution structural information on this region.1.Warren, CM., et al.; 2003, Electrophoresis 24, 1695-1702.2.Miller MK, et al.; 2003, J Mol Biol., 333, 951-64.3.Clark KA, et al.; 2002, Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 18: 637-706.4.Huebsch KA, et al.; 2005, Hum Mol Genet. 14, 2801-11.
The non-neuronal cholinergic system in the airways: An unappreciated regulatory role in pulmonary inflammation?

The parasympathetic neurotransmitter acetylcholine is also synthesised and secreted by non-neuronal cells and modifies their behaviour. This is termed the "non-neuronal cholinergic system" and is present in airway inflammatory cells. Acetylcholine is predominantly pro-inflammatory for lymphocytes and epithelial cells, anti-inflammatory for mast cells and macrophages, both pro- and anti-inflammatory for monocytes, and variable in neutrophils and eosinophils. Expression and function of components of the non-neuronal cholinergic system, for example cholinoceptors, can be modified by nicotine in cigarette smoke, the inflammation of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the drugs used in clinical management of these diseases. The non-neuronal cholinergic system of airway inflammatory cells represents a previously unappreciated regulatory pathway, with immunomodulatory effects that potentially influence the inflammation of asthma and COPD.
Is the Frobenius matrix norm induced

In this paper we answer the question of whether (or not) there exist normed input-output vector spaces that induce the Frobenius matrix norm. Specifically, using the notion of dual norms we show that, up to a scalar multiple, the maximum singular value is the only unitarily invariant induced norm. As a special case of this result, it follows that the Frobenius matrix norm is not induced.
Connectionist modeling of speech perception

Connectionist models of perception and cognition, including the process of deducing meaningful messages from patterns of acoustic waves emitted by vocal tracts, are developed and refined as human understanding of brain function, psychological processes, and the properties of massively parallel architectures advances. The present article presents several important contributions from diverse points of view in the area of connectionist modeling of speech perception and discusses their relative merits with respect to specific theoretical issues and empirical findings. TRACE, the Elman/Norris net, and Adaptive Resonance Theory constitute pivotal points exemplifying overall modeling success, progress in temporal representation, and plausible modeling of learning, respectively. Other modeling efforts are presented for the specific insights they offer, and the article concludes with a discussion of computational versus dynamic modeling of phonological processes.
Adumbrations of power and the politics of appearances in Medicean Florence

As Nicolai Rubinstein has so eloquently appreciated, no single building in Florence has witnessed as much change or been endowed with as much sym bolic significance as the Palazzo della Signoria, also known as the Palazzo Vec chio.1 It has been a continuous seat of government in Florence since its completion in the early fourteenth century. With its imposing proportions, rusticated stone facade, and slender tower, the Palazzo Vecchio has long been associated with the history and culture of the Florentine Renaissance; within its walls humanists like Coluccio Salutati and Leonardo Bruni delivered their orations in praise of Florence and its republican traditions, and nearly a century later, Niccolo Machiavelli laboured there as secretary to the Second Chancery and to the Died in charge of foreign affairs.2 The Palazzo was originally commissioned in 1298 to be the seat of the guild dominated government of the newly constituted Gonfaloniere di Giustizia, or Standardbearer of Justice, and the Council of Priors. The new government traced its foundations to the victory of the Guelf faction over the Ghibellines and with the successful exile of unruly magnate clans from the city. From its very beginnings the Palazzo made a powerful political statement, for it was built on the site of the ruined medieval towers belonging to exiled magnate families. The Palazzo thus proclaimed a Guelf victory and the power of the city's wealthiest merchant guilds to restore order and govern itself. But by the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, guild government gave way to oligarchy, and first the Albizzi faction and then, in 1434, the Medici faction, led by Cosimo de' Medici, managed the city's affairs, in practice if not in name.
Cost containment in U.S. health care.

The author explains why supply factors, particularly the overdevelopment of the nation's medical capacity, are more important than demand factors in explaining the high use and cost of U.S. health care. Yet such costly care often does not translate into better health for Americans. While market forces, especially the efficiencies fostered by managed care, may clear some of the excess acute-care capacity and foster the use of less-costly generalist physicians, such forces favor the strong over the weak. This makes vulnerable those persons without health insurance or on Medicaid only, inner-city and rural hospitals, and academic medical centers. And when health care is treated as a market product, the relationship between doctors and patients is endangered. The author urges that the effects of managed care be watched, particularly for possible neglect of the underserved and for diminished employment opportunities for all health professionals, especially nurses and certain specialists. He thinks it is likely that much of the savings that market forces will create will not stay in the health care sector (where they could be used to expand services for the uninsured, for example) but will go into the business side of health care (e.g., to pay shareholders' dividends). And he stresses that issues of adverse selection, risk adjustment, and outcomes measurement will have increasing importance to persons with chronic illnesses, who may be neglected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Higgs-boson decay to four fermions including a single top quark below tt threshold

The rare decay modes Higgs boson \ensuremath{\rightarrow} four light fermions and Higgs boson \ensuremath{\rightarrow} single top quark + three light fermions for ${m}_{t}l{M}_{H}l2{m}_{t}$ are presented, and phenomenologically interpreted. The angular correlation between fermion planes is presented as a test of the spin and intrinsic parity of the Higgs particle. In Higgs-boson decay to a single top quark, two tree-level graphs contribute in the standard model (SM); one couples the Higgs boson to ${W}^{+}{W}^{\ensuremath{-}}(\ensuremath{\sim}g{M}_{W})$, and one to $t\overline{t}(\ensuremath{\sim}{g}_{\mathrm{top}\mathrm{Yukawa}}=\frac{{m}_{t}}{246} \mathrm{GeV})$. The large Yukawa coupling for ${m}_{t}g100$ GeV makes the second amplitude competitive or dominant for most ${M}_{H}$, ${m}_{t}$ values. Thus the Higgs-boson decay rate to a single top quark directly probes the SM universal mechanism generating both gauge-boson and fermion masses, and offers a means to infer the Higgs-boson-$t\overline{t}$ Yukawa coupling when $H\ensuremath{\rightarrow}t\overline{t}$ is kinematically disallowed. We find that the modes $\mathrm{pp}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Xt}\overline{t}(H\ensuremath{\rightarrow}t\overline{b}{W}^{(*)})$ at the Superconducting Super Collider, and ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}Z$ or $\ensuremath{\nu}\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}+(H\ensuremath{\rightarrow}t\overline{b}{W}^{(*)})$ at future high-energy, high-luminosity colliders, may be measurable if $2{m}_{t}$ is not too far above ${M}_{H}$. We classify nonstandard Higgs-bosons as gaugeophobic, fermiophobic, or fermiophilic, and discuss the Higgs boson \ensuremath{\rightarrow} single top-quark rates for these classes.
A Comparative Study of Daytime Thermally Induced Upslope Flow on Mars and Earth

Abstract Several characteristics of thermally induced mesoscale upslope flow on Mars and its comparison with that on Earth were investigated using both analytical and numerical model approaches. The conclusions obtained from the analytical and the numerical evaluations for Mars are generally in agreement. The main conclusions are (i) the intensity of the Martian summer daytime upslope flow, with a moderate slope, reaches nearly 10 m s−1 and its depth is about 5 km; (ii) the longwave radiation flux divergence heating, within the lower boundary layer of Mars, has a nonnegligible contribution to the intensity of the upslope flows; and (iii) on Mars, the values of upslope wind speed are, typically, about 2.5 times larger than on Earth under similar conditions. The depth of the daytime upslope flow and the air temperature increase near the surface are 3 to 4 times larger. The vertical eddy exchange coefficient for heat and momentum is about 10 times larger on Mars.
Computational chemistry and process design

The use of computational chemistry to address issues relative to process design is discussed. The need for efficient software for massively parallel architectures is described. Methods to predict the electronic structure of molecules are described for the molecular orbital and density functional theory approaches. The capabilities of the computational chemistry software NWChem and Ecce developed in the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory are discussed. Two examples of electronic structure calculations are given. The first shows that one can now make extremely accurate predictions of the thermochemistry of small molecules if one carefully considers all of the details such as zero point energies, core-valence corrections, and relativistic corrections. The second example shows how more approximate computational methods, still based on high level electronic structure calculations, can be used to address a complex waste processing problem at a Department of Energy nuclear production facility.
On the location of supply points to minimize transportation costs

An algorithm applicable to the problem of locating supply points optimally with respect to transportation costs is given. Although the algorithm may fail to converge to an optimal solution, repeated application with judicious selections of alternative starting values will assure a good, if not optimal, solution. The algorithm has been tested and some sample results are included.
Photopatterned Hydrosilylation on Porous Silicon

By illumination with white light porous silicon surfaces can be functionalized with alkynes and alkenes (see scheme). The hydrosilylation reactions are very simple to perform and lead to stable, patterned surfaces. This methodology opens new opportunities in the technological applications of porous silicon in both integrated circuits and sensors.
Ambulatory monitoring of cumulative free-living activity

Discusses potential clinical applications of monitoring patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is concluded that the ability to measure cumulative free-living activity in patients with COPD appears to have enormous potential clinical applicability. Ongoing research to develop unobtrusive, wearable sensors that extend monitoring periods and couple these data with wireless technology is needed. Research studies are also needed to assess the role measurement of cumulative free-living activity plays in both the clinical care of patients with COPD and clinical trials involving COPD, therapeutics. It may prove to be optimally used alone or in conjunction with existing measures of clinical status.
Primuline Derivatives That Mimic RNA to Stimulate Hepatitis C Virus NS3 Helicase-catalyzed ATP Hydrolysis *

Abstract ATP hydrolysis fuels the ability of helicases and related proteins to translocate on nucleic acids and separate base pairs. As a consequence, nucleic acid binding stimulates the rate at which a helicase catalyzes ATP hydrolysis. In this study, we searched a library of small molecule helicase inhibitors for compounds that stimulate ATP hydrolysis catalyzed by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 helicase, which is an important antiviral drug target. Two compounds were found that stimulate HCV helicase-catalyzed ATP hydrolysis, both of which are amide derivatives synthesized from the main component of the yellow dye primuline. Both compounds possess a terminal pyridine moiety, which was critical for stimulation. Analogs lacking a terminal pyridine inhibited HCV helicase catalyzed ATP hydrolysis. Unlike other HCV helicase inhibitors, the stimulatory compounds differentiate between helicases isolated from various HCV genotypes and related viruses. The compounds only stimulated ATP hydrolysis catalyzed by NS3 purified from HCV genotype 1b. They inhibited helicases from other HCV genotypes (e.g. 1a and 2a) or related flaviviruses (e.g. Dengue virus). The stimulatory compounds interacted with HCV helicase in the absence of ATP with dissocia-tion constants of about 2 μM. Molecular modeling and site-directed mutagenesis stud-ies suggest that the stimulatory compounds bind in the HCV helicase RNA-binding cleft near key residues Arg393, Glu493, and Ser231.
Space Station Users Contamination Requirements

An account is given of the contamination sensitivities and requirements of various planned NASA Space Station users in all science categories, as well as the methods by which the Space Station will accomodate these requirements in the cases of attached payloads, core station-attached payloads, and platform payloads. Attention is given to the Space Station's external contamination environment, the degree of protection from contamination that the Space Station user must provide, the amount of warning users will receive prior to the initiation of potentially contamination-generating activities in the Space Station, and different contamination probabilities for the various parts of the Space Station.
Physical benefits and challenges of exercise for people with chronic renal disease

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the physical benefits and challenges of exercise for people with chronic renal disease. Data Synthesis: People with chronic renal failure (CRF or predialysis) or end-stage renal disease (ESRD, requiring dialysis) especially need regular exercise because of the many challenges of renal failure. Physiological limitations contribute to subjective fatigue and reduced exercise tolerance, yet lifestyle factors also play an important role. Forced inactivity required during hemodialysis (HD) treatments, post-dialysis fatigue, and frequent bedrest for illness or surgery all contribute to weakness, stiffness, and sedentary habits. Thus, intentional exercise is needed to resist some of the effects of renal disease and its treatment. Exercise capacity in CRFESRD is limited by reduced oxygen supply because of anemia and cardiovascular abnormalities. Oxygen supply only partially accounts for a shift from oxidative to glycolytic muscle metabolism. Muscle strength predicts aerobic exercise capacity better than oxygen supply, indicating muscle dysfunction due to other factors. HD may remove some substance needed for normal muscle metabolism. Carnitine supplementation increases exercise tolerance, but the mechanism is not yet understood. Conclusion: Stationary bicycling during HD is safe and effective, makes fluid removal more efficient, and reduces common complaints such as symptomatic hypotensive episodes, chills, muscle cramping, and post-dialysis fatigue. Exercise during HD also provides supervision and encouragement, which improve compliance. In-center and home exercisers should record activity, duration, and intensity. Perceived exertion is a better guide than heart rate for exercise intensity. Patients need to improve strength and flexibility, as well as aerobic endurance.
High-speed liquid chromatographic analysis of amino acids by post-column sodium hypochlorite-o∼phthalaldehyde reaction

Abstract The performance and operating characteristics of a high-speed amino acid analysis system based on post-column reaction with o∼phthalaldehyde and sodium hypochlorite are described. Thirty-minute analysis of all the 16 standard hydrolyzate amino acids is achieved on a 120-mm long column, packed with a 6-μm cation-exchange resin. With minor loss of resolution, a 22-min assay is possible. The column is useable with several commercial buffers, and analyses at the 10-100-pmole levels are demonstrated. Excellent precision (
Hemodynamic responses to beta-adrenergic blockade in dogs.

Abstract Rapid intravenous injection of propranolol resulted in a decrease in heart rate and cardiac output and an increase in left atrial pressure in each of 5 dogs. Fluoroscopically, heart size increased and myocardial contractility decreased. Although the administration of propranolol decreases myocardial oxygen requirements, it also results in a mechanical disadvantage by increasing heart size. It is suggested that beta-adrenergic blockade may be hazardous in patients with low cardiac reserve.
Doing the Least Harm: How to Prevent a Post-withdrawal Resumption of Violence in Afghanistan and Iraq

‘Sunnis in Iraq allied with US rejoin rebels’, read a recent cover story in the New York Times, detailing how a group the USA had paid and armed to act as a local police force is now losing its mem...
Novel liquid-cored fiber and liquid crystal film for sensor protection against visible ps-cw lasers

We have developed compact millimeter thick optical fiber arrays with nonlinear optical liquid guiding cores. These image transmitting fiber arrays are capable of passive optical limiting action against frequency agile short (picosecond- nanosecond) laser pulses in the visible spectrum. We present the results of further studies of their limiting performance. We also discuss how a recently discovered extraordinarily large nonlinear optical response of methyl-red doped nematic liquid crystal film may be employed for limiting action on longer pulse or cw lasers with nanowatt threshold power.
Adapting ADA Architectural Design Knowledge for Universal Product Design Using Association Rule Mining: A Function Based Approach

This paper focuses on creating guidelines for the design of products for persons with disabilities that are applicable during early stages of design. The research uses the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) to formally describe user activity, the Functional Basis to describe product function, and the actionfunction diagram as a framework to create a detailed understanding of the interaction between a user and a product. The main objective of this paper is to explore the transferability of the knowledge contained in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to universal product design. The design information contained in the ADA guidelines is abstracted using a function based approach; association rules are mined from this design information. The association rules obtained are statistically significant guidelines for universal design (UD). The existing examples of universal design are compared to their typical version to observe the design elements that improve the accessibility of a product. Association rules are also mined from the existing examples of universal design using the same methodology. Further, the applicability of ADA guidelines to universal product design is investigated based on the commonality between the association rules obtained from both the datasets. The results show that rules can be translated to a product having a degree of similarity based on the size and space relationship between the user and product without direct translation from an ADA based design guideline to a product design guideline.
Group Selection as Behavioral Adaptation to Systematic Risk

Despite many compelling applications in economics, sociobiology, and evolutionary psychology, group selection is still one of the most hotly contested ideas in evolutionary biology. Here we propose a simple evolutionary model of behavior and show that what appears to be group selection may, in fact, simply be the consequence of natural selection occurring in stochastic environments with reproductive risks that are correlated across individuals. Those individuals with highly correlated risks will appear to form “groups”, even if their actions are, in fact, totally autonomous, mindless, and, prior to selection, uniformly randomly distributed in the population. This framework implies that a separate theory of group selection is not strictly necessary to explain observed phenomena such as altruism and cooperation. At the same time, it shows that the notion of group selection does captures a unique aspect of evolution—selection with correlated reproductive risk–that may be sufficiently widespread to warrant a separate term for the phenomenon.
Evaluation of variable speed limits for real-time freeway safety improvement.

Abstract Use of various variable speed limit (VSL) strategies as a tool for safety improvement on freeways was evaluated using simulation of a section of Interstate 4 in Orlando, FL. Real-time crash likelihood was calculated based on models developed in previous research by the first author [Abdel-Aty, M., Uddin, N., Pande, A., January 2005. Split models for predicting multi-vehicle crashes during high-speed and low-speed operating conditions on freeways. In: Presented at the 84th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC]. VSL implementation produced safety improvement by simultaneously implementing lower speed limits upstream and higher speed limits downstream of the location where crash likelihood is observed in real-time. This improvement was realized in the case of medium-to-high-speed regimes on the freeway, but no benefit was achieved in low-speed situations (no substantial safety benefit from implementing VSL in congested situation's simulation). The final recommendations for implementing VSL are: • gradually introducing speed limit changes over time (5 mph every 10 min); • abruptly changing speed limit in space (no gap distance); • reducing speed limits upstream and increasing speed limits downstream of location of interest; • the speed limit changes up- and downstream should be large in magnitude (15 mph) and implemented within short distances (2 miles) of the location of interest. In addition to the safety benefit, this final strategy also produced travel time savings.
Leveraging Physical-Layer Cooperation for Energy Conservation

Physical-layer (PHY) cooperation is a technique for achieving multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO)-like performance improvements on small devices that cannot support antenna arrays. Devices in a network transmit on behalf of their neighbors to act as “virtual MIMO” antennas. Since small devices are typically battery constrained, PHY cooperation immediately leads to the following question related to the energy efficiency (bits per joule) of devices: Is the performance improvement worth the extra energy costs of transmitting for others? Through an in-depth hardware test-bed study, we find that PHY cooperation can improve energy efficiency by as much as 320%, or it can reduce energy efficiency by as much as 25%, depending upon topology. With this performance gap in mind, we propose the distributed energy-conserving cooperation (DECC) protocol. DECC tunes the amount of effort that each device dedicates to providing cooperative assistance for others so that the energy that each device spends on cooperation is commensurate with the personal benefits that are received by that device. With DECC, users can tune their level of cooperation with completely node-localized decision-making. Thus, DECC allows nodes to tap into a large energy-efficiency benefit, suffering only a bounded preset loss when this benefit is not available.
Recruitment and selection of ovarian follicles for determination of ovulation rate in the pig

Gonadotropins determine the follicle selection and ovulation rate. Follicle growth is independent of gonadotropins until antrum formation, at which time recruitment occurs. Once recruited, follicles will continue to grow or degenerate. In gilts, visible surface follicles are classified as small ( or =7.0mm). At estrus (day 0), there are approximately 15 small and medium follicles, and approximately 15 large follicles. By day 3, there may be approximately 30 small, 5 medium and no large follicles. During the remainder of the luteal phase, the pool of follicles increases and peaks at day 11-13 with approximately 50 small, and 30 medium, but with no large follicles observed. By the start of the follicular phase at day 15, numbers of small and medium follicles rapidly decline, while a pool of medium follicles is selected for the ovulation. The size of large follicles at estrus is heterogeneous (6.5-10.0 mm) but their number is reflective of the subsequent number of corpora lutea found following the ovulation. However, the time of medium follicle selection for ovulation is variable during the late luteal and early follicular phases. Suppression of FSH before and at the time of luteolysis reduces medium and large follicles but does not reduce the ovulation rate. In contrast, suppression of FSH for 3 days or unilateral ovariectomy after 3 days of the follicular phase prevents full ovulatory compensation. Therefore, FSH appears to be involved in the maintenance of a pool of medium follicles that can be selected by LH to mature and ovulate.
ROLE-PLAY TRAINING AS A TOOL IN SOCIAL SKILLS ASSESSMENT

The usefulness of role-play training in improving the accuracy of capabilities-oriented assessments of social skill was examined. Subjects reporting social difficulties sufficient to consider seeking professional help received either role-play training or demand-for-skill instructions prior to engaging in a role-play assessment of both assertion and conversational skills. Role-play training, which consisted of demand-for-skill instructions, covert rehearsal, ‘self-control’ desensitization, and cognitive restructuring, was associated with less subjective and behavioral anxiety, greater skill in assertiveness, and less awareness of negative thoughts and feelings than demand-for-skill instructions alone. Results are interpreted in light of the potential of capabilities-oriented assessments in determining the source of interpersonal impairments.
The Carboxyl Terminus of the γ-Subunit of Rod cGMP Phosphodiesterase Contains Distinct Sites of Interaction with the Enzyme Catalytic Subunits and the α-Subunit of Transducin

Abstract The interaction between the GTP-bound form of the transducin α-subunit (Gαt) and the γ-subunit (Pγ) of cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) is a key event in effector activation during photon signal transduction. The carboxyl-terminal half of Pγ is involved in interaction with Gαt as well as in inhibition of PDE activity. Here we have utilized a combination of synthetic peptide and mutagenesis approaches to localize specific regions of the carboxyl-terminal region of Pγ interacting with Gαt and Pαβ and have determined residues involved in inhibition of PDE activity. We found that synthetic peptide corresponding to residues 68-87 of Pγ completely inhibit trypsin-activated PDE. The peptide Pγ-63-87 bound to GαtGTPγS with a Kd of 2.5 μM, whereas the binding of Pγ-68-87 to GαtGTPγS was approximately 15-fold less (Kd= 40 μM) suggesting that carboxyl-terminal Pγ region 68-87 contains a site for interaction with Pαβ and also a part of the αt binding site. To map Gαt and Pαβ sites more precisely within the carboxyl-terminal region, a set of carboxyl-terminal mutants was generated by site-directed mutagenesis. Deletion of residues 63-69 and 70-76 diminished the binding of mutants to αt while binding to carboxyl-terminally truncated mutants lacking up to 11 amino acid residues was unchanged. In contrast, carboxyl-terminal truncations of Pγ from Δ1 to Δ11 resulted in a gradual decrease of its inhibitory activity. Thus, the extreme carboxyl-terminal hydrophobic sequence -Ile86-Ile87 together with 9 adjacent residues provides inhibitory interaction of Pγ with Pαβ. The carboxyl-terminal GαtGTPγS binding site of Pγ is different from but adjacent to its PDE inhibitory site. During the visual transduction process, GαtGTP likely binds to this region of Pγ inducing a displacement of the extreme carboxyl terminus from the inhibitory site on Pαβ, leading to PDE activation.
Language and tools for professional accountability.

SUMMARY The article considers the issues raised by Chaplain Yes and Chaplain No earlier in this volume. They are considered in the framework of the distinctive dimensions of a profession. I contend that chaplaincy could be served by internal discussions of specialized skills and goals it wants to claim in the professional sphere, and that scientific tools could be used to evaluate, refine, and communicate those skills and goals. Possibilities include benchmarks, outcomes research, and inclusion of “consumers” in research designs. I argue that distinctive core skills and competencies of chaplaincy lie in affective, intuitive, and symbolic domains more than scientific domains, but that chaplaincy can benefit from strategic utilization of tools more native to other disciplines. I caution against reductionism from either domain, while arguing for vigorous dialogue.
Chorea and dystonia: A remote effect of carcinoma

Summary: A 45-year-old woman with an acquired multifocal neurologic syndrome, including chorea, dystonia, cerebellar dysfunction. multiple cranial neuropathies, and pure sensory neuropathy, was found at autopsy to have oat cell carcinoma. Neuropathologic examination revealed several features typically associated with remote effects of malignancy on the nervous system. We believe that this is the first described case of chorea as a remote effect of malignancy. Key Words: Chorea-Dystonia-Remote effect of malignancy. Chorea and dystonia are commonly encountered in clinical practice. The majority of cases of chorea are usually secondary to neuroleptic drugs, L-Dopa intoxication, or Huntington's disease. Cases of chorea not attributable to the above causes are sometimes seen, and the enormous differential diagnosis for other causes of chorea demands an extensive evaluation (for a comprehensive review, see ref. 1). Dystonia, on the other hand, is usually idiopathic, though an extensive list of inciting conditions has been compiled (2). We have recently encountered a patient who manifested both chorea and dystonia during the course of a long illness. The pattern of her other neurologic symptoms and signs, and neuropathologic examination were consistent with a paraneoplastic syndrome. We believe that this is the first description of chorea as a remote effect of malignancy.
Frizzled receptors activate a novel JNK-dependent pathway that may lead to apoptosis.

Abstract Extracellular Wnt ligands and their receptors of the Frizzled family control cell fate, proliferation, and polarity during metazoan development. Frizzled signaling modulates target gene expression through a β-catenin-dependent pathway, functions to establish planar cell polarity in Drosophila epithelia, and activates convergent extension movements and intracellular Ca 2+ signaling in frog and fish embryos [1–6]. Here, we report that a Frizzled receptor, Xenopus Frizzled 8 (Xfz8) [7, 8], activates c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and triggers rapid apoptotic cell death in gastrulating Xenopus embryos. This activity of Xfz8 required the cytoplasmic tail of the receptor and was blocked by a dominant inhibitor of JNK. Moreover, the cytoplasmic tail of Xfz8 targeted to the membrane was sufficient for activation of JNK and apoptosis. The apoptotic signaling was shared by a specific subset of Frizzled receptors, was inhibited by Wnt5a, and occurred in a Dishevelled- and T cell factor (TCF)-independent manner. Thus, our experiments identify a novel Frizzled-dependent signaling pathway, which involves JNK and differs from the β-catenin-dependent and convergent extension pathways.
Identification of parameters in an asymmetric perfect information game

Abstract We show the identification of important features of the model in a perfect information entry game with two players and asymmetric payoffs when there are no unbounded regressors and the distribution of the unobservables is not parametrically specified.
Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Activity in Neuroblastoma Tumour

Von Studnitz1, Greenberg and Gardner2, and Voorhess and Gardner3 have reported marked elevations in the urinary excretion of 3-O-methylated metabolites in the urine of patients with neural tumours. It is possible that these urinary products arise mainly from O-methylation of their precursors in the liver. However, the fact that some of these patients have a normal blood pressure in the presence of a large endogenous production of norepinephrine suggested to us that metabolism of the norepinephrine may occur within the tumour.
The principal-agent problem with adaptive players

In this study we show predictions made by the standard principal-agent theory may not hold when knowlege assumptions are relaxed. Conventional principal-agent models assume players are completely rational: they know their own and other player's utilities and probabilities of all states of nature. In reality, players must make decisions without such knowledge.
A method of deriving subgroups of a population: A study of craniofacial taxonomy

Subgroups within a population are often difficult to discover and describe except by subjective methods. In this study, cluster analysis (numerical taxonomy) methods were used on selected craniofacial measurements obtained from 308 North American White children of both sexes in the age range 6–18 to derive categories of skeletal facial types. Two different cluster analysis approaches were used in conjunction with a separate overall evaluation of facial balance, an independent measure of maxillo-mandibular relationship (AB/FOP), and a traditional classification (Angle). The categories derived rest on corroborative and overlapping evidence from each of those methods. The categories were examined to determine if it is possible to classify a sample by means of cluster analysis, the size and discreteness of each class, how they compare with the Angle classification of the same sample, and the percentage of individuals that may be identified unequivocally by this classification scheme. Five categories were obtained. Labeled Category A — Category E, they show some correspondence to the Angle Classes I, II, and III, but categories A, B, and C appear to be subgroups, heretofore undetected, of Angle Class II. Categories D and E correspond to Angle Classes I and III, respectively. The categories are more realistic and informative than the Angle classes. Each category is reported along with its distinguishing skeletal characteristics.
Effects of Thirty Years of Irrigation on the Genesis and Morphology of Two Semiarid Soils in Kansas

Widespread adoption of irrigation began to occur in western Kansas in the 1950s. The western third of the state is in the ustic moisture regime, receiving about 400 to 500 mm of precipitation per year. Irrigation adds an additional 300 to 600 mm of water per year and effectively alters the natural climate. The Richfield and Keith soil series were investigated to determine if irrigation has caused changes in soil properties and morphology, affecting the genesis of irrigated soils. For each series, 10 long-term (28–31 yr) irrigated pedons and 10 adjacent pedons that had never been irrigated were sampled. The pH of the surface horizons of the irrigated Keith and Richfield pedons was 1.0 pH unit higher than the dryland pedons. Exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) was also higher in irrigated pedons. Irrigation did not significantly affect organic C content or the calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE). Irrigated pedons contained significantly higher amounts of total clay and showed an altered clay distribution within the profile. They also exhibited more strongly expressed argillic horizon properties in the field and in thin section than nonirrigated pedons. The data indicate that ≈30 yr of irrigation increased clay illuviation and mineral weathering, altered the surface horizon pH and ESP, and modified the natural genetic processes by increasing the rate of pedogenic activity.
Mitochondria: Signaling with phosphatidic acid

Mitochondria, once viewed as functioning relatively autonomously in the cell, have increasingly been recognized to be involved in numerous signaling networks that impact on a wide range of cell biological processes. In addition to the many types of proteins that mediate these pathways, the importance of signaling functions regulated via lipids and lipid second messengers generated on the mitochondrial surface is also becoming well appreciated. We focus here on phosphatidic acid, a lipid second messenger produced via several different pathways that can in turn stimulate the formation of multiple other bioactive lipids. Taken together, fascinating roles for phosphatidic acid and the connected lipids in mitochondrial function and interaction with other organelles are being uncovered. These pathways present new opportunities for the development of therapeutic approaches relevant to reproduction, metabolism, and neurodegenerative disease.
Surface mount technology experience: Problems and solutions

Surface mount technology (SMT) was pioneered in the 1970's at RCA Moorestown in the Hybrid Engineering Lab. During the past two years a full-production SMT facility has been established to produce improved Standard Electronic Modules (ISEMs) for an advanced Navy shipboard radar system. This paper describes the major materials and process and equipment options which were chosen for the new SMT manufacturing facility, as well as some of the operational problems and solutions that developed during start-up and pilot production.
Socialization to class, ethnicity, and race in the New Haven area during the 1950s Sociological remembrances

■ I was raised in the New Haven suburb of Hamden and attended the town’s public schools during the 1950s. This article discusses the differences of class, ethnicity, and race as I encountered them in my neighborhood and schools and the understandings of these differences that I developed. At the time, the region centered on an industrial city, and its class and status order revolved largely around the rankings of occupational roles in an industrial society. Yet, the system of stratification was being transformed both by the rising prosperity of the working class and by the efforts of second and third generation immigrant ethnic groups, principally Italian Americans, to gain recognition as the equals of other groups, including Protestants of old New England backgrounds. Lifestyles were modest compared with today, and yet the distinctions between groups and strata were clear and strongly defended.
DURATION OF SPERMATOGENESIS AND SPERMATOZOAN TRANSPORT IN THE RABBIT BASED ON CYTOLOGICAL CHANGES, DNA SYNTHESIS AND LABELING WITH TRITIATED THYMIDINE.

The duration of spermatogenesis in the rabbit was determined by injecting in a single dose 1 millicurie of thymidine-methyl-H3 per kg into the marginal ear vein of each of 14 Dutch-belted bucks. At different intervals, biopsies and unilateral castrations were performed on nine of the 14 bucks to time the stages of spermatozoan formation in the testis and transport through the epididymis. The remaining five animals were ejaculated for 63 days to determine the interval between the thymidine-H3 injection and the appearance of the isotope in the ejaculated semen. Histological sections, 8 μ thick, were stained with the Feulgen technique and coated with NTB 3 nuclear emulsion. The autoradiographs showed that the leptotene primary spermatocytes were the most advanced spermatogenic cells that incorporated the label. This agreed with microspectrophotometric determinations of DNA which showed this to be the last stage at which DNA was synthesized in spermatogenesis. Therefore there appears to be no DNA exchanged during spermiogenesis. Uptake of tritiated thymidine by spermatogonia also was in accordance with measurements of DNA synthesis and content of these cells. Thirty-one days post-injection the label had progressed from leptotene primary spermatocytes to spermatozoa leaving the testis. At this time a few labeled spermatozoa also were present in semen smears taken from the caput epididymis. Epididymal transport time was eight days for one rabbit and ten days for four rabbits. The duration of one cycle of the seminiferous epithelium based on 55 estimates was 10.9 ± 0.1 days. The lifespan of type A spermatogonia, type 1 intermediate spermatogonia, type 2 intermediate spermatogonia, type B spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, secondary spermatocytes, spermatids and spermatozoa was estimated to be 3.4, 0.6, 2.8, 1.1, 16.5, 0.8, 10.0 and 15.6 days respectively. The estimated total duration of spermatogenesis in the rabbit depends on the point chosen as the onset of spermatogenesis. If spermatogenesis is considered to begin with the first of the series of spermatogonial divisions leading to the production of primary spermatocytes then about four cycles of the seminiferous epithelium or 4 × 10.9 = 43.6 days are required. However, if one assumes that spermatogenesis starts with the formation of spermatogonial stem cells and that the lifespan of these stem cells is one cycle of the seminiferous epithelium then spermatogenesis extends over about 4.75 cycles, or 51.8 days.
Bureaucratic Strikes and the Rationalization of Factory Conflict: The Case of the U.S. Automobile Industry, 1962-1979

This article examines a form of strike action that has been neglected in the literature—the authorized, plant-level strike, as it was manifest in the U.S. automobile industry from 1962 through 1979. In contrast to the wildcat strike, this type of strike was bureaucratically regulated. Signaling mechanisms were built into its mobilization process that enabled management to control strike incidence, timing, and outcome. The results of logistic regression analyses support this hypothesis. In contrast to other strike forms, the likelihood of such strikes increased significantly when workers' potential power was weakest and when managements were most interested in increasing productivity in response to market pressures. I suggest that the legitimization of this peculiar strike form played a significant role in securing management's postwar hegemony.
Physical activity recommendations and cardiovascular disease risk factors in young Hispanic women

Abstract Despite the benefits associated with regular physical activity, there is little epidemiological evidence to support positive health outcomes when meeting physical activity guidelines in high-risk ethnic groups, such as Hispanic women. We compared cardiovascular disease risk factors between young Hispanic women who meet and those who do not meet current physical activity guidelines. Height, weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured in 60 Hispanic women aged 20–39 years. Lipids, C-reactive protein, insulin, and glucose were assessed. Body composition and cardiovascular fitness were assessed by BodPod and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) respectively. Participants wore an accelerometer and average minutes (assessed in 10-min bouts) spent in light, moderate, and hard daily activity for weekdays and weekends was determined. Seventy percent of participants did not meet the recommended physical activity guidelines, whereas 30% did so. Following current physical activity guidelines was ...