cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Family communication patterns, family environment, and the impact of parental alcoholism on offspring self-esteem:

This study examined the role of perceptions of family environment and family communication as mediators of the effects of parental alcoholism on the self-esteem of adult children of alcoholics. Participants (N = 227) completed self-reports of parental alcoholism, family environment, family communication patterns (FCP), and self-esteem. Results indicated a negative relationship between the seriousness of both maternal and paternal alcoholism and self-esteem. Paternal and maternal alcoholism were related to the two dimensions of family environment, family stressors and parental disregard, although the effect for paternal alcoholism was larger. The relationship between maternal alcoholism and offspring self-esteem was partially mediated by parental disregard, whereas the relationship between paternal alcoholism and self-esteem was mediated by parental disregard and perceptions of a conversation-orientation FCP.
Perturbative analytical study of long-pulse free-electron lasers: Mode competition for a high-gain Compton regime

The mode competition in a long-pulse free-electron laser operating in a high-gain Compton regime is analyzed. Due to the strong crossed saturation, a dominant mode is able to suppress competing modes, leading to single-mode operation. This is explicitly shown by a stability analysis of the system of coupled integrodifferential equations describing the evolution of two competing modes, of which only one survives at saturation. In the course of the study the radiation field evolution in the small-signal regime is treated in a unified manner for low and high gain.
Stability of arc lower crust: Insights from the Talkeetna arc section, south central Alaska, and the seismic structure of modern arcs

[1] One process for the formation of continental crust is the accretion of arc terranes at continental margins. A longstanding problem with this model is that although the composition of the continental crust is andesitic, the majority of arc lavas are basaltic. Moreover, those arc lavas that are andesitic tend to be evolved (lower Mg #) compared to the continental crust. Continental crust can be produced through mixing of basaltic and silicic arc lava compositions, assuming that mafic cumulates formed during generation of the silicic component are removed. If these cumulates are denser than the underlying mantle, removal can occur via foundering of lower arc crust. Indeed, field observations of the Talkeetna arc section in south central Alaska, combined with modeling of fractionation in primitive arc magmas, suggest that large amounts of primitive gabbronorite and pyroxenite are missing from the lower crust. Using rock compositions from the Talkeetna section and the free energy minimization program Perple_X, we calculated equilibrium mineral assemblages for a range of gabbroic and ultramafic compositions at P, T, oxygen fugacity (fO2), and H2O contents appropriate for arc lower crust. The quartz-olivine-garnet-free mineral assemblage found in the Talkeetna gabbronorites (and in the similar Kohistan section in Pakistan) defines a narrow range of fO2 centered on NNO+2 (±1 log unit). Predicted mineral assemblages calculated under these conditions were used to estimate the density and seismic structure of the arc lower crust. We find that the missing gabbroic and ultramafic rocks from the Talkeetna section were likely denser than the underlying mantle, while the gabbronorites that remain are either neutrally or slightly positively buoyant. Generalizing, we show that lower crustal Vp > 7.4 km/s in modern arcs is indicative of lower crust that is convectively unstable relative to the underlying mantle. However, most lower crust in modern arcs is observed to have Vp < 7.4 km/s, implying that gravitationally unstable material must founder rapidly on geologic timescales, or high Vp plutonic rocks crystallize beneath the Moho.
Endoscopic appearance of Mycobacterium genavense: case report and review of the literature

Mycobacter ia are a f requen t cause of infection in pa t ien ts wi th acquired immunodef ic iency syndrome (AIDS). M y c o b a c t e r i u m tubercu los i s , the most common mycobacter ia l pathogen, is seen at all levels of immunosuppress ion , bu t usua l ly does not involve the gas t ro in tes t ina l tract.1 The most common mycobacter ia involving the gas t ro in tes t ina l t r ac t is Mycobac te r i u m a v i u m i n t r a c e l l u l a r e complex (MAC). 1 The clinical syndrome of d i s semina ted MAC infection is charac te r ized by anorexia, weight loss, d iar rhea , l y m p h a d e n o p a t h y and, f requent ly , l iver funct ion abnormali t ies . M y c o b a c t e r i u m g e n a v e n s e is a newly recognized mycobac te r ium t h a t resembles d i ssemina ted MAC but appears to have a par t i cu la r propens i ty for the gas t ro in tes t ina l tract . 2, 3 We presen t a descript ion of the endoscopic appearance of the small bowel in an AIDS pa t ien t wi th d i ssemina ted M y c o b a c t e r i u m g e n a v e n s e .
Romantic Survival and Shelley's “Ode to the West Wind”

Scholarship on Percy Bysshe Shelley tends to assume a certain deconstructive logic at work in his poetry whereby destructions entail remainders, thereby guaranteeing futurity. In this article, I argue that if we take the historical allusions in “Ode to the West Wind” seriously, then we discover a notion of destruction that leaves behind no remainder whatsoever and thus threatens the future in a way more radical than a “constitutive threat” does. While working from “within” deconstructive readings of Shelley as rigorously as possible, I suggest not only that Shelley's poetry puts pressure on the deconstructive “to come,” but also that it portrays a type of absolute erasure that has remained unaccounted for by “deconstructive” and “historicist” readings of Shelley alike (both of which tend to assume that what is destroyed will haunt or remain in one way or another).
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Interactions with Nanoparticles Using Transmission Electron Microscopy

Respiratory Syncytial Virus is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children worldwide, with almost all children becoming infected by the age of 2 years. It is leading cause of bronchiolitis, pneumonia, mechanical ventilation, and respiratory failure in infants in the US. Nanoparticles have been gaining usage in medicine and biological application due to their size and other properties. Few studies have been done in their use as therapy. Silver nanoparticles have been shown to interact with surface protein of HIV virus. In the present study, we studied the interaction of nanoparticles with RSV using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). RSV has surface proteins F and G which are essential for RSV infection to host cells. Interaction or attachment of nanoparticles to the surface proteins of RSV opens up the possibility of preventing RSV infection to host cells. Human cell lines were infected with RSV and RSV incubated with nanoparticles for different time intervals. Samples were negatively stained and analysed using TEM. TEM studies showed RSV to be polymorphic with size ranging from 80-150 nm. Our initial results also indicate binding of nanoparticles (silver and gold) to RSV surface mainly the proteins present on RSV. Cells incubated with nanoparticles were also analyzed to determine endocytosis pathway. Ultrathin sections (5 nm) of the cells incubated with nanoparticles were cut and examined using TEM. Initial studies indicate presence of nanoparticles mainly in the vesicles of the cells. Work is currently on the way to determine the pathways of nanoparticle endocytosis by cell lines.
Mexico's Economic Crisis: Its Origins and Consequences

Preface Introduction Historical and Institutional Background The Drive Toward Industrialization The Exhaustion of the Mexican Growth Model The IMF Austerity Program, 1983-87: Miguel de la Madrid's Legacy Summary and Conclusions Bibliography Index
Hemodynamics of the upper extremities in subclavian steal syndrome.

Digital flow, digital artery systolic pressure, resistance, pulse volume, pulse contour, and delay between right and left pulses were evaluated in the upper extremities of four patients with the subclavian steal syndrome. Studies were made preoperatively in all patients and following surgical reconstruction of the subclavian in three cases. Digital artery pressures were consistently lower on the side with the subclavian occlusion. Flow on the occluded side was equal to or higher than that in the opposite extremity except when a second, more distal occlusion was present. In each case there was a delay in the foot of the digital pulse on the occluded side and a more marked delay in the pulse peak. Distal to the occlusion the pulse amplitudes were decreased and the contours were abnormal. The amplitude of the digital pulse was markedly decreased with exercise of the affected extremity. The pulse delay and the disappearance of pulse in the radial artery during exercise previously described clinically has been...
Montesquieu and the concept of civil society

(1998). Montesquieu and the concept of civil society. The European Legacy: Vol. 3, No. 6, pp. 33-41.
Synthesis and Characterization of Oligonucleotides Containing 5-Chlorocytosine

Recent studies have shown that reactive chlorine species, derived from myeloperoxidase-mediated inflammation responses, can modify DNA bases, generating 5-chloropyrimidines. The chlorinated adducts could be mutagenic or perturb DNA-protein interactions; however, the biological significance of these adducts is as yet unknown. We report here a method for the synthesis of 5-chlorocytosine- (ClC-) containing oligonucleotides that will be used in subsequent biochemical and biophysical studies to determine the consequences of pyrimidine chlorination. The ClC-phosphoramidite synthon is obtained by chlorination of 2'-deoxyuridine followed by conversion to the O(4)-ethyl analogue. The amino group needed to form the corresponding cytosine derivative is added by displacement of the O(4)-ethyl group during ammonia deprotection. A battery of methods, including mass spectrometry, has been used to characterize oligonucleotides containing ClC. Following oligonucleotide synthesis and deprotection, only trace amounts of the deamination product 5-chlorouracil can be detected by enzymatic cleavage of duplex oligonucleotides with the mispaired uracil glycosylase, MUG. In contrast to previous reports, we find that ClC is more stable in DNA than anticipated. Approximately 20% ClC is lost under standard formic acid hydrolysis conditions (88% formic acid, 140 degrees C, 30 min), while only 5% is recovered as 5-chlorouracil (ClU).
Dopamine antagonists alter response allocation but do not suppress appetite for food in rats: contrast between the effects of SKF 83566, raclopride, and fenfluramine on a concurrent choice task

Rationale: Dopamine is important for enabling organisms to overcome work-related response costs. One way of investigating this function has been with concurrent choice procedures using food reinforcement. In the present study, rats were given a choice between pressing a lever for preferred Bioserve pellets, or approaching and consuming a less-preferred laboratory chow that was concurrently available. In previous work with this task, dopamine antagonists and accumbens dopamine depletions decreased lever pressing but increased chow consumption. Objective: The present study assessed three drugs (two dopamine antagonists and one appetite suppressant) using the lever pressing/chow feeding task. Results: Under baseline conditions, rats pressed the lever at high rates (1,300–1,500 responses) to obtain the preferred food, and little of the laboratory chow was eaten (1–2 g). Selective D1 and D2 antagonists (SKF 83566 and raclopride) reduced fixed ratio 5 lever pressing, but substantially increased chow consumption. In contrast, the serotonergic appetite suppressant fenfluramine reduced both lever pressing and chow consumption. With the dopamine antagonists, lever pressing and chow consumption were inversely correlated across treatments, while these two measures were unrelated in the fenfluramine experiment. Conclusions: Dopamine antagonists and accumbens dopamine depletions do not simply reduce appetite. Rats with accumbens dopamine depletions, or rats treated with low doses of selective or non-selective dopamine antagonists, remain directed toward the acquisition and consumption of food. These results demonstrate that fundamental aspects of food reinforcement are left intact after treatment with low doses of dopamine antagonists.
Quasi-static modeling of delamination crack propagation in laminates subjected to low-velocity impact

Abstract The quasi-static characteristics of impact responses and impact-induced delamination crack propagation in [90 5 /0 5 /90 5 ] graphite/epoxy laminates subjected to low-velocity heavy mass impact have been investigated. A one-degree-of-freedom spring-mass model was used to predict the contact force history. The peak contact force was then used in conjunction with a linear beam model to calculate the strain-energy release rate. The delamination size was obtained when the strain-energy release rate reached interlaminar fracture toughness. The predicted delamination size agreed very well with the experimental result.
Negative Effect of Gastric Juice Administered Intravenously to Patients with Pernicious Anemia

ConclusionNormal, whole, neutralized gastric juice which had been passed through a Berkefeld V filter and administered intravenously to patients with pernicious anemia does not produce a hematologic response probably because there is no extrinsic factor as such in the parenteral tissues to provide a substrate for interaction.
Measurement of dominant eigenvalues in cracked body problems

A refined optimal method consisting of the tandem application of frozen stress photoelasticity and high density moire interferometry for studying three dimensional effects in cracked bodies is briefly reviewed. It is then employed to measure the dominant eigenvalue at the right angle intersection of a straight front crack with a free surface under mode I loading. The variation of the eigenvalue through a transition zone near the free surface is also determined. The free surface result is found to be in agreement with analytical results.
Intracellular calcium signalling in peripheral cells of patients with bipolar affective disorder

Consistent with previous studies, elevated free intracellular calcium ion concentrations ([Ca2+]i) were found in blood platelets and lymphocytes of patients with mania and bipolar depression. Incubation with an ultrafiltrate of plasma from patients with bipolar illness had no effect on intracellular calcium ion concentration in platelets from normal subjects, suggesting that elevated [Ca2+]i is not due to a circulating factor. As was true in an earlier study of the effect of lithium on platelets, incubation with therapeutic levels of carbamazepine lowered [Ca2+]i in lymhocytes from affectively ill patients but not controls. Increased [Ca2+]i in peripheral cells may reflect a diffuse change in cellular homeostasis and may contribute to mixtures as well as rapid alternations of activity of affective, behavioral and physiologic systems in bipolar illness. Correction of the abnormality may at least be a marker of a relevant therapeutic action if it is not the action itself.
Investigation of an Anomaly Observed in Impedance Eduction Techniques

An intensive investigation into the cause of anomalous behavior commonly observed in impedance eduction techniques is performed. The investigation consists of grid refinement studies, detailed evaluation of results at and near anti-resonance frequencies, comparisons of different model results with synthesized and measured data, assessment or optimization techniques, and evaluation or boundary condition effects. Results show that the root cause of the anomalous behavior is the sensitivity of the educed impedance to small errors in the measured termination resistance at frequencies near anti-resonance or cut-on of a higher-order mode. Evidence is presented to show that the common usage of an anechoic, plane wave termination boundary condition in ducts where the "true" termination is reflective may act as a trigger for these anomalies. Replacing the exit impedance boundary condition by an exit pressure condition is shown to reduce the anomalous results.
Analysis, Design, and Testing of a Control System for an Air Turbine Rotor Drive

This work details the development and implementation of a control system to regulate the speed of a magnetically-suspended rotor and flywheel. Development began with the installation of an electronic flow control valve and all instrumentation needed to measure rotor response. Once all hardware was in place, a simulation model of the system, consisting of actuator (electronic valve) and plant (air turbine magnetic bearings, rotor and flywheel), was created. This model was developed using system identification techniques where a step input is applied to the plant and its response is measured. A transfer function of the plant was derived from these tests, and it relates volumetric flow rate of air to rotor speed and uses variable coefficients. Using this model, a control system was developed and experimentally evaluated, with good results.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
A qualitative skin layer formation mechanism for membranes made by dry/wet phase inversion

Optimized membranes made by a dry/wet phase inversion process using forced-convective evaporation consist of an ultrathin and pore-free skin layer supported by a nodular transition layer underlying open-cell, sponge-like substructure. It is suggested that the out-ermost region of such case membranes undergo phase separation by spinodal decomposition in the initial stages of the evaporation process. As a result of the small scale of phase separation present in polymer‒solvent systems, an appreciable capillary pressure occurs in the interstitial space filled with the polymer-poor phase in contact with air. The resulting force acts normal to the membrane–air interface, which tends to consolidate the polymer-rich phase to form a nonporous surface layer. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Structural Complexity Associated with Transfer Zone: An Example from Southern Appalachians: ABSTRACT

Transfer zones provide a mechanism by which displacement is maintained across a fold and thrust belt where a single thrust terminates along strike. Commonly, the transfer is not simply a "lap joint" wherein en echelon thrusts, tied to a common sole fault, shift displacement; rather, these zones are structurally complex with intensified folding, fracturing, and, in some instances, cleavage. An example occurs in the Valley and Ridge of eastern Tennessee, northeast of Knoxville. There, the Beaver Valley thrust terminates into folded Middle Ordovician carbonates. To the southeast, the adjacent Saltville thrust increases in stratigraphic separation, coinciding with the Beaver Valley termination. The Saltville places Lower Cambrian strata on Mississippian units northeast of the fault termination, whereas the Lower Cambrian rests on Cambrian-Ordovician rocks only 20 km to the southwest. Near its tip, the Beaver Valley thrust shows little displacement, but the loss of slip is accompanied by intensified folding. The folding traces an anticlinorium involving Middle and Upper Ordovician carbonates and shales. These folded rocks are broken by fractures and extensional veins, commonly filled with sparry twinned calcite, and ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 mm wide. One set of veins is generally normal to bedding with a second set oblique; in some cases, three sets cut the rock. Also, Middle Ordovician carbonates carry an axial planar solution cleavage, and catacalcites are locally developed, particularly in dolostones of the Cambrian-Ordovician Knox Group. A set of folds, the axes of which are oblique to transport direction, occurs across the transfer zone; they are often found in he footwall of a thrust. The complex structural geometries in these thrust sheets suggest contradictory timing relationships. The contradiction is explained if the two faults are envisioned as propagating from initial breaks, then growing toward one another contemporaneously. This example demonstrates the potential complexity of a transfer zone, as well as the possibility of apparent local variation in fault sequence in a generally hinterland to foreland progression of emplacement. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1440------------
Tautomerization in the formation and collision-induced dissociation of alkali metal cation-cytosine complexes.

Noncovalent interactions between alkali metal cations and the various low-energy tautomeric forms of cytosine are investigated both experimentally and theoretically. Threshold collision-induced dissociation (CID) of M+(cytosine) complexes with Xe is studied using guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometry, where M+ = Li+, Na+, and K+. In all cases, the only dissociation pathway observed corresponds to endothermic loss of the intact cytosine molecule. The cross-section thresholds are interpreted to yield 0 and 298 K bond dissociation energies (BDEs) for the M+(cytosine) complexes after accounting for the effects of multiple ion-neutral collisions, the kinetic and internal energy distributions of the reactants, and dissociation lifetimes. Ab initio calculations are performed at the MP2(full)/6-31G* level of theory to determine the structures of the neutral cytosine tautomers, the M+(cytosine) complexes, and the TSs for unimolecular tautomerization. The molecular parameters derived from these structures are employed for the calculation of the unimolecular rates for tautomerization and the thermochemical analysis of the experimental data. Theoretical BDEs of the various M+(cytosine) complexes and the energy barriers for the unimolecular tautomerization of these complexes are determined at MP2(full)/6-311+G(2d,2p) level of theory using the MP2(full)/6-31G* optimized geometries. In addition, BDEs for the Li+(cytosine) complexes are also determined at the G3 level of theory. Based upon the tautomeric mixture generated upon thermal vaporization of cytosine, calculated M+–cytosine BDEs and barriers to tautomerization for the low-energy tautomeric forms of M+(cytosine), and measured thresholds for CID of M+(cytosine) complexes, we conclude that tautomerization occurs during both complex formation and CID.
TU-D-L100J-08: Image Quality Enhancement in MVCT Scanning

Purpose: TomoTherapy uses Megavoltage CT (MVCT) to verify patient position and alignment prior to treatment and it is usually good enough to verify the patient's position and anatomy prior to treatment. However, sometimes, a greater resolution and contrast in patient images obtained by the MVCT scan would be beneficial in verifying patient anatomy and set‐up. The effects of changing different machine parameters and consequently the signal to noise ratio (SNR) had on MVCT image quality and resolution were studied. Method and Materials: The machine parameters were changed in two ways and their effects on MVCT image quality were studied, first by imaging with different doses, and then with different beam energies. A cylindrical phantom with a resolution plug (different size holes) was scanned. The machine pulse amplitude control (PAC) value was varied in intervals to adjust delivered dose and the resulting images were analyzed. CTDI measurements were then made at each of the varying PAC values. A Catphan phantom was imaged to measure low contrastvisibility, uniformity, and spatial resolution. Next, the injector current (INJI) was changed to modify the MVCT beam energy. The cylindrical phantom was scanned again and the Catphan phantom tests were repeated Results: Increasing the PAC value leads to an increase in dose. In observing the images that were taken, it can be see that the resolution and quality of the image improves as the PAC value is increased. Also the low contrastvisibility and uniformity of the images improve. The images were not noticeably improved as much for changes to INJI as measured visually or by imaging tests. Conclusion: Slightly higher dose during a MVCT scan can improve the image quality and resolution for the TomoTherapy system. These observations will be used in future investigation of more complex imaging tasks to improve MVCT imaging.
Optimization of a Flow Injection Sampling System for Quantitative Analysis of Dilute Aqueous Solutions Using Combined Resonance and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERRS)

A flow injection sampling system to analyze dilute aqueous solutions by surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (SERRS) is described, and critical operating parameters are evaluated. A simple procedure for preparing a silver colloid, which is more homogeneous, stable, and SERS-active than that previously reported and does not require sedimentation, is presented. With the use of crystal violet (CV) as a model analyte, the flow injection system, a Raman micro-probe, and an optical multichannel analyzer (OMA) for detection, high-quality, highly reproducible (coefficient of variation = ±2.37% of mean) Raman spectra for 1 × 10−6 M solutions of CV were obtained in 1 min, and major spectral peaks were observable down to concentrations of 1 × 10−12 M (~4 × 10−19 g of material). SERRS enhancement and spectral quality were experimentally found to vary significantly with the method of Ag sol preparation and laser excitation wavelength. The system described can rapidly (1-240 s) provide quantitative as well as structural information about very dilute aqueous solutions.
The effect of price bundling on consumer perceptions of value

Examines the importance of delivering an all‐inclusive price bundle to consumers. A longitudinal study is conducted to test the role of expectations of both price and other costs (e.g. hassle, time spent) associated with a price bundle on perceptions of value across first‐time and repeat guests at an upscale resort/spa. The findings confirm that consumers consider more than just benefits (quality) and price when assessing value. Specifically, finds that providing an all‐inclusive price package, even if actual monetary outlay is higher, will significantly increase perceptions of value for first‐time consumers.
Can Public Schools Serve as Communication Networks for Community Disaster Medical Preparedness and Recovery? A Review

Abstract Objective To assess the feasibility of using public schools as communication nodes in communitymedical disaster preparedness and recovery. Methods To identify prior work, literature searches were conducted, primarily focusing on disastermedical preparedness and public schools. The literature review focused on the preceding 17 yearsof English language publications (1995 to April 2011). Major medical electronic data bases,such as Medline (included PubMed), Cochrane Collaboration Library, Communication and MediaComplete, Wiley Online Library, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied HealthLiterature) and U.S. states and federal government websites were queried, using MeSH terms.Relevant government and disaster response organizations websites were prescreened for theirapplicability to the research objectives. Based on established selection criteria, 33 publications andmaterials were selected and evaluated using a qualitative rating scale. Results Adequate experimental or empirical information describing the incorporation of schoolcommunication networks in the planning, recovery, and response for community medical disasterwas not found in the published literature. Information regarding individual school communicationand response plans were primarily located in websites, guidelines and documents published byvarious agencies, including states, federal government and individual national or internationaleducation agencies. This may suggest that, while many have found that their own programmaticneeds make it necessary for them to address the central question of this study, little systematicscholarly review or exchange between experts has taken place to date. Therefore, this article mayhelp fill a longstanding need in the emergency medical planning and response community and,by extension, even among state and federal EOP (Emergency Operations Plans) planners andmanagers.The crisis communications model, developed by the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention, was applied to address communication networks used by schools and communities
Low energy hydrogen and deuterium sputtering measurements of stainless steel, graphite, and beryllium oxide☆

Abstract The total erosion yields of 304 stainless steel by low energy hydrogen and deuterium have been determined by 4He ion backscattering spectroscopy at energies ranging from 0.33 to 9.0 keV. This experimental method determines the number of atoms removed by sputtering by measuring the change in depth of implanted Xe marker atoms. Data for 304 stainless steel are compared with the extensive published data obtained using the weight loss technique. The Xe marker method is used to make the first measurements of deuterium erosion on polycrystalline graphite. Deuterium erosion measurements of thermally-prepared oxide layers on Be were also made using 4He backscattering spectroscopy to determine directly the number of removed atoms. These new data for the sputtering yields of deuterium on carbon and BeO range from 0.016 to 0.052 atoms/ ion. A previously proposed semi-empirical curve derived from theory and fitted to existing physical sputtering data fits the stainless steel data quite well, but much of the existing carbon sputtering data using hydrogen and all of the results obtained here are substantially greater than predicted using the semi-empirical theory.
MAJOR SALIVARY GLAND FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH RADIATION- INDUCED XEROSTOMIA: FLOW RATES AND SIALOCHEMISTRY

Radiation therapy for cancer of the head and neck region often causes salivary gland dysfunction and xerostomia. Several reports suggest that the submandibular/sublingual (SM/SL) glands may be less radiosensitive than the parotid. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differential radiation effects on the major salivary glands. Fifty patients with radiation-induced xerostomia were evaluated (33 males, 17 females; mean age 52.7). The average total tumor dose was 6034 cGy. Major salivary gland function was compared with that of 50 non-irradiated controls. Salivary flow rates included unstimulated and stimulated flows of both the parotid and SM/SL glands. Sialochemical analyses included total protein, lysozyme, lactoferrin, sodium, chloride, and potassium. All four measures of salivary flow were significantly reduced in patients as compared to controls (p = .0001). Like the parotid, submandibular/sublingual gland dysfunction appears to be radiation dose- and field-dependent. Patients in the lowest radiation dose quartile ( or = 6800 cGy; p = .025). Glands that were partially irradiated were more likely to have some residual function than fully irradiated glands (p = .003). Lactoferrin content was increased in parotid saliva of radiation patients (p = .0001). Chloride content was significantly increased also (p = .0001). The SM/SL glands are clearly dysfunctional in post-irradiation xerostomia patients compared to controls, in terms of both flow rates and sialochemistry.
Simulation models and some applications to maintenance and repair systems

Simulation is one of the powerful techniques to study maintenance and repair phenomena. Perhaps the most compelling reason for the adoption of simulation has been the need to realistically model a complex environment. Simulation is quite sophisticated in that it enables various groups, activities, and resource mixes to be modelled. Further failure rates of systems and subsystems, repair times and equipment movement times can all be determined randomly based on input probability distributions. Simulation has a distinct advantage to conduct various trade-off studies like trade-offs between manpower requirements and component reliability and their effect on selection from various means.
A Molecular Mechanism for Synapse Elimination: Novel Inhibition of Locally Generated Thrombin Delays Synapse Loss in Neonatal Mouse Muscle

Abstract Activity-dependent, polyneuronal synapse elimination (ADPSE) is a programmed, regressive event in the development of the nervous system and readily studied at the neuromuscular junction, where it is complete 15–20 days after birth. Local excess, or imbalanced, protease activity is one of several possible underlying mechanisms. In this regard, thrombin mediates activity-dependent synapse loss in anin vitromodel of ADPSE. To test the involvement of thrombinin vivo,we locally applied the leech thrombin-specific inhibitor, hirudin. We monitored neuromuscular behavior, correlated with acetylcholinesterase and silver nitrate histochemistry at endplates, for changes in the timecourse ofin vivosynapse elimination and assayed both thrombin activity and prothrombin expression in developing muscle. Hirudin retarded elimination, without altering motor performance, uniquely at Postnatal Day 5 (P5) and maximally at P9. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed that neonatal muscle was a source of local prothrombin, with peak expression during the first week after birth. A specific chromogenic assay revealed that local thrombin, activated from muscle-derived prothrombin, peaked during maximal synapse remodeling.
Electron Microscopic Immunocytochemical Evidence for the Mechanism of Blood-Retinal Barrier Breakdown in Galactosemic Rats and its Association with Aldose Reductase Expression and Inhibition

Abstract Blood-retinal barrier (BRB) breakdown occurs in human diabetic retinopathy and can lead to significant loss of vision. The galactosemic rat serves as a model for human diabetic retinopathy and develops many of the same ocular complications, including BRB failure. Aldose reductase (AR), an enzyme in the polyol pathway, has been implicated in several of these complications. Electron microscopic immunocytochemical staining for albumin can be used to visualize extravasated albumin in control and galactosemic rats with and without AR inhibition to reveal the mechanism for galactosemia-related BRB failure without the use of tracer substances, and to determine whether AR activity influences this mechanism. Electron microscopic immunocytochemical labeling of AR can reveal the cellular distribution of AR in normal and galactosemic rat retina and determine whether a correlation exists between BRB breakdown and AR expression in cells that form or influence the BRB. Extravascular albumin is demonstrable as early as 2·5 months in galactosemic rats, which is prior to the presentation of ultrastructural changes. Albumin-positivity is visualized in retinal vascular endothelial (RVE) cell cytoplasm from galactosemic rats both diffusely and within vesicles, but it is not detected in comparably aged normal rat RVE cells or within the tight junctions of the RVE or RPE (the cells that form the BRB) in control or galactosemic rats, suggesting that BRB breakdown in galactosemic rats may be mediated through two mechanisms: a permeation of the RVE cell membrane leading to diffuse cytoplasmic positivity for albumin, and vesicular transport across the RVE. The AR inhibitor, sorbinil, prevents diffuse cytoplasmic staining of RVE cells, but not vesicular staining, implying that RVE membrane permeability may be altered by AR activity, but vesicle formation does not appear to be affected. AR was immunocytochemically demonstrated in some RVE cells from galactosemic rats, but not from controls. In perivascular astrocytes, which may influence the integrity of the inner BRB, AR labeling was augmented in galactosemic rats. Increased AR expression in RVE cells and perivascular astrocytes from galactosemic rats provides additional support for a role for AR in galactosemia-related BRB failure.
Hierarchical electromigration reliability diagnosis for VLSI interconnects

In this paper, we present a hierarchical reliability-driven CAD system for the design of electromigration resistant circuits. The top of the hierarchy aims at quickly identifying those critical interconnects with potential electromigration reliability problems. Then the detailed electromigration analysis of critical interconnects is carried out by an accurate and computationally efficient simulation tool (ITEM). This top-down approach provides a feasible solution to the complicated electromigration diagnosis problem.
Networks and bulletin board systems in government: Will they be the third computer revolution ?

This article reviews computer networking and other computer communication technologies. The positive and negative aspects of these new technologies are explored. Guidelines for interested practitioners are discussed. Important research issues are identified. Emphasis is given to organizational variables and their interaction with these new technologies.
Echocardiographically determined left ventricular structural and functional correlates of complex or frequent ventricular arrhythmias on one-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring.

Abstract The associations between 6 echocardtographic measurements and ventricular arrhythmias on 1-hour ambulatory electrocardiograms were evaluated in 3,348 subjects of the Framingham Heart Study who were free of symptomatic coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure and valvular heart disease and were not receiving diuretic drugs or other blood pressure or cardiac medications. Age-adjusted estimates of association between echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular (LV) structure and function and complex or frequent (Lown grade 2 or greater) ventricular arrhythmia were computed using logistic regression. In this bivariate model only LV internal diameter (systolic and diastolic) and fractional shortening were associated with arrhythmia in both sexes (p
NO EVIDENCE OF ACCOMMODATION IN THE EYES OF THE BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN, TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are aquatic mammals that must come to the surface to breathe. As a result, it might be expected that their eyes are adapted for both aerial and underwater vision. Earlier studies suggest that dolphins are emmetropic (i. e., focused at infinity) in water, and in some cases, emmetropic in air, although the mechanisms that permit these animals to see well in both media are not well understood. Nor is it known whether they can accommodate to focus sharply on objects at different distances. We employed video photoretinoscopy to investigate the possibility of an active accommodative mechanism in the eyes of the bottlenose dolphin in water. Measurements of the refractive state in water indicated near emmetropia for two individuals and slight myopia (nearsightedness) for the third individual. No clear cases of accommodation were observed underwater in any of the subjects examined. Vision underwater may be used to supplement echolocation. If so, such a role might not require an accommodative mechanism.
Content-addressable data storage by use of volume holograms

Data stored as volume holograms--optical interference patterns imprinted into a photosensitive storage material--can be accessed both by address and by content. An optical correlation-based search compares each input query against all stored records simultaneously, a massively parallel but inherently noisy analog process. With data encoding and signal postprocessing we demonstrate a holographic content-addressable data-storage system that searches digital data with high search fidelity.
Morphogenesis of opal teeth in calanoid copepods

Opal teeth of calanoid copepods develop early in the premolt phase of the molt cycle. They form in the apolysis space beneath the old tooth row on the mandibular gnathobase. We examined stages of tooth formation inNeocalanus spp. andCalanus pacificus. Apolysis occurs early in the distal gnathobase, then several epidermal cell types participate sequentially in formation of new teeth. Fibrous molds in the shapes of the new teeth are extruded onto the epidermal surface, then additional materials, probably proteinaceous, are secreted into them. Tooth molds next are linked to a gland in the proximal part of the gnathobase by ducts of an unusual type, “lamellar-walled ducts.” Silicification follows, apparently using highly osmiophilic material supplied by the proximal gland. Opal is laid down at the outer periphery of the mold then thickens toward the attachment of the mold to newly formed chitin at its base. During apolysis the epidermal cells move proximally without breaking ducts that connect small dermal glands with pores in the sides of the opal teeth. The molds for the new teeth form surrounding these ducts, and new pores result. The glands are like the ciliary exocrine glands seen in other Crustacea, with the duct deriving from fusion of the axonemes of a cilium. Presumably the glands secrete a substance into food newly broken by the teeth. This could be a toxin or a digestive enzyme.
Ultrasonic evaluation of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Summary The ultrasonic findings in 64 patients suspected of having an abdominal aortic aneurysm are described. 25 patients had aortic aneurysms, 16 of which were confirmed by aortography, surgery or autopsy. The ultrasonic diagnosis was accurate in 15 of the 16 (94%), and close correlation was found with measurement of size and assessment of the presence of mural thrombus. The procedure is a non-invasive and valuable one in the evaluation of abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Age-dependence of collagen tail fiber breaking strength in Sprague-Dawley and fischer 344 rats

Abstract There is logarithmic increase in tail fiber breaking strength with age in males of two rat strains: Sprague-Dawley, which have a shorter lifespan, and Fischer 344. Breaking strength of Sprague-Dawley rat tail collagen fibers doubled 1.7 times as fast as those of Fischer 344 rats. The doublings in breaking strength per month were 0.31 for Sprague-Dawley and 0.18 for Fischer 344 rats. These rates, plus a rate calculated from published data for Wistar rats, showed a strong correlation with maximum lifespan, but little correlation with average lifespan. The fiber section closest to the body took 1.2 times longer to break than the section nearest the tip. Storage of fibers in distilled water for 30 days was not detrimental to the determination of breaking strength. In Sprague-Dawley rats, if rats with tumors were not considered, the rate of doubling of breaking strength per month was 0.26, as compared to 0.31 for all animals. Consideration of the data for individual animals led to the suggestion that certain tumors might well be correlated with abnormally high fiber breaking time.
Factors of Breast Cancer Screening Among Korean Immigrants in the United States

The purpose of this paper is to assess breast cancer screening rates and explore factors related to all three measures of breast cancer screening, mammography, clinical breast examination (CBE), and breast self-examination (BSE), among Korean immigrants in the United States. A telephone survey was conducted with 189 Korean women aged 40 and older in Cook County, Illinois. Of this group, 78% had had a mammogram at some point, and 38.6% had had one within the previous year. Fifty-three percent had had a CBE, while 26.1% had had one within the previous year. Whereas 58.1% had examined their breasts before, 46.3% did monthly BSE. Korean women’s breast cancer screening rates are improving even though the rates are still lower than screening rates in the United States. Having a regular check-up and being married were strongly related to all three measures of cancer screening. Further in-depth research is suggested to understand KA women’s perspectives on having access to care.
The Gender Gap in Youth Sports: Too Many Urban Girls Are Being Left Behind.

(2009). The Gender Gap in Youth Sports. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 80, No. 8, pp. 35-40.
Developmental Leadership: A New Perspective for Human Resource Development

Research indicates that numerous variables influence an organization’s ability to change and innovate. There is a need to understand a leadership model that focuses on the aspects of human resource...
Evolving trends in combined modality therapy for pancreatic cancer

Only 5%-15% of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma undergo potentially curative resection. Evidence that postoperative adjuvant therapy improves outcome is limited to a single randomized trial utilizing split-course chemoradiation. More aggressive regimens have developed and are associated with, at best, a modest improvement in patient outcome. The potentially significant morbidity associated with pancreaticoduodenectomy, which can compromise the delivery of postoperative chemoradiation, has led to the investigations of preoperative regimens. Although such an approach is feasible, its ultimate impact warrants further evaluation. Among the 4% of patients who present with unresectable or locally advanced disease, combined modality therapy has produced the most promising results. However, only modest improvements in survival have so far been achieved. Combined modality therapy with radioisotope implantation appears to have the greatest potential for improving local control and survival in these patients. Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) may be associated with lower morbidity than radioisotope implantation, but its impact may be limited by radiobiological disadvantage associated with single-dose boost therapy. The problem of distant metastasis remains significant. New chemotherapeutic agents have the potential to produce better results than those achieved with 5-fluorouracil. Continued advances in surgery, radiation, and systemic therapy should lead to the increased use of modern combined modality interventions with an associated further improvement in patient outcome.
Spontaneous Use of Mnemonics and Grade Point Average.

Summary Bower has suggested that superior students make more use of mnemonics than less talented students. The present study tested this thesis in 76 men and women college students. Recall of nouns was compared in two groups: (a) experimental Ss instructed to use a mnemonic (the method of loci) and (b) control Ss given no specific instructions on how to recall the words. The Ss using the method of loci had significantly better recall than the control Ss not instructed to use any mnemonic technique. However, a questionnaire given to the control group revealed that almost half had actually used mnemonic devices on their own. These Ss were significantly better students (as measured by grade point average) than those control Ss not using mnemonics; they also recalled the lists as well as the experimental Ss. Thus, the spontaneous use of mnemonics, which is an effective learning strategy, was shown to be associated with academic performance.
How Foundations Shape Social Movements : The Construction of an Organizational Field and the Rise of Forest Certification

Social movement scholars have demonstrated that foundation patronage channels social movements away from radical activities toward moderate goals, but accounts of how this process occurs are underdeveloped. Existing research typically focuses on foundations' differential selection of grant recipients (i.e., “cherry-picking” nonthreatening groups) and transformation of particular recipient organizations over time (i.e., professionalizing grassroots groups). Scholars have overlooked ways in which foundations shape social movements by building or restructuring entire organizational fields. Foundation-led “field-building” activities may embed social movement organizations (SMOs) in new contexts and enroll them in new projects, thus channeling protest in subtle ways. This argument is illustrated with the case of forest certification—a form of governance created in the 1990s as a moderate, market-based alternative to disruptive environmental boycotts. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative data, I show how foundations coordinated their grant-making to build a field of forest certification, enrolled social movement organizations in this project, and used the leverage of protest to further their fieldbuilding agenda.