cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An investigation of cognitive style and alcohol/work-related problems among Naval personnel.

This study examines the relationship between cognitive style (i.e., information, normative, and diffuse orientation, and commitment) and alcohol/work-related problems. A random sample of Naval pers...
Zero-motion vector-biased cross-diamond search algorithm for rapid block matching motion estimation

High compression ratio and very low encoding computational complexity are the keys in designing successful encoder for energy constrained video conversational applications since coding efficiency, speed, and energy frugality are critical. Computation-intensive motion estimation (ME) process is an obstacle to overcome for these applications. To control and optimize encoding complexity behavior, we propose a zero-motion-vector-biased cross-diamond search (ZCDS) algorithm for rapid block matching based on the well-known cross-diamond search (CDS) algorithm. Unlike many conventional fast block-matching algorithms (BMAs), which use either fixed threshold or distortion function of temporally or spatially adjacent blocks for early search termination, ZCDS is based on a dynamic block distortion threshold, via a linear model utilizing already computed statistics and information of current block. A new fine granularity halfway-stop (FGHS) method is also proposed for early termination of the search process. Designed for various motion contents, ZCDS adaptively starts with a small or large cross search pattern, which is automatically determined via an initial block matching distortion. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm achieves smoother motion vector fields and demands significantly less search points with marginal peak-signal-to-noise-ratio (PSNR) loss when compared to those of full search and other conventional fast BMAs.
A proton-controlled check valve for sodium ion transport.

Transmembrane electrochemical ion gradients are the thermodynamic forces exploited by living cells to drive specific substances across the membrane. A new study begins to reveal the molecular mechanisms by which a transporter protein harnesses these driving forces.
Identification of human germinal center light and dark zone cells and their relationship to human B-cell lymphomas

Germinal centers (GCs) are sites of B-cell clonal expansion, hypermutation, and selection. GCs are polarized into dark (DZ) and light zones (LZ), a distinction that is of key importance to GC selection. However, the difference between the B cells in each of these zones in humans remains unclear. We show that, as in mice, CXCR4 and CD83 can be used to distinguish human LZ and DZ cells. Using these markers, we show that LZ and DZ cells in mice and humans differ only in the expression of characteristic “activation” and “proliferation” programs, suggesting that these populations represent alternating states of a single-cell type rather than distinct differentiation stages. In addition, LZ/DZ transcriptional profiling shows that, with the exception of “molecular” Burkitt lymphomas, nearly all human B-cell malignancies closely resemble LZ cells, which has important implications for our understanding of the molecular programs of lymphomagenesis.
The relationship between dyspnea and patient satisfaction with quality of life in advanced cancer

Goals of the work Dyspnea is a common symptom in patients with advanced cancer. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between dyspnea and patient satisfaction with quality of life (QoL) in advanced cancer.
15-Lipoxygenase metabolism of 2-arachidonylglycerol: Generation of a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonist

Abstract The recent demonstrations that cyclooxygenase-2 and leukocyte-type 12-lipoxygenase (LOX) efficiently oxygenate 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG) prompted an investigation into related oxygenases capable of metabolizing this endogenous cannabinoid receptor ligand. We evaluated the ability of six LOXs to catalyze the hydroperoxidation of 2-AG. Soybean 15-LOX, rabbit reticulocyte 15-LOX, human 15-LOX-1, and human 15-LOX-2 oxygenate 2-AG, providing 15(S)-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid glyceryl ester. In contrast, potato and human 5-LOXs do not efficiently metabolize this endocannabinoid. Among a series of structurally related arachidonyl esters, arachidonylglycerols serve as the preferred substrates for 15-LOXs. Steady-state kinetic analysis demonstrates that both 15-LOX-1 and 15-LOX-2 oxygenate 2-AG comparably or preferably to arachidonic acid. Furthermore, 2-AG treatment of COS-7 cells transiently transfected with human 15-LOX expression vectors or normal human epidermal keratinocytes results in the production and extracellular release of 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid glyceryl ester (15-HETE-G), establishing that lipoxygenase metabolism of 2-AG occurs in an eukaryotic cellular environment. Investigations into the potential biological actions of 15-HETE-G indicate that this lipid, in contrast to its free-acid counterpart, acts as a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonist. The results demonstrate that 15-LOXs are capable of acting on 2-AG to provide 15-HETE-G and elucidate a potential role for endocannabinoid oxygenation in the generation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonists.
1α,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 induction of ATP secretion in osteoblasts.

In the absence of mechanical stimulation, brief exposure of osteoblasts to 1α,25(OH)2vitamin D3 (1,25D) triggers plasma membrane electrical responses that couple to exocytosis. Here we describe for the first time 1,25D induction of exocytotic ATP release in static ROS 17/2.8 and SAOS-2 cells and primary calvarial osteoblasts expressing a vitamin D receptor (VDR). We found that 10 nM 1,25D optimally induced 45 ± 1% and 40 ± 1% of partial and complete exocytotic events, respectively, from a 1,25D-sensitive pool of ATP-containing secretory vesicles within 60 s. We measured a dose-dependent 1,25D induction of ATP secretion, with maximal response of ∼6.2-fold (16.93 ± 1.82 nM for SAOS-2) and 3.1-fold (18.89 ± 1.39 nM for ROS 17/2.8) obtained with 10 nM 1,25D compared with basal ATP levels (2.75 ± 0.39 nM, SAOS-2; 6.09 ± 0.58 nM, ROS 17/2.8 cells). The natural metabolite 25(OH)vitamin D3 (25D, 10 nM) induced a significant 3.6-fold increase of ATP release in ROS 17/2.8 cells, but there was no induction with the antagonist 1β,25(OH)2vitamin D3 (1β,25D, 10 nM) or the steroid 17β-estradiol (10 nM). 1,25D-induced ATP secretion was abolished when cells were preincubated with inhibitors of vesicular exocytosis. siRNA VDR silencing prevented 1,25D stimulation of ATP exocytosis in ROS 17/2.8 and SAOS-2 cells. Similarly, 1,25D failed to stimulate ATP exocytosis in primary osteoblasts from a VDR knockout mouse. ATP secretion coupled to 1,25D induction of cytosolic calcium and chloride channel potentiation. Rapid 1,25D stimulation of ATP secretion involving nontranscriptional VDR functions in osteoblasts may help explain 1,25D bone anabolic properties.
Single-chip WiFi b/g/n 1×2 SoC with fully integrated front-end & PMU in 90nm digital CMOS technology

We report a compact 802.11b/g/n MIMO SoC with fully integrated transceiver, on-chip PMU including dc-dc converters, PHY, MAC, PCIe and a non-volatile memory. The transceiver includes on-chip PA, LNA and T/R switch. Fabricated in 90nm standard digital CMOS technology, this IC consumes 663/878mW (Rx/Tx 54Mbps) with an area of approx 33mm2. A peak saturated power of 24dBm is achieved at antenna.
Principles of cognitive science in education: the effects of generation, errors, and feedback.

Principles of cognitive science hold the promise of helping children to study more effectively, yet they do not always make successful transitions from the laboratory to applied settings and have rarely been tested in such settings. For example, self-generation of answers to questions should help children to remember. But what if children cannot generate anything? And what if they make an error? Do these deviations from the laboratory norm of perfect generation hurt, and, if so, do they hurt enough that one should, in practice, spurn generation? Can feedback compensate, or are errors catastrophic? The studies reviewed here address three interlocking questions in an effort to better implement a computer-based study program to help children learn: (1) Does generation help? (2) Do errors hurt if they are corrected? And (3) what is the effect of feedback? The answers to these questions are: Yes, generation helps; no, surprisingly, errors that are corrected do not hurt; and, finally, feedback is beneficial in verbal learning. These answers may help put cognitive scientists in a better position to put their well-established principles in the service of children’s learning.
Chemical flux in an acid-stressed stream

The acidity of rain and snow falling on widely separated areas of the world has been increasing during the past 30 yr (refs 1–3). Acid rainfall consists of a dilute solution of sulphuric and nitric acids due to the oxidation and hydrolysis of airborne sulphur and nitrogen4 and frequently has a pH of <4.0. Recent studies have shown that acid rain alters the chemistry and biology of streams and lakes in large regions of the world1,3. Results from reconnaissance studies in the field5–9 and physiological studies in the laboratory9 show that diversity and numbers of aquatic organisms of all major trophic levels are affected by low pH (high acidity). The quantitative effects of such acidification on biogeochemistry and biological function in natural streams have received little attention. In contrast, much is known about aquatic ecosystems affected by acid mine drainage10–13. However, waters receiving acid mine drainage show effects caused by metal contamination and deposition of iron oxide particulates, as well as acidification. In our study, we experimentally acidified a third-order section of a small mountain stream in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, West Thornton, New Hampshire, USA. Our aim was to measure the effects of increased acidity on chemical and biological export in the stream. It was found that experimental stream acidification to pH 4 did alter the chemical and biological flux. The most significant inorganic component affected by the experiment was aluminium. A significant net flux of carbon and nitrogen occurred in the biologically bound forms but not in dissolved substances. Net flux of phosphorus was significant in biologically bound forms. The increased loss of nutrients in the particulate organic fraction was also important, particularly if scaled tb the total stream ecosystem.
Water dynamics in divalent and monovalent concentrated salt solutions.

Water hydrogen bond dynamics in concentrated salt solutions are studied using polarization-selective IR pump–probe spectroscopy and 2D IR vibrational echo spectroscopy performed on the OD hydroxyl stretching mode of dilute HOD in H2O/salt solutions. The OD stretch is studied to eliminate vibrational excitation transfer, which interferes with the dynamical measurements. Though previous research suggested that only the anion affected dynamics in solution, here it is shown that the cation plays a role as well. From FT-IR spectra of the OD stretch, it is seen that replacing either ion of the salt pair causes a shift in absorption frequency relative to that of the OD stretch absorption in bulk pure water. This shift becomes pronounced with larger, more polarizable anions or smaller, high charge-density cations. The vibrational lifetime of the OD hydroxyl stretch in these solutions is a local property and is primarily dependent on the nature of the anion and whether the OD is hydrogen bonded to the anion or to ...
Effects of combined dimension reduction and tabulation on the simulations of a turbulent premixed flame using a large-eddy simulation/probability density function method

A turbulent lean-premixed propane–air flame stabilised by a triangular cylinder as a flame-holder is simulated to assess the accuracy and computational efficiency of combined dimension reduction and tabulation of chemistry. The computational condition matches the Volvo rig experiments. For the reactive simulation, the Lagrangian Large-Eddy Simulation/Probability Density Function (LES/PDF) formulation is used. A novel two-way coupling approach between LES and PDF is applied to obtain resolved density to reduce its statistical fluctuations. Composition mixing is evaluated by the modified Interaction-by-Exchange with the Mean (IEM) model. A baseline case uses In Situ Adaptive Tabulation (ISAT) to calculate chemical reactions efficiently. Its results demonstrate good agreement with the experimental measurements in turbulence statistics, temperature, and minor species mass fractions. For dimension reduction, 11 and 16 represented species are chosen and a variant of Rate Controlled Constrained Equilibrium (RCCE...
Coxsackie virus infection of the placenta associated with neurodevelopmental delays in the newborn

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To determine if viral infection of the placenta was associated with long-term neurodevelopmental delays in the newborn. METHODS: Placental tissue from seven newborn infants with severe respiratory failure and subsequent neurodevelopmental abnormalities as well as ten normal controls and five cases of known placental infection (cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, and parvovirus) were tested by in situ hybridization or reverse transcriptase in situ polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for adenovirus, coxsackie virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein Barr virus, herpes simplex virus, influenza A virus, picornavirus, polyoma virus, parvovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, rotavirus, and varicella zoster virus. RESULTS: Coxsackie virus RNA was detected in six of the seven cases, and in none of the ten normal controls or five cases with known viral infection. Viral RNA localized primarily to the Hofbauer cells and trophoblasts of the terminal villi. Immunohistochemical analysis for the coxsackie virus antigen VP1 yielded equivalent results. CONCLUSIONS: In utero coxsackie virus of the placenta is associated with the development of severe respiratory failure and central nervous system sequelae in the newborn. This underscores the importance of detailed pathologic and viral examination of the placenta in cases of systemic illness in the newborn.
Feasibility of off-axis particle field holography and imaging with portions of cylindrical test sections

Off-axis particle field holography and imaging with two types of cylindrical test sections without surface modification or index matching are described. One type is the liquid tunnel with circular inner and flat outer surfaces. The other case is that of cylindrical tubes such as biological ampules. The analytical description assumes that if the astigmatism-related longitudinal image position uncertainty is smaller than the nominal aperture-limited uncertainty, then imaging is possible. A general mathematical formulation is presented with examples of water tunnel, glycerine tunnel, and a typical biological ampule.
A comparison of body image perception in bulimics, restrainers, and normal women: an extension of previous findings.

Abstract Figure drawings ranging from very thin to heavy (Stunkard, Sorenson, & Schulsinger, 1980) were utilized to assess body-image perception in a group of women with bulimia nervosa, a group classified as restrained eaters, and a non-eating-disordered group of women. Participants were asked to choose the figures that most resembled their current figure, their ideal figure, and the figure they believed was most attractive to men. All women chose an ideal figure that was thinner than their current figure. However, the size of the discrepancy between their current and ideal figure was significantly larger for the bulimic group compared with the non-eating-disordered women. Furthermore, while the non-eating- disordered women rated their current figure similar to the size that they believed men would find most attractive, both the bulimic group and the restrained eaters rated their current figure larger than what they believed men would find most attractive. Finally, although it was hypothesized that the bulimic group would desire a figure even thinner than what they believed men would find most attractive, this hypothesis was not supported, as all three groups of women chose an ideal figure similar to the figure that they believed men would find most attractive. These present results are compared with previous investigations which utilized similar methodologies.
The interaction between the Middle Eastern and Western systems of medicine.

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to explore the dynamics which can occur when the system of medicine of the Middle East interacts with the system of the medicine of the West. The hypothesis to be considered is that, despite the apparent striking differences between the two medical systems, planned interaction can be of a positive nature with only a limited area of possible culture conflict. This hypothesis will be considered by first analyzing the traditional system of medicine in the Middle East and then structuring the interaction which can occur. Material from studies of the interaction of other systems of medicine with that of the West will be utilized to amplify and support the hypothesis.
Residential Mobility and Delinquency Revisited: Causation or Selection?

To assess the role of selection in the observed association between residential mobility and delinquency among adolescents. This study draws on a sample of adolescents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). We first examine whether adjusting regression models for several well-established determinants of moving attenuates the association between mobility and delinquency. We then employ propensity score methods to estimate the effect of residential mobility on delinquency among a sub-sample of movers and non-movers who had similar likelihoods of moving. The association between mobility and delinquency is significant and positive in regression models, although it is somewhat attenuated by additional control variables that are rarely considered in prior work. However, the distribution of mobility determinants differs substantially across movers and non-movers, potentially biasing these estimates. After covariate balance is achieved using a propensity score approach, we observe no differences in delinquency between groups. Results suggest that certain adolescents are more likely to move than others, explaining the observed association between mobility and delinquency. Future research should therefore be mindful of selection when trying to account for differential outcomes between mobile and non-mobile adolescents.
A 16-bit sigma-delta A/D converter with high-performance operational amplifiers

A fourth-order interpolative modulator was designed and fabricated in a 2-µm CMOS technology. As a key building block, a fully-differential folded-cascode operational amplifier has been developed and successfully tested. The main design emphasis is placed on achieving a fast settling behavior. The fully-differential analog modulator operates at the rate of 5.12MHz and provides a signal-to-noise ratio higher than 96dB for 16-bit analog-to-digital conversion.
Inhibition of avion sarcoma virus replication by glucosamine

Abstract The effect of glucosamine on the replication of avian sarcoma viruses has been studied. Six hours after addition of 20 μmoles/ml of glucosamine to the culture medium replication of infectious virus was inhibited by 99.9%. The production of viral particles detectable by physical techniques ceased in parallel with the synthesis of focus forming virus. Immunofluorescence studies indicate that the glucosamine block affects the production of viral envelope antigens. Accumulation of such antigens in the cytoplasm or at the cell surface was not observed in glucosamine-treated cultures, although the accumulation of a nonglycosylated polypeptide precursor cannot be excluded. Synthesis of group specific ( gs1 ) protein was also inhibited by glucosamine, but to a lesser degree than that of viral envelope antigens.
Parasite Stage-Specific Recognition of Endogenous Toxoplasma gondii-Derived CD8+ T Cell Epitopes

BACKGROUND BALB/c mice control infection with the obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii and develop a latent chronic infection in the brain, as do immunocompetent humans. Interferon-gamma-producing CD8+ T cells provide essential protection against T. gondii infection, but the epitopes recognized have so far remained elusive. METHODS We employed caged major histocompatibility complex molecules to generate approximately 250 H-2L(d) tetramers and to distinguish T. gondii-specific CD8+ T cells in BALB/c mice. RESULTS We identified 2 T. gondii-specific H-2L(d)-restricted T cell epitopes, one from dense granule protein GRA4 and the other from rhoptry protein ROP7. H-2L(d)/GRA4 reactive T cells from multiple organ sources predominated 2 weeks after infection, while the reactivity of the H-2L(d)/ROP7 T cells peaked 6-8 weeks after infection. BALB/c animals infected with T. gondii mutants defective in establishing a chronic infection showed altered levels of antigen-specific T cells, depending on the T. gondii mutant used. CONCLUSIONS Our results shed light on the identity and the parasite stage-specificity of 2 CD8+ T cell epitopes recognized in the acute and chronic phase of infection with T. gondii.
Inhomogeneous laser cooling of AlGaAs/GaAs semiconductor quantum well and lattice thermal diffusion

A four-step laser cooling model according to time sequence is proposed for AlGaAs/GaAs semiconductor quantum wells. The four steps are: (i) cold electrons are pumped coherently by a laser beam close to the edge of the conduction band; (ii) the photo-induced cold carriers are heated to higher energy levels via inelastic phonon scattering; (iii) the hot electrons spontaneously recombine with the hot holes, releasing photons that escape out of the system, thus subtracting from the quantum-well layer a power larger than that gained by the pumping process; (iv) phonons thermally diffuse from the barrier regions into the well region, thereby cooling the entire lattice structure. Based on this physical model, a quantum thermal-diffusion equation which includes the carrier-phonon energy exchange and the thermal radiation from environment as source terms is derived to determine the lattice temperature evolution. This gives rise to both temporal and spatial dependences of the lattice and carrier temperatures in the quantum-well structure. An energy balance equation is simultaneously derived to determine the carrier temperature adiabatically due to ultrafast carrier-phonon scattering for a given lattice temperature at any position and moment.
Overestimation of left ventricular mass and misclassification of ventricular geometry in heart failure patients by two-dimensional echocardiography in comparison with three-dimensional echocardiography.

Background: Accurate assessment of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and ventricular geometry is important, especially in patients with heart failure (HF). The aim of this study was to compare the assessment of ventricular size and geometry by 2D and 3D echocardiography in normotensive controls and among HF patients with a normal and a reduced ejection fraction. Methods: One hundred eleven patients, including 42 normotensive patients without cardiac disease, 41 hypertensive patients with HF and a normal ejection fraction (HFNEF), and 28 patients with HF and a low ejection fraction (HFLEF), underwent 2DE and freehand 3DE. The differences between 2DE and 3DE derived LVM were evaluated by use of a Bland–Altman plot. Differences in classification of geometric types among the cohort between 2DE and 3DE were determined. Results: Two-dimensional echocardiography overestimated ventricular mass compared to 3D echocardiography (3DE) among normal (166 ± 36 vs. 145 ± 20 gm, P = 0.002), HFNEF (258 ± 108 vs. 175 ± 47gm, P < 0.001), and HFLEF (444 ± 136 vs. 259 ± 77 gm, P < 0.001) patients. The overestimation of mass by 2DE increased in patients with larger ventricular size. The use of 3DE to assess ventricular geometry resulted in reclassification of ventricular geometric patterns in 76% of patients with HFNEF and in 21% of patients with HFLEF. Conclusion: 2DE overestimates ventricular mass when compared to 3DE among patients with heart failure with both normal and low ejection fractions and leads to significant misclassification of ventricular geometry in many heart failure patients. (Echocardiography 2010;27:223-229)
The CIC-EJC as a model for management of Internet-accessible e-journals

Introduces the Committee on Institutional Co‐operation and the principles upon which it is founded. Shows how this collaboration has been able to develop a successful electronic journal collection. Outlines the state of provision before the project and describes the attempts to address this including a predecessor to the collection. Pesents an overview of the system, its challenges and limitations.
ISI's Participation in the Romanian-English Alignment Task

We discuss results on the shared task of Romanian-English word alignment. The baseline technique is that of symmetrizing two word alignments automatically generated using IBM Model 4. A simple vocabulary reduction technique results in an improvement in performance. We also report on a new alignment model and a new training algorithm based on alternating maximization of likelihood with minimization of error rate.
Analysis of carbohydrates by atmospheric pressure chloride anion attachment tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract The ability to characterize oligosaccharides directly in complex mixtures would greatly benefit many research efforts focused on the development of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass. We report here on the utility of chloride anion attachment in atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry for MW determination and structural elucidation of several mono-, di- and oligosaccharides directly without sample pretreatment or derivatization. Chloride anion forms stable adducts with these sugars upon ESI or APCI, which can be readily identified due to the chlorine isotope pattern. Fragment anions or other product anions are usually not observed, which is beneficial for mixture analysis. Upon collisional activation in MS2 experiments, these adducts readily lose HCl, which helps verify the molecular weight of each analyte. Isolating the resulting anion and subjecting it to further collision-activated dissociation experiments (MSn; n = 3–4) until no ion signal remains yields useful structural information. Examination of equimolar mixtures of mono-, di- and oligosaccharides and mixtures of enzymatically digested biomass demonstrates the ability of this methodology to ionize all the components of the mixtures without bias and with nearly equal efficiency.
A Craniotomy Surgery Procedure for Chronic Brain Imaging

Imaging techniques are becoming increasingly important in the study brain function. Among them, two-photon laser scanning microscopy has emerged as an extremely useful method, because it allows the study of the live intact brain. With appropriate preparations, this technique allows the observation of the same cortical area chronically, from minutes to months. In this video, we show a preparation for chronic in vivo imaging of the brain using two-photon microscopy. This technique was initially pioneered by Dr. Karel Svoboda, who is now a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator at Janelia Farm. Preparations like the one shown here can be used for imaging of neocortical structure (e.g., dendritic and axonal dynamics), to record neuronal activity using calcium-sensitive dyes, to image cortical blood flow dynamics, or for intrinsic optical imaging studies. Deep imaging of the neocortex is possible with optimal cranial window surgeries. Operating under the most sterile conditions possible to avoid infections, together with using extreme care to do not damage the dura mater during the surgery, will result in successful and long-lasting glass-covered cranial windows.
Stalinism and the Demise of Old Siberia

James Hughes, Stalinism in a Russian Province: Collectivization and Dekulakization in Siberia. New York: St Martin's Press, 1996, xv, 271 pp. + tables, maps, documents. Valentin Rasputin, Siberia, Siberia. Translated with introduction by Margaret Winchell and Gerald Mikkelson. Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press, 1996, vi, 438 pp. + photographs, bibliography of Western scholarship. Vasily Shukshin, Stories from a Siberian Village. Translated by Laura Michael and John Givens. Foreword by Kathleen Parthe. Introduction by John Givens. DeKalb: Northern Illinois Press, xlviii, 256 pp.
IMPACT OF 'ADVERSE SELECTION' ON MANAGERS' PROJECT EVALUATION DECISIONS

Agency theory can be used to explain decisions to continue a failing project. The results of a decision-making experiment provide empirical support for the proposition that when the conditions for adverse selection exist-an agent has private information and an incentive to shirk-such decisions, apparently irrational from a principal's perspective, may be rational from the agent's perspective. The traditional approach to rational decision making derived from economic theory assumes a firm's managers will reach decisions that maximize the profitability of their firms. Managers should invest resources in the projects projected to provide the greatest profits to a firm and then periodically evaluate the economic performance of those projects. They should continue the projects projected to be profitable and, to avoid losses, discontinue those projected to be unprofitable (Horngren & Foster, 1991: 366-380).1 Prior research has provided empirical support for the proposition that managers who initiate projects that become unprofitable are more likely to continue supporting those projects than managers who did not initiate them (Arkes & Blumer, 1985; Staw, 1976, 1981; Staw & Fox, 1977; Staw & Ross, 1978). The rationale given for this seemingly irrational behavior is that the
The ‘Return to Home’: The Musical Construction of a Common Trope in New Turkish Cinema

This article explores the musical component of a trope common in the films of the New Turkish Cinema. Examining scenes from four films, it outlines the dialectical struggle between the competing foci of identity enacted through the juxtaposition of urban and rural spaces, Eastern and Western socio-cultural signs, and the reclamation of a lost past. Of central importance is the treatment of how the musical scores tends to construct presentations that are paradoxical and often undo the nostalgia of these moments and how this affects the import of these moments in Turkish social life.
A study of extraneuronal uptake of norepinephrine in the perfused heart of the guinea-pig☆

Abstract Guinea-pig hearts were perfused with large doses of norepinephrine (40 μg/ml) for 10 min and studied for localization of the amine by a histofluorescence method. Uptake of norepinephrine in the atria and ventricles was found to be localized primarily in 5 sites: adrenergic nerves, arterial smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, connective tissue fibers and interstitial cells which were identified as fibroblasts. Various agents were tested for their influence on norepinephrine uptake by first perfusion for 15 min followed by both norepinephrine and the drug for another 10 min. Those drugs that inhibited or reduced uptake of norepinephrine into vascular smooth muscle and fibroblasts were phenoxybenzamine, normetanephrine, metanephrine, guanethidine, bretylium, xylocholine (TM-10) and phentolamine. These drugs did not appear to have an effect on uptake of norepinephrine in adrenergic nerves, cardiac muscle or connective tissue. Drugs that had no effect on uptake of norepinephrine were MJ 1999, tranylcypromine, U-0521, α-methyl tyrosine, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid and tyrosine. Animals were also chronically treated with thyroxine, estradiol and prednisone. Only thyroxine-treated hearts showed a marked inhibitory effect on the uptake of norepinephrine in the fibroblasts and vascular smooth muscle. It is proposed that thyroid hormone increases the availability of catecholamine by extraneuronal inhibition of monoamine uptake by fibroblasts and blood vessels. It is suggested that fibroblasts and vascular muscle constitutes major sites for extraneuronal uptake and metabolism of catecholamines.
DISTRIBUTION AND TURNOVER OF OCTOPAMINE IN TISSUES

— Octopamine is a normally occurring amine in several species of animals. Particularly high concentrations are found in the crustacean central nerve cord. In the rat it is specifically localized to sympathetic nerve endings, has a subcellular distribution similar to that of norepinephrine, and is asymmetrically distributed in the CNS. It has a turnover rate in heart about six times that of norepinephrine. The physiological role of octopamine has not been established but it appears likely that it is a cotransmitter together with norepinephrine in the peripheral sympathetic nervous system.
Daily Variation in Adolescents' Sleep, Activities, and Psychological Well-Being

The daily diary method was employed to examine the daily dynamics of adolescent sleep time, activities, and psychological well being among an ethnically diverse sample of over 750 adolescents approximately 14 to 15 years of age. Studying and stressful demands during the day were modestly but consistently associated with less sleep that evening. Receiving less sleep at night, in turn, was modestly but consistently related to higher levels of anxiety, depressive feelings, and fatigue during the following day. In addition, the daily variability in adolescents’ sleep time was notable and just as important for the youths’ average levels of daily psychological well being as was the average amount of time spent sleeping each night. A small number of ethnic and gender differences emerged in the dynamics of adolescent sleep, activities, and well being. Discussion focuses on the importance of examining daily variability in adolescents’ sleep behaviors in order to better understand the implications of sleep for adolescent well being and development.
Microvesicles: from “dust to crown”

Comment on Martinez et al, page [3012][1] In this issue of Blood, Martinez and colleagues report that Hedgehog (Hh) membrane–anchored morphogens that are associated with microvesicles (MVs) shed from activated T lymphocytes induce megakaryocytic differentiation of K562 cells, as well as
Blooms of surf-zone diatoms along the coast of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. I. Physiological investigations of Chaetoceros armatum and Asterionella socialis in laboratory cultures

Two species of diatoms, Chaetoceros armatum T. West and Asterionella socialis Lewin and Norris, which account for virtually all of the plant biomass present in the surf zone along the Olympic Peninsula (USA), have been isolated and grown in culture, and comparisons have been made with respect to their physiological behavior in response to aeration, light, temperature, salinity, and nutrients. A. socialis displayed the greater maximum growth rate under most situations, which would give this species a natural advantage over C. armatum. However, in the natural habitat, C. armalum is by far the more important of the two, since the blooms often consist of almost pure stands of this species. This may be due to its apparent ability to use low light levels more efficiently. The maximum growth rate of C. armatum was reached at light levels of 750 to 1000 lux in cultures, whereas A. socialis required a higher light intensity (4000 lux) for maximum growth. C. armatum did not produce its mucilage envelope under any culture conditions. Such a mucilage envelope, with its accompanying clay particles, is invariably present surrounding the diatom chains when they are collected from the natural habitat. The absence of the mucilage envelope (and clay particles) may explain the peculiarities of iron nutrition which were observed in culture experiments, i.e., a dependence on the presence of iron as NaFe-EDTA or ferric citrate, and failure to utilize ferric choloride as a source of Fe for growth.
The Impact of Gender and Religion on College Students’ Spring Break Behavior

The authors investigated the influence of gender and religion on health-risk behavior potentials and destination-related expectations of college students on spring break vacation using a random sample of 534 students from two U.S. universities. Results indicated that gender and religion had a significant impact on students’ potential to engage in health-risk behaviors during spring break as well as their choice of spring break destinations and their expectations for hospitality service quality and characteristics of the destinations. Important social marketing and public policy implications for the tourism and hospitality industry are discussed.
Experimental Investigation of the Thermal Performance of Piezoelectric Fans

Piezoelectric fans are investigated as a cooling technology for the thermal management of electronic devices. Flow visualization experiments are conducted to better understand the physics of fan operation. Prototypes of the fans are built and tested to assess their feasibility and cooling performance and determine optimal locations for the fans. An enclosure the size of a cellular phone and a commercially available laptop computer are used to demonstrate the cooling feasibility of the fans. Piezoelectric fans are found to offer significant localized cooling, exceeding enhancements in convective heat transfer coefficients of 100%, while exhibiting low power consumption, minimal noise, and small dimensions. Performance metrics for piezoelectric fans should be based on heat transfer characteristics, such as the percent increase in the heat transfer coefficient of the system. Optimization techniques that maximize the electromechanical coupling factor (EMCF) can be used to design efficient fans.
Parallel kinetic resolution approach to the cyathane and cyanthiwigin diterpenes using a cyclopropanation/Cope rearrangement.

Traditional (“simple”) kinetic resolution (KR) enables the separation of an equal mixture of enantiomers (e.g. E(R) and E(S), Figure 1) based on a difference in the reaction rate of each enantiomer with a single chiral reagent (i.e. kE(R) ≠ kE(S)).[1] In the ideal case, one enantiomer (e.g. E(R)) undergoes complete conversion into a product (P(R)), whereas the other enantiomer (E(S)) remains unchanged. In the best case scenario, both the product (P(R)) and the unchanged enantiomer (E(S)) are obtained enantiomerically pure.[2] An alternative to KR, which circumvents many of its challenges (e.g. concentration effects and requisite high selectivity factors)[3] is parallel kinetic resolution (PKR; see Figure 1).[4] In PKR, both enantiomers react efficiently with a chiral reagent, but are converted into products that are not enantiomers.
Specific organic components as tracers of contaminated fine sediment dispersal in Lake Ontario near Toronto

Bottom sediments around the outfall of the Humber Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), which, with the Humber River, comprises the major contaminant point source emptying into Humber Bay, Lake Ontario, were analyzed for a number of cultural and industrial organic contaminants, including sewage-related compounds such as the faecal sterol coprostanol, α-tocopheryl acetate (α-TA), linear-chain n-alkane hydrocarbons, and carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of refractory sediment organic matter. The goal was to test these chemical markers as tracers of contaminated fine sediment transport. Although these chemical species are not all conservative (some decompose at fairly rapid rates), they are believed to be good ‘natural’ tags for fine sediment and should nonetheless exhibit clear dispersal plumes from a presumed source. Their plumes can thus provide an effective way to obtain qualitative, intermediate- and long-term transport pathway indicators for contaminated sediments discharged on a continuing basis. The contoured plots for coprostanol, alpha-tocopheryl acetate, and n-alkane distribution were characterized by high values near the STP outfall, and these tracers were detectable at distances of 1 km or more. Interpretation of the net transport patterns indicates a primary transport toward the south and southwest, with a secondary trend northward, curving eastward. The carbon and nitrogen ratios, while showing a slightly different pattern, served to differentiate STP-source materials from those coming from the river and the open lake. Thus, transport from these sources, sometimes in the opposite direction to that from the main source, were resolved. Systematic variations in the interpreted transport patterns are explained by the presence of different pathways taken by the sediments, i.e. whether bedload or suspended load in a stratified water column.
Teachers and Shared Decision Making: The Costs and Benefits of Involvement:

The authors conducted a study of teachers' perceptions of the potential costs and benefits of involvement in school decision making. The teachers interviewed rated the potential costs of decision making involvement as low and the potential benefits as high. Nevertheless, many were hesitant to become involved because they saw little possibility that their involvement would actually make a difference.
A new spectrophotometric method to quantify dissolved manganese in marine pore waters

Abstract This study explores the use of Cadmium (II) meso -Tetrakis(4-sulfophenyl) porphyrin complex (Cd-TSPP) as an indicator for the spectrophotometric determination of dissolved manganese (II) in pore waters from marine sediments. Both single absorbance and second derivative based methods were evaluated with a multifunctional plate reader. Cd-TSPP has a maximum absorbance at 433 nm in solution, but the core Cd(II) ion in the complex can be quickly replaced by Mn(II) at pH 4–8 to form a new Mn porphyrin complex (Mn-TSPP) with maximum absorbance at 469 nm. The absorbance of Mn-TSPP at 469 nm and its second derivative spectra at the same wavelength show excellent linear relationships with Mn(II) concentrations (R 2 = 0.997 and R 2 = 0.999, respectively) in the 0–37.5 μM range for 200 μL samples. The detection limits using single absorbance and the second derivative are 0.4 and 0.3 μM Mn(II), respectively. A correction subtracting reference absorbance at 490 nm from 469 nm signal was required in the single absorbance approach in order to eliminate the effect of baseline fluctuations. In contrast, the second derivative approach shows higher selectivity, accuracy and precision for Mn(II) determination in pore water. The reaction is not affected by pH (4–8) or salinity but is temperature sensitive in the range of 10–45 °C with an activation energy of 22.12 kJ mol −1 . No interferences from metal ions such as Pb(II), Cu(II), Fe(II), Zn(II) etc. were found. The proposed method, which is rapid and suitable for small size samples, was successfully applied to the determination of Mn(II) in pore water.
Assessment of Degree-2 Zonal Gravitational Changes from GRACE, Earth Rotation, Climate Models, and Satellite Laser Ranging

Four independent time series of degree-2 zonal gravitational variations ΔC20 are compared for the period April 2002 to February 2008. We examine estimates from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), Earth rotation variations, climate models (AOW), and satellite laser ranging (SLR). At the annual period, all ΔC20 estimates agree remarkably well, and good correlation is found among these time series at nonseasonal time scales as well. SLR and AOW ΔC20 time series show the best agreement in a broad band of frequencies with the maximum cross-correlation coefficient of 0.86 at nonseasonal time scales. GRACE monthly ΔC20 estimates are subject to significant aliasing effects due to errors in high-frequency tide models, especially the S2 and K2 tides. Correctly removing winds and ocean currents and other motion related excitations from length-of-day (LOD) observations plays a key role in estimating ΔC20 from LOD, especially at interannual or longer time scales.
Extracellular diffusion in laminar brain structures exemplified by hippocampus

Numerous brain structures are composed of distinct layers and such stratification has a profound effect on extracellular diffusion transport in these structures. We have derived a more general form of diffusion equation incorporating inhomogeneities in both the extracellular volume fraction (α) and diffusion permeability (θ). A numerical solution of this equation for a special case of layered environment was employed to analyze diffusion in the CA1 region of hippocampus where stratum pyramidale occupied by the bodies of principal neurons is flanked by stratum radiatum and stratum oriens. Extracellular diffusion in the CA1 region was measured in vitro by real-time iontophoretic and real-time pressure methods, and numerical analysis found that stratum pyramidale had a significantly smaller extracellular volume fraction (α = 0.127) and lower diffusion permeability (θ = 0.327) than the other two layers (α = 0.218, θ = 0.447). Stratum pyramidale thus functioned as a diffusion barrier for molecules attempting to cross it. We also demonstrate that unless the detailed properties of all layers are taken into account when diffusion experiments are interpreted, the extracted apparent parameters of the extracellular space lose their physical meaning and capacity to describe any individual layer. Such apparent parameters depend on diffusion distance and direction, giving a false impression of microscopic anisotropy and non-Gaussian behavior. This finding has implications for all diffusion mediated physiological processes as well as for other diffusion methods including integrative optical imaging and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.
Ghrelin and feeding behaviour in preterm infants

The importance of early life events in the development of metabolic diseases is well recognized. Early postnatal environment, including nutrition, is key to future health, and this is particularly true for preterm infants. It is important that these infants receive sufficient nutrients to prevent growth restriction and promote neurodevelopment, while minimizing predisposition to metabolic diseases later in life. Feeding habits are the fundamental elements of nutrition and are influenced by many factors, including personal and familial habits, socioeconomic status, and cultural environment. In the last decades, there has been an important scientific interest toward the comprehension of the molecular and neural mechanisms regulating appetite. In these networks, act many peptide hormones produced in brain or gut, among which ghrelin is important because of its action in the short-term regulation of food intake and the long-term regulation of body weight. Ghrelin stimulates appetite and plays a role in regulating feeding behaviour. Ghrelin levels vary from fetal life through to early adulthood, with the highest levels observed in the very early years. Cord ghrelin levels have been evaluated in term and preterm newborns and high ghrelin levels have been observed in small-for-gestational age newborns and in newborns with intrauterine growth restriction. Moreover, ghrelin has been detected in term and preterm human breast milk, suggesting that it may play a role in the development of neuroendocrine pathways regulating appetite and energy homeostasis in early life. However, more research is required to better define ghrelin's role in breast milk and on feeding behaviour.